Claims
- 1. A twin cylinder internal combustion engine, comprising:
a crankcase; a crankshaft rotatably disposed within said crankcase, said crankshaft having a drive gear mounted thereto; a pair of cylinder members mounted to said crankcase, said cylinder members and said crankcase being separate components; and a valve train, comprising:
a pair of cam gears supported respectively by said cylinder members, said cam gears in meshing engagement with said drive gear; at least one cam lobe associated with each said cam gear; and at least one lifter pivotally mounted within each said cylinder member, each said lifter in engagement with a respective said cam lobe.
- 2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein each said cylinder member includes a pair of said lifters, and each said cam gear includes a pair of said cam lobes, each said cam lobe actuating a respective said lifter.
- 3. The internal combustion engine of claim 2, wherein each said cylinder member includes an intake valve and an exhaust valve in respective engagement with said lifters.
- 4. The internal combustion engine of claim 3, wherein each said cylinder member comprises a cylinder bore therein and said intake and exhaust valves are disposed radially adjacent said cylinder bore in each said cylinder member.
- 5. The internal combustion engine of claim 3, wherein each said cylinder member further comprises a valve seat for each of said intake and exhaust valves.
- 6. The internal combustion engine of claim 2, wherein each said cylinder member further comprises:
an intake valve in engagement with one of said lifters; an intake port communicating with said intake valve; an exhaust valve in engagement with the other of said lifters; and an exhaust port communicating with said exhaust valve.
- 7. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, further comprising a cylinder head attached to each said cylinder member, each said cylinder member and cylinder head defining a combustion chamber therebetween.
- 8. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each said cam gear extends into said crankcase for engagement with said drive gear.
- 10. The internal combustion engine of claim 2, wherein said valve train further comprises a pair of push rods carried in each said cylinder member, said push rods actuated by respective said lifters.
- 11. The internal combustion engine of claim 10, wherein each said cylinder member comprises a cylinder bore therein, and said push rods are disposed radially adjacent said cylinder bore in each said cylinder member.
- 12. The internal combustion engine of claim 10, wherein each said cylinder member further comprises a cylinder head, each said cylinder head comprising:
an intake valve; an exhaust valve; and a pair of rocker arms for respectively actuating said intake and exhaust valves in response to movement of said push rods.
- 13. A twin cylinder internal combustion engine, comprising:
a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably disposed therein; a pair of cylinder members mounted to said crankcase, said cylinder members and said crankcase being separate components; and a valve train, comprising:
a pair of cam gears rotatably supported respectively by said cylinder members, at least a portion of each said cam gear extending into said crankcase for driving engagement with said crankshaft; a pair of cam lobes associated with each said cam gear; and a pair of lifters pivotally mounted to each said cylinder member, each said lifter in engagement with a respective said cam lobe.
- 14. The internal combustion engine of claim 13, further comprising a drive gear mounted to said crankshaft, said drive gear in meshing engagement with each of said cam gears.
- 15. The internal combustion engine of claim 13, wherein said valve train further comprises an intake valve and an exhaust valve carried in each said cylinder member, each said intake and exhaust valve actuated by a respective said lifter.
- 16. The internal combustion engine of claim 15, wherein each said cylinder member comprises a cylinder bore therein, and said intake and exhaust valves are disposed radially adjacent said cylinder bore in each said cylinder member.
- 17. The internal combustion engine of claim 13, wherein each said cylinder member further comprises a cylinder head, each said cylinder member and cylinder head defining a combustion chamber therebetween.
- 18. The internal combustion engine of claim 17, wherein said valve train further comprises a pair of push rods carried in each said cylinder member for actuating valves within said cylinder heads, each said push rod actuated by a respective said lifter.
- 19. A method of assembling an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, comprising the steps of:
providing a cylinder member; assembling valve train components to the cylinder member, the valve train components including a cam gear, at least one cam lobe, and at least one lifter; and then securing the cylinder member to the crankcase.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said steps comprise:
providing a pair of cylinder members; assembling valve train components to each of the cylinder members, the valve train components including a cam gear, at least one cam lobe, and at least one lifter; and securing the cylinder members to the crankcase.
- 21. The method of claim 19, further comprising, before said securing step, the additional step of:
positioning the cylinder member with respect to the crankcase such that at least a portion of the cam gear extends into the crankcase.
- 22. The method of claim 19, wherein said assembling step further comprises assembling at least one valve to the cylinder member.
- 23. The method of claim 19, wherein said assembling step further comprises assembling at least one push rod to the cylinder member.
- 24. The method of claim 19, including the additional step of securing a cylinder head to the cylinder member.
- 25. A twin cylinder internal combustion engine, comprising:
a crankcase; a pair of cylinder members mounted to said crankcase, said cylinder members and said crankcase being separate components; a cam gear and lobe assembly rotatably carried by each said cylinder member, one of said cam gear and lobe assemblies facing in a first direction, and the other of said cam gear and lobe assemblies facing in a second direction opposite said first direction.
- 26. The internal combustion engine of claim 25, further comprising:
a crankshaft rotatably disposed within said crankcase; and a drive gear mounted on said crankshaft, said drive gear in driving engagement with each said cam gear and lobe assemblies.
- 27. The internal combustion engine of claim 25, wherein each said cam gear and cam assembly includes a cam gear and a pair of cam lobes.
- 28. The internal combustion engine of claim 25, wherein each said cylinder member includes a pair of lifters rotatably mounted thereto, each said cam lobe actuating a respective said lifter.
- 29. The internal combustion engine of claim 28, further comprising a pair of valves carried in each said cylinder member, each said valve actuated by a respective said lifter.
- 30. The internal combustion engine of claim 28, further comprising a pair of push rods carried in each said cylinder member, each said push rod actuated by a respective said lifter.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit under Title 35, U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/372,560, entitled INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, filed on Apr. 15, 2002, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/402,841, entitled INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, filed on Aug. 12, 2002.
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60372560 |
Apr 2002 |
US |
|
60402841 |
Aug 2002 |
US |