Piston ring assembly

1 . A piston ring assembly, comprising:

an annular basic body having a gap;

a cover element covering the gap of the annular basic body;

the annular basic body having a first end and a second end being arranged adjacent to another separated by the gap, the basic body having a radial outer face and a radial inner face, the basic body having a first axial face and a second axial face, wherein the basic body has a first recess at the first end and has a second recess at the second end such that the first and second recesses leave a respective protrusion at the first end and at the second end, wherein the first and second recesses are on the radial outer face;

the cover element having a first lateral portion, a middle portion and a second lateral portion, the middle portion located between the first and second lateral portions, the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion each having a third recess;

wherein the cover element is located at basic body such that the middle portion of the cover element covers the gap of the basic body and each respective protrusion of the first end and the second end of the basic body is located in the respective third recess of the first and second lateral portion of the cover element; and

wherein a shape of the first recess at the first end and of the second recess at the second end is c-shaped each defining an upper leg and a lower leg extending in a circumferential direction and a middle leg extending in an axial direction leaving the respective protrusions between the upper leg and the lower leg with the middle leg between the respective protrusion and a corresponding one of the first end and the second end.

2 . The piston ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the respective protrusions protrude in a radial direction from a face of the first recess and from the second recess.

3 . The piston ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the radial outer face of the respective protrusions are aligned with the radial outer face of the annular basic body.

4 . The piston ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a radial depth of the first recess at the first end and of the second recess at the second end of the annular basic body is smaller than a radial depth of the basic body.

5 . The piston ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the radial inner face of the basic body in the first recess at the first end and in the second recess at the second end is aligned with the radial inner face of the basic body outside of the first recess and the second recess.

6 . The piston ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the respective protrusions as measured between corresponding ends of the respective protrusions is wider than a width of the gap as measured between the first end and the second end of the basic body, and wherein the middle portion of the cover element is located between the respective protrusions.

7 . The piston ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cover element is H-shaped with the middle portion and the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion each having the third recess.

8 . The piston ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first recess at the first end and the second recess at the second end provides surfaces being planar, cylindrical, conical or combinations thereof.

9 . A piston of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a piston body having at least one circumferential groove and at least one piston ring assembly arranged in the at least one circumferential groove, the at least one piston ring assembly including:

an annular basic body having a gap;

a cover element covering the gap of the annular basic body;

the annular basic body having a first end and a second end being arranged adjacent to another separated by the gap, the basic body having a radial outer face and a radial inner face, the basic body having a first axial face and a second axial face, wherein the basic body has a first recess at the first end and has a second recess at the second end such that the first and second recesses leave a respective protrusion at the first end and at the second end, and wherein a distance between the respective protrusions as measured between corresponding ends of the respective protrusions is greater than a width of the gap as measured between the first end and the second end of the basic body, wherein the first and second recesses are on the radial outer face;

the cover element having a first lateral portion, a middle portion and a second lateral portion, the middle portion located between the first and second lateral portions, the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion each having a third recess;

wherein the cover element is located at basic body such that the middle portion of the cover element covers the gap of the basic body and each respective protrusion of the first end and the second end of the basic body is located in the respective third recess of the first and second lateral portion of the cover element; and

wherein a shape of the first recess at the first end and of the second recess at the second end is c-shaped each defining an upper leg and a lower leg extending in a circumferential direction and a middle leg extending in an axial direction leaving the respective protrusions between the upper leg and the lower leg with the middle leg between the respective protrusion and a corresponding one of the first end and the second end.

10 . An internal combustion engine, comprising: at least one piston, the at least one piston including:

a piston body having at least one circumferential groove and at least one piston ring assembly arranged in the at least one circumferential groove, the at least one piston ring assembly including: an annular basic body having a gap; a cover element covering the gap of the annular basic body; the annular basic body having a first end and a second end being arranged adjacent to another separated by the gap, the basic body having a radial outer face and a radial inner face, the basic body having a first axial face and a second axial face, wherein the basic body has a first recess at the first end and has a second recess at the second end such that the first and second recesses leave a respective protrusion at the first end and at the second end; the cover element having a first lateral portion, a middle portion and a second lateral portion, the middle portion located between the first and second lateral portions, the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion each having a third recess; wherein the cover element is located at basic body such that the middle portion of the cover element covers the gap of the basic body and each respective protrusion of the first end and the second end of the basic body is located in the respective third recess of the first and second lateral portion of the cover element; and wherein a shape of the first recess at the first end and of the second recess at the second end is c-shaped each defining an upper leg and a lower leg extending in a circumferential direction and a middle leg extending in an axial direction leaving the respective protrusions between the upper leg and the lower leg with the middle leg between the respective protrusion and a corresponding one of the first end and the second end.

11 . The internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , wherein the respective protrusions protrude in a radial direction from a face of the first recess and from the second recess.

12 . The internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , wherein the radial outer face of the respective protrusions are aligned with the radial outer face of the annular basic body.

13 . The internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , wherein a radial depth of the first recess at the first end and of the second recess at the second end of the annular basic body is smaller than a radial depth of the basic body.

14 . The internal combustion engine according to claim 13 , wherein the radial depth of the first recess and the second recess is less than half of the radial depth of the basic body.

15 . The internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , wherein the radial inner face of the basic body in the first recess at the first end and in the second recess at the second end is aligned with the radial inner face of the basic body outside of the first recess and the second recess.

16 . The internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , wherein a distance between the respective protrusions as measured between corresponding ends of the respective protrusions is wider than a width of the gap as measured between the first end and the second end of the basic body, and wherein the middle portion of the cover element is located between the respective protrusions.

17 . The internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , wherein the cover element is H-shaped with the middle portion and the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion each having the third recess.

18 . The internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , wherein the first recess at the first end and the second recess at the second end provides surfaces being planar, cylindrical, conical or combinations thereof.

19 . The piston according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of:

the middle portion of the cover element is located between the respective protrusions; and

the radial outer face of the respective protrusions are aligned with the radial outer face of the annular basic body.