ENGINE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING CRANKSHAFT FOR V4 ARRANGEMENT

1 . A V4 engine crankshaft comprising:

a first crank pin defined on the crankshaft;

a second crank pin defined on the crankshaft;

a third crank pin defined on the crankshaft; and

a fourth crank pin defined on the crankshaft and rotationally offset from the first crank pin by a first angle of less than 270 degrees in a rotational direction of the crankshaft and the second crank pin and the third crank pin being located rotationally between the first crank pin and the fourth crank pin in the rotational direction of the crankshaft.

2 . The V4 engine crankshaft of claim 1 , wherein the third crank pin is rotationally offset from the second crank pin by a second angle equal to a bank angle defined between a first bank of cylinders and a second bank of cylinders defined in a V4 engine block housing the crankshaft.

3 . The V4 engine crankshaft of claim 2 , wherein the third crank pin is engaged with a piston in the first bank of cylinders and the second crank pin is engaged with a piston in the second bank of cylinders.

4 . The V4 engine crankshaft of claim 3 , wherein the first crank pin is located at a first axial end of the crankshaft and the fourth crank pin is located at a second axial end of the crankshaft.

5 . The V4 engine crankshaft of claim 2 , wherein the second angle is less than 90 degrees.

6 . The V4 engine crankshaft of claim 1 , wherein the first angle is 180 degrees.

7 . The V4 engine crankshaft of claim 6 , wherein the third crank pin is rotationally offset from the second crank pin by 60 degrees.

8 . The V4 engine crankshaft of claim 1 , wherein the second crank pin is located axially between the first crank pin and the fourth crank pin and the third crank pin is located axially between the second crank pin and the fourth crank pin, the second crank pin is rotationally offset from the first crank pin by 60 degrees in the rotational direction of the crankshaft, the third crank pin is rotationally offset from the second crank pin by 60 degrees in the rotational direction of the crankshaft and the fourth crank pin is rotationally offset from the third crank pin by 60 degrees in the rotational direction of the crankshaft.

9 . An engine assembly comprising:

an engine structure including an engine block defining a first bank of cylinders including two cylinders and a second bank of cylinders including two cylinders forming a V4 arrangement; and

a crankshaft rotationally supported on the engine structure and including a first crank pin, a second crank pin, a third crank and a fourth crank pin rotationally offset from the first crank pin by a first angle of less than 270 degrees in a rotational direction of the crankshaft, the second crank pin and the third crank pin being located rotationally between the first crank pin and the fourth crank pin in the rotational direction of the crankshaft.

10 . The engine assembly of claim 9 , wherein the third crank pin is rotationally offset from the second crank pin by a second angle equal to a bank angle defined between the first bank of cylinders and the second bank of cylinders.

11 . The engine assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a first piston coupled to the first crank pin and located in a first cylinder defined in the first bank of cylinders, a second piston coupled to the second crank pin and located in a second cylinder defined in the second bank of cylinders, a third piston coupled to the third crank pin and located in a third cylinder defined in the first bank of cylinders and a fourth piston coupled to the fourth crank pin and located in a fourth cylinder defined in the second bank of cylinders.

12 . The engine assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first crank pin is located at a first axial end of the crankshaft and the fourth crank pin is located at a second axial end of the crankshaft.

13 . The engine assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second angle is less than 90 degrees.

14 . The engine assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a first piston coupled to the first crank pin and located in a first cylinder defined in the first bank of cylinders, a second piston coupled to the second crank pin and located in a second cylinder defined in the second bank of cylinders, a third piston coupled to the third crank pin and located in a third cylinder defined in the first bank of cylinders and a fourth piston coupled to the fourth crank pin and located in a fourth cylinder defined in the second bank of cylinders, the engine assembly defining a firing order including the second cylinder and the third cylinder having a combustion event at the same time.

15 . The engine assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a cylinder head located on the engine block and defining a port in communication with the second cylinder, a valve located within the port, a valve lift mechanism engaged with the valve and a camshaft engaged with the valve lift mechanism, the valve lift mechanism being operable in a first mode and a second mode, the first mode including the valve being displaced to an open position when the valve lift mechanism is engaged by a peak of a cam lobe on the camshaft and the second mode including the valve remaining in a closed position when the valve lift mechanism is engaged by the peak of the cam lobe.

16 . The engine assembly of claim 15 , wherein the engine assembly defines a first firing interval when the valve lift mechanism is operated in the first mode and a second firing interval equal to the first firing interval when the valve lift mechanism is operated in the second mode.

17 . The engine assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first angle is 180 degrees.

18 . The engine assembly of claim 17 , wherein the third crank pin is rotationally offset from the second crank pin by 60 degrees.

19 . The engine assembly of claim 9 , wherein the second crank pin is located axially between the first crank pin and the fourth crank pin and the third crank pin is located axially between the second crank pin and the fourth crank pin, the second crank pin is rotationally offset from the first crank pin by 60 degrees in the rotational direction of the crankshaft, the third crank pin is rotationally offset from the second crank pin by 60 degrees in the rotational direction of the crankshaft and the fourth crank pin is rotationally offset from the third crank pin by 60 degrees in the rotational direction of the crankshaft.

20 . An engine assembly comprising:

an engine structure including an engine block defining a first bank of cylinders including two cylinders and a second bank of cylinders including two cylinders forming a V4 arrangement having a bank angle of 60 degrees;

a crankshaft rotationally supported on the engine structure and including a first crank pin, a second crank pin rotationally offset from the first crank pin in a rotational direction of the crankshaft by 60 degrees, a third crank pin rotationally offset from the second crank pin in the rotational direction by 60 degrees, and a fourth crank pin rotationally offset from the third crank pin in the rotational direction by 60 degrees; and

a first piston coupled to the first crank pin and located in a first cylinder defined in the first bank of cylinders, a second piston coupled to the second crank pin and located in a second cylinder defined in the second bank of cylinders, a third piston coupled to the third crank pin and located in a third cylinder defined in the first bank of cylinders, and a fourth piston coupled to the fourth crank pin and located in a fourth cylinder defined in the second bank of cylinders, the engine assembly defining a firing order including the second cylinder and the third cylinder having combustion events at the same time.