Bearing assembly for a connecting rod

1. A bearing assembly comprising:

a connecting rod with a first end and a second end, the first end defining a cylindrical aperture with a thrust ring depending radially inwardly therefrom such that the cylindrical aperture defines a first outer raceway and a second outer raceway on opposite sides of the thrust ring, the thrust ring including an outer circumferential surface and a pair of parallel sides depending radially inwardly therefrom that define opposed first and second bearing surfaces, the thrust ring being received in an annular groove that extends radially outwardly from an inner surface of the cylindrical aperture;

a crankshaft defining a cylindrical inner raceway disposed between a pair of opposed inner walls;

a first plurality of radial roller elements disposed between the first outer raceway and the inner raceway, each of the first radial roller elements having a first end face, an opposed second end face and defining an axial length therebetween; and

a second plurality of radial roller elements disposed between the second outer raceway and the inner raceway, each of the second radial roller elements having a first end face, an opposed second end face and defining an axial length therebetween,

wherein the axial length of at least one of the first plurality of radial roller elements is greater than an axial length of the first outer raceway and the axial length of at least one of the second plurality of radial roller elements is greater than an axial length of the second outer raceway,

the first end face of the at least one of the first plurality of radial roller elements contacts the first bearing surface of the thrust ring and its second end face extends axially outwardly beyond the first outer raceway, and

the first and second outer raceways are continuous along their lengths.

2. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end face of the at least one of the second plurality of radial roller elements contacts the second bearing surface of the thrust ring and its second end face extends axially outwardly beyond the second outer raceway.

3. The bearing assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second end face of each radial roller element of the first plurality extends axially outwardly beyond the first outer raceway when its first end face contacts the thrust ring.

4. The bearing assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second end face of each radial roller element of the second plurality extends axially outwardly beyond the second outer raceway when its first end face contacts the thrust ring.

5. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first plurality and the second plurality of radial roller elements further comprises a full complement of radial roller elements.

6. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein a maximum axial length of the second end of the connecting rod is less than an overall axial length defined by the axial length of the at least one of the first plurality of radial roller elements, the axial length of the at least one of the second plurality of radial roller elements and an axial length of the thrust ring.

7. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner raceway further comprises a first inner raceway and a second inner raceway, and the crankshaft includes a lubrication path with a first end and a second end, the second end being disposed between the first and second inner raceways.

8. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end face of the at least one of the first plurality of radial roller elements contacts the thrust ring and its second end face contacts one of the pair of opposed inner walls of the crankshaft.

9. The bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first end face of the at least one of the second plurality of radial roller elements contacts the thrust ring and its second end face contacts another of the pair of opposed inner walls of the crankshaft.

10. A bearing assembly for use between a connecting rod defining an outer raceway and a crankshaft defining an inner raceway, comprising:

a first plurality of radial roller elements disposed between the outer raceway and the inner raceway, each of the first radial roller elements having a first end face, an opposed second end face and defining an axial length therebetween;

a second plurality of radial roller elements disposed between the outer raceway and the inner raceway, each of the second radial roller elements having a first end face, an opposed second end face and defining an axial length therebetween; and

a thrust ring including an outer circumferential surface and a pair of parallel sides depending radially inwardly therefrom that define opposed bearing surfaces, the thrust ring being both disposed between the first plurality of radial roller elements and the second plurality of radial roller elements and received in an annular groove that extends radially outwardly from the outer raceway of the connecting rod,

wherein a maximum axial length of the outer raceway of the connecting rod is less than an overall axial length defined by the axial length of the at least one of the first plurality of radial roller elements, the axial length of the at least one of the second plurality of radial roller elements and an axial length of the thrust ring,

and the first end faces of the first and second pluralities of radial roller elements contact a corresponding bearing surface of the thrust ring.

11. The bearing assembly of claim 10 , wherein the outer raceway of the connecting rod further comprises a first outer raceway and a second outer raceway disposed on opposite sides of the thrust ring, and an axial length of at least one of the first plurality of radial roller elements is greater than an axial length of the corresponding first outer raceway and the axial length of at least one of the second plurality of radial roller elements is greater than an axial length of the corresponding second outer raceway.

12. The bearing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second end face of the at least one of the first plurality of radial roller elements extends axially outwardly beyond the first outer raceway.

13. The bearing assembly of claim 12 , wherein the second end face of the at least one of the second plurality of radial roller elements extends axially outwardly beyond the second outer raceway.

14. The bearing assembly of claim 13 , wherein the second end face of each radial roller element of the first plurality extends axially outwardly beyond the first outer raceway when its first end face contacts the thrust ring, and the second end face of each radial roller element of the second plurality extends axially outwardly beyond the second outer raceway when its first end face contacts the thrust ring.

15. The bearing assembly of claim 10 , wherein each of the first plurality and the second plurality of radial roller elements further comprises a full complement of radial roller elements.

16. The bearing assembly of claim 10 , wherein the inner raceway of the crankshaft further comprises a first inner raceway and a second inner raceway, and the crankshaft includes a lubrication path with a first end and a second end, the second end being disposed between the first and second inner raceways.