BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Conventionally, reciprocating internal combustion engines have a crankshaft. The crankshaft takes a heavy loading on the shaft from the thrust of the pistons in a reciprocating internal combustion engine. The output generated by a crankshaft is generally limited to the stroke of the piston. The risk of failure is high due to the forces applied by the pistons when thrusting upon the crankshaft.

The crankshaft is vulnerable to thermal fatigue, oil pressure fatigue, and misalignment at the journals. When a crankshaft rotates at high revolutions, maintaining balance is critical. An off balanced crankshaft would undergo vibrations that would induce excessive structural fatigue that reduces its lifespan. An imbalanced crankshaft results from the crankshaft being supported by faulty journals or a bend crankshaft. Under heavy loading and operation at high revolutions, the safety risks of such faults, even though may be minute, are magnified. When the crankshaft fails under these conditions the lives of the operators are in danger. Thermal fatigue causes the crankshaft to experience cracks that lead to crankshaft failure under load.

There are inherent constraints on the crankshaft operating under high compression ratios, and high engine revolutions.

The present invention seeks to overcome the mentioned limitations, risks of a conventional crankshaft. SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to replace the crankshaft of the conventional reciprocating engine.

In a first aspect the invention provides a power transmission assembly comprising at least a driving plate transmitting energy to at least a power output rod. The at least a power output rod is positioned around the at least a driving plate parallel to the axis of rotation of said driving plates. The at least a driving plate have at least a connecting pin.

A power transmission assembly, whereby the at least a driving plate is arranged to receive a driving force through the connecting pin in order to transmit power from the at least a connecting pin through the at least a driving plate to the at least a power output rod.

The invention seeks to be a replacement to the convention crankshaft in a reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE). The work and function of the camshaft, combustion chamber, cylinder, piston and connecting rod, cylinder head, and the upper part of the engine block remain unchanged. However, the lower part of the engine block (crankcase) may need to be redesigned to accommodate the power transmission assembly according to the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the power transmission assembly may comprise two major components namely, the driving plates and power output rods. The assembly may also include a gear system as an interface to marry to a flywheel or torque converter or any other intended use. The components according to this embodiment may be described as:

I) Driving plate - A driving plate may be in the form of a disc. If the driving plate has a central aperture, it may be in the form of a ring. The driving plate may have convex gear teeth around its peripheral edge, which is to be meshed onto corresponding concave input gears on the power output rods.

Alternatively, the gear teeth of the driving plates may be concave around its peripheral edge, which is to be meshed onto corresponding convex input gears on the power output rods. A plurality of driving plates may be joined together via connecting pins. The connecting pins are equivalent to the big end of a convention crankshaft. A pair of driving plates may substitute the journals of a conventional crankshaft, while having the function of transmitting the power/drive/thrust from the piston and connecting rod to the power output rods.

II) Power output rods- According to a preferred embodiment there may be a plurality of power output rods in the present invention. The plurality of power output rods are positioned angularly at equal spacing apart in a circular manner around the driving plates. Each power output rod may have concave or convex input gears machined on the exact position to be meshed with each corresponding driving plate. The number of input gears is the same as the number of driving plates over the length of the power output rods. When an engine with the power transmission assembly is turned on, each set of the piston and connecting rod will thrust and turn the corresponding driving plates. The driving plates will transfer the turning force onto all the power output rods. Hence, the power output rods perform the power output function of a crankshaft. The power output rods may be connected to a gear system to combine the power output together to drive a flywheel at one end, while driving other auxiliary systems including a timing chain at the other end as a conventional crankshaft does.

The invention provides a balanced engine, and may be used for high revolution applications, such as a high performance engine, large marine engine, and heavy-duty loads. The invention may be also used for a long stroke, high compression engine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 : illustrates a conventional crankshaft system. Figure 2: illustrates an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3: illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4: illustrates an embodiment of the present invention with a paired piston and cylinder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Described below are preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Each of the following preferred embodiments describes an example in which the power transmission assembly (100) may be assembled and the improvements over existing prior art. The configuration of the invention is not limited to the configuration mentioned in the following description.

Refering to Figure 1, a conventional power transmission assembly is described where the pistons are connected via driving rods to a crankshaft of a reciprocating internal combustion engine. The crankshaft is designed to convert the linear motion of the pistons into rotation energy.

Refering to Figure 2, describes an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention is an improvement over the crankshaft. Whereby, a system comprising of a at least a driving plate (300) and at least a power output rod (200) is used in place of a conventional crankshaft. The conventional crankshaft is replaced by a system comprising of driving plates (300) and power outpot rods (200). The at least a driving plate (300) Is effectively a round disc preferably with gear teeth and/or cogs all around at its peripheral edge, thus effectively making the at least a driving plate (300) a gear. The gear teeth of the at least a driving plate (300) may be either convex or concave, or a combination. If the gear teeth of the at least a driving plate (300) are convex, the corresponding at least an input gear (210) on the at least a power output rod (200) would be concave, or vice versa. The at least a driving plate (300) engages the at least an input gear (210) via a meshed engagement. A pair of adjacent at least a driving plate (300) is joined by a connecting pin (310). The connecting pin (310) is equivalent to the crankpin of a conventional crankshaft, also known as, big end. The at least a driving plate (300) eliminates the need for a journal in a power transmission assembly (100), whereas, a conventional crankshaft requires a journal. The at least a driving plate (300) receives a driving force via the connecting pin (310) to transmit the thrust from the at least a piston and at least a driving rod (500) to the at least a power output rod (200). The at least a driving plate (300) may have a central aperture, structural stiffeners, or a combination. With a central aperture, the at least a driving plate (300) is essentially a ring. In another embodiment, the at least a driving plate (300) may be a disc. The connecting pin (310) receives at least a driving rod (500), whereby the at least a driving rod (500) connects to a driving device. The driving device provides a thrust to drive the at least a driving rod (500), thus providing a thrust force to drive the at least a driving plate (300) via at least a driving rod (500). Counterweights may be added onto the at least a driving plate (300) to balance the at least a driving plate (300) to eliminate vibrations in the assembly (100). The mass of the at least a driving plate (300) may be adjusted to balance the assembly (100), store kinetic energy, preserve angular momentum, or a combination, thus eliminating the need for a flywheel. The at least a driving plate (300) may effectively be a flywheel. Without a flywheel, a starter motor may drive the at least a power output rod (200) to crank the power transmission assembly (100). As an example, for a four-cylinder internal combustion engine application, there are five driving plates (300), and four connecting pins (310) as a replacement for the crankshaft. The positioning of the connecting pins (310) is similar to that of the crankpins of a crankshaft. Whereby, the connecting pins (310) are arranged in a configuration for receiving the firing strokes in designated order from the piston. When the connecting pins (310) join the at least a driving plate (300), the profile may be similar to that of a crankshaft.

If an engine uses more than four cylinders, driving plates (300) may be added accordingly. The minimum total number of at least a driving plate (300) required is one more than the total number of cylinders. As such, the at least a power output rod (200) would have as many input gears (210) to match the number of driving plates (300). Likewise, if fewer cylinders are used, the same correlation between the number of driving gears and number of pistons apply.

Referring to Figure 3, in a preferred embodiment a minimum of three power output rods (200) shall be use. The three power output rods (200) are positioned at equal degrees apart in a circular manner tightly around all the at least a driving plate (300). In another embodiment, a plurality of at least a power output rod (200) may be positioned in a circular manner at equal angles apart around the at least a driving plate (300) parallel to the axis of rotation of the at least a driving plate (300). Preferably, the gears of the at least a power output rod (200) may be either convex, concave, or a combination. The at least a power output rod (200) have at least an input gear (210) at positions that align with the at least a driving plate (300). The number of at least an input gear (210) along at least a power output rod (200), preferably be equivalent to the number of at least a driving plate (300). However, an at least a power output rod (200) may have more or less input gears (210) than the number of driving plates (300). Furthermore, a power output rod (200) may have at least an output gear (220) in addition to the at least an input gear (210), to power, to propel an auxiliary system. An auxiliary system may include devices such as, a flywheel, a timing chain, a generator, and any system or device that requires a mechanical source of energy input. The at least a power output rod (200) drives a flywheel (400) at a distal end of the at least a power output rod (200) via a meshed engagement with an output gear (220)

Having a plurality of power output rods (200) provide a plurality of outputs for the power transmission assembly (100). Each power output rod (200) may drive at least one auxiliary system, thus providing the auxiliary system with power direct from the source. Whereby, the source is the rotational force from the at least a driving plate (300). The pistons are connected to the connecting pin (310) via a driving rod (500) to drive the at least a driving plate (300). As the engine is turned on each set of pistons, the driving rods (500) will thrust and turn the corresponding pair of at least a driving plate (300), which then transfer the turning force onto all the at least a power output rod (200).

For a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the power transmission assembly (100) may be driven by a plurality of cylinders arranged in either a single bank or a plurality of banks. Therefore, the at least a power output rod (200) perform the power output function of a crankshaft. Configurations can range from a pair of at least a driving plate (300) to as many as required, provided the opening between an adjacent pair of at least a power output rod (200) is wide enough to accommodate the movement of the driving rod (500).

Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of the power transmission assembly (100) driven by multiple cylinders acting on a common connecting pin (310).

The connecting pin (310) receives a pair of driving rods (500a, 500b), whereby the first driving rod (500a) of the pair of driving rods (500a, 500b) connects to a first driving device. The second driving rod (500b) of the pair of driving rods (500a, 500b) connects to a second driving device. The first driving rod (500a) provides a thrust force to drive the driving plate (300). The second driving rod (500b) provides a thrust force to drive the driving plate (300) when the first driving rod (500a) is not providing a thrust force to said driving plate (300).

The combination of first driving rod (500a) and second driving rod (500b) provides multiple thrust force cycles to drive the driving plate (300).

The present power transmission assembly (100) is a replacement for the universal use of a conventional crankshaft. It provides better efficiency over the conventional crankshaft by not requiring the use of a journal (main bearing), as every push from a piston is directly transmitted to output. With the at least a driving plate (300) directly transmitting power to the at least a power output rod (200), the power transmission assembly (100) is able to handle higher power and higher revolutions from the pistons. Thus, making the power transmission assembly (100) suitable for high power, high revolution applications such as, a high performance engine, large marine engine, and heavy-duty loads.

The present power transmission assembly (100) provides a balanced engine, as there is less constraint to the layout of the power output rods (200). The conventional crankshaft provides only a singular output. The present invention provides multiple outputs to drive multiple systems within the same piston cycle. Furthermore, it reduces constraint to the layout of cylinders with regards to the angle of orientation of the cylinders during operation compared to a conventional crankshaft. Thus, overcoming the negative effects of side bending forces, and side swing forces during operation.

The power transmission assembly (100) may be driven by multiple driving sources, such as electric motors, pneumatic systems, hydraulic systems, internal combustion

Furthermore, the present power transmission assembly (100) is suitable for long stroke engines operating at a high compression ratio. In a further embodiment, multiple modules of the present invention may be coupled together via at least a clutch mechanism at the ends of the at least a power output rod (200) to couple multiple modules to function as a single unit. The multiple modules may be coupled sequentially according to the loading on the power transmission assembly (100) according to pre-determined thresholds of any one of the following, revolution per minute, torque, or a combination.

For example, there may be four power transmission assembly (100) modules linked sequentially to each other with the at least a clutch mechanism set to engage at a predetermined revolution per minute. If the threshold for engagement for the at least a clutch mechanism between the first and second is 3000rpm, when the first module operates at 3000rpm and above, the at least a clutch mechanism will couple both the first and second modules together. With the first and second module coupled, the system may accept greater loading. Likewise, if the threshold for engagement between the second and third module is 6000rpm, and between the third and fourth is 9000rpm, the modules can be coupled sequentially according to the loading on the system.

In as much as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.