Patent ID: 7493756

Claim:
An internal combustion engine with a torque converter mounted on a crankshaft, said crankshaft being formed with an oil passage extending along the axis of said crankshaft, an inlet hole for supplying a hydraulic fluid from said oil passage to said torque converter, and an outlet hole for discharging said hydraulic fluid from said torque converter to said oil passage, said crankshaft having an orifice provided in said oil passage, said inlet hole being located upstream of said orifice, said outlet hole being located downstream of said orifice, said crankshaft being provided with a shaft bearing for supporting a rotating shaft for said torque converter, wherein said inlet hole is located at an axial end of said shaft bearing such that the inlet hole communicates with the axial end of the shaft bearing and the hydraulic fluid also lubricates the shaft bearing, wherein a first end of the shaft bearing overlaps the inlet hole such that the shaft bearing only partially overlaps the inlet hole, wherein the shaft bearing is not connected to any outlet holes, and wherein the inlet hole is only connected to the shaft bearing and an oil supply passage of the torque converter.