Patent ID: 8616175

Claim:
An engine comprising: an engine block assembly; an engine component disposed in the engine block assembly and movable in respect of a central longitudinal axis of the engine component and relative to the engine block assembly, the engine component including a lateral surface with a permanent magnet at least partially disposed in the lateral surface; at least one electromagnet disposed in the engine block assembly opposite the lateral surface of the engine component, wherein the engine block assembly further comprises a cylinder bank including a plurality of cylinder bores formed therein and a cylinder head mounted to the cylinder bank covering the cylinder bores, the at least one electromagnet coupled to at least one of the cylinder bank and the cylinder head adjacent the cylinder bores, and wherein the engine component is at least one of a piston reciprocatingly disposed in the cylinder bores and a crankshaft rotatably mounted to the engine block assembly; a control system selectively providing an electrical current to the at least one electromagnet to produce a desired magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field of the at least one electromagnet cooperates with a magnetic field of the permanent magnet to affect a motion of the engine component in respect of the central longitudinal axis and relative to the engine block assembly; and a magnetized connecting rod having opposing ends, a first end rotatably attached to the crankshaft and a second end coupled to the piston, wherein a magnetic polarity of the magnetized connecting rod causes a magnetic attraction between the first end and the crankshaft and a magnetic attraction between the second end and the piston.