Patent ID: 8281762

Claim:
An internal combustion engine comprising an engine block comprising, at least one cylinder extending along a cylinder axis, first and second main bearings, a crankshaft mounted on the engine block by at least the first and second main bearings so as to be rotatable around a longitudinal crankshaft axis, the first and second main bearings each comprising, a first bearing portion and a second bearing portion, the second bearing portion being pan of a bearing cap, the bearing cap being fixed on the engine block by fixing means, at least one dampening structure connecting at least the bearing cap of the first main bearing to the bearing cap of the second main bearing, the dampening structure comprising a first support portion fixed on the bearing cap of the first main bearing, a second support portion fixed on the bearing cap of the second main bearing, and a dampening portion comprising an elastomeric material which connects the two support portions, the dampening structure being configured so that any relative movement between the bearing cap of the first main bearing and the bearing cap of the second main bearing, along a substantially horizontal direction, including longitudinal and transversal directions, results in the dampening portion being subject mainly to shear stress, left and right longitudinal side walls of a cylinder block extending vertically on left and right sides of the first and second main bearings, each of the first and second main bearings being connected by a left dampening structure to the left side wall and by a right dampening structure to the right side wall, the left and right wall dampening structures each having a first support portion of the wall dampening structure fixed on a respective one of the bearing cap of the first main bearing and the bearing cap of the second main bearing, a second support portion of the wall dampening structure fixed on the left side wall and the right side wall, the first support portion of the wall dampening structure being connected to the second support portion of the wall dampening structure by a dampening portion of the wall dampening structure comprising an elastomeric material, the left and right wall dampening structures being configured so that any relative movement between the bearing cap and the engine block, along a. substantially horizontal direction, including longitudinal and transverse directions, results in at least one of the left and right wall dampening structure being subject mainly to shear stress.