Patent ID: 7370643

Claim:
An internal combustion engine, comprising: a crankcase, a plurality of cylinders provided on the crankcase, the cylinders spaced from each other in a V-shape such that a substantially V-shaped space exists between the cylinders, each of the cylinders comprising a cylinder head disposed on a cylinder block, a charge injector disposed within each of the cylinder heads, the charge injector constructed and arranged to directly inject a fuel-air mixture into a combustion chamber in the cylinder during engine operation, an air compressor operatively attached to the engine, and compressed-air supply channels, comprising a first and second part, extending between the air compressor and each of the charge injectors, respectively, for supplying compressed air from the air compressor to the charge injectors, wherein the first part of said compressed-air supply channels is provided in the form of a single shared channel formed within the crankcase, and the second part of said compressed-air supply channels is branched to form plural branched channels, each branched channel extending between the single shared channel and a respective charge injector, each branched channel comprising an internal conduit formed within the cylinder wall.