Patent ID: 7216619

Claim:
An engine with a decompression mechanism, the engine comprising a generally hollow camshaft, said camshaft comprising an inner wall that defines a bore, an actuator positioned within said bore, said actuator comprising at least two actuator portions that are rotatable within said bore of said camshaft, said at least two actuator portions being joined end to end at a coupling location, a protrusion extending axially outward of a first end of each of said at least two actuator portions, each said protrusion being radially offset from a rotational axis of said corresponding actuator portion, a driving unit mechanically coupled to said actuator and adapted to rotate said actuator relative to said camshaft, at least two pin holes extending at least partway through said camshaft, said pin holes being positioned proximate said coupling location of said actuator and extending transversely across said camshaft, a pin positioned in each of said at least two pin holes, said pins being adapted to open a valve, said pins comprising an axial direction and being moveable in said axial direction relative to said camshaft, said pins further comprising a recessed portion positioned within said bore of said camshaft, each of said protruding portions of said at least two actuator portions being positioned within a corresponding one of said recesses of said pins such that said recess and said protrusion define a cam mechanism that converts rotational movement of said actuator to translating movement of said pins.