Abstract: Disclosed is an actuator for a link mechanism of an internal combustion mechanism, which includes: a control link (12); an arm link (13) pivotably connected to the other end of the control link; a control shaft (11) to which the arm link is fixed by press-fitting; a housing body (28) having a support hole (30) formed to rotatably support therein the control shaft and an accommodation room (28b) formed in a direction intersecting an center axis of the support hole to accommodate therein the connection site between the arm link and the control link. The housing body further has through holes formed therethrough from an outer surface of the housing body to the accommodation room in an axial direction of the control shaft such that insertion support parts (72 to 74) of a support jig (70) can be inserted through and removed from the respective through holes.

Abstract: A steel piston for an internal combustion engine may include a piston crown and a protective layer disposed on the piston crown. The protective layer may include an adhesion layer of Cr or CrN, which is present on a surface of the piston crown. The protective layer may include a functional layer, which is present on the adhesion layer. The functional layer may have at least one of (i) at least one layer (A) of CrN and (ii) at least one layer (B) of CrOn in the form of [(A)/(B)]a, and a may represent 1 to 100.

Abstract: A crankcase ventilation oil mist separator system, comprising: a first separator unit, which has at least one filter body arranged in a blow-by gas path such that blow-by gas flows through the body; a second separator unit which is arranged in a bypass path that bypasses the first separator unit; and a bypass valve which opens the bypass path when a differential pressure in the first separator unit exceeds a predefined value, wherein the second separator unit is an impactor separator.

Abstract: A breather apparatus includes a first oil separation chamber disposed in a case and extending substantially in a vertical direction. The case constitutes a part of a vertical wall of an internal combustion engine, and blowby gas flows inside the case. A second oil separation chamber is superposed upon the first oil separation chamber. An opening formed in the lower part of the first oil separation chamber is communicated with the inside of the case. An upper part of the second oil separation chamber is communicated with the first oil separation chamber via a through hole. The blowby gas which has flown into the second oil separation chamber is supplied into an intake system via an outflow port formed in the lower part of the second oil separation chamber. In the separation chambers, oil in the blowby gas is separated by mutually different flow characteristics.

Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine using natural gas as a fuel. There is provided a reforming reactor in fluid communication with the engine for selectively reforming the natural gas in the reactor to reform substantially all hydrocarbons in the natural gas except methane, to provide a higher octane gaseous fuel comprised of methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide.