The statements made in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Mass balance units having balance shafts have the purpose of compensating mass forces and mass torques arising in internal combustion engines. With specific engine types, for example with in-line engines having four cylinders, such balance shafts are used pair-wise, with the balance shafts rotating contrary-wise at double the crankshaft speed. The balance shafts as well as the components bearing them are subject to high load due to the high speed so that not least the stability of mass balance units is of great importance.
Such mass balance units have a mass balance housing at which the at least one mass balance shaft is rotatably journaled. A balance weight is rotationally fixedly fastened to the respective mass balance shaft and the balance shaft is in drive connection with the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. The mass balance unit is arranged, for example, at the crankcase of the internal combustion engine or in the oil pan of the internal combustion engine.
Oil pumps are also frequently arranged in the region of the oil pan. Oil pumps serve to supply oil continuously to the internal combustion engine for lubrication and cooling purposes. This oil is typically collected in an oil pan and is sucked out of it.
It is known to integrate a mass balance unit and secondary units, for example an oil pump of the explained kind, into a common assembly. The parts and installation effort and/or cost required for this purpose is, however, undesirably high. The manufacture of such an integrated assembly is undesirably complex and expensive due to the resulting tolerance chains.