Abstract: A force transfer mechanism is provided for an internal-combustion engine. In the most preferred configuration, the force transfer mechanism comprises two inter-connected first class levers that are driven by four pistons. Each of the pistons is driven through its non-powered strokes by the action of the piston in its powered stroke on the first class levers. The force transfer mechanism also drives the crankshaft through a single connecting rod. The force transfer mechanism provides for less frictional loss, and greater efficiency, than a typical internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine in which pistons provided in a plurality of cylinders are coupled to a crankshaft by connecting rods, an oil pan for storing oil is mounted below a crankcase, and a balancer device which has a balancer shaft driven to rotate in accordance with rotation of the crankshaft and a balancer housing for accommodating the balancer shaft is housed between the crankcase and the oil pan, the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a heat transfer member that is provided between the balancer housing and the oil pan and below the balancer shaft, and comes into contact with the balancer housing and the crankcase.

Abstract: There is provided a method and a control scheme to control an internal combustion engine operating in an auto-ignition mode by selectively activating a control scheme for controlling fuel injector operation based upon engine combustion parameters, e.g., IMEP or NMEP. The method comprises operating the engine in the auto-ignition combustion mode, and monitoring combustion in each of the cylinders. The fuel correction is selectively enabled only when either one of a partial burn and a misfire of a cylinder charge in one of the cylinders has been detected.

Abstract: A multicylinder engine for a motorcycle includes a valve actuation mechanism having a hydraulically-operated valve pausing mechanism for holding at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of selected cylinders in a suspended state. The valve actuation mechanism operates the intake valve and the exhaust valve, and controls flow of oil through an oil passage which introduces working oil to the valve pausing mechanism from a hydraulic-pressure control device. Air-bleeding holes are formed in the cylinder head. The air-bleeding holes are fluidly connected with portions of the oil passages that are located at a highest level in the oil passages while the motorcycle is parked in an inclined state with its side stand down.

Abstract: An engine, e.g., a cam drive, barrel-type internal combustion engine, that includes: a main drive shaft defining a longitudinal axis; a sinusoidal main drive cam rigidly attached to the main drive shaft; a plurality of cam members that are in contact with the sinusoidal main drive cam and that are configured to follow the sinusoidal main drive cam, wherein rotation of the sinusoidal main drive cam corresponds to reciprocating linear movement of each of the plurality of cam members in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis; for each cam member, a pair of linear pistons disposed on opposite sides of the cam member for reciprocating linear movement within respective cylinder bores.

Abstract: A positive charge of a sensor element is charged in a signal converting circuit, is converted into a positive voltage, and is outputted. When the polarity of the charge of the sensor element is inverted to the negative and an output of the signal converting circuit is decreased, the leaked charges are superimposed and become the negative. An automatic correction circuit detects the negative output and discharges the charges so as to set the input to “0”. Thus, the offset of the signal level due to the charge leakage is automatically corrected.

Abstract: A modular family of internal combustion engines is described. The family includes at least three engine configurations selected from a single cylinder, V-type, inline, opposed, W-type, and radial configurations. Each of the engines in the family includes at least one cylinder with identical top end packages. A method for designing such a family of engines is also disclosed. A family of recreational vehicles and method for designing a family of recreational vehicles is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and device for controllably combusting combustible material, including a combustion device comprising an elongate combustion tube having an inlet section including an inlet for combustible material, an ignition section, including an igniter displaced along a length of the tube from the inlet section to ignite the combustible material, and at least one energy extraction device operatively coupled to the combustion tube and configured to extract energy from combustion of the combustible mixture.

Abstract: A combustion pressure data collection system for a multi-cylinder engine includes a cylinder pressure sensor, an amplifier unit, and a channel switching unit. The cylinder pressure sensor directly detect a combustion pressure of respective cylinders, the amplifier unit converts a charge signal from the cylinder pressure sensor into voltage signal and have an automatic correction function for automatically correcting a voltage output level so that the level is setted to the same level before and after the cylinder pressure sensor generate a charge, and the amplifier unit of the respective cylinders is connected to the channel switching unit.

Abstract: A fail-operational engine is provided. The inventive engine is a single engine which continues to operate at partial power after a single, or several, failures of any of several subsystems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a six-stroke internal combustion engine with intake-exhaust valves. All valves in the combustion chamber are named intake-exhaust valves, because said valves function as both intake valves in an intake stroke and exhaust valves in an exhaust stroke. Because in said engine each cycle comprises an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke, an exhaust stroke, the fifth stroke and the sixth stroke, there is an interval between the exhaust stroke and the intake stroke of the next cycle. Said interval includes strokes five and six. During the exhaust stroke and said interval, all exhaust gases are expelled from a cylinder and cylinder head completely before the intake stroke of the next cycle begins. Utilizing every valve in the combustion chamber as an intake and exhaust valve increases the volumetric efficiency of the engine.

Abstract: There is provided a cylinder for an internal combustion engine, wherein the inner wall surface of the cylinder which constitutes a slide-contacting surface for the piston is treated with a metal plating which is minimal in burden to the environment, excellent in abrasion resistance and hard enough to endure the practical use of the cylinder, thus making it possible to dispense with a finishing work such as honing work. The cylinder is featured in that the inner wall surface of the cylinder which is adapted to be slidably contacted with a piston is electroplated in a plating bath comprising a nickel plating solution containing a boron compound such as trimethylamine borane, dimethylamine borane, etc.

Abstract: A compact intake manifold for an in-line six cylinder engine, having six independent runners of equal length emanating from a centrally disposed plenum and traveling in a substantially single plane. Runners serving the two most rearward and the two most forward engine intake ports begin travel in a path along the longitudinal axis of the engine and make only one turn of substantially 90 degrees toward the engine. Runners serving the two central intake ports also begin travel in a path along the longitudinal axis of the engine but take a somewhat serpentine path of one turn of substantially 180 degrees and one turn of substantially 90 degrees.

Abstract: An Internal combustion engine is provided having separately designated combustion and exhaust powered cylinders, for implementing a dual exhaust expansion system which derives additional power from the combustion exhaust gases of each cylinder. The piston in each combustion exhaust cylinder is timed such that one leads the other by approximately 0-180 degrees crankshaft angle. Ignition of a first combustible air/fuel mixture produces combustion gases. Expansion of the combustion gases drives the first combustion piston during a first power stroke. Combustion gases are expelled from the cylinder to a second cylinder via fluidic passage to produce a second power stroke in the second cylinder, from there the combustion gasses are exhausted to atmosphere. Ignition of a second combustible air/fuel mixture produces combustion gases. Expansion of the combustion gases drives the second combustion piston during a third power stroke.

Abstract: A modular family of internal combustion engines is described. The family includes at least three engine configurations selected from a single cylinder, V-type, inline, opposed, W-type, and radial configurations. Each of the engines in the family includes at least one cylinder with identical top end packages. A method for designing such a family of engines is also disclosed. A family of recreational vehicles and method for designing a family of recreational vehicles is also disclosed.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprising an engine block having two opposed guide slots on an interior surface. The guide slots may be parallel to the direction of movement of the engine pistons. At least one pair of cylinders may be formed in the engine block. The pistons may each be moving in a linear direction perpendicular to the inside of a respective one of the cylinders in response to energy forces in a respective chamber positioned at one end of each cylinder.

Abstract: To provide a multi-cylinder engine in which a plurality of cylinder bore rows, each including a plurality of cylinder bores disposed in parallel, are disposed in such a manner as to be perpendicular to a crank shaft disposed substantially in the horizontal direction. A plurality of cylinder heads, each forming combustion chambers between pistons slidably fitted in the cylinder bores and the cylinder head, are connected to cylinder blocks corresponding to the cylinder bore rows. Furthermore, a plurality of intake passages and a plurality of exhaust passages respectively in communication with the combustion chambers are provided in the cylinder heads, wherein the structure of an intake system and an exhaust system can be simplified.