Abstract: A vehicle sound generator system is configured to generate a signal configured to drive one or more speakers produce sound waves simulating sounds associated with a desired engine type. The signal is based on one or more operating conditions of a vehicle. The vehicle sound generator system is configured to select sounds from a plurality of sounds based on the operating conditions of the vehicle. Each sound corresponds to a simulated sound of an engine operating in a respective gear. The vehicle sound generator system may generate the signal to drive the speakers to produce selected sounds to simulate shifting between the respective gears.

Abstract: With reference to the accompanying FIGURE, the present invention provides a land vehicle comprising: an electric or hydraulic motor for driving at least one driven wheel; a battery supplying electrical power or a source of hydraulic power; an electronic controller which controls operation of the electric or hydraulic motor; and a driver operated throttle control. The electronic controller receives a plurality of input signals including an input signal indicative of operation of the driver operated throttle control and implements a plurality of different operating regimes corresponding to a plurality of different simulated gear ratios. The controller selects an operating regime based on the plurality of input signals received thereby. The controller can operate the electric motor as a generator or the hydraulic motor as a pump to implement regenerative braking of the vehicle. Each operating regime has a level of regenerative braking unique thereto.

Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine for varying the compression ratio and the area of an exhaust port of a cylinder includes at least one piston reciprocable within a cylinder, an exhaust port opened and closed by the piston during the reciprocal motion thereof, moveable shutter means for varying the effective area of the exhaust port, a compression ratio variation mechanism for varying a compression ratio of the cylinder, sensor means for measuring one or more operating characteristics of the engine and for generating signals corresponding thereto, and a control unit which processes the signals generated by the sensor means and controls the motion of the shutter means accordingly and controls the compression ratio variation mechanism to vary the compression ratio of the cylinder; wherein the engine can operate with a compression ratio in the range 30:1 to 50:1.

Abstract: With reference to FIG.

Abstract: A vehicle sound generator system is configured to generate a signal configured to drive one or more speakers produce sound waves simulating sounds associated with a desired engine type. The signal is based on one or more operating conditions of a vehicle. The vehicle sound generator system is configured to select sounds from a plurality of sounds based on the operating conditions of the vehicle. Each sound corresponds to a simulated sound of an engine operating in a respective gear. The vehicle sound generator system may generate the signal to drive the speakers to produce selected sounds to simulate shifting between the respective gears.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of blending a multi-component blended fuel. The method comprises selecting as a starting reference a known multi-component blended fuel (e.g. a blend of gasoline and ethanol) which is in use by an internal combustion engine which operates SI or HCCI combustion. The method comprises blending an alternative fuel which can be used by the same engine without modification of the engine, including without modifying the operating regime employed by its engine management system. The alternative fuel is a blend comprising all of the components of the known fuel and an additional fuel component (e.g. methanol). The blend components are blended in proportions which give to the alternative fuel: a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio by mass or by volume substantially equal to that of the known blended fuel; and/or a lower heating valve (e.g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to (with reference to FIG. 2) a gas turbine system comprising: a gas compressor (210); an upstream heat source, e.g. a fuel cell (212), which receives gas compressed by the compressor (210) and heats the gas passing therethrough (and when a fuel cell generates electrical power); an intermediate turbine (220) which receives the gas previously heated in the upstream heat source and which is connected to and drives the compressor (210); and an output turbine (240) which receives gas output by the intermediate turbine (220). Expanded gas leaving the intermediate turbine passes to the output turbine through either or both of a downstream combustion chamber and/or a downstream fuel cell, whereby the expanded gas is reheated prior to expansion in the output turbine (240). Preferably the system is configured such that the temperature of the gas received by the output turbine (240) is higher than the temperature of the gas received by the intermediate turbine (220).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising: a plurality of combustion chambers (41,42,43,44); an air induction system (45,45A,45B,46,47) for delivering air to each combustion chamber (41,42,43,44); a fuel system for delivering fuel to each combustion chamber (41,42,43,44); an exhaust system (48,50) for relaying combusted gases from the combustion chambers (41,42,43,44) to atmosphere; and an exhaust recirculation system (49,51) to relay combusted gases from the exhaust system (48,50) to at least one of the combustion chambers (42,43). The engine has a chamber deactivation operating mode in which at least one combustion chamber (41,44) is active and receives fuel and air which are combusted therein and at least one other combustion chamber (42,43) is deactivated and is supplied with no fuel by the fuel system. In the chamber deactivation operating mode the exhaust gas recirculation system (49,51) supplies combusted gas to the (or each) deactivated combustion chamber (42,43).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising: a plurality of combustion chambers (41,42,43,44); an air induction system (45,45A,45B,46,47) for delivering air to each combustion chamber (41,42,43,44); a fuel system for delivering fuel to each combustion chamber (41,42,43,44); an exhaust system (48,50) for relaying combusted gases from the combustion chambers (41,42,43,44) to atmosphere; and an exhaust recirculation system (49,51) to relay combusted gases from the exhaust system (48,50) to at least one of the combustion chambers (42,43). The engine has a chamber deactivation operating mode in which at least one combustion chamber (41,44) is active and receives fuel and air which are combusted therein and at least one other combustion chamber (42,43) is deactivated and is supplied with no fuel by the fuel system. In the chamber deactivation operating mode the exhaust gas recirculation system (49,51) supplies combusted gas to the (or each) deactivated combustion chamber (42,43).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising: a plurality of combustion chambers (41,42,43,44); an air induction system (45,45A,45B,46,47) for delivering air to each combustion chamber (41,42,43,44); a fuel system for delivering fuel to each combustion chamber (41,42,43,44); an exhaust system (48,50) for relaying combusted gases from the combustion chambers (41,42,43,44) to atmosphere; and an exhaust recirculation system (49,51) to relay combusted gases from the exhaust system (48,50) to at least one of the combustion chambers (42,43). The engine has a chamber deactivation operating mode in which at least one combustion chamber (41,44) is active and receives fuel and air which are combusted therein and at least one other combustion chamber (42,43) is deactivated and is supplied with no fuel by the fuel system. In the chamber deactivation operating mode the exhaust gas recirculation system (49,51) supplies combusted gas to the (or each) deactivated combustion chamber (42,43).

Abstract: With reference to FIG.

Abstract: With reference to FIG. 1, the present invention provides valve operating system for operating a pair of poppet valves (10, 32) of an internal combustion engine. The system comprises a source of pressurised hydraulic fluid (22), a fluid return (23), a first hydraulic actuator (13) which the first poppet valve (10) and a second hydraulic actuator (13) acts on the second poppet valve (32). A first valve (21) is connected to both the source of pressurised fluid and the fluid return (23). A second valve (20) is connected between the first valve (21) and the first hydraulic actuator (13). A third valve (30) is connected between the first valve (21) and the second hydraulic actuator (31). An electronic controller (40) controls operation of the valves (20, 21, 30) to open and close the pair of poppet valves (10, 32).

Abstract: With reference to FIG. 1, the present invention provides a method of manufacture of an automobile structure comprising the steps of: forming in a die a plurality of castings (10) each having at least one socket (14); forming a plurality of metallic rails (12, 13) and fixing the metallic rails (13, 14) in the socket of the castings (10) in order to construct the automobile structure. The present invention also provides a method of manufacture of a plurality of different automobile structures, the method comprising: fixing metallic rails of a first plurality into sockets of a first plurality of the castings to form a first type of automobile structure; and fixing metallic rails of a second plurality into sockets of a second plurality of castings to form a second type of automobile structure. The invention also relates to automobile structures made by the methods.

Abstract: A sleeve valve (13) slides axially along the cylinder (10) while simultaneously rotating about the axis of the cylinder (10). The sleeve valve (13) has sleeve ports (23). A piston (14) reciprocates within the sleeve valve (13) and within the cylinder (10) to define a combustion chamber. A sleeve valve driving mechanism (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31) drives the sleeve valve (13) to slide axially along and rotate in the cylinder (10) in timed relationship with reciprocation of the piston (14) in the cylinder (10). The sleeve valve (13) is driven between two extreme positions in each stroke and the sleeve driving mechanism (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31) is operable to vary in locations the two extreme positions.

Abstract: With reference to FIG. (1), the present invention relates to a sound synthesizer system for use in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine. The system comprises a sound synthesizer unit (12) operable to produce sound signals by generating and combining signals of different frequencies, a speed sensor (10) for providing a speed of revolution signal indicative of speed of revolution of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle, and an inclinometer (11) attachable to a throttle control of the internal combustion engine which provides an inclination signal indicative of inclination of the throttle control. The sound synthesizer unit (12) receives the speed of revolution signal from the speed sensor (10) and the inclination signal from the inclinometer (11) and uses both signals to determine what sound signals are produced thereby, the sound synthesizer) unit (12) varies the sound signals with changes in the speed of revolution signal and changes in the inclination signal.

Abstract: With reference to FIG. 1, the present invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion chamber (10); first (A) and second (B) inlet valves controlling flow of air into the combustion chamber, first (C) and second (D) exhaust valves; and first (16) and second (18) turbochargers. The first turbocharger (16) is connected to the first inlet valve (A) and the second turbocharger (18) is connected to the second inlet valve (B). The first turbocharger (16) is connected to the first exhaust valve (C) and receives only combusted gases expelled via the first exhaust valve (C). The second turbocharger (18) is connected to the second exhaust valve (D) and all combusted gases expelled via the second exhaust valve flow to the second turbocharger (18) without passing through the first turbo-charger (16).

Abstract: The present invention relates (with reference to FIG. 1) to an internal combustion engine in which a combustion chamber (12) can be connected to a reservoir (16) for storing compressed air. Gas flow control valve means (15) controls flow between the chamber (12) and reservoir (16) so that air pressurised in the chamber (12) can be relayed to charge the reservoir (16) and pressurised air can be delivered to the chamber (12) to drive piston (10). The chamber (12) is also used for combustion of fuel. The invention also relates to a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of pressurised air between the chamber (12) and reservoir (16), in which a balancing force is applied to the gas flow control valve (115) to cancel the force on the valve (115) arising from the pressure applied to the back face of the valve (115).