Patents by Inventor Hugh Blaxill

Hugh Blaxill has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11840954
    Abstract: A spark ignited engine is disclosed. The spark ignited engine includes a main combustion chamber and a cylinder head at least partially surrounding the main combustion chamber. A spark plug having a central axis is arranged in the cylinder head and an ignition end of the spark plug faces the main combustion engine. A pre-chamber with at least two nozzles is arranged in the main combustion chamber and connects the ignition end and the main combustion chamber via the at least two nozzles. A pre-chamber volume ratio corresponds to a ratio of a volume of the pre-chamber to a volume of the main combustion chamber at a top-dead-center and is between 1.9% and 3.1%. A nozzle factor corresponds to a ratio of a summed flowed-through area of the at least two nozzles to the volume of the pre-chamber and is between 0.085 l/cm and 1.15 l/cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventors: Hugh Blaxill, Michael Bassett, Michael Bunce, Adrian Cooper
  • Publication number: 20230124163
    Abstract: A spark ignited engine is disclosed. The spark ignited engine includes a main combustion chamber and a cylinder head at least partially surrounding the main combustion chamber. A spark plug having a central axis is arranged in the cylinder head and an ignition end of the spark plug faces the main combustion engine. A pre-chamber with at least two nozzles is arranged in the main combustion chamber and connects the ignition end and the main combustion chamber via the at least two nozzles. A pre-chamber volume ratio corresponds to a ratio of a volume of the pre-chamber to a volume of the main combustion chamber at a top-dead-center and is between 1.9% and 3.1%. A nozzle factor corresponds to a ratio of a summed flowed-through area of the at least two nozzles to the volume of the pre-chamber and is between 0.085 l/cm and 1.15 l/cm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Hugh Blaxill, Michael Bassett, Michael Bunce, Adrian Cooper
  • Patent number: 10458311
    Abstract: Internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder and a piston supported for repeated reciprocal movement in the cylinder so as to define a combustion chamber of an engine bore diameter A-A, the internal combustion engine further comprising an ignition device arranged in said cylinder having an igniter portion and an fuel injector which are both arranged in a pre-chamber, wherein the pre-chamber comprises a plurality of orifices for providing fluid communication between said pre-chamber and the combustion chamber, and wherein the plurality of orifices are of an overall orifice area so that the ratio between the overall orifice area and the engine bore diameter A-A ranges from 0.01 mm to 0.2 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: MAHLE Powertrain LLC
    Inventors: Hugh Blaxill, Michael Bunce
  • Patent number: 10400696
    Abstract: A method for starting an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: providing an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder and a piston supported at a crankshaft for repeated reciprocal movement in the cylinder so as to define a main combustion chamber, the internal combustion engine further having an ignition device arranged in said cylinder with an igniter portion and a fuel injector which are both arranged at a pre-chamber, wherein the pre-chamber has a plurality of orifices for providing fluid communication between said pre-chamber and the main combustion chamber, injecting fuel in the pre-chamber, and igniting the injected fuel in the pre-chamber for pre-heating of the pre-chamber prior to injecting fuel in the main combustion chamber for combusting the injected fuel in the main combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: MAHLE POWERTRAIN, LLC
    Inventors: Hugh Blaxill, Michael Bunce
  • Publication number: 20180010536
    Abstract: A method for starting an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: providing an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder and a piston supported at a crankshaft for repeated reciprocal movement in the cylinder so as to define a main combustion chamber, the internal combustion engine further having an ignition device arranged in said cylinder with an igniter portion and a fuel injector which are both arranged at a pre-chamber, wherein the pre-chamber has a plurality of orifices for providing fluid communication between said pre-chamber and the main combustion chamber, injecting fuel in the pre-chamber, and igniting the injected fuel in the pre-chamber for pre-heating of the pre-chamber prior to injecting fuel in the main combustion chamber for combusting the injected fuel in the main combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Hugh Blaxill, Michael Bunce
  • Publication number: 20170314456
    Abstract: Internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder and a piston supported for repeated reciprocal movement in the cylinder so as to define a combustion chamber of an engine bore diameter A-A, the internal combustion engine further comprising an ignition device arranged in said cylinder having an igniter portion and an fuel injector which are both arranged in a pre-chamber, wherein the pre-chamber comprises a plurality of orifices for providing fluid communication between said pre-chamber and the combustion chamber, and wherein the plurality of orifices are of an overall orifice area so that the ratio between the overall orifice area and the engine bore diameter A-A ranges from 0.01 mm to 0.2 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Hugh Blaxill, Michael Bunce
  • Patent number: 9353674
    Abstract: An ignition system for an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber where the ignition system includes a housing, an ignition device, an injector, and a pre-chamber having a nozzle disposed spaced from the proximal portion of the pre-chamber. The igniter portion of the ignition device and the nozzle of the injector are operatively supported in the proximal portion of the pre-chamber and disposed flush therewith. The igniter portion ignites the fuel in pre-chamber such that partially combusted pre-chamber products are forced through orifices in the pre-chamber nozzle and extinguish, but dispersed through the combustion chamber so as to ignite the main fuel charge therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: MAHLE POWERTRAIN, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Bunce, Hugh Blaxill, William Attard
  • Patent number: 9080472
    Abstract: In a valve train of a reciprocating piston combustion engine, comprising cylinders controlled by at least three valves (1, 2) actuated by lobes (5, 6) of a camshaft (3; 4), wherein at least two valves (1; 2) operate equally in terms of function as intake or outlet valves (1; 2), the engine driving and/or braking operation are to be improved. For this purpose, such a valve train is characterized in that the lobes (3, 4) of the camshafts (3, 4) actuating the at least two equally operating valves in terms of function, which are primary and secondary valves (1p, 1s; 2p, 2s), are configured so that they are phase-adjustable in relation to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Hugh Blaxill, Falk Schneider
  • Publication number: 20150068489
    Abstract: An ignition system for an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber where the ignition system includes a housing, an ignition device, an injector, and a pre-chamber having a nozzle disposed spaced from the proximal portion of the pre-chamber. The igniter portion of the ignition device and the nozzle of the injector are operatively supported in the proximal portion of the pre-chamber and disposed flush therewith. The igniter portion ignites the fuel in pre-chamber such that partially combusted pre-chamber products are forced through orifices in the pre-chamber nozzle and extinguish, but dispersed through the combustion chamber so as to ignite the main fuel charge therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Bunce, Hugh Blaxill, William Attard
  • Publication number: 20100212625
    Abstract: In a valve train of a reciprocating piston combustion engine, comprising cylinders controlled by at least three valves (1, 2) actuated by lobes (5, 6) of a camshaft (3; 4), wherein at least two valves (1; 2) operate equally in terms of function as intake or outlet valves (1; 2), the engine driving and/or braking operation are to be improved. For this purpose, such a valve train is characterized in that the lobes (3, 4) of the camshafts (3, 4) actuating the at least two equally operating valves in terms of function, which are primary and secondary valves (1p, 1s; 2p, 2s), are configured so that they are phase-adjustable in relation to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Hugh Blaxill, Falk Schneider
  • Patent number: 7263968
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprising, an engine management unit, a combustion chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port, a fuel supply mechanism to supply gasoline to the engine, a valve train mechanism to permit introduction of air to the inlet port of the combustion chamber and release exhaust gases from the outlet port of the combustion chamber, and an external recirculating system whereby exhaust gases from the outlet port may be passed to the inlet port, wherein, the engine management unit is operable to, control the valve train mechanism to retain and/or rebreathe exhaust gases within the combustion chamber to cause the engine to operate in a controlled auto ignition combustion mode, and control the external recycling system to supply exhaust gases to the inlet port in the controlled auto ignition combustion mode, such that self-ignition occurs in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Mahle Powertrain Limited
    Inventors: Alasdair Cairns, Hugh Blaxill
  • Publication number: 20060102158
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprising, an engine management unit, a combustion chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port, a fuel supply mechanism to supply gasoline to the engine, a valve train mechanism to permit introduction of air to the inlet port of the combustion chamber and release exhaust gases from the outlet port of the combustion chamber, and an external recirculating system whereby exhaust gases from the outlet port may be passed to the inlet port, wherein, the engine management unit is operable to, control the valve train mechanism to retain and/or rebreathe exhaust gases within the combustion chamber to cause the engine to operate in a controlled auto ignition combustion mode, and control the external recycling system to supply exhaust gases to the inlet port in the controlled auto ignition combustion mode, such that self-ignition occurs in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Inventors: Alasdair Cairns, Hugh Blaxill