Patents by Inventor Joel D. Hiltner

Joel D. Hiltner 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).

  • Fuel combustion assembly for an internal combustion engine having an encapsulated spark plug for igniting lean gaseous fuel within a precombustion chamber
    Patent number: 5947076
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a precombustion member which has a number of first ignition orifices defined therein. The precombustion member further has a precombustion chamber defined therein. The precombustion member is positioned relative to the head of the engine such that the precombustion chamber is in fluid communication with the engine's main combustion chamber via the first ignition orifices. The internal combustion engine further has a spark plug for igniting a gaseous fuel. The spark plug includes an encapsulating member which has a number of second ignition orifices defined therein. The encapsulating member defines a plug combustion chamber. The spark plug further includes a center electrode and a ground electrode which are both positioned within the plug combustion chamber. The encapsulating member is positioned relative to the precombustion member such that the plug combustion chamber is in fluid communication with the precombustion chamber via the second ignition orifices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Anand Srinivasan, Martin L. Willi, Joel D. Hiltner, Min Wu