Abstract: A laser spark plug, in particular for an internal combustion engine, includes a prechamber for accommodating an ignitable medium and means for applying laser radiation to an ignition point situated in the prechamber. The means are fashioned such that the laser radiation is focused onto at least one ignition point that, given a division of the prechamber into three partial regions that are approximately equal in volume and that extend axially away from an end face of the laser spark plug adjoining the prechamber and are separated from one another by imaginary planes situated essentially parallel to the end face, is situated in the partial region adjoining the end face or in a central partial region adjacent to said partial region, preferably in the partial region adjoining the end face.

Abstract: An ignition device, for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, having a laser device for generating laser pulses, and having an optical fiber device which is at least optically connected to the laser device for supplying the laser device with pumped light. The optical fiber device is configured and situated in the region of the laser device such that radiation incident in the region of the laser device and/or in the region of a combustion chamber associated with the laser device is injected into the optical fiber device. The optical fiber device advantageously allow the radiation which is injected into the optical fiber device to be analyzed, using a detector which is remotely situated, without having to provide additional, separate optical fiber devices for the radiation to be analyzed, because is conducted directly via the same optical fiber that is already used for supplying pumped light.

Abstract: A laser ignition plug includes an antechamber into which the laser ignition plug is configured to irradiate laser radiation. The antechamber defines at least two overflow ducts that realize a fluid connection between the antechamber and a spatial region surrounding the antechamber. The at least two overflow ducts, with regard to one or more of (i) the radial spacing thereof from a longitudinal axis of the antechamber, (ii) the axial spacing thereof from an end region, which faces toward the combustion chamber, of the antechamber, and (iii) the alignment and/or geometry thereof, are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the antechamber.

Abstract: A laser ignition device for an internal combustion engine, encompassing an ignition laser having a combustion chamber window, such that until startup of the laser ignition device, the combustion chamber window is equipped with a protective layer.

Abstract: An ignition laser is provided for an internal combustion engine, in which the combustion chamber window is connected to a housing of the ignition laser in a gas-resistant, pressure-resistant, and temperature-resistant manner. Furthermore, a pressure relief bore is present which effectively prevents a pressure increase in the housing of the ignition laser.

Abstract: Suggested is a procedure for heating a catalyst in the exhaust gas system of a supercharged combustion engine with direct fuel injection and variable gas exchange valve control by producing a reactive exhaust gas fuel/air mixture in the exhaust gas system, whereby an air percentage of the reactive fuel/air mixture is thereby produced that air is rinsed from a suction system of the combustion engine over its combustion chambers into the exhaust gas system. The invention distinguishes itself thereby that the combustion engine is operated in idle mode after a cold start with a greater valve overlap and/or a greater valve overlap profile than in a normal operation where the catalyst is already heated as well as with an apportionment of a fuel amount that has to be injected before a combustion into at least two partial injections per ignition and combustion chamber and with a suboptimal ignition angle efficiency.

Abstract: A laser ignition plug includes an antechamber into which the laser ignition plug is configured to irradiate laser radiation. The antechamber defines at least two overflow ducts that realize a fluid connection between the antechamber and a spatial region surrounding the antechamber. The at least two overflow ducts, with regard to one or more of (i) the radial spacing thereof from a longitudinal axis of the antechamber, (ii) the axial spacing thereof from an end region, which faces toward the combustion chamber, of the antechamber, and (iii) the alignment and/or geometry thereof, are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the antechamber.

Abstract: A cooling device for a laser spark plug. The cooling has a radially inner first contact area which is developed to establish a thermal contact to a housing of the laser spark plug via at least one first radially inner contact surface. The cooling device also has a radially outer second contact area which is developed to establish a thermal contact to a heat sink, in particular to an inner wall of a spark plug hole receiving the laser spark plug, via at least one first radially outer contact surface. A connector is provided, which is developed to establish a thermal contact between the first contact area and the second contact area. The cooling device is developed at least in part elastically in order to allow for a relative movement in a generally radial direction between at least the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

Abstract: Laser spark plug for an internal combustion engine has at least one laser unit for guiding, shaping and/or generating laser radiation, further including a combustion chamber window, and a housing which has, on the opposite side of the combustion chamber window from the laser unit, an aperture for the passage of the laser radiation guided, shaped and/or generated by the laser unit into a combustion chamber, the length of the aperture being 4 mm or more.

Abstract: A laser spark plug device for an internal combustion engine includes a prechamber for receiving an ignitable medium and at least one overflow channel providing a fluid connection between an internal space of the prechamber and an external space surrounding the prechamber. The at least one overflow channel is configured such that when a fluid flows through the overflow channel into the internal space of the prechamber, the result is a fluid flow having at least one eddy which rotates on an eddy axis forming an angle of more than approximately 45° with a longitudinal axis of the laser spark plug device.

Abstract: A laser spark plug for an internal combustion engine has at least one laser unit for guiding, shaping, and/or for producing laser radiation, a combustion chamber window, and a housing which has, at the side of the combustion chamber window situated opposite the laser unit, a screen for the passage of the laser radiation guided, shaped, and/or produced by the laser unit into a combustion chamber, the screen having a first end facing the combustion chamber and a second end facing away from the combustion chamber, the inner contour of the screen having an extremal cross-section in a region that is situated at a distance both from the first and second ends.

Abstract: A laser spark plug for an internal combustion engine includes at least one element for guiding, shaping and/or generating laser radiation, a combustion chamber window and a housing. The housing has, on the opposite side of the combustion chamber window from the element, an aperture for the passage of the laser radiation guided, shaped and/or generated by the element into a prechamber disposed at the end of the housing on the combustion chamber side. At least one overflow channel is provided for a fluid connection between an internal space of the prechamber and a combustion chamber surrounding the prechamber. When a fluid flows into the internal space of the prechamber through the overflow channel, a fluid flow is obtained that enters the interior of the aperture at a minimum angle ?, in particular measured with respect to the longitudinal axis of the laser spark plug, of 45°.

Abstract: A laser spark plug for an internal combustion engine, including at least one generating arrangement for at least one of guiding, shaping and generating laser radiation, further including a combustion chamber window and a housing, in which the housing has, on the opposite side of the combustion chamber window from the at least one generating arrangement, in particular at an end of the housing on the combustion chamber side, an aperture for the passage of the laser radiation that is at least one of guided, shaped and generated by the at least one generating arrangement into a combustion chamber, the aperture having on the side thereof remote from the combustion chamber window an exit cross-section of 78 mm2 or less, especially 19 mm2 or less.

Abstract: In a method for operating a laser spark plug for a combustion engine, the laser spark plug having a precombustion chamber, within an operating cycle of the combustion engine, the laser spark plug irradiates an ignition location situated inside the precombustion chamber with a plurality of laser ignition pulses temporally offset from one another.

Abstract: A laser spark plug device for an internal combustion engine includes a prechamber for receiving an ignitable medium and at least one overflow channel providing a fluid connection between an internal space of the prechamber and an external space surrounding the prechamber. The at least one overflow channel is configured such that when a fluid flows through the overflow channel into the internal space of the prechamber, the result is a fluid flow having at least one eddy which rotates on an eddy axis forming an angle of more than approximately 45° with a longitudinal axis of the laser spark plug device.

Abstract: A laser spark plug device for an internal combustion engine includes a prechamber for receiving an ignitable medium and at least one overflow channel providing a fluid connection between an internal space of the prechamber and an external space surrounding the prechamber. The at least one overflow channel is configured such that when a fluid flows through the overflow channel into the internal space of the prechamber, the result is a fluid flow having at least one eddy which rotates on an eddy axis forming an angle of more than approximately 45° with a longitudinal axis of the laser spark plug device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laser spark plug (100), in particular for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, having a combustion chamber window (120) situated in an end area (100a) facing the combustion chamber. According to the invention, arrangement (130) are provided for cooling a volume region (210) present in the area of the combustion chamber window (120) and/or a medium present in the volume region (210). The cooling arrangement (130) have a cooling body which has material having a relatively great thermal conductivity, in particular having a thermal conductivity of approximately 90 Watts per Kelvin and meter at room temperature or more. The cooling body (131) is designed essentially annularly. An inner diameter (D1) of the cooling body (131) in the area of a front side (131a) facing the combustion chamber of the cooling body (131) is smaller than an inner diameter (D2) of the cooling body (131) in the area of a front side of the cooling body (131) facing away from the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A laser ignition device, particularly for an internal combustion engine, having a precombustion chamber and a laser device, which is developed to irradiate, particularly to focus, laser radiation onto at least two ignition points, lying in the precombustion chamber, that are different from each other. The laser device is developed to irradiate the laser radiation optionally onto one or more ignition points.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for detecting a continuous ingress of fuel into the lubricating oil of an internal combustion engine, that is to say oil dilution, in particular of a motor vehicle during cold starting, there is provision, in particular, for the continuous ingress of fuel to be detected by means of a lambda control. The continuous ingress of fuel is preferably determined using the outgassing of fuel from a crankcase of the internal combustion engine, wherein the depletion is based on adaptation values of the lambda control.

Abstract: A laser spark plug having an antechamber is designed to irradiate laser radiation, which is guided and/or generated in the laser spark plug on at least two ignition points which are different from one another and are lying in the antechamber. The laser spark plug is designed to irradiate the laser radiation into the antechamber in such a way that a distance between at least one first ignition point and one second ignition point adjoining thereto is larger than a minimum distance between the first and/or the second ignition point(s) and an inner surface of the antechamber.