Fuel Injected Into Precombustion Chamber Formed In Piston Patents (Class 123/276)
  • Patent number: 11319867
    Abstract: A piston crown for a piston of an internal combustion engine, the piston crown comprising an annular surface at a first end of the piston crown; and a recessed piston bowl. The piston bowl comprises: a raised floor in the center of the piston bowl; an arcuate surface located radially outward relative to the raised floor; and a lip chamfer surface extending from the arcuate surface to the annular surface. A radially inmost portion of the lip chamfer surface is radially inside the outermost portion of the arcuate surface. The radial distance between the center axis and the innermost edge of the annular surface is between 2.3 and 3.2 time the bowl height. The acute angle between a line extending in the radial direction and a line tangent to the arcuate surface closest to the first end of the piston crown is between 40 and 80 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventor: Mohammad Parsi
  • Patent number: 11293374
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine is provided. The piston includes a piston bowl defined by a floor surface and a rim wall extending from an outer periphery of the floor surface in a system vertical direction to circumferential surround the floor surface. The piston bowl includes a center portion that extends above the floor surface. A plurality of protrusions extend radially from the center portion and from the floor surface and are spaced apart such that a spray guide is formed between each of the spaced apart plurality of protrusions. Each of the plurality of protrusions and spray guides are tapered so to terminate prior to the rim wall such that a continuous radius portion is formed from a portion of the rim wall and a portion of the floor surface beyond a respective terminating portion of each of the plurality of protrusions and spray guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: FEV GMBH
    Inventors: Satyum Joshi, Erik Koehler, Mufaddel Z. Dahodwala, Michael Franke, Nitisha Ahuja
  • Patent number: 11098676
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body having a generally planar crown and a sidewall extending from the crown. A stepped combustion bowl is recessed in the crown and includes an outer bowl recessed relative to the crown and defining a generally planar annular floor surface. The stepped combustion bowl further includes an inner bowl recessed relative to the outer bowl. The inner bowl includes a sidewall that slopes continually inwardly from the outer bowl to a floor surface of the inner bowl. A plurality of protruding lips extend from the sidewall toward a central axis of the piston body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Francesco Concetto Pesce, Michele Dematteis, Fabio Numidi, Andrea Tripodi
  • Patent number: 11092107
    Abstract: An engine combustion chamber structure includes a combustion chamber of an engine and a fuel injection valve. The fuel injection valve injects fuel toward a cavity in a crown face of a piston. The cavity includes a first cavity provided in a radially central region of the crown face with a first bottom having a first depth, a second cavity provided in an outer side of the first cavity with a second bottom having a second depth being smaller than the first depth, a connecting portion, and a standing wall region disposed further in a radially outer side than the second bottom of the second cavity. The second bottom is provided lower than an upper end, of the connecting portion. A lower section of the standing wall region is provided further in a radially inner side than an upper edge of the standing wall region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Sangkyu Kim, Takashi Sumimoto, Daisuke Shimo, Tomonori Harada, Shintaro Okada, Shuji Takuma
  • Patent number: 11085413
    Abstract: An opposed-piston engine optionally contains an ignition system that is at least partially contained within the combustion chamber to enhance the combustion efficiency of a fuel-air mixture within the combustion system. More specifically, the ignition system contains at least one spark plug having an elongated center electrical delivery electrode, and, an elongated ground electrode. Accordingly, the elongated electrodes extend from an area adjacent to the inner periphery of the cylinder to a radially central area within the combustion chamber. Yet further, a cooling jacket is incorporated to provide cooling of the spark plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: ENGINAITY POWER SYSTEMS, INC
    Inventors: James C. Warren, Gregory Powell, William Vincent Meyers, Jr., Steve Niswander
  • Patent number: 10989104
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine and to a method for operating the internal combustion engine, which has at least one cylinder having a combustion chamber, the combustion chamber being bounded by a cylinder roof, a cylinder wall and a movable cylinder piston, a multi-hole injection nozzle and a spark plug being arranged in a central position in the cylinder roof, the multi-hole injection nozzle injecting fuel into the combustion chamber at injection pressures of >/=300 bar by means of a plurality of injection jets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Uwe Reisch, Mario Campe
  • Patent number: 10982601
    Abstract: A method of controlling a dual fuel engine system includes adjusting a phasing control parameter such as air-fuel ratio (AFR), based on a phasing signal to limit an error in a phasing of combustion of gaseous fuel. The cylinder is switched to a dual fuel liquid pilot-ignited mode by commanding direct injection of an early pilot shot of liquid fuel, based on the adjustment to the phasing control parameter, and production of a spark to ignite gaseous fuel in the cylinder. Switching the cylinder to the dual fuel liquid pilot-ignited mode is completed by commanding direct injection of an early pilot shot and a second pilot shot of liquid fuel to ignite gaseous fuel in response to combustion of the early and second pilot shots in the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Anders, Bobby John
  • Patent number: 10982620
    Abstract: A control device for an engine is provided. A cavity formed in a crown surface of a piston of the engine includes a first cavity part disposed in a radially center area, a second cavity part disposed radially outward of the first cavity part, and a connecting part connecting these two parts. The control device causes a fuel injection valve to perform a first injection in which fuel is injected at a timing when the piston is located at an advancing side of CTDC and an injection axis thereof intersects with the connecting part, a second injection in which fuel is injected toward the first cavity part at a retarding side of the first injection, and a middle injection in which fuel is injected at a timing between the first and second injections, for a period shorter than each of the first and second injections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takeru Matsuo, Yoshie Kakuda, Sangkyu Kim, Daisuke Shimo
  • Patent number: 10865731
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device causes an injector to execute main injection or pilot injection toward a joint portion, and low penetration injection to inject fuel at timing earlier than the pilot injection in a PILOT region or at timing later than the main injection in an AFTER region. The fuel injection control device causes the low penetration injection to be executed to inject the fuel only in a radial central region of a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Naotoshi Shirahashi, Tunehiro Mori, Kiyoaki Iwata, Takeshi Matsubara, Sangkyu Kim
  • Patent number: 10774782
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a crown portion having a bowl that includes a plurality of protrusions. Each of the plurality of protrusions includes a first side surface and a second side surface, the first side surface having a generally concave shape, the second side surface having a generally flat or convex shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Kenth I. Svensson
  • Patent number: 10738682
    Abstract: A piston crown is provided for a piston in an internal combustion engine arrangement that includes a cylinder, the piston crown having a piston bowl surface adapted for facing a combustion chamber in the cylinder, wherein the piston bowl surface including a circumferential rim portion, a floor portion connected to and surrounded by the circumferential rim portion, a plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions in the circumferential rim portion, at least one spray impingement portion, located between two adjacent protrusions. The spray impingement portion includes a reflection surface, being defined by that each possible normal to the reflection surface is directed towards a central axis of the piston, and forming an angle being within a range of a constant angle ±10° with the central axis, wherein the constant angle is at least 50°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jan Eismark
  • Patent number: 10731600
    Abstract: A piston includes a piston body having an outer cylindrical surface and defined along a longitudinal piston center axis. The piston further includes a piston bowl with a half section profile with a bowl entry extending radially from the longitudinal piston center axis; a bowl recess extending radially from the bowl entry; and a soot shelf extending from the bowl recess to define a soot shelf axial height (H) and a soot shelf radial width (W). The soot shelf includes an inner step being formed by an inner step base surface extending radially from the bowl recess; an outer step being formed by a step shoulder surface extending axially from the inner step base surface and an outer step base surface extending radially from the step shoulder surface; and a soot shelf shoulder surface extending axially from outer step base surface to the end perimeter surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Nam Hyo Cho, Changdeo D. Gaikwad, Nagesh Choudhary, Amandeep Sharma
  • Patent number: 10619594
    Abstract: A combustion system for an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder having a cylinder wall defining a bore, a piston disposed inside the bore, a combustion chamber delimited by a cylinder head, the cylinder wall, and the piston. The piston includes a piston bowl defining a floor portion, and at least one scooped recess extending radially outwardly from a periphery of the piston bowl. The internal combustion engine further includes a fuel injector configured to inject fuel into the combustion chamber as a plurality of fuel jets at a main injection timing such that each fuel jet contacts the floor portion of the piston bowl and follows a profile of the piston bowl and enter the at least one scooped recess. Furthermore, at least one of the plurality of is deflected by the at least one scooped recess away from the cylinder wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Bobby John, Jonathan W Anders, David Todd Montgomery, Kenth I Svensson
  • Patent number: 10533518
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having an independent combustion chamber comprises a combustion chamber (1), an air inlet system (2), a material feeding system (3), and a working system (4). The air inlet system (2) and the combustion chamber (1) are connected together and configured to transport a compressed air to the combustion chamber (1). The material feeding system (3) and the combustion chamber (1) are connected together and configured to transport a fuel to the combustion chamber (1). The combustion chamber (1) has a fixed volume and has no movable wall such as a piston. The fuel continues to be burned in the combustion chamber (1) to generate a high-temperature and high-pressure gas, and chemical energy of the fuel is converted into internal energy of the high-temperature and high-pressure gas. The working system (4) and the combustion chamber (1) are connected together. The piston (21) of the working system (4) works to convert the internal energy of the gas into a mechanical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: LIUZHOU ZIJING TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hu Zhou, Hanping Yi
  • Patent number: 10451012
    Abstract: Diesel-cycle engines are known to have greater power, torque and efficiency compared to Otto-cycle engines of like displacement. When the fuel is a gaseous fuel, such as natural gas, a pilot fuel (such as diesel) is normally required to assist with ignition in a gaseous fuelled Diesel-cycle engine. It would be advantageous to reduce the power, torque and efficiency gap between a Diesel-cycle engine and a gaseous fuelled Otto-cycle engine. A combustion apparatus for a gaseous fuelled internal combustion engine comprises a combustion chamber defined by a cylinder bore, a cylinder head and a piston reciprocating within the cylinder bore. A diameter of the cylinder bore is at least 90 mm and a ratio between the diameter and a stroke length of the piston is at most 0.95.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: WESTPORT POWER INC.
    Inventors: Roderick C. S. Beazley, Philip C. Millward, William D. Tenny
  • Patent number: 10428781
    Abstract: A fuel injector, comprising a nozzle body having a proximal end and a distal end, an upper row of nozzle holes being equally spaced about a first circumference of the nozzle body, and a lower row of nozzle holes located between the distal end and the upper row of nozzle holes, wherein the upper row has a first number of holes that is greater than a second number of holes in the lower row and wherein one of the first number of holes and the second number of holes is odd.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Chandan Mahato, Frank Husmeier, Foy C. Henderson
  • Patent number: 10385802
    Abstract: A piston of an internal combustion engine includes a crown surface, a first cavity, and a second cavity. The crown surface forms an internal wall surface of a combustion chamber. The first cavity is a depression provided in the crown surface. The second cavity is a depression provided inside the first cavity. The first cavity includes an upstream portion located upstream of the second cavity in a flow direction of a tumble flow flowing along the crown surface and a downstream portion located downstream of the second cavity in the flow direction. The upstream portion extends further in the flow direction than the downstream portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Nakaji
  • Patent number: 10287970
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for an engine is provided. The fuel injection system includes a fuel injector adapted to inject at least one fuel jet within a combustion chamber of the engine. The fuel injection system also includes at least one plate disposed within the combustion chamber and in association with the at least one fuel jet. The at least one plate includes at least one opening provided therein. The at least one opening is adapted to at least partially allow passage of any one of the at least one fuel jet and a flame associated with the at least one fuel jet therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kenth I. Svensson, Chad Palmer Koci
  • Patent number: 10247156
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a fuel injector 31, a spark plug 16, a piston 14 having a cavity 91, a swirl control device 95, and a control system 70. The cavity is formed so as to change in distance from the fuel injector to a side wall surface of the cavity, in the circumferential direction. The system performs ignition assist control for successively performing injections of main fuel and ignition assist fuel, makes an air-fuel mixture formed by the ignition assist fuel burn by flame propagation by the spark plug, and makes the remaining fuel burn by pre-mix compression self-ignition. The system controls the swirl control device during the ignition assist control so that when the engine load is high, the fuel sprayed heads toward parts of the side wall surface which are short in distances from the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakai
  • Patent number: 10066574
    Abstract: An object is to achieve stable diesel combustion and improvement in the thermal efficiency of the diesel combustion in an internal combustion engine using a fuel having a relatively high self-ignition temperature. A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection valve capable of injecting fuel into a combustion chamber and an ignition device whose position relative to the fuel injection valve is set in such a way that it can ignite fuel spray directly. The apparatus causes pre-injected fuel to burn and generates unburned residue of the pre-injected fuel in the combustion chamber by pre-injection performed at a predetermined pre-injection time during the compression stroke and ignition of pre-spray formed by the pre-injection by the ignition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta Ochi, Toshimi Kashiwagura
  • Patent number: 9995213
    Abstract: A combustion chamber for an opposed-piston engine has an elongated asymmetrical shape in longitudinal section that runs along a chamber centerline, between diametrically-opposed openings of the combustion chamber through which fuel is injected. The asymmetry apportions combustion chamber volume to provide additional clearance on a side of the chamber centerline toward which swirl is directed, thereby giving a fuel plume space to swing without hindrance in response to swirl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Neerav Abani, Ryan G. MacKenzie, Rishikesh Venugopal
  • Patent number: 9840965
    Abstract: A combustion chamber for an opposed-piston engine has a rotationally skewed shape in a longitudinal section that is orthogonal to a chamber centerline, between diametrically-opposed openings of the combustion chamber through which fuel is injected. The rotationally skewed shape interacts with swirl to generate a tumble bulk charge air motion structure that increases turbulence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: Rishikesh Venugopal
  • Patent number: 9835110
    Abstract: A method and system for improving starting of an engine is presented. In one example, the method selects a first cylinder to receive fuel since engine stop the cylinder's position relative to the cylinder's top-dead-center compression stroke. The method also describes adjusting a number of fuel injections for a first combustion event since engine stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander O'Connor Gibson, Steven Wooldridge, Joseph Lyle Thomas, David Oshinsky
  • Patent number: 9803539
    Abstract: An internal-combustion engine includes a cylinder, a piston, a spark plug, and a fuel injection valve. The piston includes a top surface and a cavity provided in the top surface. The cavity includes a bottom surface, a vertical wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall. The fuel injection valve includes a plurality of injection ports from which a plurality of fuel mists are to be obliquely injected toward the top surface of the piston in respectively different directions at a predetermined crank angle in a compression stroke. The cavity extends from a position close to a center of the piston toward the fuel injection valve when viewed from above the top surface of the piston. The first and second sidewalls extend toward the fuel injection valve when viewed from above the top surface of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Sato, Yasuhiro Motohashi, Haruya Kitano, Masayoshi Takahashi, Hiromitsu Hirano, Shun Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9638131
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder case forming a cylinder bore having a centerline and an inner bore surface. A piston disposed within the cylinder bore forms a crown surface. A region defined between the piston and the cylinder bore in a radial direction has an annularly shaped mouth opening surrounding the crown surface. A cylinder head is disposed to cover an open end of the cylinder bore such that a variable volume is defined within the cylinder bore between the cylinder head and the piston. The cylinder head also forms a flame deck in fluid contact with the variable volume. A deflector structure forms a portion of the inner bore surface adjacent the flame deck surface, and is disposed between the flame deck and a topmost ring seal groove of the piston when the piston is at a TDC position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Chad Koci, Steven C. Zoz, Jonathan Anders, Kenth I. Svensson
  • Patent number: 9624863
    Abstract: A system for supplying fuel to an engine is disclosed. The system includes a first sensing unit for determining multiple operating parameters and multiple ambient conditions of the engine. The system includes an adaptive adjustment mechanism, a pressure regulator having a first valve and a second valve, and a controller communicating with the adaptive adjustment mechanism and the pressure regulator. The controller determines a first error and a second error associated with a pressure of a fuel supply to a pre-combustion chamber and a main combustion chamber, respectively, and receives an output signal indicative of an adjustment factor determined by the adaptive adjustment mechanism. The controller controls the first valve and the second valve based on the first error, the second error, and the output signal, to supply the fuel to the pre-combustion chamber and the main combustion chamber at a first pressure and a second pressure, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Xinyu Ge, Shuowei Yang
  • Patent number: 9429065
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine (1), preferably for a motor vehicle, having at least one cylinder (2) which encloses a combustion chamber (3) and in which a piston (4) is situated in such a way that it may perform a stroke movement, and having at least one injector (5) per cylinder for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber (3). The respective injector (5) has multiple injection openings (9, 10) through which the fuel exits from the injector (5) and enters into the combustion chamber (3). To be able to react more fuel, first injection openings (9) and second injection openings (10) are situated relative to one another in such a way that first injection jets (15) from the first injection openings (9) reach the piston (4) essentially without contacting second injection jets (18) from the second injection openings (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Herbert Zoeller, Thomas Koch, Bernd Lamparter, Christian Krauser
  • Patent number: 9382888
    Abstract: An injection nozzle for injecting media into a combustion chamber includes a nozzle body having a tip with spray holes and protruding into the combustion chamber, and a heat protection sleeve that surrounds and is positioned on a combustion chamber side of an end area of the nozzle body. The injection nozzle is inserted into an accommodating hole of a retaining part, whereby the end area of the nozzle body interacts with the accommodating hole, and whereby the sleeve is positioned there-between. The sleeve further has a first and second area which are located at an axial distance from each other and which have respective sealing surfaces that interact in a sealing manner with either (i) an annular seat surface extending in a radial plane, or (ii) a cone-shaped seat surface of the accommodating hole or of the nozzle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Heinrich Werger
  • Patent number: 9334958
    Abstract: A steel piston with an oil gallery, and process for forming a steel piston oil gallery channel, which corresponds to the complex shape of the combustion bowl in the piston crown. The oil gallery channel is first forged to the basic shape that corresponds to the shape of the walls of the combustion bowl. Machine-turning surfaces in the oil gallery channel can be machine-finished as desired. Surfaces in the oil gallery which cannot be machined with conventional turning operations, such as recesses and protrusions into the channel, are left in the original forged condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Corporation
    Inventor: Norbert G. Schneider
  • Patent number: 9243582
    Abstract: A steel piston with an oil gallery, and process for forming a steel piston oil gallery channel, which corresponds to the complex shape of the combustion bowl in the piston crown. The piston crown is made by a cast metal or powder metal forming process. The oil gallery channel is formed to the basic shape that corresponds to the shape of the walls of the combustion bowl. Machine-turning surfaces in the oil gallery channel can be machine-finished as desired. Surfaces in the oil gallery which cannot be machined with conventional turning operations, such as recesses and protrusions into the channel, are left in the original as-formed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Corporation
    Inventor: Norbert G. Schneider
  • Patent number: 9121336
    Abstract: A diesel engine piston having a combustion chamber may include a profile surface that protrudes toward a center axis of the combustion chamber from an inner wall thereof and includes a protrusion on the inner wall, the protrusion extending from the inner wall with a predetermined length, wherein the protrusion divides a spray fuel, which may be sprayed and atomized onto the protrusion, into a fuel flow at an upper portion of the combustion chamber and a fuel flow at a lower portion of the combustion chamber, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Myungjun Lee, Dae Choi, Hyunsung Jung, Minyoung Ki, Hyeungwoo Lee
  • Patent number: 9097204
    Abstract: A cylinder head (10) for an internal combustion engine, having at least two inlet valves (20) associated with the or each combustion chamber, the inlet valves (20) being supported in the cylinder head (10) with their axes spaced from one another in a first direction, at least two exhaust valves (22) with their axes of reciprocation also spaced from one another in the first direction and at least two receiving formations for operating elements (such as a spark plug (38) and fuel injector (40)), the receiving formations opening into the combustion chamber portion in a central region bounded by the heads of the valves, wherein the receiving formations are inclined to one another so as to diverge generally in the first direction as they extend away from the combustion chamber portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Ilmor Engineering Limited
    Inventor: Ben Chapman
  • Patent number: 9027529
    Abstract: A piston is arranged for reciprocal movement in a combustion engine cylinder. Protrusions are or a ridge is arranged half way between flame plume impingement areas in a plane perpendicular to the reciprocal movement and protrude to the combustion chamber having a smooth form adapted for preserving kinetic energy in a flame plume. The protrusion or ridge includes a left side flank, a top section and a right side flank, and a transition section between each of the side flanks and the top section, the transition section including a deflection edge in order to minimize flow losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Eismark, Michaell Balthasar
  • Patent number: 8978621
    Abstract: A piston for a compression ignition internal combustion engine includes a piston body having a combustion face defining a combustion bowl, and the combustion face including a compound bowl surface and a compound rim surface. The combustion face is profiled to balance a combustion efficiency property of the piston with emissions properties of the piston, and includes a profile of rotation defining a convex curve segment bisected by the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of concave curve segments outboard of the convex curve segment. The profile of rotation further includes a compound rim profile defining a plurality of convex curve segments corresponding to an inner rim surface. The convex curve segment of the compound bowl profile defines a relatively small radius of curvature, and the plurality of convex curve segments corresponding to the inner rim surface define a relatively large radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Easley, David A. Pierpont, Karthikeyan C. Venkatasubramaniam, John P. Timmons
  • Patent number: 8882863
    Abstract: A fuel reformulation system for an engine comprising an annular body for a flow of fluids therethrough connected to the engine, a source of fuel for flowing through at least a portion of the annular body, and a catalytic member connected to the annular body for the flow of any fluids thereacross from the annular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Modroukas, Jason S. Tyll, John C. Leylegian, Florin Girlea, Richard Perlman
  • Patent number: 8820292
    Abstract: Provided is a spark-ignition internal combustion engine capable of ensuring engine output power while setting a geometric compression ratio of an engine body to a high value. In the spark-ignition internal combustion engine, each of a clearance between a top surface (3a) of a piston (3) located at a top dead center position and a lower surface (8a) of each of two intake valves (8) in a full-closed state, and a clearance between the top surface (3a) of the piston (3) located at the top dead center position and a lower surface (9a) of each of two exhaust valves (9) in a full-closed state, is set to 5 mm or more, and a stroke length S of the piston (3) is set to satisfy the following relation: S?0.977×B+18.2, where B is a bore diameter of a cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Goto, Hidetoshi Kudou, Yasushi Nakahara, Masami Nishida
  • Patent number: 8746207
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a muffler configured to reduce exhaust gas noise. The muffler has a housing defining an interior and an exterior. A choke valve is configured to control a flow of air in a carburetor and a thermally responsive element is coupled with the choke valve and configured to move the choke valve in response to a temperature change in the thermally responsive element. A thermally conductive member has a first portion positioned in the interior of the muffler and extending through the muffler housing to the exterior of the muffler, and a second portion positioned exteriorly of the muffler and coupled to the thermally responsive element. The thermally conductive member is configured to conduct heat from exhaust gases within the muffler to the thermally responsive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Briggs and Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Drew, David W. Branski, Chad J. Gartzke, William H. Mayer, Benjamin R. Miller, Dawn N. Traynor, Gene Zimmerman, Jean-Paul Benjamins
  • Publication number: 20140076273
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a combustion bowl shape of a direct injection diesel engine for reducing soot. The combustion bowl shape of the direct injection diesel engine for reducing soot according to the present disclosure includes: a lip part protruding from an internal circumferential surface; a main combustion bowl formed at a lower side based on the lip part; and a sub combustion bowl formed at an upper side based on the lip part, in which a diameter ratio of a combustion bowl entrance diameter of the sub combustion bowl to a main combustion bowl maximum diameter of the main combustion bowl is 1.10 to 1.40.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: DOOSAN INFRACORE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Doc Koon YOO, Chung Min KIM, Jong Mo AHN, Dae Sung HAN, Jin Hwan YU, Wook JUNG, Duk Sang KIM
  • Patent number: 8627798
    Abstract: A direct fuel-injection engine includes a piston, a cavity recessed in a central part of a top face of the piston, and a fuel injector. At a main injection collision point of a fuel-injection axis when main injection is performed while the piston is near top dead center, a main injection collision angle formed between its tangent and the fuel-injection axis is set at an obtuse angle. Fuel colliding with the main injection collision point is deflected towards a cavity open end side. At a secondary injection collision point of the fuel-injection axis when performing secondary injection with the piston is further from top dead center, a secondary injection collision angle formed between its tangent and the fuel-injection axis is set at one of a right angle and an acute angle. Fuel colliding with the secondary injection collision point is deflected primarily in the circumferential direction of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamaguchi, Yoshimasa Kaneko, Yukihisa Yamaya, Yutaka Tajima, Kenichiro Ikeya, Goichi Katayama, Nobuhiko Sasaki, Hiroshi Sono
  • Patent number: 8474431
    Abstract: In a cross section in which squish flow from an outer peripheral part of a piston (13) toward a cavity (25) is large due to a width (W2) of a squish area (SA) being large and a squish clearance (C2) being small, a collision angle (?2) at which a fuel injection axis (Li2) collides with the cavity (25) is made large, whereas in a cross section in which squish flow is small due to the width of the squish area (SA) being small and the squish clearance being large, the collision angle at which a fuel injection axis collides with the cavity (25) is made small. This enables a tendency for fuel to flow out to the exterior of the cavity (25) in a cross section where the squish flow is small to be weakened, and a tendency for fuel to flow out to the exterior of the cavity (25) in a cross section where the squish flow is large to be strengthened, thereby making the conditions in which fuel and air are mixed uniform throughout the entire region of the cavity (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sono, Tatsuya Uchimoto, Yukihisa Yamaya, Kenichiro Ikeya, Yutaka Tajima, Mitsuhiro Shibata, Nobuhiko Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8459229
    Abstract: A piston for a direct injection engine is provided, the piston having a bowl at an upper end, the bowl forming a portion of a combustion chamber. The bowl includes an inner surface that defines a volume configured to receive a fuel-air mixture, the inner surface of the bowl including at least one surface feature that forms at least one edge portion as a target for the fuel spray, the edge portion defined by two or more surface portions. The surface feature may protrude from the inner surface of the bowl or may be recessed into the inner surface. Such surface features may reduce soot and improve fuel-air mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Rainer J. Rothbauer, Charles E. Roberts, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8276563
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine piston having a combustion bowl with fuel control structure for redirecting at least a portion of the fuel exiting the combustion bowl. One form of the piston includes a sharp edge disposed at the outer surface of the piston adjacent the entrance to the combustion bowl and a rounded fuel receiving lip located within the combustion bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Quigley, Patrick R. Shea, Aaron S. Quinton, Dana E. Richardson, Doug Doup
  • Patent number: 8251040
    Abstract: A gasoline direct injection engine that has an injector directly injecting fuel into a combustion chamber, a spark plug, an intake valve, and an exhaust valve and generates power by reciprocating a piston in a cylinder, may include a first cavity formed on a piston head of the piston to return at least some flow of the fuel injected from the injector to the spark plug, a protrusion protruding and off-set from the first cavity toward the exhaust valve, and a second cavity formed from the protrusion to the exhaust valve at a smaller height than the first cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Pil Sung Jang
  • Patent number: 8146563
    Abstract: A piston crown for a diesel engine in which the crown has an annular recess coaxial with an injector injecting fuel in a radiated, non-swirl pattern. The recess has an internal central crown portion approximately parallel to the angle of the fuel injected and a curved outer section to curve air compressed by the piston significantly enough that it is directed back toward the central axis and mixes with the fuel injected along the internal central crown portion to promote mixing and reduction in soot formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Craig W. Lohmann
  • Publication number: 20110259297
    Abstract: A piston for a direct injection engine is provided, the piston having a bowl at an upper end, the bowl forming a portion of a combustion chamber. The bowl includes an inner surface and a dome that defines a volume configured to receive a fuel-air mixture, the inner surface of the bowl and the dome each including at least one surface feature as a target for the fuel spray. The surface feature may protrude from the inner surface of the bowl or may be recessed into the inner surface. Such surface features may reduce soot and improve fuel-air mixing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Rainer J. ROTHBAUER, Charles E. ROBERTS, JR., Thomas W. RYAN, III
  • Publication number: 20110253094
    Abstract: A piston for a direct injection engine is provided, the piston having a bowl at an upper end, the bowl forming a portion of a combustion chamber. The bowl includes an inner surface that defines a volume configured to receive a fuel-air mixture, the inner surface of the bowl including at least one surface feature that forms at least one edge portion as a target for the fuel spray, the edge portion defined by two or more surface portions. The surface feature may protrude from the inner surface of the bowl or may be recessed into the inner surface. Such surface features may reduce soot and improve fuel-air mixing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Rainer J. Rothbauer, Charles E. Roberts, JR.
  • Publication number: 20110253095
    Abstract: A piston for a direct injection engine is provided, the piston having a bowl at an upper end, the bowl forming a portion of a combustion chamber. The bowl includes an inner surface that defines a volume configured to receive a fuel-air mixture, the inner surface of the bowl including at least one surface feature as a target for the fuel spray, the surface feature angled 20° to 80° from the piston face. The surface feature may protrude from the inner surface of the bowl or may be recessed into the inner surface. Such surface features may reduce soot and improve fuel-air mixing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Rainer J. ROTHBAUER, Charles E. ROBERTS, JR.
  • Patent number: 7992536
    Abstract: In a direct fuel injection diesel engine equipped with a pentroof-shaped piston, when fuel is injected into a cavity (25) recessed in a central part of a piston (13), for which the height of a top face changes in the circumferential direction, from a fuel injection point (Oinj) of a fuel injector disposed on a piston central axis along a plurality of fuel injection axes (Li1,Li2), if a cross-section of the cavity (25) passing along the fuel injection axis (Li1,Li2) is defined as a fuel injection cross-section (Sn), a cross-sectional shape (see shaded portion) of the cavity (25) defined by first to third specific points (An, Bn, Cn) on the fuel injection cross-section (Sn) is set so as to be substantially equal for each fuel injection cross-section (Sn). By so doing, the conditions in which fuel and air are mixed in each fuel injection cross-section (Sn) can be made uniform, the engine output can be improved, and harmful exhaust substances can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ikeya, Yukihisa Yamaya, Nobuhiko Sasaki, Tatsuya Uchimoto, Yutaka Tajima, Mitsuhiro Shibata, Hiroshi Sono
  • Patent number: 7926463
    Abstract: An engine provided with a fuel injector for directly injecting fuel into a cylinder, a spark plug positioning a spark gap in a flight path of fuel injected from the fuel injector, and a cavity formed in a piston top face, wherein at the time of stratified combustion, the fuel injector injects substantially all of the fuel in a direction merging with a tumble flow, swirling in a longitudinal direction along the cavity at the compression stroke, along the swirl direction of the tumble flow and uses the spark plug to ignite the fuel while the fuel at the end period of injection is passing through the spark gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Ashizawa, Hiroshi Nomura, Osamu Tomino, Kaoru Maeda, Keisuke Matsumoto, Takeo Kushida
  • Patent number: 7874276
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for control of fuel injection for an internal combustion engine, in particular with direct fuel injection, comprising at least one cylinder (10), one piston (30) running in said cylinder, with a projection (34) arranged in a concave bowl (32), a fuel injector (22) and a combustion chamber (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Alain Ranini, Sébastien Potteau