Abstract: A device for generating a radiofrequency plasma, that includes a voltage generator, and at least one ignition assembly that includes an ignition plug and a switch provided between a supply terminal of the plug and an output of the generator adapted for electrically connecting the output of the voltage generator to the plug upon reception of a control signal, and an electronic control unit generating the control signal. The electronic control unit measures values representative of evolution in time of the output voltage of the generator. The device further includes a mechanism varying the voltage and/or the frequency of the electric current applied to the supply terminal of the plug based on measured values. The evolution of the generator output voltage is representative of the condition of the plug (new or used).

Abstract: A reciprocating internal combustion engine. The present invention improves the spark ignition facility used by the engine inventions described in patent publications WO2005/052335 and WO2007/080366 by providing a device to ensure reliable spark ignition by protecting the spark plug from malfunction by sooting.

Abstract: An ignition system includes an electrical energy delivery device having a first electrode terminating at a first end portion and a second electrode positioned in the ignition system separately from the electrical energy delivery device. The second electrode terminates at a second end portion disposed a first distance from the first end portion to form an air gap therebetween. The air gap forms an area including the shortest distance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed is an upper structure of an engine having three or more cylinders arranged in a row. A first one of a pair of adjacent cylinders among at least three of the cylinders serially arranged in a cylinder row direction is provided with a second spark plug at a position on an opposite side of a second one of the pair of adjacent cylinders, and the second one of the pair of adjacent cylinders is provided with a second spark plug at a position on an opposite side of the first one of the pair of adjacent cylinders. The present invention can provide enhanced flexibility in design of a head cover of the engine.

Abstract: A pair of intake collectors (1A, 1B) separated by a partition (4A) aspirates air into each cylinder of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine via branch pipes (3A-3F). A valve (8A, 8B) which shuts off the air flow between the intake collectors (1A, 1B) is fitted onto the partition (4A) via a valve frame (11) and a bearing boss (16A) provided on the valve frame (11). An edge of the partition (4A) is fitted into a groove (18) formed on the outer circumference of the valve frame (11) so as to prevent air from leaking through an engaging part between the partition (4A) and the valve frame (11) due to a Labyrinth effect. Further, an elastically connecting member (20) disposed on both sides of the bearing boss (16A) elastically connects the valve frame (11) and the groove (18), thereby preventing relative oscillation between the partition (4A) and the valve frame (11).

Abstract: An axial flow rotary valve for an engine, that is rotatable about an axis within the bore of a cylinder head. The valve communicating with a respective cylinder in which a piston reciprocates, and an ignition means associated with the cylinder. The valve is provided with inlet and exhaust peripheral openings that periodically communicate with cylinder through a window in the bore. A combustion chamber is formed in the space between the crown of the piston at top dead centre and the cylinder head and the valve. The ignition means comprising first and second spark plugs, each of said spark plugs having a nose located at one end thereof exposed to the combustion chamber, said noses being disposed on opposite sides of said window within the axial extremities of said window.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder with a combustion chamber formed between a piston and a cylinder head, inlet and outlet ducts formed in the cylinder head, a fuel injector arranged in the cylinder head into for forming a hollow fuel cone in the combustion chamber and a spark plug arranged such that, during The injection of fuel, the electrodes of the spark plug are outside the injected hollow fuel cone, the spark plug and the fuel injector are positioned in such a way that a first distance (C) is provided between an injector axis and a free end of the central electrode of the spark plug, and the cylinder bore has a diameter (D), with a ratio (C/D) of the first distance (C) and a bore diameter (D) being in a range of 0.1 to 0.19, in particular 0.13 to 0.17.

Abstract: An internal-combustion engine is disclosed in which a pair of inlet valves and a pair of outlet valves are provided within the combustion chamber formed in each of a row of cylinders. A first ignition plug is disposed in the cylinder head within a central area of the combustion chamber in plan view. Second and third ignition plugs are disposed in the cylinder head at opposite peripheral portions of the combustion chamber positioned approximately along the first axis direction in plan view, the second and third ignition plugs are arranged so that the discharge electrode portions of the second and third ignition plugs being inclined inwardly of the combustion chamber in opposite directions and are substantially symmetrical relative with the first ignition plug in plan view. A line intersecting the discharge electrode portions of the second and third ignition plugs forms an oblique angle with the direction of the row of cylinders in plan view.

Abstract: A spark plug system includes a center spark plug and a plurality of peripheral spark plugs, the spark plugs extending into a ridge-roof type combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine from the inner surface of a cylinder head and being disposed approximately on the ridgeline of the ridge-roof. The amount by which the center plug projects into the combustion chamber from the inner surface of the cylinder head is different from the amount by which each of the peripheral plugs projects into the combustion chamber from the inner surface of the cylinder head, whereby the time in which the flame propagation of the center plug reaches the flame propagation of the peripheral plugs is delayed.

Abstract: In a direct injection internal combustion engine, a fuel injection valve and a spark plug of adjacent cylinders are inclined at different angles from each other in directions perpendicular to a cylinder arrangement direction in which the cylinders are arranged. Besides, the fuel injection valve and the spark plug of at least one of the cylinders are inclined at different angles from each other in directions parallel to the cylinder arrangement direction. A cooling channel is provided between the fuel injection valve and the spark plug of the at least one of the cylinders.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spark-ignition engine having direct fuel injection, the fuel injector (2) and the spark plug (3) being arranged centrally on the upper side of the combustion chamber (1). The fuel injector produces an asymmetrical injection volume, so that the electrodes of the spark plug (3) are not directly affected by liquid fuel. The electrodes are, however, situated in a region reached by evaporating fuel.

Abstract: To provide a four-cycle engine, in which a pair of intake valve ports is openable/closable by respective intake valves and a pair of exhaust valve ports is openable/closable by respective exhaust valves. The pair of intake valve ports and the pair of exhaust valve ports are provided in a cylinder head such that they are positioned on both sides of a first virtual plane which contains the axial line of the cylinder bore and passes through an approximately central portion of the combustion chamber. A pair of ignition plugs is mounted in the cylinder head. The pair of ignition plugs is mounted such that the degradation of a flame propagation condition is minimized, even if accidental firing of either of the ignition plugs occurs. The pair of ignition plugs is disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to a second virtual plane which passes through the center of a combustion chamber and is perpendicular to the first virtual plane.

Abstract: A cylinder head for an internal combustion engine includes a spark plug 3, provided in combustion chamber 2, and an injection nozzle 1 that has a housing end face 27 and a closure element 6 which is movable by an actuator and has a closure member 10, the housing end face 17 of the injection nozzle 1 forming a common, planar surface with the closure member 10 in the closed state of the injection nozzle 1.

Abstract: A cylinder head for a four-cycle internal combustion engine with improved intake port and combustion chamber configuration. The physical shape of the intake port and combustion chamber directs the flow of the incoming air/fuel mixture in a swirl path, which is directed toward the spark plug. In particular, the intake port has a fin at its terminal opening into the combustion chamber. The fin creates a swirling motion in the incoming gasses and also directs the flow of the gasses toward the spark plug. As a result, a greater percentage of the intake charge is in close proximity to the center of the combustion chamber and the spark plug, and hence combustion occurs faster and more completely. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the portion of the cylinder head that forms the upper surface of the combustion chamber, includes a shear ledge that further acts to direct the flow of the incoming gasses toward the sparkplug.

Abstract: In order to provide a mixture-compressing two-stroke Otto engine with fuel injection into the cylinder space, in which it is in particular intended to make a homogeneous mixture formation possible, it is proposed that the combustion space (19) possesses essentially the configuration of a hemisphere and, with its combustion space axis (21), is, from the cylinder axis (20) relative to the side of the cylinder (11) located opposite the exhaust duct (14), disposed so as to be offset, the injection nozzle being disposed relative to the combustion space (19 in such a way that the upper portion of the jet cone (22) penetrates a predominant volume proportion of the combustion space (19), while the lower portion of the jet cone extends underneath the cylinder bottom plane (25) approximately obliquely to the cylinder axis (20), but outside the combustion space (19).

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a cylinder head body with a pentroof-shaped combustion chamber comprises a piston including a piston cavity and a caldera-shaped protrusion provided around the piston cavity, a fuel injector for injecting fuel downward to the piston cavity and a spark plug disposed obliquely in proximity to an intake valve. The piston cavity is provided on the top surface of the piston being offset on the spark plug side. Further, the caldera-shaped protrusion is slanted towards the spark plug side. Therefore, injected fuel collides against a down-slope of the piston cavity and is diffused partly towards the spark plug and partly towards the cylinder head. As a result, a locally rich air-fuel mixture is formed around the spark plug so as to enable stratified charge combustion.

Abstract: In order to optimize combustion in a four-stroke spark-ignition engine with direct fuel injection, the conditions of charge flow are improved by providing the top surface of each piston with an essentially U-shaped guiding rib, which is open towards the exhaust side of the combustion chamber, fuel injection taking place into the concave area inside the guiding rib. The nozzle opening of the fuel injection device as well as the ignition source are positioned in the area of the cylinder center, i.e., preferably on different sides of the longitudinal center plane of the engine.

Abstract: An improved spark ignition engine system producing a large continuous, centrally directed, flow coupled ignition spark discharge through combustion chamber (1), piston (4), inlet system (28/29), spark plug (5), and ignition spark discharge (26) design, and through the location and orientation, with respect to the mixture flow field, of a special design firing end and gap (7/9) of a spark plug fired with a spark discharge of hundreds of watts of power for hundreds of microseconds without spark segmentation or spark break-up by the flow field of up to about 20 m/sec flow velocity, with bulk flow occurring at the spark plug site at most engine speeds including low speeds to produce a very large centrally directed spark-initial flame front kernel which allows for substantial dilution of the mixture and significant reduction in engine cycle-to-cycle variation under most operating conditions of the engine including low speed light load.

Abstract: Disclosed is an engine for an automotive vehicle designed such that a mixed gas supplied to the combustion is burned first in the periphery of the combustion chamber and then over the entire length in the peripheral direction of a cylinder, followed by burning the mixed gas in the center of the cylinder. Plural sources of ignition, i.e. ignition gaps of spark plugs, are so disposed at a peripheral end portion of the combustion chambers in spaced relationship with each other in a cylindrically peripheral direction as to allow the flame ignited by each of the spark plugs to coincide or collide with each other in the cylindrically peripheral direction and thereafter in the center of the cylinder. This arrangement can eliminate NOx and HC and perform dilute combustion, thereby improving fuel economy.

Abstract: Disclosed is an engine for an automotive vehicle designed such that a mixed gas supplied to the combustion is burned first in the periphery of the combustion chamber and then over the entire length in the peripheral direction of a cylinder, followed by burning the mixed gas in the center of the cylinder. Plural sources of ignition, i.e. ignition gaps of spark plugs, are so disposed at a peripheral end portion of the combustion chambers in spaced relationship with each other in a cylindrically peripheral direction as to allow the flame ignited by each of the spark plugs to coincide or collide with each other in the cylindrically peripheral direction and thereafter in the center of the cylinder. This arrangement can eliminate NOx and HC and perform dilute combustion, thereby improving fuel economy.

Abstract: An internal-combustion engine includes two combustion spaces for each cylinder. Each combustion space is separated from the cylinder space and has a valve to open and close a passage through which communication is established between the combustion space and the cylinder space. A complete cycle consist of eight strokes of a four-stroke type engine or four strokes of a two-stroke type engine. At the start of the first expansion stroke of the cycle, the valve of the first combustion space opens to release burnt fuel into the cylinder space to power the piston. The burnt fuel from the first combustion space is expelled and fresh air is admitted into the cylinder space as in conventional four-stroke and two-stroke engines. The fresh air is compressed into the first combustion space on the first compression stroke of the cycle, and the corresponding valve closes at the end of the compression stroke.

Abstract: A combustion apparatus and a combustion system for an internal combustion engine wherein a funnel-shaped cone with an orifice at the apex thereof is provided in a combustion chamber and spaced from an ignition apparatus so that as a gaseous, combustible mixture is introduced into the chamber, it flows through the cone to the orifice where it is ignited by the ignition apparatus so that the flame caused thereby explodes outwardly through ejection openings and along the external surface of the cone into the chamber so as to envelope the uncombusted gases and cause maximum explosion and combustion of the mixture automatically. The structure is applicable to existing conventional spark ignition engines when the cone is provided at the front end portion of the spark plug. For compression ignition engines, the cone is provided in a pre-combustion chamber in the cylinder head or is attached to the cylinder head and extends into a chamber provided in the piston.

Abstract: Two pistons in adjacently situated cylinders in a twin-piston two-stroke engine share a common combustion chamber. To ensure low exhaust gas emissions with low consumption, a lean mixture is burnt whereof the complete combustion is made possible by designing the combustion chamber so that circulation of the ignited mixture takes place and the mixture burns through rapidly. The twin-piston two-stroke engine may also be devised to run with a stratified charge, the centrally arranged partition in the twin cylinder providing excellent separation between the lean and rich mixture portions.

Abstract: A four-stroke piston engine in which air or a fuel-air mixture is drawn into a cylinder. Fuel may be injected into the air in the cylinder while a further fuel supply is located on the axis of the cylinder and supplies at least one jet of fuel during the compression stroke, which jet of fuel in cooperation with the fuel-air mixture forms at least one zone of enriched mixture within the cylinder. The piston may have a recess in the upper end into which the nozzle carrier is partially received when the piston approaches top dead center. An ignitable mixture is formed in the recess or in the region of said recess which can be ignited by electrodes disposed adjacent the further fuel supply.

Abstract: A reciprocating lens-like combustion space is formed in a piston internal combustion engine which is located with approximately one-half in a recess of the piston top and with approximately the other half in the cylinder head. By the dimensioning of the combustion space and the coordination thereof to the inlet and exhaust valve, a vortex flow is produced with a ring-shaped mixing zone of high fuel concentration, in which the ignition electrodes of two spark plugs are arranged diametrally opposite one another.

Abstract: A four-stroke piston engine in which air or a fuel-air mixture is drawn into a cylinder. Fuel may be injected into the air flowing into or already present in the cylinder while a further fuel supply is located on the axis of the cylinder and supplies at least one jet of fuel during the compression stroke, which jet of fuel in cooperation with the fuel-air mixture forms at least one zone of enriched mixture within the cylinder. The piston may have a recess in the upper end into which the fuel nozzle is received when the piston approaches top dead center so that an enriched zone is formed in the recess or in the region of said recess which can be ignited by electrodes disposed adjacent the further fuel supply.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a combustion chamber located between a spherical-cup bottom wall of the engine head and a crown top wall of the piston. The crown wall includes of five wall portions, of which first and second side portions are convex, third and fourth side portions are flat, and a fifth central portion is concave.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprising a first raised portion formed on the inner wall of the cylinder head, a second raised portion formed on the top face of the piston at a position opposite to the first raised portion with respect to the axis of the piston, and a third raised portion formed on the inner wall of the cylinder head above the second raised portion. A first flat squish area is formed between the flat peripheral top face of the piston and flat bottom face of the first raised portion. A second spherical shell shaped squish area is formed between the spherical bottom wall of the third raised portion and the spherical rear face of the second raised portion. A pair of spark plugs is arranged on the top face of the combustion chamber. One of the spark plugs is arranged in the vicinity of said first raised portion, and the other spark plug is arranged in the vicinity of said third raised portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder head and a piston. A recess is formed on the inner wall of the cylinder head or on the top surface of the piston. The recess defines a combustion chamber when the piston reaches the top dead center. The inner wall of the cylinder head has a flat surface portion. The top surface of the piston has a flat surface portion. A squish area is formed between the flat surface portions of the cylinder head and of the piston. A groove is formed on the inner wall of the cylinder head or on the top surface of the piston so as to extend towards the circumferential direction of the piston. The groove communicates the squish area with the recess. The bottom surface of the groove is smoothly connected to the bottom wall of the recess so as to create a turbulence and a strong swirl motion of the combustible mixture in the recess due to the squish flow pushed out from the squish area when the piston reaches the top dead center.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a first raised portion formed on the inner wall of the cylinder head, a second raised portion formed on the top face of the piston at a position opposite to the first raised portion with respect to the axis of the piston, and a third raised portion formed on the inner wall of the cylinder head above the second raised portion. A first flat squish area is formed between the flat peripheral top face of the piston and the flat bottom face of the first raised portion. A second spherical shell shape squish area is formed between the spherical bottom wall of the third raised portion and the spherical rear face of the second raised portion. The third raised portion has a steeply inclined side wall extending upwards from the ridge of the second raised portion. A depression having a vertically extending peripheral wall is formed in the central portion of the top face of the piston. The peripheral wall is aligned with the vertically extending side wall of the first raised portion.

Abstract: A spark ignition reciprocatory internal combustion engine with dual induction system is provided in which at low and intermediate loads when only a primary throttle valve within a primary induction system opens, a primary intake port passage within a cylinder head will direct fluid charge into a combustion chamber in a cylinder to swirl therein as a primary intake valve opens, while, at high loads when a secondary throttle valve within a secondary induction system opens also, a secondary intake port passage within the cylinder head will direct fluid charge into the combustion chamber in the cylinder in such a direction as to impede and reduce the swirling motion of the fluid charge from the primary intake port passage as a secondary intake valve opens, thereby to maintain the volumetric efficiency of the engine at a sufficiently high level. The secondary intake valve is operated to open in synchronization with the opening of the primary intake valve.