# US 12,000,329 B2 · Assemblies for engines > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,329 B2 - Document ID: US12000329B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/414,252 - Filed: 2019-12-17 - Published: 2022-02-17 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-17 - Assignees: Aston Martin Lagonda Limited - Applicants: Aston Martin Lagonda Limited - Inventors: Joerg Ross; Simone Malaguti; Ian Whelan; Davide Carpentiero; Mattia Lugli; Luke Scott - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000329B2 ## CPC - F02B 19/1061: {with residual gas chamber, e.g. containing spark plug} - F02B 19/12: with positive ignition (engines with non-timed positive ignition, and with incandescent chambers F02B9/08) - F02B 19/16: Chamber shapes or constructions not specific to sub-groups F02B19/02 - F02B19/10 - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to assemblies for engines such as pre-combustion chamber assemblies for spark ignition engines. It is known to provide a spark ignition engine with a pre-combustion chamber but it can be difficult to provide a system with good knock performance at high speed with high loads while still having reliable ignition at low speed with low load. In particular, at low speed with low load, there may be a relatively high percentage of exhaust gas residuals (EGR) in a pre-combustion chamber which can prevent ignition especially when the ignition timing is retarded during catalyst heating. Aspects of the disclosure aim to alleviate at least to a certain extent the problems of the prior art. According to a first aspect there is provided a pre-combustion chamber assembly for a spark ignition engine, the assembly having: an ignition chamber adapted to contain at least one electrode of a spark generator; the ignition chamber being adapted to communicate with a main engine combustion chamber via at least one pre-chamber port; wherein the ignition chamber communicates for removal therefrom of exhaust gas residuals. The exhaust gas residuals are preferably removed to a distinct storage chamber, more preferably via a transfer port. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pre-combustion chamber assembly for a spark ignition engine, the assembly having: an ignition chamber adapted to contain at least one electrode of a spark generator; the ignition chamber being adapted to communicate with a main engine combustion chamber via a plurality of cylindrical pre-chamber ports; wherein the ignition chamber communicates for removal therefrom of exhaust gas residuals to a distinct storage chamber via at least one transfer port, wherein the ignition chamber includes a single substantially cylindrical entrance channel leading from said pre-chamber ports in a direction towards an ignition region of the ignition chamber, the ignition region having a larger cross-section than the entrance channel, and wherein the entrance channel and ignition region are joined by a flaring chamber connector wall; and wherein the ignition chamber includes a tumble feature adapted to promote flow tumble, and the tumble feature is located in the region of the flaring chamber wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the ignition region is substantially circularly cylindrical. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which the ignition region has a diameter between 2 to 5 times that of the entrance channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the tumble feature is a step surface; the tumble feature preferably being adapted to be generally radially aligned with a ground electrode of the spark generator to be mounted with the pre-combustion chamber assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the ignition chamber has a longitudinal direction and is adapted to connect at one end thereof to a substantially coaxially oriented spark generator in the form of a spark plug, in which the ignition chamber is adapted to contain a tip of a ground electrode of a spark plug substantially in the centre of the ignition region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which wall features of the ignition chamber near where a spark generator is to be contained are of a copper-beryllium material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which wall features of the ignition chamber distal from where a spark generator is to be contained are of steel, and optionally are 316 stainless steel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) An assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which said pre-chamber ports are configured in an equispaced pattern, in which the pre-chamber ports diverge from one another in a direction away from the ignition chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) An assembly as claimed in claim 7, in which the pre-chamber ports are straight cylindrical tubes each orientated at an angle diverging from a longitudinal direction of the ignition chamber of about 30 to 60°. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) An assembly as claimed in claim 7, in which there are six said pre-chamber ports and the diameter of the entrance channel is about 2 to 4 times the diameter of each pre-chamber port. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) An assembly as claimed in claim 7, in which each pre-chamber port interfaces with a surface of the main combustion chamber which is convexly domed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the storage chamber is adapted to communicate only with the ignition chamber, otherwise being fully sealed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the storage chamber is a toroidal ring in shape, and the storage chamber is adapted to be located within a cylinder head assembly for an engine. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the ignition chamber has a larger volume than the storage chamber, such as above 2 to 10 times larger, e.g. about 4 to 6 times larger. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1, which includes a series of said transfer ports communicating at spaced apart locations into the ignition chamber; at least one said transfer port communicating into the ignition chamber at a first longitudinal position of the ignition chamber, at least one electrode tip of a spark generator being longitudinally between the first longitudinal location and a pre-chamber port of said pre-chamber ports. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which each said at least one transfer port has a cross dimension or diameter which is between 5% and 20%, e.g. about 10% of a cross dimension of diameter of the ignition region of the ignition chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which each said at least one transfer port is arranged in a direction which is a substantially radial direction, or having a tangential component, when viewed along a longitudinal direction of the assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) An assembly as claimed in claim 1, which is passive, having no port for direct fuel injection into the ignition chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An engine having a cylinder head, the cylinder head including an assembly as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) An engine as claimed in claim 19 which has a gasoline direction injection (GDI) injector communicating directly into a main combustion chamber thereof; optionally including a port fuel injection (PFI) injector communicating directly into an air inlet port for the main combustion chamber. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) An engine as claimed in claim 19 which has no ignition generator for the main combustion chamber to which the pre-combustion chamber assembly is connected other than a single ignition generator connected with at least one ignition electrode thereof located inside the ignition chamber. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) A motor vehicle including an engine as claimed in claim 19. ### Claim 23 A pre-combustion chamber assembly for a spark ignition engine, the assembly having: an ignition chamber adapted to contain at least one electrode of a spark generator; the ignition chamber being adapted to communicate with a main engine combustion chamber via at least one pre-chamber port; wherein the ignition chamber communicates for removal therefrom of exhaust gas residuals to a distinct storage chamber via a plurality of transfer ports, and wherein the distinct storage chamber is adapted to communicate only with the ignition chamber, otherwise being fully sealed. ### Claim 24 A pre-combustion chamber assembly for a spark ignition engine, the assembly having: an ignition chamber adapted to contain at least one electrode of a spark generator; the ignition chamber being adapted to communicate with a main engine combustion chamber via a plurality of cylindrical pre-chamber ports; wherein the ignition chamber communicates for removal therefrom of exhaust gas residuals to a distinct storage chamber via at least one transfer port, wherein the ignition chamber includes a single entrance channel leading from said pre-chamber ports in a direction towards an ignition region of the ignition chamber, the ignition region having a larger cross-section than the entrance channel, and wherein the entrance channel and ignition region are joined by a flaring chamber connector wall; and wherein the ignition chamber includes a tumble feature adapted to promote flow tumble, wherein the tumble feature is located in the region of the flaring chamber wall and the tumble feature is a step surface.