Internal combustion engine with variable volume prechamber

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a piston cylinder formed within an engine block;
• an engine head secured to the engine block;
• a primary piston configured to slide within the piston cylinder;
• a main combustion chamber that is defined by the primary piston, piston cylinder, and engine head;
• a variable volume prechamber formed within the engine head and in fluid communication with the main combustion chamber;
• an ignition device configured to ignite a fuel within the prechamber;
• wherein the ignition device includes an encapsulated spark plug having a plug combustion chamber, said plug combustion chamber being disposed in the prechamber;
• a prechamber piston configured to translate within the prechamber wherein translation of the prechamber piston within the prechamber varies the volume within the prechamber;
• and
• a prechamber member having more than one orifice, said prechamber member being positioned between the prechamber and the main combustion chamber and providing fluid communication through said more than one orifice between the prechamber and main combustion chamber.

A method of igniting a fuel within a main combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, wherein the main combustion engine comprises (1) a piston cylinder formed within an engine block, (2) an engine head secured to the engine block, (3) a primary piston configured to slide within the piston cylinder, (4) a main combustion chamber that is defined by the primary piston, piston cylinder, and engine head, (5) a variable volume prechamber formed within the engine head and in fluid communication with the main combustion chamber, characterized in that the prechamber comprises a prechamber member having more than one orifice and being positioned between the prechamber and the main combustion chamber, said more than one orifice providing fluid communication between the prechamber and main combustion chamber, (6) an ignition device configured to ignite a fuel within the prechamber, wherein the ignition device includes an encapsulated spark plug having a plug combustion chamber, said plug combustion chamber being disposed in the prechamber, and (7) a prechamber piston configured to translate within the prechamber, wherein translation of the prechamber piston within the prechamber varies the volume within the prechamber, the method comprising the steps of:

• supplying a fuel and air mixture to the main combustion chamber;
• compressing the fuel and air mixture within the main combustion chamber during a compression stroke of the primary piston to advance some of the fuel and air mixture into the prechamber via the more than_one orifice;
• igniting the fuel and air mixture in the prechamber with the encapsulated spark plug having a plug combustion chamber and being disposed in the prechamber, wherein the ignited fuel and air mixture in the prechamber jets into the main combustion chamber via the more than one orifice;
• and
• igniting the fuel and air mixture in the main combustion chamber with the jetted ignited fuel and air mixture from the prechamber.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine including a main combustion chamber in fluid communication with a prechamber, the method comprising:

• expanding a volume within the prechamber during an increase in engine load;
• passing fluid through a prechamber member having a plurality of orifices opening between the main combustion chamber and the prechamber;
• and
• igniting fluid in the main combustion chamber with an encapsulated spark plug having a plug combustion chamber and being disposed in the prechamber.