Reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine with device for increasing the torque thereof

Internal combustion engine of the reciprocating piston type with just one intake valve, located in the cylinder head of a cylinder to which an inlet manifold is attached, by way of which combustion air can be supplied to the cylinder, with a compressed air accumulator, from which compressed air can be fed into the cylinder of the internal combustion engine by way of a controllable valve,

• characterized in that,
• the internal combustion engine has a blocking device in the inlet manifold for purposes of closing the flow-through cross section of the inlet manifold,
• the valve and the blocking device are controllable in mutual dependence and depending on the demanded performance of the internal combustion engine in such a manner that, based on a control signal, either additional compressed air from the compressed air accumulator can be supplied to a region of the inlet manifold within which the intake valve is located and is essentially restricted to the cylinder head when the blocking device is in its closed position, and whose torque can be increased when the amount injected is increased,
• the intake valve can be briefly reset to its open position during the compression stroke by means of a control element defining its movement, during which compressed air from the compressed air accumulator can be fed into the cylinder via the controlled valve, and the blocking device is in its closed position, or in the event of malfunction of a compressor of an exhaust gas turbocharger having a compressor and an exhaust-gas turbine, the cylinder can be supplied all of the combustion air from the compressed air accumulator and the exhaust-gas turbine then drives an additional compressor so as to supply the compressed air accumulator.