Internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder, a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder to define a main combustion chamber, an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said main combustion chamber, a trap chamber disposed in said cylinder head for receiving a rich air-fuel mixture to provide a torch jet ignition and having at least one suction aperture through which said rich mixture is supplied into said trap chamber when said intake valve is opened, said trap chamber also having at least one discharge aperture, all of said suction and discharge apertures being small enough to effect said torch jet ignition, said suction and discharge apertures always being in communication with said main combustion chamber during the time when said intake valve is kept closed so that the torch jet can spurt through both of said apertures, and so that during the compression stroke, the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures is substantially equal thereby preventing a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said trap chamber from escaping therefrom, a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said trap chamber, a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice and disposed upstream of said valve head for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to form said rich air-fuel mixture out of said fuel and said air or said lean air-fuel mixture flowing in said suction port, and means provided between said suction and discharge aperatures in said trap chamber for partially dividing said trap chamber thereby facilitating the introduction of the rich mixture through said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and holding said mixture thereat.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder;
• a piston;
• a cylinder head cooperating with said piston and cylinder to define a combustion chamber;
• a suction port in communication with said combustion chamber for introducing a lean air-fuel mixture thereto;
• an intake valve disposed in said suction port and comprising a valve head and a valve stem integrally associated therewith;
• a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice disposed upstream of said valve head for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to form a rich air-fuel mixture out of said fuel and said air or said lean air-fuel mixture flowing in said suction port;
• an ignition plug having a set of electrodes;
• an enclosure, said enclosure and said ignition plug enclosing said set of electrodes and forming a trap chamber, said trap chamber disposed in said cylinder head and having at least one suction aperture which is in communication with said suction port for receiving said rich air-fuel mixture when said intake valve is open and at least one discharge aperture which is in communication with said combustion chamber;
• a partition protruding inwardly of said trap chamber between said suction and discharge apertures;
• a continuous path being formed within said trap chamber, which is in communication with said suction aperture at one end with said discharge aperture at the other end and to which said set of electrodes are exposed;
• said trap chamber being closed except through said suction and discharge apertures;
• the mixture outside said trap chamber but within said combustion chamber flowing into said path through said suction and discharge apertures so that the inlet speeds of the flowing-in mixtures into said path through said suction aperture and said discharge aperture are approximately the same when said piston moves toward said cylinder head during the compression cycle of said engine,
• wherein during the compression cycle of said engine pressures in portions of said path near said suction and discharge apertures are in substantial equilibrium, thereby preventing a substantial portion of the rich air-fuel mixture entrapped in said trap chamber from escaping out from said trap chamber, and
• wherein during the suction cycle of said engine said rich air-fuel mixture scavenges said trap chamber by filling space formerly occupied by residual gases produced during the combustion cycle of said engine and sucked out through said discharge aperture during the suction cycle of said engine.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder, a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder to define a main combustion chamber, an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said main combustion chamber, a trap chamber disposed in said cylinder head for receiving a rich air-fuel mixture to provide a torch jet ignition and having at least one suction aperture through which the rich mixture is supplied into said trap chamber when said intake valve is opened, said trap chamber also having at least one discharge aperture of a size small enough to effect said torch jet ignition, said suction and discharge apertures aways being in communication with said main combustion chamber during the time when said intake valve is kept closed so that the torch jet can spurt through said both apertures and so that during the compression stroke, the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures is substantially equal thereby preventing a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said trap chamber from escaping therefrom, and a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said trap chamber, a fuel injection nozzle disposed upstream of said valve head to provide the rich air-fuel mixture, and means provided between said suction and discharge apertures of said trap chamber for partially dividing said trap chamber thereby facilitating the introduction of the rich mixture from said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and holding said mixture therein.

A torch ignition internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a piston,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder and said piston to define a main combustion chamber for the combustion of a lean air-fuel mixture,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, said intake valve being movably positioned with respect to said suction port,
• a pot-shaped cavity having at least one suction aperture through which a rich air-fuel mixture is supplied to said cavity when said intake valve is opened, said enclosed cavity also having at least one discharge aperture,
• a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said enclosed cavity,
• means for introducing said rich air-fuel mixture to said enclosed cavity through said suction aperture when said intake valve is opened, said introducing means including a fuel injection nozzle provided upstream of said intake valve for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, said fuel and said air in said suction port forming said rich air-fuel mixture, said suction and discharge apertures always being in communication with said main chamber during the time when said intake valve is closed so that when said rich air-fuel mixture is ignited by said spark plug torch jets are formed by said apertures which pass therethrough into said main chamber to ignite the lean air-fuel mixture therein and during the compression stroke the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures retains a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said enclosed cavity, and
• a separating wall provided in said enclosed cavity between said suction aperture and said discharge aperture for separating said enclosed cavity into a suction portion and a discharge portion, said discharge portion communicating with said main chamber through said discharge aperture and said suction portion communicating with said suction port through said suction aperture when said valve head is in its open position, said discharge portion and said suction portion communicating with each other at a position remote from said suction and discharge apertures to thereby facilitate the introduction of said rich mixture through said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and to facilitate the scavenging of residual gases proximate said electrodes from said enclosed cavity through said discharge aperture.

A torch ignition internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a piston,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder and said piston to define a main combustion chamber for the combustion of a lean air-fuel mixture,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, said intake valve being movably positioned with respect to said suction port,
• an enclosed cavity having at least one suction aperture through which a rich air-fuel mixture is supplied to said cavity when said intake valve is opened, said suction aperture being positioned upstream of said valve head when said intake valve is opened and downstream thereof when said intake valve is closed, said enclosed cavity also having at least one discharge aperture,
• a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said enclosed cavity,
• means for introducing said rich air-fuel mixture to said enclosed cavity through said suction aperture when said intake valve is opened, said introducing means including a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice in said suction port for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure toward said suction aperture when said intake valve is open, said fuel and said air in said suction port forming said rich air-fuel mixture, said suction and discharge apertures always being in communication with said main chamber during the time when said intake valve is closed so that when said rich air-fuel mixture is ignited by said spark plug torch jets are formed by said apertures which pass therethrough into said main chamber to ignite the lean air-fuel mixture therein and during the compression stroke the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures retains a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said enclosed cavity, and
• a separating wall provided in said enclosed cavity between said suction aperture and said discharge aperture for separating said enclosed cavity into a suction portion and a discharge portion, said discharge portion communicating with said main chamber through said discharge aperture and said suction portion communicating with said suction port through said suction aperture when said valve head is in its open position, said discharge portion and said suction portion communicating with each other at a position remote from said suction and discharge apertures to thereby facilitate the introduction of said rich mixture through said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and to facilitate the scavenging of residual gases proximate said electrodes from said enclosed cavity through said discharge aperture.

A torch ignition internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a piston,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder and said piston to define a main combustion chamber for the combustion of a lean air-fuel mixture,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, said intake valve being movably positioned with respect to said suction port,
• an enclosed cavity having at least one suction aperture through which a rich air-fuel mixture is supplied to said cavity when said intake valve is opened, said suction aperture being positioned upstream of said valve head when said intake valve is opened and downstream thereof when said intake valve is closed, said enclosed cavity also having at least one discharge aperture,
• a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said enclosed cavity,
• means for introducing said rich air-fuel mixture to said enclosed cavity through said suction aperture when said intake valve is opened, said introducing means including a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice in said suction port for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure in a direction substantially tangential to the flowing direction of said air or said lean air-fuel mixture in said suction port, a portion of said fuel from said injection nozzle flowing into said enclosed cavity through said suction aperture when said intake valve is opened to form said rich air-fuel mixture, said suction and discharge apertures always being in communication with said main chamber during the time when said intake valve is closed so that when said rich air-fuel mixture is ignited by said spark plug torch jets are formed by said apertures which pass therethrough into said main chamber to ignite the lean air-fuel mixture therein and during the compression stroke the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures retains a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said enclosed cavity, and
• a separating wall provided in said enclosed cavity between said suction aperture and said discharge aperture for separating said enclosed cavity into a suction portion and a discharge portion, said discharge portion communicating with said main chamber through said discharge aperture and said suction portion communicating with said suction port through said suction aperture when said valve head is in its open position, said discharge portion and said suction portion communicating with each other at a position remote from said suction and discharge apertures to thereby facilitate the introduction of said rich mixture through said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and to facilitate the scavenging of residual gases proximate said electrodes from said enclosed cavity through said discharge aperture.

A torch ignition internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a piston,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder and said piston to define a main combustion chamber for the combustion of a lean air-fuel mixture,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, said intake valve being movably positioned with respect to said suction port,
• an enclosed cavity having at least one suction aperture through which a rich air-fuel mixture is supplied to said cavity when said intake valve is opened, said suction aperture being positioned upstream of said valve head when said intake valve is opened and downstream thereof when said intake valve is closed, said enclosed cavity also having at least one discharge aperture, said suction port having a guiding wall with one end thereof extended to a position behind the valve head of said intake valve and dividing said suction port into an auxiliary suction port close to said enclosed cavity for guiding fuel passing therethrough to said suction aperture, and a main suction port for guiding said air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said main combustion chamber,
• a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said enclosed cavity,
• means for introducing said rich air-fuel mixture to said enclosed cavity through said suction aperture when said intake valve is opened, said introducing means including a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice positioned in line with said auxiliary suction port for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, said suction and discharge apertures always being in communication with said main chamber during the time when said intake valve is closed so that when said rich air-fuel mixture is ignited by said spark plug torch jets are formed by said apertures which pass therethrough into said main chamber to ignite the lean air-fuel mixture therein and during the compression stroke the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures retains a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said enclosed cavity, and
• a separating wall provided in said enclosed cavity between said suction aperture and said discharge aperture for separating said enclosed cavity into a suction portion and a discharge portion, said discharge portion communicating with said main chamber through said discharge aperture and said suction portion communicating with said suction port through said suction aperture when said valve head is in its open position, said discharge portion and said suction portion communicating with each other at a position remote from said suction and discharge apertures to thereby facilitate the introduction of said rich mixture through said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and to facilitate the scavenging of residual gases proximate said electrodes from said enclosed cavity through said discharge aperture.

A torch ignition internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a piston,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder and said piston to define a main combustion chamber for the combustion of a lean air-fuel mixture,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, said intake valve being movably positioned with respect to said suction port,
• an enclosed cavity having at least one suction aperture through which a rich air-fuel mixture is supplied to said cavity when said intake valve is opened, said suction aperture being positioned upstream of said valve head when said intake valve is opened and downstream thereof when said intake valve is closed, said enclosed cavity also having at least one discharge aperture,
• a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said enclosed cavity,
• means for introducing said rich air-fuel mixture to said enclosed cavity through said suction aperture when said intake valve is opened, said introducing means including a conduit having one end thereof open to atmospheric air and the other end thereof opened in said suction port, said conduit having intermediate the length thereof a heating section, and a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice disposed in said conduit at a position upstream of said heating section, said fuel injection nozzle discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, said suction and discharge apertures always being in communication with said main chamber during the time when said intake valve is closed so that when said rich air-fuel mixture is ignited by said spark plug torch jets are formed by said apertures which pass therethrough into said main chamber to ignite the lean air-fuel mixture therein and during the compression stroke the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures retains a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said enclosed cavity, and
• a separating wall provided in said enclosed cavity between said suction aperture and said discharge aperture for separating said enclosed cavity into a suction portion and a discharge portion, said discharge portion communicating with said main chamber through said discharge aperture and said suction portion communicating with said suction port through said suction aperture when said valve head is in its open position, said discharge portion and said suction portion communicating with each other at a position remote from said suction and discharge apertures to thereby facilitate the introduction of said rich mixture through said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and to facilitate the scavenging of residual gases proximate said electrodes from said enclosed cavity through said discharge aperture.

A torch ignition internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a piston,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder and said piston to define a main combustion chamber for the combustion of a lean air-fuel mixture,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, said intake valve being movably positioned with respect to said suction port,
• an enclosed cavity having at least one suction aperture through which a rich air-fuel mixture is supplied to said cavity when said intake valve is opened, said suction aperture being positioned upstream of said valve head when said intake valve is opened and downstream thereof when said intake valve is closed, said enclosed cavity also having at least one discharge aperture,
• a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said enclosed cavity,
• means for introducing said rich air-fuel mixture to said enclosed cavity through said suction aperture when said intake valve is opened, said introducing means including a fuel injection nozzle provided upstream of said intake valve in said suction port for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, said fuel and said air in said suction portion forming said rich air-fuel mixture, said suction and discharge apertures always being in communication with said main chamber during the time when said intake valve is closed so that when said rich air-fuel mixture is ignited by said spark plug torch jets are formed by said apertures which pass therethrough into said main chamber to ignite the lean air-fuel mixture therein and during the compression stroke the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures retains a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said enclosed cavity, and
• a separating wall provided in said enclosed cavity between said suction aperture and said discharge aperture for separating said enclosed cavity into a suction portion and a discharge portion, said discharge portion communicating with said main chamber through said discharge aperture and said suction portion communicating with said suction port through said suction aperture when said valve head is in its open position, said discharge portion and said suction portion communicating with each other at a position remote from said suction and discharge apertures to thereby facilitate the introduction of said rich mixture through said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and to facilitate the scavenging of residual gases proximate said electrodes from said enclosed cavity through said discharge aperture, said combustion chamber having a wall complementary to an envelop of the outer periphery of said valve head which moves during the suction process of said engine, and wherein said suction aperture opens in said complementary wall upstream of said valve head when said intake valve is open, said discharge aperture opening to said combustion chamber downstream of said valve head when said intake valve is open.

A torch ignition internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a piston,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder and said piston to define a main combustion chamber for the combustion of a lean air-fuel mixture,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, said intake valve being movably positioned with respect to said suction port,
• a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice disposed upstream of said valve head for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, said fuel and said air in said suction port forming said rich air-fuel mixture,
• an ignition plug having a set of electrodes,
• a pot-shaped cavity receiving said set of electrodes, said cavity having at least one suction aperture through which said rich air-fuel mixture is supplied to said cavity when said intake valve is opened, said cavity including at least one discharge aperture in communication with said combustion chamber, and
• a partition protruding into said pot-shaped cavity between said suction and discharge apertures to partially divide said cavity to thereby define a continuous path formed within said cavity from said suction aperture at one end to said discharge aperture at the other end with said set of electrodes being exposed to said path, said partition directing said rich air-fuel mixture past said set of electrodes to thereby scavenge residual gases away from said electrodes during the suction cycle of said engine and retaining said rich air-fuel mixture proximate said electrodes during the compression cycle of said engine.

A torch ignition internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a piston,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder and said piston to define a main combustion chamber for the combustion of a lean air-fuel mixture,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto, said intake valve being movably positioned with respect to said suction port,
• a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice disposed upstream of said valve head for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, said fuel and said air in said suction port forming said rich air-fuel mixture,
• an ignition plug having a set of electrodes,
• a pot-shaped cavity receiving said set of electrodes, said cavity having at least one suction aperture through which said rich air-fuel mixture is supplied to said cavity when said intake valve is opened, said cavity including at least one discharge aperture in communication with said combustion chamber, and
• a partition protruding into said pot-shaped cavity between said suction and discharge apertures to partially divide said cavity to thereby define a continuous path formed within said cavity from said suction aperture at one end to said discharge aperture at the other end with said set of electrodes being exposed to said path, said partition directing said rich air-fuel mixture past said set of electrodes to thereby scavenge residual gases away from said electrodes during the suction cycle of said engine and retaining said rich air-fuel mixture proximate said electrodes during the compression cycle of said engine, wherein said pot-shaped cavity has an end wall located contiguously with the other peripheral surface of said valve head when said intake valve is at its open position, said suction aperture opening in said end wall upstream of said valve head when said intake valve is at its open position.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder to define a main combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said main combustion chamber,
• a pot-shaped cavity disposed in said cylinder and having at least one suction aperture through which a rich mixture is supplied into said cavity when said intake valve is opened, said cavity also having at least one discharge aperture, all of said suction and discharge apertures being small enough to form said torch jet ignition, said suction and discharge apertures always being in communication with said main combustion chamber during the time when said intake valve is closed so that said torch jet spurts through both of said apertures, and so that during the compression stroke, the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures is substantially equal thereby preventing a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said trap member from escaping therefrom,
• a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said cavity,
• a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice disposed upstream of said valve head for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to form said rich air-fuel mixture from said fuel and said air or said lean air-fuel mixture flowing in said suction port,
• and means provided between said suction and discharge apertures in said trap chamber for partially dividing said trap chamber thereby facilitating the introduction of the rich mixture through said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and holding said mixture thereat.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a piston,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said piston and cylinder to define a combustion chamber,
• a suction port in communication with said combustion chamber for introducing a lean air-fuel mixture thereto,
• an intake valve disposed in said suction port and comprising a valve head and a valve stem integrally associated therewith,
• a fuel injection nozzle having a discharge orifice disposed upstream of said valve head for discharging fuel at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to form a rich air-fuel mixture out of said fuel and said air or said lean air-fuel mixture flowing in said suction port,
• an ignition plug having a set of electrodes,
• a pot-shaped enclosure, said enclosure and said ignition plug enclosing said set of electrodes and forming a chamber for trapping said rich air-fuel mixture therein, said pot-shaped enclosure disposed in said cylinder head and having at least one suction aperture which is in communication with said suction port for receiving said rich air-fuel mixture when said intake valve is open and at least one discharge aperture which is in communication with said combustion chamber,
• a partition protruding inwardly of said enclosure substantially midway between said suction and discharge aperture, a continuous path being formed within said enclosure which is in communication with said suction aperture at one end and with said discharge aperture at the other end and to which said set of electrodes are exposed, said trap chamber being closed except through said suction and discharge apertures, the mixture outside said enclosure but within said combustion chamber flowing into said path through said suction and discharge apertures so that the inlet speeds of the flowing-in mixtures into said path through said suction aperture and said discharge aperture are approximately the same when said piston moves toward said cylinder head during the compression cycle of said engine, thereby preventing a substantial portion of the rich air-fuel mixture entrapped in said enclosure from escaping out from said enclosure, and wherein during the suction cycle of said engine said rich air-fuel mixture scavenges said enclosure by filling space formerly occupied by residual gases produced during the combustion cycle of said engine and sucked out through said discharge aperture during the suction cycle of said engine.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder,
• a cylinder head cooperating with said cylinder to define a main combustion chamber,
• an intake valve having a valve stem and a valve head connected thereto,
• a suction port for introducing principally air or a lean air-fuel mixture to said main combustion chamber,
• a pot disposed in said cylinder head for receiving a rich air-fuel mixture and having at least one suction aperture through which the rich mixture is supplied into said pot when said intake valve is opened, said pot also having at least one discharge aperture of a size small enough to effect said torch jet ignition, said suction and discharge apertures always being in communication with said main combustion chamber during the time when said intake valve is kept closed so that a torch jet spurts through both said apertures when said rich mixture in said pot is ignited, and so that during the compression stroke, the pressure at said suction and discharge apertures is substantially equal thereby preventing a substantial portion of said rich mixture received in said trap chamber from escaping therefrom,
• a spark plug having a set of electrodes exposed to said trap chamber,
• a fuel injection nozzle disposed upstream of said valve head to provide the rich air-fuel mixture, and
• means provided between said suction and discharge apertures of said trap chamber for partially dividing said trap chamber thereby facilitating the introduction of the rich mixture from said suction aperture to said set of electrodes and holding said mixture therein.