Internal combustion engine with variable combustion chambers and increased expansion cycle
AssigneeMotive Holdings Limited
InventorMichael B. Riley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An internal combustion engine and method for operating the same wherein the combustion chamber volume can be varied depending on throttle position by a member that is inserted into the combustion chamber, and wherein the intake valve is closed before the piston completes its intake stroke so that the expansion stroke is effectively lengthened. In the case of a two-stroke engine, some of the intake gas is expelled before combustion to achieve an effective lengthening of the expansion stroke.
Claims33
An assembly for varying the combustion chamber volume in an internal combustion engine, comprising a housing with a chamber in communication with the combustion chamber;
- a piston slidably and adjustably extending into the housing chamber to adjust the volume of the combustion chamber;
- a hydraulic chamber containing hydraulic fluid, substantially enclosed by the piston and the housing on the opposite side of the piston from the combustion chamber, the hydraulic chamber having a hydraulic fluid channel extending from inside the hydraulic chamber to outside the hydraulic chamber to allow limited release of hydraulic fluid therethrough upon an increase in the pressure in the hydraulic fluid, and a hydraulic fluid port from inside the hydraulic chamber to outside the hydraulic chamber, the hydraulic port having an operable valve to open and close it and being sized substantially larger than the hydraulic fluid channel to allow a flow rate substantially greater than the flow rate through the hydraulic flow channel.
An assembly for varying the combustion chamber volume in an internal combustion engine, comprising a housing with a chamber in communication with the combustion chamber;
- a piston slidably and adjustably extending into the housing to adjust the volume of the combustion chamber;
- a screw extending through the housing, the longitudinal axis of the screw being parallel to the sliding axis of the piston;
- screw drive means;
- means to connect the screw to the piston;
- and a hydraulic chamber containing hydraulic fluid substantially enclosed by the piston and the housing on the opposite side of the piston from the combustion chamber to lessen the force of the piston on the screw upon combustion in the combustion chamber.
An assembly for varying the combustion chamber volume in an internal combustion engine, comprising a housing with a chamber in communication with the combustion chamber, a piston slidably and adjustably extending into the housing to adjust the volume of the combustion chamber;
- a hydraulic chamber containing hydraulic fluid, substantially enclosed by the piston and the housing on the opposite side of the piston from the combustion chamber, the hydraulic chamber having a hydraulic fluid channel extending from inside the hydraulic chamber to outside the hydraulic chamber to allow limited release of hydraulic fluid therethrough upon an increase in the pressure in the hydraulic fluid;
- and means for limiting the skew of the piston including a perforated hollow rod, one end of which is attached to the hydraulic chamber side of the piston and the other end of which is slidably mounted in the housing wall opposite the piston.
A four-stroke internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder;
- a working piston reciprocally mounted in the cylinder;
- a set of valves to control gas flow into and out of the cylinder, including an intake valve;
- means for operating the valves in timing with the reciprocation of the piston, whereby compressed gas in a combustion volume in the cylinder is ignited and expands to drive the piston through a power stroke and is then exhausted to outside the cylinder, and whereby the intake valve is closed before the piston completes the intake stroke;
- and means to vary the combustion volume by the insertion of a member into the cylinder.
A two-stroke internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder;
- a set of at least one of valves and parts to control gas flow into and out of the cylinder;
- means for operating the at least one of valves and parts in timing with the reciprocation of the piston, whereby compressed gas in a combustion volume in the cylinder is ignited and expands to drive the piston through a power stroke and is then exhausted to outside the cylinder, and whereby some the intake gas in expelled prior to combustion;
- and means to vary the combustion volume by the insertion of a member into the cylinder.
A method of operating a four-stroke internal combustion engine having a cylinder, a working piston reciprocally mounted in the cylinder, a set of valves to control gas flow into and out of the cylinder, and means for operating the valves in timing with the reciprocation of the piston whereby gas is compressed by the piston to a combustion volume and is ignited and expands to drive the piston through a power stroke and is then exhausted to outside the cylinder, the method comprising closing the intake valves before the piston reaches the bottom of the intake stroke;
- and adjusting the combustion volume based on the throttle position of the engine, whereby the combustion volume is reduced for low throttle.
A method of operating a two-stroke internal combustion engine having a cylinder, a working piston reciprocally mounted in the cylinder, a set of valves to control gas flow into and out of the cylinder, and means for operating the valves in timing with the reciprocation of the piston whereby gas is compressed by the piston to a combustion volume and is ignited and expands to drive the piston through a power stroke and is then exhausted to outside the cylinder, the method comprising expelling a portion of the intake gas prior to combustion;
- and adjusting the combustion volume based on the throttle position of the engine whereby the combustion volume is reduced for low throttle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.