Method of affecting mixture formation and charge motion in an engine cylinder

Abstract

A method of affecting a mixture formation and motion of a charge in a cylinder of an externally ignited internal-combustion engine during a suction cycle of a gas intake valve of the cylinder. The suction cycle has a first cycle portion and a second cycle portion; the second cycle portion constitutes an end portion (leading and/or trailing end portion) of the suction cycle. The gas intake valve has, during the first suction cycle, a first open position at full valve stroke in which the gas intake valve has a fully open cross-sectional flow passage area. The method includes the step of maintaining the gas intake valve in a second open position at a partial stroke of the gas intake valve during the second cycle portion. The partial stroke is less than one half of the full stroke, and in the second open position the gas intake valve has a partially open cross-sectional flow passage area. The method further includes the step of maintaining the gas intake valve in the first open position during the first cycle portion.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.