Internal combustion engine

In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft driven by at least one piston moving through at least a compression stroke and an intake stroke aided by combustion taking place within a cylinder, wherein the compression stroke results in the compressing of air within the cylinder, the improvement thereto comprising:

• an external compression stage in which a second air charge is compressed outside the cylinder;
• a delivery conduit linking said external compression stage to the cylinders, with an intercooler through which said secondary air charge is selectively directed from said external compression stage;
• two cylinder intake ports with an intake valve in each port;
• and
• means for directing low pressure air to one of said intake ports during the intake stroke of the piston and for directing highly compressed air to the other of said intake ports during the compression stroke of the piston, wherein one of said intake valves occupies an open position only during a compression stroke of said piston.

In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft driven by at least one piston moving through at least a compression stroke and an intake stroke aided by combustion taking place within a cylinder, wherein the compression stroke results in the compressing of air within the cylinder, the improvement thereto comprising:

• an external compression stage in which a secondary air charge is compressed outside the cylinder;
• delivery conduit linking said external compression stage to the cylinder, with an intercooler through which said secondary air charge is selectively directed from said external compression stage;
• two cylinder intake ports with an intake valve in each port;
• means for directing low pressure air to one of said intake ports during the intake stroke of the piston and for directing highly compressed air to the other of said intake ports during the compression stroke of the piston;
• and
• a second external compressor in which said low pressure air charge is lightly compressed outside the cylinder and conduit directing said air charge from said second external compressor through an air cooler to a low pressure port of the cylinder during the intake stroke.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an engine block defining at least one cylinder therein, first and second inlet ports communicating between said cylinder and a source of air, and an exhaust port through which air is exhausted from said cylinder;
• a piston movably mounted within said cylinder;
• an intake valve selectively occluding each said intake port;
• an exhaust valve selectively occluding said exhaust port;
• means for directing air at a first pressure to said first inlet port and for directing air at a second pressure, different from said first pressure, to said second inlet port during a compression stroke of the piston, wherein one of said intake valves occupies an open position only while the other of said intake valves occupies a closed position.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an engine block defining at least one cylinder therein, first and second inlet ports communicating between said cylinder and a source of air, and an exhaust port through which air is exhausted from said cylinder;
• a piston movably mounted within said cylinder;
• an intake valve selectively occluding each said intake port;
• an exhaust valve selectively occluding said exhaust port;
• and
• a first compressor directing air at a first pressure to said first inlet port and a second compressor directing air at a second pressure, different from said first pressure, to said second inlet port during a compression stroke of said piston.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an engine block defining at least one cylinder therein, two cylinder inlet ports communicating between said cylinder and a source of air, and an exhaust port through which exhausted gases are expelled through said cylinder;
• a piston movably mounted within said cylinder;
• an intake valve selectively occluding each inlet port;
• an exhaust valve selectively occluding said exhaust port;
• at least one compressor in fluid communication via a conduit between said source of air and at least one cylinder inlet port;
• at least one air cooler interconnected between said compressor and said inlet port;
• means for directing low pressure air to one of said inlet ports during an intake stroke of the piston and for directing air highly compressed by said compressor to the other of said inlet ports during a compression stroke of said piston;
• and
• a second external compressor in which said low pressure air charge is lightly compressed outside the cylinder and conduit directing said air charge from said second external compressor through an air cooler to a low pressure port of the cylinder during the intake stroke.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an engine block defining a least one cylinder therein, a first inlet port through which air is introduced to said cylinder, a second inlet port through which air is introduced to said cylinder, and an exhaust port through which exhausted gases are expelled from said cylinder;
• a piston movably mounted within said cylinder, said piston moving through at least one intake stroke and one compression stroke;
• a first intake valve selectively opening and closing said first inlet port, said first intake valve opening said first inlet port during at least a portion of said intake stroke;
• a second intake valve selectively opening and closing said second inlet port, said second intake valve opening said second inlet port during at least a portion of said compression stroke;
• an exhaust valve selectively opening and closing said exhaust port;
• first conduit communicating said first inlet port to air at a first pressure;
• and
• at least one compressor in fluid communication via a second conduit with said second inlet port, said compressor generating compressed air at least while said second intake valve is open, said second pressure being greater than said first pressure,
• whereby air at at least the first pressure is introduced to the cylinder during the intake stroke and air at at least the second pressure is introduced into the cylinder during the compression stroke.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an engine block defining at least one cylinder therein, two cylinder inlet ports communicating between said cylinder and a source of air, and an exhaust port through which exhausted gases are expelled through said cylinder;
• a piston movably mounted within said cylinder;
• a first intake salve cooperating with a first of said inlet ports and selectively movable between a closed position and an open position;
• a second intake valve cooperating with a second of said inlet ports and selectively movable between a closed position and an open position;
• an exhaust valve cooperating with said exhaust port;
• at least one compressor in fluid communication via a conduit between said source of air and at least said first of said inlet ports;
• and
• wherein said first intake valve occupies its said open position only while said second intake valve occupies its closed position.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an engine block defining at least one cylinder therein, two cylinder inlet ports communicating between said cylinder and a source of air, and an exhaust port through which exhausted gases are expelled through said cylinder;
• a piston movably mounted within said cylinder;
• a first intake valve cooperating with a first of said inlet ports and selectively movable between a closed position and an open position;
• a second intake valve cooperating with a second of said inlet ports and selectively movable between a closed position and an open position;
• an exhaust valve cooperating with said exhaust port;
• at least one compressor in fluid communication via a conduit between said source of air and at least said first of said inlet ports;
• and
• wherein said first intake valve occupies its said open position only during a compression stroke of said piston.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an engine block defining at least one cylinder therein, two cylinder inlet ports communicating between said cylinder and a source of air, and an exhaust port through which exhausted gases are expelled through said cylinder;
• a piston movably mounted within said cylinder;
• a first intake salve cooperating with a first of said inlet ports and selectively movable between a closed position and an open position;
• a second intake valve cooperating with a second of said inlet ports and selectively movable between a closed position and an open position;
• an exhaust valve cooperating with said exhaust port;
• at least one compressor in fluid communication via a conduit between said source of air and at least said first of said inlet ports;
• and
• wherein said first intake valve occupies its said open position only after compression has begun during a compression stroke of said piston.