초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for carrying out combustion in an internal combustion engine of the stratified charge type is disclosed. The piston and cylinder are shaped in a manner to define a variable volume space and a main combustion chamber residing as a cavity in the top face of the piston, the cavit

A method and apparatus for carrying out combustion in an internal combustion engine of the stratified charge type is disclosed. The piston and cylinder are shaped in a manner to define a variable volume space and a main combustion chamber residing as a cavity in the top face of the piston, the cavity being in communication with the variable volume space. The cylinder has an intake port oriented to induce a swirl motion to air inducted into the variable volume space. A shock wave chamber is defined with walls projecting from the cylinder head into the main combustion chamber when the piston in its top dead center position. The shock wave chamber (or intermediate chamber) has openings to permit circulatory transfer motion of the air to enter and exit from the central bottom thereof. The intermediate chamber is adapted to receive a plasma sonic jet directed axially downwardly therethrough to penetrate the exit opening of said intermediate chamber. Fuel injection is timed to introduce a spray of fuel to said intermediate chamber to be ignited by said plasma sonic torch passing therethrough to promote a flaming jet which extends into said main combustion chamber for completion of combustion.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for carrying out combustion in an internal combustion engine, said engine having a piston and cylinder effective to define a variable volume space and a main combustion chamber residing as a cavity in the top of the piston and communicating with the variable volume space, said cylinder

An apparatus for carrying out combustion in an internal combustion engine, said engine having a piston and cylinder effective to define a variable volume space and a main combustion chamber residing as a cavity in the top of the piston and communicating with the variable volume space, said cylinder having an intake port oriented to induce a swirl motion to air inducted into said variable volume space, and said space being varied in volume by said piston during compression to induce a high radially inwardly squish motion to said air to form a circulatory path having an air column entering and extending into the central region of said main combustion chamber and exiting therefrom along the sides, said swirl motion and squish motion cooperating to impart a circulatory transfer motion to charge elements in said main chamber, the improvement comprising: (a) means defining a shock wave chamber integral with said cylinder and having walls extending into said piston cavity when said piston is in a substantially top dead center condition, said shock wave chamber having an exit and an entrance respectively aligned with the path of the circulatory transfer motion of said charge elements, (b) means defining a plasma cavity in communication with said shock wave chamber, said plasma cavity having an orifice communicating with said shock wave chamber at a side opposite from said exit, said orifice being aligned with the exit of said shock wave chamber, (c) means for injecting fuel into said shock wave chamber during compression so that the charge elements are forced to enter said plasma cavity momentarily prior to ignition, (d) means for applying a high energy discharge about 200 millijoules, through said plasma cavity causing the charge elements forced thereinto to be shock heated to an ionized condition and increased in pressure so that the ionized gas is ejected as a directed body of combusted ionized gases through said orifice, said ionized plasma jet igniting the mixture within said shock wave chamber and extending outwardly from the exit thereof preceded by said shock wave to additionally ignite the gaseous mixture in the main combustion chamber, said plasma jet extending through said shock wave cavity into the air column extending through said main combustion chamber.