Method and apparatus for improving the fuel injection characteristics of internal combustion engines

Claim 2

In a method of effecting combustion in internal combustion engines, which method is characterized by: generating, within internal combustion engine means, and in energy communicating relation with engine piston means movable in cylinder means of said engine means, a plurality of generally mutually distinct burning loci, with said burning loci defining generally spaced centers of burning; concurrently, and during a working stroke of said engine piston means, transmitting combustion supporting gas, heated by compression and combustion, into said burning loci, and generating and transmitting streams of combustible fuel into said burning loci, each said burning loci substantially receiving at least one of said fuel streams and at least some of said heated gas; limiting the time duration of the generation of said fuel streams so that at least the majority of fuel in said streams passes into said burning loci during a working stroke of said engine piston means; providing a plurality of spaced wall means, with each such wall means peripherally confining and defining a fuel and heated gas agitation zone individually associated with and communicating with a said burning loci; each said peripherally confined agitation zone and a burning loci associated therewith receiving fuel from at least one fuel stream directed thereinto during said working stroke of said engine piston means; maintaining the existence and a generally discrete relation of said burning loci during said working stroke of said engine piston means; and utilizing energy generated through operation of said burning loci to induce said working stroke of said engine piston means; the improvement comprising: causing fuel pump piston means to displace an increment of fuel from fuel pump means; transmitting said displaced increment of fuel through passasge means leading from said fuel pump piston means to fuel injection nozzle means operable to generate said fuel streams, with said fuel injection nozzle means being operable to pass said fuel streams into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith; discharging said fuel streams from said nozzle means into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith at a rate different from, and slower than, the rate of displacement of said fuel increment from said fuel pump means into said passage means; and at a relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition displacing a relatively larger volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and diverting fuel delivered by the fuel pump means into said passage means, between said fuel pump piston means and said injection nozzle means, from said passage means, and at a relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition displacing a relatively smaller volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and at least reducing the degree of said diversion of fuel from said passage means, and said steps of displacing and diverting being operable to substantially avoid an undesirable mismatching of the time duration of discharge of said fuel streams into said agitation zones, in relation to a desired increment of movement of said engine piston means.

Claim 3

In a method of effecting combustion in internal combustion engines, which method is characterized by: generating, within internal combustion engine means, and in energy communicating relation with engine piston means movable in cylinder means of said engine means, a plurality of generally mutually distinct burning loci, with said burning loci defining generally spaced centers of burning; concurrently, and during a working stroke of said engine piston means, transmitting combustion supporting gas, heated by compression and combustion, into said burning loci, and generating and transmitting streams of combustible fuel into said burning loci, each said burning loci substantially receiving at least one of said fuel streams and at least some of said heated gas; limiting the time duration of the generation of said fuel streams so that at least the majority of fuel in said streams passes into said burning loci during a working stroke of said engine piston means; providing a plurality of spaced wall means, with each such wall means peripherally confining and defining a fuel and heated gas agitation zone individually associated with and communicating with a said burning loci; each said peripherally confined agitation zone and a burning loci associated therewith receiving fuel from at least one fuel stream directed thereinto during said working stroke of said engine piston means; maintaining the existence and a generally discrete relation of said burning loci during said working stroke of said engine piston means; and utilizing energy generated through operation of said burning loci to induce said working stroke of said engine piston means; the improvement comprising: causing fuel pump piston means to displace an increment of fuel from fuel pump means; transmitting said displaced increment of fuel through passasge means leading from said fuel pump piston means to fuel injection nozzle means operable to generate said fuel streams, with said fuel injection nozzle means being operable to pass said fuel streams into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith; discharging said fuel streams from said nozzle means into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith at a rate different from, and slower than, the rate of displacement of said fuel increment from said fuel pump means into said passage means; and at a relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition displacing a relatively larger volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and diverting fuel delivered by the fuel pump means into said passage means, between said fuel pump piston means and said injection nozzle means, from said passage means, and at a relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition displacing a relatively smaller volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and at least reducing the degree of said diversion of fuel from said passage means, and said steps of displacing and diverting being operable to substantially avoid an undesirable mismatching of the time duration of discharge of said fuel streams into said agitation zones, in relation to a desired increment of movement of said engine piston means.

Claim 4

In a method of effecting combustion in internal combustion engines, which method is characterized by: generating, within internal combustion engine means, and in energy communicating relation with engine piston means movable in cylinder means of said engine means, a plurality of generally mutually distinct burning loci, with said burning loci defining generally spaced centers of burning; concurrently, and during a working stroke of said engine piston means, transmitting combustion supporting gas, heated by compression and combustion, into said burning loci, and generating and transmitting streams of combustible fuel into said burning loci, each said burning loci substantially receiving at least one of said fuel streams and at least some of said heated gas; limiting the time duration of the generation of said fuel streams so that at least the majority of fuel in said streams passes into said burning loci during a working stroke of said engine piston means; providing a plurality of spaced wall means, with each such wall means peripherally confining and defining a fuel and heated gas agitation zone individually associated with and communicating with a said burning loci; each said peripherally confined agitation zone and a burning loci associated therewith receiving fuel from at least one fuel stream directed thereinto during said working stroke of said engine piston means; maintaining the existence and a generally discrete relation of said burning loci during said working stroke of said engine piston means; and utilizing energy generated through operation of said burning loci to induce said working stroke of said engine piston means; the improvement comprising: causing fuel pump piston means to displace an increment of fuel from fuel pump means; transmitting said displaced increment of fuel through passasge means leading from said fuel pump piston means to fuel injection nozzle means operable to generate said fuel streams, with said fuel injection nozzle means being operable to pass said fuel streams into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith; discharging said fuel streams from said nozzle means into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith at a rate different from, and slower than, the rate of displacement of said fuel increment from said fuel pump means into said passage means; and at a relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition displacing a relatively larger volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and diverting fuel delivered by the fuel pump means into said passage means, between said fuel pump piston means and said injection nozzle means, from said passage means, and at a relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition displacing a relatively smaller volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and at least reducing the degree of said diversion of fuel from said passage means, and said steps of displacing and diverting being operable to substantially avoid an undesirable mismatching of the time duration of discharge of said fuel streams into said agitation zones, in relation to a desired increment of movement of said engine piston means.

Claim 5

A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: providing in said fuel injection nozzle means a plurality of injection nozzles, each individually associated with a separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means; providing through said passage means a plurality of separate fuel paths, each leading individually to one of said injection nozzles; during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, diverting said fuel from a portion of said passage means which is in common communication with said plurality of separate fuel paths; and effecting said displacement of said relatively larger volume fuel increment during each working stroke of engine piston means individually associated with each of said separate working chambers of said internal combustion engine means.

Claim 6

A method as described in claim 1 further comprising: during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, partially obstructing orifice means of said fuel injection nozzle means to produce a generally radial flow pattern of fuel leading to said orifice means, and produce a generally diverging spray of fuel leading from said orifice means; and during said relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition providing a generally axial flow of fuel leading to said orifice means, and forming a generally solid configuration of fuel streams leaving said orifice means and comprising said fuel stream received by said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith.

Claim 7

A method as described in claim 1, further comprising, at least during said relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition: providing, through said spaced wall means, flow path means in said engine means which comprise said agitation zones and define the location of said burning loci; during at least a portion of said working stroke of said engine piston means, generally enlarging the flow capacity of said flow path means; progressively increasing a mass flow rate of combustion supporting gas transmitted to said burning loci and passing into said flow path means during said working stroke of said engine piston means as said flow path means generally enlarge their flow capacity; and at least during said working stroke of said piston means, progressively increasing the mass flow rate of combustible fuel transmitted to said burning loci, with said progressive increase in the mass flow rate of fuel continuing for at least a majority of the time during which said fuel streams are received by said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith.

Claim 8

A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: effecting operation of a plurality of working chambers of said internal combustion engine by providing in said fuel injection nozzle means a plurality of injection nozzles, each individually associated with a separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means, providing through said passage means a plurality of separate fuel paths, each leading individually to one of said injection nozzles, during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition diverting said fuel from a portion of said passage means which is in common communication with said plurality of separate fuel paths, and effecting said displacement of said relatively larger volume fuel increment during each working stroke of engine piston means individually associated with each of said separate working chambers of said internal combustion engine means; modifying the spray characteristics of said fuel injection nozzle means by during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, partially obstructing orifice means of said fuel injection nozzle means to produce a generally radial flow pattern of fuel leading to said orifice means, and produce a generally diverging spray of fuel leading from said orifice means, and during said relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition providing a generally axial flow of fuel leading to said orifice means, and forming a generally solid configuration of fuel streams leaving said orifice means and comprising said fuel stream received by said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith; and at least during said relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition providing, through said spaced wall means, flow path means in said engine means which comprise said agitation zones and define the location of said burning loci, during at least a portion of said working stroke of said engine piston means, generally enlarging the flow capacity of said flow path means, progressively increasing a mass flow rate of combustion supporting gas transmitted to said burning loci and passing into said flow path means during said working stroke of said engine piston means as said flow path means generally enlarge their flow capacity, and at least during said working stroke of said piston means, progressively increasing the mass flow rate of combustible fuel transmitted to said burning loci, with said progressive increase in the mass flow rate of fuel continuing for at least a majority of the time during which said fuel streams are received by said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith.

Claim 11

A method of modifying the injection characteristics of fuel injection nozzle means as set forth in claim 6, further comprising: providing in said fuel injection nozzle means a plurality of injection nozzles, each individually associated with a separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means; providing through said passage means a plurality of separate fuel paths, each leading individually to one of said injection nozzles; and during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, diverting said fuel from a portion of said passage means which is in common communication with said plurality of separate fuel paths; and effecting said displacement of said relatively larger volume fuel increment during each working stroke of engine piston means individually associated with each of said separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means.

Claim 12

A method for modifying the injection characteristics of fuel injection nozzle means, as set forth in claim 6, further comprising: during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, partially obstructing orifice means of said fuel injection nozzle means to produce a generAlly radial flow pattern of fuel leading to said orifice means, and produce a generally diverging spray of fuel leading from said orifice means and passing into said interior of said internal combustion engine means; and during said relatively higher engine speed for any given load engine condition providing a generally axial flow of fuel leading to said orifice means, and forming generally solid fuel stream means leaving said orifice means and passing into said interior of said internal combustion engine means.

Claim 13

A method of modifying the injection characteristics of fuel injection nozzle means as set forth in claim 6, further comprising: providing flow path means in said engine means which define and at least partially confine, fuel and gas agitation zones; during at least a portion of a working stroke of engine piston means of said engine means, generally enlarging the flow capacity of said flow path means; progressively increasing a mass flow rate of combustion supporting gas passing through said flow path means during said working stroke of said engine piston means as said flow path means generally enlarge their flow capacity; and at least during said working stroke of said engine piston means, progressively increasing the mass flow rate of combustible fuel discharged from said injection nozzle means, and directing said fuel streams into said agitation zones.

Claim 14

A method of modifying the injection characteristics of fuel injection nozzle means as set forth in claim 6, further comprising: effecting operation of a plurality of working chambers of said internal combustion engine by providing in said fuel injection nozzle means a plurality of injection nozzles, each individually associated with a separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means, providing through said passage means a plurality of separate fuel paths, each leading individually to one of said injection nozzles, during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, diverting said fuel from a portion of said passage means which is in common communication with said plurality of separate fuel paths, and effecting said displacement of said relatively larger volume fuel increment during each working stroke of engine piston means individually associated with each of said separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means; modifying the spray characteristics of said fuel injection nozzle means by during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition and in conjunction with said diversion of fuel, partially obstructing orifice means of said fuel injection nozzle means to produce a generally radial flow pattern of fuel leading to said orifice means, and produce a generally diverging spray of fuel leading from said orifice means and passing into said interior of said internal combustion engine means; and during said relatively higher engine speed for any given load engine condition and while preventing said diversion of fuel providing a generally axial flow of fuel leading to said orifice means, and forming generally solid fuel stream means leaving said orifice means and passing into said interior of said internal combustion engine means; and at least during said relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition providing flow path means in said engine means which define and at least partially confine, fuel and gas agitation zones, during at least a portion of a working stroke of engine piston means of said engine means, generally enlarging the flow capacity of said flow path means, progressively increasing a mass flow rate of combustion supporting gas passing through said flow path means during said working stroke of said engine piston means as said flow path means generally enlarge their flow capacity, and at least during said working stroke of said engine piston means, progressively increasing the mAss flow rate of combustible fuel discharged from said injection nozzle means, and directing said fuel streams into said agitation zones.

Claim 15

In an apparatus for effecting combustion in internal combustion engines, which apparatus is characterized by: means for generating, within internal combustion engine means, and in energy communicating relation with engine piston means movable in cylinder means of said engine means, a plurality of generally mutually distinct burning loci, with said burning loci defining generally spaced centers of burning; means for concurrently, and during a working stroke of said engine piston means, transmitting combustion supporting gas, heated by compression and combustion, into said burning loci, and generating and transmitting streams of combustible fuel into said burning loci, each said burning loci substantially receiving at least one of said fuel streams and at least some of said heated gas; means for limiting the time duration of the generation of said fuel streams so that at least the majority of fuel in said streams passes into said burning loci during a working stroke of said engine piston means; means providing a plurality of spaced wall means, with each such wall means peripherally confining and defining a fuel and heated gas agitation zone individually associated with and communicating with a said burning loci; each said peripherally confined agitation zone and a burning loci associated therewith receiving fuel from at least one fuel stream directed thereinto during said working stroke of said engine piston means; means maintaining the existence and a generally discrete relation of said burning loci during said working stroke of said engine piston means; and means utilizing energy generated through operation of said burning loci to induce said working stroke of said engine piston means; the improvement comprising: fuel pump means; fuel pump piston means operable to displace an increment of fuel from said fuel pump means; fuel injection nozzle means operable to generate said fuel streams; passage means for transmitting said displaced increment of fuel from said fuel pump piston means to said fuel injection nozzle means, with said fuel injection nozzle means being operable to pass said fuel streams into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith; means for discharging said fuel streams from said nozzle means into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith at a rate different from, and slower than, the rate of displacement of said fuel increment from said fuel pump means into said passage means; means operable, at a relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, to displace a relatively larger volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and divert fuel delivered by the fuel pump means into said passage means, between said fuel pump piston means and said injection nozzle means, from said passage means; and means operable, at a relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition, to displace a relatively smaller volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and at least reduce the degree of said diversion of fuel from said passage means, and said means to displace and divert being operable to substantially avoid an undesirable mismatching of the time duration of discharge of said fuel streams into said agitation zones, in relation to a desired increment of movement of said engine piston means.

Claim 16

In an apparatus for effecting combustion in internal combustion engines, which apparatus is characterized by: means for generating, within internal combustion engine means, and in energy communicating relation with engine piston means movable in cylinder means of said engine means, a plurality of generally mutually distinct burning loci, with said burning loci defining generally spaced centers of burning; means for concurrently, and during a working stroke of said engine piston means, transmitting combustion supporting gas, heated by compression and combustion, into said burning loci, and generating and transmitting streams of combustible fuel into said burning loci, each said burning loci substantially receiving at least one of said fuel streams and at least some of said heated gas; means for limiting the time duration of the generation of said fuel streams so that at least the majority of fuel in said streams passes into said burning loci during a working stroke of said engine piston means; means providing a plurality of spaced wall means, with each such wall means peripherally confining and defining a fuel and heated gas agitation zone individually associated with and communicating with a said burning loci; each said peripherally confined agitation zone and a burning loci associated therewith receiving fuel from at least one fuel stream directed thereinto during said working stroke of said engine piston means; means maintaining the existence and a generally discrete relation of said burning loci during said working stroke of said engine piston means; and means utilizing energy generated through operation of said burning loci to induce said working stroke of said engine piston means; the improvement comprising: fuel pump means; fuel pump piston means operable to displace an increment of fuel from said fuel pump means; fuel injection nozzle means operable to generate said fuel streams; passage means for transmitting said displaced increment of fuel from said fuel pump piston means to said fuel injection nozzle means, with said fuel injection nozzle means being operable to pass said fuel streams into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith; means for discharging said fuel streams from said nozzle means into said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith at a rate different from, and slower than, the rate of displacement of said fuel increment from said fuel pump means into said passage means; means operable, at a relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, to displace a relatively larger volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and divert fuel delivered by the fuel pump means into said passage means, between said fuel pump piston means and said injection nozzle means, from said passage means; and means operable, at a relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition, to displace a relatively smaller volume fuel increment per working stroke of said engine piston means from said fuel pump means into said passage means, and at least reduce the degree of said diversion of fuel from said passage means, and said means to displace and divert being operable to substantially avoid an undesirable mismatching of the time duration of discharge of said fuel streams into said agitation zones, in relation to a desired increment of movement of said engine piston means.

Claim 17

An apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further comprising: a plurality of injection nozzles included in said fuel injection nozzle means each being individually associated with a separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means; means providing through said passage means a plurality of sEparate fuel paths, each leading individually to one of said injection nozzles; means operable during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, to divert said fuel from a portion of said passage means which is in common communication with said plurality of separate fuel paths; and means for effecting said displacement of said relatively larger volume fuel increment during each working stroke of engine piston means individually associated with each of said separate working chambers of said internal combustion engine means.

Claim 18

An apparatus as described in claim 11 further comprising: orifice means included in said fuel injection nozzle means; means operable during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, to partially obstruct said orifice means of said fuel injection nozzle means and produce a generally radial flow pattern of fuel leading to said orifice means, and produce a generally diverging spray of fuel leading from said orifice means; and means operable during said relatively higher engine speed for any given load condition to provide a generally axial flow of fuel leading to said orifice means, and form a generally solid configuration of fuel streams leaving said orifice means and comprising said fuel stream received by said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith.

Claim 19

An apparatus as described in claim 11, further comprising: flow path means in said engine means provided by said spaced wall means which comprise said agitation zones and define the location of said burning loci; means operable during at least a portion of said working stroke of said engine piston means, to generally enlarge the flow capacity of said flow path means; means operable to progressively increase a mass flow rate of combustion supporting gas transmitted to said burning loci and passing into said flow path means during said working stroke of said engine piston means as said flow path means generally enlarge their flow capacity; and means operable at least during said working stroke of said piston means, to progressively increase the mass flow rate of combustible fuel transmitted to said burning loci, with said progressive increase in the mass flow rate of fuel continuing for at least a majority of the time during which said fuel streams are received by said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith.

Claim 20

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further comprising: means for effecting operation of a plurality of working chambers of said internal combustion engine and including a plurality of injection nozzles included in said fuel injection nozzle means, each being individually associated with a separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means, means providing through said passage means a plurality of separate fuel paths, each leading individually to one of said injection nozzles, means operable during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition to divert said fuel from a portion of said passage means which is in common communication with said plurality of separate fuel paths, and means for effecting said displacement of said relatively larger volume fuel increment during each working stroke of engine piston means individually associated with each of said separate working chambers of said internal combustion engine means; means for modifying the spray characteristics of said fuel injection nozzle means and including flow path means in said engine means provided by said spaced wall means which comprise said agitation zones and define the location of said burning loci, means operable during at least a portion of said working stroke of said engine piston means, to generally enlarge the flow capacity of said flow path means, means operable to progressively increase a mass flow rate of combustion supporting gas transmitted to said burning loci and passing into said flow path means during said working stroke of said engine piston means as said flow path means generally enlarge their flow capacity, and means operable at least during said working stroke of said piston means, to progressively increase the mass flow rate of combustible fuel transmitted to said burning loci, with said progressive increase in the mass flow rate of fuel continuing for at least a majority of the time during which said fuel streams are received by said agitation zones and burning loci associated therewith.

Claim 23

An apparatus for modifying the injection characteristics of fuel injection nozzle means as set forth in claim 16, further comprising: a plurality of injection nozzles included in said fuel injection nozzle means, each being individually associated with a separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means; means providing through said passage means a plurality of separate fuel paths, each leading individually to one of said injection nozzles; means operable during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, to divert said fuel from a portion of said passage means which is in common communication with said plurality of separate fuel paths; and means for effecting said displacement of said relatively larger volume fuel increment during each working stroke of engine piston means individually associated with each of said separate working chamber of said internal combustion engine means.

Claim 24

An apparatus for modifying the injection characteristics of fuel injection nozzle means, as set forth in claim 16, further comprising: orifice means included in said fuel injection nozzle means; means operable during said relatively lower engine speed for any given load condition, to partially obstruct orifice means of said fuel injection nozzle means and produce a generally radial flow pattern of fuel leading to said orifice means, and produce a generally diverging spray of fuel leading from said orifice means and passing into said interior of said internal combustion engine means; and means operable during said relatively hiGher engine speed for any given load engine condition to provide a generally axial flow of fuel leading to said orifice means, and form generally solid fuel stream means leaving said orifice means and passing into said interior of said internal combustion engine means.

Claim 25

An apparatus for modifying the injection characteristics of fuel injection nozzle means as set forth in claim 16, further comprising: flow path means in said engine means operable to define and at least partially confine, fuel and gas agitation zones; means operable during at least a portion of a working stroke of engine piston means of said engine means, to generally enlarge the flow capacity of said flow path means; means operable to progressively increase a mass flow rate of combustion supporting gas passing through said flow path means during said working stroke of said engine piston means as said flow path means generally enlarge their flow capacity; and means operable at least during said working stroke of said engine piston means, to progressively increase the mass flow rate of combustible fuel discharged from said injection nozzle means, and direct said fuel streams into said agitation zones.