Internal combustion engine

Claim 3

A fuel injected, spark ignited, engine employing a cyclic combustion process during which fuel is burned in air compressed during each cycle comprising a combustion chamber, means for generating a signal in timed relation to each cyclic occurrence of a combustion process in said chamber, means for initiating injection of fuel into said combustion chamber in response to a signal generated by said signal generating means, an electrical ignition system for igniting fuel injected into said combustion chamber in response to said signal including spark discharge means in said combustion chamber energized by said ignition system and time delay means interposed between said ignition system and said signal generating means for inserting a predetermined fixed clock-time interval of a fraction of a second between the commencement of injection of fuel into said combustion chamber and the generation of a spark at said spark discharge means so that the spark is discharged while the injected fuel is so positioned in said combustion chamber that it may be ignited by the spark thus discharged, which clock-time interval is not altered by changes in engine speed or by engine cyclic progress.

Claim 4

A fuel injected, spark ignited, engine employing a cyclic combustion process during which fuel is burned in air compressed during each cycle comprising a combustion chamber, means for generating a signal in timed relation to each cyclic occurrence of a combustion process in said chamber, means for initiating injection of fuel into said combustion chamber in response to a signal generated by said signal generating means, an electrical ignition system for igniting fuel injected into said combustion chamber in response to said signal including spark discharge means in said combustion chamber energized by said ignition system and time delay means interposed between said ignition system and said signal generating means for inserting a predetermined fixed clock-time interval of a fraction of a second between the commencement of injection of fuel into said combustion chamber and the generation of a spark at said spark discharge means so that the spark is discharged while the injected fuel is so positioned in said combustion chamber that it may be ignited by the spark thus discharged, which clock-time interval is not altered by changes in engine speed or by engine cyclic progress.

Claim 5

The engine of claim 2 wherein said time delay means includes means for adjusting the interval created thereby.

Claim 6

The engine of claim 2 wherein said signal generating means comprises means for generating a low voltage signal.

Claim 7

In an internal combustion engine an electrical fuel injection means, an electrical spark ignition means, means for generating an electrical signal to actuate said electrical fuel injection means as air is being compressed in a combustion chamber of said engine into which fuel is injected, and to actuate said electrical spark ignition means, and time delay apparatus for receiving the signal and storing it until a predetermined and fixed, clock-time interval has elapsed following the actual commencement of entry of fuel into the combustion chamber, which clock-time interval is independent of engine speed and means for transmitting a signal, after the interval has elapsed, from said time delay apparatus to said spark ignition means to cause a spark in the combustion chamber prior to cessation of injection of fuel from the injector of said fuel injection means.

Claim 8

In an internal combustion engine an electrical fuel injection means, an electrical spark ignition means, means for generating an electrical signal to actuate said electrical fuel injection means as air is being compressed in a combustion chamber of said engine into which fuel is injected, and to actuate said electrical spark ignition means, and time delay apparatus for receiving the signal and storing it until a predetermined and fixed, clock-time interval has elapsed following the actual commencement of entry of fuel into the combustion chamber, which clock-time interval is independent of engine speed and means for transmitting a signal, after the interval has elapsed, from said time delay apparatus to said spark ignition means to cause a spark in the combustion chamber prior to cessation of injection of fuel from the injector of said fuel injection means.

Claim 11

The method of claim 6 including the step of varying the quantity of fuel injected into the engine in accordance with desired engine speed.

Claim 12

The method of claim 7 including the step of maintaining the pressure of the fuel injected into the engine at a constant pressure.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 including the step of varying the quantity of fuel injected into the engine in accordance with desired engine speed.

Claim 14

In a variable speed internal combustion engine, means for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber in said engine, means for electrical spark ignition of the fuel injected into the combustion chamber, means for actuating said fuel injecting means in accordance with a signal generated as a function of engine shaft angle, and means for actuating said ignition means at the end of a predetermined, constant clock-time interval after the initiation of fuel injection, which interval remains substantially constant regardless of engine speed and is so predetermined that a spark occurs after fuel has first reached the location of said spark ignition means.

Claim 15

In a variable speed internal combustion engine, means for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber in said engine, means for electrical spark ignition of the fuel injected into the combustion chamber, means for actuating said fuel injecting means in accordance with a signal generated as a function of engine shaft angle, and means for actuating said ignition means at the end of a predetermined, constant clock-time interval after the initiation of fuel injection, which interval remains substantially constant regardless of engine speed and is so predetermined that a spark occurs after fuel has first reached the location of said spark ignition means.

Claim 16

The engine of claim 10 including means for varying the speed of said engine by adjusting the volume of fuel injected by said fuel injecting means.

Claim 17

The engine of claim 10 wherein said actuating means may be adjusted to alter the interval between actuation of said fuel injecting means and said igniting means.

Claim 18

The engine of claim 10 including means for varying the speed of said engine by varying the length of time during which said fuel injecting means is actuated.

Claim 19

In an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber, means for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber, electrical means for spark igniting the injected fuel; and means for actuating said igniting means, the improvement comprising: means actuated during each cycle of operation of said engine for generating a control signal, means for actuating the fuel injection means and the spark igniting means in response to said control signal, and time delay apparatus for delaying the actuation of said igniting means in response to said control signal so that the beginning of the ignition spark always occurs later than the beginning of fuel injection by a predetermined, fixed, clock-time interval and while the injected fuel is so positioned that it may be ignited by said igniting means, which time interval does not vary with changes in engine speed.

Claim 20

In an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber, means for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber, electrical means for spark igniting the injected fuel; and means for actuating said igniting means, the improvement comprising: means actuated during each cycle of operation of said engine for generating a control signal, means for actuating the fuel injection means and the spark igniting means in response to said control signal, and time delay apparatus for delaying the actuation of said igniting means in response to said control signal so that the beginning of the ignition spark always occurs later than the beginning of fuel injection by a predetermined, fixed, clock-time interval and while the injected fuel is so positioned that it may be ignited by said igniting means, which time interval does not vary with changes in engine speed.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said control signal generating means comprises a set of contacts which are opened and closed by cyclic operation.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said control signal generating means comprises means actuated by cyclic operation of said engine for creating a force to actuate said fuel injecting means and means for sensing the actuating of said fuel injecting means.

Claim 23

A fuel injected, spark ignited, engine employing a cyclic combustion process during which fuel is burned in air compressed during each cycle comprising a combustion chamber, means in communication with said combustion chamber for injecting fuel thereinto, a spark ignition means in said combustion chamber for igniting fuel injected into said chamber as it reaches said ignition means, means for generating a signal in time relationship to each cyclic occurrence of a combustion process in said chamber, first means for transmitting a signal from said generating means to said fuel injection means to cause fuel to be injected into said combustion chamber in response to receipt of the signal, and second means for transmitting a signal from said generating means to said spark ignition means to cause a spark to occur at said spark ignition means as injected fuel reaches the latter including time delay apparatus included in said second means for positively delaying the signal transmitted from said generating means to said spark ignition means, which thereby delays actuation of said spark ignition means for a predetermined, fixed, clock-time interval following commencement of fuel injection, which interval does not vary with engine speed variation and is so timed as to delay the commencement of a spark occurrence until injected fuel reaches said spark ignition means.

Claim 24

A fuel injected, spark ignited, engine employing a cyclic combustion process during which fuel is burned in air compressed during each cycle comprising a combustion chamber, means in communication with said combustion chamber for injecting fuel thereinto, a spark ignition means in said combustion chamber for igniting fuel injected into said chamber as it reaches said ignition means, means for generating a signal in time relationship to each cyclic occurrence of a combustion process in said chamber, first means for transmitting a signal from said generating means to said fuel injection means to cause fuel to be injected into said combustion chamber in response to receipt of the signal, and second means for transmitting a signal from said generating means to said spark ignition means to cause a spark to occur at said spark ignition means as injected fuel reaches the latter including time delay apparatus included in said second means for positively delaying the signal transmitted from said generating means to said spark ignition means, which thereby delays actuation of said spark ignition means for a predetermined, fixed, clock-time interval following commencement of fuel injection, which interval does not vary with engine speed variation and is so timed as to delay the commencement of a spark occurrence until injected fuel reaches said spark ignition means.

Claim 27

In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber, a fuel injection system which injects fuel into said combustion chamber, a spark ignition system for igniting fuel injected into said combustion chamber, and means for sensing the start of the fuel injection process and, in response to said sensing, for actuating said spark ignition system at a predetermined, fixed clock-time interval thereafter, which interval is so predetermined that a spark is created in said combustion chamber after the fuel has first reached the location of said spark ignition means, and is not altered by changes in engine speed.

Claim 28

In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber, a fuel injection system which injects fuel into said combustion chamber, a spark ignition system for igniting fuel injected into said combustion chamber, and means for sensing the start of the fuel injection process and, in response to said sensing, for actuating said spark ignition system at a predetermined, fixed clock-time interval thereafter, which interval is so predetermined that a spark is created in said combustion chamber after the fuel has first reached the location of said spark ignition means, and is not altered by changes in engine speed.

Claim 29

In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber, a fuel injection system which initiates injection of fuel into said combustion chamber as air is being compressed therein, a spark ignition system for igniting fuel injected into said combustion chamber, and means for sensing the start of the fuel injection process and, in response to said sensing, for actuating said spark ignition system at a predetermined, fixed clock-time interval thereafter, which interval is so predetermined that a spark is created in said combustion chamber after fuel has first reached the location of said spark ignition means and is not altered by changes in engine power shaft angle.

Claim 30

In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber, a fuel injection system which initiates injection of fuel into said combustion chamber as air is being compressed therein, a spark ignition system for igniting fuel injected into said combustion chamber, and means for sensing the start of the fuel injection process and, in response to said sensing, for actuating said spark ignition system at a predetermined, fixed clock-time interval thereafter, which interval is so predetermined that a spark is created in said combustion chamber after fuel has first reached the location of said spark ignition means and is not altered by changes in engine power shaft angle.

Claim 33

In a variable speed internal combustion engine means for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber in said engine, means for electrical spark ignition of the fuel injected into the combustion chamber, means for actuating said fuel injecting means in accordance with a signal generated as a function of engine shaft angle, and adjustable means for actuating said ignition means at the end of a predetermined, constant clock-time interval after the initiation of fuel injection so that the injected fuel is so positioned in the combustion chamber that it may be ignited by said ignition means, which interval remains substantially constant throughout the range of engine speeds but may be altered in accordance with desired engine operation.

Claim 34

In a variable speed internal combustion engine means for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber in said engine, means for electrical spark ignition of the fuel injected into the combustion chamber, means for actuating said fuel injecting means in accordance with a signal generated as a function of engine shaft angle, and adjustable means for actuating said ignition means at the end of a predetermined, constant clock-time interval after the initiation of fuel injection so that the injected fuel is so positioned in the combustion chamber that it may be ignited by said ignition means, which interval remains substantially constant throughout the range of engine speeds but may be altered in accordance with desired engine operation.