US4075996A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
External compression ignition system for internal combustion engines
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-01-05
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Granted: 1978-02-28
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Expires: 1996-01-05
Abstract
Abstract To increase the fuel efficiency and decrease the emissions of current types of internal combustion engines by improving the burning of leaner fuel mixtures, a novel igniter is provided for each combustion chamber of the engine. The igniter comprises a small external chamber into which small charges of auxiliary fuel are valved, mixed with air, and then rapidly compressed to ignition temperature by a miniature piston or ram. From each of these external chambers a small orifice leads to its corresponding engine combustion chamber. The small size of the orifice restricts the exit flow into this engine combustion chamber of the auxiliary air/fuel mixture, permitting effective compression by the rapid action of the ram. The orifice may be so shaped that the limited amount of auxiliary air/fuel mixture which passes through it prior to ignition is ultrasonically mixed and shaped in order to provide, upon ignition, a geographically desirable flame pattern in the engine combustion chamber which effectively ignites the lean main charge. The igniter compression chamber may be of small volume, e.g. 1 cc. Its piston or ram may be actuated by solenoid means with reasonable electric power consumption. Auxiliary fuel may be valved to these chambers by low-pressure electrically actuated fuel injection valves of known type. The system may be manufactured as a retrofit kit for existing engines, in which case the external compression igniter assemblies may be screwed into the spark plug holes as the spark plugs are no longer required.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles A. Hisserich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 21:23
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02B; F02B19/00; F02B19/06; F02B7/00; F02B7/02; F02P; F02P21/00; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02B1/04; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
An internal combustion engine comprising a main combustion chamber, means to supply a main charge of a lean fuel-air mixture thereto, and an ignition system comprising an igniter, a source of auxiliary igniter fuel and air, feed means to feed an igniter charge thereof to said igniter, and control means connected to said feed means and igniter; said igniter comprising a small cylinder-like igniter chamber, a piston-like ram slidable therein to reduce its volume by a large factor, a permanently-open orifice extending from a bottom orifice end of said igniter chamber directly into said main combustion chamber and having a diameter greater than about one-third its length, and electromagnetic ram driving means disposed to drive said ram rapidly down to said bottom orifice end in less than about three milliseconds to compress said igniter charge adiabatically to ignition temperature to form a jet of flame spurting out through said orifice to ignite said main charge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
An internal combustion engine comprising a main combustion chamber, means to supply a main charge of a lean fuel-air mixture thereto, and an ignition system comprising an igniter, a source of auxiliary igniter fuel and air, feed means to feed an igniter charge thereof to said igniter, and control means connected to said feed means and igniter; said igniter comprising a small cylinder-like igniter chamber, a piston-like ram slidable therein to reduce its volume by a large factor, a permanently-open orifice extending from a bottom orifice end of said igniter chamber directly into said main combustion chamber and having a diameter greater than about one-third its length, and electromagnetic ram driving means disposed to drive said ram rapidly down to said bottom orifice end in less than about three milliseconds to compress said igniter charge adiabatically to ignition temperature to form a jet of flame spurting out through said orifice to ignite said main charge.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
An engine as in claim 1, wherein said ram driving means comprises an electrical solenoid, at least a portion of said ram constituting the magnetically-driven core thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system as in claim 2, wherein said control means comprises: a low-tension rotary switching distributor means, and a solid-state electronic high-current switch means, one said switch means being supplied for each cylinder of said engine and drivably connected to each said solenoid, and connections from said distributor means to each of said switch means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
72 words
An engine as in claim 3, wherein said feed means comprises an auxiliary fuel pump having an inlet connected to said source, an outlet, and an electromagnetically-actuated fuel valve and a line connecting it to said outlet, said valve having a discharge side opening into a passage leading into said igniter chamber, and said pump having pressure regulating means limiting its delivery pressure to less than about 7 kg per square cm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
A engine as in claim 4, wherein said engine has more than four cylinders and said distributor means is provided with two sets of stationary contacts each contacted by a common rotating wiper arm, one of said sets being staggered with respect to the other set according to the firing interval overlap of the engine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
An engine as in claim 4, wherein: said engine has four cylinders and a said igniter and fuel valve operatively connected to each cylinder, said distributor means has one rotating contact and four stationary contacts, and electrical control paths are disposed from each said stationary contact both to a said solenoid and a said fuel valve, each said fuel valve being disposed in operative relation to a cylinder one step earlier in the firing order than the said solenoid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein: said orifice diverges in cross-section toward said main combustion chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
An engine as in claim 1, further comprising: glow-plug means comprising a coil of refractory wire disposed adjacent to the outlet portion of said orifice, and electrical means to heat said glow-plug means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
77 words
An engine as in claim 1, wherein: said orifice is provided with an internal circumferential groove defining an annular cavity, an edge of said cavity defining a circular lip portion, said cavity and lip portion cooperating to impart oscillations to the gas in said jet of flame passing through said orifice, in the manner of a modified Galton whistle, whereby said flame is dispersed in said main combustion chamber to provide progressive ignition of said main charge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
111 words
An engine as in claim 1, wherein: said ram has a substantially flat ram face of an area substantially greater than the area of said orifice, and sad igniter chamber has a substantially flat matching surface at its inner bottom orifice end, said face and surface being substantially in contact at the downward end of the stroke of said ram, whereby said ram face at said end of said stroke is exposed to pressure from said main combustion chamber only over a portion of its area approximating the area of said orifice, to reduce the force required of said ram driving means to hold said ram down during the power stroke.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
77 words
An engine as in claim 1, wherein: said orifice is provided with an internal portion defining an acoustically resonant cavity, a portion of said cavity defining a lip portion, said cavity and lip portion cooperating to define the components of a high-frequency whistle, said whistle imparting oscillations to the gas in said jet of flame passing through said orifice, whereby said flame is dispersed in said main combustion chamber to provide progressive ignition of said main charge.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-02-27 | 1981-08-29 | 1982-02-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-27 | 1985-08-29 | 1986-02-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-27 | 1989-08-29 | 1990-02-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |