Method and apparatus for fuel injection in an internal combustion engine, and internal combustion engine

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein all of the fuel is injected into the cylinder in the region of the upper dead center point of the piston during the gas exchange stroke.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 , wherein a second portion of the fuel which was not injected into the cylinder in the region of the upper dead center point of the piston during the gas exchange stroke is injected into the cylinder at the end of the compression stroke.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 , further comprising controlling the pressure in the cylinder during ignition of the fuel by controlling the pressure of the air inserted into the cylinder to be mixed with the fuel.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling the pressure in the cylinder during ignition of the fuel by controlling the pressure of the air inserted into the cylinder to be mixed with the fuel.

Claim 7

The method of claim 3 , further comprising controlling the pressure in the cylinder during ignition by controlling the temperature of the air being inserted to mix with the fuel in the cylinder.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling the pressure in the cylinder during ignition by controlling the temperature of the air being inserted to mix with the fuel in the cylinder.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 , further comprising igniting the fuel in the cylinder in the region of the upper dead center point of the piston by compression ignition.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 , wherein the fuel comprises diesel oil and the piston is movable in the cylinder through the piston strokes, and the piston and cylinder are so shaped that the compression in the cylinder in the region of the upper dead center point of the piston during the ignition is selected to be within the range of approximately 9:1 to 14:1.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 , wherein the fuel is injected during an interval which overlaps the end of the exhaust stroke and the beginning of the intake stroke.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 , wherein the injection interval comprises a maximum of approximately 20 crank angle degrees.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 , wherein the fuel is injected during an interval at the end of the exhaust stroke before the beginning of the intake stroke.

Claim 14

An ATAC engine comprising: a plurality of cylinders each having a piston movable therein, and each including an intake valve, an exhaust valve and a fuel injector the valves being operative in relation to movement of the piston to define a plurality of piston strokes, including: a compression stroke to the upper dead center point of the piston, followed by a working stroke resulting from ignition of fuel at the end of the compression stroke, followed by an exhaust stroke to the upper dead center point of the piston, followed by an intake stroke, the exhaust stroke and the intake stroke together constituting a gas exchange stroke, the intake valve being operative to admit air to the cylinder during the intake stroke; and a controller for the fuel injector operative to inject substantially all the fuel into the cylinder in the region of the upper dead center point of the piston during the gas exchange stroke to mix the fuel with the air admitted through the intake valve, whereby the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder self-ignites at the end of the compression stroke.

Claim 15

An ATAC engine comprising: a plurality of cylinders each having a piston movable therein, and each including an intake valve, an exhaust valve and a fuel injector the valves being operative in relation to movement of the piston to define a plurality of piston strokes, including: a compression stroke to the upper dead center point of the piston, followed by a working stroke resulting from ignition of fuel at the end of the compression stroke, followed by an exhaust stroke to the upper dead center point of the piston, followed by an intake stroke, the exhaust stroke and the intake stroke together constituting a gas exchange stroke, the intake valve being operative to admit air to the cylinder during the intake stroke; and a controller for the fuel injector operative to inject substantially all the fuel into the cylinder in the region of the upper dead center point of the piston during the gas exchange stroke to mix the fuel with the air admitted through the intake valve, whereby the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder self-ignites at the end of the compression stroke.

Claim 16

The engine of claim 13 , wherein the fuel is injected during an interval which overlaps the end of the exhaust stroke and the beginning of the intake stroke.

Claim 17

The engine of claim 14 , wherein the injection interval comprises a maximum of approximately 20 crank angle degrees.

Claim 18

The engine of claim 13 , wherein the fuel is injected during an interval at the end of the exhaust stroke before the beginning of the intake stroke.

Claim 19

The engine of claim 13 , wherein the controller for the fuel injector is operable to inject the whole amount of the fuel into the cylinder in the region of the upper dead center point of the piston during the gas exchange stroke.

Claim 20

The engine of claim 13 , wherein the injector is operable for delivering a second portion of the fuel to be injected into the cylinder in the region of the upper dead center point of the piston at the end of the compression stroke.

Claim 21

The engine of claim 13 , further comprising an air insertion device connected with the cylinder for controlling the pressure in the cylinder during ignition of the fuel by controlling the pressure of the air inserted into the cylinder.

Claim 22

The engine of claim 13 , further comprising a device for controlling the temperature of the air being inserted into the cylinder for controlling the pressure in the cylinder during ignition.

Claim 23

The engine of claim 13 , wherein the fuel injected into the cylinder is adapted to be ignited by compression ignition and the stroke of the piston with respect to the cylinder is such that the fuel mixed with air will be ignited by compression ignition when the piston moves to the upper dead center point during the compression stroke.

Claim 24

The engine of claim 13 , wherein the fuel comprises diesel oil and the piston is so movable in the cylinder and the piston and cylinder are so shaped that the compression in the cylinder in the region of the upper dead center point of the piston during the ignition is selected to be within the range of approximately 9:1 to 14:1.

Claim 25

The engine of claim 13 , wherein the piston has a top side facing into the cylinder with a hollow formed in the top of the piston; the device for injecting fuel into the cylinder comprises an injection orifice situated in the cylinder and the injection orifice being directed to spray fuel into the hollow in the top of the piston for injecting fuel into the cylinder.