Internal combustion engines

• US 10,458,323 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Powertrain Ltd
• Original Assignee: Cox Powertrain Ltd
• Inventors: Bucksey, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Low, Lindsay M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morales, Omar
• Application Number:
  US14/368,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20150027418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,503 Days
• Field of Search: 123 51 R, 123 533, 123 536, 123162, 123 47 R, 123 65 W, 1231936
• CPC Class Codes: F01B 7/04 acting on same main shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F01B 9/023 of Bourke-type or Scotch yoke
• CPC Class Codes: F01B 9/026 Rigid connections between piston and rod; Oscillating pistons
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/025 two
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 5/00 Engines characterised by positive ignition engines characterised by fuel-air mixture compression with positive ignition F02B1/02; engines characterised by air compression and subsequent fuel addition with positive ignition F02B3/02; with non-timed positive ignition F02B9/06; characterised by both fuel-air mixture compression and air compression, or characterised by both positive ignition and compression ignition F02B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 53/02 Methods of operating
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/246 with only one crankshaft of the "pancake" type, e.g. pairs of connecting rods attached to common crankshaft bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/282 the pistons having equal strokes
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/04 Two-stroke combustion engines with electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 15/04 one of the spark electrodes being mounted on the engine working piston
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 3/02 having inductive energy storage, e.g. arrangements of induction coils ignition coils structurally combined with sparking plugs F02P13/00; constructional details of ignition coils H01F38/12

Abstract

An internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder and a pair of opposed, reciprocating pistons within the cylinder forming a combustion chamber therebetween. The engine has at least one combustion igniter associated with the cylinder, a portion of the combustion igniter being exposed within the combustion chamber formed between the opposed pistons.

Claims

1. An internal combustion engine comprising:

at least one cylinder;

a pair of opposed, reciprocating pistons within the cylinder forming a combustion chamber therebetween, wherein the pair of opposed, reciprocating pistons comprise an inner piston and an outer piston, the outer piston having a crown with a central opening; and

at least one combustion igniter associated with the cylinder, a portion of the combustion igniter being exposed within the combustion chamber formed between the opposed pistons, wherein the combustion igniter moves back and forth through the central opening in the crown of the outer piston as the outer piston reciprocates with respect to the fixed combustion igniter,

wherein the combustion igniter is fixed at one end of the cylinder and projects into the cylinder from that end, along the central axis of the cylinder, to locate said portion of the combustion igniter in a fixed position that is within the combustion chamber throughout the engine cycle, wherein the combustion igniter extends through the outer piston, which is closest to the end of the cylinder from which the combustion igniter projects, and said outer piston is configured to reciprocate along a housing within which the combustion igniter is housed so that the outer piston reciprocates relative to the fixed position of the combustion igniter.

2. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the combustion igniter is at or close to the central axis of the cylinder/piston.

3. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, comprising one or more fuel injectors for injecting fuel indirectly into the cylinder through an intake manifold for the cylinder.

4. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, comprising at least one fuel injector having a nozzle that is directly exposed to the combustion chamber in the cylinder for injecting fuel directly into the cylinder.

5. The internal combustion engine according to claim 4, wherein said at least one fuel injector is mounted to a side wall of the cylinder.

6. The internal combustion engine according to claim 4, wherein said at least one fuel injector is mounted at an end of the cylinder with the injector nozzle protruding through a respective piston crown at said one end of the cylinder into the combustion chamber.

7. The internal combustion engine according to claim 6, wherein said at least one fuel injector is fixed in position within the cylinder with the piston sliding along a housing of the fuel injector.

8. The internal combustion engine according to claim 6, wherein said at least one fuel injector is fixed to and moves with the piston as the piston reciprocates within the cylinder.

9. The internal combustion engine according claim 6, wherein the fuel injector and the combustion igniter project from opposite ends of the cylinder.

10. The internal combustion engine according claim 6, wherein the fuel injector and the combustion igniter project from the same end of the cylinder.

11. The internal combustion engine according to claim 10, wherein the fuel injector and the combustion igniter are contained within a single housing.

12. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, comprising multiple cylinders.

13. The internal combustion engine according to claim 12, comprising at least two coaxially opposed cylinders, each cylinder having a pair of opposed pistons and all of the pistons driving a single crankshaft located between the two cylinders.

14. The internal combustion engine according to claim 13, comprising two pairs of coaxially opposed cylinders, the pairs of cylinders arranged adjacent one another in a flat four configuration, each cylinder having a pair of opposed pistons and all of the pistons driving a single crankshaft located between the two cylinders of each pair.

15. An internal combustion engine comprising:

at least one cylinder;

a pair of opposed, reciprocating pistons within the cylinder forming a combustion chamber therebetween, wherein the pair of opposed, reciprocating pistons comprise an inner piston and an outer piston, the outer piston having a crown with a central opening; and

at least one combustion igniter associated with the cylinder, a portion of the combustion igniter being exposed within the combustion chamber formed between the opposed pistons, wherein the combustion igniter moves back and forth through the central opening in the crown of the outer piston as the outer piston reciprocates with respect to the fixed combustion igniter,

wherein the combustion igniter is fixed at one end of the cylinder and projects into the cylinder from that end, parallel to the central axis of the cylinder, to locate said portion of the combustion igniter in a fixed position that is within the combustion chamber throughout the engine cycle, wherein the combustion igniter extends through the outer piston, which is closest to the end of the cylinder from which the combustion igniter projects, and said outer piston is configured to reciprocate along a housing within which the combustion igniter is housed so that the outer piston reciprocates relative to the fixed position of the combustion igniter.

16. The internal combustion engine according to claim 15, wherein the combustion igniter is at or close to the central axis of the cylinder/piston.

17. The internal combustion engine according to claim 15, comprising one or more fuel injectors for injecting fuel indirectly into the cylinder through an intake manifold for the cylinder.

18. The internal combustion engine according to claim 15, comprising at least one fuel injector having a nozzle that is directly exposed to the combustion chamber in the cylinder for injecting fuel directly into the cylinder.

19. The internal combustion engine according to claim 18, wherein said at least one fuel injector is mounted to a side wall of the cylinder.

20. The internal combustion engine according to claim 18, wherein said at least one fuel injector is mounted at an end of the cylinder with the injector nozzle protruding through a respective piston crown at said one end of the cylinder into the combustion chamber.

21. The internal combustion engine according to claim 20, wherein said at least one fuel injector is fixed in position within the cylinder with the piston sliding along a housing of the fuel injector.

22. The internal combustion engine according to claim 20, wherein said at least one fuel injector is fixed to and moves with the piston as the piston reciprocates within the cylinder.

23. The internal combustion engine according claim 20, wherein the fuel injector and the combustion igniter project from opposite ends of the cylinder.

24. The internal combustion engine according claim 20, wherein the fuel injector and the combustion igniter project from the same end of the cylinder.

25. The internal combustion engine according to claim 24, wherein the fuel injector and the combustion igniter are contained within a single housing.

26. The internal combustion engine according to claim 15, comprising multiple cylinders.

27. The internal combustion engine according to claim 26, comprising at least two coaxially opposed cylinders, each cylinder having a pair of opposed pistons and all of the pistons driving a single crankshaft located between the two cylinders.

28. The internal combustion engine according to claim 27, comprising two pairs of coaxially opposed cylinders, the pairs of cylinders arranged adjacent one another in a flat four configuration, each cylinder having a pair of opposed pistons and all of the pistons driving a single crankshaft located between the two cylinders of each pair.