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Rotary internal combustion engine with pilot subchamber and ignition element

  • US 9,334,794 B2
  • Filed: 06/05/2013
  • Issued: 05/10/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A rotary engine comprising:

  • an outer body having a plurality of interconnected walls defining an internal cavity;

    a rotor body rotatable within the internal cavity in sealing engagement with the plurality of interconnected walls of the outer body and defining at least one chamber of variable volume in the internal cavity around the rotor body;

    an insert in one of the plurality of interconnected walls of the outer body, the insert having a pilot subchamber defined therein communicating with the internal cavity;

    a main fuel injector having a tip in communication with the internal cavity at a location spaced apart from the insert;

    a pilot fuel injector having a tip in communication with the pilot subchamber; and

    an ignition element extending into an element cavity defined through the insert adjacent the pilot subchamber, a central longitudinal axis of the ignition element extending through the insert without passing through the subchamber, the element cavity being in communication with the pilot subchamber through a communication opening defined in the insert between the element cavity and the pilot subchamber, the communication opening being smaller than a portion of the ignition element received in the insert in the element cavity adjacent the communication opening to prevent the portion of the ignition element from completely passing through the communication opening.

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