Internal combustion engines

• US 9,512,777 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2012
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Powertrain Ltd
• Original Assignee: Cox Powertrain Ltd
• Inventors: Bucksey, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwon, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLBROOK, TEUTA BAJRAMOVIC
• Application Number:
  US14/119,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20140165967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 123/51.BC, 123/55.2, 123/188.5, 123/53.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01B 7/02 with oppositely reciprocating pistons
• CPC Class Codes: F01B 7/08 with side rods
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 71/00 Free-piston engines; Engines without rotary main shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/28 Engines with two or more pistons reciprocating within same cylinder or within essentially coaxial cylinders arranged oppositely relative to main shaft F02B75/24
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/282 the pistons having equal strokes

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 fuel injector disposed at least partly within the cylinder, the fuel injector having a nozzle that is positioned within the combustion chamber and through which the fuel is expelled into the combustion chamber, wherein the nozzle is exposed directly within the combustion chamber.

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;

a crankshaft positioned at one end of the cylinder, wherein reciprocating motion of the pistons drives the crankshaft; and

at least one fuel injector disposed at least partly within the cylinder, the fuel injector having a nozzle that is positioned within the combustion chamber and through which the fuel is expelled into the combustion chamber;

wherein the nozzle of the fuel injector protrudes outwardly from an end face of a housing of the injector in the direction of the cylinder axis so that the nozzle is exposed directly within the combustion chamber; and

wherein the fuel injector is fixed at the end of the cylinder further from the crankshaft and projects into the cylinder from that end, along or parallel to the central axis of the cylinder, to locate the injector nozzle in a fixed position that is within the combustion chamber when the combustion chamber volume is at its minimum, the fuel injector extending through the piston furthest from the crankshaft and this piston being configured to reciprocate along the housing of the injector.

2. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel injector is disposed on or parallel to the central axis of the cylinder.

3. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle of the fuel injector protrudes outwardly from an end face of a housing of the injector in the direction of the cylinder axis.

4. The internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein the nozzle has a series of apertures around its periphery from which the fuel is expelled generally radially into the combustion chamber.

5. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel injector is fixed at one end of the cylinder and projects into the cylinder from that end, along or parallel to the central axis of the cylinder, to locate the injector nozzle in a fixed position that is within the combustion chamber when the combustion chamber volume is at its minimum.

6. The internal combustion engine according to claim 5, wherein the injector extends through the piston closest to the end of the cylinder from which the injector projects and this piston is configured to reciprocate along a housing of the injector.

7. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the injector is cooled.

8. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the engine further comprises a crankshaft positioned at one end of the cylinder and reciprocating motion of the pistons drives the crankshaft, the fuel injector being associated with the outer piston that is furthest from the crankshaft.

9. The internal combustion engine according to claim 8, further comprising a drive linkage connecting the pistons to the crankshaft to translate the opposed reciprocating motion of the pistons into a rotary motion of the crankshaft.

10. The internal combustion engine according to claim 9, wherein the drive linkage comprises a plurality of scotch yoke mechanisms.

11. The internal combustion engine according to claim 10, comprising at least one scotch yoke through which the inner piston drives the crankshaft and at least two scotch yokes, one to each side of the cylinder, through which the outer piston drives the crankshaft.

12. The internal combustion engine according to claim 11, wherein said pair of scotch yokes are connected to the outer piston by respective connection members on opposite sides of the cylinder, wherein the connection members are external to the cylinder.