Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
123297000 | Combination igniting means and injector | 25 |
20100108023 | MULTIFUEL STORAGE, METERING AND IGNITION SYSTEM - A system for safe storage and efficient utilization of a variety of fuel selections that range in composition and phase from cryogenic mixtures of solids and liquids to elevated temperature gases is provided for unique applications with various types of heat engines and fuel cells including hybridized combinations. | 05-06-2010 |
20100229827 | Fuel injection stream parallel opposed multiple electrode spark gap for fuel injector - Generally, a multiple electrode spark gap fuel injector and methods of utilizing a multiple electrode spark gap fuel injector for internal combustion engines. Specifically, at least one pair of electrodes having a corresponding pair of electrode ends radially located and axially located in relation to an amount of dispersed fuel to increase efficiency of fuel combustion. | 09-16-2010 |
20110048371 | CERAMIC INSULATOR AND METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE THEREOF - One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to an insulator comprising a ceramic composition, wherein the ceramic composition comprises about 25-60% SiO | 03-03-2011 |
20110056458 | SHAPING A FUEL CHARGE IN A COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH MULTIPLE DRIVERS AND/OR IONIZATION CONTROL - The present disclosure is directed to injectors with integrated igniters providing efficient injection, ignition, and complete combustion of various types of fuels. These integrated injectors/igniters can include, for example, multiple drivers used to shape charges, controllers used to modify operations based on ionization parameters, and so on. | 03-10-2011 |
20110132319 | INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTOR IGNITERS HAVING FORCE GENERATING ASSEMBLIES FOR INJECTING AND IGNITING FUEL AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE - Embodiments of injectors configured for adaptively injecting and igniting various fuels in a combustion chamber are disclosed herein. An injector according to one embodiment includes an end portion configured to be positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber, and an ignition feature carried by the end portion and configured to generate an ignition event. The injector also includes a force generator assembly and a movable valve. The force generator assembly includes a first force generator separate from a second force generator. The first force generator creates a motive force to move the valve between the closed and open positions into the combustion chamber. The second force generator is electrically coupled to the ignition feature and provides voltage to the ignition feature to at least partially generate the ignition event. | 06-09-2011 |
20110146619 | ADAPTIVE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITERS - The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for adjusting the operation of a gasoline-fueled engine based on monitored conditions within a combustion chamber of the engine. In some cases, the system monitors regions within the combustion chamber, identifies or determines a satisfactory condition, and applies an ionization voltage to a fuel injector to initiate a combustion event during the satisfactory condition. In some cases, the system monitors the conditions within the combustion chamber, determines a monitored condition is associated with an adjustment, and adjusts a parameters of a combustion event in order to adjust ionization levels within a combustion chamber. | 06-23-2011 |
20110247585 | INJECTOR-IGNITION FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - The present invention provides a heated catalyzed fuel injector that dispenses fuel substantially exclusively during the power stroke of an internal combustion engine, wherein ignition occurs in a fast burn zone at high fuel density such that a leading surface of the fuel is completely burned within several microseconds. In operation, the fuel injector precisely meters instantly igniting fuel at a predetermined crank angle for optimal power stroke production. Specifically, the fuel is metered into the fuel injector, such that the fuel injector heats, vaporizes, compresses and mildly oxidizes the fuel, and then dispenses the fuel as a relatively low pressure gas column into a combustion chamber of the engine. | 10-13-2011 |
20120204831 | FUEL INJECTOR ASSEMBLIES HAVING ACOUSTICAL FORCE MODIFIERS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE - The present disclosure is directed to fuel injectors that provide efficient injection, ignition, and combustion of various types of fuels. One example of such an injector can include a sensor that detects one or more conditions in the combustion chamber. The injector can also include an acoustical force generator or modifier that is responsive to the sensor and can be configured to (a) induce vibrations in the fuel in the injector body and/or in the combustion chamber, (b) induce vibrations in air in the combustion chamber, (c) induce vibrations in a valve driver or other injector component to actuate a flow valve, and/or (d) control patterning of fuel injected into the combustion chamber. | 08-16-2012 |
20130087119 | ENGINE CYLINDER AND INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING THE ENGINE CYLINDER - An engine cylinder has a feed duct and a charge movement duct, which are each led adjacent to one another to an inlet valve in the cylinder head of the engine cylinder. A through flow of the two ducts is regulated by a common throttle valve extending in the or over the two ducts or their inflow openings, with which the end portions of the two ducts remote from the combustion chamber or their inflow openings can be closed. | 04-11-2013 |
20130276746 | MULTIFUEL STORAGE, METERING AND IGNITION SYSTEM - A system for safe storage and efficient utilization of a variety of fuel selections that range in composition and phase from cryogenic mixtures of solids and liquids to elevated temperature gases is provided for unique applications with various types of heat engines and fuel cells including hybridized combinations. | 10-24-2013 |
20130284146 | MULTI-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINE - A multi-cylinder gasoline engine is provided. The engine includes an engine body having a plurality of cylinders, an exhaust manifold through which exhaust gas discharged from each of the cylinders of the engine body passes, and a controller for controlling various instruments provided to the engine body and the exhaust manifold. The engine body includes a switch mechanism. The exhaust manifold includes a plurality of independent exhaust passages, a gathering section, a negative pressure generating device, bypass passages, and openable-and-closable flow switch valves. The controller controls the injector, the ignition plug, the switch mechanism, and the flow switch valve so that a CI combustion is performed within a predetermined first operating range and an SI combustion is performed within a second operating range set on a higher engine load side than the first operating range. | 10-31-2013 |
20140026848 | IGNITION DEVICE - In an ignition device, a base section of a discharge chamber is formed by a part of a central dielectric body. A front section of a ground electrode and a front end section of the central dielectric body are projected toward a combustion chamber of a head cylinder of an internal combustion engine by a predetermined height which is measured from a top ceiling wall of the head cylinder. The predetermined height of the front end section of the central dielectric body projected into the inside of the head cylinder is the same or higher than the predetermined height of the front end section of the ground electrode projected into the inside of the head cylinder. The predetermined height of the front end section of the ground electrode is within a range of 3 mm to 25 mm. | 01-30-2014 |
20140048037 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR REDUCING THE FORMATION OF OXIDES OF NITROGEN DURING COMBUSTION OF ENGINES - The present disclosure is directed to various embodiments of systems and methods for reducing the production of harmful emissions in combustion engines. One method includes correlating combustion chamber temperature to acceleration of a power train component, such as a crankshaft. Once the relationship between acceleration/deceleration of the component and combustion temperature are known, an engine control module can be configured to adjust combustion parameters to reduce combustion temperature when acceleration data indicates peak combustion temperature is approaching a harmful level, such as a level conducive to the formation of undesirable oxides of nitrogen. Various embodiments of the methods and systems disclosed herein can employ injectors with integrated igniters providing efficient injection, ignition, and complete combustion of various types of fuels. | 02-20-2014 |
20140216396 | DIRECT INJECTION GASOLINE ENGINE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE DIRECT INJECTION GASOLINE ENGINE - A direct injection engine includes an ignition assistance section applying energy to fuel injected into a cylinder using an injector to assist auto-ignition combustion of the fuel when the engine is within an auto-ignition combustion operation range. A start time of fuel injection is set within a period from a terminal stage of a compression stroke to a compression top dead center. The energy is applied to the fuel injected into the cylinder in a period from start of the fuel injection to an initial stage of an expansion stroke such that a time of a specific crank angle when an increase rate of in-cylinder pressure, which is a ratio of a change in the in-cylinder pressure to a change in a crank angle in motoring the engine, reaches a negative maximum value overlaps a combustion period when a combustion mass percentage of the fuel ranges from 10% to 90%. | 08-07-2014 |
20140230779 | INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTOR IGNITERS HAVING FORCE GENERATING ASSEMBLIES FOR INJECTING AND IGNITING FUEL AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE - Embodiments of injectors configured for adaptively injecting and igniting various fuels in a combustion chamber are disclosed herein. An injector according to one embodiment includes an end portion configured to be positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber, and an ignition feature carried by the end portion and configured to generate an ignition event. The injector also includes a force generator assembly and a movable valve. The force generator assembly includes a first force generator separate from a second force generator. The first force generator creates a motive force to move the valve between the closed and open positions into the combustion chamber. The second force generator is electrically coupled to the ignition feature and provides voltage to the ignition feature to at least partially generate the ignition event. | 08-21-2014 |
20140245991 | FLUID INSULATED INJECTOR-IGNITER - A system for transferring and igniting a fuel comprising a fuel supply and a cryogenic fuel processor connected to the fuel supply and operative to remove impurities from the fuel. The system includes a power supply and an injector-igniter. The injector-igniter includes an injector housing connected to the power supply and having a fuel inlet connected to the fuel processor. An actuator body is disposed in the housing and a conductor sleeve is connected to the power supply and supported between the actuator body and injector housing with a first annular gap between the injector housing and the conductor sleeve. There is also a second annular gap between the actuator body and conductor sleeve, wherein the first and second annular gaps are in fluid communication with the fuel inlet, whereby fuel provides a dielectric between the conductor sleeve and the injector housing. | 09-04-2014 |
20140261303 | INJECTOR-IGNITER WITH FUEL CHARACTERIZATION - A vehicular fuel system with onboard fuel characterization including an onboard combustion modifier source capable of supplying a combustion modifier agent, such as hydrogen, and a fuel tank capable of storing a fuel. An injector-igniter is operative to direct inject the fuel and a proportionate amount of the modifier agent into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. An engine control unit is operatively connectable to the combustion modifier source and the injector. The system may further comprise a mixing valve operative to proportionately mix the fuel and modifier agent. The combustion modifier source may be a tank containing hydrogen or a thermo-chemical reactor, for example. | 09-18-2014 |
20140345563 | INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITERS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE - The present disclosure is directed to injectors with integrated igniters providing efficient injection, ignition, and complete combustion of various types of fuels. These integrated injectors/igniters can include, for example, insulators with adequate mechanical and dielectric strength to enable high-energy plasma generation by components that have very small dimensions, multifunction valving that is moved to injector multiple bursts of fuel and to induce plasma projection, a fuel control valve at the interface to the combustion chamber for the purpose of eliminating fuel drip at undesired times, and one or more components at the interface of the combustion chamber for the purpose of blocking transmission of combustion sourced pressure. | 11-27-2014 |
20140373807 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING A DIESEL ENGINE TO BE POWERED BY NATURAL GAS - A method for converting a fuel-injected diesel engine to be powered by natural gas includes removing a fuel injector from a cylinder of the engine, replacing the removed fuel injector with a combined fuel injection and ignition unit having a natural gas flow path and an ignition device, coupling the natural gas flow path to a pressurized natural gas fuel supply, and connecting the ignition device to an ignition control system. The combined fuel injection and ignition unit is configured to inject the natural gas into the cylinder, and the ignition device is configured to ignite the natural gas in the cylinder, under control and coordination of the ignition control system for operation of the engine. | 12-25-2014 |
20150059684 | FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS WITH ENHANCED THRUST - Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for injecting a fuel using Lorentz forces. In one aspect, a method to inject a fuel includes distributing a fuel between electrodes configured at a port of a chamber, generating an ion current of ionized fuel particles by applying an electric field between the electrodes to ionize at least some of the fuel, and producing a Lorentz force to accelerate the ionized fuel particles into the chamber. In some implementations of the method, the accelerated ionized fuel particles into the chamber initiate a combustion process with oxidant compounds present in the chamber. In some implementations, the method further comprises applying an electric potential on an antenna electrode interfaced at the port to induce a corona discharge into the chamber, in which the corona discharge ignites the ionized fuel particles within the chamber. | 03-05-2015 |
20150059685 | FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS WITH ENHANCED CORONA BURST - Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for injecting and igniting a fuel using corona discharge for combustion. In one aspect, a method to ignite a fuel in an engine includes injecting ionized fuel particles into a combustion chamber of an engine, and generating one or more corona discharges at a particular location within the combustion chamber to ignite the ionized fuel particles, in which the generating includes applying an electric field at electrodes configured at a port of the combustion chamber, the electric field applied at a frequency that does not produce an ion current or spark on or between the electrodes. | 03-05-2015 |
20150075486 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ADAPTIVE SWIRL INJECTION AND IGNITION - A fuel injector-igniter incorporating adaptive swirl injection and ignition. The fuel injector-igniter comprises a housing, an actuator, and a valve. The valve includes a valve head operative to open and close against a valve seat in response to activation of the actuator. The valve seat includes an electrode portion extending beyond the valve head and within the housing to form at least one gap, such as an annular gap. A current discharge between the housing and electrode portion establishes a plasma and electromagnetic forces driving the plasma from the gap. The injector-igniter may further comprise a power supply connected to the housing and valve seat that is operative to provide the current discharge. The electrode portion includes a plurality of flow shaping features, such as a plurality of twisted fins disposed around the electrode portion and thereby operative to impart a rotation to the plasma. | 03-19-2015 |
20150107549 | ADAPTIVE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITERS - The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for adjusting the operation of a gasoline-fueled engine based on monitored conditions within a combustion chamber of the engine. In some cases, the system monitors regions within the combustion chamber, identifies or determines a satisfactory condition, and applies an ionization voltage to a fuel injector to initiate a combustion event during the satisfactory condition. In some cases, the system monitors the conditions within the combustion chamber, determines a monitored condition is associated with an adjustment, and adjusts a parameters of a combustion event in order to adjust ionization levels within a combustion chamber. | 04-23-2015 |
20150144094 | SHAPING A FUEL CHARGE IN A COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH MULTIPLE DRIVERS AND/OR IONIZATION CONTROL - The present disclosure is directed to injectors with integrated igniters providing efficient injection, ignition, and complete combustion of various types of fuels. These integrated injectors/igniters can include, for example, multiple drivers used to shape charges, controllers used to modify operations based on ionization parameters, and so on. | 05-28-2015 |
20160195051 | Fuel Gas Feed and Ignition Apparatus for a Gas Engine | 07-07-2016 |