Utility application serial number 09-007881 filed in the United States Patent Office on 1/14/98.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an improved internal combustion engine. More particularly, the invention relates to an internal combustion engine which utilizes controlled pneumatic pressure injection to increase efficiency.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Internal combustion engines, and particularly two-cycle internal combustion engines normally comprise one or more cylinders, each cylinder having a piston slideably secured therein as is well known in the art. In addition, exhaust output means such as an exhaust valve are present at the top portion of the cylinder (known as the cylinder head) for discharging combusted gasses subsequent to detonation so that fresh un-spent gasses may be introduced via an air-fuel intake valve. However, a problem inherent in these internal combustion engines is that combusted gasses are typically not fully removed from the combustion chamber prior to the introduction of fresh air-fuel supply thereto. As a result, a proper'clean"burn is not achieved due to the contamination of the fresh air-fuel supply, and the engine's fuel efficiency is hampered, as is the engine's performance.

Various improvements have been attempted which would solve this problem of inefficient unclean fuel burning, but none have achieved any true measure of success. For instance, various improvements have been contemplated which utilize the crankcase of the engine to function as a compressor and supply a volume of compressed air into the cylinder through the fuel intake valve in hopes of atomizing the fuel to achieve a cleaner burn. However, the pressure differential between the air which is injected into the cylinder and the fuel mixed therewith is such that proper atomization of the fuel cannot occur, and hence a clean burn is not achieved.

While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine which utilizes controlled pneumatic pressure injection to increase efficiency.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided an improved internal combustion engine which has a greater output and performance due to a controlled pneumatic pressure injection system which rapidly discharges spent fuel from the combustion chamber.

Further in accordance with the invention, there is provided an improved internal combustion engine which is more fuel efficient than internal combustion engines known heretofore.

Further in accordance with the invention, there is provided an improved internal combustion engine which recycles heat from the engine's exhaust and/or cooling system to increase overall engine efficiency.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only.

Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows.

FIG 1 is a side plan view of the improved internal combustion engine of the instant invention with parts broken away to show internal features thereof.

FIG 1.1 depicts the internal combustion engine of the instant invention in an upstroke exhaust stage.

FIG 1.2 depicts the internal combustion engine of the instant invention in a continued upstroke exhaust stage, with high pressure air being introduced into the combustion chamber thereof, thus forcing combusted gasses out.

FIG 1.3 depicts the internal combustion engine of the instant invention in a fuel intake stage, with a fuel supply being introduced into the combustion chamber in addition to high pressure air being introduced thereto.

FIG 1.4 depicts the internal combustion engine of the instant invention in a full compression stage, with all ports closed and the fuel-air mixture being compressed by the piston within the combustion chamber.

FIG 1.5 depicts the internal combustion engine of the instant invention in a detonation stage, with the compressed fuel-air mixture which has been trapped within the combustion chamber being ignited.

FIG 1.6 depicts the internal combustion engine of the instant invention in a downstroke power stage, with the ignited fuel-air mixture forcing the piston downward through the cylinder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words"right,""left,""lower"and"upper"designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words"proximal end"and"distal end"refer, respectively, to ends of an object nearer to and further from the operator of the object when the object is used in a normal fashion or as is described in the specification.

FIG 1 illustrates a side plan view of the instant invention with parts broken away. Many elements of the instant invention are well known in the art in that they typify standard components of an internal combustion engine.

For instance, the invention comprises a piston 10 having a piston top 10T, the piston 10 slideably secured within a hollow cylinder 12, the cylinder 12 having a cylinder top 12T and cylinder bottom 12B. The cylinder top 12T as shown is also commonly referred to as a cylinder"head"and the two terms will be used interchangeably throughout. A combustion chamber 13 is defined in the space of the hollow cylinder 12 between the piston top 10T and cylinder head or cylinder top 12T. A connecting rod 14 secures the piston 10 to a crankshaft 16, said crankshaft 16 then transmitting produced rotational energy from the cylinder/piston arrangement to a desired location, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

Certain ports are located upon the cylinder head 12T for accommodating various valves and electrical components which must intrude into the combustion chamber 13 of the cylinder 12. For instance, an exhaust port 18 having an exhaust valve 20 seated therein is located upon the cylinder top 12T. The exhaust valve 20 is selectively moveable from

a closed position to an open position for accommodating the discharge of post-combustion spent fuel from the combustion chamber 13 of the cylinder 12 via the exhaust port 18, as is well known in the art. In addition, a fuel intake port 22 having a fuel introduction valve 24 seated therein is located upon the cylinder head 12T of the cylinder 12 for introducing combustible fuel into the combustion chamber 13 from an exterior location (not shown). Furthermore, ignition means such as standard spark plugs 26 as is well known in the art protrudes into the combustion chamber 13 through the cylinder head 12T. These elements mentioned heretofore are found in standard internal combustion engines. The elements which constitute the improvement of the instant invention are discussed at length below.

A high pressure air injection valve 28 also protrudes into the combustion chamber 13 of the cylinder 12 through the cylinder head 12T. The air injection valve 28 is in air-tight communication with a compressed air storage container which is represented by box 30, said storage container 30 supplied with high pressure compressed air from an air compressor (represented by box 32) or similar means for providing compressed air. The compressor 32 is configured to supply the storage container 30 with a predetermined volume of air maintained at a pre-determined pressure. The air injection valve 24 is configured to allow high pressure air from the storage container 30 to enter the combustion chamber 13 at a precise interval of the piston's 10 upstroke through the cylinder 12, as will be discussed in more detail below.

Letters B through E which are located adjacent to the diagram of FIG 1 are representative of various stages of the combustion cycle of the improvement of the instant invention, each mark corresponding to a particular location

of the piston top 10T. At position B of FIG 1, the piston 10 has moved up the cylinder 12 and compressed any fuel and air which has been introduced into the combustion chamber 13 through the fuel introduction valve 24 and air injection valve 28. At this point, as seen also in corresponding FIG 1.5, all ports located upon the cylinder head (such as the exhaust port 18, fuel intake port 22 and respective valves) are closed so that neither fuel nor air is permitted to enter or leave the combustion chamber 13. The ignition means then ignite the compressed air/fuel mixture which has been compressed within the combustion chamber 13, and detonation occurs, driving the piston 10 down the cylinder 12 to position E as seen in corresponding FIG 1.1 (and consequently rotating the crankshaft 16 as is well known to those skilled in the art). When the piston 10 reaches the furthest extent of it's travel to the bottom of the cylinder 12, the exhaust valve 20 opens, allowing the combusted fuel to escape through the unrestricted exhaust port 18 as indicated in FIG 1.1. The piston 10 then begins it's upward travel (upstroke) through the cylinder 12 to position D, as may be seen also in corresponding FIG 1.2, at which point high pressure air is injected through the air injection valve 28 into the combustion chamber 13, forcing any remaining spent combusted fuel to be forced through the exhaust port 18 since the exhaust valve 20 still remains open at this time.

As the piston 10 travels further upward through the cylinder 12 and reaches position Cl, as seen in FIG 1.3, the exhaust valve 20 closes, but the air injection valve 28 continues to introduce high pressure air into the combustion chamber 13. At this point, the fuel introduction valve 24 opens and introduces fuel into the combustion chamber 13, said fuel mixing with the high pressure air which is also

present within the combustion chamber 13. After the proper mixture of air and fuel has entered the combustion chamber 13, both the air injection valve 28 and fuel introduction valve 24 close as the piston 10 reaches position C2 as seen in FIG 1.4. As the piston 10 reaches position B which can be seen clearly in FIG 1.5, the ignition means then ignite the compressed air/fuel mixture which is trapped in the combustion chamber 13, and detonation occurs, driving the piston 10 downward through the cylinder 12 as seen in FIG 1.6.

Processing means 40 are in communication with the compressor 32, compressed air storage container 30, fuel introduction valve 24, air injection valve 28, ignition means 26 and exhaust valve 20. The processing means 40 analyze the operating conditions of the engine and adjust the opening and closing times and durations for all valves, as well as monitor and adjust the pressure and volume of air which is contained within the compressed air storage container 30 and introduced into the combustion chamber 13 via the air injection valve 28. In addition, heat extraction means 42 are capable of harnessing heat which is normally expelled from the engine and wasted in an inefficient manner, and reusing said heat to increase the pressure of air contained within the compressed air storage container 30. By increasing the pressure thereof, the air injection valve 28 may more rapidly flush the combustion chamber 13 with fresh air to expel combusted fuel therefrom, and hence promote a more efficient and clean burn of incoming, fresh fuel.