United States Patent 19 L L 3,948,227 Guenther 45) Apr
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United States Patent 19 l l 3,948,227 Guenther 45) Apr. 6, 1976 54 STRATIFED CHARGE ENGINE 57 ABSTRACT 76 Inventor: William D. Guenther, R.R. 2, An apparatus for applying a stratified charge to a re Hagerstown, Ind. 47346 ciprocating internal combustion engine is disclosed. 22 Filed: Mar. 8, 1974 The apparatus comprises a cylindrical rotary valve body disposed for rotation within the head of an inter 21 ) Appl. No.: 449,241 nal combustion engine. The valve body defines dia metrically extending inlet and exhaust passages which, 52 U.S. C. ....... 123/32 SP; 123175 B; 123/190 A; during rotation of the valve body, place a cylinder of 123/190 B; 123/190 BD; 123/80 BA the engine in sequential communication with an inlet 5 i Int. Cl........................ F02B 19/10; FO1 L7/00 manifold and an exhaust manifold secured to the 58) Field of Search........... 123/32 ST, 32 SP, 75 B, head. The inlet manifold comprises a double-passage 123/80 BA, 33 VC, 190 R, 190 B, 190 BB, gallery for transporting a lean fuel/air charge in a first 190 BD, 190 D, 190 C, 127 passage and a rich fuel/air charge in a second passage. Rotation of the inlet passage into communication with (56) References Cited the cylinder also brings the inlet passage into sequen UNITED STATES PATENTS tial communication with the first throat and then the 194,047 8/1877 Otto.................................. 123,175 B second throat for transporting the first lean charge 1,594,664 8/1926 Congellier......................... 123,175 B and then the second rich charge to the cylinder. 1902,069 3/1933 Haller........................... 123/190 BB Means are also provided for shielding the exhaust pas 2,007,608 7/1935 Kettering........................... 123,175 B sages from excessive exhaust heat; for sealing the ro 2,155, 143 4f1939 McDermett..... ... 123/190 BB tary valve body and for controlling the timing of the 3,842,810 10/1974 Yagi................................ 123/32 ST valve in response to engine demand. Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre 14 Claims, 20 Drawing Figures Assistant Examiner-Ronald B. Cox Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard D. Emch; Vincent L. Barker, Jr.; Robert E. Pollock 33 4. 2 2 U.S. Patent April 6, 1976 Sheet 1 of 6 3,948,227 33 4N241 723 NCAx's 23 NSA,NNSSZ) 2O s 43 sevy/ 2& lis1 f 22 NRNGN S&S2-28 go // ISA1 8 2 NSNRt. &SIn222SN S . -- area . 3)f U.S. Patent April 6, 1976 Sheet 2 of 6 3,948,227 U.S. Patent April 6, 1976 Sheet 4 of 6 3,948,227 ZZZZZZZ 3 ZZZZZZZ K A R A2ZZZZZ s s W N &A A/SN NSSA2NKN NSet sa N SNS &S s &S 21-23 usuer El the nuel 22.Call i A. 33 \ Z 4. ZZZZZZZZ N 3 as N NSSSSSSN O % N NasyC S SS SS QS S N& N N & N. NN. A Sy N. SS. N &as ASN NN six's N S Egy N er 2 NESNetSS 28 Ne LEH SNSS,124 27 A. 22Earti, 3B. 2 2 D 2.2 422 last Y . 15 Nf t t a y 2. BY U.S. Patent April 6, 1976 Sheet 5 of 6 3,948,227 w C xyle/7242 N ZZZZZZ24 2227 2 E. ?CYLNDER PRESSURE GAS o:s g g2 35 A-w No FORMATIONZONE G wa-CYL INDER GAS TEMP N N s 23 SY C) HC REACTION ZZZZZZN26SEE 2ZZ N N SS CRANK ANGLE FG. A CYLNDER GAS PRESSURE .v. ds - uu 55 CYLNDER GAS Orn TEMP, l -- 99 HC REACTION j ZONE 233 CRANK ANGLE F (G. 8 U.S. Patent April 6, 1976 Sheet 6 of 6 3,948,227 zzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZ §NEV }z-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz F. G. 20) 3,948,227 2 engine block, pistons and spark plugs. The cylinder STRATIFED CHARGE ENGINE head, however, is modified to comprise a small pre combustion chamber which is in communication with a BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION main combustion chamber. The spark plug is in the The Clean Air Amendment of 1970, which estab 5 small pre-combustion chamber which is fed with a fuel lished exhaust emission standards for 1975 and 1976 in rich mixture through a separate carburetor and by light duty vehicles (passenger cars and light trucks), using a small third poppet valve. The main carburetor requires that the emissions of carbon monoxide and intake system feeds a fuel-lean mixture to the normal unburned hydrocarbons be reduced by at least 90 per intake valve adjacent the main combustion chamber. cent, as compared with 1970 emission control stan O The fuel-rich mixture insures good ignition within the dards. Also the emissions of oxides of nitrogen from pre-combustion chamber. This mixture exits the pre light duty engines are required to be at least 90 percent chamber and propagates a flame into the fuel-lean below the average of those actually measured from mixture in the main chamber to produce a burn of similar vehicles manufactured during the model year relatively long and uniform duration which reduces 1971. 15 NO formation and promotes total combustion of HC The 1975 standards for cars and light trucks are: and CO inside the cylinder on the power stroke of the 0.41 grams per vehicle mile for hydrocarbons (HC); piston. 3.4 grams per vehicle mile for carbon monoxide The Honda engine has been tested and has met the (CO); and above 1975 standards without the addition of any “add 3.1 grams per vehicle mile for oxides of nitrogen 20 (NO). on' emission control devices. It is apparent from the The 1976 model year standards are: test results thus far published that the carbureted strati 0.41 grams per vehicle mile for hydrocarbons; fied charge engine offers several advantages over the 3.4 grams per vehicle mile for carbon monoxide; and alternate developments devised to meet the Clean Air 0.4 grams per vehicle mile for oxides of nitrogen. 25 Act standards, namely: The Clean Air Amendments also require vehicle 1. No exhaust treatment need be used in conjunctio compliance with the above standards for 5 years or with the engine; 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first. 2. The engine is durable; the 1975 standards have United States and foreign automobile manufacturers readily been met after completion of the 50,000 mile have begun developing various prototype emission 30 durability testing as prescribed under the Clean Air control systems which will meet the 1975 standards. Amendment; These emission control systems have included so-called 3. Effects on vehicle performance are small; there is engine "add on' devices such as: a slight loss in power for comparable engine displace 1. An exhaust-gas recycle (EGR) line and control ment due to leaner operation and decreased volumetric valve designed to recycle about 10 percent of the ex 35 efficiency. Fuel economy, as compared with non-strati haust flow to hold NO emissions below 3 grams per fied charge engines, is essentially unchanged with no mile. fuel penalty resulting from the lowered emissions out 2. A catalytic converter in the exhaust system to put; and promote further oxidation of the HC and CO emissions 4. The engine can operate on regular leaded gasoline, from the engine; and 40 unlike systems having catalytic converters for which 3. A thermal reactor within the exhaust system to lead is a catalyst poison. promote further burning of HC and CO emissions prior Although the stratified charge principle is demon to exhaust into the atmosphere. strably advantageous - both from a clean air and fuel Each of these systems has disadvantages. The exhaust economy aspect - currently existing prototypes which gas recycling systems currently in use generally cause a 45 have been tested are even more complex than conven loss of engine power due to a reduction of available tional automotive engines. First, the disclosed engines air-fuel ratio variations required for smooth engine have a third poppet valve which must be timed in con operation. The use of EGR requires fuel mixture en junction with engine intake. Second, these stratified richment to maintain adequate drivability which results charge engines require two separate carburetors having in an appreciable fuel economy penalty. 50 two mechanically linked throttle plates and two sepa Catalytic converters currently being developed re rate intake manifolds. quire the use of oxidation catalysts comprising nobel From the standpoints of production cost and post metals such as platinum and/or palladium or base met production maintenance, it is believed that the addi als promoted with nobel metals deposited on both tional complexity of the currently proposed stratified monolythic and pellet substrates within the engine ex 55 charge engines will prevent most of them from being haust system. readily mass produced in the near future. These catalytic systems have thus far demonstrated The present invention is directed to a simplified ap very poor durability and high cost - both in terms of paratus for applying a stratified charge to an engine initial component expense and fuel economy loss. which eliminates the necessity of separate carburetion Thermal reactors, thus far developed, have required 60 apparatus and multiple poppet valves per cylinder. The either fuel rich or fuel lean mixtures which have re system comprises a rotary valve in combination with a sulted in either substantially poor fuel economy (in the novel bifurcated intake manifold which eliminates the case of fuel rich mixture) or poor drivability (in the need for any reciprocating valves, valve springs or cam case of fuel lean mixtures). shafts. It is believed that the present invention provides Among alternate approaches to the "add on' emis 65 a stratified charge engine which will meet the Clean Air sion control devices is a carbureted stratified charge Act requirements, supra, without attendant manufac engine.