Methods and systems for a prechamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11022026-B2
Application number	US-202016918210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2020
Priority date	Jul 3, 2019
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a prechamber. In one example, the prechamber comprises an interior volume fluidly coupled to flow channels of an ignition plug and a bracket. The bracket is configured to move relative to the ignition plug and a cylinder head to misalign the flows channels and block the flow of air to the interior volume.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an ignition plug comprising an outer wall, a combustion-chamber-side end, and a combustion-chamber-averted end, wherein the outer wall comprises a combustion-chamber-side region configured to be arranged in a combustion chamber, wherein a prechamber is arranged at the combustion-chamber-side end, the prechamber comprising at least one ignition electrode and at least one combustion-chamber-side opening configured to conduct a mixture ignited in the prechamber into the combustion chamber; wherein
the outer wall is at least partially surrounded in a circumferential direction by a bracket, wherein a first flow channel extends through the outer wall and a second flow channel extends through the bracket, wherein the first flow channel and the second flow channel fluidly couple the prechamber to the combustion-chamber-side region, and wherein the first flow channel and the second flow channel are configured to be opened and closed based on a displacement of the bracket.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first spacing measured from an intersection between the first flow channel and an interior volume of the prechamber to a bottom of the prechamber is greater than a second spacing measured from the at least one ignition electrode to the bottom of the prechamber.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first flow channel and the second flow channel are configured as a passage bore.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a cross-section flow through area of the first flow channel and the second flow channel is adjustable.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is at least partially displaceable in relation to the outer wall in an axial direction.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is rotatable about an axial axis.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is configured to be displaceable relative to a cylinder head in an axial direction or a radial direction.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a cylinder head comprises an inlet valve and wherein the bracket is displaced based on a position of the inlet valve, wherein the bracket and the ignition plug are housed adjacent to the cylinder head.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the bracket is displaced to at least partially align the first flow channel and the second flow channel in response to the inlet valve being in an at least partially open position.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the bracket is displaced into the combustion chamber when the position of the inlet valve is an open position, and wherein the bracket is displaced away from the combustion chamber when the position of the inlet valve is a closed position.

11. A method, comprising:
adjusting an alignment between a first flow channel and a second flow channel in response to a position of an inlet valve, wherein the first flow channel is arranged in an outer wall of an ignition plug of a prechamber and the second flow channel is arranged in a bracket circumferentially surrounding the outer wall.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the adjusting comprises increasing the alignment between the first flow channel and the second flow channel in response to the inlet valve moving to a more open position, wherein the adjusting further comprising decreasing the alignment between the first flow channel and the second flow channel in response to the inlet valve moving to a more closed position, wherein the more open position of the inlet valve permits more air to flow into a combustion chamber than the more closed position.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein adjusting further comprises axially displacing the bracket relative to the outer wall and to a cylinder head to or away from a combustion chamber.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein adjusting further comprises radially displacing the bracket relative to the outer wall and to a cylinder head.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein adjusting the alignment further comprises proportionally adjusting a degree of the alignment to a degree of opening of the inlet valve.

16. An engine system, comprising:
a plurality of combustion chambers, each combustion chamber of the plurality of combustion chambers comprising a prechamber, an ignition plug, and an ignition electrode positioned to ignite a mixture within the prechamber; wherein the ignition plug comprises a first flow channel; and
a bracket at least partially circumferentially surrounding the ignition plug, wherein the bracket comprises a second flow channel configured to align and fluidly couple to the first flow channel based on an actuation of the bracket.

17. The engine system of claim 16 , wherein the second flow channel is spaced away from an inlet port of an inlet valve arranged in a cylinder head of a combustion chamber of the plurality of combustion chambers.

18. The engine system of claim 16 , wherein a distance from the first flow channel to a bottom portion of the prechamber is greater than a distance from the ignition electrode to the bottom portion of the prechamber.

19. The engine system of claim 16 , wherein the actuation results in an axial or a radial movement of the bracket relative to a cylinder head and the ignition plug.

20. The engine system of claim 16 , further comprising a controller with instructions stored on memory thereof that when executed enable the controller to actuate the bracket and at least partially align the first flow channel and the second flow channel in response to the inlet valve moving from a fully closed position to an open position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kraemer Frank
• Berkemeier Oliver
• Ruhland Helmut
• Lorenz Thomas
• Breuer Albert
• Khosravi Maziar

Classifications

• H01T13/06

  Covers forming a part of the plug and protecting it against adverse environment · CPC title

• F02F1/242

  Arrangement of spark plugs or injectors · CPC title

• F02B19/12 Primary

  with positive ignition (engines with non-timed positive ignition, and with incandescent chambers F02B9/08) · CPC title

• F02B19/18 Primary

  Transfer passages between chamber and cylinder · CPC title

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title