Cummins Inc.

Cummins Ip, Inc.

Daniel J O'Connor

J Steven Kolhouse

Andrew Guy Kitchen

Alan C Anderson

Nicholas James Welch

Xu Han

Xiao Qin

William Marshall Cover

Philipe F Saad

David Guillermo Gonzalez Medina

David J Stroh

Robin J Bremmer

Premjee Sasidharan

Jisang Sun

Benjamin L Olivas

Benjamín L Olivas

Daniel Guillermo Gonzalez Medina

Keith J Douglas

Systems, apparatuses, and methods of controlling an ignitor are disclosed. A method includes: receiving, by a controller, fuel quality data regarding a fuel for a spark-ignition engine; determining, by the controller, a fuel quality metric based on the fuel quality data; and controlling, by the controller, an ignition energy characteristic of an ignitor in response to the fuel quality metric.

Variable energy ignition systems, methods, and apparatuses

Spark plugs are disclosed that include electrode arrangements to improve the charge flow into and out of the annular volume around the insulator nose and a pre-chamber volume of a pre-chamber device, thus directing a purge of exhaust gases trapped in the annular volume to a space formed by the exterior of the spark plug body and the interior of the pre-chamber device.

Spark plug configurations with electrode to direct charge flow for a combustion pre-chamber of an internal combustion engine

A combustion pre-chamber assembly includes pre-chamber device body defining an annular plenum that is in fluid communication with the at least one bore that extends through the spark plug shell. The annular plenum is also in communication with at least one purging passage that extends from the annular plenum to an end surface of the pre-chamber device body. Residual exhaust gases in the annular volume of the spark plug are purged by fresh charge flow from the main combustion chamber as the piston approaches top dead center. The fresh charge flow that is provided to the annular plenum through the at least one purging passage and into the annular volume of the spark plug through the at least one bore through the spark plug shell.

Combustion pre-chamber assemblies for an internal combustion engine

A method of controlling an ignitor for a spark-ignition engine includes receiving, by a controller, at least one of fuel quality data regarding a fuel for the spark-ignition engine or a characteristic regarding the ignitor for the spark-ignition engine. The method additionally includes controlling, by the controller, an ignition energy characteristic of the ignitor in response to the at least one of the fuel quality data regarding the fuel or the characteristic regarding the ignitor for the spark-ignition engine.

One embodiment is a system comprising an internal combustion engine having one or more non-dedicated cylinders and one or more dedicated EGR cylinders configured to provide EGR to the engine via an EGR loop, a first spark plug coupled to each of the one or more non-dedicated cylinders, and a second spark plug coupled to each of the one or more dedicated EGR cylinders, wherein the second spark plug has a physical or dimensional characteristic that is different from the first spark plug. In certain forms each of the non-dedicated cylinders has only one of a first type of spark plug and each of the dedicated EGR cylinders has only one of a second type of spark plug. One or more of the characteristics that may vary between the first and second types of spark plugs include spark gap, electrode diameter, heat range, and ion sensing capability.

Spark plug configurations for dedicated-EGR engines

Apparatuses, methods, and systems for igniting fuel for an internal combustion engine, an ignition system include a first ignition device associated with a pre-combustion chamber of a cylinder and a second ignition device associated with a main combustion chamber of the cylinder. An engine control unit is operably connected to both the engine and the ignition system to ignite fuel for the cylinder with the first ignition device independently of igniting fuel with the second ignition device. The engine control unit determines an occurrence of a combustion condition and in response thereto (i) ignites fuel for combustion with both the first and the second ignition devices or (ii) ignites fuel for combustion only with the second ignition device. The engine control unit determines a second combustion condition and in response thereto ignites fuel only with the first ignition device.

Apparatus and system for dual ignition sources for a vehicle

A spark plug is disclosed that includes at least one bore extending through a shell of the spark plug in order to form a passageway between an annular volume around the spark plug insulator nose and a pre-chamber volume of a pre-chamber device, thus directing a purge of exhaust gases trapped in the annular volume to a space formed by the exterior of the spark plug body and the interior of the pre-chamber device.

Spark plug for an internal combustion engine having a combustion pre-chamber

A spark plug, and associated systems, for an internal combustion engine includes a central electrode that terminates at a first distal end surface defined about a central axis. The spark plug also includes at least one outer electrode that terminates at a second distal end surface. The at least one outer electrode at least partially laterally surrounds the central electrode such that the second distal end surface is radially offset relative to the central electrode and a lateral gap is defined between the central electrode and the at least one outer electrode. The spark plug include features that force or redirect movement of the flow of the fresh air-fuel mixture through the lateral gap to help to purge or move the residual exhaust gases left over from a previous combustion event out of the lateral gap.

Growing community of inventors

Columbus, IN, United States of America

Daniel J O'Connor