Cummins Inc.

Nicholas James Welch

Alan C Anderson

Xu Han

Andrew Guy Kitchen

Daniel J O'Connor

Xiao Qin

William Marshall Cover

David Guillermo Gonzalez Medina

Jisang Sun

Matthew D Flessner

Benjamin L Olivas

Benjamín L Olivas

Daniel Guillermo Gonzalez Medina

A lubrication system for an internal combustion engine includes a fluid flow control device at an outlet side of the pump that regulates pressure conditions at the outlet side of the pump upstream of the lubrication circuit in the engine. The fluid flow control device is located in a recirculation path, and opens in response to a fluid pressure at the outlet of the pump exceeding a first threshold to allow the fluid to pass from the outlet side of the pump back to an inlet side of the pump. The recirculation path includes a tuning device that maintains the fluid pressure at engine speeds above the first threshold. In response to engine speeds above a second threshold, the tuning device restricts fluid flow in the recirculation path so that the fluid pressure in the fluid flow path increases.

Engine lubrication systems, lubrication fluid circulation systems, and methods for regulating fluid pressure

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 combustion pre-chamber device for a spark ignition internal combustion engine is configured to engage a spark plug and be mounted to a cylinder head in communication with a combustion chamber of a cylinder of the engine. The combustion pre-chamber device includes any one or combination of a number of features to improve operating effectiveness, including extending the combustion operating range by improving cooling and optimizing the flow field inside the combustion pre-chamber device.

Combustion pre-chamber device for an internal combustion engine

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.

Growing community of inventors

Columbus, IN, United States of America

Nicholas James Welch