The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 07, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 17, 1998
Anand Srinivasan, Lafayette, IN (US);
Martin L Willi, Lafayette, IN (US);
Joel D Hiltner, Peoria, IL (US);
Min Wu, Lafayette, IN (US);
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
An internal combustion engine includes a precombustion member which has a number of first ignition orifices defined therein. The precombustion member further has a precombustion chamber defined therein. The precombustion member is positioned relative to the head of the engine such that the precombustion chamber is in fluid communication with the engine's main combustion chamber via the first ignition orifices. The internal combustion engine further has a spark plug for igniting a gaseous fuel. The spark plug includes an encapsulating member which has a number of second ignition orifices defined therein. The encapsulating member defines a plug combustion chamber. The spark plug further includes a center electrode and a ground electrode which are both positioned within the plug combustion chamber. The encapsulating member is positioned relative to the precombustion member such that the plug combustion chamber is in fluid communication with the precombustion chamber via the second ignition orifices. The encapsulating member shelters the spark generated by the spark plug from turbulence within the precombustion chamber and the main combustion chamber. Such a configuration facilitates use of leaner gaseous fuel mixtures relative to fuel combustion assemblies which have heretofore been designed.