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Air and fuel supply system for a combustion engineRelated Patent Categories: Internal-combustion Engines, Poppet Valve Operating Mechanism, Hydraulic SystemAir and fuel supply system for a combustion engine description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050241597, Air and fuel supply system for a combustion engine. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/933,300, filed Sep. 3, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/733,570, filed Dec. 12, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/143,908, filed May 14, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,280. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/733,570, filed Dec. 12, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/143,908, filed May 14, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,280. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/457,351, filed Jun. 10, 2003. [0002] The entire disclosure of each of the U.S. patent applications mentioned in the preceding paragraph is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the entire disclosure of each of U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,618 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,280 is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0003] The present invention relates to a supply system for an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to a fuel and air supply system for an internal combustion engine. BACKGROUND [0004] The operation of an internal combustion engine, such as, for example, a diesel, gasoline, or gaseous fuel driven engine such as a natural gas engine, may cause the generation of undesirable emissions. These emissions, which may include particulates and nitrous oxide (NOx), are generated when fuel is combusted in a combustion chamber of the engine. An exhaust stroke of an engine piston forces exhaust gas, which may include these emissions, from the engine. If no emission reduction measures are in place, these undesirable emissions will eventually be exhausted to the environment. [0005] Research is currently being directed towards decreasing the amount of undesirable emissions that are exhausted to the environment during the operation of an engine and on improving engine efficiency. One such approach involves adjusting the actuation timing of the engine valves. For example, the actuation timing of the intake and exhaust valves may be modified to implement a variation on the typical diesel or Otto cycle known as the Miller cycle. In a "late intake" type Miller cycle, the intake valves of the engine are held open during a portion of the compression stroke of the piston. By holding the intake valves open during a portion of the compression stroke of the piston, the compression ratio of the engine is reduced while maintaining a high expansion ratio, which results in a temperature reduction of the fuel/air mixture within the combustion chamber. This improved thermal efficiency reduces the emission of NOx. [0006] One system utilized to vary intake valve timing is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,551 (the '551 patent) issued to Macor et al. on May 29, 2001. The '551 patent describes a hydraulic actuator that establishes a hydraulic link between a cam and an intake valve. When the link is established, the valve will be actuated according to the shape of the cam. However, when the link is broken, such as by opening a control valve, the force of a valve return spring causes the engine valve to close. Thus breaking the hydraulic link allows the engine valve to close at a different timing than would be achieved by the shape of the cam. [0007] Although the valve actuation system of the '551 patent may provide some flexibility in the opening timing of the intake valve, it may be problematic. For example, the type of hydraulic actuator described in the '551 patent typically uses engine lubricating oil as the operating fluid. Lubricating oil may be supplied to the hydraulic actuator by a standard engine lubrication system. However, the lubricating oil may become contaminated with dirt, or debris, as the lubricating oil is circulated through the engine. Any such contamination of the lubricating oil may lead to degraded performance of the hydraulic actuator, which may translate to a reduction in the overall efficiency of the engine. [0008] In addition, because the engine of the '551 patent can only operate by establishing the hydraulic link between the cam and the intake valve, and because the viscosity of the lubricating oil used to establish the hydraulic link may depend upon temperature, the engine of the '551 patent may not operate properly under varying environmental and operational conditions. For example, when the lubricating oil is cold, such as when the engine is starting, the hydraulic actuator may experience slow response times because of the increased viscosity of the lubricating oil. Under some environmental conditions, the engine may need to operate for a period of time to warm the lubricating oil so that the hydraulic actuator will operate as expected. The engine may experience rough running conditions or difficulty starting until the lubricating oil is warmed enough to allow the hydraulic actuator to operate properly. [0009] Further reduction in the amount of pollutants emitted to the atmosphere and improvement in engine efficiency can be realized by combining a charged air induction system with variable valve timing. One such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,076 (the '076 patent) issued to Beck et al. on Aug. 14, 2001. The '076 patent describes an engine having camless electro-hydraulically controlled intake valves capable of modulating a supply of air to a combustion chamber. The engine of the '076 patent also describes a combined supercharger/turbocharger assembly for directing charged air to the combustion chamber. [0010] Although the engine of the '076 patent may reduce the amount of pollutants emitted from an engine by combining a charged induction system with variable valve timing, the engine of the '076 patent may also be problematic. In addition to the operational limitations of the engine of the '076 patent acquired because the intake valves are hydraulically controlled, the engine of the '076 patent may also be efficiency limited because the air induction system includes a supercharger. Specifically, the supercharger does not utilize the energy available in the exhaust flow from the engine of the '076 patent and requires additional driving energy from the engine to turn the compressor. [0011] The disclosed air and fuel supply system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012] In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes an engine block defining at least one cylinder and a head connected with said engine block, the head including an air intake port, and an exhaust port. The internal combustion engine also includes a piston slidable in the cylinder and a combustion chamber being defined by said head, said piston, and said cylinder. The internal combustion engine further includes an air intake valve controllably movable to open and close the air intake port and a valve actuator. The valve actuator includes an actuator housing defining a tank adapted to store a supply of fluid and a bore in fluid communication with the tank. The valve actuator also includes a piston slidably disposed in the bore of the actuator housing. The piston is adapted to move between a first position and a second position where the piston engages the air intake valve. The valve actuator further includes a mechanical biasing element acting on the piston to move the piston towards the second position, and a control valve disposed between the tank and the bore in the actuator housing. The control valve selectively moves between a first position where fluid is allowed to flow between the tank and the bore, and a second position where the fluid is prevented from flowing between the bore and the tank to trap fluid in the bore. The trapped fluid prevents the piston from moving with respect to the actor housing to thereby prevent the engine valve from returning to a closed position. The internal combustion engine also includes an air supply system having at least one turbocharger fluidly connected to the air intake port, and a fuel supply system operable to controllably inject fuel into the combustion chamber. [0013] In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method of operating an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder and a piston slidable in the cylinder. The method includes supplying pressurized air from an intake manifold to an air intake port of a combustion chamber in the cylinder. The method also includes operating a cam assembly to move an engine valve between a first position where the engine valve prevents a flow of the pressurized air between the intake manifold and the combustion chamber and a second position where the engine valve allows the flow of pressurized air during a majority portion of a compression stroke of the piston. The method further includes extending a piston from an actuator housing to engage the engine valve and directing a flow of fluid from a tank disposed within the actuator housing to a bore in the actuator housing, the bore being associated with the piston. The method additionally includes selectively preventing fluid from flowing from the bore to the tank to trap fluid in the bore and prevent the piston from moving with respect to the actuator housing, the piston engaging the engine valve to prevent the ending valve from returning to the first position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary disclosed internal combustion engine having an air supply system; [0015] FIG. 2 is a cutaway illustration of the internal combustion engine of FIG. 1; [0016] FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of a portion of the internal combustion engine of FIG. 1; [0017] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustration of an exemplary disclosed variable valve closing mechanism; [0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustration of another exemplary disclosed variable valve closing mechanism; [0019] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustration of another exemplary disclosed variable valve closing mechanism; Continue reading about Air and fuel supply system for a combustion engine... Full patent description for Air and fuel supply system for a combustion engine Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Air and fuel supply system for a combustion engine patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Air and fuel supply system for a combustion engine or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Multiple dog leash extension - a.k.a. buddie-line Next Patent Application: Intermediate lever for a variable valve train of an internal combustion engine Industry Class: Internal-combustion engines ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Air and fuel supply system for a combustion engine patent info. 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