Patent ID: 6679233
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: F02M

Abstract:
A method of operating an internal combustion engine, the engine having a plurality of cylinders each respectively supporting a piston therein, a fuel injection system including a plurality of selectively operable delivery injector nozzles, and a gas supply system for supplying gas to the delivery injector nozzles, each delivery injector nozzle arranged to respectively deliver fuel by way of said gas directly into a said engine cylinder, the method including opening the delivery injector nozzles of a first said cylinder and a second said cylinder such that gas within the first said cylinder is transferred through the delivery injector nozzle thereof and into the gas supply system resulting in the gas being supplied to the delivery injector nozzle of the second said cylinder to thereby effect the delivery of fuel thereto,wherein each of the first and second said cylinders are operated to effect combustion during a respective cylinder cycle in a same engine cycle, and wherein the delivery injector nozzles of the first and second cylinders are simultaneously open for a period in said same engine cycle when the transfer of gas from the first said cylinder into the gas supply system results in gas and fuel being supplied to the second said cylinder.