Patent ID: 7506631

Claim:
An internal combustion engine ( 1 ) having at least one cylinder ( 2 ) with a cylinder bore ( 2 a ) in which a combustion chamber ( 4 ) is bounded between a piston ( 3 ) and a cylinder head ( 5 ), at least one inlet duct ( 13 ) and at least one outlet duct ( 14 ) formed in the cylinder head ( 5 ), a fuel injector ( 6 ) arranged in the cylinder head ( 5 ) and having an outwardly opening injection nozzle for the injection of fuel in the form of a hollow cone ( 8 ) into the combustion chamber ( 4 ), and a spark plug ( 7 ) arranged in the cylinder head ( 5 ) so as to extend into the combustion chamber ( 4 ) in such a way that, during the injection of fuel, the electrodes ( 12 ) of the spark plug ( 7 ) lie outside the hollow fuel injection cone, and the spark plug ( 7 ) and the fuel injector ( 6 ) are positioned in such a way that a first distance (C) is established between an axis ( 18 ) of the fuel injector ( 6 ) and a free end section of a central electrode ( 20 ) of the spark plug, and the cylinder bore ( 2 a ) having a diameter (D) providing for a first ratio (C/D) of the first distance (C) with respect to the cylinder bore diameter (D) in a range of from 0.1 to 0.19 the fuel injector ( 6 ) being positioned in the cylinder head ( 5 ) such that there is a second distance (E) between a fuel outlet opening ( 11 ) and an inlet duct axis ( 15 ), providing for a second ratio (E/D) of the second distance (E) with respect to the bore diameter (D) in a range of from 0.15 to 0.22, and the spark plug ( 7 ) being positioned in such a way that a third distance (B) is formed between an outlet duct axis ( 16 ) and the free end of the central electrode of the spark plug ( 7 ), whereby a fourth ratio (B/D) of the fourth distance (B) with respect to the bore diameter (D) is provided in a range of from 0.02 to 0.13.