Patent ID: 6951193

Claim:
An IC engine comprising a cylinder, a piston which reciprocates in the cylinder to define a combustion chamber with interior surfaces, an inlet and an outlet into the combustion chamber, the inlet and the outlet opening and closing as the piston reciprocates in the cylinder so the piston periodically passes through intake, compression, combustion, expansion and exhaust phases, a supply of compressed gas exterior of the combustion chamber, at least one cooling channel passing from the exterior to the interior of the cylinder wall connected to the compressed gas supply for directing a flow of compressed gas through a film hole and against an interior surface of the combustion chamber to reduce heat transfer to the surface, and a control valve for controlling flow of gas into the cooling channel during the compression, combustion or expansion phases, in which the piston includes at least one cooling channel and film hole for receiving the compressed gas and directing a flow of compressed gas past the external surface of the piston, and a supply conduit extending through the cylinder wall to deliver air from the supply of compressed gas to the cooling channel and film hole in the piston.