Patent ID: 7874271

Claim:
A method, comprising: operating an internal combustion engine according to a four-stroke combustion cycle, the four-stroke combustion cycle including a combustion stroke, an exhaust stroke, an intake stroke and a compression stroke; actuating a solenoid actuator coupled to a valve reciprocatably disposed within a valve pocket defined by an interior surface of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine to open the valve at a first time during the four-stroke combustion cycle, the valve being disposed outside of the cylinder when the valve is opened at the first time; closing the valve at a second time during the four-stroke combustion cycle, the closing the valve at the second time including moving a tapered portion of the valve into contact with the interior surface of the cylinder head; actuating the solenoid actuator coupled to the valve to open the valve at a third time during the four-stroke combustion cycle; and closing the valve at a fourth time during the four-stroke combustion cycle.