System and method for engine control with pressure reactive device to control combustion timing

1. A system for controlling ignition of an air/fuel mixture intake charge directed into an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:

a piston having a multi-piece skirt assembly having a first portion and a second portion coupled together to provide telescoping movement between the first and second portions;

the second portion further forming a movable component dimensioned to move slidably within a cylinder wall of the internal combustion engine and the coupling of the first and second portions forming a cavity;

the movable component being tuned to move in response to a predetermined pressure being reached in a combustion chamber of the cylinder during movement of the piston within the cylinder of the engine, as the piston travels toward top dead center during its compression stroke, to change a compression ratio of the engine; and

a dashpot housed in the cavity, and operably associated with the piston, for providing a biasing force which is applied to the movable component.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the multi-piece skirt of the piston is adapted to be coupled to a connecting rod of the engine, and wherein the movable component includes a crown.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the dashpot is interposed between the first and second skirt portions to provide a biasing force against which the movable component acts, the biasing force being overcome when the predetermined pressure is reached in the combustion chamber, thus enabling the second skirt portion to move toward the first skirt portion during a compression stroke of the piston.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a spring operably associated with the piston for providing an additional biasing force which acts on the movable component.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a Belleville washer operably associated with the piston for providing an additional biasing force which acts on the movable component.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dashpot is electrically responsive to an electrical signal from a remotely located component.

7. A system for controlling ignition of an intake charge directed into an internal combustion engine having a piston moving axially within a cylinder, a portion of the cylinder and a portion of a cylinder head forming a combustion chamber, and the piston moving towards and away from the cylinder head, the system comprising:

a movable component movable within at least one of the cylinder and within a portion of the cylinder head, independently of the piston;

a biasing component disposed in contact with the movable component to exert a biasing force on the movable component;

the biasing force helping to control axial movement of the movable component in response to a predetermined pressure being reached in the combustion chamber during a compression stroke of the piston, to change a compression ratio of the engine;

wherein the biasing component comprises a dashpot; and

wherein the dashpot receives control signals from a remote component.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the movable component forms a portion of the cylinder head and is disposed in at least one of the cylinder head or a wall of the cylinder.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the movable component forms a portion of the cylinder.

10. A method for controlling ignition of an air/fuel mixture of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

configuring at least one of a combustion chamber or a cylinder of an engine with a movable component which is movable in response to a predetermined pressure being reached in the cylinder in which a piston is housed and moving axially in a reciprocating manner;

causing the movable component to move in response to the predetermined pressure being reached in the cylinder as the piston travels toward top dead center during a compression stroke, to influence a compression developed within the combustion chamber, and thus a temperature of the air/fuel mixture, to control ignition of the air/fuel mixture;

further controlling movement of the movable component in part by using a dashpot; and

further using the dashpot to receive control signals from a remote component.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising using the movable component to control a timing of combustion of the air/fuel mixture during the compression stroke.

12. A system for controlling ignition of an air/fuel mixture intake charge directed into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:

a piston;

a movable component operably associated with the piston of the engine;

the movable component being tuned to move in response to a predetermined pressure being reached in the combustion chamber during movement of the piston within a cylinder of the engine, as the piston travels toward top dead center during its compression stroke, to change a compression ratio of the engine; and

a dashpot operably associated with the piston for providing a biasing force which is applied to the movable component; and

wherein the dashpot is electrically responsive to an electrical signal from a remotely located component.

13. A system for controlling ignition of an air/fuel mixture intake charge directed into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:

a piston;

a movable component operably associated with the piston of the engine;

the movable component being tuned to move in response to a predetermined pressure being reached in the combustion chamber during movement of the piston within a cylinder of the engine, as the piston travels toward top dead center during its compression stroke, to change a compression ratio of the engine; and

a dashpot operably associated with the piston for providing a biasing force which is applied to the movable component; and

a cylinder head assembly, and wherein the movable component comprises a secondary piston, the secondary piston being at least partially housed within the cylinder head assembly.