Company: Taylor L.O. Dolfi-Hedenschau
Website: Taylor L.O. Dolfi-Hedenschau
The “Intake over intake engine” (U.S. Patent 12,687,135) was awarded the prestigious Patent of the Month for the state of Hawaii for the month of August 2026. This recognition stems from the design’s incredible potential to improve fuel efficiency and power generation in marine and stationary engines, which are vital to Hawaii’s island infrastructure. By maximizing airflow and combustion efficiency, this technology aligns perfectly with Hawaii’s aggressive clean energy and sustainability goals.
Why the Intake Over Intake Engine is Highly Innovative
Internal combustion engines are typically limited by the amount of air and fuel that can flow through the valves in the cylinder head. Adding more than four valves to a cylinder head provides diminishing returns due to physical space constraints. This patent introduces a brilliant workaround by adding selectively actuatable valves directly into the engine block itself. When activated, these engine block valves allow a significantly higher volume of air (or an aerosolized mixture of fuel and air) to flow into the combustion chamber than would be available using only valves in the cylinder head. Furthermore, these engine block valves can be selectively actuated independently of each other and independent of the valves in the cylinder head by controlling the oil pressure in the valve lifters. This allows for dynamic adjustments to engine breathing across a wide range of engine speeds, effectively bypassing traditional limitations on engine power and efficiency.
Practical Applications and U.S. R&D Tax Credit Eligibility
The practical applications of this patent offer an excellent pathway for businesses to claim the Research and Development (R&D) tax credit in the United States. Integrating engine block valves into a functional prototype requires substantial engineering effort, such as redesigning structural block integrity, developing complex oil pressure control systems, and running extensive emissions and durability tests. Because these activities are technological in nature and aim to eliminate technical uncertainty regarding performance and reliability, the associated costs (including engineer salaries, prototyping materials, and testing expenses) would generally qualify for the R&D tax credit. Manufacturers who choose to adapt or license this technology for commercial vehicles, marine vessels, or generators can leverage these tax credits to offset the high financial risks of their experimental development phases.
