Patents by Inventor Domenico Lepore

Domenico Lepore has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7784711
    Abstract: A fuel injector and servovalve for an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Domenico Lepore, Carlo Mazzarella
  • Publication number: 20100186708
    Abstract: The fuel injection system comprises a fuel injector controlled by commands of a control unit. The fuel injector comprises a metering servo valve having a control chamber provided with an outlet passage that is opened/closed by an open/close element that is axially movable. The open/close element is carried by an axial guide element that is separate from an armature of an electromagnet. The open/close element is held in the closing position by a spring acting through an intermediate body. In some instances, the strokes of the open/close element and of the armature are chosen so as to eliminate, upon closing of the servo valve, the rebounds of the open/close element subsequent to the first rebound. The control unit controls a fuel injection comprising a pilot fuel injection and a main fuel injection, via two distinct electrical commands, which are spaced apart by a dwell time such as to occur in an area of reduced variation of the amount of injected fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Raffaele Ricco, Onofrio De Michele, Chiara Altamura, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20100162992
    Abstract: The system comprises an injector controlled by commands of a control unit. The injector comprises a dosing servo valve having a control chamber provided with an outlet passage that is opened/closed by an open/close element that is axially movable. The open/close element is carried by an axial guide element that is separate from an anchor of an electromagnet. The open/close element is held in the closing position by a spring acting through an intermediate body. Preferably, the strokes of the open/close element and of the anchor are chosen so as to eliminate, upon closing of the solenoid valve, the rebounds of the open/close element subsequent to the first rebound. The control unit controls an injection comprising a pre-injection and a main injection, via two distinct electrical commands, which are spaced apart by a dwell time such as to occur in an area of reduced variation of the amount of injected fuel; therefore, the stability of operation of the system increases as said dwell time varies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Raffaele Ricco, Onofrio De Michele, Chiara Altamura, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20090320800
    Abstract: The injector comprises a balanced metering servovalve for controlling a rod for opening/closing a nebulizer. The servovalve has a valve body having a control chamber provided with an outlet passage that is opened/closed by an axially mobile open/close element. The open/close element is made of a single piece with a bushing separate from an armature plate of an electromagnet. The bushing is coupled to a stem in an axially slidable way for closing an exhaust duct in communication with the outlet passage The open/close element is kept in a closed position by a spring that acts upon the bushing through an intermediate body connected thereto. The armature plate can be displaced with respect to the bushing between a flange of the intermediate body and a shoulder of the bushing, for eliminating the rebounds of the open/close element upon closing of the servovalve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: C.R.F. SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Mario RICCO, Raffaele RICCO, Sergio STUCCHI, Onofrio DE MICHELE, Marcello GARGANO, Domenico LEPORE, Carlo MAZZARELLA
  • Patent number: 7603986
    Abstract: A fuel adjustment and filtering device for a high-pressure pump of a fuel injection system, the device comprising at least one filter, comprising a removable filter cartridge, comprising a filtering body, housed within a filter casing; a shut-off solenoid valve for metering fuel; and, a pressure control valve for the fuel. The solenoid valve and pressure control valve are housed in a block separate from the pump. In one embodiment, in which the pressure control valve is optional, the solenoid valve may be mounted on the filter casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: C.R.f Societa Consortio per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Onofrio De Michele, Domenico Lepore, Marcello Gargano
  • Patent number: 7527210
    Abstract: The fuel injector comprises a hollow casing, fixed on which is a nozzle having a nebulizer for the fuel under pressure, a needle axially mobile for opening and closing the nebulizer by means of a first end thereof, and a control rod, substantially coaxial with the needle and in direct engagement therewith. The needle is normally pushed into a closing position of the nozzle by the fuel under pressure acting on the rod, aided by a compression spring, which acts on the needle through a sleeve that is in axial engagement with a portion of the rod. The sleeve further comprises a surface designed to engage at the front and directly one end of the needle. The spring engages another surface of the sleeve so as to transmit its action directly onto the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Adriano Gorgoglione, Onofrio De Michele, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20090050110
    Abstract: The injection system comprises a pump designed to send fuel at high pressure to an accumulation volume, for example formed by a common rail, for supplying a plurality of injectors. The pump comprises at least one pumping element actuated with reciprocating motion with a compression stroke at a sinusoidal speed, in synchronism with each step of fuel injection. The injection system comprises at least one by-pass solenoid valve, which is controlled by a chopper control unit for modulating the delivery of the pumping element by varying both the instant of start and the instant of end of delivery during the compression stroke, in such a way that the delivery is synchronous with the injection phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20090032621
    Abstract: A fuel injector and servovalve for an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Domenico Lepore, Carlo Mazzarella
  • Patent number: 7444988
    Abstract: The injection system (1) comprises a pump (7) designed to send fuel at high pressure to an accumulation volume, for example formed by a common rail (6), for supplying a plurality of injectors (5). The pump (7) comprises at least one pumping element (18) actuated with reciprocating motion with a compression stroke (Pi-Ps) at a sinusoidal speed (24), in synchronism with each step of fuel injection. The injection system (1) comprises at least one by-pass solenoid valve (14), which is controlled by a chopper control unit (16, 28) for modulating the delivery of the pumping element (18) by varying both the instant of start (To) and the instant of end (T1) of delivery during the compression stroke (Pi-Ps), in such a way that the delivery is synchronous with the injection phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Domenico Lepore
  • Patent number: 7380541
    Abstract: The injection system comprises a high-pressure pump with variable flowrate, having at least one pumping element provided with an intake valve in communication with an intake pipe and a delivery valve in communication with a delivery pipe. A pressure regulator is set on the intake pipe downstream of a metering solenoid valve designed to meter the flowrate of the pump according to the operating conditions of the engine. The pressure regulator is designed to discharge the excess fuel into a compartment of a crankcase for lubricating the usual actuation mechanism of the pumping element. Set between an inlet of the solenoid valve and an inlet of the pressure regulator is a control volume designed to contain an amount of fuel such as to guarantee an adequate flow of fuel in an area corresponding to the inlet of the solenoid valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Onofrio De Michele, Antonio Gravina, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20080116300
    Abstract: A fuel adjustment and filtering device for a high-pressure pump of a fuel injection system, the device comprising at least one filter, comprising a removable filter cartridge, comprising a filtering body, housed within a filter casing; a shut-off solenoid valve for metering fuel; and, a pressure control valve for the fuel. The solenoid valve and pressure control valve are housed in a block separate from the pump. In one embodiment, in which the pressure control valve is optional, the solenoid valve may be mounted on the filter casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Onofrio De Michele, Domenico Lepore, Marcello Gargano
  • Publication number: 20080115766
    Abstract: The injection system comprises a high-pressure pump with variable flowrate, having at least one pumping element provided with an intake valve in communication with an intake pipe and a delivery valve in communication with a delivery pipe. A pressure regulator is set on the intake pipe downstream of a metering solenoid valve designed to meter the flowrate of the pump according to the operating conditions of the engine. The pressure regulator is designed to discharge the excess fuel into a compartment of a crankcase for lubricating the usual actuation mechanism of the pumping element. Set between an inlet of the solenoid valve and an inlet of the pressure regulator is a control volume designed to contain an amount of fuel such as to guarantee an adequate flow of fuel in an area corresponding to the inlet of the solenoid valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: C.R.F. SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Mario RICCO, Raffaele RICCO, Sergio STUCCHI, Onofrio DE MICHELE, Antonio GRAVINA, Domenico LEPORE
  • Publication number: 20070240682
    Abstract: The fuel injector comprises a hollow casing, fixed on which is a nozzle having a nebulizer for the fuel under pressure, a needle axially mobile for opening and closing the nebulizer by means of a first end thereof, and a control rod, substantially coaxial with the needle and in direct engagement therewith. The needle is normally pushed into a closing position of the nozzle by the fuel under pressure acting on the rod, aided by a compression spring, which acts on the needle through a sleeve that is in axial engagement with a portion of the rod. The sleeve further comprises a surface designed to engage at the front and directly one end of the needle. The spring engages another surface of the sleeve so as to transmit its action directly onto the needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: C.R.F. SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Adriano Gorgoglione, Onofrio De Michele, Domenico Lepore
  • Patent number: 7228844
    Abstract: The injection system has a pump for supplying high-pressure fuel to a storage volume for supplying a number of injectors. The pump has at least one reciprocating pumping element performing a compression stroke synchronously with each fuel injection. The injection system has at least one control device for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by the pump to the storage volume, and which is controlled by a chopper control unit to modulate the fuel volume introduced into the compression chamber during the intake stroke (Ps-Pi). The delivery start instant of the pumping element during the compression stroke being unequivocally defined by the fuel volume introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20060137658
    Abstract: The injection system has a pump for supplying high-pressure fuel to a storage volume for supplying a number of injectors. The pump has at least one reciprocating pumping element performing a compression stroke synchronously with each fuel injection. The injection system has at least one control device for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by the pump to the storage volume, and which is controlled by a chopper control unit to modulate the fuel volume introduced into the compression chamber during the intake stroke (Ps-Pi). The delivery start instant of the pumping element during the compression stroke being unequivocally defined by the fuel volume introduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20060102151
    Abstract: The injection system (1) comprises a pump (7) designed to send fuel at high pressure to an accumulation volume, for example formed by a common rail (6), for supplying a plurality of injectors (5). The pump (7) comprises at least one pumping element (18) actuated with reciprocating motion with a compression stroke (Pi-Ps) at a sinusoidal speed (24), in synchronism with each step of fuel injection. The injection system (1) comprises at least one by-pass solenoid valve (14), which is controlled by a chopper control unit (16, 28) for modulating the delivery of the pumping element (18) by varying both the instant of start (To) and the instant of end (T1) of delivery during the compression stroke (Pi-Ps), in such a way that the delivery is synchronous with the injection phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Applicant: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Domenico Lepore