Patents by Inventor Stefan Kieferle

Stefan Kieferle 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: 8297261
    Abstract: In a method for controlling a fuel-supply system, a first supply unit supplies fuel from a storage container to a second supply unit. At least a partial quantity of the fuel quantity supplied by the first supply unit returns to the storage container as return quantity via a return line. The return quantity is determined as a function of the operating state of the fuel-supply system. The first supply unit is controlled at least as a function of the return quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Timo Steinbach, Dorothee Sommer, Stefan Kieferle
  • Patent number: 8205596
    Abstract: The fuel injection device for an internal combustion engine comprises a feed pump which has an electric drive, by which feed pump fuel is fed from a fuel storage tank into a low-pressure region to the suction side of at least one high-pressure pump. The high-pressure pump pumps fuel into a high-pressure region in which at least one injector is provided to inject the fuel into the internal combustion engine. The fuel injection is controlled by an electric control device. Arranged in the low-pressure region is a pressure sensor which is connected to the control device. The electric drive of the feed pump is activated by the control device in order to set a feed quantity of the feed pump which is variable as a function of at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine and/or of the high-pressure pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Kieferle, Dorothee Sommer, Oliver Becker, Bjoern Noack
  • Publication number: 20120118268
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high pressure injection system having a fuel tank, a connection line between the fuel tank and a high pressure pump for sealing the fuel, wherein the high pressure pump is connected to at least one fuel injection valve via a corresponding connection line. According to the invention, at least a partial volume of the fuel sealed in the high pressure pump is fed back to the fuel tank from said fuel injection valve by leakage in the fuel injection valve via a return line connected to the fuel tank. An essential characteristic of the invention is that the high pressure injection system comprises a cooling line that connects the fuel tank or the low pressure region to the high pressure or a return of the high pressure pump via a mixing point with the return line. It is thereby possible to cool the fuel in the return lines between the fuel injection valve and the fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Susanne Spindler, Jochen Walther, Dorothee Sommer, Stefan Kieferle
  • Publication number: 20100307459
    Abstract: In a method for controlling a fuel-supply system, a first supply unit supplies fuel from a storage container to a second supply unit. At least a partial quantity of the fuel quantity supplied by the first supply unit returns to the storage container as return quantity via a return line. The return quantity is determined as a function of the operating state of the fuel-supply system. The first supply unit is controlled at least as a function of the return quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Timo Steinbach, Dorothee Sommer, Stefan Kieferle
  • Publication number: 20100012096
    Abstract: The fuel injection device for an internal combustion engine comprises a feed pump which has an electric drive, by which feed pump fuel is fed from a fuel storage tank into a low-pressure region to the suction side of at least one high-pressure pump. The high-pressure pump pumps fuel into a high-pressure region in which at least one injector is provided to inject the fuel into the internal combustion engine. The fuel injection is controlled by an electric control device. Arranged in the low-pressure region is a pressure sensor which is connected to the control device. The electric drive of the feed pump is activated by the control device in order to set a feed quantity of the feed pump which is variable as a function of at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine and/or of the high-pressure pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Stefan Kieferle, Dorothee Sommer, Oliver Becker, Bjoern Noack
  • Patent number: 7273036
    Abstract: A high-pressure a radial piston fuel pump in which the intake valves are embodied as ball valves, which has an advantageous effect on the efficiency of the high-pressure fuel pump. Moreover, the production and assembly of the high-pressure fuel pump of the invention are simplified by the use of ball valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Burkhard Boos, Stefan Kieferle, Matthias Distel, Achim Koehler, Sascha Ambrock, Karsten Ruth, Jaroslav Zivny
  • Patent number: 7077107
    Abstract: Fuel injection system having a feed pump by which fuel is pumped out of a fuel tank to the intake side of a high-pressure pump pumps fuel into a reservoir as a function of engine operating parameters. A fuel metering device is provided for adjusting the fuel quantity pumped into the reservoir by the high-pressure pump. An electrically actuated blocking valve is disposed between the feed pump and the high-pressure pump, and by means of this valve the high-pressure pump can be disconnected completely from the feed pump. By means of the blocking valve, it can still be attained that no fuel is pumped by the high-pressure pump even if the fuel metering device does not provide complete sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Burkhard Boos, Stefan Kieferle, Matthias Distel, Achim Koehler, Sascha Ambrock
  • Publication number: 20060013701
    Abstract: A high-pressure a radial piston fuel pump in which the intake valves are embodied as ball valves, which has an advantageous effect on the efficiency of the high-pressure fuel pump. Moreover, the production and assembly of the high-pressure fuel pump of the invention are simplified by the use of ball valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Burkhard Boos, Stefan Kieferle, Matthias Distel, Achim Koehler, Sascha Ambrock, Karsten Ruth, Jaroslav Zivny
  • Patent number: 6976473
    Abstract: The fuel injection system has a high-pressure pump, by which fuel is pumped into a reservoir, with which injectors disposed on cylinders of the engine communicate. A feed pump pumps fuel out of a fuel tank to the high-pressure pump and a fuel metering device triggered by a control unit and disposed between the feed pump and the high-pressure pump controls the fuel quantity delivered to the high-pressure pump. The fuel metering device is formed by a clocking valve, which is opened and closed in pulse-width-modulated fashion by the control unit, and the fuel quantity delivered to the intake side of the high-pressure pump is proportional to the opening duration of the clocking valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Burkhard Boos, Stefan Kieferle, Matthias Distel, Achim Koehler, Sascha Ambrock
  • Patent number: 6959694
    Abstract: The fuel injection system has a high-pressure pump which pumps fuel into a reservoir to be supplied to injectors disposed at the engine cylinders. A feed pump supplies fuel to the high-pressure pump. The high-pressure pump has at least one pump element including a pump piston that defines a work chamber and is driven in a reciprocating motion; the work chamber has a communication with the compression side of the feed pump, in which an intake valve opening toward the work chamber is disposed, and through which valve fuel flows into the work chamber upon the intake stroke of the pump piston. The intake valve has a valve member, which is urged in a closing direction by a closing spring, and the closing spring is braced at least indirectly on the pump piston; with an increasing intake stroke of the pump piston, the closing force exerted on the valve member by the closing spring becomes less. A minimal opening differential pressure of the intake valve is less than 0.9 bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Kieferle, Achim Koehler, Sascha Ambrock
  • Publication number: 20040155120
    Abstract: The fuel injection system has a feed pump (12), by which fuel is pumped out of a fuel tank (10) to the intake side of a high-pressure pump (14); the high-pressure pump (14) pumps fuel into a reservoir (16) as a function of engine operating parameters. A fuel metering device (44) is provided for adjusting the fuel quantity pumped into the reservoir (16) by the high-pressure pump (14). An electrically actuated blocking valve (46) is disposed between the feed pump (12) and the high-pressure pump (14), and by means of this valve the high-pressure pump (14) can be disconnected completely from the feed pump (12). By means of the blocking valve (46), it can still be attained that no fuel is pumped by the high-pressure pump (14) even if the fuel metering device (44) does not provide complete sealing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Burkhard Boos, Stefan Kieferle, Matthias Distel, Achim Koehler, Sascha Ambrock
  • Patent number: 6752130
    Abstract: A fuel injection system having a prefeed pump, through which fuel from a fuel supply container is pumped to a high-pressure pump, and by means of the high-pressure pump, fuel is pumped into a reservoir. Communicating with the reservoir is at least one injector, through which fuel is injected to the engine. A fuel filter is disposed between the prefeed pump and the high-pressure pump. A return line for uninjected fuel leads back from at least one injector into a region upstream of the high-pressure pump. A valve is provided, by which the return line, in a first switching position, at a low fuel temperature, leads to upstream of the fuel filter, between it and the prefeed pump, and by which the return line, in a second switching position, at a high fuel temperature, leads to downstream of the fuel filter, between it and the high-pressure pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Schueler, Werner Bruehmann, Kurt Frank, Stefan Kieferle
  • Publication number: 20040016830
    Abstract: The fuel injection system has a high-pressure pump, by which fuel is pumped into a reservoir, with which injectors disposed on cylinders of the engine communicate. A feed pump pumps fuel out of a fuel tank to the high-pressure pump and a fuel metering device triggered by a control unit and disposed between the feed pump and the high-pressure pump controls the fuel quantity delivered to the high-pressure pump. The fuel metering device is formed by a clocking valve, which is opened and closed in pulse-width-modulated fashion by the control unit, and the fuel quantity delivered to the intake side of the high-pressure pump is proportional to the opening duration of the clocking valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Burkhard Boos, Stefan Kieferle, Matthias Distel, Achim Koehler, Sascha Ambrock
  • Publication number: 20030213471
    Abstract: The fuel injection system has a high-pressure pump which pumps fuel into a reservoir to be supplied to injectors disposed at the engine cylinders. A feed pump supplies fuel to the high-pressure pump. The high-pressure pump has at least one pump element including a pump piston that defines a work chamber and is driven in a reciprocating motion; the work chamber has a communication with the compression side of the feed pump, in which an intake valve opening toward the work chamber is disposed, and through which valve fuel flows into the work chamber upon the intake stroke of the pump piston. The intake valve has a valve member, which is urged in a closing direction by a closing spring, and the closing spring is braced at least indirectly on the pump piston; with an increasing intake stroke of the pump piston, the closing force exerted on the valve member by the closing spring becomes less. A minimal opening differential pressure of the intake valve is less than 0.9 bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Kieferle, Achim Koehler, Sascha Ambrock
  • Publication number: 20030111052
    Abstract: A fuel injection system having a prefeed pump, through which fuel from a fuel supply container is pumped to a high-pressure pump, and by means of the high-pressure pump, fuel is pumped into a reservoir. Communicating with the reservoir is at least one injector, through which fuel is injected to the engine. A fuel filter is disposed between the prefeed pump and the high-pressure pump. A return line for uninjected fuel leads back from at least one injector into a region upstream of the high-pressure pump. A valve is provided, by which the return line, in a first switching position, at a low fuel temperature, leads to upstream of the fuel filter, between it and the prefeed pump, and by which the return line, in a second switching position, at a high fuel temperature, leads to downstream of the fuel filter, between it and the high-pressure pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Schueler, Werner Bruehmann, Kurt Frank, Stefan Kieferle