Electromagnetically Actuated Fuel Injector Having Ball And Seat Type Valve Patents (Class 239/900)
  • Patent number: 10794348
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve includes: a valve seat member to which the valve seat is formed; a welding portion between the valve seat member and the cylindrical member, which is provided on the base end side of the stepped surface, the valve seat member being assembled to be press-fit in the cylindrical member so that a tip end side abutment pressure between an inner circumference surface of the cylindrical member, and a tip end side outer circumference surface portion of the valve seat member which is on the tip end side of the stepped surface is smaller than a base end side abutment pressure between the inner circumference surface of the cylindrical member, and a base end side outer circumference surface portion of the valve seat member which is on the base end side of the stepped surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Saito, Ryuta Kinoshita, Nobuaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8998116
    Abstract: An injector for injecting a reagent includes an electromagnet and an axially translatable valve member positioned within a housing. The valve member is moveable from a seated position to an unseated position in response to energizing the electromagnet. The valve member includes a hollow tube including a curled end having a reduced diameter sized to allow a ball to partially extend beyond the tube end but not pass through the tube. The tube includes an inwardly extending detent restricting the ball from movement within the tube. A pintle head is fixed to the tube and positioned proximate the electromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Lowry, David Blumhardt, Eric Grant
  • Patent number: 8893989
    Abstract: A fuel injector, particularly for the direct injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, has an actuator for actuating a valve needle; at a spray-discharge end, the valve needle having a valve-closure member that, together with a valve-seat surface configured on a valve-seat member, forms a sealing seat at a seat-contact point; the valve-seat member and/or the valve-closure member being provided with at least one stiffness-reducing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Mueller
  • Patent number: 8727243
    Abstract: In an electromagnetic fuel injection valve, a valve body guide hole (15) which is connected to a valve seat (8) of a valve seat member (3) and slidably guides a valve body (14), and a large-diameter hole (17) which is connected to a rear end of the valve body guide hole (15) via a tapered hole (16) and has a diameter larger than that of the valve body guide hole (15), are provided in the valve seat member (3) of a valve housing (2), whereas a first longitudinal hole (19) which communicates with a fuel intake cylinder (26) is provided in a fixed core (5); a second longitudinal hole (20) which communicates with the first longitudinal hole (19) is provided from a movable core (12) to a valve shaft (13); a traverse hole (21) which opens the second longitudinal hole (20) to the large-diameter hole (17) is provided in the valve shaft (13); and a relationship between the diameter (D1) of the large-diameter hole (17) and the diameter (D2) of the valve body guide hole (15) satisfies D2/D1<0.6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Saito, Kazuhiko Sato
  • Patent number: 8678298
    Abstract: A method and system ensures that a certain amount of fuel is delivered by a fuel injector at each injection cycle over the life of the fuel injector. The injector has an armature that moves between open and close positions. A base time for the armature to move from the open position to the close position is established. A present time for the armature to move from the open position to the close position is compared to the base time. If the present time is greater than the base time by a predetermined amount, then 1) a present injector duration time is set to be greater than an original injector duration time to ensure that the certain amount of fuel is delivered by the fuel injector, or 2) a change in service condition is indicated for the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Anup Vijaykumar Gongle
  • Patent number: 8662420
    Abstract: A fluid injector has a housing, an actuator unit and a valve body. The valve body has a needle (22) and a cartridge (21) with a recess, which takes in the needle (22) and which has on one of its ends a seat plate (213), that has a needle seat (2132) for the inward-opening needle (22), with the needle (22) further having a seat part (221) with a sealing area (222), that is destined to rest on the needle seat (2132) if it is pushed against the needle seat (2132), with the seat part (221) having a cavity radially inwards and in proximity to the sealing area (222).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Italy S.p.A.
    Inventor: Alessandro Facchin
  • Patent number: 8662472
    Abstract: In an electromagnetic fuel injection valve, a valve housing includes: a cylinder-shaped valve seat member having a valve seat in its front end portion; a magnetic cylindrical body coaxially connected to a rear end portion of the valve seat member; a nonmagnetic cylindrical body coaxially and liquid-tightly welded to a rear end of the magnetic cylindrical body; and a hollow cylindrical stationary core coaxially and liquid-tightly welded to a rear end of the nonmagnetic cylindrical body. A valve assembly is housed in the valve housing and includes: a valve body capable of being seated on the valve seat; and a movable core connected to a rear end of the valve body and opposed to a front end of the stationary core. The valve body and the valve seat member are respectively made of different martensitic stainless steels so that a hardness of the valve body is higher than that of the valve seat member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Suzuki, Gen Kato, Junichi Miyashita, Kenichi Tsunota
  • Patent number: 8646749
    Abstract: An electromagnetically actuatable valve, e.g., a fuel injector for fuel injection systems, includes an electromagnetic actuating element having a solenoid, a fixed core, a valve jacket, and a movable armature for actuating a valve closing body, which cooperates with a valve seat surface provided on a valve seat body. In addition, the valve has a restoring spring for resetting the valve closing body to its resting position on the valve seat surface. The restoring spring and an internal longitudinal bore hole of the armature are paired in such a way that the armature is guided during its axial movement only along the restoring spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Ferdinand Reiter
  • Patent number: 8602321
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ball valve for adjusting a flow of a fluid medium. The ball valve includes a valve seat and a rounded closing element, in particular a valve ball. Furthermore, the ball valve has an inlet with a choke valve and one diffuser arranged between the choke valve and the valve seat. The diffuser includes a constriction on the side facing the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Girlinger, Frank Traxel, Roland Mitter
  • Patent number: 8596562
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel ignition systems of internal combustion engines includes a magnetic circuit having a core, a magnetic coil and an armature, and a movable valve needle, which has a valve-closure member that cooperates with a fixed valve seat, the valve seat being shaped on a valve-seat member and being provided with a valve-seat support in which the valve-seat member is inserted. At least one metallic component of the fuel injector, in this context, has a serrated structure on its outer circumference for producing a solid connection to a corresponding component made of plastic. The plastic components may be the connection piece, the valve-seat support, the coil shell and the connecting pipe of the valve needle. The fuel injector is particularly suitable for use in fuel-injection systems of mixture-compressing internal combustion engines having externally supplied ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Ferdinand Reiter
  • Patent number: 8556194
    Abstract: A fuel injector that includes a flying armature movable relative to a pintle stop, and an electromagnetic circuit configured to move the flying armature away from the pintle stop prior to accelerating the armature toward the pintle stop as part of moving the pintle to open the fuel injector. The flying armature increases the total force applied to the pintle to open the fuel injector by supplementing the static force imparted to the armature by a magnetic field with an impact force imparted by the armature being in motion toward and impacting with the pintle stop. The arrangement of magnetic circuit devices and materials used to make the magnetic circuit devices cooperate to provide a reversing force that urges the armature away from before urging the armature toward the pintle stop, and increases the rate at which the force that urges the armature toward the pintle stop increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Harry R. Mieney, Michael Raymond Raney, Michael Raymond Salemi, Robert B. Perry
  • Patent number: 8302889
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve has a valve body for opening and closing a valve seat, and receives an operation signal from a control unit to operate the valve body so that fuel is injected from a plurality of injection holes formed in an injection hole plate welded through a welded portion to a downstream side of the valve seat while passing through a gap between the valve body and the valve seat. The injection hole plate is formed at its central portion with a convex portion which is substantially axisymmetric with respect to a valve seat axis and which has a circular-arc shaped cross section, and the welded portion is also substantially axisymmetric with respect to the valve seat axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoya Hashii, Keishi Nakano, Tsuyoshi Munezane, Atsushi Yoshimura, Manabu Miyaki
  • Patent number: 8215573
    Abstract: A direct fuel injector (10) includes a body (12) having a passage between inlet and outlet ends. A seat (16) is at the outlet end and a closure member (28) is associated with the seat. A needle member (30) is associated with the closure member and is movable with respect to a pole piece (35) between a first, closed position and a second, open position. A spring (42) biases the needle member to the first position. An armature (32) is free-floating with respect to the needle member. An intermediate pole structure (38) is coupled with the needle member and is disposed between the pole piece and the armature and is decoupled there-from. An armature stop (40) is coupled to the needle member and is spaced from the intermediate pole structure. An electromagnetic coil (46) is associated with the pole piece, intermediate pole structure and armature. The injector reduces bounce of the needle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Hornby
  • Patent number: 8186605
    Abstract: A fluid injector has a valve body with a recess in which a valve needle is arranged axially movable preventing a fluid flow and being mechanically coupled to an axial end of a first spring preloaded to exert a force on the valve needle. A first armature is mechanically coupled to the valve needle. A second armature is arranged in the recess axially movable away and towards a protrusion of the valve body mechanically coupled to an axial end of a second spring preloaded exerting a force on the second armature which is arranged and designed such that from a closing to a first given position, the first and second armature are mechanically decoupled, and from the first given position further away from the closing position, the first and second armature are mechanically coupled. A solenoid drive magnetically actuates the first and second armature to move axially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Alessandro Facchin
  • Patent number: 8096490
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve comprises a valve seat, a movable valve element which is seated on or separated from the valve seat, and a nozzle member having a plurality of nozzle holes. At least one of the valve element and valve seat has a curved surface at a contact position where they contact with each other when the valve element is seated on the valve seat. Two or more of the nozzle holes are provided outside an intersection line of a virtual extension surface along a tangential line to the curved surface at the contact position and a surface of the nozzle member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Yasukawa, Eiji Ishii, Noriyuki Maekawa, Motoyuki Abe, Hiroshi Yamada, Nobuaki Kobayashi, Takahiro Saito
  • Patent number: 8002207
    Abstract: This invention serves to suppress the deterioration of oil tightness of a valve after welding without any change in the direction of fuel injection even with deformation of a convex portion after welding of an injection opening plate to a valve seat, as well as without any variation in the direction of fuel injection due to welding variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoya Hashii, Keishi Nakano, Tsuyoshi Munezane, Atsushi Yoshimura, Manabu Miyaki
  • Patent number: 7931217
    Abstract: A coil is located radially outside of a pipe. An inner connector is located radially inside of the pipe. A moving core is located radially inside of the pipe and opposed to the inner connector. A housing surrounds both an outer circumferential periphery of the coil and one axial end of the coil. A cover surrounds an other axial end of the coil. An outer connector leads fuel into the pipe. The pipe and the cover are integrally formed and one single component as a with-cover pipe member. The inner connector and the outer connector are integrally formed and an other single component as a connector member. The connector member is partially inserted in the axial direction radially inside the pipe of the with-cover pipe member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Matsusaka, Yoshitomo Oguma, Katsunori Furuta
  • Patent number: 7905425
    Abstract: A module, direct fuel injector (10) includes a fuel module (46) having a valve body (12) defining an outlet opening (20) and including a seating surface (18). A needle 14, disposed in valve body, has a sealing surface (16). An armature (28) is coupled with the needle such that movement of the armature moves the needle between a closed position with the sealing surface engaging the seating surface and an open position with the needle moving outwardly from the valve body with the sealing surface being disengaged from the seating. A spring (38) biases the armature and thus the needle to the closed position. An inlet tube (22) is coupled to the fuel module defining an inlet of the injector. A power assembly (42) is separate from, but coupled to, the fuel module. The power assembly includes an electromagnetic coil (44) for causing movement of the armature, and a connector (43).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Sytems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Hornby
  • Patent number: 7850100
    Abstract: An embodiment of a fuel injector comprising: an injection valve provided with a mobile needle for regulating the fuel flow through an injection nozzle; a supporting body having a tubular shaft and displaying a feeding channel which ends with the injection valve; and an electromagnetic actuator comprising a spring which tends to maintain the needle in a closing position and an electromagnet, which comprises a coil arranged outside the supporting body, a fixed magnetic armature arranged within the supporting body, and a keeper which is arranged within the supporting body, is magnetically attracted by the magnetic armature against the bias of the spring, and is mechanically connected to the needle; the coil displaying a toroidal shape having an internal annular surface, which is directly in contact with an external surface of the supporting body without the interposition of any intermediate element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luca Cagnolati, Massimo Mattioli, Marcello Cristiani
  • Patent number: 7753292
    Abstract: A valve assembly including a valve element and a movable core is housed in a valve housing including a valve seat member, a magnetic cylinder, a nonmagnetic collar and a stationary core. A coil assembly is disposed on an outer periphery of the stationary core, and housed in a coil housing. The coil housing has a front end wall part which is formed such that a thickness thereof in an axial direction is larger than a thickness of its shell part in a radial direction. A magnetic path forming part is formed by the front end wall part and a rear-side cylinder part of the magnetic cylinder which is fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the front end wall part. The magnetic path forming part surrounds the movable core substantially by the entirety of its inner peripheral surface to magnetically connect the movable core and the shell part to each other. A positioning step part is formed at a rear end of the magnetic cylinder so as to support a front end of the magnetic assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Ryohei Kimura, Junichi Miyashita, Ryuji Aoki
  • Patent number: 7703707
    Abstract: In the valve, fuel, flowing down as a valve side flow along the side of the valve, further flows down toward an orifice plate through a fuel path which closes and opens upon forward and backward movement of the valve, and is injected as a mist from each orifice. The valve moves forward and backward by sliding on a valve surrounding portion through a guide portion constituted by plural sliding guides arranged between the valve and valve surrounding portion. Since the sliding guides are tapered from the valve to the surrounding portion, the side flow from the guide portion has a flow velocity distribution biased toward the surrounding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Yasukawa, Yoshio Okamoto, Hiroshi Yamada, Nobuaki Kobayashi, Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7530506
    Abstract: A valve element of a fuel injection valve comprises a cylindrical structural base which has an upper end contactable with a lower end of a core tube installed in a cylindrical case and a spherical valve head which is contactable with a valve seat arranged at a lower end of the cylindrical case. The structural base is a sintered magnetic metal member produced through a metal powder injection molding method and has a relative density ranging from approximately 95% to approximately 98%, and the structure base has, at the end thereof that is contactable with the downstream end of the core tube, a notched surface for suppressing an undesirable sticking of the end of the structural base to the downstream end of the core tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Kato, Tomoichi Misawa, Nobuaki Kobayashi, Nobutaka Ishii
  • Patent number: 7506826
    Abstract: A fuel injector for injecting water, in particular into the gas flow of fuel cells, has a valve needle having joined to its spray-discharge end a valve-closure member, which cooperates with a valve-seat surface formed on a valve-closure member a sealing seat. A spray-discharge orifice is provided downstream from the sealing seat, at least a portion of the surfaces of the fuel injector that come into contact with water being coated by a corrosion-inhibiting and/or friction-reducing coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Miller
  • Patent number: 7472845
    Abstract: An orifice disc for a fuel injector includes two orifices that provide a desired interaction between two fuel flows to increase fuel atomization and improve combustion performance. The orifice disc includes a first orifice and a second orifice that are disposed at an interaction angle relative to each other. The orifices are orientated relative to each other such that fuel flow exiting the outlets impinges on each other to further reduce the size of fuel droplets. Large dramatic changes in momentum caused by the impingement of fuel flows disintegrates fuel droplets into much smaller finer fuel droplets that provided enhanced atomization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventors: Abdel-Aleam Hefney Mohamed, John J. Horsting, Scott Bruhwel
  • Patent number: 7458530
    Abstract: A fuel injector having a housing including an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway for fuel flow from the inlet to the outlet. A coil assembly is disposed proximate the inlet. A seat is disposed proximate the outlet. A closure member is disposed in the housing and is operable by the coil assembly. The closure member includes a sleeve and an armature. The sleeve extends along a longitudinal axis and includes first and second ends, and an outer surface a first distance from the longitudinal axis. An armature is coupled to the first end of the sleeve so that the sleeve is movable with the armature. The armature includes an outer perimeter a second distance from the longitudinal axis, such that the second distance is not greater than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg R. Morton
  • Patent number: 7438242
    Abstract: A fuel injector having an injection nozzle; an injection valve having a movable pin for regulating fuel flow through the injection nozzle; an electromagnetic actuator for moving the pin between a closed position and an open position respectively closing and opening the injection valve; and a tubular supporting body, which has a central channel for feeding pressurized fuel to the injection nozzle, and houses the electromagnetic actuator, the injection valve, and the pin; the supporting body is formed by joining a one-piece tubular top member housing the electromagnetic actuator and made of high-tensile steel with poor magnetic characteristics, and a one-piece tubular bottom member housing the injection valve and made of a low-thermal-expansion alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Holding S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Ciampolini
  • Patent number: 7434752
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve is provided that includes a valve seat member (3) having provided therein a conical valve seat (8) and a valve seat hole (7) communicating with the downstream end of the valve seat (8), a flat fuel diffusion chamber (43) radially extending from the valve seat hole (7), the fuel diffusion chamber (43) being formed between the valve seat member (3) and an injector plate (10), and a plurality of fuel injection holes (11) bored in the injector plate (10) so as to open in the fuel diffusion chamber (43), wherein the fuel injection holes (11) are arranged so as to be radially outwardly separated from the valve seat hole (7), and when the height of the fuel diffusion chamber (43) is t1 and the length of the valve seat hole (7) is t2, t2/t1?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Eishi Matsumoto, Koji Kitamura, Gaku Sato
  • Patent number: 7429006
    Abstract: A fuel injector and various methods relating to the assembly of the fuel injector. The fuel injector includes a power group subassembly and a valve group subassembly having a respectively connected first and second connector portions. The power group subassembly includes an electromagnetic coil, a housing, at least one terminal, and at least one overmold formed over the coil and housing. The valve group subassembly insertable within the overmold includes a tube assembly having an inlet tube and a filter assembly. A pole piece couples the inlet tube to one end of a non-magnetic shell having a valve body coupled to the opposite end. An axially displaceable armature assembly confronts the pole piece and is adjustably biased by a member and adjusting tube toward engagement with a seat assembly. A lift setting device sets the axial displacement of the armature assembly. The seat assembly includes a flow portion and a securement portion having respective first and second axial lengths at least equal to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Dallmeyer
  • Patent number: 7422160
    Abstract: A fuel injector and various methods relating to the assembly of the fuel injector. The fuel injector includes a power group subassembly connected to a valve group subassembly. The power group subassembly includes an electromagnetic coil, a housing, at least one terminal, and at least one overmold formed over the coil and housing. The terminal has a first generally planar surface contiguous with a generally planar surface of a terminal connector to electrically connect the terminal to the electromagnetic coil. The valve group subassembly includes a tube assembly having an inlet tube and a filter assembly. A pole piece couples the inlet tube to one end of a non-magnetic shell having a valve body coupled to the opposite end. An armature assembly confronts the pole piece and is adjustably biased by a member and adjusting tube toward engagement with a seat assembly. A lift setting device sets the axial displacement of the armature assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Dallmeyer
  • Patent number: 7407119
    Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine including a body, a stator member, an armature, an electromagnetic coil, and a diamagnetic member. The body includes a passage extending along a longitudinal axis between inlet and outlet ends. The armature member is movable with respect to the stator member between a first configuration and a second configuration, and includes a closure member proximate the outlet end and contiguous to a seat in the first configuration, and spaced from the seat in the second configuration. The electromagnetic coil surrounds the passage, is disposed in a housing, and is energizable to provide magnetic flux that moves the armature between the first and second configuration to permit fuel flow through the passage. The diamagnetic member is proximate the electromagnetic coil so that when the electromagnetic coil is energized the magnetic flux flows around the diamagnetic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Perry R. Czimmek
  • Patent number: 7347383
    Abstract: A fuel injector for use with an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector comprises a valve group subassembly and a coil group subassembly. The valve group subassembly includes a tube assembly having a longitudinal axis that extends between a first end and a second end; a seat that is secured at the second end of the tube assembly and that defines an opening; an armature assembly that is disposed within the tube assembly; a member that biases the armature assembly toward the seat; an adjusting tube that is disposed in the tube assembly and that engages the member for adjusting a biasing force of the member; a filter that is at least within the tube assembly; and a first attachment portion. The coil group subassembly includes a solenoid coil that is operable to displace the armature assembly with respect to the seat; and a second attachment portion that is fixedly connected to the first attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Michael P. Dallmeyer, Robert McFarland, Michael J. Hornby, James Robert Parish, Dennis Bulgatz, Ross Wood, Bryan Hall
  • Patent number: 7334746
    Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine, including a housing, a homogeneous member defining a continuous wall having a seat portion and a guide portion, a closure member, and a metering disk. The housing includes an inlet and an outlet disposed along a longitudinal axis. The homogeneous member is disposed proximate the outlet. The seat portion includes a sealing surface and a seat orifice. The closure member is disposed in the housing and positioned by the guide portion for reciprocal motion along the longitudinal axis between a first position such that the closure member is displaced from the seat, allowing fuel flow past the closure member, and a second position such that the closure member is contiguous the seat, precluding fuel flow past the closure member. The metering disk is proximate the seat orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Gaetan Vich
  • Patent number: 7309033
    Abstract: A fuel injector and various methods relating to the assembly of the fuel injector. The fuel injector includes a power group subassembly and a valve group subassembly having a respectively connected first and second connector portions. The power group subassembly includes an electromagnetic coil, a housing, at least one terminal, and at least one overmold formed over the coil and housing. The valve group subassembly insertable within the overmold includes a tube assembly having an inlet tube and a filter assembly. A pole piece couples the inlet tube to one end of a non-magnetic shell having a valve body coupled to the opposite end. An axially displaceable armature assembly confronts the pole piece and is adjustably biased by a member engaged with an adjusting tube with a filter assembly mounted thereon. The seat assembly includes a flow portion and a securement portion having respective first and second axial lengths at least equal to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Dallmeyer
  • Patent number: 7306173
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel-injection systems of internal combustion engines has a solenoid coil; a valve needle that is operatively connected to the solenoid coil and acted upon by a restoring spring in a closing direction, in order to actuate a valve-closure member which, together with a valve-seat surface formed at a valve-seat member, forms a sealing seat; and at least two spray-discharge orifices which are formed in the valve-seat member. The spray-discharge orifices are formed in the valve-seat member in such a way that they are shielded from mixture flows circulating in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guido Pilgram, Joerg Heyse
  • Patent number: 7278594
    Abstract: A fuel injector 10 may comprise a valve body 14 having a fuel path, a valve seat 23 fixed to a downstream end of the valve body, and a valve 25 that opens and closes a fuel injection hole of the valve seat 23. The valve may be housed within the valve body in a manner allowing sliding. An armature 31 may be attached to an upstream end of the valve 25, and a valve closing element 32 may be attached to a downstream end of the valve 25. A core 21 may be disposed at an upstream side of the armature 31. A downstream end surface of the core 21 faces an upstream end surface of the armature 31. When the valve 25 opens the fuel injection hole, the downstream end surface of the core 21 makes contact with the upstream end surface of the armature 31. A non-magnetic ring 20 may be disposed at an outer circumference side of the armature 31 and the core 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Koyanagi, Hiroshi Kawazoe
  • Patent number: 7255290
    Abstract: A very high speed injector permits injecting high pressure diesel oil directly into a diesel engine combustion chamber. The very high speed permits almost arbitrary rate shaping, minimizing formation of diesel particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen pollutants. An electrical waveform is pre-determined for a desired fuel injection rate shape. The electrical waveform is converted into a corresponding magnetic field waveform by a solenoid coil. A giant magnetostrictive material (GMM) transduces the magnetic field waveform into a corresponding mechanical waveform. The mechanical waveform positions a valve element to control flow rate. The very high speed features include a thin solenoid coil of relatively few turns, proportionally supplying up to one hundred amperes at up to one hundred volts in no greater than ten microseconds, the GMM is subject to a bias compressive stress magnitude of no less than fourteen megapascals, and the magnetic flux path is minimized and designed to suppress eddy currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventors: Charles B. Bright, Jon C. Garza
  • Patent number: 7240859
    Abstract: A fuel-injection system in an internal-combustion engine is provided with an electroinjector (1) comprising an injection nozzle (5), and a needle (7) mobile along an opening stroke and a closing stroke for opening/closing the nozzle (5) under the control of an electroactuator device (8). The opening stroke of the needle (7) is controlled by a rod (14) pushed by the pressure of the fuel in a control chamber (15), in such a way as to keep the needle (7) normally in the position for closing the nozzle (5). The control chamber (15) is equipped with an inlet duct (18) having a pre-set diameter (D4) and with an outlet passage (24) having a diameter (D5) and controlled by a control valve (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: CRF Societa Consortile Per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Antonio Gravina, Sergio Stucchi
  • Patent number: 7234654
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular for the direct injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, having a valve-closure member which cooperates with a valve-seat surface formed on a valve-seat body, to form a sealing seat, includes at least one spray-discharge orifice provided downstream from the sealing seat. The spray-discharge orifice has a guide region and an exit region arranged at its discharge-side end. The exit region widens in a stepped manner by at least one first step and/or at least in part continuously beginning with a transition from the guide region into the exit region. A fuel jet which emerges from the guide region at the transition and widens essentially uniformly at a jet angle, passes a discharge-side end of the exit region with a gap dimension of a gap after a distance s, the gap dimension being greater than zero and a first volume remaining in the exit region between the fuel jet and the inner walls of the exit region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Holzgrefe, Stefan Arndt
  • Patent number: 7191963
    Abstract: The injector has a cylindrical body, which houses an injection nozzle regulated by an injection valve provided with a moveable pin, a fuel supply line, an injection chamber communicating with the supply line, housing a lower portion of the pin and delimited below by a valve seat of the injection valve, a control chamber communicating with the supply line and housing an upper portion of the pin, and a control valve, which is capable of putting the control chamber in communication with a drain for the low-pressure fuel and is controlled by an electromagnetic actuator provided with a pair of electromagnets identical with each other and arranged mechanically in series with each other so that their respective thrust forces are added together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
    Inventors: Andrea Cobianchi, Fabio Cernoia
  • Patent number: 7175114
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines, having a valve needle which works together with a valve seat face to form a sealing seat, has an armature acting on the valve needle. The armature is movably guided on the valve needle and is damped by an elastomer ring made of an elastomer. The armature has at least one fuel channel for supplying fuel to the sealing seat. A flat supporting ring which axially supports the elastomer ring in the area of the outlet end of the fuel channel is arranged between the elastomer ring and the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Waldemar Hans
  • Patent number: 7168638
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve includes a soundproofing cover molded out of a rubber-containing soft resin and arranged on the outer periphery of a metal casing. Collision noises and vibrations are absorbed by the soundproofing cover, achieving excellent sound insulation. Moreover, the rubber-containing soft resin is lower in cost, and can be shaped by injection molding, resulting in a reduction in manufacturing cost of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Unisia Automotive, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Saito, Hidehiko Koyashiki
  • Patent number: 7163162
    Abstract: A fuel-injection valve includes a fuel-injection hole, a valve element and a valve seat for opening and closing the fuel-injection hole, a force-applying member for applying force to the valve element in a direction of motion of the valve element, and a drive unit for applying force to the valve element in the direction opposite to that of the force applied by the force-applying member; wherein a secondary oscillation system, which interacts with a primary oscillation system including the valve element and the force-applying member, is added to the primary oscillation system, and the phase angle of force applied to the primary oscillation system by the secondary oscillation system is also staggered from that of force applied to the primary oscillation system, which is other than the force applied to the primary oscillation system by the secondary oscillation system, whereby the bouncing of the valve element during opening and closing of the valve is reduced, which in turn makes it possible to achieve very acc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Tsuchiya, Tosuke Hirata, Yoshio Okamoto, Tohru Ishikawa, Noriyuki Maekawa, Yoshiyuki Tanabe, Atsushi Sekine, Yuzo Kadomukai, Makoto Yamakado, Motoyuki Abe
  • Patent number: 7150417
    Abstract: A valve seat member has a valve seat with a fuel injection aperture. A valve body is movable between a close position wherein the valve body is put on the valve seat and an open position wherein the valve body is separated from the valve seat. A biasing member biases the valve body in a direction of the close position. An electromagnetic coil, upon energization, moves the valve body in a direction of the open position against the biasing force of the biasing member. A nozzle plate is connected to the valve seat member in a manner to cover the fuel injection aperture. The nozzle plate has at a part thereof facing the fuel injection aperture a domed portion that is projected away from the fuel injection aperture. The domed portion has a plurality of fuel injection openings. A side wall extends around and along a periphery of the nozzle plate so as to form a fuel holding recess that is defined by the nozzle plate other than domed portion and the side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Souma
  • Patent number: 7140556
    Abstract: A fuel injector provided with an injection valve comprising a mobile plunger; an injection jet having a plurality of first through-holes made starting from a chamber arranged downstream from the injection valve; a supporting body having a tubular shape and comprising a supply channel; and a sealing body, in which a valve seat of the injection valve is defined and the injection jet is provided; the sealing body is monolithic and has a disc-shaped plug member passed through by the injection jet, and a guide member, which rises up from the plug member, is tubular in shape, receives within it the plunger and has an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the supply channel, so as to define an external annular channel for the fuel; in the lower part of the guide member there are provided a number of second through-holes which open into the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marcello Cristiani, Michele Petrone
  • Patent number: 7124966
    Abstract: A high pressure unit fuel injector includes a member with a fuel delivery opening to be intermittently supplied with high pressure fuel and a valve seat encircling the fuel delivery opening. A valve cage includes a check-valve chamber adjacent the valve seat. The chamber includes an annular ledge facing the valve seat and an inwardly facing wall surrounding the ledge. A disk is located within the chamber and has opposite first and second faces alternately seatable against the valve seat and the ledge respectively. The disk has a plurality of openings between the first and second faces and a circular-shaped groove formed in the first face about a center of the disk. The groove intersects the plurality of openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Haynes Corporation
    Inventor: Edward A. Schlairet
  • Patent number: 7100848
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve of an internal combustion engine for a vehicle is comprised of a nozzle plate which has a plurality of nozzle holes. Fuel injection jets are injected from the nozzle holes and collided with each other. The thickness of the nozzle plate is equal to or greater than the diameter of the nozzle holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kobayashi, Nobutaka Ishii, Tomoichi Misawa, Hideo Kato
  • Patent number: 7093779
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular a fuel injector for fuel-injection systems of internal combustion engines, has a valve needle which cooperates with a valve-seat surface to form a sealing seat, and an armature which is connected to the valve needle, the armature being acted upon in the closing direction by a restoring spring and cooperating with a magnetic coil. The armature has a guide flange which is guided at an opposite surface. The guide flange does contact the opposite surface in all places, so that recesses are formed between the guide flange and the opposite surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Sebastian, Juergen Graner, Wolfgang-Manfred Ruehle, Joachim Stilling, Matthias Boee, Norbert Keim
  • Patent number: 7086615
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a seat, a movable member cooperating with the seat, and an orifice plate. The orifice disc includes a member having first and second generally parallel surfaces, and an orifice extending through the member between first and second generally planar surfaces of the member. The orifice is defined by a wall that couples the first and second surfaces. The wall includes first and second wall portions. The first wall portion is spaced from the first surface and extends substantially perpendicular to the first and second generally planar surfaces and about the longitudinal axis to define a transition perimeter. The second wall portion couples the first wall portion to the first surface to define a inlet perimeter on the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventor: J. Michael Joseph
  • Patent number: 7086606
    Abstract: A modular fuel injector for an internal combustion engine, including a valve group subassembly and a power group subassembly. The valve group subassembly includes a first stator member, a second stator member, a non-magnetic shell disposed between the first and second stator members, a valve body, and an armature member. The armature member defines a first working air gap with the first stator member and a second working air gap with the second stator member. The armature member includes a closure member proximate an outlet end and contiguous to a seat in a first configuration. The power group subassembly includes an electromagnetic coil surrounding the passage, a housing encasing the coil, and an ovemold encapsulating the coil and the housing. The coil is energizable to provide magnetic flux that flows through the first and second working air gaps in the direction of the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Harry R. Brooks, Michael P. Dallmeyer
  • Patent number: 7059548
    Abstract: A fuel injector with a magnetic coil which cooperates with an armature acted upon by a restoring spring, the armature forming an axially movable valve part with a valve needle. A valve-closure member which forms a sealing seat with a valve-seat member is provided at the valve needle. At least one damping element is disposed in an opening of the fuel injector through which fuel flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ferdinand Reiter, Ulrich Fischer, Franz Thömmes