Abstract: A fuel injector for an engine includes a fuel volume having an air inlet port having a porous membrane. The membrane is permeable to air and impermeable to fuel whereby air inlet to the fuel volume forms a two-phase air bubble/fuel dispersion within the fuel volume. Upon actuation of the needle valve of the injector, this two-phase air bubble/fuel dispersion flows through the orifice into the engine whereby improved atomization, burn and fuel economy with resultant reduction in emissions are provided.

Abstract: A control arrangement for a deployable airbag of a vehicle is provided with first and second airbag controllers for receiving a fault signal at the first airbag controller, and for producing at the second airbag controller a deployment command signal that indicates that the deployable airbag is to be deployed. The second airbag controller receives the deployment command signal, and is provided with a communication controller for receiving the deployment command signal, a squib for firing in response to the deployment command signal whereby the deployable airbag is deployed, and an energy transfer arrangement coupled to the communication controller and the squib for transferring a deployment energy to the squib in response to the deployment command signal. The squib is configured to require a predeterminable minimum quantum of energy to effect the firing thereof in response to the deployment command signal.

Abstract: A fuel rail and injector assembly include a fuel delivery rail having an injector cup and a fuel injector having a mounting end mountable in the injector cup. The injector cup includes a receiving section having a necked down portion and a retaining portion, integral with the injector cup. The fuel injector mounting end includes an integral engaging section urgeable through the necked down portion and receivable in the retaining portion for snap fastening together the fuel injector and the fuel rail injector cup.

Abstract: A control arrangement for a deployable airbag of a vehicle is provided with a squib for firing in response to a deployment command signal whereby the deployable airbag is deployed. Bilateral communication is effected between the control arrangement and an airbag electronic controller. Electrical energy and data, including the deployment command signal are conveyed to the control arrangement, and at least self-diagnosis information is conveyed to the airbag electronic controller. The squib is configured to require a predeterminable minimum quantum of energy to effect the firing thereof in response to the deployment command signal. A heater provides a radiated preheat to the squib, whereby the predeterminable minimum quantum of energy applied to effect firing of the squib is exceeded by a combination of the first electrical energy and the radiated preheat energy. The squib and the preheater preferably are both formed on a silicon substrate using a conventional integration process.

Abstract: A shroud member for converting an extending tip fuel injector into an air assist fuel injector wherein the air metering is performed at a distance remote from the O-ring seals holding the injector into the engine manifold.

Abstract: A flow sensing fuel injector nozzle includes first and second spaced silicon layers containing flow restricting and distributing orifices and openings for atomizing fuel. The layers are support by a silicon or metal base and spaced by an epitaxial silicon layer to form a nozzle member. Various electrical conductors and elements formed in the silicon layers and connected with external indicators are operative to indicate the presence and/or the amount of fuel flowing through the injector.

Abstract: An air assist atomizer is used for obtaining a desired air flow through a fuel injector, the fuel injector having an injector valve stem, and the injector valve stem movable over a displacement. The air assist atomizer has an air passage via which atomizing air enters and a fuel passage via which atomized fuel exits. An injector seat is mounted on a spring for holding the injector seat to the injector valve stem over the displacement. The injector seat is allowed to travel part of the displacement of the injector valve stem, whereby when the injector seat moves, the air passage is opened allowing bypass air to atomize the fuel. A mechanical stop is provided for halting movement of the injector seat, while the injector valve stem moves the remaining distance of the displacement, opening up the fuel passage.

Abstract: A compact injector armature valve assembly for a fuel injector allowing the O-ring to O-ring spacing to be reduced. The armature valve assembly is a cylindrical hollow magnetic piece, with a narrow necked down portion to act as the receiving end for a ball, which is directly attached to the necked down portion. The attachment of the necked down portion by means of crimping or chemical bonding above the mid-point of the ball allows the strengths of a pivot style guidance scheme to be used.

Abstract: A method and system implementation of a fail-safe algorithm utilizes the engine controller of a fuel-injected vehicle, and detects leakage in the high-pressure portion of the fuel delivery system. A control volume is defined to include the outlet of the high-pressure pump, the fuel line from the pump to the fuel pressure regulator, the regulator solenoid and block, the lines from the regulator block to the fuel rail, the fuel rail itself, the lines from the fuel rail to the fuel injectors, the pressure sensor, the fittings, and the injectors themselves. The total mass of fuel entering and leaving the control volume can be calculated, and the difference corresponds to a portion of the fuel that is not accounted for, presumably as a result of leakage. A fault signal is then produced that can result in any of several corrective measures, including illumination of a warning indicator, engine shutdown, or implementation of a limp-home mode at reduced fuel pressure.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement and method for installing fuel injectors into a molded composite intake manifold having an integral fuel rail provides an aligned injector pocket bore in the fuel rail portion and an injector seat bore in an intake manifold runner. The seating bore is oversized to allow the injector to be angled to enable the tip to be advanced into the seat bore, allowing the injector one end to be thereafter swung into alignment with the pocket bore and inserted therein. A seal has an integral tubular portion configured to be fit over the injector tip and within the injector seat bore to be located therein. When the manifold is assembled onto the cylinder head, the seal is squeezed to grip the injector tip and sealed within the injector seat bore.

Abstract: A thermostatic air control for assist air to a fuel injector utilizes a bi-metallic ring to seal the air inlets when the engine temperature has increased. This in effect prevents the flow of assist air when the engine is warm and the need for assist air is not required. The bi-metallic ring can have either a positive or negative temperature coefficient and is positioned either on the inside or the outside, respectively of the air assist shroud of either a top or bottom feed fuel injector. A small orifice having a predetermined size and discharge coefficient provides a constant air flow to the output of the injector.

Abstract: A generally frusto-conical contaminant particle deflector is mounted within a valve body of an automotive engine fuel injector, surrounding a fuel injector valve element. An inner clearance space between the valve element and an open end of the deflector receives fuel flow when the injector valve element is moved to allow fuel flow. Contaminant particles are caused to move along a path extending radially out of the fuel stream and into a dead zone outside the perimeter of the deflector where they tend to remain so as to avoid any effects on the performance of the fuel injector.

Abstract: An installation for an exhaust gas recirculation valve in which the valve is mounted directly in the intake manifold, a tubular base piece receiving exhaust gas mounted in an opening in the manifold by a double-walled thin metal heat gradient element. An attached solenoid housing is mounted in an opening in an opposite manifold wall. An operating rod having an attached valve element is actuated by a pushing force generated by energization of the solenoid, the valve element controlling the flow of exhaust gas out of a valve seat in a partition in the tubular base piece and out of the tubular base piece into the air flow in the air induction ducting. The solenoid is designed by allow controlled proportionate opening movement of the valve element to correspondingly control the volume of exhaust gas diverted into the manifold air flow. The valve is cooled by air flow within the air induction duct to prevent heat damage to the manifold and the solenoid components are isolated from direct exposure to exhaust gas.

Abstract: The fuel and air supply system of the present invention provides fuel from a fuel pump at a first pressure upstream of a pressure reducer, fuel being provided directly to the fuel injector at a reduced pressure on the downstream side of the pressure reducer. A bypass line in communication with the fuel line upstream of the pressure reducer provides fuel to an air reservoir at the first pressure. The air reservoir lies in communication with a porous member(s) in the fuel injector in an air inlet to a fuel volume within the injector upstream of the pressure reducer. Upon flow of fuel into the air reservoir and closure of normally open fuel and air valves in the reservoir, air at the first pressure is supplied the porous member(s), creating a pressure differential across the member(s), causing air to flow through the porous member(s) to form air bubbles in the fuel volume for two-phase flow through the fuel injector orifice.

Abstract: A throttle plate-throttle shaft construction is formed by molding both components from composite plastic, the shaft having integral bosses which are received in holes formed in the throttle plate. The bosses are ultrasonically staked to lock the throttle plate onto the throttle shaft.

Abstract: A armature needle valve assembly for a gasoline fuel injector comprises a needle for contacting and separating from a valve seat. An armature, movable in a first direction and a second direction, causes the needle to contact and separate from the valve seat. A molded plastic connecting means secures the armature to the needle.

Abstract: The electronics are self-contained within the fuel rail assembly and include a microprocessor-based arrangement for enabling the fuel rail assembly to be dynamically calibrated over its full operating range at the factory and to be subsequently operated by serial data transmitted to it from the engine management computer.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement and method for installing fuel injectors in a molded composite intake manifold having an integral fuel rail portion in which the injectors are first assembled into bores in the fuel rail portion, and the intake manifold advanced onto a cylinder head surface having bores extending perpendicularly into the surface so as to allow the tips of the fuel injectors to be seated therein at the same time as the manifold is mounted. Air assist passages are also integrally formed in the intake manifold aligned with passages in the cylinder head.

Abstract: A typical solenoid-operated fuel injector solenoid motion initiator provided to initiate motion of the armature during de-energization of the solenoid. The solenoid motion initiator is a piezoelectric device mounted adjacent to or within the pole of the stator of the solenoid.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve for an engine fuel injection system includes a valve housing, a valve seat fixedly secured to the valve housing and a valve needle movable axially and co-operably engageable with the valve seat. The fuel injection valve also includes a diaphragm that aligns the needle with the valve seat. The diaphragm has an outer zone attached to the housing and an inner zone attached to the needle, such that the inner zone of the diaphragm moves in unison with the needle to thereby avoid frictional sliding contact between the needle and the diaphragm. Alignment of the needle with the valve seat may be assured by assembly wherein the diaphragm is first fixed to the needle and the needle is then seated upon the valve seat prior to clamping of the outer zone of the diaphragm to the housing while the needle is seated.