Abstract: An injector includes a nozzle hole, a needle, an actuator, a piston that is displaced in an axial direction according to extension or contraction of the actuator, an outer sleeve holding the piston slidably on its outer circumferential side and defining a pressure chamber expanded or shrunk according to displacement of the piston. When fuel pressure in the pressure chamber is increased upon extension of the actuator, the needle opens the nozzle hole. The injector further includes an inner sleeve slidably fitted around the needle and received in the pressure chamber, an urging device for urging the inner sleeve in the axial direction and for increasing or decreasing its urging force according to displacement of the piston, an engagement surface, and a fuel chamber. A gap between the fuel chamber and the pressure chamber is closed or opened when the inner sleeve annularly engages or disengages from the surface, respectively.

Abstract: An exhaust gas cleaning apparatus (e.g., for a diesel engine) uses a collector for collecting particulates contained in the exhaust gas and is disposed in an exhaust pipe of the engine. Damages in the collector are detected based on a pressure difference between an inlet and an outlet of the collector. In order to correctly detect the damages based on the pressure difference, an exhaust gas volume flowing through the collector is increased to a target volume by raising exhaust gas temperature. The exhaust gas temperature is raised by injecting fuel into the engine at a time when an engine output is not increased by such fuel injection. The pressure difference, based on which damages in the collector are detected, is measured after the exhaust gas volume has reached the target volume. It is determined that damages in the collector have occurred if the pressure difference is lower than a predetermined value.

Abstract: An injector includes a nozzle hole, a needle, an actuator, a piston that is displaced in an axial direction according to extension or contraction of the actuator, an outer sleeve holding the piston slidably on its outer circumferential side and defining a pressure chamber expanded or shrunk according to displacement of the piston. When fuel pressure in the pressure chamber is increased upon extension of the actuator, the needle opens the nozzle hole. The injector further includes an inner sleeve slidably fitted around the needle and received in the pressure chamber, an urging device for urging the inner sleeve in the axial direction and for increasing or decreasing its urging force according to displacement of the piston, an engagement surface, and a fuel chamber. A gap between the fuel chamber and the pressure chamber is closed or opened when the inner sleeve annularly engages or disengages from the surface, respectively.

Abstract: An exhaust gas cleaning apparatus of the present invention is advantageously used in a diesel engine. A collector for collecting particulates contained in the exhaust gas is disposed in an exhaust pipe of the engine. Damages in the collector are detected based on a pressure difference between an inlet and an outlet of the collector. In order to correctly detect the damages based on the pressure difference, an exhaust gas volume flowing through the collector is increased to a target volume by raising exhaust gas temperature. The exhaust gas temperature is raised by injecting fuel into the engine at a timing when an engine output is not increased by such fuel injection. The pressure difference, based on which the damages in the collector are detected, is measured after the exhaust gas volume reached the target volume. It is determined that the damages in the collector have occurred if the pressure difference is lower than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve for an engine includes a nozzle located in the vicinity of a cylinder head of the engine. The nozzle has nozzle holes each being opposed to an in-cylinder space defined in a cylinder of the engine. Each nozzle hole has an imaginary injection line that extends from each nozzle hole into the in-cylinder space. The imaginary injection line is directed toward either an upper surface of the piston or the wall surface of the cylinder. The in-cylinder space includes divided spaces each including the nozzle and at least one imaginary injection line. The divided spaces include a piston-side divided space and a head-side divided space. The head-side divided space contains fuel and air mixed at an air fuel ratio that is greater than an air fuel ratio of fuel and air in the piston-side divided space.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve for an engine includes a nozzle located in the vicinity of a cylinder head of the engine. The nozzle has nozzle holes each being opposed to an in-cylinder space defined in a cylinder of the engine. Each nozzle hole has an imaginary injection line that extends from each nozzle hole into the in-cylinder space. The imaginary injection line is directed toward either an upper surface of the piston or the wall surface of the cylinder. The in-cylinder space includes divided spaces each including the nozzle and at least one imaginary injection line. The divided spaces include a piston-side divided space and a head-side divided space. The head-side divided space contains fuel and air mixed at an air fuel ratio that is greater than an air fuel ratio of fuel and air in the piston-side divided space.