Patents by Inventor Mauro Grandi

Mauro Grandi 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).

  • Publication number: 20160230723
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a fuel injector arranged in a recess of a cylinder head of a combustion engine. It may comprise a housing, a valve body, and an adjustment element. The valve body may have a central area, an end area, and a transition area, with a first outer diameter (D1) in the central area the valve body, and a second outer diameter (D2) in the end area which is smaller than the first outer diameter (D1). The adjustment element may be shaped and positioned in the transition area of the valve body to align the fuel injector relative to the recess. In the transition area, an outer diameter of the valve body decreases in stepped fashion from the first outer diameter (D1) to the second outer diameter (D2) so that a radially extending step surface is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Giandomenico Serra
  • Publication number: 20160208750
    Abstract: A fluid injection valve has a valve needle and an electromagnetic actuator assembly with a pole piece and an armature. The valve needle includes a retainer element for limiting an axial displacement of the armature with respect to the valve needle in a first axial direction. The pole piece has a central opening with a step so that it has a first section in which a first portion of the retainer element is arranged and a second section for receiving a second portion of the retainer element. The first section of the central opening has a smaller cross-sectional area than the second section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: MAURO GRANDI, FRANCESCO LENZI, VALERIO POLIDORI, STEFANO FILIPPI
  • Patent number: 9394868
    Abstract: A valve assembly of an injection valve may include a valve body having a cavity forming an inner guide surface and having a fluid inlet portion and a fluid outlet portion, a valve needle in the cavity that controls a fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion, the valve needle having an upper end facing the fluid inlet portion and an inner recess extending from the upper end and enabling a fluid flow inside the valve needle. A guide element in the cavity is mechanically coupled to the upper end of the valve needle and extends radially to the inner guide surface of the valve body and guides the upper end of the valve needle inside the valve body. The guide element forms a one-piece extension of the valve needle with an inner recess hydraulically coupled to the fluid inlet portion and the inner recess of the valve needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Matteo Soriani, Mauro Grandi, Valerio Polidori
  • Patent number: 9376994
    Abstract: A valve assembly for an injection valve includes a valve body including a cavity with a fluid inlet portion and a fluid outlet portion, a valve needle axially movable in the cavity, the valve needle preventing a fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in a closing position and releasing the fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in a further position, an upper retainer arranged in the cavity and fixed to the valve needle, and an electro-magnetic actuator unit configured to actuate the valve needle, the electro-magnetic actuator unit comprising an armature, arranged in the cavity and axially movable relative to the valve needle, the armature configured to be coupled to the upper retainer when the valve needle is actuated to leave the closing position, and a permanent magnet arranged in the cavity adjacent the position of the armature when the valve needle is in its closing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Mauro Grandi, Valerio Polidori, Cristiano Mannucci
  • Publication number: 20160169403
    Abstract: A coil assembly for an electromagnetic actuator of a fluid injection valve includes a solenoid having a central axis, a first permanent magnet, and a second permanent magnet. A fluid injection valve including such a coil assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Valerio Polidori
  • Publication number: 20160138542
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve for a combustion engine comprises a valve body with a valve cavity and a nozzle body. The nozzle body may limit a free volume of the valve cavity and comprises at least one nozzle aperture. The nozzle body may comprise a surface facing a combustion chamber of the combustion engine and at least partially surrounding the at least one nozzle aperture. The surface comprises a first area designed to form a wetting angle (?) with a fluid, which is larger than 90°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Francesco Lenzi, Mauro Grandi, Stefano Filippi
  • Patent number: 9316191
    Abstract: A valve assembly for an injection valve may comprise a valve body including a central longitudinal axis, the valve body comprising a cavity with a fluid inlet portion and a fluid outlet portion, a valve needle axially movable in the cavity, the valve needle preventing a fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in a closing position and releasing the fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in further positions, the valve needle comprising a ring element extending radially and arranged at an axial end of the valve needle facing away from the fluid outlet portion, and an electro-magnetic actuator unit being designed to actuate the valve needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Mauro Grandi
  • Patent number: 9316194
    Abstract: An injector for injecting fluid includes a valve needle axially moveable with respect to a valve body and operable to prevent a fluid injection in a closing position and to permit the fluid injection in an open position, an armature for moving the valve needle in a first direction from the closing position towards the open position, a needle retainer fixed to the valve needle, and an armature holder fixed to the armature, wherein the needle retainer and the armature holder are releasably coupleable such that when the armature moves in the first direction the needle is moved in the first direction by the movement of the armature holder and the needle retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Mauro Grandi, Valerio Polidori, Cristiano Mannucci
  • Publication number: 20160102640
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve includes a housing with a cavity, a valve needle, an actuator including a magnetic coil arranged in a coil casing, and an armature in the cavity. The housing includes a separation ring positioned between the armature and the coil casing and configured to lead the electromagnetic flux to the armature. The separation ring includes a first part and a second part. The first part is made of a first material and the second part is made of second material that differs from the first material. The first material and the second material are magnetic materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Valerio Polidori
  • Publication number: 20160102639
    Abstract: A valve assembly includes a valve body, a valve needle and a first guiding element that axially guides the valve needle. The first guiding element is bottle shaped and is axially deformable at least in part. The first guiding element is fixedly coupled to the valve needle in a bottle neck section of the first guiding element, and coupled to the wall of the valve body in an axial end section of the first guiding element remote from the bottle neck section. Based on these features of the first guiding element, an axial displacement of the valve needle away from the closing position results in a widening of an outer shape of the first guiding element at least in a fixation section to press it against the wall of the valve body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Valerio Polidori
  • Publication number: 20160017853
    Abstract: A valve body for a fluid injector includes a central longitudinal axis and a one-piece base body. The base body has a side wall defining a recess extending from a fluid inlet side to a fluid outlet side of the base body. The side wall has a thin portion having a decreased wall thickness relative to further portions of the side wall that adjoin the thin portion along the longitudinal direction towards the fluid inlet side and the fluid outlet side. The valve body includes a metallic reinforcement jacket that is rigidly coupled to the base body and which axially overlaps the thin portion having the decreased wall thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Valerio Polidori
  • Patent number: 9175655
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an injector of a combustion engine includes providing a first base body and a second base body for a valve needle of the injector, forming the first base body such that a first base part with a first stop face is formed, providing an armature with a bore, forming the second base body such that a second base part with a second stop face and a third stop face is formed, disposing a section of the first base part and a section of the second base part in a bore of the armature, disposing the first and second base parts relative to each other such that the first stop face abuts the second stop face, and establishing a fixed coupling between the first and second base parts, wherein the armature is movable between the first stop face and the third stop face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Valerio Polidori
  • Publication number: 20150260138
    Abstract: A valve assembly for an injection valve includes a valve body having a central longitudinal axis and a cavity with a fluid inlet portion and a fluid outlet portion, a valve needle axially movable in the cavity to prevent a fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in a closing position and to allow fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in further positions, and a guiding device arranged in the cavity and configured to guide the valve needle relative to the valve body. The guiding device has a first guide element fixedly coupled to the valve body and a second guide element fixedly coupled to the valve needle. The first guide element includes a magnetic material with a first magnetic field and the second guide element includes a magnetic material with a second magnetic field, the first and second magnetic fields being orientated in opposite directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Marco Mechi, Valerio Polidori, Mauro Grandi
  • Publication number: 20150204288
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a fuel valve including a valve needle and a valve seat for controlling a flow of fuel through the injector. The fuel injector also includes an electromagnetic actuator with a solenoid and an armature that lifts the valve needle from the valve seat in an opening direction while the solenoid is electrically energized. The fuel injector also includes a housing in which the valve needle and the armature are received such that they are displaceable in reciprocating fashion with respect to the housing and with respect to one another. A spring is arranged between the armature and the housing, for pushing the armature against the valve needle in the opening direction, wherein the spring provides a hysteretic relationship between force and displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Francesco Lenzi, Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Valerio Polidori
  • Patent number: 9086042
    Abstract: A valve body for a fluid injection valve has a longitudinal axis and includes a base body. The base body has a sidewall defining a recess extending through the base body in an axial direction. The sidewall includes a magnetic material and has at least one opening that perforates the sidewall. The valve body further includes a cover element which includes a non-magnetic material and which is arranged to sealingly cover at least one opening. In addition a fluid injection valve and a method for producing the valve body are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Valerio Polidori
  • Publication number: 20150108238
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for monitoring an opening of an injection valve. The injection valve includes a valve body with a cavity having a fluid outlet portion, a valve needle movable in the cavity between a closing position preventing fluid flow outlet and other positions allowing fluid flow through the outlet, and an actuator unit for actuating the valve needle. The method includes actuating the actuator unit with a predetermined voltage signal, recording a time-dependent profile of a current through the actuator unit, detecting a first gradient alteration time where the gradient of the recorded current profile changes more than a first threshold, detecting a second gradient alteration time where the gradient of the recorded current profile changes more than a second threshold, and based on the first and second gradient alteration times determining a diagnostic value usable for compensating a long-term drift of the injection valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Mauro Grandi
  • Publication number: 20150102134
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an injector of a combustion engine includes providing a first base body and a second base body for a valve needle of the injector, forming the first base body such that a first base part with a first stop face is formed, providing an armature with a bore, forming the second base body such that a second base part with a second stop face and a third stop face is formed, disposing a section of the first base part and a section of the second base part in a bore of the armature, disposing the first and second base parts relative to each other such that the first stop face abuts the second stop face, and establishing a fixed coupling between the first and second base parts, wherein the armature is movable between the first stop face and the third stop face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Valerio Polidori
  • Publication number: 20150069151
    Abstract: A fluid injection valve includes a fluid inlet tube with a recess and a valve body including a central longitudinal axis. The valve body includes a cavity with a fluid outlet portion. The injection valve also includes a valve needle received in the recess and in the cavity. The valve needle is axially displaceable with respect to the fluid inlet tube and the valve body for preventing a fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in a closing position and releasing the fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in other positions. The injection valve includes a spring element arranged in the recess and operable to interact with the valve needle for biasing the valve needle in axial direction towards its closing position, wherein the spring element is configured such that a spring stiffness of the spring element depends on a pressure of fluid in the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Valerio Polidori, Marco Bartoli
  • Publication number: 20150040869
    Abstract: A fluid injector includes a valve body, a valve needle and axially moveable in the valve body between a closing position that prevents a fluid injection and further positions that permit the fluid injection, an armature coupled to the valve needle for displacing the valve needle away from the closing position, and a solenoid assembly including at least a first and second coil and operable to magnetically actuate the armature via an electrical signal. A method for operating the fluid injector includes applying the electrical signal to the first coil to generate a magnetic field to move the armature for displacing the valve needle away from the closing position, evaluating a voltage across terminals of the first coil, and controlling the second coil with a further electrical signal to saturate a magnetic field in a portion of the valve body between the armature and solenoid assembly during evaluating the voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Francesco Lenzi, Valerio Polidori
  • Publication number: 20150041569
    Abstract: A valve assembly arrangement for an injection valve may have a central longitudinal axis, a valve assembly of the inward opening type, and a valve assembly of the outward opening type, wherein the valve assembly of the outward opening type is axially arranged adjacent and fixedly coupled to the valve assembly of the inward opening type such that the valve assembly of the inward opening type is operable to inject fluid into the valve assembly of the outward opening type for increasing a fluid pressure in the valve assembly of the outward opening type to open the valve assembly of the outward opening type to enable dispensing of the fluid from the valve assembly arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Mauro Grandi