Patents by Inventor Raffaele Ricco

Raffaele Ricco 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: 7552909
    Abstract: An injector with an adjustable-metering servo valve is provided. The injector has a shutter actuated by an armature of an electromagnet. The armature is mobile for an opening stroke defined by a surface of the core of the electromagnet, which is fixed in the casing by a ring nut and a hollow support of the core. The hollow support has a first contact surface that acts on a flange of the core. Set between the surface and a shoulder of the casing is a shim. An annular projection, having a second contact surface, is set between the surface and a shoulder of the casing. The second contact surface is contained at least in part in the area corresponding to the first contact surface so that the stroke of the armature is adjusted by plastic deformation of the shim or of the surface of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Adriano Gorgoglione, Raffaele Ricco, Antonio Gravina
  • Patent number: 7513445
    Abstract: The metering servo valve comprises a valve body, an open/close element, and an electromagnet, and is housed in a shell of the injector. The electromagnet actuates a mobile armature for a travel defined by an arrest element, carried by the electromagnet, which is housed in a casing, fixed in the shell by means of a threaded ring nut. Said ring nut is screwed with a pre-set tightening torque on a thread of the shell. The casing has a resting surface designed to engage a shoulder of the shell. The surface is carried by an area of the casing designed to undergo deformation as a function of the tightening torque of the ring nut so as to enable fine adjustment of the travel of the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Onofrio De Michele, Chiara Altamura, Antonio Gravina, Carlo Mazzarella
  • Publication number: 20090050110
    Abstract: The injection system comprises a pump designed to send fuel at high pressure to an accumulation volume, for example formed by a common rail, for supplying a plurality of injectors. The pump comprises at least one pumping element actuated with reciprocating motion with a compression stroke at a sinusoidal speed, in synchronism with each step of fuel injection. The injection system comprises at least one by-pass solenoid valve, which is controlled by a chopper control unit for modulating the delivery of the pumping element by varying both the instant of start and the instant of end of delivery during the compression stroke, in such a way that the delivery is synchronous with the injection phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20090032620
    Abstract: A metering servovalve for a fuel injector of an internal combustion engine has an electro-actuator and a fixed valve body, which defines a control chamber communicating with an inlet and with an outlet channel. The outlet channel has at least one calibrated restriction and exits through the lateral surface of an axial stem, on which a sleeve slides, in a substantially fluid-tight manner, to open/close the outlet channel and so vary the pressure in the control chamber. The outlet channel is closed by an end portion of the sleeve that is elastically deformable in a radially outward direction, under the thrust of the fuel pressure, to increase the diameter at which the seal against the valve body is formed, with respect to a non-deformed state, and to generate a radial unbalancing force on the sleeve upon opening when the outlet channel is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Antonio Gravina, Chiara Altamura, Marcello Gargano
  • Publication number: 20090032621
    Abstract: A fuel injector and servovalve for an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Domenico Lepore, Carlo Mazzarella
  • Patent number: 7461636
    Abstract: The device includes a connection tube in communication with a hole of a rail for fuel under pressure, the tube being provided with an end swelling. The device has a first threaded element fixed to the rail in a position corresponding to the hole and a second threaded element designed to engage the first threaded element. Removably set between the hole and the swelling is a seal element designed to form a seal both with the hole and with the swelling. The seal element is a body of revolution equipped with a passage along a pre-set axis, and includes two end noses designed to be inserted in the swelling and in the hole, respectively, and two tapered seal stretches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Alfonso Di Meo
  • Patent number: 7444988
    Abstract: The injection system (1) comprises a pump (7) designed to send fuel at high pressure to an accumulation volume, for example formed by a common rail (6), for supplying a plurality of injectors (5). The pump (7) comprises at least one pumping element (18) actuated with reciprocating motion with a compression stroke (Pi-Ps) at a sinusoidal speed (24), in synchronism with each step of fuel injection. The injection system (1) comprises at least one by-pass solenoid valve (14), which is controlled by a chopper control unit (16, 28) for modulating the delivery of the pumping element (18) by varying both the instant of start (To) and the instant of end (T1) of delivery during the compression stroke (Pi-Ps), in such a way that the delivery is synchronous with the injection phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20080257989
    Abstract: The injector comprises a balanced metering servovalve to control a rod for the opening/closing of a nozzle. La servovalve has a valve body with a control chamber radially delimited by a tubular portion and fitted with an outlet passage that is opened/closed by an axially movable shutter. The servovalve is also integral with an axial stem, provided with a lateral surface, through which the outlet channel exits. The shutter is coupled to the stem in an axially sliding manner and, when it closes the outlet passage, it is subjected to substantially null axial fuel pressure. The outlet passage has a calibrated segment distanced from the shutter and close to a bottom wall of the control chamber. The calibrated segment is carried by an element fixed to the valve body in correspondence to an axial segment of the outlet passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Antonio Gravina, Marcello Gargano, Sergio Stucchi, Onofrio De Michele
  • Patent number: 7395812
    Abstract: The injection system comprises a high-pressure pump (7) with variable flowrate, having a number of pumping elements (18) actuated with reciprocating motion and provided each with a corresponding intake valve (22). An accumulation volume (28) is supplied with fuel at low pressure from an intake pipe (10) of the pump (7) through a solenoid valve (31) controlled as a function of the operating conditions of the engine (2). The accumulation volume (28) is in communication with the intake valves (22) through corresponding outlet holes (29), and the solenoid valve (31) is provided with nebulizer holes (36) such as to generate corresponding jets of fuel, each directed towards at least one of said outlet holes (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Adriano Gorgoglione, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi
  • Patent number: 7380541
    Abstract: The injection system comprises a high-pressure pump with variable flowrate, having at least one pumping element provided with an intake valve in communication with an intake pipe and a delivery valve in communication with a delivery pipe. A pressure regulator is set on the intake pipe downstream of a metering solenoid valve designed to meter the flowrate of the pump according to the operating conditions of the engine. The pressure regulator is designed to discharge the excess fuel into a compartment of a crankcase for lubricating the usual actuation mechanism of the pumping element. Set between an inlet of the solenoid valve and an inlet of the pressure regulator is a control volume designed to contain an amount of fuel such as to guarantee an adequate flow of fuel in an area corresponding to the inlet of the solenoid valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Onofrio De Michele, Antonio Gravina, Domenico Lepore
  • Publication number: 20080115766
    Abstract: The injection system comprises a high-pressure pump with variable flowrate, having at least one pumping element provided with an intake valve in communication with an intake pipe and a delivery valve in communication with a delivery pipe. A pressure regulator is set on the intake pipe downstream of a metering solenoid valve designed to meter the flowrate of the pump according to the operating conditions of the engine. The pressure regulator is designed to discharge the excess fuel into a compartment of a crankcase for lubricating the usual actuation mechanism of the pumping element. Set between an inlet of the solenoid valve and an inlet of the pressure regulator is a control volume designed to contain an amount of fuel such as to guarantee an adequate flow of fuel in an area corresponding to the inlet of the solenoid valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: C.R.F. SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Mario RICCO, Raffaele RICCO, Sergio STUCCHI, Onofrio DE MICHELE, Antonio GRAVINA, Domenico LEPORE
  • Publication number: 20080116300
    Abstract: A fuel adjustment and filtering device for a high-pressure pump of a fuel injection system, the device comprising at least one filter, comprising a removable filter cartridge, comprising a filtering body, housed within a filter casing; a shut-off solenoid valve for metering fuel; and, a pressure control valve for the fuel. The solenoid valve and pressure control valve are housed in a block separate from the pump. In one embodiment, in which the pressure control valve is optional, the solenoid valve may be mounted on the filter casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Onofrio De Michele, Domenico Lepore, Marcello Gargano
  • Publication number: 20080092855
    Abstract: The metering servo valve comprises a valve body, an open/close element, and an electromagnet, and is housed in a shell of the injector. The electromagnet actuates a mobile armature for a travel defined by an arrest element, carried by the electromagnet, which is housed in a casing, fixed in the shell by means of a threaded ring nut. Said ring nut is screwed with a pre-set tightening torque on a thread of the shell. The casing has a resting surface designed to engage a shoulder of the shell. The surface is carried by an area of the casing designed to undergo deformation as a function of the tightening torque of the ring nut so as to enable fine adjustment of the travel of the armature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: C.R.F. SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Onofrio De Michele, Chiara Altamura, Antonio Gravina, Carlo Mazzarella
  • Publication number: 20070289578
    Abstract: A fuel injector comprising a hollow body for housing a metering valve with a calibrated pipe for outlet of the fuel from a control chamber. The calibrated pipe is normally kept closed by a shutter controlled by an electromagnet comprising a magnetic core and an electric coil housed in an annular slot of the core. The coil outer cylindrical surface forms a gap with the annular slot so as to be lapped by the fuel coming out of the calibrated pipe. The coil comprises a bobbin having a pair of appendages for supporting electric supply plugs, which are englobed at least in part in a block of non-magnetic material. The bobbin has a substantially cylindrical rib, one flange adjacent to an end portion of the plugs, and another flange having a smaller diameter that forms a passage for the fuel between the calibrated pipe and the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Adriano Gorgoglione, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi
  • Publication number: 20070283928
    Abstract: The injection system comprises a high-pressure pump (7) with variable flowrate, having a number of pumping elements (18) actuated with reciprocating motion and provided each with a corresponding intake valve (22). An accumulation volume (28) is supplied with fuel at low pressure from an intake pipe (10) of the pump (7) through a solenoid valve (31) controlled as a function of the operating conditions of the engine (2). The accumulation volume (28) is in communication with the intake valves (22) through corresponding outlet holes (29), and the solenoid valve (31) is provided with nebulizer holes (36) such as to generate corresponding jets of fuel, each directed towards at least one of said outlet holes (29).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Adriano Gorgoglione, Raffaele Ricco, Sergio Stucchi
  • Patent number: 7305969
    Abstract: In order to reduce the size of a tubular rail for a high-pressure fluid, the rail is obtained from a hollow body with an external diameter and an internal diameter, and has two terminal portions, each provided with an external milling to favour gripping thereof. The millings have an external diameter such as to ensure, together with a cylindrical portion of a coaxial element, a radial strength at least equal to that of the hollow body. Made between the hollow body and each cylindrical portion is a front connection. For this purpose, the cylindrical portion has a plane front surface, whilst each terminal portion has an internal milling with an internal diameter greater than the internal diameter of the hollow body so as to house the cylindrical portion and so as to form an annular shoulder. A washer of softer material is set between the annular shoulder and the front surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Alfonso Di Meo
  • Publication number: 20070251498
    Abstract: An injector with an adjustable-metering servo valve is provided. The injector has a shutter actuated by an armature of an electromagnet. The armature is mobile for an opening stroke defined by a surface of the core of the electromagnet, which is fixed in the casing by a ring nut and a hollow support of the core. The hollow support has a first contact surface that acts on a flange of the core. Set between the surface and a shoulder of the casing is a shim. An annular projection, having a second contact surface, is set between the surface and a shoulder of the casing. The second contact surface is contained at least in part in the area corresponding to the first contact surface so that the stroke of the armature is adjusted by plastic deformation of the shim or of the surface of the core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Adriano Gorgoglione, Raffaele Ricco, Antonio Gravina
  • Patent number: 7263979
    Abstract: The high-pressure pump (7) comprises a number of pumping elements (18) actuated in reciprocating motion through corresponding suction and delivery strokes. Each pumping element (18) is provided with a corresponding intake valve (25) in communication with an intake pipe (10) supplied by a low-pressure pump (9). Set on the intake pipe (10) is an on-off solenoid valve (27) having a reduced flow rate substantially of the same order of magnitude as the maximum amount of fuel that can be injected by an injector (5). The solenoid valve (27) is controlled in a chopped way in synchronism with an intermediate part (32) of the suction stroke of each pumping element (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Onofrio De Michele
  • Patent number: 7228844
    Abstract: The injection system has a pump for supplying high-pressure fuel to a storage volume for supplying a number of injectors. The pump has at least one reciprocating pumping element performing a compression stroke synchronously with each fuel injection. The injection system has at least one control device for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by the pump to the storage volume, and which is controlled by a chopper control unit to modulate the fuel volume introduced into the compression chamber during the intake stroke (Ps-Pi). The delivery start instant of the pumping element during the compression stroke being unequivocally defined by the fuel volume introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Raffaele Ricco, Domenico Lepore
  • Patent number: 7213775
    Abstract: The invention describes an injector device specifically designed for the injection of an alternative fuel such as LPG, methane, hydrogen or others, in an internal combustion engine. In the injector device, the shutter ensuring sealing in closing condition is separated with respect to the metering means with gauged hole, which perform the function of metering fuel during injection, and it is arranged downstream from said metering means. The shutter is controlled by a solenoid, which is again arranged on the downstream side with respect to said metering means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Claudio Amorese, Dario Manodoro, Raffaele Ricco