Abstract: A fuel injector for use with an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector can include a tube assembly, an armature assembly, a working air gap, a coil, and a housing. The tube assembly has a longitudinal axis and includes a non-magnetic tube having a first end and a second end, and a pole piece disposed inside the non-magnetic tube intermediate the first and second ends. The armature assembly is disposed within the tube assembly between the pole piece and the first end. The armature assembly includes an end face resiliently biased away from the pole piece. The working air gap separates the end face and the pole piece when the end face is biased away from the pole piece. The coil is connectable to an electrical power source and operable to displace the end face toward the pole piece against the resilient bias on the armature assembly. The housing is positioned adjacent the working air gap and supports the coil on the tube assembly.

Abstract: A fuel injector for use with an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector can include a tube assembly, an armature assembly, a working air gap, a coil, and a housing. The tube assembly has a longitudinal axis and includes a non-magnetic tube having a first end and a second end, and a pole piece disposed inside the non-magnetic tube intermediate the first and second ends. The armature assembly is disposed within the tube assembly between the pole piece and the first end. The armature assembly includes an end face resiliently biased away from the pole piece. The working air gap separates the end face and the pole piece when the end face is biased away from the pole piece. The coil is connectable to an electrical power source and operable to displace the end face toward the pole piece against the resilient bias on the armature assembly. The housing is positioned adjacent the working air gap and supports the coil on the tube assembly.

Abstract: A length of wire is toroidally wound, and then the toroid is encapsulated and cut in two along a plane that is perpendicular to the toroidal axis. The resulting portions are used as stator and/or armature of a solenoid, and in the solenoid the cut face of each forms one side of the solenoid's working gap so that the faces move toward and away from each other as the solenoid operates.

Abstract: The nozzle of a fuel injector is constructed to have a seat member and a single thin disc orifice member. A guide member affixed to the seat member guides the injector needle toward the seat in the seat member as the needle is reciprocated within the injector by pulsing the injector solenoid. Fuel is conveyed past the guide member by holes that are spaced radially outwardly from the central hole which guides the needle and that are skewed to the injector axis. As fuel passes through these skewed holes, it acquires angular momentum. The effect of this angular momentum is to increase the divergence of the column of fuel that is emitted by the single thin disc orifice member.

Abstract: The amount of protrusion of an end of a standard length push pin from a stationary part of a solenoid-actuated valve is measured at a certain point in the valve fabrication process. Then before the armature is assembled into the valve, a depression whose depth is based on the push pin protrusion measurement is coined into the end of the armature that is to bear against the protruding end of the push pin. When the armature is assembled, the protruding end of the push pin seats in the depression that has been formed in the end of the armature with the result that the air gap between this end of the armature and the stationary part from which the push pin protrudes is the desired thickness. The process is well-suited for automated operation so that maximum production efficiencies can be attained.