Common Rail System Patents (Class 123/456)
  • Publication number: 20100012091
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes a fuel supply rail, a fuel injector configured to control the delivery of fuel from the fuel supply rail, and a noise filtering device engaging an upstream end of the fuel injector and/or positioned at least partially within the fuel injector. The noise filtering device defines a fuel passage configured to direct fuel from the fuel supply rail into the fuel injector. The noise filtering device can include one or more of several features including a pocket, a wrap-around shape to conform to the inlet end of the fuel injector, a face-sealing portion, a compression section, and a plurality of parallel restriction passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Venkatesh Kannan, Michael U. Fischer, William G. Klisz, John P. Casari, Jason L. Kramer, Norbert Mueller, Markus Friedrich
  • Publication number: 20100012093
    Abstract: A coupling for suspending a fuel injector from a fuel rail assembly of an internal combustion engine includes a collar that mates with the fuel injector and a retainer clip that engages with the collar and with an annular flange of an injector socket thereby mechanically connecting the fuel injector to the fuel rail assembly. The retainer clip includes windows having a convex profile to enable even load distribution upon the socket flange when assembled. Coincident keyed features are integrated in the flange of the injector socket and in the collar to facilitate correct alignment of the injector relative to the fuel rail. Paired together, the retainer clip and the collar enable a secure, and coincident keyed fuel injector-to-fuel rail connection that is able to withstand high pressure separating loads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Dean M. Pepperine, Robert B. Perry, Jason M. Urckfitz, Kirk W. Caloroso
  • Patent number: 7647917
    Abstract: An engine for a vehicle, which is configured to enable a combustion stroke to occur in a plurality of cylinders substantially simultaneously, comprises a fuel pipe coupled to a fuel supply source for storing a fuel, a plurality of fuel injectors which are attached to the fuel pipe to respectively correspond to the plurality of cylinders and are configured to inject the fuel to their associated cylinders, and a damper chamber which is provided at the fuel pipe and has an inner space connected to an inner space of the fuel pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20090320797
    Abstract: To provide an electromagnetic proportional control valve for flow rate control that can stably control the flow rate of a fluid without hindering the smooth axial direction movement of a mover and a fuel supply pump that is disposed with this electromagnetic proportional control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Satoshi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20090320798
    Abstract: In a method for determining a rail pressure setpoint value for a high-pressure rail of an internal combustion engine, the rail pressure setpoint value is modified to a maximum degree using a maximum gradient for changing the rail pressure setpoint value, and the maximum gradient is read from a characteristics map as a function of operating parameters of the internal combustion engine. The operating parameters include an engaged gear of a gear-change transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Stefan Koidl, Guido Baumann, Antoine Combelle, Anthony Dieryckxvisschers, Jean-Daniel Mettetal, Pierre Mathis, Enrique Naupari, Martin Schwab, Roland Hafner
  • Publication number: 20090314256
    Abstract: A fluid delivery skid with a pre-fill system for supplying fluid has one or more stages including a first valve and a second valve, each having an open and closed position. The stages have active and inactive states to provide a desired flow rate of fluid to an apparatus for distribution of the fluid. In an active state, fluid is received in the stage and pressurized with the first valve open and the second valve closed. Further, in an active state, fluid is released with the first valve closed and the second open. In an inactive state, at least the second valve is closed. A control unit is connected to a pump unit and controls operation of the pump to regulate the stages to supply pressure at a level determined to achieve the desired flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventor: Robert Bland
  • Publication number: 20090308351
    Abstract: A high pressure fuel supply control system for an internal combustion engine is provided which can reduce shot-to-shot varieties in the quantity of fuel discharged by a high pressure fuel pump and fuel pressure pulsation, thereby realizing stable fuel combustion and emission performance. The fuel supply control system for an internal combustion engine includes fuel injectors provided for a common rail and a high pressure fuel pump for pressure-feeding the fuel sent out from a low-pressure fuel pump to the common rail. The high pressure fuel pump includes a pressurized chamber, a plunger for pressurizing the fuel in the pressurized chamber, a fuel passage valve provided in the pressurized chamber, and an actuator for operating the fuel passage valve. The control system has a drive signal calculation unit which calculates a drive signal for driving the actuator so as to control the discharge quantity of the high pressure fuel pump and the pressure in the common rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi OKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20090301438
    Abstract: A fuel rail (18) of a combustion engine (22) has a main tube (32) with a longitudinal central axis (A) and a cavity (36) forming an inner surface (38) and is designed to contain fuel, a fuel inlet portion (30) is mechanically coupled to the main tube (32), at least one fuel outlet portion (26) is mechanically coupled to the main tube (32) and is arranged hydraulically downstream the fuel inlet portion (30), and a throttle element (44) is arranged in the cavity (36) hydraulically upstream the at least one fuel outlet portion (26). The throttle element (44) comprises an outer surface (46) being at least partially distanced from the inner surface (38) thereby forming a gap (50) between the main tube (32) and the throttle element, and the throttle element and the gap are designed to compensate pressure variations of the fuel in the cavity of the main tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Mario D'Onofrio, Gianbattista Fischetti
  • Publication number: 20090293844
    Abstract: The pressure controlling electromagnetic valve comprises an electric sub-assembly (1) provided with a coil (3) and the yoke thereof (4) associated with a hydraulic sub-assembly (2) provided with a seat (7), which a conduit (9) connecting two high and low-pressure fluid circuits (10, 11), respectively, passes through, sealing means (8) of said conduit (9), a pusher (12) sliding in a pole piece (19) and actuating said scaling means (8), a movable core (13) which is connected to the pusher (12) and whose displacement is controlled by the coil (3), wherein said electric (1) and hydraulic (2) sub-assembly form two distinct unit blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Gillian Escandell, Gérard Garcia, Gérard Desaint
  • Patent number: 7624719
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel supplying device of an internal combustion engine, comprising a low-pressure circuit, a high-pressure pump coupled to the low-pressure circuit and conveys fuel into a fuel reservoir, a volume flow control valve assigned to the high-pressure pump, an electromechanical pressure regulator connected to the fuel reservoir and the low-pressure circuit and can direct fuel from the fuel reservoir into the low-pressure circuit, a regulating mechanism which generates an actuation signal for the volume flow control valve by a first controller in a first mode which generating an actuation signal for the electromechanical pressure regulator with the aid of a second controller in a second mode. The mode of the fuel supplying mechanism is switched in accordance with a fuel pressure error value resulting from a detected fuel pressure and a predefined fuel pressure. The mode can additionally be switched according to the throughput of the high-pressure pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Erwin Achleitner, Martin Cwielong, Gerhard Eser
  • Publication number: 20090277420
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the high-pressure pump (8) for providing a pressurized supply of fuel in an engine furnished with a common rail type fuel injection apparatus is provided with two actuators (88, 89). Of these actuators (88, 89), one (88) is stopped and the operation for providing a pressurized supply of fuel is performed from only the other actuator (89), so that the timing at which the load torque that acts on the crankshaft of the engine becomes a local maximum and the timing at which the load torque that acts on the driveshaft of the high-pressure pump (8) becomes a local minimum are made to coincide with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro OTANI, Hitoshi ADACHI, Fumiya KOTOU, Hideo SHIOMI
  • Publication number: 20090277421
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injector, in particular a common rail injector, for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector has an injection valve element which is adjustable between a closing position and an opening position and which is switchable by means of a control valve. The control valve has a sleevelike control valve element that is adjustable along an adjustment axis and in its closing position rests sealingly on a control valve seat element. According to the invention, it is provided that the control valve seat element is disposed movably relative to the adjustment axis of the control valve element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventor: Nadja EISENMENGER
  • Patent number: 7614385
    Abstract: A compression ignition internal combustion engine which operates using a methane based fuel and an ignition initiator. The fuel and method of operating the engine can be employed in a range of applications such as, for example, road or marine vehicles or in static applications such as electrical generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignees: Statoil ASA
    Inventors: Marie Bysveen, Terje Almås, Robert Jørgensen, Frode Kvinge
  • Publication number: 20090272366
    Abstract: A method of setting up a common rail internal combustion engine system includes setting a fuel pump for a common rail of the engine system at a configuration where a camshaft of the fuel pump is rotationally stable. The rotationally stable configuration may be a configuration where forces acting on the camshaft are balanced. The engine may then be set in an engine timing state which is accordant with the pump configuration, and the pump installed on the engine when in its first configuration and when the engine is at the engine timing state. The pump may be designed such that it has an installation assist mechanism which obviates the need for specialized tools or set up strategies to install the fuel pump on the engine with a correct timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Scott Shafer, Christopher R. Jones
  • Patent number: 7603985
    Abstract: A small-diameter circular column portion having a diameter slightly smaller than that of a small-diameter hole (press-fitting hole) of an inside-outside communication hole is formed at a press-fitting end portion of a bush. A narrow annular clearance is formed between the small-diameter circular column portion and the small-diameter hole when the bush is press-fitted. Even if a press-fitting burr is produced at the press-fitting end portion during manufacturing of a common rail, the press-fitting burr is confined in the depth of the annular clearance. Even when fuel flows through the inside-outside communication hole during engine operation, movement of the fuel and the fuel flow acting on the press-fitting burr are limited in the depth of the annular clearance, inhibiting the press-fitting burr from dropping out or flowing out. Thus, a highly reliable common rail can be provided at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Nagasaka, Hiroyuki Yokoya
  • Patent number: 7606656
    Abstract: A process for automatically controlling the rail pressure (pCR) in an internal combustion engine with a common-rail system during the starting operation, the process including: calculating control deviation from a nominal rail pressure and an actual rail pressure; calculating, in a pressure controller, a correcting variable for actuating a suction throttle on the basis of the control deviation; and the suction throttle determining the required quantity of fuel. After the engine has been started, an adaptation process is activated upon detection of a negative control deviation of the rail pressure (pCR) followed by a positive control deviation, as a result of which the correcting variable is changed temporarily in such way as to increase the amount of fuel being delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Patent number: 7603984
    Abstract: Disclosed is a high-pressure accumulator injection system (10) for an internal combustion engine, preferably a diesel engine. Said injection system (10) comprises a number of injection valves (18) which are connected to a high-pressure conveying device (12) via fuel pipes (16, 14). A reservoir (22) and a check valve encompassing a bypass throttle (24) that is connected in parallel are assigned to each injection valve (18). Said check valve which is assigned to each injection valve (18) and encompasses a bypass throttle (24) that is connected in parallel allows the accumulator injection system (10) to perform stable and reproducible injection processes with a favorable pressure curve during each injection process even when the discrete reservoirs (22) are provided with an unusually low volume. The reservoirs (22) can be integrated in the housing of the injection valves (18). The inventive injection system dispenses with the need for a complex common rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Ganser-Hydromag AG
    Inventor: Marco Ganser
  • Publication number: 20090255511
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine, the system comprising a common rail fuel reservoir having a primary rail axis and comprising a plurality of outlets at spaced locations along said rail axis and a plurality of fuel injectors arranged at spaced locations with respect to said rail axis. Each injector comprises an injector inlet, said plurality of fuel injectors defining first and second groups of injectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Devan Panchal
  • Publication number: 20090241903
    Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a plurality of nozzle groups and a plurality of pump groups. A common rail is fluidly connected with each of the nozzle groups, and each of the pump groups includes a mechanically actuated pressure intensifier having a tappet which can selectively intensify a fuel injection pressure in a corresponding one of the nozzle groups. Each of the mechanically actuated pressure intensifiers is movable in response to rotation of a cam, and includes a spill valve having a first position at which fuel is displaced from the pump group to a low pressure space and a second position at which fuel is displaced to a corresponding one of the nozzle groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Daniel R. Ibrahim, Stephen R. Lewis
  • Patent number: 7591258
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control strategy for balancing injector-to-injector fueling variations for a combustion engine having multiple combustion chambers (and cylinders), with multiple individually actuated injectors for injecting fuel into the combustion chambers, wherein at least one injector is assigned to each combustion chamber and a common rail supplies fuel to the multiple injectors. The method includes changing the actuation waveform of an injector assigned to a combustion chamber having an exhaust gas temperature deviating by more than the predetermined value from the average exhaust gas temperature, in order to change the amount of fuel injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Juergen Nagel, Bert Ritscher, Alan R. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7591246
    Abstract: An isolated fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel rail with a clamping method operable to retain an isolating member with respect to the fuel rail. The isolating member operates to isolate the vibratory motion of the fuel delivery system form the attachment point or points. The attachment point is typically a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. Additionally, an isolating ring assembly is provided having a first and second stiffening member with an isolating ring member disposed therebetween. The isolating ring assembly is disposed between a fuel injector of the isolated fuel delivery system and the cylinder head. The isolating ring member operates to isolate the vibratory motion of the fuel injector from the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Beardmore, Matthew Timothy Hamilton
  • Publication number: 20090229573
    Abstract: An embodiment of a direct injection assembly of the common-rail type provided with a fuel tank, a manifold, a high-pressure pump for feeding the fuel to the manifold, a low-pressure pump provided with an intake pipe and connected to the high-pressure pump by means of the intake pipe to feed the fuel taken from the tank to the high-pressure pump; and a shut-off valve of the ON/OFF type which is arranged along the intake pipe to adjust the delivery of the fuel fed to the high-pressure pump; and a pressure regulator, which is arranged along the intake pipe immediately upstream of the shut-off valve to keep the pressure of the fuel inside the intake pipe under a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: MAGNETI MARELLI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Michele Petrone, Pasquale Dragone, Massimo Mattioli, Daniele De Vita, Andrea Cobianchi
  • Publication number: 20090229572
    Abstract: A high pressure common rail fuel system is provided including a fuel supply, a high pressure pump assembly fluidly connected to receive fuel from the fuel supply, and a gas supply system fluidly connected to provide gas to the high pressure pump assembly to create a high pressure gas fuel mixture. A common rail fuel system is fluidly connected to the high pressure pump assembly to receive the high pressure gas fuel mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: CUMMINS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael A. Lucas, Lars Tegnelius, Donald J. Benson
  • Patent number: 7590482
    Abstract: A fuel injection controller used for a fuel injection device that pumps high-pressure fuel to an accumulator and distributes the high-pressure fuel accumulated in the accumulator to injectors mounted in respective cylinders of an internal combustion engine calculates an input quantity and an output quantity of the fuel to and from the accumulator and monitors fuel pressure in the accumulator with a pressure sensor attached to the accumulator. The fuel injection controller has a determination device that determines whether there is a deviation between a sensing value Pcob1 of the pressure sensor and a corresponding value assumed from data Qpf applied to balance computation of the fuel input/output quantities and a storage part that stores the corresponding value Pcf2 based on the data Qpf applied to the balance computation and the sensing value Pcob1 of the pressure sensor and that enables subsequent reading out of the stored values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7588016
    Abstract: The fuel injection apparatus has a high-pressure pump and has a respective injector for each cylinder of the engine, which injector is at least indirectly connected to the high-pressure pump via a hydraulic line. Each injector is connected to the high-pressure pump via a hydraulic line and/or to the injector of another cylinder of the engine. This makes it possible to eliminate the high-pressure accumulator that is usually provided between the high-pressure pump and the injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Pauer
  • Publication number: 20090223488
    Abstract: The invention proposes an open-loop and closed-loop control method for an internal combustion engine (1) with a common rail injection system, in which a rail pressure (pCR) is subject to closed-loop control during normal operation. The invention is characterized by the fact that a second actual rail pressure is determined by a second filter, a load reduction is detected when the second actual rail pressure exceeds a first limit, and when a load reduction is detected, the rail pressure (pCR) is controlled by setting the PWM signal (PWM) to a PWM value that is increased compared to normal operation by a PWM assignment unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Publication number: 20090223489
    Abstract: A fuel rail assembly of an internal combustion engine includes an axially extending non-round fuel conduit and at least one axially extending stiffening feature integral with said conduit. Integration of the stiffening features in the conduit enables reduction or elimination of the objectionable frequency noise radiated by the fuel rail assembly. By aligning the stiffening features axially relative to the conduit, panels having a relatively small surface area are formed and, thus, the noise radiating surface area is significantly reduced. The axial orientation of the added stiffening features allows the length of the stiffening features to be relatively large, which increases the stiffening effects to provide increased resistance to flexing, thus, reducing the noise radiated by the fuel system of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Patrick A. Furchill, Avoki M. Omekanda, Duane E. Potter
  • Patent number: 7584747
    Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a plurality of nozzle groups and a plurality of pump groups. A common rail is fluidly connected with each of the nozzle groups, and each of the pump groups includes a mechanically actuated pressure intensifier having a tappet which can selectively intensify a fuel injection pressure in a corresponding one of the nozzle groups. Each of the mechanically actuated pressure intensifiers is movable in response to rotation of a cam, and includes a spill valve having a first position at which fuel is displaced from the pump group to a low pressure space and a second position at which fuel is displaced to a corresponding one of the nozzle groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Ibrahim, Stephen R. Lewis
  • Patent number: 7584746
    Abstract: A fuel rail assembly of an internal combustion engine includes an axially extending non-round fuel conduit and at least one axially extending stiffening feature integral with said conduit. Integration of the stiffening features in the conduit enables reduction or elimination of the objectionable frequency noise radiated by the fuel rail assembly. By aligning the stiffening features axially relative to the conduit, panels having a relatively small surface area are formed and, thus, the noise radiating surface area is significantly reduced. The axial orientation of the added stiffening features allows the length of the stiffening features to be relatively large, which increases the stiffening effects to provide increased resistance to flexing, thus, reducing the noise radiated by the fuel system of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick A. Furchill, Avoki M. Omekanda, Duane E. Potter
  • Patent number: 7581529
    Abstract: A sensor is used to sense a property relating to each one of a plurality of different elevational locations within a vertical plane that is normal to a length of an aircraft. The vertical plane passes through the doorway of the aircraft, and at least some of the plurality of different elevational locations are disposed outside a known surface boundary of the aircraft. A variation in the sensed property between two elevational locations is detected, the variation indicative of an elevational position of the known surface boundary. An elevational position of the doorway of the aircraft is determined based upon a known relationship between the known surface boundary and the doorway, and based upon the indicated elevational position of the known surface boundary. The determined elevational position of the doorway is used to guide an aircraft engaging portion of the movable bridge into elevational alignment with the said doorway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Wolff, Bernd Strauss, Hubert Stier, Helga Goller, Stefan Nuesslein, Reinhard Brendel
  • Publication number: 20090211556
    Abstract: A fuel system is disclosed. The fuel system has a first pump configured to provide fuel at a first pressure. The fuel system also has a control valve disposed downstream of the first pump, the control valve being configured to selectively direct the fuel at the first pressure to a treatment device and a regulator valve. The fuel system further has a fuel filter disposed downstream of the regulator valve. The fuel system also has a second pump disposed downstream of the fuel filter. The fuel system further has a relief valve disposed downstream of the fuel filter and upstream of the second pump, the relief valve being configured to maintain fuel upstream of the second pump at a second pressure that is different from the first pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventor: Paul John Smith
  • Publication number: 20090212134
    Abstract: A common-rail fuel injector (1) has a forged housing containing a nozzle and a reservoir (2) for supplying the nozzle with fuel. In order to reduce its height the housing integrally incorporates a flow limiter (4) and a filter (5) in a laterally protruding portion (1a) to which the fuel pipe is connected at (18). This means that the reservoir can be held in place underneath the engine cover (30) by a clamp (3) between the rocker levers (16) in a space-saving manner, and the injector can be removed without disturbing the valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: MAN B & W DIESEL, LTD.
    Inventors: Ian Walter Drake, Neil Vernon Avis
  • Patent number: 7574995
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine, comprises: a pump comprising a pumping plunger which is driven, in use, to cause pressurization of fuel within a pump chamber, an accumulator volume for supplying fuel to a fuel injector, a fuel passage providing fluid communication between the pump chamber and the accumulator volume, and an inlet control valve operable to control fuel flow into the pump chamber from a low pressure reservoir; wherein the inlet control valve is a latching inlet valve. The fuel injection system may be a hybrid fuel injection system, having a rail valve located in the fuel passage between the pump chamber and the accumulator volume. The latching inlet valve may be a two-way electronic latching poppet valve, and the rail valve may be a non-return valve. A method of operating such a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark S. Graham
  • Publication number: 20090199822
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system comprises a fuel rail having a flow channel therein. The fuel delivery system further comprises a fuel injector cup that includes a base at a first end thereof, an opening at a second end thereof opposite the first end, and an inner cavity disposed between the base and the opening. The first end of the fuel injector cup is configured to be disposed within the flow channel of the fuel rail. The fuel delivery system further comprises a heating element. The fuel rail of the fuel delivery system further includes a port therein that is configured for receiving the heating element. Additionally, the fuel injector cup of the fuel delivery system further includes an aperture therein also configured for receiving the heating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventor: Robert J. Doherty
  • Publication number: 20090194072
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors fluidly connected to a common rail. Each of the fuel injectors has at least one body component and includes an intensifier control valve for controlling movement of an intensifier piston, a needle control valve for controlling movement of a needle valve member, and exactly one electrical actuator coupled with the intensifier control valve and the needle control valve via a coupling linkage. The intensifier control valve and the needle control valve each include a valve member that is movable with respect to a valve seat. The electrical actuator includes an intermediate position during which the valve member of one of the intensifier control valve and the needle control valve is in contact with the respective valve seat, and the valve member of the other of the intensifier control valve and the needle control valve is out of contact with the respective valve seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Stephen R. Lewis, Bradley E. Bartley, Avinash R. Manubolu, Shriprasad G. Lakhapati, Dianqi Fang, Michael Gerstner, Christopher D. Hanson, Jeffrey M. Mullinix
  • Publication number: 20090188468
    Abstract: A modified common rail fuel injection system, for diesel engines, is described, for use with slurry fuels comprising dissolved supplementary atomizing gases. Two separate high pressure fluid circuits are utilized to supply and operate the engine fuel injectors. A high pressure fuel circuit comprises, a high pressure pump delivering engine fuel into a fuel common rail, from which the fuel is delivered into each fuel injector, and from there into each engine combustion chamber. A high pressure hydraulic circuit comprises, a high pressure pump delivering hydraulic fluid into a hydraulic common rail, from which the hydraulic fluid acts on drivers of the injector valves, via timed on-off valves, to operate each fuel injector at the proper time in each engine cylinder cycle. Reliable operation of the fuel injectors is not impaired by slurry fuel degassing or slurry fuel particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventor: Joseph Carl Firey
  • Publication number: 20090188469
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fuel injector for an internal combustion engine, which can achieve the improved responsiveness to the target fuel pressure as well as the improved controllability even when the fuel pressure is greatly decreased. A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine: a high pressure pump 103 for pressure feeding high pressure fuel of the internal combustion engine; a fuel rail 105 for accumulating the fuel that has been pressure fed by the high pressure pump; an injection valve 106 for injecting, into a cylinder, the fuel accumulated in the fuel rail; a fuel pressure sensor 104 for detecting the pressure of the fuel that is accumulated in the fuel rail; an electromagnetic relief valve 107 for discharging the pressure accumulated fuel of the fuel rail; and an ECU 110 for controlling opening and closing of the electromagnetic relief valve 107.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsaku TSUKADA, Hideharu Ehara, Takashi Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20090179421
    Abstract: An apparatus for coupling components in a fuel delivery system together is presented. The apparatus comprises a first member having a first end, a second end, and throughgoing passageway therebetween. The apparatus further comprises a second member having a throughgoing bore therein. The throughgoing bore is configured to receive the first end of the first member. The first and second members of the apparatus are configured to be affixed together to create a joint between the first end of the first member and the inner wall of the bore of the second member such that the passageway and the bore are in substantial alignment with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: David C. Stieler, Michael J. Zdroik, Robert J. Doherty, Jackson Zel Roe, Gary L. Handshoe
  • Publication number: 20090178650
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system comprises a fuel rail having an outlet, and a fuel injector cup associated with the fuel rail outlet. The fuel injector cup includes a cup portion and a ring portion. The cup portion comprises a body, and the body includes a base at a first end, an opening at a second end, and an inner cavity therein between the base and the opening. The cavity of the cup portion is configured to receive a fuel injector, and the first end of the cup portion is configured to be associated with the outlet of the fuel rail. The ring portion of the fuel injector cup is configured to be affixed to the cup portion, and the second end thereof, in particular. The ring portion is further configured to reinforce the second end of said cup portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventor: Michael J. Zdroik
  • Publication number: 20090177366
    Abstract: In order to reduce the quantity deviation of a fuel injection valve, it is proposed according to the various embodiments that a test injection be carried out during an overrun cut-off phase of a motor vehicle in operation. In the process, the fuel rail (2) is closed on the inlet side and the selected injection valve (1) is activated. A quantity difference between the predetermined setpoint and the actual value can be determined by measuring a pressure difference in the fuel rail (2) before and after the test injection. This results in a correction factor with which the activation for the selected injection valve (1) is corrected for subsequent injections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Erwin Achleitner, Thomas Maurer, Carlos Eduardo Migueis
  • Publication number: 20090173317
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system comprising a fuel rail having an outlet and a receptor cup associated therewith. The system further including a fuel injector having an inlet, an outlet and a body therebetween. The inlet is configured for insertion into the cup of the fuel rail and for fluid communication with the outlet thereof. The system still further including a retention clip configured for engagement with the fuel injector and the cup in order to couple the fuel injector with the fuel rail. In the inventive system, the fuel injector further includes a load distribution feature. This feature is configured to engage a portion of the retention clip and to assist with the distribution about the clip of a load applied to the injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MILLENNIUM INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Doherty, Michael J. Zdroik
  • Patent number: 7556023
    Abstract: The present invention reduces exhaust emissions at startup, provides improved fuel pressure control performance in a low-load region, and detects high-pressure fuel system abnormalities. Disclosed is a high-pressure fuel system control device which includes a high-pressure pump for pressurizing fuel and discharging the pressurized fuel to a fuel rail, an injector for injecting the fuel stored in the fuel rail, and a fuel pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of the fuel stored in the fuel rail, and controls the high-pressure pump and the injector in accordance with an output generated from the fuel pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ilhoshi, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Toshio Hori, Shin Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7556022
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system comprising a fuel rail having an outlet and a receptor cup associated therewith. The system further including a fuel injector having an inlet, an outlet and a body therebetween. The inlet is configured for insertion into the cup of the fuel rail and for fluid communication with the outlet thereof. The system still further including a retention clip configured for engagement with the fuel injector and the cup in order to couple the fuel injector with the fuel rail. In the inventive system, the fuel injector further includes a load distribution feature. This feature is configured to engage a portion of the retention clip and to assist with the distribution about the clip of a load applied to the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Millennium Industries
    Inventors: Robert Doherty, Michael J. Zdroik
  • Patent number: 7556021
    Abstract: To improve maintenance workability of fuel injection valves in multiple throttle bodies, a distribution member (D) is provided with a fuel distribution path (3) communicating with a fuel inflow path (8), throttle body mounting holes (7, 7) and injection valve support member mounting holes (6, 6), injection valve support members (S, S) are provided with injection valve support bosses (12, 12), the distribution member (D) is screwed to the one and other side throttle bodies (T1, T2) via the throttle body mounting holes (7, 7), the other side end surfaces (11, 11) of the injection valve support members (S, S) are screwed on one and the other side end surfaces (1, 2) of the distribution member (D), and the other and one side fuel injection valves (Ja, Jb) are held by the injection valve support members (S, S) and the other and one side throttle body (T2, T1) respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Toriumi, Yoichi Yanagii
  • Patent number: 7552716
    Abstract: A common rail fuel injection system includes an electronic control unit and a fuel pressure sensor. The electronic control unit is equipped with a power supply circuit which supplies a power supply voltage to the fuel pressure sensor through a harness. The power supply voltage is used in the pressure fuel sensor as a drive voltage to drive a sensor element of the fuel pressure sensor. The electronic control unit monitors an output voltage of the fuel pressure sensor to determine the pressure of fuel in a common rail and also monitors the drive voltage applied to the fuel pressure sensor to determine whether the drive voltage is undesirably lower than the power supply voltage or not. If such a condition is encountered, the electronic control unit takes measures to avoid an excessive rise in pressure in the common rail to protect the common rail physically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Masatoyo Osaki
  • Publication number: 20090159057
    Abstract: As one example, a fuel rail assembly for supplying pressurized fuel to a plurality of cylinders of an engine is provided. The fuel rail assembly includes a fuel rail housing defining an internal fuel rail volume having at least a first region and a second region; a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail housing that segregates the first region from the second region. The membrane element can be configured to pass a first component of a fuel mixture such as an alcohol through the membrane element from the first region to the second region at a higher rate than a second component of the fuel mixture such as a hydrocarbon. The separated alcohol and hydrocarbon components can be provided to the engine in varying relative amounts based on operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Mark Allen Dearth, Tom G. Leone
  • Publication number: 20090162706
    Abstract: A ceramic member in which the metal layers with high void ratio are sufficiently sintered to lower a residue of resin is produced. The method for manufacturing a ceramic member which comprises a step of forming a stacked compact from a plurality of metallic paste layers containing a metal component M1 that are stacked one on another via ceramic green sheets, and a step of firing the stacked compact, wherein at least one of plural metallic paste layers is formed as a second metallic paste layer that has the mass percentage X higher than that of the metallic paste layer that adjoin therewith in the stacking direction, the mass percentage X being the proportion of the metal component M1 to the total metal content in the metallic paste layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Okamura, Tomohiro Kawamoto, Shigenobu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20090164094
    Abstract: A fuel system has a source of fuel coupled to a plurality of fuel injectors via a fuel rail. The system is operable to estimate a quantity of fuel injected into an internal combustion engine by disabling fuel flow from the source of fuel to the fuel rail, and monitoring a fuel request corresponding to a request for delivery of fuel by the fuel system to the engine produced by the engine. If the fuel request is below a threshold fueling level a selected fuel injector is controlled to inject a selected quantity of fuel from the fuel rail into the engine while inhibiting fuel injection the remaining fuel injectors, fuel rail pressure is sampled, a drop in the fuel rail pressure, resulting from injection of the selected quantity of fuel, is determined from the fuel rail pressure samples, and the quantity of fuel injected by the selected injector is determined as a function of the drop in fuel rail pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Mert Geveci, Richard Reisinger, Michael Robert Tidwell
  • Publication number: 20090159048
    Abstract: An injected fuel pressure boosting device provided with a large diameter piston, a medium diameter piston, and a small diameter piston. A high pressure chamber filled at high pressure at all times is formed at the outer end of the medium diameter pistons, while a pressure boosting chamber is formed at the outer end of the small diameter piston. A pressure control chamber is formed on the end face of the large diameter piston on the small diameter piston side. When high pressure fuel is supplied to the pressure control chamber, the large diameter piston moves to the medium diameter piston side, that is, the pressure boosting preparation position. At this time, the leaked fuel outflow port is closed by the end face of the large diameter piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, NIPPON SOKEN, INC, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Yamada, Yoshimasa Watanabe, Hirokuni Tomita, Yoshihisa Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20090159049
    Abstract: A common rail and injectors are connected by fuel pipes disposed outside a cylinder head cover. The common rail and the plurality of injectors integrated by the fuel pipes can be detached from a cylinder head, so that the plurality of injectors are detached from the cylinder head together with the common rail. In removing the cylinder head cover for inspection work, therefore, release of the connections of the fuel pipes to the injectors and to the common rail can be eliminated to minimize the release of the connection of piping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Sakagami, Koichi Takada