Electromagnetically Operated Valve (e.g., Ball-type) Patents (Class 239/585.1)
  • Patent number: 6877679
    Abstract: A conventional fuel injection system meters fuel by varying the time for which the injector is open. This is an empirical rather than fundamental method of metering the fuel. The amount of fuel delivered for a given injector opening time will depend on the pressure difference across the injector orifice and the exact dimensions of the injector orifice. Both these parameters are subject to variation. An injector (1) which comprises a plunger (2), a solenoid coil (3), and a conical return spring (11) which is driving a primary high pressure pump assembly consisting of a primary piston (4) within a primary cylinder (5) together with primary inlet valve (8) and primary outlet valve (7). The plunger (2) is also driving a secondary low pressure pump assembly consisting of a secondary piston (22), secondary cylinder (23), secondary inlet valve (24) and secondary outlet valve (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Keith Trevor Lawes
  • Patent number: 6877678
    Abstract: A fuel injector flow director plate assembly having a conventional flow director plate and a director plate retainer disposed in a recess in the fuel injector, the retainer having any of several novel structures for reducing buildup of fuel in the corner between the plate retainer and the recess wall and eliminating dripping of fuel. For example, the retainer may be provided with a long skirt having a small diameter; a shorter skirt; a spherical skirt; a skirt stepped axially; a skirt formed as an axial flange on a separate ring member which is installed outside the retainer itself, the flange protruding through the retainer; a separate ring member installed outside a retainer and having an opening of diameter smaller than the opening in the retainer; and a separate ring member installed inside the retainer and having an opening of diameter smaller than the opening in the retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenbin Xu, Michael X. Schneider
  • Patent number: 6877680
    Abstract: Disclosed is an injector for fuel injection, with a magnet valve for controlling an injection valve, in which the magnet valve has a movable armature that can be moved onto a valve seat in the lower armature chamber. The lower armature chamber communicates fluidically with the control pressure chamber of the injection valve via bores. Via a return bore, incidental leak fuel quantities can be returned to a tank via the lower armature chamber. To prevent armature recoil upon closure of the valve seat by the armature, it is proposed that means be provided in the injector for reducing pressure fluctuations occurring in the lower armature chamber. Eliminating pressure fluctuations in the lower armature chamber leads to maximal elimination of armature recoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ruediger Bauer, Rainer Schnatterer, Mattias Zettl
  • Patent number: 6874710
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve includes: a magnetic barrel body made of a magnetic material and shaped substantially into a barrel, a core barrel made of a magnetic material and shaped substantially into a barrel, a valve seat member positioned on a downstream side of the core barrel and disposed in the magnetic barrel body, a valve body positioned between the core barrel and the valve seat member, an O-ring positioned in a vicinity of a flange portion of the magnetic barrel body, a fuel filter assembly disposed at the first end on the fuel's influx side of the magnetic barrel body. A flange of the fuel filter assembly is made of a material lower in hardness than the magnetic material of the magnetic barrel body. The flange of the fuel filter assembly has a diameter larger than the diameter of the flange portion of the magnetic barrel body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi Unisia Automotive, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobutaka Ishii, Hideo Kato, Tomoichi Misawa, Nobuaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6874709
    Abstract: The injector has a hollow body housing the body of the metering valve, which has a discharge hole for discharging the usual control chamber. The hole comes out at a flat surface of the valve body, and is engaged by a flat surface of a plate, under the control of an armature of an electromagnet. The armature is in the form of a disk, has substantially no stem, is connected to the hollow body by a leaf spring hinge, and has a surface having a spherical-bowl-shaped recess. A ball is located between the recess and another recess carried by a second surface of the plate. The valve body is fixed to the hollow body by a ring nut of a given height. And, to cover the distance between the valve body and the armature, a spacer member is preferably formed in one piece with the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventor: Mario Ricco
  • Patent number: 6871803
    Abstract: A valve with an integral orifice for use in gas feeding equipment provided with a pressure-type flow volume control device to be employed for manufacturing of semi-conductors and chemical goods. The valve with an integral orifice has the excellent flow rate control characteristics by improving the processing accuracy of the orifice and preventing the distortion of the orifice at the time of assembling. The orifice is formed in a stainless steel made orifice disc. The metal-made orifice disc with the orifice formed by separate processing and the synthetic-resin-made valve seat body are removably assembled, wherein the orifice disc and the synthetic resin made valve seat body are fixed airtight to the valve main body by pressing the valve seat body via a metal inner disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignees: Fujikin Incorporated
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda, Michio Yamaji, Ryousuke Dohi, Eiji Ideta, Takashi Hirose
  • Patent number: 6871800
    Abstract: A fuel injector (10; 100) comprises an inlet (60) from which fuel can be transferred into a cavity (61) of the injector, at least one outlet orifice (86) communicating with said cavity (61), and ejecting means (44, 88) operable to apply force to fuel in said cavity to cause said fuel to be ejected through said orifice as discreet charges at pre-determined intervals. The operation of said ejecting means (44, 88) is also operable to transfer further fuel into said cavity (61).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Ignition (U.K.) Limited
    Inventors: Paul Tinwell, John Anthony Burrows
  • Patent number: 6869033
    Abstract: The injector has a hollow body supporting an ordinary injection nozzle and a metering valve for metering the fuel to be injected; and a support defined by a sleeve and by an end wall. The sleeve houses an electromagnet controlling the metering valve, and is fitted to the hollow body. For which purpose, there is provided a leaf spring having a ring-shaped portion engaging the end wall of the support; and a number of elastic blades, each terminating with a hook-shaped appendix which engages a corresponding retaining element on the hollow body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Adriano Gorgoglione
  • Patent number: 6869034
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular a fuel injector for fuel-injection systems of internal combustion engines, includes a valve needle cooperating with a valve-seat surface to form a sealing seat, and has an armature engaging with the valve needle, the armature being axially moveable on the valve needle and damped by a damping element made of an elastomer. The damping element is positioned in a recess of the armature at the valve needle in such a way that the valve needle is connected to the armature in the radial direction via the damping element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Glaser
  • Patent number: 6866204
    Abstract: A fuel injector system (10) includes a piezoelectric sensor (52) mounted along a spool valve axis (18) of the injector body (12). The piezoelectric sensor (52) is mounted within a spool valve stop (41). As the spool valve (16) reaches the stop (41), the piezoelectric sensor (52) identifies the force exerted thereupon and transmits the generated signal to the controller (44). Through communication with piezoelectric sensor (52) the controller determines when the spool valve (16) has reached a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Joerg Christoph Becker, Guenter Hammer
  • Patent number: 6866210
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines has a valve-closure member that is in working engagement with a valve needle and that coacts with a valve-seat surface positioned in an orifice of a valve-seat member to form a sealing seat. The fuel injector has at least one spray discharge opening positioned in the valve-seat member. Between the valve-seat surface and the spray discharge opening, a second surface that make a more acute angle with the center axis of the fuel injector than the valve-seat surface, is formed by the orifice of the valve-seat member. A closure element extension whose enveloping surface forms an obtuse angle with the contiguous contour of the valve-closure member is positioned at the downstream end of the valve-closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guenther Hohl, Norbert Keim
  • Patent number: 6857585
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described, particularly for fuel injector systems of internal combustion engines, including an actuator, a valve needle actuatable by the actuator for actuation of a valve-closure member, which together with a valve-seat surface forms a sealing seat, and a swirl device, having at least one swirl channel through which fuel flows having a tangential component regarding a longitudinal axis of the fuel injector. The axial position of a bypass disk, which is mechanically linked to a valve needle, determines a cross section of at least one bypass channel, which bypasses the at least one swirl channel without a tangential component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Hermann Winner
  • Patent number: 6857584
    Abstract: A fuel injector, particularly a fuel injector for fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines, has a magnetic coil, an armature acted upon in a closing direction by a resetting spring and a valve needle connected to the armature by force-locking for operating a valve-closure member, which forms a sealing seat together with a valve-seat surface. The armature has a pot-shaped axial extension, in which at least one cutout is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Sebastian, Matthias Boee
  • Patent number: 6851631
    Abstract: A fuel injector for use with an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector comprises a valve group subassembly and a coil group subassembly. The valve group subassembly includes a tube assembly having a longitudinal axis that extends between a first end and a second end; a seat that is secured at the second end of the tube assembly and that defines an opening; an armature assembly that is disposed within the tube assembly; a member that biases the armature assembly toward the seat; an adjusting tube that is disposed in the tube assembly and that engages the member for adjusting a biasing force of the member; a filter that is located at the first end of the tube assembly and that has an integral retaining portion; an O-ring that circumscribes the first end of the tube assembly and that is maintained by the retaining portion of the filter; and a first attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corp.
    Inventors: Michael P. Dallmeyer, Robert McFarland, James Robert Parish, Dennis Bulgatz
  • Patent number: 6851629
    Abstract: A fuel injector (1) for fuel injector systems of internal combustion engines has a valve-closure member (4) which is mechanically linked to a valve needle (3) and cooperates with a valve-seat surface (6) of a valve-seat member (5) to form a sealing seat. A turbulence-producing element is provided in the valve-seat member (5), situated downstream from the sealing seat, and its center line (38) preferably forms an angle different from zero with the center line (39) of the fuel injector (1), a threaded rod (36) being pressed into the valve-seat member (5) as the turbulence-producing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hubert Stier, Joerg Heyse
  • Patent number: 6851630
    Abstract: An electromagnetic fuel injection valve includes a valve housing coupled to at one end thereof to a valve seat member; a stationary core coupled to the other end of the valve housing; and a valve assembly comprised of a movable core slidably accommodated in the valve housing, and a valve member connected to the movable core through a rod portion and adapted to cooperate with the valve seat. In the electromagnetic fuel injection valve, the valve housing is provided with a guide portion on which the valve assembly is axially slidably carried, and a high-hardness coating of diamond-like carbon including silicon is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the valve assembly contacting with the guide portion. The surface roughness Rmax of the high-hardness coating is set in a range of 0.05 to 0.2 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Nagaoka, Hideyuki Watanabe, Shinya Ichise
  • Patent number: 6851622
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Sims B. Deméré, Robert McFarland, Dennis Bulgatz
  • Patent number: 6848626
    Abstract: A fuel injector system (10) calculates a first derivative filtered signal and a second derivative filtered signal from an unpowered spool valve coil signal. When the spool valve (16) reaches the end of travel, either open or closed position, a flat slope f is generated on the falling edge of the bell shaped signal. The second derivative provides a readily apparent determination of when the steep slope occurs. A comparator (62) thereby need only determine when the second derivative is zero to identify that the spool valve has reached the end of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Mary B. McCoy, Larry Hiltunen, Simon Makar, Rafael Cobas-Asensio, Jason Mucha, Changhong Zhang, John Curtis McCoy
  • Patent number: 6845926
    Abstract: A hydraulically actuated, intensified fuel injector includes a controller achieving a desired injection control strategy by selectively independently porting actuating fluid to and venting actuating fluid from an intensifier piston to control the compressive stroke of the intensifier piston and selectively independently porting actuating fluid to and venting actuating fluid from a needle valve to control the opening and closing of the needle valve during the injection event. A method of control is further included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Ning Lei
  • Patent number: 6840465
    Abstract: Using a swirl type fuel injection valve, a concentrated spray area and a thin spray area are formed, the position thereof are adjusted, and the spray is made to conform to the geometric shape of the engine and mounting position of the fuel injection valve, so as to reduce the fuel consumption and control the unburnt components in exhaust gas. The fuel injection valve is so constructed that a step is formed on the injection hole opening of the fuel injection valve, so as to provide two or more edge transition portions at the injection hole opening, resulting from the step, and the line connecting the edge transition portions forms an oblique angle relative to the wall formed by the step perpendicular to the injection hole center axis and the angled wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoyuki Abe, Yoshio Okamoto, Yuzo Kadomukai, Makoto Yamakado, Ayumu Miyajima, Hiromasa Kubo, Toru Ishikawa, Yasuo Namaizawa
  • Patent number: 6840459
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular a fuel injector for fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines, has a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive actuator, a valve closing element that can be actuated by the actuator and that works together with a valve seat face to form a seal seat, and a temperature compensation device. The temperature compensation device has a housing that is elastically deformable along a direction of actuation of the actuator, and has at least one throttle that connects an interior space of the housing with a fuel inlet of the fuel injector. The cross-section of this throttle is dimensioned such that an entry and exit of fuel into the housing of the temperature compensation device is enabled when there is a temperature-caused change in length of components of the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Ruehle, Hubert Stier, Matthias Boee, Guenther Hohl, Norbert Keim
  • Patent number: 6840500
    Abstract: A fuel injector for use with an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector comprises a valve group subassembly and a coil group subassembly. The valve group subassembly includes a tube assembly having a longitudinal axis that extends between a first end and a second end; a seat that is secured at the second end of the tube assembly and that defines an opening; an armature assembly that is disposed within the tube assembly; a member that biases the armature assembly toward the seat; an adjusting tube that is disposed in the tube assembly and that engages the member for adjusting a biasing force of the member; a filter that is disposed within the tube; and a first attachment portion. The coil group subassembly includes a solenoid coil that is operable to displace the armature assembly with respect to the seat; and a second attachment portion that is fixedly connected to the first attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotovie Corporation
    Inventors: Michael P. Dallmeyer, Robert McFarland, Bryan Hall, Ross Wood
  • Patent number: 6840467
    Abstract: Fuel injector, in particular, a fuel injector for the direct injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine is described having an actuator for actuating a valve needle, the valve needle having on an injection-side end a valve-closure member which forms a sealing seat together with a valve-seat surface, which is formed on a valve-seat member. Fuel channels are arranged in a valve needle guide, connected to the valve-seat member or designed as a single piece with it, in several rows circumferentially in the valve needle guide, at least one row of fuel channels being arranged, in the resting state of the fuel injector, above a guide line of the valve-closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Dantes, Detlef Nowak
  • Patent number: 6840466
    Abstract: A hydraulic control valve for a fuel injector for an automotive engine, which includes a piezoelectric actuator and a hydraulic valve mechanism. The hydraulic valve mechanism converts a mechanical deformation of the piezoelectric actuator produced as a result of application of a voltage into a hydraulic pressure to move a valve member for opening and closing a fluid port. The hydraulic valve mechanism is so designed that the piezoelectric actuator produces a maximum output force which works to develop the hydraulic pressure when opening the fluid port through the valve member and decreases after the fluid port is opened and which is set smaller than one-half of a maximum possible output force of the piezoelectric actuator under application of a maximum working voltage to said piezoelectric actuator, thereby ensuring a maximum movement of the valve member at high energy efficiency under application of the voltage within a working voltage range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiko Igashira, Satoshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6837445
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a nozzle type atomizer with two or more aligned “horn” stages. The definition of a “horn” stage is well known in the prior art as an effectively half wavelength length and a tapering shape with a central conduit. The present invention uses two to five, or more, horn stages integrally attached end to end. The dramatic improvement in amplitude of the vibration at the tip of the nozzle is without precedence in the prior art. The present invention makes application of transducer vibration at greater than 200 kHz possible. The present invention reduces the required applied energy for generating the necessary amplitude at the tip by the discovery of amplitude multiplication with two or more horn stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Inventor: Shirley Cheng Tsai
  • Patent number: 6837449
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel-injection systems of internal combustion engines includes an actuator, a valve needle, which is able to be activated by the actuator to actuate a valve-closure member, which, together with a valve-seat surface formed at a valve-seat member, forms a sealing seat; and a plurality of spray-discharge orifices which is formed in the valve-seat member. At a discharge-side end of the fuel injector, a nozzle-orifice cover is positioned, which shields the spray-discharge orifices from the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Dantes, Detlef Nowak
  • Patent number: 6837450
    Abstract: An injector for a common rail fuel injection system in which the opening of the nozzle needle is done under pressure control, while the nozzle needle is compulsorily closed when the control valve closes. This has advantages with regard to the onset of injection and the closing of the nozzle needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Friedrich Boecking
  • Patent number: 6834812
    Abstract: Fuel injector provided with a piezoelectric actuator, a valve activated by the piezoelectric actuator and regulating a fuel supply that flows in a working direction, and a mechanical transmission placed between the piezoelectric actuator and the valve; an expansion of the piezoelectric actuator displaces the valve in the working direction from a closed position to an open position in an opposite direction to that of the fuel outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Neretti, Michele Petrone, Andrea Ricci, Cecilia Lamberti
  • Patent number: 6834667
    Abstract: In a fuel injection valve, an adjustment pipe made of stainless steel and for adjusting a compression amount of a spring biasing a valve member is press-fitted into a cylindrical housing made of stainless steel, and a fuel injection amount is adjusted by adjusting a spring force of the spring in accordance with a press-fitted amount of the adjustment pipe. The adjustment pipe is immersed in an oxalic acid solution so that an oxalate film is formed thereon before being press-fitted into the cylindrical housing. Therefore, the oxalate film prevents a direct press-contact between an outer peripheral surface of the adjustment pipe and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Sadao Sumiya, Hiroatsu Yamada
  • Publication number: 20040256499
    Abstract: The positioning of the actuating drive in a fuel injector with a piezoactor (2) that is screwed into the housing (1) of the fuel injector is performed by applying a voltage (U) to the piezoactor (2) that corresponds to a given idle stroke (h), and the surface grinding of the housing (3) and base plate (4) of the piezoactor (2) when voltage is applied. Between the housing (1) of the fuel injector and the housing (3) of the piezoactor (2), there is also provided a compensation collar (9) of a suitable thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Wilhelm Frank, Stefan Lehmann, Martin Neumaier, Gerd Schmutzler, Wendelin Kluegl, Guenter Lewentz, Reda Rizk
  • Publication number: 20040256500
    Abstract: Among other aspects shown and described, a fuel supply apparatus that provides multiple fuel spray targeting angles as a function of fuel pressure towards a combustion chamber of an engine to reduce hydrocarbon emission during cold-start or hot-start. A method and fuel system are also shown and described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventor: Zeki Alyanak
  • Patent number: 6830201
    Abstract: A fuel injector assembly comprising an engine camshaft driven piston plunger in a plunger body, a control valve, an electromagnetic actuator for stroking the control valve between limiting positions and a valve stop assembly establishing a first limiting valve stroke position when the control valve is fully open and a second valve stroke position corresponding to a reduced fuel delivery pressure prior to a main fuel pressure pulse in a fuel injection event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Seelbach
  • Patent number: 6830202
    Abstract: A two stage intensifier capable of multiple intensification rates comprises a stepped top portion and a shoulder portion, each being actuated by separate fluid passages. A stepped top portion is received into an upper bore of a piston bore and a shoulder is received into a lower bore. The stepped top forms a seal with the upper bore to prevent direct fluid communication between a first actuation cavity above the stepped top and a second actuation cavity above the shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventor: Dana R. Coldren
  • Patent number: 6827297
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve having a valve body (5), in which a pistonlike valve member (7) is guided longitudinally displaceably in a bore (15) embodied as a blind bore. A conical valve seat (23) and at least one injection port (25) are embodied on the bottom face of the bore (15), and the injection port connects a pressure chamber (11), formed between the portion (107) of the valve member (7) toward the combustion chamber and the bore (15), with the combustion chamber. On the end toward the combustion chamber of the valve member (7), there is a valve member tip (13), on which a first conical face (30), adjacent to the valve member (7), and a second conical face (32), disposed on the combustion chamber side of the first conical face, are embodied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Axel Hockenberger
  • Publication number: 20040238774
    Abstract: An electromagnetic control valve is provided. The control valve includes a housing defining a bore and a fluid passageway having a seat. A valve element is slidably disposed in the bore and is moveable between a first position where a flow of fluid passes by the seat and a second position where a flow of fluid relative to the seat is blocked. A solenoid having an armature is operatively connected with the valve element. The solenoid is operable to move the valve element from the first position to the second position. A biasing assembly is operatively engaged with the valve element and is adapted to move the valve element from the second position towards the first position. The biasing assembly exerts a first force on the valve element during a first predetermined travel distance from the second position and a second force on the valve element during a second predetermined travel distance. The first force is greater than the second force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Lewis, Dana R. Coldren, Harish K. Krishnaswamy, Sudhindra K. Ayanji, Jeremy T. Claus
  • Patent number: 6824081
    Abstract: An improved fuel injector is provided which effectively controls fuel injection events using two injection control valves which operate in series to control the movement of a nozzle valve element. An outer injection control valve and actuator assembly operates to control fluid pressure in a control volume adjacent an inner injection control valve thereby controlling the movement of the inner control valve which, in turn, controls fuel pressure in an inner control volume adjacent one end of the nozzle valve element. A particular design of the inner injection control valve prevents control valve oscillations thereby minimizing unwanted fuel injection variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Lester L. Peters, C. Edward Morris, David M. Rix, Shankar C. Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 6824085
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular for direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, includes a valve-closure member which forms a sealing seat together with a valve-seat surface which is formed on a valve-seat member, and several injection orifices, each of which is connected with at least one spiral groove so that an outer edge of the swirl grooves coincides in part with a circumferential edge of the injection orifices. The swirl grooves extend generally perpendicular to a center line of the injection orifice associated with them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Sebastian, Jens Pohlmann, Martin Maier, Guenter Dantes, Detlef Nowak, Joerg Heyse, Joerg Schlerfer
  • Patent number: 6823833
    Abstract: The swirl injector for an internal combustion engine is an electronic fuel injector for a direct injection engine, either gasoline or diesel. The injector has a housing defining a fluid channel, a needle valve disposed in the fluid channel with a spring biasing the valve to a closed position, and a solenoid disposed in the housing encircling the fluid channel. The injector has a nozzle with a conical valve seat and a cylindrical discharge orifice. The needle tip is ball shaped, and the needle body has a plurality of helical grooves which are rectangular in cross section having a width to depth ratio of 1.5:1 at about a 46° angle adjacent the tip. The valve lift is 50 &mgr;m in 60 &mgr;s. The penetration, swirl speed, and pitch angle are controllable through the injection pressure, providing an enhanced fuel injector for dual mode fuel injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Combustion Dymanics Corp.
    Inventor: Murad M. Ismailov
  • Patent number: 6824084
    Abstract: A fuel injector (1) for fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines has a solenoid (10), a valve needle (3) pressed in the closing direction by a return spring (23) to activate a valve closing member (4), which together with a valve seat surface (5) forms a sealing seat, and an armature (20) in friction-locking connection with a valve needle (3). A first guide sleeve (35) and a second guide sleeve (36) are connected to the valve needle (3). The armature (20) has radial play with respect to the valve needle (3) as a result of the central opening (34), the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the valve needle (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Maier, Guenther Hohl
  • Patent number: 6820826
    Abstract: A subassembly of a fuel injector that allows spray targeting and distribution of fuel to be configured using non-angled or straight orifice having an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the subassembly. Metering orifices are located about the longitudinal axis and defining a first virtual circle greater than a second virtual circle defined by a projection of the sealing surface onto the metering disc so that all of the metering orifices are disposed outside the second virtual circle within one quadrant of the circle. A channel is formed between the seat orifice and the metering disc that allows the fuel injector to target fuel spray generally within an arcuate sector of at least 90 degrees about the longitudinal axis of the metering disc. A method of targeting is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corp.
    Inventor: William A. Peterson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6820827
    Abstract: An injector for a fuel injection system is proposed, having an at least partial compensation for the hydraulic forces acting on the nozzle needle. In addition, the fuel volume to be controlled is reduced, so that short control times are possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Friedrich Boecking
  • Publication number: 20040227018
    Abstract: A fuel injector comprising a pumping chamber pressurized by an actuator responsive to an engine controller for delivering pressurized fuel from the pumping chamber to a control valve module to control pressure applied at the outlet of an injector nozzle. The control valve module includes at least one control valve. Valve actuators are in a stator core plate that is independent of the control valve module. Machining operations during manufacture of the injector are simplified by a separation of the stator core plate and the control valve module. Mating, juxtaposed surfaces of the control valve module and the stator core plate are fixed by an indexer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH FUEL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Klaus Seelbach
  • Patent number: 6814313
    Abstract: Fuel injector having a valve body, which is provided with a valve operated by an electromagnetic actuator and capable of controlling the flow of fuel, and with a cylindrical, tubular container closed by a sealing element; the sealing element is arranged so as to close a lower end of the tubular container, is provided with a multihole atomiser and a valve seat, and is composed solely of a cylindrically symmetrical main body, which comprises the valve seat and ensures fluid-tight closure of the lower end of the tubular container, and of a perforated disc, which is welded coaxially to the main body and defines the multihole atomiser in conjunction with an underlying truncated conical surface defined in the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
    Inventors: Michele Petrone, Luca Mancini, Massimo Mattioli
  • Patent number: 6814311
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine has a tubular metal case constructed of a magnetic material in and through which a fuel is to flow. The tubular metal case has one open end. A valve seat is tightly received in the open end of the tubular metal case. The valve seat has a fuel outlet formed therein. A valve element is axially movably received in the tubular metal case. The valve element is movable between a closed position wherein a valve body of the element closes the fuel outlet and an open position wherein the valve body opens the fuel outlet. An electromagnetic actuator is disposed about the tubular metal case to actuate the valve element to move between the closed and open positions. The tubular metal case is constructed of a ferritic stainless steel containing Titanium. An end portion of the tubular metal case to which a valve seat is fixed has a wall thickness which ranges from approximately 0.1 mm to 0.9 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kobayashi, Yuichi Uchiyama, Hideo Kato, Hiroshi Okada
  • Patent number: 6814301
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an injector for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The injector (1) is actuated by an actuator (29) and includes a central chamber (5, 44), through which fuel under high pressure enters into a control chamber (3) that activates a nozzle needle (4). The central chamber (5, 44) is connected via a connector (7) to a high pressure source. In the injector body (13) between the central chamber (5, 44) and an end face (38) on the connector (7) are configured supply-line bores (30, 31), whose diameters (33, 34) are many times smaller than the diameters (36, 45) of the central chamber (5, 44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Friedrich Boecking
  • Patent number: 6814312
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve that sprays a finer particulate fuel has a tightly closed valve portion and can be assembled by press-fitting. A cup-shaped injection hole plate has its entire circumference joined to a valve body, has a bottom portion with injection holes, and has a cylindrical portion provided upright from the peripheral edge of the bottom portion. A resin sleeve has a resin annular portion with an opening that opens toward the downstream direction of fuel sprayed from the injection hole plate, and a resin cylindrical portion provided upright from the peripheral edge of the resin annular portion. The injection hole plate is provided with projections and the sleeve is provided with cutout grooves to engage the projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Iwano, Takayuki Hokao
  • Patent number: 6814302
    Abstract: An injection device for a fuel reservoir injection system is proposed, having an injection nozzle (16), which protrudes into a combustion chamber and can be supplied with fuel from a high-pressure fuel distributor (10) by means of a high-pressure fuel supply path (14, 52, 44, 40), and having a nozzle needle (30), which opens and closes this injection nozzle (16) as a function of the pressure in a control chamber (58). In order to introduce fuel into the control chamber, an inlet conduit (62), which branches from the fuel supply path, feeds into this control chamber (58) and an outlet path (66, 78), which leads from this control chamber (58), permits fuel to flow out of the control chamber. A shutoff valve (70) can close a downstream section (66″) off from an upstream section (66′) of the outlet path. The downstream section and the upstream section of the outlet path feed into a valve chamber (78), which contains a movable shutoff element (76).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Stoecklein, Dietmar Schmieder
  • Publication number: 20040217213
    Abstract: A fuel injector that includes a housing, a seat, a metering disc and a closure member. The metering orifices can be located on a first virtual circle greater than a second virtual circle as defined by a projection of a sealing surface converging at a virtual apex projected on the metering disc. The metering disc can be dimpled to increase the spray angle. Various parameters can be utilized to achieve a desired cone size and spray angle. A method of controlling spray targeting of a fuel injector is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: John F. Nally, William A. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20040217214
    Abstract: A fuel injector has a fuel inlet, and a metering valve which is activated by an electromagnetic actuator to open and close an injection nozzle; the metering valve has a control chamber communicating with the inlet and defined by an end wall, in which is formed an outlet hole closed by a shutter moved along an axis by the actuator; the end wall and the shutter are defined by respective parallel, facing surfaces which rest against each other to compress the film of fuel issuing from the hole during closure by the shutter, and which have channeling formed about the hole to generate, in use, a counterpressure for the outflowing fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventor: Mario Ricco
  • Patent number: 6811091
    Abstract: A fuel injector for use with an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector comprises a valve group subassembly and a coil group subassembly. The valve group subassembly includes a tube assembly having a longitudinal axis that extends between a first end and a second end; a seat that is secured at the second end of the tube assembly and that defines an opening; an armature assembly that is disposed within the tube assembly; a member that biases the armature assembly toward the seat; an adjusting tube that is disposed in the tube assembly and that engages the member for adjusting a biasing force of the member; a filter that is at least within the tube assembly; and a first attachment portion. The coil group subassembly includes a solenoid coil that is operable to displace the armature assembly with respect to the seat; and a second attachment portion that is fixedly connected to the first attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Michael P. Dallmeyer, Robert McFarland