Plate-type Armature Valve (e.g., Plate And Integral Projection Or Ball) Patents (Class 239/585.3)
  • Patent number: 7204433
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve has: a tubular body, a valve seat member, a valve body, a core tube, a bias spring, and an electromagnetic actuator. The core tube is press fitted into the tubular body. The core tube has a first end side opposing an absorption section of the valve body in such a manner as to form an axial gap interposed between the first end side of the core tube and the absorption section. The core tube has a second end side axially extending in the tubular body to a certain position on a way to the second end side of the tubular body. The axially extending second end side of the core tube has an outer periphery which is formed with a reduced diameter section for increasing an accuracy in positioning the core tube when the core tube is press fitted into the tubular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Kobayashi, Hideo Kato
  • Patent number: 7201330
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve has: a tubular body, a valve seat member, a valve body, a core tube, a bias spring, and an electromagnetic actuator. The core tube is press fitted into the tubular body. The core tube has a first end side opposing an absorption section of the valve body in such a manner as to form an axial gap interposed between the first end side of the core tube and the absorption section. The core tube has a second end side axially extending in the tubular body to a certain position on a way to the second end side of the tubular body. The axially extending second end side of the core tube has an outer periphery which is formed with a reduced diameter section for increasing an accuracy in positioning the core tube when the core tube is press fitted into the tubular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Kobayashi, Hideo Kato
  • Patent number: 7195182
    Abstract: A dosing device comprises a housing (1) provided with an actuator, a dosing opening (8), a guiding shaft (6) which surrounds part of the valve needle (7) and forms a valve chamber (10) with the same, and a fluid chamber module (4) which is welded to the housing (1) in the form of a duct for guiding the valve needle (7) into the housing (9). The fluid chamber module (4) and the housing (1) are assembled along a separation surface (13) which is subjected to pressure by the dosing liquid and is formed almost only by axial cylinder wall surface parts (13) in order to reduce the pressure load on the weld seam (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernhard Fischer, Bernhard Gottlieb, Andreas Kappel, Enrico Ulivieri
  • Patent number: 7191963
    Abstract: The injector has a cylindrical body, which houses an injection nozzle regulated by an injection valve provided with a moveable pin, a fuel supply line, an injection chamber communicating with the supply line, housing a lower portion of the pin and delimited below by a valve seat of the injection valve, a control chamber communicating with the supply line and housing an upper portion of the pin, and a control valve, which is capable of putting the control chamber in communication with a drain for the low-pressure fuel and is controlled by an electromagnetic actuator provided with a pair of electromagnets identical with each other and arranged mechanically in series with each other so that their respective thrust forces are added together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
    Inventors: Andrea Cobianchi, Fabio Cernoia
  • Patent number: 7188790
    Abstract: The fuel injection valve, for an internal combustion motor, has a valve body with injection openings (20) at its point. A valve needle has an axial movement within the valve body, with a conical needle point to give a selective blocking and release of the fuel flow through the injection openings. The point of the valve needle has recessed grooves matching each of the injection openings. The width of each groove matches the diameter of an injection opening, with a stepped contour and a curved cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andrej Astachow, Grit Krüger
  • Patent number: 7175114
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines, having a valve needle which works together with a valve seat face to form a sealing seat, has an armature acting on the valve needle. The armature is movably guided on the valve needle and is damped by an elastomer ring made of an elastomer. The armature has at least one fuel channel for supplying fuel to the sealing seat. A flat supporting ring which axially supports the elastomer ring in the area of the outlet end of the fuel channel is arranged between the elastomer ring and the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Waldemar Hans
  • Patent number: 7150417
    Abstract: A valve seat member has a valve seat with a fuel injection aperture. A valve body is movable between a close position wherein the valve body is put on the valve seat and an open position wherein the valve body is separated from the valve seat. A biasing member biases the valve body in a direction of the close position. An electromagnetic coil, upon energization, moves the valve body in a direction of the open position against the biasing force of the biasing member. A nozzle plate is connected to the valve seat member in a manner to cover the fuel injection aperture. The nozzle plate has at a part thereof facing the fuel injection aperture a domed portion that is projected away from the fuel injection aperture. The domed portion has a plurality of fuel injection openings. A side wall extends around and along a periphery of the nozzle plate so as to form a fuel holding recess that is defined by the nozzle plate other than domed portion and the side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Souma
  • Patent number: 7128281
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a body, filter, and damper member. The body extends along a longitudinal axis between an inlet end and an outlet end and has a wall defining a flow passage extending therebetween. The filter is disposed in the flow passage proximate the inlet end. The damper member is secured to the flow passage between the inlet end and the filter. The damper member has outer and inner surfaces surrounding the longitudinal axis, the outer surface being contiguous to the wall of the flow passage to define at least one circumferential band about the longitudinal axis in the flow passage. The inner surface defines an aperture that extends through the damper member to permit fluid communication between the inlet end and the filter. A damper member is also shown and described. A method of reducing sound in the valve group subassembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Yong D. Cho, Michael P. Dallmeyer
  • Patent number: 7104464
    Abstract: A fuel supply method for a fuel injection device including a fuel injection unit, comprising: supplying fuel to a first fuel injection member of the fuel injection unit through a first fuel supply passage internally formed in a holding-and-supplying unit holding the fuel injection unit; and supplying fuel to a second fuel injection member of the fuel injection unit through a second fuel supply passage internally formed in the holding-and-supplying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Ninomiya, Hiroaki Miyamoto, Takeo Oda
  • Patent number: 7104477
    Abstract: Air assist fuel injectors having one or more inserts that guide movement of a poppet, and an air assist fuel injector having a solid poppet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Synerject, LLC
    Inventors: David Kilgore, William June Rogers, Scott P. Dillon, Gary Lee Maschke, James Allen Kimmel
  • Patent number: 7097114
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a self-cleaning injector nozzle or other fluid conduit that maintains deposits at a low level by sonic tuning the shock wave generated during fluid flow through that nozzle or conduit. Methods of producing an injector nozzle and a method of cleansing deposits from liquid or gaseous fluids are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Afton Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Allen A. Aradi
  • Patent number: 7093779
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular a fuel injector for fuel-injection systems of internal combustion engines, has a valve needle which cooperates with a valve-seat surface to form a sealing seat, and an armature which is connected to the valve needle, the armature being acted upon in the closing direction by a restoring spring and cooperating with a magnetic coil. The armature has a guide flange which is guided at an opposite surface. The guide flange does contact the opposite surface in all places, so that recesses are formed between the guide flange and the opposite surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Sebastian, Juergen Graner, Wolfgang-Manfred Ruehle, Joachim Stilling, Matthias Boee, Norbert Keim
  • Patent number: 7086606
    Abstract: A modular fuel injector for an internal combustion engine, including a valve group subassembly and a power group subassembly. The valve group subassembly includes a first stator member, a second stator member, a non-magnetic shell disposed between the first and second stator members, a valve body, and an armature member. The armature member defines a first working air gap with the first stator member and a second working air gap with the second stator member. The armature member includes a closure member proximate an outlet end and contiguous to a seat in a first configuration. The power group subassembly includes an electromagnetic coil surrounding the passage, a housing encasing the coil, and an ovemold encapsulating the coil and the housing. The coil is energizable to provide magnetic flux that flows through the first and second working air gaps in the direction of the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Harry R. Brooks, Michael P. Dallmeyer
  • Patent number: 7086614
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described for fuel injection systems in internal combustion engines that includes a magnet coil, an armature that is acted upon in a closing direction by a restoring spring, and a valve needle that is non-positively engaged with armature for actuating a valve closing body, which together with a valve seat surface forms a sealing seat, and armature with an inlet-side armature surface striking internal pole. A choke point is provided on inlet-side armature surface, and is formed by an annular, stepped prominence on inlet-side armature surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hubert Stier, Guenther Hohl, Norbert Keim
  • Patent number: 7083114
    Abstract: A fuel injector for the direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine includes an actuator, which is encapsulated in a first sleeve and is sealed from an inner chamber of the fuel injector; a valve needle actuable by the actuator, which includes a valve-closure member cooperating with a valve-seat surface to form a sealing seat; and a locking spring, by which the valve needle is acted upon in such a manner that the valve-closure member is held in sealing contact at the valve-seat surface. An inflow-side end face of the first sleeve is dimensioned such that a linear deformation of the first sleeve, caused by the fuel pressure present at the inflow-side end face, is compensated by a linear deformation of the actuator and an activating piston extending the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Maeurer, Ulrich Doebler, Hubert Stier, Guenther Hohl, Rene Deponte
  • Patent number: 7080819
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve includes a solenoid, which is filled with low-pressure oil. The solenoid receives a biasing means and a movable member. The movable member is actuated by the biasing means and magnetic force generated by the solenoid. The movable member includes a flat-plate portion that contacts with the solenoid and departs from the solenoid. The outer circumferential periphery of the flat-plate portion has multiple notches, through which low-pressure fuel flows into to the upper side of the flat-plate portion that has an oil passage groove, through which a center portion of flat-plate portion communicates with the outer circumferential portion of flat-plate portion. Each notch has a deepest portion that is radially most recessed from the outer circumferential periphery of the flat-plate portion. The oil passage groove is apart from a deepest portion of the notches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Denson Corporation
    Inventor: Senta Tojo
  • Patent number: 7070127
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel-injection systems of internal combustion engines has a solenoid coil; a valve needle that is mechanically linked to the solenoid coil and acted upon by a restoring spring in a closing direction, in order to actuate a valve-closure member which, together with a valve-seat face, forms a sealing seat; and a sleeve, which prestresses the restoring spring. The sleeve is integrally formed with a filter element to form a one-part, deep-drawn filter sleeve, which has through-flow openings for filtering the fuel flowing through the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Maier
  • Patent number: 7066410
    Abstract: The invention relates to a common rail injector for injecting fuel in a common rail injection system of an internal combustion engine, having an injector housing, which communicates with a central high-pressure reservoir and in which a nozzle needle is axially displaceable in order to adjust the injection as a function of the pressure in a control chamber, and having a sealing element, which is disposed in an annular chamber that is provided between a valve element and the injector housing. In addition to the sealing element, a support device is disposed in the annular chamber between the valve element and the injector housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Siegfried Ruthardt, Juergen Hanneke, Holger Rapp
  • Patent number: 7063278
    Abstract: A fuel injector (1) for the direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine has a piezoelectric actuator (2) which is encapsulated in an actuator housing (3); a valve needle (9) which is in operative connection with the actuator and on which a valve-closure member (11) is formed which forms a sealing seat together with a valve-seat surface (13); and a nozzle body (12) into which the actuator housing (3) is able to be inserted. The actuator housing (3) and the nozzle body (12) are sealed by a common connecting part (4), the connecting part (4) having a first and a second diameter step (19; 20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hubert Stier, Elmar Okrent, Ulrich Döbler
  • Patent number: 7055765
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular a fuel injector for fuel-injection systems of internal combustion engines, including a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive actuator, which, via a valve needle, actuates a valve-closure member arranged on the valve needle, the valve-closure member cooperating with a valve-seat surface to form a sealing seat, the fuel injector having an hydraulic compensation chamber. A pressure piston cooperates with the compensation chamber, which is filled with hydraulic fluid via an hydraulic fluid inlet. The actuator is arranged between the pressure piston and the valve needle and displaceable in the axis of the valve needle and the pressure piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Liskow
  • Patent number: 7051960
    Abstract: A fuel passage is formed through a movable core and a fixed core of a fuel injection valve. Communication passage(s) are formed in the movable core or the fixed core around the fuel passage. The communication passage(s) connect a facing space provided between the movable core and the fixed core with a space remote from the facing space. Fuel flows out of the facing space through the communication passage(s) when the fuel injection valve is opened and fuel flows into the facing space through the communication passage(s) when the fuel injection valve is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitomo Oguma
  • Patent number: 7051961
    Abstract: An assembly for a fuel injector having a metallic armature and a metallic poppet attached to the armature at an interface location. The armature and/or the poppet includes a coating at the interface location, where the coating has a higher resistance to corrosion as compared to the base material of the poppet and/or the base material of the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Synerject, LLC
    Inventors: John R Mills, Jordi J Catasus-Servia
  • Patent number: 7032846
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve for fuel injection valve systems of internal combustion engines is described, having an energizable actuating element, a valve closing element which is axially movable along a valve longitudinal axis and which works in conjunction with a rigid valve seat that is provided on a valve seat element so as to open and close the valve, and at least one exit opening that is provided downstream from the valve seat. As the injection valve is of the inward-opening type, the opening movement of the valve closing element is oriented away from the exit opening and the closing movement of the valve closing element is oriented toward the exit opening. Fuel flows completely through the interior of the valve closing element, and the valve seat element has an inner trough-shaped recess, so that the opening movement of the valve closing element is fuel-pressure-assisted, due to a flow inversion upstream of the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Joerg Heyse
  • Patent number: 7028928
    Abstract: A fluid control valve assembly controls the flow of actuation fluid to and from a fuel injector. The fluid control valve assembly includes at least one solenoid actuator attached to a valve body. The solenoid actuator includes a stator and an armature comprised of a soft magnetic material. At least one of the armature and the stator include an impact surface. The impact surface is coated with a relatively hard, nonmagnetic material coating. Thus, the relatively hard, nonmagnetic material coating will protect the relatively soft, magnetic material comprising the stator and the armature, and increase the durability of the solenoid actuator and the fluid control valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Shinogle
  • Patent number: 7021557
    Abstract: A thin film coating for a low allow steel or tool steel components in a fuel injector (14), such as a fuel injector needle valve (86) is disclosed. A thin film coating (96) consists of a metal carbon material layer less than 2.0 microns thick applied to a low alloy steel substrate (95) or tool steel substrate (95) used in fuel injector components, such as the fuel injector needle valve (86) or a portion thereof. Optionally, a thin bond layer (98) of chromium is deposited between the steel substrate (95) and the primary metal carbon material coating (96). The thin film coating (96) minimizes abrasive and adhesive wear associated with the needle valve (86) and cooperating nozzle surfaces (62,63) of the fuel injector (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Scott F. Shafer, Jay E. Tomaseski, Chuong Q. Dam, Michael C. Long
  • Patent number: 7021568
    Abstract: A fuel injector (1), in particular a fuel injector (1) for fuel injection systems, includes a first solenoid (2) cooperating with an armature (3), a second solenoid (4) cooperating with the armature (3), and a valve needle (13) friction-locked to the armature (3) for actuating a valve closing body, a force being exertable on the armature (3) in a closing direction using the first solenoid (2) and in an opening direction using the second solenoid (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Rieger, Harald Maisch, Michael Huebel, Ulrich Becker, Juergen Stein
  • Patent number: 7014130
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel system including a housing having first and second high-pressure bodies (3, 5), which contact one another at a contact face. A high-pressure chamber in the housing passes through the contact face, and at least intermittently a high fuel pressure is present in the chamber (23). A wall part having a longitudinal axis surrounds the housing at least in the region of the contact face, so that a leak fuel chamber (32) is formed between the wall part and the housing which chamber is sealed off from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Sieghart Maier, Siegfried Ruthardt, Klaus Wuerth, Thomas Pauer
  • Patent number: 7011257
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines having a magnetic coil, a valve needle, which is in operative connection with the magnetic coil and acted upon in a closing direction by a restoring spring to actuate a valve-closure member, which, together with a valve-seat surface formed at a valve-seat member, forms a sealing seat; and having at least one spray-discharge orifice which is formed in the valve-seat member. The spray-discharge orifices discharge from elevations which project beyond an outer end face of the valve-seat member, the fuel being guided through flow channels in the elevations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Jörg Heyse
  • Patent number: 6997432
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a solenoid valve for controlling a fuel injector in an internal combustion engine, having an electromagnet, an armature having an armature pin which is movably supported with respect to the electromagnet, and an armature plate supported on the armature pin in a manner allowing sliding movement, and a control-valve member moved together with the armature and cooperating with a valve seat to open and close a fuel discharge passage, the armature plate, in response to the control-valve member striking the valve seat during the closing of the solenoid valve, being able to be moved, under the influence of its own inert mass, along the armature pin along an overtravel distance, from a stop secured to the armature pin up to a stationary overtravel stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Holger Rapp
  • Patent number: 6997404
    Abstract: An improved filter assembly for a solenoid-actuated fuel injector having a fuel-resistant porous filter element in a filter retainer tube for disposition in the fuel tube of the fuel injector. Fuel flow through the filter element is axial. The filter retainer tube replaces the calibration tube in a prior art fuel injector, also acting as a seat for the injector spring and being positioned axially within the fuel tube by a press-fit calibration ring. The retainer tube is preferably formed of glass-filled nylon, and the filter element is preferably formed by injection molding of an open-cell polyamide foam. By selecting the porosity and flow characteristics of the filter element material in known fashion, the length and diameter of the filter element may be minimized, permitting reduction in the length and diameter of the fuel tube and also the size and cost of the actuating solenoid assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Arvind M. Rao
  • Patent number: 6994281
    Abstract: 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 an armature engaging with the valve needle, the armature being axially moveable at the valve needle and being damped, via a damping element, which is located in a recess in a downstream-side end face of the armature, with respect to a cup-shaped sleeve positioned downstream from the armature and joined to the valve needle in force-locking manner. Furthermore, the fuel injector includes a filter element, the filter element being positioned downstream from the armature in the cup-shaped sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Ferdinand Reiter
  • Patent number: 6983897
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve having a valve retaining body, which has a longitudinal axis and in which a central spring chamber is embodied. In this spring chamber, a closing spring is disposed, which transmits a closing force to a valve member, which valve member cooperates with a valve seat for controlling at least one injection opening. In the wall of the spring chamber, an inlet conduit extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve retaining body, and by way of this conduit, fuel at high pressure can be delivered to the at least one injection opening. The cross section of the inlet conduit has a greater length in the circumferential direction than in the radial direction, so that the wall region between the inlet conduit and the spring chamber, or the outer jacket face of the valve retaining body, is larger than in the case of an inlet conduit with the same size of cross-sectional area and a circular cross-sectional contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Kulovits, Juergen Gottschling
  • Patent number: 6983900
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines includes a valve needle and a valve closing body, which is operationally linked to it and cooperates with a valve seat face situated in a valve seat body to form a sealing seat. Upstream from the sealing seat there is at least one swirl channel, which has a tangential component relative to the longitudinal axis of the fuel injector. An axial channel, which is formed between the valve closing body and the guide recess of the valve seat body, has an axial component relative to the longitudinal axis of the fuel injector, the axial channel being formed between the guide recess and at least one flattened area on the valve needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Dantes, Detlef Nowak, Joerg Heyse
  • Patent number: 6978950
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a housing, a passageway, a coil assembly, a seat, and a closure member. The housing extends along a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet, and fuel flows through the passageway from the inlet to the outlet. The coil assembly is disposed proximate the inlet of the housing, and the seat is disposed proximate the outlet of the housing. The closure member is disposed in the housing and is movable along the longitudinal axis between a first position, which prohibits fuel flow, and a second position, which permits fuel flow. The closure member includes a magnetic member, a needle, and a tubular member. The magnetic member is adapted to cooperate with the coil assembly to move the closure member from the first position to the second position. The needle member occludes the seat in the first position of the closure member. The tubular member couples the magnetic member to the needle member, and defines a portion of the passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: John Edward Bierstaker, James Paul Fochtman
  • Patent number: 6974088
    Abstract: An actuator with a top plate comprises at least one duct opening for a respective electric contact pin. A contact stud carrier with a contact stud is placed over the contact pin. To prevent the possible ingress of plastic into the duct opening between a gap (s) between the contact stud carrier and the top plate during extrusion coating of the actuator or its top plate, according to the invention it is proposed that a sealing washer be located onto the open side of the duct opening of the top plate to provide a hermetic seal. As a result, the contact stud carrier can advantageously always be arranged independently of the thickness of the sealing washer such that a specified actuator length (L) can be precisely maintained. This simplifies the production process for the actuator and reduces its production costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Roland Albert, Johann Heigl, Markus Mohr, Klaus Niesslbeck
  • Patent number: 6969009
    Abstract: The jacket surface of the piezoelectric actor body (1) is surrounded by an injector housing (9), maintaining an intermediate space and is cooled by direct contact with an inert fluid which does not conduct electricity (6), forming a fluid space in the injector housing (9) which is filled with fluid except for an air reservoir (7). The volume of the air reservoir (7) is at least large enough to allow the thermal expansion of the heat coupling fluid (6) which occurs at the highest operating temperature of the actor body (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Bachmaier, Bernhard Fischer, Bernhard Gottlieb, Andreas Kappel, Hans Meixner, Tim Schwebel
  • Patent number: 6966504
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular for the direct injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, includes a valve needle that has at its injector end a valve-closure member that works together with a valve-seat surface formed on a valve-seat member, to form a sealing seat. The fuel injector also includes at least one swirl duct; a swirl chamber formed on the valve-seat member, and a plurality of injection openings that open out from the swirl chamber, through which the fuel, provided with a swirl, is simultaneously injected. The at least one swirl duct is formed in the valve-seat member or in a swirl disk adjacent to the valve-seat member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hubert Stier, Norbert Keim
  • Patent number: 6959883
    Abstract: When a needle is separated from a needle seat, upward pressure of pressurized fuel is applied to downward pressure receiving surface outer portion and an annular downward pressure receiving surface inner portion. A bottom portion side extending portion is provided, which extends in a direction of a longitudinal axis K—K from a needle bottom surface inner portion, which is a portion of a bottom surface of the needle on an inner side of the annular seal, into a sack beyond a nozzle chamber. When the needle is separated from the needle seat, an area of the downward pressure receiving surface inner portion to which the upward pressure of the pressurized fuel is applied is decreased by a cross sectional area of the bottom portion side extending portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Omae
  • Patent number: 6953162
    Abstract: A fuel injector for the direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber of a mixture-compressing internal combustion engine having external ignition, includes a valve housing formed from a nozzle body, and a sealing ring which seals the fuel injector from a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. In the mounted state, a radial extension of a stamping sleeve that is disposed on the intake side of the sealing ring acts upon the sealing ring in such a way that the axial extension of the sealing ring is reduced in favor of the radial extension of the sealing ring relative to the unstrained state of the sealing ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Waldemar Hans
  • Patent number: 6945478
    Abstract: A fuel injector having an orifice plate proximate the outlet. The orifice plate has first and second plate surfaces spaced at a predetermined distance from one another and an orifice, the orifice extending along a longitudinal axis and includes a first surface and a second surface being spaced from the first surface. The first surface includes a first region having a first surface characteristic being oriented in a first direction oblique to the longitudinal axis. The second surface includes a second region having second surface characteristic being oriented in a second direction oblique to longitudinal axis. The fuel injector has a housing extending a longitudinal axis. The housing includes an inlet, an outlet and a passageway disposed between the inlet and the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventor: Dale Stewart Spencer
  • Patent number: 6945480
    Abstract: An electromagnetically actuatable valve having a longitudinal valve axis, an electromagnetic circuit, a movable actuating member that cooperates with a fixed valve seat for opening and closing the valve, and an outlet opening that is configured downstream of the valve seat. The actuating member is configured in a bowl, trough, or saucer shape, having an actuating leg and a supporting leg that is configured to be substantially perpendicular to the former. The actuating leg, as a movable part of the actuating member, cooperates with an upper layer of atomization disk to form a sealing valve. The valve may be used as a fuel injector in an internal combustion engine, such as in a mixture-compressing, spark-ignition internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Pfrommer, Joerg Heyse
  • Patent number: 6938839
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a valve body and a valve seat positioned at a lower end of the valve body. A needle assembly is positioned within an inner bore of the valve body, the needle assembly including a needle body and an armature connected to an upper end of the needle body. A pair of guides are integrally formed with the valve body for guiding the needle assembly. The pair of guides includes an upper guide and a lower guide; the upper guide guiding the armature and the lower guide guiding the needle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Min Xu, David Lee Porter
  • Patent number: 6932283
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular for direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber of a mixture-compressing, spark-ignited internal combustion engine, comprises an armature that coacts with a magnet coil, and comprises a valve needle, joined nonpositively to the armature, on which is provided a valve-closure member that, together with a valve-scat surface, forms a sealing scat. The valve needle has, at an inflow end, a collar-shaped armature stop, configured integrally with the valve needle, against which the armature comes to a stop, an engaging flange engaging through the armature in such a way that the engaging flange is insertable into the inflow end of the valve needle and is joinable thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Hubert Stier
  • Patent number: 6929196
    Abstract: For each of the injection holes on the face of a plate member which is disposed in a fuel passage, grooves are provided which run along the circumferential direction of the respective injection holes, and at the positions of the grooves, fuel overflows are formed. As a result, contracted fuel flow portions are formed in the injection holes, so that the maximum flow velocity of fuel is increased at the injection hole outlet portions. Thus, a fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine is provided, in which the atomization performance near the injection holes is effectively enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigenori Togashi, Yoshio Okamoto, Makoto Yamakado, Masahiro Souma, Hiromasa Kubo
  • Patent number: 6929197
    Abstract: Fuel metering components of a fuel injector that allow 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 fuel metering components. 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 or bolt 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 generate an unified spray pattern along the longitudinal axis that forms a flow area with a plurality of uniform radii on a virtual plane transverse to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventor: William A. Peterson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6923388
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve for internal combustion engines has a valve body in which a pistonlike valve member is longitudinally displaceably disposed in a bore. The valve member is surrounded, over at least part of its length, by a pressure chamber that can be filled with fuel. On its end toward the combustion chamber, a valve seat is embodied in the bore, on which seat the valve member comes to rest with a valve sealing face in a closing position, so that the pressure chamber is disconnected from at least one injection opening located downstream of the valve sealing face. First and second parallel annular grooves are formed in the end region of the valve member disposed axially toward the valve seat and the valve sealing face is disposed between these two annular grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Christoph Buehler
  • Patent number: 6921035
    Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular for direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber of a mixture-compressing, spark-ignited internal combustion engine, includes a valve housing formed by a nozzle body, as well as a sealing ring, which seals the fuel injector against a cylinder head of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Guenther Hohl
  • Patent number: 6918549
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for injecting fuel into a cylinder of an engine which includes a fuel injector and a tip located on the fuel injector. The tip and fuel injector are located about a common longitudinal axis and includes a sac portion having a sac chamber, an outer sac surface, and at least one nozzle passage extending from an inner end located in the sac chamber to an outer end located at the outer sac surface, the at least one nozzle passage being at a fixed angle from the longitudinal axis along a central axis. The tip also includes an end surface located substantially adjacent to and parallel with the at least one nozzle passage and extending beyond the outer end of the at least one nozzle passage, and a curvilinear surface located on at least one of the end surface and the outer sac surface and configured such that a portion of fuel being injected through the at least one nozzle passage is directed to follow the curvilinear surface away from the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventor: Vladimir Theodorof
  • Patent number: 6918548
    Abstract: An electronic fuel injector capable of supplying fuel in a stable manner is provided by employing a swirler, which is manufactured at a lower cost and has durability, and by ensuring superior wear resistance of the swirler and a valve member provided on a movable part, which is put into frictional contact with the swirler. The electronic fuel injector comprises a movable part, a valve member, a valve seat, a swirler, a stopper, a stator core, a casing, a spring, and an electromagnetic coil. A valve member is provided at a fore end of the movable part. The swirler serves not only to swirl fuel, but also to guide movement of the valve member provided at the fore end of the movable part. The swirler is formed of a powder sintered compact of martensitic stainless steel having corrosion resistance and wear resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuyoshi Terakado, Mizuho Yokoyama, Arata Kagiyama, Noboru Baba, Masahiro Souma
  • Patent number: 6915960
    Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel-injection systems of internal combustion engines, e.g., for the direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, includes an actuator, a valve needle which is in operative connection to the actuator and acted upon by a restoring spring in a closing direction, to actuate a valve-closure member which forms a sealing seat together with a valve-seat surface, and an adjustment sleeve, which provides the restoring spring with an initial stress. The adjustment sleeve has a cup-shaped design and an eccentric bore in a base, which is in variable alignment with an eccentric bore in a base of a cup-shaped inner sleeve able to be inserted into the adjustment sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz Luft