Internal-combustion engines – Charge forming device – Fuel injection system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-20
2001-09-11
Miller, Carl S. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Charge forming device
Fuel injection system
C123S041310, C417S462000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286485
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a distributor arrangement for use in the distribution of fuel under high pressure to injection equipment used for delivering the fuel to the cylinders of a compression ignition internal combustion engine.
In a known fuel system, a high pressure fuel pump receives fuel at a relatively low pressure from a low pressure, transfer pump, the high pressure fuel pump being used to charge an accumulator with fuel to a high pressure. A distributor arrangement is connected to an outlet of the accumulator through an appropriate control valve which is used to control the timing of fuel delivery and the quantity of fuel to be delivered.
The distributor arrangement comprises a distributor member which is rotatable within a sleeve at a speed associated with the operating speed of an associated engine. The distributor member and the sleeve are provided with appropriate passages and ports such that, shortly before delivery is to commence through a particular injector, the passages and ports of the distributor arrangement register with one another to define a flow path between a port of the control valve and the chosen injector. Once such communication has been established, fuel delivery through that injector is controlled by the control valve. After termination of injection, the rotation of the distributor member results in the communication between the control valve and the chosen injector being broken, and subsequently in communication being established between the control valve and the next injector ready for the next injection cycle to take place.
In order to restrict leakage of fuel from the distributor arrangement to an acceptable level, the clearance between the distributor member and the sleeve is very small. As a result, thermal expansion of the distributor member, in use, may result in the distributor arrangement becoming seized, and it is an object of the invention to provide a distributor arrangement in which the risk of seizure due to thermal expansion is reduced.
According to the present invention there is provided a distributor arrangement comprising a distributor member rotatable within a bore formed in a sleeve, the sleeve being provided with a supply port through which fuel under high pressure can be supplied to the distributor member, in use, and a plurality of delivery ports, the distributor member being provided with a delivery passage registrable with the delivery ports, in turn, upon rotation of the distributor member whereby fuel under pressure supplied through the supply port flows to a selected one of the delivery ports, in use, the distributor arrangement further comprising a porting arrangement whereby, when the distributor member occupies a position in which the delivery passage is not registered with any of the delivery ports, cooling fluid is able to flow through the delivery passage.
It will be appreciated that, in such an arrangement, cooling of the distributor member is possible between injections, and as a result thermal expansion of the distributor member can be controlled and the risk of seizure is reduced.
The cooling fluid conveniently takes the form of relatively cool fuel at low pressure supplied to the distributor arrangement by a transfer pump.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5619971 (1997-04-01), Kubo et al.
patent: 5782620 (1998-07-01), Nothdurft et al.
patent: 5806493 (1998-09-01), Kubo et al.
patent: 6058910 (2000-05-01), Simmons et al.
patent: 6059547 (2000-05-01), Konishi et al.
patent: 0604084 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 02104964 (1990-04-01), None
Andrus Sceales, Starke & Sawall
Lucas Industries PLC
Miller Carl S.
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