Pressure swirl generator for a fuel injector

Details Pressure swirl generator for a fuel injector Pressure swirl generator for a fuel injector

1999-08-10

2001-01-30

Weldon, Kevin (Department: 1734)

Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing

Flow deflecting or rotation controlling means

Fluid rotation inducing means upstream of outlet

C239S590300, C239S483000, C239S585400

Reexamination Certificate

active

06179227

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to fuel injectors in general and particularly high-pressure direct injection fuel injectors. More particularly to high-pressure direct injection fuel injectors having a pressure swirl generator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fuel injector with a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and an axially extending fuel passageway from the inlet to the outlet. An armature is located proximate the inlet of the valve body. A needle valve is operatively connected to the armature. A valve seat is located proximate the outlet of the valve body. A swirl generator that allows the fuel to form a swirl pattern on the valve seat is located in the valve body.
The swirl generator, preferably, includes two flat disks. One disk is a swirl generator disk having at least one slot extending tangentially from a central aperture. The other disk is a flat guide disk having a perimeter, a central aperture, and at least one fuel passage opening between the perimeter and the central aperture. The flat guide disk has a first surface, a second surface adjacent the flat swirl generator disk, a guide aperture, and at least one fuel passage having a wall extending between the first surface and the second surface. The wall includes an inlet, an outlet, and a transition region between the inlet and the outlet that defines a cross-sectional area of the at least one passage. The inlet is proximate the first surface. The outlet is proximate the second surface. The transition region is configured so that the cross-sectional area of the at least one fuel passage increases as the transition region approaches the outlet of the wall.
In a preferred embodiment, the transition region comprises an entrance section proximate the inlet and an exit section proximate the outlet. The exit section is an oblique surface of the wall or an arcuate surface of the wall. The entrance section is a linear surface of the wall that is substantially perpendicular to the first surface.
Preferably, the flat guide disk has a perimeter common to both the first surface and the second surface, and the at least one passage is located between the guide aperture and the perimeter. Each of the perimeter, the guide aperture, the inlet of the wall, and the outlet of the wall, has a substantially circular configuration. The at least one passage comprises a plurality of passages, and the valve seat includes a fuel outlet passage and the needle valve mates with a surface of the fuel outlet passage to inhibit fuel flow through the valve seat.
The present invention also provides a fuel injector having a valve body with an inlet, an outlet, and an axially extending fuel passageway from the inlet to the outlet. An armature located proximate the inlet of the valve body. A needle valve operatively connected to the armature. A valve seat located proximate the outlet of the valve body. A flat swirl generator disk adjacent the valve seat. The flat swirl generator disk includes a plurality of slots extending tangentially from a central aperture. A flat guide disk having a first surface, a second surface adjacent the flat swirl generator disk, a circular perimeter common to both the first surface and the second surface, a circular guide aperture, and a plurality of circular passages located between the circular guide aperture and the circular perimeter.
The plurality of circular fuel passages are uniformly dispersed around the circular guide aperture and aligned with a respective slot of the flat swirl generator disk. Each of the plurality of fuel passages has a wall extending between the first surface and the second surface. The wall includes a circular inlet having a first diameter and a circular outlet having a second diameter. The second diameter is greater than the first diameter.
The present invention also provides a method of adjusting flow capacity within a pressure swirl generator of a fuel injector. The fuel injector includes a valve body having a fuel passageway extending axially from an inlet to an outlet; an armature located proximate the inlet of the valve body; a needle valve operatively connected to the armature; a valve seat located proximate the outlet of the valve body; a flat swirl disk adjacent the valve seat; and a guide member that guides the needle valve. The method can be achieved by providing a guide member with a surface configured to gradually change the direction of fuel flowing from the fuel passageway of a valve body to the valve seat, and locating the guide member proximate the flat swirl generator disk.
In a preferred embodiment of the method, the guide member is a flat guide disk, and the surface is a surface of a wall that forms a passage extending between a first surface and a second surface of the flat swirl generator disk. The surface of the wall provides a transition region extending between an inlet proximate the first surface and an outlet proximate the second surface. The transition region is formed by coining the second surface so that the cross-sectional area of the outlet is greater than the cross-sectional area of the inlet.


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“Geometrical Effects on Flow Characteristics of Gasoline High Pressure Direct Injector”, 97FL-95, Authors W.M. Ren, J. Shen, J.F. Nally, Jr., Siemens Automotive.

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