Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Processes – Of fuel injection
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-23
2001-07-10
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Processes
Of fuel injection
C239S473000, C239S492000, C239S533120, C239S585100, C239S585400, C029S890122, C029S890143
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257496
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to fuel injectors in general and particularly high-pressure, direct-injection fuel injectors. More particularly, high-pressure, direct-injection fuel injectors having a swirl generator within the body of the fuel injector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known in the art relating to high-pressure direct injection fuel injectors to have a swirl generator and needle guide positioned proximate a seat in a body. In known systems, seat, swirl generator, and needle guide combinations include a plurality of structural members. For example, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,972 discloses two separate flat disks adjacent a seat to provide a swirl generator and a needle guide. The flat disks are thin sheet metal members that are believed to produce minimal drag on the needle of the fuel injector. To assemble this arrangement of the seat, swirl generator, and needle guide seat combination requires each of the three components to be sequentially aligned and laser welded together. Due to the numerous individual assembly steps required, misalignments can occur with the multiple components.
Another manufacturing difficulty that could result from the three components used to form the seat, swirl generator, and needle guide combination is the need to develop new assembly steps for changes in the swirl disk configuration. The three component combination employs an individual flat swirl disk between a flat guide disk and a seat as the swirl generator. Changes in swirl disk thickness size due to varying fuel swirl requirements for selected direct fuel injection applications requires the assembly steps to be reconfigured. A known two component seat, swirl generator and needle guide combination, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,157, has been developed that addresses some of the assembly difficulties of the three component combination. Although some of the assembly difficulties the three component combination may have been overcome, the swirl generator and needle guide component employed in known two component combination is believed to create a large drag point for the employed needle valve. Thus, there is a need for a two component seat, swirl generator, and needle guide combination that minimizes drag forces applied to the needle valve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fuel injector with a body having an inlet, an outlet, and a fuel passageway extending from the inlet to the outlet along a longitudinal axis. An armature is located proximate the inlet of the body. A needle is operatively connected to the armature. A seat is located proximate the outlet of the body. The seat includes a first surface, a second surface, and a passage extending between the first surface and the second surface in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The seat further includes an integrated swirl generator formed in the first surface that communicates with the passage. A flat disk is located proximate the first surface. The flat disk includes an aperture that guides the needle and at least one opening that communicates with the swirl generator of the seat.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the swirl generator has at least one channel that is substantial tangent to a periphery of the passage, and a feeder proximate the at least one channel, the feeder comprising a geometric volume formed in the first surface of the seat between the periphery of the passage and a circumference of the first surface.
The present invention also provides a seat with a first surface, an outer circumference engaging the first surface, a second surface engaging the outer circumference, a passage extending between the first surface and the second surface, and a swirl generator formed in the first surface that communicates with the passage.
The present invention further provides a method of forming a seat, swirl generator, and needle guide combination. The method comprising the steps of providing a seat with a first surface, a second surface, and a passage extending between the first surface and the second surface; forming a swirl generator in the first surface that communicates with the passage; locating a flat disk with an aperture and an opening on the first surface of the seat; aligning the opening of a flat disk with the feeder of the swirl generator; and welding the flat disk to the seat.
The present invention also provides a method of forming a seat with an integrated swirl generator. The method comprising the steps of providing a seat with a first surface, a second surface, and a passage extending between the first surface and the second surface; and forming a swirl generator in the first surface that communicates with the passage.
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Geometrical Effects on Flow Characteristics of Gasoline High Pressure Direct Injecter,W.M. Ren, J. Shen, J.F. Nally Jr., p. 1-7, (97FL-95).
Ganey Steven J.
Scherbel David A.
Siemens Automotive Corporation
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