EP0249313A2 — Fuel injection apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 185 words

A fuel injector (l0) for metering fuel to a plurality of injection nozzles (l4), the fuel injector comprising an injector base (28) having a plurality of fuel discharge passages (34) and an annular region (32) through which fuel is delivered to the fuel discharge passages, each of the fuel discharge passages being adaptable to direct fuel to one of the injection nozzles, the annular region including a valve surface (48), a single valve member (30) associated with the valve surface, the valve member being adapted to engage the valve surface to preclude fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages, a solenoid (52) adapted to disengage the valve member from the valve surface to permit fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages, characterised by air valve means (58, 64, 66) for controlling flow of air to the fuel discharge passages (34) and being adapted to preclude air flow to the fuel discharge passages when the valve member permits fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages and to admit air to the fuel discharge passages when the valve member precludes fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 185 words

A fuel injector (l0) for metering fuel to a plurality of injection nozzles (l4), the fuel injector comprising an injector base (28) having a plurality of fuel discharge passages (34) and an annular region (32) through which fuel is delivered to the fuel discharge passages, each of the fuel discharge passages being adaptable to direct fuel to one of the injection nozzles, the annular region including a valve surface (48), a single valve member (30) associated with the valve surface, the valve member being adapted to engage the valve surface to preclude fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages, a solenoid (52) adapted to disengage the valve member from the valve surface to permit fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages, characterised by air valve means (58, 64, 66) for controlling flow of air to the fuel discharge passages (34) and being adapted to preclude air flow to the fuel discharge passages when the valve member permits fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages and to admit air to the fuel discharge passages when the valve member precludes fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 116 words

A fuel injector as claimed in Claim l, characterised in that the air valve means comprises an opening (58, l58) in the injector base (28) through which air can flow to the fuel discharge passages (34), a valve seat (64, l64) surrounding the opening, and a rectifier valve (66, l66) associated with the valve seat, the rectifier valve being pressure responsive and thereby being adapted to engage the valve seat to preclude air flow through the opening when the valve member (30) permits fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages and to disengage the valve seat to admit air to the fuel discharge passages when the valve member precludes fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

A fuel injector as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that the rectifier valve is a rectifier valve disc (66, l66).

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 85 words

A fuel injector as claimed in any one of Claims l to 3, characterised in that the injector base (28) has a central bore (36) and includes a plug (38) received in the central bore to define a fuel distribution chamber (40) between the plug and the central bore, the fuel discharge passages (34) opening from the fuel distribution chamber, and the valve surface (48) including a first portion (48a) surrounding the central bore and a second portion (48b) at the perimeter of the plug.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 50 words

A fuel injector as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that the plug (38) engages the central bore (36) at peripherally spaced locations (44) to divide the fuel distribution chamber (40) into a plurality of sectors (46), each of the fuel discharge passages (34) opening from one of the sectors.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 115 words

A fuel injector as claimed in Claim l, characterised in that the air valve means comprises an opening (258) in the injector base (228) through which air flows to the fuel discharge passages (234), the annular region (232) including a valve seat surface (264), and a diaphragm (266) overlying the valve seat surface, the diaphragm being pressure responsive and thereby being adapted to engage the valve seat surface to preclude air flow through the opening when the valve member (230) permits fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages and to disengage the valve seat surface to admit air to the fuel discharge passages when the valve member precludes fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 105 words

A fuel injector as claimed in Claim l, characterised in that the air valve means comprises an additional annular region (332b) in the injector base (328) through which air flows to the fuel discharge passages (334a,b), the additional annular region including an additional valve surface (348b), an additional single valve member (330b) associated with the additional valve surface, the additional valve member being adapted to engage the additional valve surface to preclude air flow to the fuel discharge passages, and an additional solenoid (352b) adapted to disengage the additional valve member from the additional valve surface to permit air flow to the fuel discharge passages.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 202 words

A fuel injector (l0, 4l0) for metering fuel to a plurality of injection nozzles (l, 4l4), the fuel injector comprising an injector base (28, 428) having a plurality of fuel discharge passages (34, 434) opening from a fuel distribution chamber (40, 440), each of the fuel discharge passages being adaptable to direct fuel to one of the injection nozzles, the injector base having an annular valve surface (48, 448a,b), a single valve member (30, 430) associated with the annular valve surface, the valve member being adapted to engage the annular valve surface to preclude fuel delivery into the fuel distribution chamber, and a solenoid (52, 452) adapted to disengage the valve member from the annular valve surface to permit fuel delivery to the fuel distribution chamber and thereby to the fuel discharge passages, characterised in that the injector base (28, 48) has a central bore (36, 436), and includes a plug (38, 438) received in the central bore to define the fuel distribution chamber (40, 440) between the plug and the central bore, and in that the annular valve surface includes a first portion (48a, 448a) surrounding the central bore and a second portion (48b, 448b) at the perimeter of the plug.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 202 words

A fuel injector (l0, 4l0) for metering fuel to a plurality of injection nozzles (l, 4l4), the fuel injector comprising an injector base (28, 428) having a plurality of fuel discharge passages (34, 434) opening from a fuel distribution chamber (40, 440), each of the fuel discharge passages being adaptable to direct fuel to one of the injection nozzles, the injector base having an annular valve surface (48, 448a,b), a single valve member (30, 430) associated with the annular valve surface, the valve member being adapted to engage the annular valve surface to preclude fuel delivery into the fuel distribution chamber, and a solenoid (52, 452) adapted to disengage the valve member from the annular valve surface to permit fuel delivery to the fuel distribution chamber and thereby to the fuel discharge passages, characterised in that the injector base (28, 48) has a central bore (36, 436), and includes a plug (38, 438) received in the central bore to define the fuel distribution chamber (40, 440) between the plug and the central bore, and in that the annular valve surface includes a first portion (48a, 448a) surrounding the central bore and a second portion (48b, 448b) at the perimeter of the plug.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 50 words

A fuel injector as claimed in Claim 8, characterised in that the plug (38) engages the central bore (36) at peripherally spaced locations (44) to divide the fuel distribution chamber (40) into a plurality of sectors (46), each of the fuel discharge passages (34) opening from one of the sectors.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 119 words

l0. A fuel injector (3l0, 6l0) for metering fuel to a plurality of injection nozzles (6l4), the fuel injector comprising a base (328, 628) having an annular valve surface (348, 648) and a plurality of fuel discharge passages (334a, 634) opening through the annular valve surface, each of the fuel discharge passages being adaptable to direct fuel to one of the injection nozzles, a single valve member (330a, 630) associated with said valve surface, the valve member being adapted to engage the annular valve surface to preclude fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages, and a solenoid (352a, 652) adapted to disengage the valve member from the annular valve surface to permit fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 119 words

l0. A fuel injector (3l0, 6l0) for metering fuel to a plurality of injection nozzles (6l4), the fuel injector comprising a base (328, 628) having an annular valve surface (348, 648) and a plurality of fuel discharge passages (334a, 634) opening through the annular valve surface, each of the fuel discharge passages being adaptable to direct fuel to one of the injection nozzles, a single valve member (330a, 630) associated with said valve surface, the valve member being adapted to engage the annular valve surface to preclude fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages, and a solenoid (352a, 652) adapted to disengage the valve member from the annular valve surface to permit fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 151 words

A fuel injector as claimed in Claim l0, characterised in that each of the fuel discharge passages including a first portion opening through the annular valve surface, each of the fuel discharge passages including a second portion extending at an angle to said first portion and being adaptable to direct fuel to one of the injection nozzles, and in that the injector base has an opening through which air flows to the fuel discharge passages, a valve seat surrounding the opening, and a rectifier valve disc associated with the valve seat, the rectifier valve disc being pressure responsive and thereby being adapted to engage the valve seat to preclude flow through the opening when the valve member permits fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages and to disengage the valve seat to admit air to the fuel discharge passages when the valve member precludes fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 194 words

Fuel injection apparatus for injecting fuel through a plurality of injection nozzles (l4), the fuel injection apparatus comprising a fuel injector (l0) having an injector base (28) with a plurality of fuel discharge passages (34) and an annular region (32) open to the fuel discharge passages, the annular region including a valve surface (48a,b), a valve member (30) associated with the valve surface, the valve member being adapted to engage the valve surface to preclude fuel delivery through the annular region to the fuel discharge passages, a solenoid (52) adapted to disengage the valve member from the valve surface to permit fuel delivery through the annular region to the fuel discharge passages, and a plurality of fuel discharge lines (l2) respectively connected at one end to the fuel discharge passages and extending to the injection nozzles at the other end, characterised by the injector base further having an air inlet (68, 70) surrounding one end of each of the fuel discharge lines, and a plurality of air lines (72) connected at one end to the air inlet and respectivley surrounding the fuel discharge lines and extending to the injection nozzles at the other end.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 194 words

Fuel injection apparatus for injecting fuel through a plurality of injection nozzles (l4), the fuel injection apparatus comprising a fuel injector (l0) having an injector base (28) with a plurality of fuel discharge passages (34) and an annular region (32) open to the fuel discharge passages, the annular region including a valve surface (48a,b), a valve member (30) associated with the valve surface, the valve member being adapted to engage the valve surface to preclude fuel delivery through the annular region to the fuel discharge passages, a solenoid (52) adapted to disengage the valve member from the valve surface to permit fuel delivery through the annular region to the fuel discharge passages, and a plurality of fuel discharge lines (l2) respectively connected at one end to the fuel discharge passages and extending to the injection nozzles at the other end, characterised by the injector base further having an air inlet (68, 70) surrounding one end of each of the fuel discharge lines, and a plurality of air lines (72) connected at one end to the air inlet and respectivley surrounding the fuel discharge lines and extending to the injection nozzles at the other end.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 78 words

Fuel injection apparatus as claimed in Claim l2, characterised in that the fuel injector (l0) comprises air valve means (58, 64, 66) for controlling flow of air to the fuel discharge passages (34) and being adapted to preclude air flow to the fuel discharge passages when the valve member permits fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages and to admit air to the fuel discharge passages when the valve member precludes fuel delivery to the fuel discharge passages.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 92 words

Fuel injection apparatus as claimed in Claim l2, characterised in that the annular region (32, 432) includes a fuel distribution chamber (40, 440), in that the injector base (28, 428) has a central bore (36, 436), and includes a plug (38, 438) received in the central bore to define the fuel distribution chamber (40, 440) between the plug and the central bore, and in that the valve surface (48, 448) includes a first portion (48a, 448a) surrounding the central bore and a second portion (48b, 448b) at the perimeter of the plug.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

Fuel injection apparatus as claimed in Claim l2, characterised in that the fuel discharge passages (334a, 634) open through the valve surface (348, 648).

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 84 words

A fuel injection nozzle (4l4, 5l4) comprising a fuel discharge line (4l2, 5l2), an air line (472, 572) disposed concentrically about the fuel discharge line, a plurality of openings (479, 579) from the fuel discharge line into the air line, and a corresponding plurality of openings (48l, 58l) from the air line, each of the air line openings (48l, 58l) being aligned with its corresponding fuel discharge line opening (479, 579) and having a larger flow area than its corresponding fuel discharge line opening.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 84 words

A fuel injection nozzle (4l4, 5l4) comprising a fuel discharge line (4l2, 5l2), an air line (472, 572) disposed concentrically about the fuel discharge line, a plurality of openings (479, 579) from the fuel discharge line into the air line, and a corresponding plurality of openings (48l, 58l) from the air line, each of the air line openings (48l, 58l) being aligned with its corresponding fuel discharge line opening (479, 579) and having a larger flow area than its corresponding fuel discharge line opening.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 75 words

A fuel injection nozzle (7l4) comprising a fuel discharge line (7l2), an air line (772) disposed concentrically about the fuel discharge line, the end of the fuel discharge line opening into the air line, and the end (775) of the air line having a reduced opening, and wherein the fuel discharge line has a coiled section (783) engaging the inside (785) of the air line to support the fuel discharge line within the air line.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 75 words

A fuel injection nozzle (7l4) comprising a fuel discharge line (7l2), an air line (772) disposed concentrically about the fuel discharge line, the end of the fuel discharge line opening into the air line, and the end (775) of the air line having a reduced opening, and wherein the fuel discharge line has a coiled section (783) engaging the inside (785) of the air line to support the fuel discharge line within the air line.

Fuel injection apparatus

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