Fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines

Claim 2

Fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination: a. a fuel reservoir; b. fuel pump means, connected to said reservoir, for delivering fuel under pressure at an outlet of said fuel pump means; c. at least one fuel injection nozzle means for injecting fuel into an engine; d. intermediate reservoir means for feeding fuel to said fuel injection means, and comprising: 1. a housing; and 2. means arranged within said housing for dividing the same into first and second chambers, said dividing means being a single member movable to and fro to increase the volume of one of said chambers while decreasing the volume of the other of said chambers, said housing defining only first and second openings, the first opening communicating with said first chamber and the second opening communicating with said second chamber; e. first connecting means, connected to said first opening, to said fuel reservoir and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said first chamber and said fuel reservoir and between said first chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; and f. second connecting means, connected to said second opening, to said at least one nozzle means and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said second chamber and said at least one nozzle means and between said second chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means.

Claim 3

means arranged within said housing for dividing the same into first and second chambers, said dividing means being a single member movable to and fro to increase the volume of one of said chambers while decreasing the volume of the other of said chambers, said housing defining only first and second openings, the first opening communicating with said first chamber and the second opening communicating with said second chamber; e. first connecting means, connected to said first opening, to said fuel reservoir and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said first chamber and said fuel reservoir and between said first chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; and f. second connecting means, connected to said second opening, to said at least one nozzle means and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said second chamber and said at least one nozzle means and between said second chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means.

Claim 4

means arranged within said housing for dividing the same into first and second chambers, said dividing means being a single member movable to and fro to increase the volume of one of said chambers while decreasing the volume of the other of said chambers, said housing defining only first and second openings, the first opening communicating with said first chamber and the second opening communicating with said second chamber; e. first connecting means, connected to said first opening, to said fuel reservoir and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said first chamber and said fuel reservoir and between said first chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; and f. second connecting means, connected to said second opening, to said at least one nozzle means and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said second chamber and said at least one nozzle means and between said second chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means.

Claim 5

The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said first connecting means includes a first three-way valve and said second connecting means includes a second three-way valve.

Claim 6

dividing means arranged within said housing and dividing the same into first and second chambers, said dividing means being movable to and fro to increase the volume of one of said chambers while decreasing the volume of the other of said chambers, said housing having a first opening communicating with said first chamber and a second opening communicating with said second chamber; d. at least one fuel injection nozzle means for injecting fuel into the engine; e. first connecting means, connected to said first opening, to said fuel reservoir and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said first chamber and said fuel reservoir and between said first chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; f. second connecting means, connected to said second opening, to said at least one nozzle means and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said second chamber and said at least one nozzle means and between said second chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; g. at least one additional intermediate reservoir means comprising:

Claim 7

dividing means arranged within said housing and dividing the same into first and second chambers, said dividing means being movable to and fro to increase the volume of one of said chambers while decreasing the volume of the other of said chambers, said housing having a first opening communicating with said first chamber and a second opening communicating with said second chamber; d. at least one fuel injection nozzle means for injecting fuel into the engine; e. first connecting means, connected to said first opening, to said fuel reservoir and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said first chamber and said fuel reservoir and between said first chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; f. second connecting means, connected to said second opening, to said at least one nozzle means and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said second chamber and said at least one nozzle means and between said second chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; g. at least one additional intermediate reservoir means comprising:

Claim 8

dividing means arranged within said housing and dividing the same into first and second chambers, said dividing means being movable to and fro to increase the volume of one of said chambers while decreasing the volume of the other of said chambers, said housing having a first opening communicating with said first chamber and a second opening communicating with said second chamber; h. third connecting means, connected to said first opening of said intermediate reservoir means (c) and to said first opening of said at least one additional intermediate reservoir means (g), for establishing communication between said first chamber of said intermediate reservoir means (c) and said first chamber of said at least one additional intermediate reservoir means (g); i. at least one fourth connecting means, each connected to said second opening of one of said at least one additional intermediate reservoir means (g), to said at least one nozzle means and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said second chamber of said one of said additional intermediate reservoir means (g) and said at least one nozzle means and between said second chamber of said one of said additional intermediate reservoir means (g) and said outlet of said fuel pump means.

Claim 9

dividing means arranged within said housing and dividing the same into first and second chambers, said dividing means being movable to and fro to increase the volume of one of said chambers while decreasing the volume of the other of said chambers, said housing having a first opening communicating with said first chamber and a second opening communicating with said second chamber; h. third connecting means, connected to said first opening of said intermediate reservoir means (c) and to said first opening of said at least one additional intermediate reservoir means (g), for establishing communication between said first chamber of said intermediate reservoir means (c) and said first chamber of said at least one additional intermediate reservoir means (g); i. at least one fourth connecting means, each connected to said second opening of one of said at least one additional intermediate reservoir means (g), to said at least one nozzle means and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said second chamber of said one of said additional intermediate reservoir means (g) and said at least one nozzle means and between said second chamber of said one of said additional intermediate reservoir means (g) and said outlet of said fuel pump means.

Claim 10

dividing means arranged within said housing and dividing the same into first and second chambers, said dividing means being movable to and fro to increase the volume of one of said chambers while decreasing the volume of the other of said chambers, said housing having a first opening communicating with said first chamber and a second opening communicating with said second chamber; d. at least one fuel injection nozzle means for injecting fuel into the engine; e. first connecting means, connected to said first opening, to said fuel reservoir and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said first chamber and said fuel reservoir and between said first chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; f. second connecting means, connected to said second opening, to said at least one nozzle means and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said second chamber and said at least one nozzle means and between said second chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; g. means, connected to said intermediate reservoir means, for producing a first electrical signal having a value which is dependent upon the volume of said second chamber; h. means for producing a second electrical signal having a value which is dependent upon the desired quantity of fuel to be injected into the engine; i. comparator means, connected to receive said first and second electrical signal, for producing a third electrical signal having a value which is dependent upon the relative values of said first and second electrical signals; and j. control means, connected to said comparator means, and to at least one of said first and second connecting means, for interrupting the filling of said second chamber when the volume thereof is substantially equal to the volume of said desired quantity of fuel.

Claim 11

dividing means arranged within said housing and dividing the same into first and second chambers, said dividing means being movable to and fro to increase the volume of one of said chambers while decreasing the volume of the other of said chambers, said housing having a first opening communicating with said first chamber and a second opening communicating with said second chamber; d. at least one fuel injection nozzle means for injecting fuel into the engine; e. first connecting means, connected to said first opening, to said fuel reservoir and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said first chamber and said fuel reservoir and between said first chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; f. second connecting means, connected to said second opening, to said at least one nozzle means and to said outlet of said fuel pump means, for selectively establishing communication between said second chamber and said at least one nozzle means and between said second chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means; g. means, connected to said intermediate reservoir means, for producing a first electrical signal having a value which is dependent upon the volume of said second chamber; h. means for producing a second electrical signal having a value which is dependent upon the desired quantity of fuel to be injected into the engine; i. comparator means, connected to receive said first and second electrical signal, for producing a third electrical signal having a value which is dependent upon the relative values of said first and second electrical signals; and j. control means, connected to said comparator means, and to at least one of said first and second connecting means, for interrupting the filling of said second chamber when the volume thereof is substantially equal to the volume of said desired quantity of fuel.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein said intermediate reservoir means includes a housing having a cylindrical bore and said dividing means is a floating piston arranged within said bore.

Claim 13

The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein said second connecting means includes a constriction in the communicating path between said second chamber and said outlet of said fuel pump means.

Claim 14

Fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination: a. a fuel reservoir; b. fuel pump means, connected to said reservoir, for delivering fuel under pressure at an outlet of said fuel pump means; c. intermediate reservoir means comprising:

Claim 15

Fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination: a. a fuel reservoir; b. fuel pump means, connected to said reservoir, for delivering fuel under pressure at an outlet of said fuel pump means; c. intermediate reservoir means comprising:

Claim 16

The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein said first connecting means includes a first electrically actuated three-way valve and said second connecting means includes a second electrically actuated three-way valve, and wherein said control means is a controllable pulse source, means, connected to said comparator means and to said first three-way valve, for producing a pulse in dependence upon said third electrical signal.

Claim 17

The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein said means for producing said first electrical signal includes position sender means, responsive to the position of said dividing means within said housing.

Claim 18

Fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination: a. a fuel reservoir; b. fuel pump means, connected to said reservoir, for delivering fuel under pressure at an outlet of said fuel pump means; c. intermediate reservoir mEans comprising:

Claim 19

Fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination: a. a fuel reservoir; b. fuel pump means, connected to said reservoir, for delivering fuel under pressure at an outlet of said fuel pump means; c. intermediate reservoir mEans comprising:

Claim 20

The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein the total volume of said first and second chambers of each of said intermediate reservoir means (c) and said at least one additional intermediate reservoir means (g) is different.

Claim 21

The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein there are a plurality of said fuel injection nozzle means, and each of said fuel injection nozzle means includes an electrically actuated injection valve means, for controlling the passage of fuel through said nozzle means.

Claim 22

The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein there are a plurality of additional intermediate reservoir means each defining first and second openings, and a like number of valve means connected to a respective one of said additional intermediate reservoir means and to said at least one nozzle means for selectively filling a predetermined number of said intermediate reservoir means to determine the amount of fuel ejected by said nozzle means, the predetermined number of intermediate reservoir means always being filled to their maximum.

Claim 23

The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein said first, second, and fourth connecting means each have a three-way valve.

Claim 24

The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein said intermediate reservoir means and said at least one additional intermediate reservoir means each having a housing having a cylindrical bore, and wherein in each instance said dividing means is a floating piston arranged within said bore.