Needle position indicator for a fuel injection nozzle holder

Claim 2

A needle position indicator for a fuel injector nozzle holder comprising: a nozzle holder body, said body having an internal chamber and a valve seat; a needle mounted within said chamber adapted to make sealing contact with said valve seat; spring biasing means for biasing said needle to a predetermined position in relation with said valve seat; means for sensing the dislocation of said needle from said valve seat; sensing means mounting bracket, mounted within said chamber surrounded by said spring; and a resilient ring, surrounding said mounting bracket, radially centering said bracket within said chamber.

Claim 3

A needle position indicator as described in claim 1, wherein said sensing is by electrical means.

Claim 4

A needle position indicator apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein said sensing is by magnetic means.

Claim 5

A needle position indicator as described in claim 3, wherein said magnetic sensing means senses the Hall Effect.

Claim 6

A needle position indicator as described in claim 3, wherein said magnetic sensing means senses the reluctance.

Claim 7

An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said spring biases said needle against said seat in said predetermined position and wherein there is at the end of said mounting bracket towards said needle a magnetic sensing means for sensing changes in the strength of the magnetic field caused by relative displacement between said needle and said needle seat.

Claim 8

An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said mounting bracket has a first outside diameter, a second outside diameter, third outside diameter, and wherein said second outside diameter is less than said first or third diameters and wherein said resilient ring is an O-ring captured between said first and third diameters.

Claim 9

An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said sensing means may be inserted into said mounting bracket through a passageway through said nozzle holder from a location external to said nozzle holder.

Claim 10

An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said needle is electrically insulated from said nozzle holder body except wherein said needle contacts said valve seat and wherein said needle position indicator also includes an electrical connection means connecting the needle valve to an external terminal, said electrical connection means being electrically isolated from said nozzle holder body.

Claim 11

A needle position indicator for a fuel injector nozzle holder which comprises: a nozzle holder body, said body having an internal chamber with upper and lower ends, and said body having a valve seat; a needle mounted within said chamber adapted to make sealing contact with said valve seat, said needle having an upper and lower end; a spring having a central passageway, said spring positioned within said chamber for exerting a force against the upper end of said chamber and against the upper end of the needle to bias the needle against the needle seat; means positioned within said chamber for generating a magnetic field within said chamber; a mounting bracket having a body extending through the central passageway of said spring, said bracket having a lower end adjacent to and in alignment with the upper end of said needle; means mounted on the lower end of said bracket for sensing changes in the strength of the magnetic field caused by relative displacements between the needle and the needle seat; and a resilient ring, surrounding said mounting bracket, radially centering said bracket within said chamber.

Claim 12

A needle position indicator for a fuel injector nozzle holder which comprises: a nozzle holder body, said body having an internal chamber with upper and lower ends, and said body having a valve seat; a needle mounted within said chamber adapted to make sealing contact with said valve seat, said needle having an upper and lower end; a spring having a central passageway, said spring positioned within said chamber for exerting a force against the upper end of said chamber and against the upper end of the needle to bias the needle against the needle seat; means positioned within said chamber for generating a magnetic field within said chamber; a mounting bracket having a body extending through the central passageway of said spring, said bracket having a lower end adjacent to and in alignment with the upper end of said needle; means mounted on the lower end of said bracket for sensing changes in the strength of the magnetic field caused by relative displacements between the needle and the needle seat; and a resilient ring, surrounding said mounting bracket, radially centering said bracket within said chamber.

Claim 13

An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting bracket has a first outside diameter, a second outside diameter, a third outside diameter, and wherein said second outside diameter is less than said first or third diameters and wherein said resilient ring is an O-ring captured between said first and third diameters.