US5853124A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bottom seated pintle nozzle
Assignee: Clean Air Power Inc
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Filing: 1997-05-05
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Granted: 1998-12-29
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Expires: 2017-05-05
Abstract
Abstract A pintle nozzle, preferably an unthrottled pintle nozzle, is provided in which a negative interference angle is formed between the conical tip of the nozzle needle and the mating conical valve seat so that the needle seat is located at the bottom of the valve seat rather than at the top. The resulting nozzle lacks any velocity drop downstream of the needle seat, even at very low needle lifts, so that virtually all of the energy used to pressurize the fuel is converted to kinetic energy. Spray dispersion and penetration at low needle lifts therefore are significantly enhanced. Fuel flow through the converging-diameter discharge passage located between the conical needle tip and conical needle seat also self-centers the nozzle needle at low lifts, thereby helping to assure a symmetric spray and to further enhance spray characteristics. These and other advantages render the nozzle particularly useful for applications which require very small injection quantities such as the injection of fuel into small two-stroke gasoline engines or into pilot-ignited gas-fueled engines.
Inventors
- 👤 Niels John Beck
- 👤 William P. Johnson
- 👤 Kresimir Gebert
- 👤 Hoi Ching Wong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:52
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M61/00; F02M61/04; F02M61/06; F02M61/16; F02M61/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
295 words
A bottom seated unthrottled pintle nozzle comprising: (A) a nozzle body having a frusto-conically-shaped valve seat formed therein that increases continuously in diameter from a lower seat orifice thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle of α; and (B) a nozzle needle movable substantially axially with respect to said valve seat, said nozzle needle including a lower needle tip movable 1) from a lowered, seated position in which said needle tip seats against said valve seat at a needle seat so as to prevent fluid flow through said nozzle 2) to a lifted position in which said needle tip is spaced from said valve seat to permit fluid to flow through a discharge passage formed between said needle tip and said valve seat, past said needle seat, and out of said seat orifice, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than said angle α so that said needle seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice flow area is always unthrottled.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
295 words
A bottom seated unthrottled pintle nozzle comprising: (A) a nozzle body having a frusto-conically-shaped valve seat formed therein that increases continuously in diameter from a lower seat orifice thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle of α; and (B) a nozzle needle movable substantially axially with respect to said valve seat, said nozzle needle including a lower needle tip movable 1) from a lowered, seated position in which said needle tip seats against said valve seat at a needle seat so as to prevent fluid flow through said nozzle 2) to a lifted position in which said needle tip is spaced from said valve seat to permit fluid to flow through a discharge passage formed between said needle tip and said valve seat, past said needle seat, and out of said seat orifice, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than said angle α so that said needle seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice flow area is always unthrottled.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A bottom seated unthrottled pintle nozzle as defined in claim 1, wherein said angle β is about 1.0° less than said angle α.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A bottom seated unthrottled pintle nozzle as defined in claim 2, wherein said angle β is about 57° and said angle α is about 58°.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A bottom seated unthrottled pintle nozzle as defined in claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical passage formed in said nozzle body beneath said valve seat, said seat orifice flow area being smaller than a cross-sectional area of said cylindrical passage at all phases of needle lift.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A bottom seated unthrottled pintle nozzle as defined in claim 4, wherein said nozzle needle further comprises a cylindrical pintle extending axially downwardly from said needle tip and having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of said cylindrical passage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A bottom seated unthrottled pintle nozzle as defined in claim 4, wherein said nozzle needle is a zero-pintle nozzle needle lacking a structure extending axially downwardly from said needle tip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
226 words
A bottom seated pintle nozzle comprising: (A) a nozzle body in which is located a valve seat; and (B) a nozzle needle including a needle tip which is selectively 1) seatable on said valve seat at a needle seat and 2) liftable with respect to said valve seat to permit fluid flow past said needle seat and out of said nozzle body, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than an included angle α of said valve seat so that said needle seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice flow area is always unthrottled.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
226 words
A bottom seated pintle nozzle comprising: (A) a nozzle body in which is located a valve seat; and (B) a nozzle needle including a needle tip which is selectively 1) seatable on said valve seat at a needle seat and 2) liftable with respect to said valve seat to permit fluid flow past said needle seat and out of said nozzle body, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than an included angle α of said valve seat so that said needle seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice flow area is always unthrottled.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
A bottom seated pintle nozzle as defined in claim 7, wherein a nozzle flow discharge coefficient of said nozzle, defined as the actual velocity of liquid ejected from said nozzle under designated operating conditions divided by the theoretical maximum velocity under said designated operating conditions, is over 0.4 at a needle lift of 0.03 mm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A bottom seated pintle nozzle as defined in claim 8, wherein said nozzle flow discharge coefficient is over 0.6 at said needle lift of 0.03 mm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A bottom seated pintle nozzle as defined in claim 7, wherein said interference angle is about 1.0°.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
237 words
A nozzle comprising: (A) a valve seat; and (B) a nozzle needle having a needle tip which is selectively seatable on said valve seat, wherein a nozzle flow discharge coefficient of said nozzle, defined as the actual velocity of liquid ejection from said nozzle under designated operating conditions divided by the theoretical maximum velocity under said designated operating conditions, is over 0.5 at a needle lift of 0.03 mm, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than an included angle α of said valve seat so that a needle seat of said valve seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice flow area is always unthrottled.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
237 words
A nozzle comprising: (A) a valve seat; and (B) a nozzle needle having a needle tip which is selectively seatable on said valve seat, wherein a nozzle flow discharge coefficient of said nozzle, defined as the actual velocity of liquid ejection from said nozzle under designated operating conditions divided by the theoretical maximum velocity under said designated operating conditions, is over 0.5 at a needle lift of 0.03 mm, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than an included angle α of said valve seat so that a needle seat of said valve seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice flow area is always unthrottled.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A nozzle as defined in claim 11, wherein said nozzle flow discharge coefficient of said nozzle is over 0.6 at said needle lift of 0.03 mm.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
346 words
A method of injecting a liquid from a nozzle comprising: (A) providing a nozzle having 1) a nozzle needle including a lower needle tip and 2) a nozzle body having a valve seat located therein which receives said needle tip; (B) seating said needle tip on said valve seat at a needle seat positioned adjacent a seat orifice of said nozzle so as to prevent liquid ejection from said nozzle; and then (C) lifting said needle tip from said valve seat to eject liquid from said nozzle by permitting fuel flow from a discharge passage formed between said needle tip and said valve seat, then past said needle seat, and then out of said seat orifice, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than an included angle α of said valve seat so that said needle seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice is unthrottled so that, during said step (C), said discharge passage decreases continuously in cross sectional area from an upper end of said valve seat towards said needle seat at a designated needle lift, and wherein said fluid 1) flows through said discharge passage at an increasing velocity, 2) flows at a maximum velocity at said needle seat, and 3) is elected from said seat orifice at substantially said maximum velocity.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
346 words
A method of injecting a liquid from a nozzle comprising: (A) providing a nozzle having 1) a nozzle needle including a lower needle tip and 2) a nozzle body having a valve seat located therein which receives said needle tip; (B) seating said needle tip on said valve seat at a needle seat positioned adjacent a seat orifice of said nozzle so as to prevent liquid ejection from said nozzle; and then (C) lifting said needle tip from said valve seat to eject liquid from said nozzle by permitting fuel flow from a discharge passage formed between said needle tip and said valve seat, then past said needle seat, and then out of said seat orifice, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than an included angle α of said valve seat so that said needle seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice is unthrottled so that, during said step (C), said discharge passage decreases continuously in cross sectional area from an upper end of said valve seat towards said needle seat at a designated needle lift, and wherein said fluid 1) flows through said discharge passage at an increasing velocity, 2) flows at a maximum velocity at said needle seat, and 3) is elected from said seat orifice at substantially said maximum velocity.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as defined in claim 13, wherein, upon needle tip lift, a pressure differential is formed from an upstream end of said discharge passage to a downstream end of said discharge passage that tends to center said needle tip axially with respect to said valve seat.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
330 words
A zero-pintle pintle nozzle comprising: A) a nozzle body having a frusto-conically-shaped valve seat formed therein that increases continuously in diameter from a lower seat orifice thereof to an upper end thereof; and (B) a nozzle needle movable substantially axially with respect to said valve seat, said nozzle needle including a lower needle tip movable 1) from a lowered, seated position in which said needle tip seats against said valve seat at a needle seat so as to prevent fluid flow through said nozzle 2) to a lifted position in which said needle tip is spaced from said valve seat to permit fluid to flow through a discharge passage formed between said needle tip and said valve seat, past said needle seat, and out of said seat orifice, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof, said nozzle needle lacking any structure extending axially downwardly from said portion of said needle tip, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than said angle α so that said needle seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice is always unthrottled.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
330 words
A zero-pintle pintle nozzle comprising: A) a nozzle body having a frusto-conically-shaped valve seat formed therein that increases continuously in diameter from a lower seat orifice thereof to an upper end thereof; and (B) a nozzle needle movable substantially axially with respect to said valve seat, said nozzle needle including a lower needle tip movable 1) from a lowered, seated position in which said needle tip seats against said valve seat at a needle seat so as to prevent fluid flow through said nozzle 2) to a lifted position in which said needle tip is spaced from said valve seat to permit fluid to flow through a discharge passage formed between said needle tip and said valve seat, past said needle seat, and out of said seat orifice, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof, said nozzle needle lacking any structure extending axially downwardly from said portion of said needle tip, wherein at least a portion of said needle tip has a frusto-conically-shaped peripheral surface that increases continuously in diameter from a lower end thereof to an upper end thereof at an included angle β, said angle being between 0.5° and 2.0° less than said angle α so that said needle seat is located at a bottom end of said valve seat, wherein a seat orifice flow area 1) is formed between said nozzle needle and said needle seat, 2) is normal to a direction of fluid flow past said needle seat, and 3) increases rapidly with needle lift from a value of zero when said nozzle needle assumes its seated position to a maximum value when said nozzle needle assumes a full-lift position, and wherein said seat orifice flow area is the smallest flow area through said pintle nozzle at all phases of needle lift so that fluid flow downstream of said seat orifice is always unthrottled.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-12-28 | 2002-06-29 | 2002-12-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-12-28 | 2006-06-29 | 2006-12-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-12-28 | 2010-06-29 | 2010-12-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |