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US7420316B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Actuator unit for a piezo-controlled fuel injection valve

Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
•
Filing: 2004-03-19
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Granted: 2008-09-02
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Expires: 2024-03-19
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Abstract

Abstract An actuator unit suitable for actuating a fuel injection valve of an injection system for internal combustion engines is comprised of a piezoelectric actuator and a hollow body embodied in the form of a spring. Embodying the hollow body according to the present invention can extend the service life of the actuator unit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dieter Kienzler
  • 👤 Dietmar Uhlmann

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 16:46
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M59/00; F02M59/44; F02M59/46; F02M63/00; F02M63/02; F02M63/0225; F02M47/00; F02M47/02; F02M47/027; F02M61/00; F02M61/16; F02M61/167; F02M61/168; F02M63/0012; F02M63/0014; F02M63/0015; F02M63/0026; F16; F16F; F16F1/00; F16F1/02; F16F1/025; F16F1/028; H; H10; H10N; H10N30/00; H10N30/80; H10N30/88; H10N30/886; F02M2200/00; F02M2200/26

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim 120 words
An actuator unit having an elongated hollow body ( 4 ) which is elastically embodied and which prestresses a piezoelectric actuator ( 1 ), the hollow body ( 4 ) having a plurality of recesses and having a joint ( 31 ) extending parallel to its longitudinal axis ( 35 ), a bridge piece ( 19 ) between each pair of adjacent recesses ( 7 , 7 a , 7 b ), the hollow body ( 4 ) having a first end ( 17 ) and a second end ( 15 ), and the recesses ( 7 a , 7 b ) adjacent to the joint ( 31 ) being smaller than the rest of the recesses ( 7 ).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 120 words
An actuator unit having an elongated hollow body ( 4 ) which is elastically embodied and which prestresses a piezoelectric actuator ( 1 ), the hollow body ( 4 ) having a plurality of recesses and having a joint ( 31 ) extending parallel to its longitudinal axis ( 35 ), a bridge piece ( 19 ) between each pair of adjacent recesses ( 7 , 7 a , 7 b ), the hollow body ( 4 ) having a first end ( 17 ) and a second end ( 15 ), and the recesses ( 7 a , 7 b ) adjacent to the joint ( 31 ) being smaller than the rest of the recesses ( 7 ).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 154 words
An actuator unit comprising an elongated a hollow body ( 4 ) having a longitudinal axis ( 35 ) and a piezoelectric actuator ( 1 ), the hollow body ( 4 ) being elastically embodied and prestressing the actuator ( 1 ), the hollow body ( 4 ) having a plurality of recesses distributed thereover with bridge pieces between adjacent recesses, and having a joint ( 31 ) extending parallel to its longitudinal axis ( 35 ) with a bridge piece ( 19 ) between each pair of adjacent recesses ( 7 , 7 a , 7 b ), the bridge piece ( 19 . 1 ) between a recess ( 7 a , 7 b ) adjacent to the joint ( 31 ) and another recess ( 7 ) adjacent to that recess being wider than the bridge pieces ( 19 . 2 ) between the rest of the recesses ( 7 ).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 154 words
An actuator unit comprising an elongated a hollow body ( 4 ) having a longitudinal axis ( 35 ) and a piezoelectric actuator ( 1 ), the hollow body ( 4 ) being elastically embodied and prestressing the actuator ( 1 ), the hollow body ( 4 ) having a plurality of recesses distributed thereover with bridge pieces between adjacent recesses, and having a joint ( 31 ) extending parallel to its longitudinal axis ( 35 ) with a bridge piece ( 19 ) between each pair of adjacent recesses ( 7 , 7 a , 7 b ), the bridge piece ( 19 . 1 ) between a recess ( 7 a , 7 b ) adjacent to the joint ( 31 ) and another recess ( 7 ) adjacent to that recess being wider than the bridge pieces ( 19 . 2 ) between the rest of the recesses ( 7 ).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 82 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the ratio of the width of a bridge piece ( 19 . 1 ) between a recess ( 7 a , 7 b ) adjacent to the joint ( 31 ) and another recess ( 7 ) adjacent to that recess ( 7 a , 7 b ) to the width of the rest of the bridge pieces ( 19 . 2 ) has a value between 1.3 and 1.9, preferably about 1.6.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 60 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the widths of the bridge pieces ( 19 . 1 , 19 . 2 ) are dimensioned as a function of the load, and wherein the widths (a, a 1 , a 2 ) of the bridge pieces ( 19 ) differ from one another by a factor of about 3.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 35 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the recesses ( 7 ) are disposed in a number of planes (E i ) and the planes (E i ) extend parallel to one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 37 words
The actuator unit according to claim 5 , wherein there is an odd number (I, where I=11, 13, 15, or 17, for example) of planes (E i ) in which the recesses ( 7 ) are disposed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 67 words
The actuator unit according to claim 6 , wherein the recesses ( 7 a , 7 b ) adjacent to the joint ( 31 ) have the following dimensions: R 1 ( 7 a , 7 b )=0.41 mm to 0.49 mm, R 2 ( 7 a , 7 b )=5.5 mm to 6.5 mm, L ( 7 a , 7 b )=3.7 mm to 4.7 mm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 53 words
The actuator unit according to claim 5 , wherein a number of recesses ( 7 ) are disposed one after the other in a plane (E 2 ), and wherein the plane (E 2 ) intersects the longitudinal axis ( 35 ) of the hollow body ( 4 ) at a right angle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 23 words
The actuator unit according to claim 8 , wherein a plane (E 2 ) contains an even number of recesses ( 7 ).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
The actuator unit according to claim 5 , wherein the recesses ( 7 ) of two adjacent planes (E 1 ) are offset ( 23 ) from one another.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 47 words
The actuator unit according to claim 10 , wherein the offset ( 23 ) of the recesses ( 7 ) of two adjacent planes is equal to one half the repeat pattern ( 21 ) of the recesses ( 7 ) of a plane (E 1 ).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 35 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the recesses ( 7 ) are embodied as bone-shaped and extend lateral to a longitudinal axis ( 35 ) of the hollow body ( 4 ).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 170 words
The actuator unit according to claim 12 , wherein the recesses ( 7 ) are comprised of a middle portion ( 37 ) and two head portions ( 39 ), the head portions ( 39 ) having at least one first radius (R 1 ), the middle portion ( 37 ) having a second radius (R 2 ), the recesses ( 7 , 7 a , 7 b ) having a length (L), and the following equations apply to the ratios of the recesses ( 7 ) disposed in the inner region of the blank to the recesses ( 7 a , 7 b ) disposed adjacent to the joint ( 31 ): R 1 ( 7 a , 7 b )=0.867×R 1 ( 7 ) R 2 ( 7 a , 7 b )=1.317×R 2 ( 7 ) L ( 7 a , 7 b )=0.984×L ( 7 ), and width (b) of a halved bridge piece ( 41 ) in relation to the joint: b>a/2; in particular b=1.4×a/2.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 67 words
The actuator unit according to claim 12 , wherein the recesses ( 7 a , 7 b ) adjacent to the joint ( 31 ) have the following dimensions: R 1 ( 7 a , 7 b )=0.35 mm to 0.43 mm R 2 ( 7 a , 7 b )=4.0 mm to 8.9 mm L ( 7 a , 7 b )=3.5 mm to 4.5 mm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 44 words
The actuator unit according to claim 12 , wherein the recesses ( 7 ) have the following dimensions: R 1 ( 7 )=0.43 mm to 0.51 mm, R 2 ( 7 )=4.0 mm to 4.8 mm, L ( 7 )=4.5 mm to 5.5 mm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 44 words
The actuator unit according to claim 12 , wherein the recesses ( 7 ) have the following dimensions: R 1 ( 7 )=0.4 mm to 0.5 mm, R 2 ( 7 )=5.5 mm to 6.5 mm, L ( 7 )=4.0 mm to 4.5 mm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 107 words
The actuator unit according to claim 12 , wherein the recesses ( 7 ) are comprised of a middle portion ( 37 ) and two head portions ( 39 ), the head portions ( 39 ) having at least one first radius (R 1 ), the middle portion ( 37 ) having a second radius (R 2 ), the recesses ( 7 , 7 a , 7 b ) having a length ( 4 ), the first radii of the head pieces ( 39 ) of a recess ( 7 a , 7 b ) adjacent to the joint ( 31 ) are different from each other.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 20 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the hollow body ( 4 ) has a circular cross section.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 26 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the cross section of the hollow body ( 4 ) is the shape of a regular polygon.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 25 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the hollow body ( 4 ) is radially fixed at its first end ( 17 ).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 52 words
The actuator unit according to claim 20 , wherein the first end ( 17 ) of the hollow body ( 4 ) is radially affixed to an upper cover plate ( 6 ) or an adjusting disk ( 93 ) by means of an annular groove ( 39 ) or a shoulder.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 39 words
The actuator unit according to claim 21 , wherein the first end ( 17 ) of the hollow body ( 4 ) being fastened to the upper cover plate ( 6 ) by means of welding ( 41 ).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 25 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the hollow body ( 4 ) is radially fixed at its second end ( 15 ).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 39 words
The actuator unit according to claim 23 , wherein the second end ( 15 ) of the hollow body ( 4 ) is connected to a lower cover plate ( 5 ) or a coupler housing ( 86 ).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 46 words
The actuator unit according to claim 24 , wherein the second end ( 15 ) of the hollow body ( 4 ) is fastened to the lower cover plate ( 5 ) or a coupler housing ( 86 ) by means of welding ( 41 ).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 47 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the first end ( 17 ) and/or the second end ( 15 ) of the hollow body ( 4 ) has a region that is not perforated by recesses ( 7 , 7 a , 7 b ).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 42 words
The actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the piezoelectric actuator ( 1 ) is disposed inside the hollow body ( 4 ) and the prestressed hollow body ( 4 ) acts on the piezoelectric actuator ( 1 ) with compression.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2011-09-02 2012-03-03 2012-09-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2015-09-02 2016-03-03 2016-09-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2019-09-02 2020-03-03 2020-09-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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