Fuel injector mounting assembly for an opposed-piston engine
AssigneeAchates Power, Inc.
InventorAndrew P. Perr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel injector mounting assembly in an opposed-piston engine allows for mounting of a fuel injector in a cylinder block without significantly deforming the wall of the cylinder into which the injector is configured to deliver fuel. The fuel injector mounting assembly includes a clamping arrangement to clamp the fuel injector to the cylinder block, an elongate tubular sleeve that sheathes a nozzle portion of the fuel injector, and a spanner nut attached to the elongate tubular sleeve. Clamping loads applied to retain the fuel injector in the cylinder block are controlled by the spanner nut.
Claims20
A fuel injector mounting assembly for mounting a fuel injector to an opposed-piston engine cylinder block, the fuel injector mounting assembly comprising:
- an elongate tubular sleeve configured to receive and sheathe at least a nozzle portion of the fuel injector;
- the elongate tubular sleeve comprising a first end and a second end, the first end defining an opening for insertably receiving the nozzle portion and comprising first threads on a sleeve exterior surface portion at the first end, the second end configured to receive a nozzle of the nozzle portion and comprising second threads on a sleeve exterior surface portion at the second end;
- a clamp with a first opening for the fuel injector and a plurality of openings to accommodate threaded fasteners;
- a plurality of threaded fasteners configured to pass through the plurality of openings in the clamp and threadedly engage the cylinder block;
- and
- a spanner nut configured to threadedly engage the first threads at the first end of the elongate tubular sleeve;
- in which the second threads are configured to threadedly engage interior threads of a cylinder wall portion in the cylinder block.
An opposed-piston engine, comprising:
- a cylinder block including a recess extending through a cylinder wall of the cylinder block to a bore of a cylinder of the cylinder block;
- a fuel injector mounted in the recess by an assembly comprising:
- an elongate tubular sleeve received in the recess and configured to receive and sheathe at least a nozzle portion of the fuel injector in the recess;
- the elongate tubular sleeve comprising a first end and a second end, the first end defining an opening for insertably receiving the nozzle portion and comprising first threads on a sleeve exterior surface portion at the first end, the second end configured to position a nozzle of the nozzle portion in the recess and comprising second threads on a sleeve exterior surface portion at the second end;
- clamping means for clamping the fuel injector to the cylinder block;
- and,
- a spanner nut threadedly engaging the first threads and positioned on the cylinder block to resist a clamping force exerted on the elongate tubular sleeve by the clamping means;
- in which the second threads threadedly engage interior threads of the recess.
A combination, comprising:
- an opposed-piston engine cylinder block;
- at least one cylinder in the cylinder block, the cylinder being adapted to support two oppositely-moving pistons in a bore thereof;
- a pair of fuel injectors positioned on opposite sides of the cylinder for injection of fuel into a bore of the cylinder;
- and,
- each fuel injector of the pair of fuel injectors being mounted to the cylinder block by a fuel injector mounting assembly comprising:
- an elongate tubular sleeve with a first end and a second end, the first end defining an opening for insertably receiving the nozzle portion and comprising first threads on a sleeve exterior surface portion at the first end, the second end configured to position a nozzle of the nozzle portion in the recess and comprising second threads on a sleeve exterior surface portion at the second end,
- clamping means for clamping the fuel injector to the cylinder block;
- and,
- a spanner nut threadedly engaging the first threads and positioned on the cylinder block to resist a clamping force exerted on the elongate tubular sleeve by the clamping means;
- in which the second threads threadedly engage interior threads of the recess.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.