Fuel injector sleeve and engine system remanufacturing method using same
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsNicholas J. Randklev, Curtis John Graham, Jonathan Richard Chittenden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel injector sleeve for use in a remanufactured engine includes an elongate sleeve body including a clamping shoulder facing an axial direction and forming an undercut, and a sealing ridge transitioning between the undercut and an outer sleeve surface. The sealing ridge defines a sealing line radially outward of the undercut and extending circumferentially and uniformly around the longitudinal axis. The sealing line provides line contact between the sleeve and a clamping surface of a cylinder head to form a seal outboard of erosion upon the clamping surface from prior service. Related apparatus and remanufacturing methodology is also disclosed.
Claims20
A fuel injector sleeve comprising:
- an elongate sleeve body defining a longitudinal axis and including an inner sleeve surface forming an injector bore extending in an axial direction from a first sleeve end toward a second sleeve end having a thread set and forming an injector tip opening;
- the elongate sleeve body further including a middle section having an outer sleeve surface extending between the first sleeve end and the second sleeve end, and a clamping shoulder facing the axial direction and extending radially outward from the second sleeve end to the middle section;
- and
- the clamping shoulder forming an undercut, and a sealing ridge transitioning between the undercut and the outer sleeve surface, and the sealing ridge defining a sealing line at an outermost extremity of the clamping shoulder in the axial direction, located radially outward of the undercut and extending circumferentially and uniformly around the longitudinal axis.
An engine system comprising:
- a cylinder head including a top deck surface, a bottom deck surface, a sleeve bore extending between the top deck surface and the bottom deck surface and opening in the bottom deck surface, and an upwardly facing clamping surface exposed to the sleeve bore;
- a sleeve within the sleeve bore defining a longitudinal axis and including a thread set threadedly engaged with the cylinder head, and a clamping shoulder clamped in contact with the clamping surface via the threaded engagement;
- and
- the clamping surface extending from a radially inward origination location to a radially outward location, and the clamping shoulder including a sealing ridge defining a sealing line spaced radially outward of the radially inward origination location and extending circumferentially and uniformly around the longitudinal axis.
A method of remanufacturing a cylinder head comprising:
- receiving a cylinder head removed from service in an engine and forming a sleeve bore extending between a top deck surface and a bottom deck surface, and an upwardly facing clamping surface exposed to the sleeve bore;
- installing a sleeve in the sleeve bore;
- and
- clamping the sleeve to the cylinder head so as to form a fluid seal between a sealing ridge of the sleeve and the clamping surface at a sealing line located radially outward of a radially inward origination location of the clamping surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.