Inlet Control Valve With Snap-Off Coil Assembly
AssigneeStanadyne, Inc.
InventorRobert G. Lucas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a solenoid actuated inlet control valve for a fuel pump, the risk of fuel leakage from the control valve in the event of damage to the electromagnetic actuator for the inlet control valve is reduced by hydraulically isolating an actuation module containing the electromagnetic coil from a delivery module containing the hydraulic flow paths, and providing a breakaway connection between the actuation module and the delivery module.
Claims14
An inlet valve for a fuel pump having a pump housing, an inlet port for receiving low pressure feed fuel, a pumping chamber within the housing for pressurizing the feed fuel, and an outlet port for discharging the pressurized fuel, comprising:
- a fuel delivery module mountable in the pump housing, including an inflow passage for receiving feed fuel from the inlet port, a delivery passage for delivering feed fuel to the pumping chamber, a valve seat between the inflow passage and the delivery passage, and a valve member movable between a first position against the seat whereby the valve member closes fuel flow to the delivery passage and a second position away from the seat whereby the valve member retracts from the seat to open fuel flow to the delivery passage;
- an actuation module attached to the delivery module, including an electromagnetic coil assembly that is operatively associated with the valve member for moving the valve member between the first and second positions;
- wherein the actuation module is hydraulically isolated from the fuel delivery module.
A fuel pump comprising:
- a housing;
- an inlet port for receiving low pressure feed fuel;
- a pumping chamber within the housing for pressurizing the feed fuel;
- an outlet port for discharging the pressurized fuel;
- a fuel delivery module mounted in the housing, including an inflow passage for receiving feed fuel from the inlet port, a delivery passage for delivering feed fuel to the pumping chamber, a valve seat between the inflow passage and the delivery passage, and a valve member movable between a first position against the seat whereby the valve member closes fuel flow to the delivery passage and a second position away from the seat whereby the valve member retracts from the seat to open fuel flow to the delivery passage;
- an actuation module attached to at least one of the delivery module and housing, including an electromagnetic coil assembly that is operatively associated with the valve member for moving the valve member between the first and second positions;
- wherein the actuation module is hydraulically isolated from the fuel delivery module.
The pump of claim 10, wherein
- the actuation module has a first magnetic pole, a surrounding coil, and a magnetically conductive outer jacket;
- the valve member is ferromagnetic;
- the lower portion of the delivery module defines a second magnetic pole magnetically coupled to the first magnetic pole;
- portions of the housing, the actuation module, and the delivery module define a magnetic circuit;
- whereby actuation of the electromagnetic coil applies or removes a force to move the valve member between the first and second positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.