Fuel injector having particulate-blocking perforation array
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsAaron Michael Brown, Michael Edward Pickell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An engine head assembly includes a plurality of fuel injectors each positioned within a fuel injector bore in an engine head, and fluidly coupled with a fluid conduit. Each fuel injector includes a valve assembly within a fuel injector case such that an interior fluid space is formed between the fuel injector case and the valve assembly. The fuel injector case includes an elongate body having a particulate-blocking perforation array formed therein, and that is structured to block particulates in fuel entering the fuel injector from the fluid conduit.
Claims20
A fuel injector case comprising:
- an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis and including a first axial end and a second axial end, and the elongate body further including an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface each extending between the first axial end and the second axial end;
- the elongate body further having a nozzle end segment that includes the first axial end, a second end segment that includes the second axial end, and a filtration segment positioned axially between the nozzle end segment and the second end segment;
- and
- the filtration segment having a particulate-blocking perforation array with a circumferential distribution of perforations and an axial distribution of perforations in the elongate body, and forming a fluid flow path from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface to fluidly connect an interior fluid space within the elongate body to a fluid conduit formed between the elongate body and an engine head.
A fuel injector comprising:
- a valve assembly having an electrical actuator and a valve movable in response to a change to an energy state of the electrical actuator;
- a nozzle piece defining a nozzle outlet;
- a fuel injector case having an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis;
- the elongate body including a nozzle end segment having the nozzle piece positioned at least partially therein, and a filtration segment having the valve assembly positioned at least partially therein;
- an interior fluid space formed in part by the elongate body and in part by the valve assembly;
- and
- the filtration segment including a particulate-blocking perforation array having a circumferential distribution of perforations and an axial distribution of perforations in the elongate body, and forming a fluid flow path to the interior fluid space to fluidly connect the interior fluid space to a fluid conduit formed between the elongate body and an engine head in an internal combustion engine.
The fuel injector of claim 13 wherein the inner openings have a diameter from about 55 μm to about 65 μm.
An engine head assembly comprising:
- an engine head;
- a fluid conduit formed in the engine head;
- a plurality of fuel injectors each including a valve assembly, a nozzle piece defining a nozzle outlet, and a fuel injector case that includes a particulate-blocking perforation array, each of the valve assemblies and the nozzle pieces being housed in a fuel injector case;
- and
- each of the particulate-blocking perforation arrays forming a fluid flow path from the fluid conduit into the corresponding elongate body for supplying a filtered flow of a cooling fluid to the corresponding one of the valve assemblies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.