Swirl generator for an injector
AssigneeSiemens Automotive Corporation
InventorJohn J. Horsting
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a fuel injector, a swirl generator operates to impart a tangential or swirl component to the fuel as it is expelled from the injector. The mass of the swirl generator is minimized so as to maximize the actuating speed of the injector. The swirl generator develops a pressure drop across the generator during the time the fuel is expelled which pressure drop aids in enhancing the closure time of the injector. The swirl generator provides damping to the needle valve upon both opening and closing. The swirl generator minimizes the volume of residual fuel remaining in the injector.
Claims6
A swirl generator for a fuel injector with a needle member reciprocally moving between a closed position and one of a plurality of open positions, a valve seat member having a seating area around an orifice, and the needle operable to cooperate with the seating area to close the orifice;
- the swirl generator comprising
- a fixed guide means having a plurality of equally and angularly spaced openings is attached to the valve seat member forming a swirl flow path;
- and
- a lobe means having a plurality of equally and angularly spaced lobes is coupled to the needle member and moveable therewith for defining in cooperation with said openings in said guide means for forming a swirl flow volume having an axial flow path portion and a variable volume spiral flow path portion;
- said spiral flow path portion beginning at the end of the axial flow path and ending at the orifice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.