Integrated automated fuel system for internal combustion engines

An integrated and automated fuel system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising:

• injection means to inject pressurized fuel within each of the cylinders movable between an open position to supply fuel to an associated cylinder and a closed position to block fuel to the associated cylinder;
• means to supply pressurized fuel to said injection means;
• means to supply pressurized control fluid for said injection means to permit opening of said injection means at a first predetermined pressure differential between the pressurized fuel and the pressurized control fluid and to permit closing of said injection means at a second predetermined pressure differential between the pressurized fuel and the pressurized control fluid;
• monitoring means for sensing predetermined conditions of said internal combustion engine and;
• means responsive to said monitoring means for providing an output signal to said means to supply pressurized fuel to modulate the pressure of said fuel to a predetermined amount corresponding to said output signal.

An integrated and automated fuel system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising:

• a fuel injector for the cylinders having a fuel pressure source to supply pressurized fuel to the cylinders, said fuel injector having a downstream fuel injection valve mounted in said fuel passage for movement between open and closed positions and an upstream fuel injection control valve mounted in said fuel passage upstream of said fuel injection valve for movement between open and closed positions independently of said fuel injection valve;
• and
• control means responsive to predetermined operating conditions of said internal combustion engine for effecting opening of said fuel injection control valve prior to opening of said fuel injection valve and effecting closing of said fuel injection control valve prior to closing of said fuel injection valve thereby to provide a delayed opening and a delayed closing of said fuel injection valve relative to the opening and closing of said fuel injection control valve;
• said control means including a pressurized magnetic control fluid, said fluid injection control valve being responsive to both said pressurized fuel and said pressurized magnetic control fluid, and opening and closing in response to predetermined fluid pressure differentials between said pressurized fuel and said pressurized magnetic control fluid.

An automated fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders connected to the crankshaft for reciprocation;

• said fuel system comprising:
• a fuel injector for said cylinders having a fuel passage for providing fuel to an associated cylinder;
• a fuel injection valve mounted in said fuel passage of said fuel injector and movable between open and closed positions relative to said fuel passage with fuel being provided to the associated cylinder when said fuel injection valve is opened;
• a pressurized control fluid for controlling the opening and closing of said fuel injection valve, said fuel injection valve being responsive to said pressurized control fluid;
• means for sensing predetermined operating conditions of the internal combustion engine and effecting desired predetermined changes in the pressure of said control fluid in response to the sensed operating conditions for effecting opening and closing of said fuel injection valve;
• fuel supply means operated independently of said crankshaft of said internal combustion engine to supply fuel to said fuel passage of said fuel injector;
• and
• control fluid supply means operated independently of said crankshaft of said internal combustion engine to supply pressurized control fluid to said separate pressurized control fluid means.

A fuel injection system for injecting fuel into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a fuel source and a fuel pump to supply pressurized fuel;
• a fuel injector having an injection port for the injection of pressurized fuel within the cylinder;
• a fuel passage from said fuel pump to said injection port through at least a portion of said fuel injector;
• a fuel injection valve mounted within said fuel passage for said injector port movable between a first position permitting the flow of fuel to said injection port and a second position blocking the flow of fuel to said port;
• a control fluid source and a control fluid pump to supply pressurized control fluid;
• an injection control valve means to control the movement of said fuel injection valve between said first and second positions;
• and
• a control fluid passage from said control fluid pump for the supply of pressurized control fluid and being in fluid communication with said injection control valve means;
• said injection control valve means being responsive to said control fluid and operatively connected to said fuel passage to permit fuel flow to said fuel injection valve in one position and to block fuel flow to said fuel injection valve in another position, said injection control valve means being actuated independently of said fuel injection valve.

A fuel injection system for injecting fuel into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a fuel source and a fuel pump to supply pressurized fuel;
• a fuel injector having an injection port for the injection of pressurized fuel within the cylinder;
• a fuel passage from said fuel pump to said injection port through at least a portion of said fuel injector;
• a fuel injection valve mounted within said fuel passage for said injector port movable between a first position permitting the flow of fuel to said injection port and a second position blocking the flow of fuel to said port;
• an injection control valve means to control the movement of said fuel injection valve between said first and second positions;
• a control fluid source and a control fluid pump to supply pressurized control fluid;
• and
• a control fluid passage from said control fluid pump for the supply of pressurized control fluid, said injection control valve means being in fluid communication with said pressurized control fluid and in fluid communication with said pressurized fuel and movable independently of said fuel injection valve between one position permitting the flow of fuel to said fuel injection valve and another position blocking the flow of fuel to said fuel injection valve.

In a fuel injection system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine;

• a fuel reservoir and a fuel pump to supply pressurized fuel;
• a fuel injector having an injection port for fuel injection and a fuel passage to said injection port through said fuel injector;
• means to drive said fuel pump independently of said internal combustion engine for the supply of pressurized fuel to said injector and said injection port;
• a fuel injection valve mounted within said fuel passage movable between a first position permitting the flow of fuel to said injection port and a second position blocking the flow of fluid to said port;
• a control fluid source and a control fluid pump to supply a separate pressurized magnetic control fluid;
• an injection control valve to control the movement of said fuel injection valve between said first and second positions and responsive to said separate pressurized magnetic control fluid for movement independently of said fuel injection valve;
• a control fluid passage from said control fluid pump to said injection control valve for the supply of said separate pressurized magnetic control fluid from said control fluid pump;
• and
• means to drive said control fluid pump independently of said internal combustion engine for the supply of said separate pressurized magnetic control fluid.

A fuel injection system for injecting fuel simultaneously into a plurality of cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine and comprising:

• a fuel injector for said cylinders;
• a fuel source and a pair of fuel pumps to supply fluid to the fuel injectors, one of said fuel pumps being an engine driven pump to supply pressurized fuel to said fuel injectors during continuous operation of said engine, the other pump being an auxiliary pump not driven from said engine to supply fuel to said fuel injectors independently of said engine driven pump prior to starting and during starting of said engine;
• and
• means to recirculate pressurized fuel from said auxiliary pump through the fuel injectors prior to starting of said engine for warming up of said fuel injectors.

A fuel injection system for injecting fuel simultaneously into a plurality of cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine and comprising:

• a fuel injector for said cylinders having a fuel passage and a fuel injection valve mounted within said fuel passage movable between an open position to provide pressurized fuel to the associated cylinder and a closed position to block the flow of pressurized fuel to the associated cylinder;
• a control fluid passage in said fuel injector in fluid communication with said fuel injection valve;
• a control fluid source and a pair of control fluid pumps to provide pressurized control fluid to said control fluid passage, one of said control fluid pumps being engine driven to provide pressurized control fluid to said control fluid passage during continuous operation of said engine, the other control fluid pump being an auxiliary pump not driven from said engine and supplying pressurized control fluid to said control fluid passage independently of said engine driven pump prior to starting and during starting of said engine;
• said fuel injection valve moving to an open position at a predetermined pressure differential between said pressurized fuel and said pressurized control fluid.

A fuel injector adapted for use with a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine and having:

• a body having a fuel passage for pressurized fuel and a discharge port for the discharge of pressurized fuel into an associated cylinder of the internal combustion engine;
• an elongate fuel injection needle valve of a generally circular cross section mounted in said fuel passage upstream of said discharge port for movement between open and closed positions, said fuel passage in said fuel injector body being defined by a generally cylindrical surface adjacent said needle valve for guiding said fuel injection needle valve in movement between open and closed positions and forming an annular clearance of a predetermined radial distance between said needle valve and said cylindrical surface;
• a control fluid passage in said fuel injector body in fluid communication with said annular clearance;
• and
• a pressurized control fluid for said control fluid passage and said annular clearance, said pressurized control fluid having magnetic particles therein to provide a magnetic control fluid for sealing between said fuel injection needle valve and the adjacent guiding surface defining said fuel passage.

A fuel injector for injecting pressurized fuel adapted for use with a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine and having a passage for a separate pressurized magnetic control fluid and a separate passage for said pressurized fuel;

• said fuel injector including:
• a fuel injection valve for said fuel injector movable between open and closed positions and responsive to said pressurized fuel;
• and
• a separate injection control valve for said fuel injector movable between open and closed positions independently of said fuel injection valve and responsive to said separate pressurized magnetic control fluid, the opening of said fuel injection valve for injecting fuel being responsive to actuation of said control valve.

A fuel injector adapted for use with a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine and having a passage for pressurized control fluid and a passage for pressurized fuel;

• said fuel injector comprising:
• a fuel injection valve for said fuel injector movable between an open position permitting fuel flow to the engine and a closed position blocking fuel flow to the engine;
• and
• a separate injection control valve for controlling the flow of fuel to said fuel injector and actuated between one position permitting fuel flow to said fuel injector valve and a second position blocking fuel flow to said fuel injection valve;
• said injection control valve actuated independently of said fuel injector valve and responsive to a predetermined pressure differential between said pressurized control fluid and said pressurized fuel for actuation to said one position permitting fuel flow to said fuel injector valve.

A fuel injector adapted for use with a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine having a pressurized control fluid and pressurized fuel;

• said fuel injector comprising:
• a fuel discharge port adjacent one end of said injector for the discharge of fuel into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine;
• a fuel supply passage in said injector in fluid communication with said fuel port to supply fuel to said port;
• a fuel injection valve in said fuel supply passage for said fuel injector adjacent said fuel port movable between an open position permitting fluid flow to said fuel port and a closed position blocking fuel flow to said fuel discharge port;
• an injection control valve in said fuel supply passage upstream of said fuel injection valve controlling fuel flow to said fuel injection valve and operable independently of said fuel injection valve;
• and
• a control fluid passage in fluid communication with said injection control valve, said injection control valve being responsive to pressurized control fluid and pressurized fuel and opening at a predetermined pressure differential between said pressurized fuel and said pressurized control fluid to permit the flow of fuel to said fuel injection valve.

A method of operation for a fuel injection system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine from a centralized control means for the injection of pressurized fuel prior to engine starting and injecting pressurized fuel intermittently during continuous engine operation after starting;

• the fuel injection system including a fuel injector for each cylinder, a fuel source, an engine driven pump to supply pressurized fuel from the fuel source to the fuel injectors during continuous operation of the engine;
• and an auxiliary non-engine driven pump to supply pressurized fuel from the fuel source to the fluid injectors independently of said engine driven pump for providing fuel to the injectors prior to engine starting;
• said method of operating comprising the following steps:
• providing a fuel passage in each fuel injector including a discharge port for injecting pressurized fuel into an associated cylinder;
• providing a fuel injection valve in said fuel passage in fluid communication with pressurized fuel adjacent one end and movable between open and closed positions relative to said fuel passage;
• providing variable force transmitting means adjacent the other end of said fuel injection valve providing a force opposed to the force of said pressurized fuel;
• providing the centralized control means for monitoring predetermined engine conditions and for formulating output signals in response to the monitored engine conditions;
• providing output signals from said control means for said pressurized fuel to vary the pressure of said pressurized fuel to a desired amount in accord with said output signals;
• and
• providing output signals from said control means for said variable force transmitting means to vary the force transmitted to an amount in accord with said output signals.

A method of operating a fuel injection system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine from a centralized control means for recirculating pressurized fuel prior to engine starting, for injecting pressurized fuel during engine starting, and for injecting pressurized fuel intermittently during continuous engine operation after starting;

• the fuel injection system including a fuel injector for each cylinder, a fuel source, an engine driven pump to supply pressurized fuel from the fuel source to the fuel injectors during continuous operation of the engine, and an auxiliary non-engine driven pump to supply pressurized fuel from the fuel source to the fluid injectors independently of said engine driven pump particularly for recirculation of pressurized fuel during stopping of said engine;
• said method of operating comprising the following steps:
• providing a fuel passage in each injector including a discharge port for injecting pressurized fuel into an associated cylinder;
• providing a fuel injection needle valve in said fuel passage in fluid communication adjacent one end with pressurized fluid and movable between open and closed positions relative to said fuel passage;
• providing a pressurized fuel recirculation passage from said fuel source through said fluid injectors and return to said fuel source;
• recirculating pressurized fuel from said non-engine driven auxiliary fuel pump through said fuel injectors prior to engine starting to effect warming of said fuel injectors;
• and
• providing pressurized fuel from said engine driven fuel pump after starting of said engine to provide pressurized fuel to said fuel injectors for injection within said cylinders.

A fuel injector for use in a fuel injection system for injection of pressurized fuel intermittently into cylinders of an internal combustion engine, the fuel injector comprising:

• a fuel passage in a bore of the fuel injector for receiving pressurized fuel, said fuel passage comprising a discharge port for injecting pressurized fuel into an associated cylinder;
• an intermediate control valve mounted in the fuel passage bore, said control valve having opposing first and second ends and movable between open and closed positions relative to an intermediate fuel chamber in fluid communication with the fuel passage;
• said control valve being normally urged to an open position by pressure of fuel in the passage on the first end of the control valve;
• a first magnet for urging the control valve to a closed position relative to the intermediate fuel chamber in the fuel injector bore;
• a lower fuel injector valve located in said fuel passage, said valve having opposing first and second ends and being movable between open and closed positions relative to a lower fuel chamber in fluid communication with the fuel passage, said lower fuel injector valve being normally urged to an open position by pressure of fuel in the fuel passage on the first end of said fuel injector valve;
• a second magnet in a bore of the lower fuel injector valve, the second magnet urging the fuel injector valve to the closed position;
• a passage for magnetic fluid in the injector, the passage having an inlet at one end for fluid supply and another end in fluid communication with the second ends of the injector valve and control valve so that when the magnetic fluid in the passage is subject to magnetic excitation the valves are urged towards closed positions;
• and
• means surrounding the intermediate and lower valves for magnetically exciting the magnetic fluid to cause the first and second magnets to urge the valves to closed positions.