Fuel heating assembly

A fuel heating assembly, comprising:

• a heat sink having an interior surface that defines a bore through the heat sink and an exterior surface, a portion of which is configured to include a flat that defines a first surface area on the exterior surface;
• a substantially flat heating element coupled to the heat sink adjacent the flat, the substantially flat heating element having a positive temperature coefficient and two dimensions that define a second surface area substantially conforming to the first surface area of the flat;
• first and second conductors for supplying electrical power to the heating element;
• and
• a thermally insulating overmolded body for encasing and securing the heat sink, conductors, and heating element together, the body having a first end that includes an inlet opening communicating with said bore and configured to mount to a fuel injector nozzle end and a second end having an outlet communicating with said bore through which fuel supplied by the nozzle end of the fuel injector exits.

A fuel heating assembly, comprising:

• a heat sink having an interior surface that defines a bore through the heat sink and an exterior surface, a portion of which is configured to include a flat that defines a first surface area on the exterior surface;
• a substantially flat heating element coupled to the heat sink adjacent the flat, the substantially flat heating element having a positive temperature coefficient and two dimensions that define a second surface area substantially conforming to the first surface area of the flat;
• an overmolded body encasing the heat sink and heating element, the body having a first end that includes an inlet opening communicating with said bore and configured to include means for mounting to a fuel injector nozzle end and a second end having an outlet communicating with said bore through which fuel supplied by the nozzle end of the fuel injector exits;
• and
• means formed in the overmolded body and heat sink for deflecting fuel sprayed from the nozzle end of the fuel injector onto the interior surface of the heat sink defining the bore.

A fuel injecting assembly, comprising:

• a fuel injector having an input end into which fuel is supplied and an output end through which the fuel exits;
• a thermally insulating overmolded body coupled to the fuel injector adjacent the output end;
• a heat sink encased within the body adjacent the fuel injector and configured to include a bore, defined by an interior surface of the heat sink, and a flat on an exterior surface of the heat sink, said bore communicating with the output end of said fuel injector through said overmolded body and having an outlet end through which fuel supplied to the bore from the output end of the injector exits;
• and
• a heating element coupled to the flat between the body and heat sink to promote vaporization of the fuel that has exited the output end of the fuel injector.