Full authority rail pressure-reduction valve
AssigneeStanadyne Automotive Corp.
InventorKenneth H. Klopfer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydro-mechanical device and methods therefor, for receiving fuel from a variable displacement fuel pump of a fuel-supply system and delivering the fuel to a common rail of the fuel-supply system, regulates the fuel-pressure in the fuel-supply system, at least in part, based on the output of the fuel pump such that optimal engine performance can be maintained under varying operating conditions.
Claims24
A hydro-mechanical device for receiving fuel from a high-pressure fuel pump of a fuel-supply system and delivering the fuel to a fuel utilization component of the fuel-supply system, whereby said device regulates the fuel-pressure in the fuel-supply system at least in part based on the output of the high-pressure pump, said device comprising:
- a housing which defines an interior cavity having first and second ends and a spill port, said housing being affixed to the fuel pump such that said first end of said cavity is capable of receiving pressurized output fuel from the fuel pump and being affixed to the fuel utilization component such that said second end of said cavity is in fluid communication with the fuel utilization component;
- a shuttle valve for regulating fuel-flow through said device, said shuttle valve being capable of movement between a fuel-transfer position, wherein the fuel utilization component is capable of receiving fuel from the fuel pump, and a fuel-spill position wherein said fuel utilization component is capable of delivering fuel to said spill port, said shuttle valve being disposed within said housing cavity intermediate said first and second ends thereof;
- and
- biasing means for resiliently biasing said shuttle valve toward said fuel-spill position.
A hydro-mechanical device for regulating the fuel-pressure in a fuel-supply system employing a variable displacement fuel pump with an outlet for supplying high-pressure fuel to a common rail, said device comprising:
- a housing which defines an interior cavity through which fuel may flow, said cavity having a first end which is fluidly connectable to the fuel pump and a second end which is fluidly connected to the common rail;
- a shuttle valve for regulating fuel-flow through said interior cavity, said shuttle valve being capable of movement between a fuel-transfer position, wherein fuel may flow from the fuel pump, through said shuttle valve and into the common rail, and a fuel-spill position wherein fuel may flow from the common rail through said shuttle valve and out of said device;
- and
- a spring bias member resiliently biasing said shuttle valve toward said fuel-spill position.
A method of regulating the fuel-pressure within a fuel-supply system of the type having a variable displacement pump, a common rail and a pressure-reduction valve assembly interposed between the pump and the common rail, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) creating a variable bias-pressure force within the pressure-reduction valve assembly;
- (b) constantly providing a counter-force within the pressure-reduction valve assembly, said counter-force opposing said bias-pressure force;
- (c) selectively spilling fuel discharged from the pump into the pressure-reduction valve assembly to thereby selectively and gradually reduce the bias-pressure force within the pressure-reduction valve assembly;
- (d) passing fuel from the pressure-reduction valve assembly to the common rail when the bias-pressure force within the pressure-reduction valve assembly exceeds the counter-force and the force of the fuel-pressure within the common rail;
- (e) selectively transferring fuel from the common rail into the pressure-reduction valve assembly;
- (f) selectively spilling the fuel transferred from the common rail into the pressure-reduction valve assembly;
- and
- (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) whereby the fuel-pressure within the fuel-supply system is varied and/or maintained as desired.
A hydro-mechanical device for regulating the fuel-pressure in a fuel-supply system employing a common rail and a variable displacement fuel pump with an outlet for supplying fuel, said device comprising:
- a housing which defines an interior cavity through which fuel may flow, said cavity having a first port which is fluidly connectable to the fuel pump and a second port which is fluidly connected to the common rail;
- and
- regulating means disposed within said interior cavity for passively regulating fuel-flow therethrough, said regulating means including means for providing a biasing force and means for spilling fuel from the device via a third port fluidly communicating with the interior cavity separate from the first port and the second port when the force provided by said means for biasing exceeds the force of the fuel-pressure within said cavity first end, said regulating means also including means for transferring fuel from the fuel pump to the common rail when the force of the fuel-pressure within said cavity first end exceeds the combined force of the fuel-pressure within the common rail and said means for biasing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.