Fuel injector having dual mode capabilities and engine using same

An engine having at least two modes of operation comprising:

• an engine housing defining a plurality of cylinders;
• a solitary fuel injector for each of said plurality of cylinders, each said fuel injector having a tip at least partially positioned in one of said plurality of cylinders;
• each said fuel injector having a first configuration for a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode of operation in which fuel is injected relatively early in a compression stroke when a piston is nearer a bottom dead center position than a top dead center position in a first spray pattern with a relatively small average angle to an injector centerline;
• and
• each said fuel injector having a second configuration for a conventional mode of operation in which fuel is injected relatively late in a compression stroke when said piston is nearer said top dead center position than said bottom dead center position in a second spray pattern with a relatively large average angle to said injector centerline.

A method of operating an engine comprising the steps of:

• providing an engine having an engine housing defining a plurality of engine cylinders, each of said engine cylinders including a piston;
• positioning a solitary fuel injector for each of said plurality of engine cylinders, at least in part by positioning a tip of each said fuel injector at least partially within one of said engine cylinders;
• if said fuel injector is operating in a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode, injecting fuel in a first spray pattern from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position than a top dead center position;
• and
• if said fuel injector is operating in a conventional mode, injecting fuel in a second spray pattern from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position than said bottom dead center position.

A fuel injector comprising:

• a plurality of assembled components having a centerline and defining a plurality of nozzle outlets;
• a homogenous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a first average angle with respect to said centerline;
• a conventional portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a second average angle with respect to said centerline;
• said assembled components including at least one needle valve member being positioned adjacent said plurality of nozzle outlets;
• said at least one needle valve member having a first position in which said homogenous charge portion is open but said conventional portion is closed, and a second position in which said conventional portion is open but said homogenous charge portion is closed;
• said at least one needle valve member including a closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a needle control chamber;
• at least one electrical actuator attached to said injector body;
• and
• a three-way needle control valve operably coupled to said electrical actuator, and being movable between a first position in which said needle control chamber is fluidly connected to a source of high pressure fluid but fluidly disconnected from a low pressure passage, and a second position in which said needle control chamber is fluidly connected to said low pressure passage but fluidly disconnected from said source of high pressure fluid.

A fuel injector comprising:

• a plurality of assembled components having a centerline and defining a plurality of nozzle outlets;
• a homogenous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a first average angle with respect to said centerline;
• a conventional portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a second average angle with respect to said centerline;
• said assembled components including at least one needle valve member being positioned adjacent said plurality of nozzle outlets;
• said at least one needle valve member having a first position in which said homogenous charge portion is open but said conventional portion is closed, and a second position in which said conventional portion is open but said homogenous charge portion is closed;
• said at least one needle valve member including a first needle valve member with a first closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a first needle control chamber, and a second needle valve member with a second closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a second needle control chamber;
• said first needle control chamber contains a first fluid and said second needle control chamber contains a second fluid that is different from said first fluid.

An engine having at least two modes of operation comprising:

• an engine housing defining a plurality of cylinders;
• at least one common rail attached to said engine housing;
• a solitary fuel injector for each of said plurality of cylinders, each said fuel injector having a tip at least partially positioned in one of said plurality of cylinders, and including a plunger that partially defines a fuel pressurization chamber;
• each said fuel injector being fluidly connected to said at least one common rail;
• each said fuel injector having a first configuration corresponding to a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode of operation in which fuel is injected in a first spray pattern with a small average angle with respect to an injector centerline relatively early in a compression stroke when a piston is nearer a bottom dead center position than a top dead center position;
• and
• each said fuel injector having a second configuration corresponding to a conventional mode of operation in which fuel is injected in a second spray pattern with a large average angle with respect to said injector centerline relatively late in a compression stroke when said piston is nearer said top dead center position than said bottom dead center position.

A method of operating an engine comprising:

• providing an engine having an engine housing defining a plurality of engine cylinders, each of said engine cylinders including a piston;
• positioning a solitary fuel injector for each of said plurality of engine cylinders, at least in part by positioning a tip of each of said solitary fuel injectors at least partially within one of said engine cylinders;
• if said fuel injector is operating in a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode, injecting fuel in a first spray pattern from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position than a top dead center position;
• if said fuel injector is operating in a conventional mode, injecting fuel in a second spray pattern from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position than said bottom dead center position;
• and
• applying high pressure to a closing hydraulic surface of at least one needle valve member movably positioned in said fuel injector.

A fuel injector comprising:

• a plurality of assembled components having a centerline and defining a plurality of nozzle outlets;
• a homogeneous charge subset of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a relatively small average angle with respect to said centerline;
• a conventional subset of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a relatively large average angle with respect to said centerline;
• said assembled components including at least one needle valve member movable between a first configuration in which said plurality of nozzle outlets are closed, a second configuration in which said homogeneous charge subset is open but said conventional subset is closed, and a third configuration in which said homogeneous charge subset is closed but said conventional subset is open;
• said plurality of assembled components including a plunger that defines a portion of a fuel pressurization chamber that is fluidly connected to one of said homogeneous charge subset and said conventional subset when a portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets is open;
• and
• said plurality of assembled components including an electronically operated pressure control valve and at least one electronically operated needle control valve.