Coatings for use in fuel system components
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsRobert M. Campion, Chuong Q. Dam, Kenneth W. Hall, William J. Rodier
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Abstract
A coating for fuel system components, including components of fuel injectors, adapted for use with low lubricity fuels is disclosed. The invention consists of a metal carbon material coating or a metal nitride coating to the fuel pump plunger or other fuel injection system components. The invention utilizes a coating on the fuel injector plunger that minimizes scuffing or seizure associated with the plunger and barrel.
Claims41
A fuel injector assembly comprising:
- an injector body defining a cylindrical bore;
- a fuel injector plunger being positioned within the cylindrical bore, said fuel injector assembly being hydraulically actuated and reciprocated by moving said fuel injector plunger between an open position and a closed position, said fuel injector plunger being made from a low alloy steel substrate and having a coating thereon;
- and
- said coating having a pre-established thickness, said pre-established thickness being in the range of between about 0.5 and 5.0 microns and being composed of a deposited primary coating.
A method for increasing a boundary lubricity value at the interface of a low alloy steel substrate reciprocatably positioned in contacting relation to an injector body of a hydraulically actuated fuel injector assembly comprising:
- preparing a fuel plunger being made of a low alloy steel substrate;
- depositing a primary coating on said low alloy steel substrate using a low temperature physical deposition process said coating having a pre-established thickness, said pre-established thickness being in the range of between about 0.5 and 5.0 microns.
A component of a fuel injection system comprising:
- a low alloy steel substrate;
- a coating on said low alloy steel substrate, said coating selected from the group consisting of chromium nitride, zirconium nitride, molybdenum nitride, titanium-carbon-nitride, or zirconium-carbon-nitride;
- wherein said component is adapted to be exposed to a fluid within said fuel injection system and said component is further moveable within said fuel injection system relative to an adjacent component within said fuel injection system.
A component in a fuel injection system comprising:
- a low alloy steel substrate;
- a coating on said low alloy steel substrate, said coating selected from the group consisting of titanium containing diamond like carbon, chromium containing diamond like carbon, or tungsten containing diamond like carbon,
- wherein said component is adapted to be exposed to a fluid within said fuel injection system and said component is further moveable within said fuel injection system relative to a second component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.