Fuel rail assembly
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsMichael T. Streb, William M. Warner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel rail assembly configured for coupling to an engine, the fuel rail including a body having therein a fuel passageway, and a fuel injector coupled to the body and in fluid communication with the fuel passageway. A portion of the body is configured to interconnect with the engine assembly to secure the fuel rail assembly to the engine without using conventional threaded fasteners.
Claims43
A fuel rail assembly configured for coupling to an engine, the fuel rail assembly comprising:
- a body having therein a fuel passageway;
- and
- a fuel injector coupled to the body and in fluid communication with the fuel passageway;
- wherein a portion of the body is configured to interconnect with the engine to secure the fuel rail assembly to the engine without the use of any additional fasteners, the portion of the body including at least part of a locking mechanism for locking the fuel rail assembly to the engine.
A fuel rail assembly configured for coupling to an engine, the fuel rail assembly comprising:
- a body having therein a fuel passageway;
- and
- a fuel injector coupled to the body and in fluid communication with the fuel passageway;
- wherein a portion of the body is configured to interconnect with the engine to secure the fuel rail assembly to the engine without the use of any additional fasteners;
- and
- wherein the body includes
- a fuel rail having therein the fuel passageway;
- an overmolding at least partially covering at least one of the fuel rail and the fuel injector;
- and
- a connector coupled to the overmolding and configured to interconnect with the engine.
An engine assembly comprising:
- a fuel rail assembly including
- a body having therein a fuel passageway, and
- a fuel injector coupled to the body and in fluid communication with the fuel passageway;
- and
- an engine including an engine opening to receive the fuel injector therein,
- wherein at least a portion of the body is interconnected with the engine such that the body is secured to the engine without using conventional threaded fasteners;
- wherein the body is secured to the engine by a connector assembly, wherein the body includes a first part of the connector assembly and the engine includes a second part of the connector assembly, and wherein the first and second parts of the connector assembly are inter-engaged to secure the body to the engine;
- and
- wherein the first part of the connector assembly includes at least part of a locking mechanism for locking the first and second parts into engagement.
An engine assembly comprising:
- a fuel rail assembly having
- a body having therein a fuel passageway;
- and
- a fuel injector coupled to the body and in fluid communication with the fuel passageway;
- wherein a portion of the body includes a first part of a connector assembly having a locking mechanism;
- and
- an engine including an engine opening to receive the fuel injector therein, the engine including a second part of the connector assembly,
- wherein the first part of the connector assembly is inter-engageable with the second part of the connector assembly to secure the body to the engine, and wherein the locking mechanism interlocks the first and second parts into engagement.
A method of installing a fuel rail assembly onto an internal combustion engine, the engine having a first part of a connector assembly, the method comprising:
- providing a fuel rail assembly including
- a body having therein a fuel passageway, and
- a fuel injector coupled to the body and in fluid communication with the fuel passageway, wherein at least a portion of the body defines a second part of the connector assembly having at least a portion of a locking mechanism;
- aligning the second part of the connector assembly with the first part of the connector assembly;
- interconnecting and locking the second part of the connector assembly with the first part of the connector assembly to secure the fuel rail assembly to the engine without conventional threaded fasteners.
An engine assembly comprising:
- a fuel rail assembly including
- a body having therein a fuel passageway, and
- a fuel injector coupled to the body and in fluid communication with the fuel passageway;
- and
- an engine including an engine opening to receive the fuel injector therein,
- wherein at least a portion of the body is interconnected with the engine such that the body is secured to the engine without using conventional threaded fasteners;
- wherein the body is secured to the engine by a connector assembly, wherein the body includes a first part of the connector assembly and the engine includes a second part of the connector assembly, and wherein the first and second parts of the connector assembly are inter-engaged to secure the body to the engine;
- and
- wherein the one of the first and second parts of the connector assembly is a post, and wherein the other of the first and second parts of the connector assembly includes a connector opening to receive the post therein.
A method of installing a fuel rail assembly onto an internal combustion engine, the fuel rail assembly including a body having therein a fuel passageway, and a fuel injector coupled to the body and in fluid communication with the fuel passageway, the internal combustion engine including an injector receiving opening for receiving the fuel injector, the method comprising:
- aligning the fuel injector with the injector receiving opening;
- inserting the fuel injector into the injector receiving opening;
- and
- upon insertion of the fuel injector into the injector receiving opening, a portion of the body thereby automatically locking the fuel rail assembly to the engine without the use of any additional fasteners.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.