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US 7,621,469 B2Granted
Automotive modular LPG injector
AssigneeContinental Automotive Canada, Inc.
InventorMichael J. Hornby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel injector for use with LPG or other volatile fuels has fuel inlets through a cylindrical wall of a valve group tube assembly. Fuel venting is along a longitudinal axis of the fuel injector to an end opposite the injection end. An O-ring retaining cup is welded to the tube assembly above and below the fuel inlets to seal these members and to maintain alignment of holes in the cup with the fuel inlets.
Claims19
A fuel injector for use with an internal combustion engine, the fuel injector comprising:
- a valve group subassembly including:
- a tube assembly comprising a wall having a longitudinal axis extending between a first end and a second end, the tube assembly further comprising at least one inlet hole through the wall between the first and second ends;
- a seat secured at the second end of the tube assembly, the seat defining an opening;
- an armature assembly disposed within the tube assembly, the armature assembly having a sealing member for sealing the seat opening when in contact with the seat;
- and
- a member biasing the armature assembly toward the seat;
- a coil group subassembly including:
- a solenoid coil operable to displace the armature assembly with respect to the seat;
- the valve group assembly being disposed in a central bore of the coil group subassembly;
- and
- an O-ring retaining cup including:
- a cylindrical sleeve portion surrounding at least a portion of the tube assembly and having at least one inlet opening coincident with the at least one inlet hole of the tube assembly;
- first and second external O-ring grooves encircling the sleeve portion on respective sides of the at least one inlet opening;
- and
- first and second circumferential welds connecting the cylindrical sleeve to the tube assembly on respective sides of the at least one inlet opening.
12 more elements
A method of assembling a fuel injector, comprising:
- assembling a coil group subassembly over a valve group subassembly, the valve group subassembly including
- a tube assembly comprising a wall having a longitudinal axis extending between a first end and a second end, the tube assembly further comprising at least one inlet hole through the wall between the first and second ends;
- a seat secured at the second end of the tube assembly, the seat defining an opening;
- an armature assembly disposed within the tube assembly, the armature assembly having a sealing member for sealing the seat opening when in contact with the seat;
- and
- a member biasing the armature assembly toward the seat;
- and
- the coil group subassembly including
- a solenoid coil operable to displace the armature assembly with respect to the seat;
- assembling an O-ring retaining cup over at least the valve group subassembly, the O-ring retaining cup including:
- a sleeve portion comprising a cylindrical wall and at least one inlet opening through the wall;
- and
- first and second external O-ring grooves encircling the sleeve portion on respective sides of the at least one inlet opening;
- the O-ring retaining cup being assembled over at least the valve group subassembly so that the at least one inlet opening of the cup is coincident with the at least one inlet hole of the valve group assembly;
- welding first and second circumferential welds connecting the cylindrical sleeve to the tube assembly, the first and second welds being on opposite sides of the at least one inlet opening.
12 more elements
A system for providing LPG fuel to an engine intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an LPG fuel tank;
- a pump connected to the fuel tank for pressurizing fuel from the tank;
- a shut-off valve connected for receiving pressurized fuel from the pump;
- an LPG fuel injector including:
- a tube assembly comprising a wall having a longitudinal axis extending between a first end and a second end, the wall defining a longitudinal passageway from the first end to the second end, the tube assembly further comprising at least one inlet hole through the wall between the first and second ends, the inlet hole being connected to receive pressurized LPG fuel from the shut-off valve;
- a seat secured at the second end of the tube assembly, the seat defining an opening;
- an armature assembly disposed within the tube assembly, the armature assembly having a sealing member for sealing the seat opening when in contact with the seat;
- a member biasing the armature assembly toward the seat;
- and
- a solenoid coil operable to displace the armature assembly with respect to the seat;
- a vent line connecting the first end of the tube assembly to the shut-off valve for returning excess fuel vented axially through the tube assembly to the first end;
- the second end of the tube assembly extending into the engine intake manifold for injecting pressurized fuel from the injector;
- and
- a controller electrically connected for actuating the solenoid coil to inject fuel into the intake manifold.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.