Fuel injector

A fuel injector configured to inject fuel directly into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a spray nozzle mountable to direct a fuel spray into the combustion chamber, the spray nozzle including a plurality of spray discharge orifices;
• each spray discharge orifice comprising an opening through a tip of the spray nozzle, the opening comprising an elliptical cross-section having a major axis oriented relative to a line defined by the tip of the spray nozzle and a center electrode of a spark plug in the combustion chamber;
• and
• the fuel injector configured to generate planar spray plumes through the spray discharge orifices;
• wherein the major axes of the elliptical cross-sections of the spray discharge orifices are oriented non-collinear and parallel to the line defined by the tip of the spray nozzle and the center electrode of the spark plug such that a portion of the planar spray plumes extend proximal to the center electrode of the spark plug.

Combustion chamber for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a moveable piston, a cylinder, and, a cylinder head including a fuel injector and a spark plug;
• the fuel injector configured to inject fuel directly into the combustion chamber, said fuel injector including a spray nozzle having a plurality of spray discharge orifices through a cone-shaped tip and mountable to direct a fuel spray into the combustion chamber;
• each spray discharge orifice comprising an opening through the cone-shaped tip, the opening comprising an elliptical cross-section with a major axis oriented to a line defined by the cone-shaped tip and a center electrode of the spark plug;
• and
• the spray nozzle of the fuel injector oriented in the combustion chamber such the major axes of the elliptical cross-sections of the spray discharge orifices are oriented orthogonal to the line defined by the tip of the spray nozzle and the center electrode of the spark plug.