Fuel supply unit

A fuel supply unit comprising:

• a main air passage the main air passage having a throttle valve mounted therein including a throttle shaft extending between two to one another opposite located shaft sides, and a control module for the fuel supply mounted to one of the shaft sides, the control module including:—throttle position detecting means for monitoring the position of the throttle valve, and a fuel valve for controlling the fuel supply to the main air passage, the fuel valve comprising:
• an axially movable plunger including a permanent magnet having its magnetic direction axially oriented providing a front pole and a real pole;
• an axially extending chamber with two opposite located valve seats limiting the axial movement of the plunger, a front valve seat facing the front pole and a rear valve seat facing the rear pole;
• at least one front ferromagnetic element at the front valve seat and a rear ferromagnetic element at the rear valve seat, enabling two stable valve positions, a closed position, when the plunger rests at the front valve seat, preventing fluid flow in the fluid passage, and an open position, when the plunger rests at least one rear valve seat, allowing fluid flow in the fluid passage, by designing the forces between the magnet and respectively ferromagnetic element so that the magnetic force between the front pole and the front ferromagnetic force between the front pole and the front ferromagnetic element is stronger than the magnetic force between the rear pole and the rear ferromagnetic element when the plunger is at the front valve seat and so that the magnetic force between the rear pole and the rear ferromagnetic element is stronger than the magnetic force between the front pole and the front ferromagnetic element when the plunger is at the rear valve seat;
• electromagnetically operating means to axially snap the plunger between the two stable valve positions when energized;
• and
• at the closed respectively open position the magnet of the plunger and the ferromagnetic element of the corresponding valve seat are distanced from direct contact with each other wherein the fluid valve is a fuel valve for controlling the fuel supply to a main air passage of the fuel supply unit.

A control module for a fuel supply unit of an internal combustion engine including a throttle position detecting means for monitoring the position of a throttle valve mounted in a main air passage of the fuel supply unit, a fuel valve for controlling the fuel supply to the main air passage, the fuel valve comprising:

• an axially movable plunger including a permanent magnet having its magnetic direction axially oriented providing a front pole and a real pole;
• an axially extending chamber with two opposite located valve seats limiting the axial movement of the plunger, a front valve seat facing the front pole and a rear valve seat facing the rear pole;
• at least one front ferromagnetic element at the front valve seat and a rear ferromagnetic element at the rear valve seat, enabling two stable valve positions, a closed position, when the plunger rests at the front valve seat, preventing fluid flow in the fluid passage, and an open position, when the plunger rests at least one rear valve seat, allowing fluid flow in the fluid passage, by designing the forces between the magnet and respectively ferromagnetic element so that the magnetic force between the front pole and the front ferromagnetic force between the front pole and the front ferromagnetic element is stronger than the magnetic force between the rear pole and the rear ferromagnetic element when the plunger is at the front valve seat and so that the magnetic force between the rear pole and the rear ferromagnetic element is stronger than the magnetic force between the front pole and the front ferromagnetic element when the plunger is at the rear valve seat;
• electromagnetically operating means to axially snap the plunger between the two stable valve positions when energized;
• and
• at the closed respectively open position the magnet of the plunger and the ferromagnetic element of the corresponding valve seat are distanced from direct contact with each other wherein the fluid valve is a fuel valve for controlling the fuel supply to a main air passage of the fuel supply unit.