# US 9,518,547 B2 · Fuel injector including extensions for split spray angles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,547 B2 - Document ID: US9518547B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/706,448 - Filed: 2015-05-07 - Published: 2016-11-10 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-07 - Assignees: Caterpillar Inc. - Applicants: Caterpillar Inc. - Inventors: Bobby John - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518547B2 ## CPC - F02M 61/14: Arrangements of injectors with respect to engines; Mounting of injectors - F02M 61/06: the valves being furnished at seated ends with pintle or plug shaped extensions - F02M 61/1813: {Discharge orifices having different orientations with respect to valve member direction of movement, e.g. orientations being such that fuel jets emerging from discharge orifices collide with each other} - F02M 61/182: {Discharge orifices being situated in different transversal planes with respect to valve member direction of movement} - F02M 61/1833: {Discharge orifices having changing cross sections, e.g. being divergent} - F02M 61/1846: {Dimensional characteristics of discharge orifices} - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF ## Abstract A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a tip in fluid connection with a combustion chamber of the engine and includes an orifice for injecting fuel as a fuel jet. The fuel injector includes a protruding member in fluid connection with the first orifice extending from the tip at a protruding angle. The orifice injects the fuel jet into the first protruding member. The fuel injector includes a plurality of extension members in fluid connection with the protruding member and includes at least, a first extension member and a second extension member. The first and second extension members may extend from the protruding member at extension angles. The fuel jet may be distributed into, at least, a first distributed jet and a second distributed jet when the first fuel jet flows from the protruding member to the first plurality of extension members. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine including a combustion chamber, the fuel injector comprising: a tip in fluid connection with the combustion chamber, the tip including a first orifice for injecting fuel as a first fuel jet; and a first protruding member in fluid connection with the first orifice and having a first opening end proximate to the first orifice and a first opposing end, the first protruding member extending from the tip at a first protruding angle, the first protruding angle defined between a first protruding axis of the first protruding member and a center axis of the tip, the first orifice injecting the first fuel jet into the first protruding member; and a first plurality of extension members in fluid connection with the first protruding member and extending from the first opposing end, the first plurality of extension members including, at least: a first extension member extending from the first opposing end at a first extension angle, the first extension angle defined between the first protruding axis and a first extension axis; and a second extension member extending from the first opposing end at a second extension angle, the second extension angle defined between the first protruding axis and a second extension axis; and wherein the first fuel jet is distributed into, at least, a first distributed jet and a second distributed jet when the first fuel jet flows from the first protruding member to the first plurality of extension members, the first distributed jet flowing through the first extension member and the second distributed jet flowing through the second extension member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel injector of claim 1, further comprising a second protruding member in fluid connection with a second orifice of the tip and having a second opening end proximate to the second orifice and a second opposing end, the second protruding member extending from the tip at a second protruding angle, the second protruding angle defined between a second protruding axis of the second protruding member and the center axis of the tip, the second orifice injecting a second fuel jet into the second protruding member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fuel injector of claim 2, further comprising a second plurality of extension members in fluid connection with the second protruding member and extending from the second opposing end, the second plurality of extension members including, at least: a third extension member extending from the second opposing end at a third extension angle, the third extension angle defined between the second protruding axis and a third extension axis; and a fourth extension member extending from the second opposing end at a fourth extension angle, the fourth extension angle defined between the second protruding axis and a fourth extension axis; and wherein the second fuel jet is divided into, at least, a third distributed jet and a fourth distributed jet when the second fuel jet flows from the second protruding member to the second plurality of extension members, the third distributed jet flowing through the third extension member and the fourth distributed jet flowing through the fourth extension member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of extension members further includes, at least, a third extension member extending from the first opposing end at a third extension angle, the third extension angle defined between the first protruding axis and a third extension axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fuel injector of claim 1, further comprising a tip attachment, the tip attachment defining the first protruding member and the first plurality of extension members as bores through which the first fuel jet, first distributed jet, and second distributed jet are injected. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fuel injector of claim 5, further comprising a second protruding member in fluid communication with a second orifice of the tip and having a second opening end proximate to the second orifice and a second opposing end, the second protruding member extending from the tip at a second protruding angle, the second protruding angle defined between a second protruding axis of the second protruding member and the center axis of the tip, the second orifice injecting the second fuel jet into the second protruding member, wherein the second protruding member is defined by the tip attachment as a bore through which the second fuel jet is injected. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fuel injector of claim 6, further comprising a second plurality of extension members in fluid connection with the second protruding member and extending from the second opposing end, the second plurality of extension members including, at least: a third extension member extending from the second opposing end at a third extension angle, the third extension angle defined between the second protruding axis and a third extension axis; and a fourth extension member extending from the second opposing end at a fourth extension angle, the fourth extension angle defined between the second protruding axis and a fourth extension axis; wherein the second fuel jet is distributed into, at least, a third distributed jet and a fourth distributed jet when the second fuel jet flows from the second protruding member to the second plurality of extension members, the third distributed jet flowing through the third extension member and the fourth distributed jet flowing through the fourth extension member; and wherein the second plurality of extensions is defined by the tip attachment as a plurality of bores through which the second fuel jet is injected as, at least, the third and fourth distributed jets. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The fuel injector of claim 5, wherein the tip attachment is formed by three-dimensional (3-D) printing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the first protruding member is a generally diverging shaped protruding member, the generally diverging shaped protruding member diverging about the first protruding axis in a flow direction of the first fuel jet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the first protruding member is a generally converging shaped protruding member, the generally converging shaped protruding member converging about the first protruding axis in a flow direction of the first fuel jet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the first protruding member is a generally diverging shaped extension member, the generally diverging shaped extension member diverging about the first extension axis in a flow direction of the first distributed jet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the first extension member is a generally converging shaped extension member, the generally converging shaped extension member converging about the first extension axis in a flow direction of the first distributed jet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the first extension member is a generally diverging shaped extension member, the generally diverging shaped extension member diverging about the first extension axis in a flow direction of the first distributed jet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the first extension member and the second extension member are horizontally coplanar with respect to the center axis of the tip. ### Claim 15 An internal combustion engine, comprising: an engine block having at least one cylinder bore; a cylinder head having a flame deck surface disposed at one end of the cylinder bore; a piston connected to a crankshaft and configured to reciprocate within the cylinder bore, the piston having a piston top surface facing the flame deck surface such that a combustion chamber is defined within the cylinder bore bound at a first end by the flame deck surface and at a second end by the piston top surface; and a fuel injector including: a tip in fluid connection with the combustion chamber, the tip including a first orifice for injecting fuel as a first fuel jet; and a first protruding member in fluid communication with the first orifice and having a first opening end proximate to the first orifice and a first opposing end, the first protruding member extending from the tip at a first protruding angle, the first protruding angle defined between a first protruding axis of the first protruding member and a center axis of the tip, the first orifice injecting the first fuel jet into the first protruding member; and a first plurality of extension members in fluid connection with the first protruding member and extending from the first opposing end, the first plurality of extension members including, at least: a first extension member extending from the first opposing end at a first extension angle, the first extension angle defined between the first protruding axis and a first extension axis; and a second extension member extending from the first opposing end at a second extension angle, the second extension angle defined between the first protruding axis and a second extension axis; wherein the first fuel jet is distributed into, at least, a first distributed jet and a second distributed jet when the first fuel jet flows from the first protruding member to the first plurality of extension members, the first distributed jet flowing through the first extension member and the second distributed jet flowing through the second extension member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The internal combustion engine of claim 15, wherein the fuel injector further includes a tip attachment, the tip attachment defining the first protruding member and the first plurality of extension members as bores through which the first fuel jet, first distributed jet, and second distributed jet are injected. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The internal combustion engine of claim 15, wherein the fuel injector further includes a second protruding member in fluid connection with a second orifice and having a second opening end proximate to the second orifice and a second opposing end, the second protruding member extending from the tip at a second protruding angle, the second protruding angle defined between a second protruding axis of the second protruding member and the center axis of the tip, the second orifice injecting a second fuel jet into the second protruding member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The internal combustion engine of claim 17, wherein the fuel injector further includes a second plurality of extension members in fluid connection with the second protruding member and extending from the second opposing end, the second plurality of extension members including, at least: a third extension member extending from the second protruding opposing end at a third extension angle, the third extension angle defined between the second protruding axis and a third extension axis; and a fourth extension member extending from the second protruding opposing end at a fourth extension angle, the fourth extension angle defined between the second protruding axis and a fourth extension axis; and wherein the second fuel jet is divided into, at least, a third distributed jet and a fourth distributed jet when the second fuel jet flows from the second protruding member to the second plurality of extension members, the third distributed jet flowing through the third extension member and the fourth distributed jet flowing through the fourth extension member. ### Claim 19 A method for operating a combustion system, the combustion system including a fuel injector having a tip in fluid connection with a combustion chamber, the method comprising: injecting a first fuel jet from an orifice associated with the tip into a first protruding member of the fuel injector; directing the first fuel jet through the first protruding member, the first protruding member having a first opening end proximate to the first orifice and a first opposing end, the first protruding member extending from the tip at a first protruding angle, the first protruding angle defined between a first protruding axis of the first protruding member and a center axis of the tip; directing the first fuel jet from first opposing end to a plurality of extension members in fluid connection with the first protruding member and extending from the first opposing end, the first plurality of extension members including, at least, a first extension member extending from the first opposing end at a first extension angle, the first extension angle defined between the first protruding axis and a first extension axis; and a second extension member extending from the first opposing end at a second extension angle, the second extension angle defined between the first protruding axis and a second extension axis; distributing the first fuel jet into, at least, a first distributed jet and a second distributed jet using the plurality of extension members; and directing, at least, the first distributed jet and the second distributed jet into the combustion chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: injecting a second fuel jet from a second orifice associated with the tip into a second protruding member of the fuel injector; directing the second fuel jet through the second protruding member, the second protruding member having a second opening end proximate to the second orifice and a second opposing end, the second protruding member extending from the tip at a second protruding angle, the second protruding angle defined between a second protruding axis of the second protruding member and a center axis of the tip; directing the second fuel jet from second opposing end to a plurality of extension members in fluid connection with the second protruding member and extending from the second opposing end, the second plurality of extension members including, at least, a third extension member extending from the second opposing end at a third extension angle, the third extension angle defined between the second protruding axis and a third extension axis; and a fourth extension member extending from the second opposing end at a fourth extension angle, the fourth extension angle defined between the second protruding axis and a fourth extension axis; distributing the second fuel jet into, at least, a third distributed jet and a fourth distributed jet using the second plurality of extension members; and directing, at least, the third distributed jet and the fourth distributed jet into the combustion chamber.