Fluid injector spray disc having offset channel architecture, and methods for constructing and utilizing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344725-B2
Application number	US-201715622759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2017
Priority date	Jun 14, 2017
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A fluid injector for injecting fluid includes a body with a fluid passageway extending from an inlet to an outlet of the fluid injector; a valve seat; a valve element that is selectively engages with the valve seat; and a disc member disposed in the fluid passageway downstream of the valve seat. The disc member includes a plurality of channels defined along a first surface of the disc member, and a plurality of orifices defined through the disc, with each disc member being fluidly coupled to a plurality of channels. The channels fluidly coupled to each channel are in offset relation to each other at the orifice such that fluid flowing through the orifice forms a swirl pattern when exiting the orifice.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid injector for injecting fluid, comprising:
a body;
a fluid passageway defined through the body and extending from an inlet to an outlet of the fluid injector;
a valve seat disposed internally of the body within the fluid passageway;
a valve element that is selectively reciprocated relative to the valve seat to close and open the fluid passageway by seating the valve element on and unseating the valve element from the valve seat, respectively; and
a disc member disposed in the fluid passageway downstream of the valve seat relative to a direction of the flow of fluid through the fluid injector, the disc member comprising a plurality of channels defined along a first surface of the disc member and a plurality of orifices, with each orifice defined through the disc member and fluidly coupled to at least two of the channels,
wherein the channels fluidly coupled to each orifice are in offset relation to each other at the orifice such that fluid flowing through and exiting each of the orifices from the channels forms a swirl pattern, and
wherein the channels fluidly coupled to each orifice are in fluid communication with each other at a location other than at the orifice, each orifice is disposed along the disc member radially outwardly from an opening of the fluid passageway at a downstream portion of the valve seat, and for each orifice, each channel fluidly coupled thereto includes a first end opposite the orifice, the first ends of the channels of each orifice are fluidly coupled to each other such that the channels form a single channel and are disposed along the disc member radially inwardly of the opening of the fluid passageway at the downstream portion of the valve seat, and the orifices are not fluidly coupled to each other.

2. The fluid injector of claim 1 , wherein the channels associated with each orifice are collectively defined at least in part by a first elongated side wall and a second elongated side wall, each of the first elongated side wall and the second elongated side wall includes a dimple at the orifice, the dimples being disposed across the orifice from each other.

3. The fluid injector of claim 1 , wherein the channels associated with each orifice are collectively defined at least in part by a first elongated side wall and a second elongated side wall, and tangent lines along the first elongated side wall are discontinuous at the orifice and tangent lines along the second side channel wall are discontinuous at the orifice.

4. The fluid injector of claim 1 , wherein for each channel, a channel width at the orifice is greater than a channel width at other locations of the channel.

5. The fluid injector of claim 1 , wherein the channels fluidly coupled to each orifice are collectively defined at least in part by a first elongated side wall and a second elongated side well, each of the first and second elongated side walls including a dimple defined at the orifice.

6. The fluid injector of claim 1 , wherein each orifice has a diameter that is less than a width of the corresponding channels.

7. A fluid injection device, comprising:
a disc member for passing fluid therethrough, comprising a plurality of channels defined along a first surface of the disc member, and a plurality of orifices defined through the disc member, with each orifice being in fluid communication with a plurality of channels, the channels in fluid communication with each orifice being in offset relation to each other at the orifice such that fluid flowing through the orifice from the channels forms a swirl pattern,
wherein each channel in fluid communication with an orifice includes a first end opposite the orifice and a second end at the orifice, the first ends of channels fluidly coupled to the same orifice are in fluid communication with each other such that the channels form a single, continuous channel for the orifice, and the orifices are not fluidly coupled to each other.

8. The fluid injection device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a body;
a fluid passageway defined through the body and extending from an inlet to an outlet of the fluid injection device;
a valve seat disposed internally of the body within the fluid passageway; and
a valve needle that is axially movable within the body between a closed position in which the valve needle sealing engages with the valve seat so as to prevent fluid from flowing through fluid passageway and exiting the fluid injection device, and an open position in which the valve needle is spaced from the valve seat so as allow fluid to flow through the fluid passageway and exit the fluid injection device.

9. The fluid injection device of claim 8 , wherein each orifice is disposed along the disc member radially outwardly of an opening of the valve seat at a downstream portion thereof, each channel includes the first end opposite the orifice to which the channel is in fluid communication, and each first end is disposed along the disc member radially inwardly to the opening of the valve seat at the downstream portion thereof.

10. The fluid injection device of claim 7 , wherein the channels associated with each orifice are collectively defined at least in part by a first elongated side wall and a second elongated side wall, each of the first elongated side wall and the second elongated side wall including a dimple located at the orifice, and the dimple of the first elongated side wall is disposed across the orifice from the dimple of the second elongated side wall.

11. The fluid injection device of claim 7 , wherein the channels associated with each orifice are collectively defined at least in part by a first elongated side wall and a second elongated side wall, and tangent lines along the first elongated side wall are discontinuous at the orifice and tangent lines along the second elongated side wall are discontinuous at the orifice.

12. The fluid injection device of claim 7 , wherein for each channel, a channel width at the orifice is greater than a channel width at other locations along the channel.

13. The fluid injection device of claim 7 , wherein each orifice has a diameter that is less than a width of the corresponding channels.

Assignees

• Continental automotive systems inc
• Continental Powertrain Usa Llc

Inventors

• Shaw Keith Aaron
• Mcfarland Robert Wayne
• Hatfield Joshua Lee

Classifications

• F02B31/04

  by means within the induction channel, e.g. deflectors · CPC title

• F02M61/162 Primary

  Means to impart a whirling motion to fuel upstream or near discharging orifices · CPC title

• F02M61/1806

  characterised by the arrangement of discharge orifices, e.g. orientation or size · CPC title

• F02M61/163 Primary

  Means being injection-valves with helically or spirally shaped grooves · CPC title

• F02M61/1853

  Orifice plates · CPC title