Fuel injector assembly having a case designed for solenoid cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10544767-B2
Application number	US-201815953752-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2018
Priority date	Apr 16, 2018
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

A fuel injector assembly is disclosed. The fuel injector assembly may include a case that encloses a solenoid assembly. The fuel injector assembly may include one or more inlet passages, positioned on the case, to permit fluid to enter the case to cool the solenoid assembly. The fuel injector assembly may include one or more outlet passages, positioned on the case, to permit fluid to exit the case. The fuel injector assembly may include an annular protrusion positioned around a circumference of the case between the one or more inlet passages and the one or more outlet passages.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel injector assembly, comprising:
a case that encloses a solenoid assembly,
the case including:
a first portion that includes multiple inlet passages that permit fluid to enter the case to cool the solenoid assembly;
a second portion that includes multiple outlet passages that permit fluid to exit the case; and
an annular protrusion positioned around a circumference of the case between the first portion and the second portion.

2. The fuel injector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular protrusion is positioned between the multiple inlet passages and a spill passage on the case, wherein the spill passage is different from the multiple outlet passages.

3. The fuel injector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular protrusion includes a seal seated in a groove positioned around the circumference of the case between the multiple inlet passages and the multiple outlet passages.

4. The fuel injector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular protrusion is affixed to the case.

5. The fuel injector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular protrusion is integrated into the case.

6. The fuel injector assembly of claim 1 , wherein a size of each inlet passage, of the multiple inlet passages, is less than or equal to a size of each outlet passage of the multiple outlet passages.

7. The fuel injector assembly of claim 1 , wherein every inlet passage, of the multiple inlet passages, is substantially a same size.

8. The fuel injector assembly of claim 1 , wherein every outlet passage, of the multiple outlet passages, is substantially a same size.

9. A fuel injection system for a cylinder head having one or more injector bores, a fuel supply passage, and a fuel drain passage, the fuel injection system comprising:
one or more fuel injectors to be seated in the one or more injector bores, wherein a fuel injector, of the one or more fuel injectors, comprises:
a case that encloses one or more components,
the case including:
a first portion that includes multiple inlet passages to permit fluid to enter the case to cool the one or more components;
a second portion that includes multiple outlet passages to permit fluid to exit the case; and
an annular protrusion positioned around a circumference of the case between the first portion and the second portion.

10. The fuel injection system of claim 9 , wherein the annular protrusion includes at least one of a seal, a feature affixed to the case, or a feature integrated into the case.

11. The fuel injection system of claim 9 , wherein an outer edge of the annular protrusion is positioned to be in closer proximity to an injector bore, in which the fuel injector is to be seated, than the first portion and the second portion.

12. The fuel injection system of claim 9 , wherein the fuel supply passage and the fuel drain passage are positioned at different vertical levels with respect to an injector bore, of the one or more injector bores, in which the fuel injector is to be seated.

13. The fuel injection system of claim 9 , wherein the fuel supply passage and the fuel drain passage are positioned at substantially a same vertical level with respect to an injector bore, of the one or more injector bores, in which the fuel injector is to be seated.

14. The fuel injection system of claim 9 , wherein the fuel supply passage and the fuel drain passage are positioned on different sides of an injector bore, of the one or more injector bores, in which the fuel injector is to be seated.

15. The fuel injection system of claim 9 , wherein the fuel supply passage and the fuel drain passage are positioned on a same side of an injector bore, of the one or more injector bores, in which the fuel injector is to be seated.

16. The fuel injection system of claim 9 , wherein the cylinder head is a unit cylinder head for a single cylinder.

17. An engine, comprising:
a cylinder head having one or more injector bores, a fuel supply passage, and a fuel drain passage;
a fuel injection system comprising one or more fuel injectors to be seated in the one or more injector bores, wherein a fuel injector, of the one or more fuel injectors, comprises:
a case that encloses a solenoid,
the case including:
a first portion that includes multiple inlet passages to permit fluid to enter the case to cool the solenoid;
a second portion that includes multiple outlet passages to permit fluid to exit the case; and
an annular protrusion positioned around a circumference of the case between the first portion and the second portion such that an outer edge of the annular protrusion is positioned to be in closer proximity to an injector bore, in which the fuel injector is to be seated, than the first and the second portion.

18. The engine of claim 17 , wherein the annular protrusion includes at least one of a seal, a feature affixed to the case, or a feature integrated into the case.

19. The engine of claim 17 , wherein the fuel injector is configured to consume fuel received via at least one inlet passage of the multiple inlet passages.

20. The engine of claim 17 , wherein the fuel supply passage and the fuel drain passage are positioned on at least one of:
a same side of the injector bore, or
different vertical levels with respect to the injector bore.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Schroeder Eric L
• Hittle Craig P

Classifications

• F02F1/242

  Arrangement of spark plugs or injectors · CPC title

• F02M31/00

  Apparatus for thermally treating combustion-air, fuel, or fuel-air mixture (carburettors with heating, cooling or thermal insulating means for combustion-air, fuel or fuel-air mixture F02M15/00; apparatus for de-liquefying non-liquid fuels by heating F02M21/06; apparatus having heating means for non-gaseous fuels with low melting point F02M21/10; apparatus characterised by adding hot secondary air to fuel-air mixture F02M23/14; fuel-injection apparatus characterised by having heating, cooling or thermally insulating means F02M53/00) · CPC title

• F02M63/0017

  using electromagnetic operating means · CPC title

• F01P3/16

  for cooling fuel injectors or sparking-plugs · CPC title

• F02M57/02

  Injectors structurally combined with fuel-injection pumps · CPC title