Fuel injector having dual solenoid control valves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11035332-B2
Application number	US-201715847301-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2017
Priority date	Dec 19, 2017
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A fuel injector is disclosed. The fuel injector may have an injector body having a fuel inlet and at least one orifice. The fuel injector may also have a first check valve member. The first check valve member may be selectively movable to fluidly block a first flow of fuel from the fuel inlet to the at least one orifice. The fuel injector may have a second check valve member. The second check valve member may be selectively movable to fluidly block a second flow of fuel from the fuel inlet to the at least one orifice. The fuel injector may also have a control valve assembly. The control valve assembly may be configured to selectively operate either the first check valve or both the first check valve and the second check valve to fluidly connect the fuel inlet and the at least one orifice.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel injector, comprising:
an injector body including:
a bore;
a fuel inlet;
a first nozzle chamber connected to the bore;
a second nozzle chamber connected to the bore; and
an orifice connected to the sac first nozzle chamber;

a first check valve member disposed within the first nozzle chamber and selectively movable to fluidly block a first flow of fuel to the orifice;
a second check valve member disposed within the second nozzle chamber and selectively movable to fluidly block a second flow of fuel from the fuel inlet to the orifice connected to the first nozzle chamber;
a control valve assembly configured to selectively move the first check valve member or both the first check valve member and the second check valve member to fluidly connect the fuel inlet and the orifice;
a first control chamber formed within the injector body at a first base end of the first check valve member, the first control chamber being selectively connectable to at least one of the fuel inlet and a drain outlet by a first passageway in the injector body; and
a second control chamber formed within the injector body at a second base end of the second check valve member, the second control chamber being selectively connectable to at least one of the fuel inlet and the drain outlet by a second passageway in the injector body.

2. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the control valve assembly includes:
a first control valve configured selectively to block the first control chamber from the drain outlet or to fluidly connect the first control chamber and the drain outlet; and
a second control valve configured selectively to block the second control chamber from the drain outlet or to fluidly connect the second control chamber and the drain outlet.

3. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the first check valve member is disposed adjacent to and spaced apart from the second check valve member.

4. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the first check valve member is movable between
a first closed position in contact with a first nozzle seat to fluidly block the first flow of fuel to the orifice, and
a first open position out of contact with the first nozzle seat to permit the first flow of fuel to the orifice.

5. The fuel injector of claim 4 , wherein the second check valve member is movable between
a second closed position in contact with a second nozzle seat to fluidly block the second flow of fuel to the orifice, and
a second open position out of contact with the second nozzle seat to permit the second flow of fuel to the orifice.

6. The fuel injector of claim 4 , further including a passageway fluidly connecting the first nozzle chamber and the second nozzle chamber.

7. The fuel injector of claim 6 , wherein the nozzle seat is a first nozzle seat, and the second check valve member is movable between
a second closed position in contact with a second nozzle seat to fluidly block the second flow of fuel from the second nozzle chamber to the first nozzle chamber, and
a second open position out of contact with the second nozzle seat to permit the second flow of fuel from the second nozzle chamber to the first nozzle chamber.

8. The fuel injector of claim 7 , wherein the control valve assembly is further configured to:
selectively move the first check valve member to fluidly connect the first nozzle chamber with the first orifice; and
selectively move the second check valve member to fluidly connect the second nozzle chamber with the first nozzle chamber via the passageway.

9. A fuel injector, comprising:
an injector body including a bore and a fuel inlet;
a first nozzle chamber connected to the bore;
a second nozzle chamber connected to the bore;
an orifice connected to the first nozzle chamber;
a first check valve member disposed within the first nozzle chamber and selectively movable between
a first closed position in contact with a first nozzle seat to fluidly block a first flow of fuel from the fuel inlet to the orifice, and
a first open position out of contact with the first nozzle seat to permit the first flow of fuel to the orifice;

a second check valve member disposed within the second nozzle chamber and selectively movable between
a second closed position in contact with a second nozzle seat to fluidly block a second flow of fuel from the second nozzle chamber to the first nozzle chamber, and
a second open position out of contact with the second nozzle seat to permit the second flow of fuel from the second nozzle chamber to the first nozzle chamber;

a control valve assembly configured to selectively move the first check valve member or both the first check valve member and the second check valve member to fluidly connect the fuel inlet and the orifice;
a first control chamber formed within the injector body at a first base end of the first check valve member, the first control chamber being selectively connectable to at least one of the fuel inlet and a drain outlet by a first passageway in the injector body; and
a second control chamber formed within the injector body at a second base end of the second check valve member, the second control chamber being selectively connectable to at least one of the fuel inlet and the drain outlet by a second passageway in the injector body.

10. A fuel injector, comprising:
an injector body including a bore and a fuel inlet;
a first nozzle chamber connected to the bore;
a second nozzle chamber connected to the bore;
an orifice connected to the first nozzle chamber;
a first check valve member disposed within the first nozzle chamber and selectively movable to fluidly block a first flow of fuel from the fuel inlet to the orifice;
a second check valve member disposed within the second nozzle chamber and selectively movable to fluidly block a second flow of fuel from the fuel inlet to the orifice;
a control valve assembly configured to:
selectively move the first check valve member to fluidly connect the first nozzle chamber and the orifice; and
selectively move the second check valve member to fluidly connect the second nozzle chamber with the first nozzle chamber;

a first control chamber formed within the injector body at a first base end of the first check valve member, the first control chamber being selectively connectable to at least one of the fuel inlet and a drain outlet by a first passageway in the injector body; and
a second control chamber formed within the injector body at a second base end of the second check valve member, the second control chamber being selectively connectable to at least one of the fuel inlet and the drain outlet by a second passageway in the injector body.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Mahmood Sana
• Campion Robert M
• Wang Lifeng

Classifications

• F02M47/027 Primary

  Electrically actuated valves draining the chamber to release the closing pressure · CPC title

• F02M63/0064

  Two or more actuators acting on two or more valve bodies · CPC title

• F02M2200/46

  Valves, e.g. injectors, with concentric valve bodies · CPC title

• F02M2200/44

  Valves, e.g. injectors, with valve bodies arranged side-by-side · CPC title

• F16K31/0675

  Electromagnet aspects, e.g. electric supply therefor · CPC title