Fuel injector coupling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9528485-B2
Application number	US-201113698011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2011
Priority date	May 18, 2010
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A coupling device is provided for hydraulically and mechanically coupling a fuel injector to a fuel rail of a combustion engine. The coupling device comprises a fuel injector cup hydraulically coupled to the fuel rail and configured to engage a fuel inlet portion of the fuel injector, a plate element coupled to the fuel injector and fixedly coupled to the fuel injector cup to retain the fuel injector in the fuel injector cup in direction of a central longitudinal axis of the fuel injector, wherein the plate element comprises a groove, and a snap ring arranged in the groove and designed to fixedly couple the plate element to the fuel injector. The plate element comprises a main body and a ring element. The ring element comprises the groove and is at least limited rotatable around the central longitudinal axis relative to the main body of the plate element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coupling device configured to hydraulically and mechanically couple a fuel injector to a fuel rail of a combustion engine, the fuel injector having a central longitudinal axis, the coupling device comprising:
a fuel injector cup configured to be hydraulically coupled on one end to a fuel rail of the combustion engine, and adapted on the other end to engage a fuel inlet portion of the fuel injector and attach to a plate element,
the plate element configured to be attached to the fuel injector cup to retain the fuel injector in the fuel injector cup in a direction of the central longitudinal axis of the fuel injector, wherein the plate element comprises inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface defining a circular orifice, the inner surface having a shaped inner edge forming an inner upward facing circular shoulder,
a circular ring element comprising inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface defining a circular orifice, a portion of the circular ring element outer surface adapted to contact the inner upward facing circular shoulder of the plate element, the circular ring element inner surface shaped to form an inner circular upward facing groove around the circular ring element orifice,
a toric snap ring sized to extend around a fuel injector body to fit at least partially within a downward facing groove formed on an outside wall of the fuel injector body and fit at least partially within the upward facing groove of the inner surface of the circular ring element,
wherein upon assembly around the fuel injector, the circular ring element is rotatable in a direction at least partially around the central longitudinal axis of the fuel injector.

2. The coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the inner upward facing circular shoulder of the plate element comprises a conical recess, and the circular ring element is at least partially arranged in the conical recess.

3. The coupling device of claim 2 , wherein the conical recess forms a supporting surface of the plate element, and the circular ring element outer surface is adapted to only contact a portion of the supporting surface of the plate element.

4. The coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the toric snap ring is arranged and configured to form a positive fitting coupling between the circular ring element and the fuel injector to prevent a movement of the plate element relative to the fuel injector in an axial direction of the central longitudinal axis of the fuel injector.

5. The coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the circular ring element is fully rotatable around the central longitudinal axis of the fuel injector.

6. The coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the circular ring element is rotatable for only a limited angular range around the central longitudinal axis of the fuel injector.

7. A fuel injection system of a combustion engine comprising:
a fuel rail;
a fuel injector having a fuel injector body and a central longitudinal axis; and
a coupling device hydraulically and mechanically coupling the fuel injector to the fuel rail, the coupling device comprising:
a fuel injector cup hydraulically coupled on one end to the fuel rail, and on the other end engaged to a fuel inlet portion of the fuel injector and attached to a plate element,
the plate element attached to the fuel injector cup and retaining the fuel injector in the fuel injector cup, wherein the plate element comprises inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface defining an inner circular orifice, the inner surface having a shaped inner edge forming an inner upward facing circular shoulder,
a circular ring element comprising inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface defining a circular orifice, a portion of the circular ring element outer surface contacting the inner upward facing circular shoulder of the plate element, the circular ring element inner surface forming an inner circular upward facing groove around the circular ring element orifice,
a toric snap ring extending around the fuel injector body to fit at least partially within a downward facing groove formed on an outside wall of the fuel injector body and fit at least partially within the upward facing groove of the inner surface of the ring element,
wherein the circular ring element is rotatable in a direction at least partially around the central longitudinal axis of the fuel injector.

8. The coupling device of claim 7 , wherein: the inner upward facing circular shoulder of the plate element comprises a conical recess, and the circular ring element is at least partially arranged in the conical recess.

9. The coupling device of claim 8 , wherein the conical recess forms a supporting surface of the plate element, and the circular ring element outer surface is adapted to only contact a portion of the supporting surface of the plate element.

10. The fuel injection system of claim 7 , wherein the circular ring element is fully rotatable around the central longitudinal axis of the fuel injector.

11. The fuel injection system of claim 7 , wherein the circular ring element is rotatable for only a limited angular range around the central longitudinal axis of the fuel injector.

Assignees

• Serra Giandomenico
• Di Domizio Gisella
• Marc Daniel
• Continental Automotive Gmbh

Inventors

• Serra Giandomenico
• Di Domizio Gisella
• Marc Daniel

Classifications

• F02M2200/16

  Sealing of fuel injection apparatus not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• F02M61/16 Primary

  Details not provided for in, or of interest apart from, the apparatus of groups F02M61/02 - F02M61/14 · CPC title

• F16L39/00

  Joints or fittings for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies {(quick-acting joints for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies F16L37/56)} · CPC title

• F02M2200/856

  characterised by mounting injector to fuel or common rail, or vice versa · CPC title

• F02M55/025 Primary

  Common rails · CPC title