Maintenance system for an injector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624887-B2
Application number	US-201214349086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2012
Priority date	Oct 7, 2011
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a maintenance system for an injector controlled by a solenoid actuator. The system comprises an electronic control unit arranged in a housing from which an electrical cable extends terminated by a special adapter capable of being connected onto the injector so that the injector is electrically connected with the electronic control unit while it remains in place on the internal combustion engine. The electronic control unit is designed for executing a plurality of operations according to a cycle of measurements including checking the electrical insulation, measuring the electrical resistance and measuring the electrical inductance of the solenoid and a solenoid activation test. The system is further provided with actuating means for starting the cycle and an information means for indicating data relating to the cycle in progress.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A maintenance system for a fuel injector controlled by a solenoid actuator provided to be fitted to an internal combustion engine, the system comprising an electronic control unit arranged in a housing from which an electrical cable extends terminated by a specific adapter capable of being connected to the injector so that the injector is electrically connected with the electronic control unit while it remains in place on the internal combustion engine,
characterised in that the electronic control unit is designed to execute a plurality of operations according to a cycle of measurements comprising checking of the electrical insulation, measurement of the electrical resistance and measurement of the electrical inductance of the solenoid as well as a solenoid activation test, the system being further provided with an actuating means making it possible to commence the cycle and an information means making it possible to know data relating to the cycle in progress.

2. A system according to claim 1 , in which the control unit is provided to further execute a cleaning cycle comprising, in addition to the operations of the cycle of measurements, a cleaning step during which a cleaning fluid circulates in the injector, the system being provided with a selection means making it possible to choose between the cycle of measurements and the cleaning cycle, the selection means and the actuating means being capable of being combined.

3. A system according to claim 1 , the system being movable and portable in one hand, and easy to manipulate and use so as to be carried by an operator to a vehicle of which an injector is to be checked.

4. A system according to claim 1 , in which the specific adapter is connected to the end of the electrical cable and can be disconnected and replaced by another adapter specific to another injector, so that the same control unit can be used for the maintenance of a plurality of injectors.

5. A maintenance kit for fuel injectors controlled by a solenoid actuator and provided for fitting to internal combustion engines, the kit comprising a maintenance system according to claim 4 and at least one additional specific adapter so that the control unit can be used with at least two different injector models.

6. A maintenance kit according to claim 5 , further comprising a pressurised container containing cleaning fluid as well as specific connectors so that the container can be connected to the high-pressure input of the injector.

7. A method for the maintenance of a fuel injector controlled by a solenoid actuator fitted to an internal combustion engine, the method beginning with the connection of a maintenance system to the injector constructed according to claim 1 , the method comprising the following steps:
measuring the insulation, measuring the resistance and measuring the electrical inductance of the solenoid,
then performing a buzz test on the solenoid,
the method being characterised in that the steps form a sequence according to a given cycle, the injector remaining in place on the internal combustion engine, and in that the characteristics of the buzz test on the solenoid are automatically adjusted according to the measurements previously carried out during the cycle.

8. A method according to claim 7 , in which the selected cycle stops at the end of each of the operations of the cycle, the following operation being triggered by acting on the actuating means, so that the selected cycle can be interrupted as soon as a measurement has allowed identification of a fault of the injector.

9. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising a cleaning step for the injector during which a cleaning fluid circulates in the injector.

Assignees

• Delphi Int Operations Luxembourg Sarl
• Delphi Int Operations Luxembourg

Inventors

• Belsoeur Stephane
• Faber Guillaume

Classifications

• F02M65/008 Primary

  of injectors only · CPC title

• F02M65/00

  Testing fuel-injection apparatus, e.g. testing injection timing {(testing of ignition F02P17/00; measuring fuel consumption G01F9/00); Cleaning of fuel-injection apparatus} · CPC title

• F02M65/001

  Measuring fuel delivery of a fuel injector · CPC title