Common rail fuel pump control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9638154-B2
Application number	US-201113170403-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2011
Priority date	Jun 28, 2011
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A fuel pump manifold pressure control system may be effective to provide a compact and more effective fuel pump mechanism for compression ignition engines, such as diesel and some natural gas engines. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system includes a fuel pump manifold, at least one fuel injection accumulator adapted for supplying pressurized fuel to at least one fuel injector, a pressure control valve, a pressure sensor, and a pressure relief valve, all contained within a compact fuel pump housing. The pressure control valve and pressure sensor are each adapted for signal communication with electronic controller, and for fuel communication with the fuel pump manifold. The pressure relief valve is adapted for fuel communication with the fuel pump manifold. Each of the control valve, sensor, and relief valve are fixedly mounted to and internally contained within the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel pump manifold pressure control system comprising:
a housing enclosing a fuel pump manifold, wherein said fuel pump manifold is adapted to supply fuel to a fuel rail, said fuel rail being adapted for supplying pressurized fuel to at least one fuel injector; said fuel pump manifold pressure control system further comprising:
a) a pressure control valve;
b) a pressure sensor, and
c) a pressure relief valve;
wherein each of said pressure control valve and pressure sensor is adapted for signal communication with an electronic controller, and for fuel communication with said fuel pump manifold, and wherein said pressure relief valve is adapted for fuel communication with said fuel pump manifold; wherein each of said control valve, sensor, and relief valve is fixedly mounted to, and internally contained within, said housing.

2. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system of claim 1 , further comprising a fuel pumping element, wherein said fuel pumping element is in fluid communication with said fuel pump manifold, and wherein said pressure control valve is responsive to fuel pressure fluctuations within said fuel pressure manifold such that said pressure control valve is in signal communication with said electronic controller, and causes said electronic controller to urge said pumping element to take corrective action whenever said fuel pressure in said fuel pressure manifold reaches a value outside of a predetermined target range.

3. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system of claim 2 , wherein said pressure relief valve is adapted to open to relieve fuel pressure whenever said fuel pressure in said fuel pressure manifold exceeds a predetermined limit.

4. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system of claim 2 , wherein said pressure sensor is in continuous signal communication with said electronic controller to assure that said pumping element functions responsively to said fuel pressure fluctuations within said fuel pressure manifold.

5. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system of claim 2 , further comprising at least one accumulated volume of fuel in communication with said pump manifold.

6. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system of claim 5 , wherein each of said pressure sensor, control valve, and relief valve is generally cylindrical in shape, and wherein each is physically oriented substantially parallel with respect to the other, and wherein each of said elements shares fuel communication with said manifold in parallel with the other.

7. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system of claim 6 , wherein each of said pump manifold and said pump rails are substantially orthogonally positioned relative to each of said pressure sensor, control valve, and relief valve.

8. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system of claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of pumping elements adapted for mechanical communication with an engine driven camshaft, each of said pumping elements comprising a spring loaded plunger piston situated therein for reciprocal motion, each plunger piston being oriented parallel to each of said other plunger pistons of said other pumping elements, wherein each of said plunger pistons is adapted to be reciprocated simultaneously and in tandem within said housing by said camshaft.

9. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system of claim 8 , wherein said each of said plunger pistons is orthogonally positioned relative to each of said pump manifold and fuel rails.

10. A fuel pump comprising:
a housing, the housing enclosing
a) a pressure control valve,
b) a pressure sensor, and
c) a pressure relief valve;
each of said elements having fluid communication with a fuel pump manifold, each of said pressure control valve and pressure sensor being adapted for signal communication with an electronic controller, wherein each of said elements is internally affixed to and contained within said housing.

11. The fuel pump of claim 10 , further comprising at least one accumulated volume of fuel in communication with said pump manifold.

12. The fuel pump of claim 11 , wherein each of said pressure sensor, control valve, and relief valve is generally cylindrical in shape, and wherein each is physically oriented substantially parallel with respect to the other, and wherein each of said elements shares fuel communication with said manifold in parallel with the other.

13. The fuel pump of claim 12 , wherein each of said pump manifold and said pump rails are substantially orthogonally positioned relative to each of said pressure sensor, control valve, and relief valve.

14. The fuel pump of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of pumping elements adapted for mechanical communication with an engine driven camshaft, each of said pumping elements comprising a spring loaded plunger piston situated therein for reciprocal motion, each plunger piston being oriented parallel to each of said other plunger pistons of said other pumping elements, wherein each of said plunger pistons is adapted to be reciprocated simultaneously and in tandem within said housing by said camshaft.

15. The fuel pump of claim 14 , wherein said each of said plunger pistons is orthogonally positioned relative to each of said pump manifold and fuel rails.

16. A compression ignition engine comprising a high-pressure fuel injection pump system, said pump system comprising a pump housing, said pump housing including a fuel pump manifold contained within said housing, said pump housing containing a fuel rail in fluid communication with said fuel manifold, wherein said fuel rail is adapted to supply pressurized fuel to a fuel input site; said housing comprising, as separate elements, each of:
a) a pressure control valve,
b) a pressure sensor, and
c) a pressure relief valve;
each of said elements having fluid communication with said fuel pump manifold, each of said pressure control valve and pressure sensor being adapted for signal communication with an electronic controller, wherein each of said elements is internally affixed to and contained within said housing.

17. The compression ignition engine of claim 16 , wherein said pump housing further comprises a pair of fuel rails in communication with said pump manifold.

18. The compression ignition engine of claim 16 , wherein said engine is a diesel engine.

19. The compression ignition engine of claim 16 , further comprising at least one accumulated volume of fuel in communication with said pump manifold.

20. The compression ignition engine of claim 16 , wherein said engine comprises limp home capabilities after an overpressure event opens said pressure relief valve.

Assignees

• Gerstner Michael D
• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Gerstner Michael D

Classifications

• F02M63/027 Primary

  More than one high pressure pump feeding a single common rail · CPC title

• F02M63/0265

  Pumps feeding common rails · CPC title

• F02M63/005

  Pressure relief valves · CPC title

• F04B1/0452

  Distribution members, e.g. valves (machines or pumps with cam-actuated distribution members at the outer ends of the cylinders F04B1/0472; machines or pumps with cam-actuated distribution members at the inner ends of the cylinders F04B1/0531; the piston-driving cams being provided with inlets and outlets F04B1/0535) · CPC title

• F02M2200/247

  Pressure sensors · CPC title