Fuel injector comprising a rotating needle

Abstract

This invention relates to a fuel injector including a rotating needle. The invention describes a fuel injector. The fuel injector includes a housing, wherein the housing includes at least one vertical slot defined on a wall of the housing. An injector needle is inserted into the housing of the fuel injector, the injector needle including at least one vertical slot defined on an outer periphery of the injector needle. The at least one vertical slot defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle is aligned with the at least one vertical slot defined on the wall of the housing of the fuel injector to facilitate allowing fuel to flow through the at least one vertical slot of the injector needle to the outside of the fuel injector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to fuel injectors, and more particularly to fuel injectors including a rotating needle integrated therein. Background Technology

[0002] US Standard 2002092929 A describes a fuel injection nozzle for a diesel engine. The fuel injection nozzle includes: a nozzle body having a pointed portion, a top portion having an opening edge, and a fuel inlet passage; a needle valve inserted into the nozzle body; and a pouch-shaped rotary valve with the pointed portion of the needle valve mounted on it. The nozzle body has a first protrusion projecting from an internal peripheral surface toward a central axis of the nozzle body. The needle valve has a first guide groove and a second guide groove that engage with the first protrusion. The rotary valve has a second protrusion projecting toward a central axis and engaging with the second guide groove. This fuel injection nozzle can achieve good combustion performance and good exhaust emission performance. Furthermore, the fuel injection nozzle can also have a simple structure without increasing the size of the injector assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a fuel injector comprising: a housing of the fuel injector, the housing including at least one vertical slot defined on a wall of the housing; and an injector needle inserted into the housing, the injector needle including at least one vertical slot defined on an outer periphery of the injector needle, wherein the at least one vertical slot defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle is aligned with the at least one vertical slot defined on the wall of the housing of the fuel injector to allow fuel to flow through the at least one vertical slot of the injector needle to the outside of the fuel injector. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Figure 1 The illustration shows a fuel injector that includes a rotating needle integrated within the fuel injector.

[0005] Figure 2 The diagram shows the outline of a fuel injector, depicting the first and second vertical slots. Detailed Implementation

[0006] Figure 1A fuel injector 10 is illustrated, comprising a rotating needle 16 integrated within the fuel injector 10. The fuel injector 10 includes a housing 12, which includes at least one vertical slot 14 defined on a wall of the housing 12. The injector needle 16 is inserted into the housing 12, and the injector needle 16 includes at least one vertical slot 18 defined on its outer periphery. The at least one vertical slot 18 defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle 16 is aligned with the at least one vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 to allow fuel to flow out of the fuel injector 10 via the at least one vertical slot 18 of the injector needle 16.

[0007] The fuel injector 10 includes an injector housing 12. The housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 has a vertical slot 14 circumferentially defined around an inner wall of the housing 12. The vertical slot 14, circumferentially defined around the inner wall of the housing 12, communicates with a spray hole of the fuel injector 10 and is adapted to deliver fuel flowing into the fuel injector 10 through the spray hole to the engine. In an exemplary embodiment, the slot circumferentially defined around the inner wall of the housing 12 extends vertically from a first portion 11 of the housing 12 to a second portion 13 of the housing 12, and is adapted to deliver fuel from the first portion 11 to the second portion 13 of the housing 12 as fuel is continuously supplied to the fuel injector 10.

[0008] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a contour view of a fuel injector, depicting a first vertical slot and a second vertical slot. In an exemplary embodiment, an injector needle 16 is integrated within a fuel injector 10. More specifically, the injector needle 16 is inserted into a housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 and is adapted to regulate the fuel flow from the fuel injector 10 to the engine. The injector needle 16 includes at least one vertical slot 20 defined on its outer periphery. A portion of the at least one vertical slot 20 defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle 16 extends vertically along the length of the fuel injector 10 from a neck portion. The at least one vertical slot 20 defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle 16 is aligned with at least one vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the injector housing 12. Aligning at least one vertical groove 20 defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle 16 with at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 facilitates the flow of fuel out of the fuel injector 10 via at least one vertical groove 18 of the injector needle 16.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, a second vertical groove 22 is spaced apart from a first vertical groove 18 and extends along the length of the injector needle 16 toward the base portion of the injector needle 16. The second vertical groove 22 is defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle 16. The second vertical groove 22, defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle 16, extends vertically from a spaced-apart portion of the first vertical groove 20 and extends partially along the length of the fuel injector 10. The top portion of the second vertical groove 22 is aligned with at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the injector housing 12. Therefore, fuel flowing from the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16 through at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the injector housing 12 is delivered toward the base portion of the injector needle 16 via the second vertical groove 22.

[0010] A second vertical groove 22, defined on the injector needle 16, is in flow communication with the nozzle of the fuel injector 10. Therefore, fuel conveyed through the second vertical groove 22 from at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 is delivered to the nozzle of the fuel injector 10 defined on the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 and injected into the engine cylinder. More specifically, the bottom portion of the second vertical groove 22, which is closest to the base portion of the injector needle 16, is aligned with the nozzle of the fuel injector 10 and is adapted to deliver pressurized fuel through the nozzle of the fuel injector 10.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one horizontal groove 18 is defined around the periphery of the injector needle 16. At least one horizontal groove 18 is defined between a first vertical groove 20 and a second vertical groove 22. More specifically, the at least one horizontal groove 18 defined between the first vertical groove 20 and the second vertical groove 22 may include two or more horizontal grooves 18 spaced apart from each other to form a series of vertically spaced horizontal grooves 18, all of which are defined around the outer periphery of the injector needle 16. Each of the horizontal grooves 18 defined between the first vertical groove 20 and the second vertical groove 22 is adapted to retain fuel. More specifically, fuel flowing through the clearance defined between the injector needle 16 and the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 is impeded and retained within each of the horizontal grooves 18. Therefore, when the fuel injector 10 is not in operation and fuel injection from the fuel injector 10 is not required, the pressurized fuel flowing through the clearance defined between the injector needle 16 and the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 is retained in each of the horizontal slots 18 and is not delivered to the outside of the fuel injector 10 via the nozzle defined on the injector housing 12. Once the fuel injector 10 is in operation and fuel injection is required, as will be described in detail below, the fuel retained in each of the horizontal slots 18 is delivered to the outside of the fuel injector 10 via the second vertical slot 22 and is delivered to the engine.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the fuel injector 10 further includes an actuator 24 inserted into a portion of the injector needle 16 and electrically actuated by means of an engine control unit. More specifically, the actuator 24 inserted into a portion of the injector needle 16 is adapted to rotate the injector needle 16 to align a first vertical slot 20 of the injector needle 16 with at least one vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. Therefore, the engine control unit is adapted to rotate the injector needle 16 to align the first vertical slot 20 of the injector needle 16 with at least one vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10.

[0013] When the injector needle 16 rotates to align the first vertical slot 20 of the injector needle 16 with at least one vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the injector housing 12, pressurized fuel flowing through the first vertical slot 20 of the injector needle 16 is delivered into at least one vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the fuel injector housing 12. Therefore, when the fuel injector 10 is operated, pressurized fuel delivered through the vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the fuel injector housing 12 is delivered to the outside of the fuel injector 10 and reaches the engine cylinder. More specifically, fuel delivered through the vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the injector housing 12 is delivered through the second vertical slot 22 defined in the injector needle before the fuel is delivered to the outside of the fuel injector 10 via the plurality of nozzles that flow through the second vertical slot 22 defined in the injector needle and are in flow communication with the first vertical slot 22 defined in the injector needle.

[0014] When fuel injection is complete and operation of the fuel injector 10 is not required, the actuator 24 is adapted to rotate the injector needle 16 so that the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16 is misaligned with at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10, thereby cutting off the supply of pressurized fuel from the fuel injector 10 when the fuel injector 10 is deactivated. More specifically, when it is necessary to deactivate the fuel injector 10, the engine control unit sends a signal to the actuator 24, causing the actuator 24 to rotate the injector needle 16. The rotation of the injector needle 16 facilitates the misalignment of the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16 with at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10, thereby cutting off the supply of pressurized fuel from the fuel injector 10 to the engine.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the actuator 24 may be one of an electromagnetic actuator, a mechanical actuator, and an electric actuator. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the actuator 24 may be any type of actuator known in the art, which facilitates rotation of the injector needle 16 to deliver pressurized fuel from the first vertical slot 20 defined in the injector needle 16 via at least one vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 and a second vertical slot 22 defined in the injector needle 16, and to deliver it outside the fuel injector 10 to the engine cylinder. Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, the width and depth of the first vertical slot 20 defined in the injector needle 16, the width and depth of the at least one vertical slot 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10, and the width and depth of the second vertical slot 22 defined in the injector needle 16 are user-defined and can be changed by the user according to the application.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, the number of second vertical grooves 22 defined around the periphery of the injector needle 16 is equal to the number of nozzles defined around the periphery of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. Therefore, fuel delivered through each of the second vertical grooves 22 defined around the periphery of the injector needle 16 is injected through each of the nozzles defined around the periphery of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. As the number of nozzles defined around the periphery of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 increases, the number of second vertical grooves 22 defined around the periphery of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 increases accordingly to be equal to the number of nozzles defined around the periphery of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10.

[0017] The operation of the fuel injector 10, including the rotating needle 16, is described as an example. When the actuator 10, fixed to the injector needle 16, is adapted to rotate the injector needle 16, the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16 aligns with at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. Fuel is allowed to flow through the fuel injector 10 through the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16. The fuel flowing through the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16 is also allowed to flow through at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10, and is delivered through the second vertical groove 22 of the injector needle 16. The fuel flowing through the second vertical groove 22 of the injector needle 16 ultimately flows out of the fuel injector 10 via a plurality of nozzles defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. When the fuel injection is complete, the actuator 10 rotates the injector needle 16 such that the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16 is misaligned with at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10.

[0018] Therefore, because the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16 is misaligned with at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10, the fuel delivered through the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16 is not allowed to flow through at least one vertical groove 14 defined on the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10, and is thus retained within the first vertical groove 20 of the injector needle 16. Therefore, fuel is not injected from the fuel injector 10 into the engine. However, the pressurized fuel delivered within the fuel injector 10 is delivered through the clearance between the first vertical groove 20 and the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. The fuel delivered through the clearance between the first vertical groove 20 and the wall of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 is retained within each of the horizontal grooves 18 defined between the first vertical groove 20 and the second vertical groove 22. More specifically, fuel flowing through the clearance between the injector needle 16 and the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 is blocked and retained in each of the horizontal slots 18.

[0019] Therefore, when the fuel injector 10 is not in operation and fuel injection from the fuel injector 10 is not required, the pressurized fuel flowing through the clearance defined between the injector needle 16 and the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 is retained in each of the horizontal slots 18. Thus, the pressurized fuel is not delivered to the outside of the fuel injector 10 via the nozzle defined on the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. Once the fuel injector 10 is not in operation and fuel injection is not required, the fuel retained in each of the horizontal slots 18 is delivered to the outside of the fuel injector 10 via the second vertical slot 22 and transferred to the engine.

[0020] It must be understood that the embodiments described above are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. Numerous modifications relating to the dimensions of various components are contemplated in the embodiments and form part of this invention. The scope of this invention is limited only by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A fuel injector (10), the fuel injector (10) comprising: The housing (12) of the fuel injector (10) includes at least one vertical slot (14) defined on the inner wall of the housing (12) of the fuel injector (10). An injector needle (16) is inserted into the housing (12) of the fuel injector (10). The injector needle (16) includes at least one vertical groove (18) defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle (16). The at least one vertical groove (18) defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle (16) is aligned with at least one vertical groove (14) defined on the wall of the housing (12) of the fuel injector (10) to allow fuel to flow out of the fuel injector (10) via the at least one vertical groove (18) of the injector needle (16).

2. The fuel injector (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one vertical groove (18) defined on the outer periphery of the injector needle (16) includes: a first vertical groove (20) that extends from the neck portion of the injector needle (16) along the length of the injector needle (16); and a second vertical groove (22) that is spaced apart from the first vertical groove (20) and extends toward the base portion of the injector needle (16) along the length of the injector needle.

3. The fuel injector (10) according to claim 2, the fuel injector (10) further comprising at least one horizontal groove (18) defined around the periphery of the injector needle (16) and defined between the first vertical groove (20) and the second vertical groove (22), the at least one horizontal groove (18) being adapted to retain fuel flowing through a clearance defined between the injector needle (16) and the housing (12) of the fuel injector (10).

4. The fuel injector (10) according to claim 2, the fuel injector (10) further comprising an actuator (24) inserted into the injector needle (16), the actuator (24) being adapted to rotate the injector needle (16) such that the first vertical slot (20) of the injector needle (16) is aligned with at least one vertical slot (14) defined on the wall of the housing (12) of the fuel injector (10), thereby delivering pressurized fuel from the fuel injector (10) when the fuel injector (10) is not in operation, the actuator (24) being further adapted to rotate the injector needle (16) such that the first vertical slot (20) of the injector needle (16) is misaligned with at least one vertical slot (14) defined on the wall of the injector housing (12), thereby cutting off the supply of pressurized fuel from the fuel injector (10) when the fuel injector (10) is deactivated.

5. The fuel injector (10) according to claim 4, wherein, The actuator (24) is one of an electromagnetic actuator, a mechanical actuator, and an electric actuator.

6. The fuel injector (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The width and depth of the at least one vertical groove (14) are user-defined.

7. The fuel injector (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The number of the at least one vertical groove (14) defined around the periphery of the injector needle (16) is equal to the number of nozzles defined around the periphery of the injector housing (12).

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