Diesel Fuel Injector Actuator Spring Damping

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing electromagnetic actuators in fuel injectors experience oscillations in the control valve spring, disrupting the armature movement and causing disturbances in fuel flow, leading to high-frequency disruptions in multiple injections.

Innovation Solution

An electromagnetic actuator with a fixed electric coil, an axial blind hole, and a compressed elastic device, including a helical compression spring encapsulated by a heat-shrinkable element, which continuously pushes the valve assembly away from the spool, reducing oscillations and stabilizing the armature movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a coil spring is used to push the control valve, then the valve can be reset to its initial position, but oscillations are generated that disrupt armature movement and cause high-frequency disruptions in multiple injections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve reset functionVSAvoidspring oscillations
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A damping element is introduced as an intermediary component between the coil spring and the control valve. This damping element absorbs and dissipates the oscillation energy generated by the spring, preventing the harmful vibrations from being transmitted to the armature and control valve, while still allowing the spring to perform its valve reset function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the harmful oscillations generated by the coil spring into beneficial damping effects. By strategically placing damping elements in the spring assembly, the oscillation energy is transformed into heat through internal friction, thereby eliminating the disruptive vibrations while maintaining the spring's elastic recovery function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Speed

If the armature moves rapidly during injection, then fuel delivery response is improved, but oscillations in the control valve cause high-frequency disruptions that affect multiple injections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvearmature movement speedVSAvoidinjection consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The damping element serves as a mediator that isolates the armature from the oscillations generated by the control valve spring. This allows the armature to move rapidly and precisely without being subjected to the disruptive vibrations, thereby maintaining both high-speed response and injection consistency across multiple injections

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the control valve is located in the low-pressure chamber and moves against spring action, then the valve can control fuel flow, but the spring oscillations create disturbances in fuel flow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve control functionVSAvoidfuel flow disturbances
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The damping element is positioned as an intermediary in the spring assembly to suppress oscillations at their source. This prevents the spring from generating fuel flow disturbances while still allowing the control valve to move freely against the spring action, maintaining ease of valve operation without the harmful side effects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively minimizes armature displacement due to spring oscillations, ensuring consistent fuel delivery and reducing disturbances in the fuel injection process.

Implementation Method 1

The heat-shrinkable element is further heat-shrinked around the elastic member. Furthermore, the heat-shrinkable element has a wall of substantially constant thickness.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat-shrinkable: Thermal Contraction

Implementation Method 2

The elastic device includes an elastic member and a heat-shrinkable element encapsulating the elastic member. The elastic member is a helical compression spring.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

The elastic member is a helical compression spring.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Implementation Method 4

an electromagnetic actuator for a diesel fuel injector. The actuator comprises a fixed electrical coil with an axial blind hole, an elastic device compressed between a pin, and a control rod that moves toward the coil when the latter is electrically energized.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic force: Lorentz Force

Data Source

PatentEP4088017B1Electromagnetic actuator
Publication Date: 2024.10.23 PHINIA DELPHI LUXEMBOURG SARL
  • EP4088017B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to an electromagnetic actuator (20) of a diesel fuel injector (10), the actuator (20) comprising: - a fixed electrical coil (22) provided with an axial blind hole (34), - a resilient device (30) compressed between a pin (32) and a control rod (26) moving towards the coil (22) when the latter is electrically energised, the resilient device (30) permanently urging a valve assembly (28) comprising the control rod (26) attached to a magnetic armature (24) towards a position remote from the coil (22), the valve assembly (28) comprising the resilient device (30) being arranged in a blind hole (34), characterised in that the resilient device (30) comprises a resilient member (36) and a heat-shrinkable element (38) encapsulating the resilient member (36).