Fuel Injector Coupling Device with Nested Ring Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coupling devices for fuel injectors to fuel rails in internal combustion engines face challenges in achieving a reliable and precise connection without resting on the cylinder head, while also minimizing noise transmission and requiring complex manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A coupling device featuring ring elements and snap rings that securely engage the fuel injector to the fuel injector cup, allowing for a fast, secure, and reversible connection without additional metallic contact, using grooves and snap rings to prevent movement and potentially incorporating welding seams or screw couplings for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coupling device with multiple ring elements and snap rings is used to secure the fuel injector to the fuel rail, then the connection reliability and precision are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is divided into multiple functional components: a first ring element for mechanical retention, a second ring element for additional securing, and snap rings for locking. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function, achieving reliable connection while keeping individual parts simple and manufacturable.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring elements are nested around the fuel injector body, with the first ring element positioned at one location and the second ring element at another location along the longitudinal axis. This nested arrangement provides multiple retention points without requiring a complex integrated structure, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If additional metallic contact between the fuel injector and combustion engine parts is eliminated, then noise transmission is reduced, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device introduces non-metallic intermediate components (the ring elements and snap rings) between the fuel injector and the fuel rail/cylinder head. These intermediaries eliminate direct metallic contact and associated noise transmission, while the components themselves remain simple to manufacture using conventional processes.
3Ease of operation
If the coupling device allows fast and reversible assembly, then the ease of operation is improved, but the connection strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The snap rings provide a dynamic locking mechanism that can be easily engaged and disengaged. When installed, they provide strong retention force to secure the fuel injector firmly. When needed, they can be quickly released to allow disassembly. This dynamic characteristic resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and connection strength.
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
Facilitates a secure, precise, and noise-reduced coupling of the fuel injector to the fuel rail, enabling easy assembly and disassembly without additional metallic contact, while maintaining a simple construction and minimizing noise transmission.
Implementation Method 1
the groove and the first snap ring are arranged and designed to form a positive fitting coupling between the first ring element and the fuel injector cup which is designed to prevent a movement of the first ring element relative to the fuel injector cup at least in a first direction of the central longitudinal axis
Implementation Method 2
the coupling device has a welding seam which is arranged between the first ring element and the fuel injector cup to fixedly couple the first ring element to the fuel injector cup
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Coupling device (50) for hydraulically and mechanically coupling a fuel injector (20) to a fuel rail (14) of a combustion engine (22), the fuel injector (20) having a central longitudinal axis (L), the coupling device (50) comprising a fuel injector cup (30) being designed to be hydraulically coupled to the fuel rail (14) and to engage a fuel inlet portion (24) of the fuel injector (20), a first ring element (36) being fixedly coupled to the fuel injector cup (30), and a second ring element (38) being fixedly coupled to the fuel injector (20) and being fixedly coupled to the first ring element (36) to retain the fuel injector (20) in the fuel injector cup (30) in direction of the central longitudinal axis (L).