Fuel Rail Coupling Device with Spring Elements for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coupling devices for hydraulically and mechanically connecting fuel rails to cylinder heads in combustion engines often face challenges in maintaining low pressure fluctuations and minimizing noise transmission, while ensuring reliable and precise coupling.
Innovation Solution
A coupling device featuring a fuel injector cup with a through hole, a fastening element with spring elements and a distance element, and retaining elements made of plastic, allowing for secure and noise-reduced coupling without direct contact between the cylinder head and fuel injector cup, with adjustable stiffness and force distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a direct mechanical coupling between the fuel injector cup and cylinder head is used, then the structural simplicity is improved, but the noise transmission and pressure imprinting increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces spring elements as intermediary components between the fuel injector cup and the cylinder head. These spring elements act as mediators that decouple the direct mechanical contact, thereby reducing noise transmission and pressure imprinting while maintaining the necessary mechanical coupling. The spring elements absorb vibrations and distribute forces, preventing direct transmission of harmful factors to the cylinder head.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements are pre-installed in the coupling structure to provide cushioning before any noise or pressure fluctuations occur. This beforehand cushioning approach allows the system to absorb and dampen vibrations and pressure variations proactively, preventing noise transmission and pressure imprinting from reaching the cylinder head in the first place.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If spring elements are introduced to reduce noise, then the noise transmission is minimized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring elements function as flexible components that can be integrated into the existing coupling structure. These flexible elements provide the necessary noise reduction while maintaining a relatively compact and simple overall design. The spring elements can be positioned within the through-hole of the fuel injector cup, utilizing the existing spatial arrangement to minimize additional complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the fuel injector cup is directly coupled to the cylinder head, then the assembly is simple, but the pressure imprinting on the cylinder head increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring elements serve as intermediary components that distribute the pressure forces from the fuel injector cup over a larger area of the cylinder head. This mediation prevents concentrated pressure imprinting by transforming point loads into distributed loads, thereby reducing the stress on the cylinder head while maintaining the assembly process simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements are pre-installed to provide cushioning that distributes pressure forces before they reach the cylinder head. This beforehand cushioning prevents pressure concentration and imprinting by absorbing and distributing the forces across the spring element's contact area, protecting the cylinder head from high localized stresses.
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 fast, secure, and noise-reduced coupling of the fuel rail to the cylinder head, enabling easy assembly and maintaining favorable dynamic behavior, while minimizing noise transmission and pressure imprinting.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring element which is arranged axially between the head portion and the first surface of the fuel injector cup, and a second spring element facing the second surface of the fuel injector cup
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling device for mechanically coupling a fuel rail to a cylinder head of a combustion engine comprises a fuel injector cup designed to be hydraulically and mechanically coupled to the fuel rail and comprising a through hole extending between a first surface and a second surface of the fuel injector cup, the second surface arranged to face the cylinder head, and a fastening element designed to be fixedly coupled to the cylinder head, the fastening element comprising a head portion facing the first surface of the fuel injector cup and a shank portion partially arranged in the through hole and designed to be in engagement with the cylinder head. The coupling device comprises a first spring element arranged axially between the head portion and the first surface of the fuel injector cup, and a second spring element facing the second surface of the fuel injector cup and arrangeable axially between the second surface of the fuel injector cup and the cylinder head.