Modular Fuel Rail Assembly with Adjustable Fixation Bracket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel rail designs for internal combustion engines are typically specific to individual engine configurations, making them inflexible and costly for use with different engine shapes or configurations.
Innovation Solution
A modular fuel rail assembly with adjustable components, including a fixation bracket with a receptacle bore and a pipe connected via brazed or welded connections, allowing for flexible positioning and use across various engine configurations while maintaining mechanical stability and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fuel rail design is specific to each engine configuration, then mechanical stability and proper fuel delivery are ensured, but adaptability to different engine shapes and production cost-effectiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel rail assembly is designed with standardized components including a universal fuel rail body, common delivery lines, and interchangeable fixation brackets that can be positioned at different locations. This modular universal design allows the same basic assembly to adapt to multiple engine configurations without requiring complete redesign for each engine type.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel rail assembly is divided into separable modular components: the fuel rail body, delivery lines, fixation brackets, and sealing elements. This segmentation allows individual components to be selected and configured for different engine applications while maintaining standardized connection interfaces, reducing overall system complexity across multiple engine platforms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixation bracket is rigidly connected to pipe at fixed position, then structural stability is ensured, but configurability for different engine shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation bracket incorporates an adjustable positioning mechanism with elongated receptacle bores that allow the bracket to be mounted at multiple positions along the fuel rail. This dynamic positioning capability enables the same bracket design to adapt to different engine configurations while maintaining secure rigid connection and structural stability through proper mechanical fastening at the selected position.
3Ease of manufacture
If fuel rail assembly uses standardized modular components, then production cost and ease of manufacturing improve, but achieving proper hydraulic coupling and positional fixation for specific engines becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses standardized connection parameters and interface geometries across all modular components. The fixation brackets feature elongated receptacle bores with specific dimensional tolerances that accommodate positional variations while maintaining precise hydraulic coupling through standardized sealing surfaces and connection interfaces, ensuring both ease of assembly and manufacturing precision.
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
Enables the fuel rail assembly to be easily configurable for different engine shapes and sizes using the same parts, enhancing adaptability and reducing production costs by allowing for adjustable positions and connections without requiring extensive redesign.
Implementation Method 1
a pipe (41) being arranged between the fuel rail (31) and the injector cup (47) for hydraulically coupling the injector cup (47) to the fuel rail (31)
Implementation Method 2
The receptacle bore (490) is configured for receiving a fixation element (9) that is operable to fix the fixation bracket (49) rigidly to the internal combustion engine
Implementation Method 3
The rigid connection is a brazed or welded connection
Implementation Method 4
The rigid connection is a brazed or welded connection
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a fuel rail assembly for an internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, a fuel rail assembly for an internal combustion engine may include an elongated tubular fuel rail and a plurality of fuel delivery lines branching off from the fuel rail for hydraulically coupling the fuel rail to fuel injectors operable to inject fuel into the combustion engine. Also, an injector cup for receiving a fuel inlet portion of a respective one of the fuel injectors, a pipe arranged between the fuel rail and the injector cup for hydraulically coupling the injector cup to the fuel rail, and a fixation bracket configured for positionally fixing the fuel delivery line with respect to the engine. The injector cup, the pipe, and the fixation bracket are individual parts. A rigid connection is established between the fixation bracket and a portion of the pipe, said portion spaced apart from each of the fuel rail and from the injector cup. The fixation bracket is a one-pieced part which adjoins the pipe and is spaced apart from the injector cup and the fuel rail.