Caterpillar Inc.

Amy Marie Hess

Daniel Richard Ibrahim

Alan Ray Stockner

Stephen Robert Lewis

Jayaraman Krishnapura Venkataraghavan

Shriprasad Gaurishankar Lakhapati

Scott F Shafer

Ronald Dean Shinogle

Bryan Edward Nelson

Michael C Long

Steven Y Tian

Issac Dandan

Luca Greco

An internal combustion engine, such as a direct injection compression ignition diesel engine, includes an engine housing having a plurality of cylinders and a plurality of fuel injectors associated one with each of the cylinders. The fuel injectors each include a first fuel inlet and a second fuel inlet, and an actuator subassembly which is configured to actuate a control valve assembly positioned within the fuel injector. The engine further includes a fuel system having a fuel supply circuit, and a cooling system for the actuator subassembly having a cooling circuit with a segment in common with a segment of the fuel system. The cooling system is configured to pass cooling fuel across a heat exchange interface of the actuator subassembly to exchange heat therewith. The actuator subassembly may include a piezoelectric actuator and a preloading spring, which are each fluidly sealed within a casing of the actuator subassembly.

Engine having fuel injector with actuator cooling system and method

A fuel injector includes a piezoelectric actuator subassembly having a casing and a piezoelectric element disposed within the casing. The piezoelectric element has an operating temperature range and includes a thermally contractive material having a negative thermal expansion coefficient over a second temperature range overlapping with the operating temperature range. A preload control element is coupled with the piezoelectric element and includes a thermally expansive material having a positive thermal expansion coefficient over the second temperature range. The preload control element maintains a constant preload on the piezoelectric element over a wide temperature range to inhibit temperature induced variability in operation, and can axially lengthen in opposition to axial shortening of the piezoelectric element, responsive to a temperature increase.

Fuel injector having piezoelectric actuator with preload control element and method

Reducing leakage within fuel injectors is one way in which the efficiency of the overall fuel injection system can be improved. In most fuel injectors that include a direct control needle valve, the needle valve member is still biased toward a closed position by a spring that is located in a spring chamber connected to a low pressure vent. In many instances, the needle valve member is guided in a tight clearance region adjacent the spring chamber. Since the internal plumbing of the fuel injector is connected to a high pressure rail during and between injection events, static leakage across the guide region of the needle valve member can reduce efficiency. Static leakage is reduced in the present invention by connecting the spring chamber to the common rail instead of to a low pressure vent. Such a fuel injector could find potential application in any directly controlled fuel injection system, but is particularly applicable in common rail systems in which the fuel injector remains fully pressurized between injection events.

Fuel injector with directly controlled highly efficient nozzle assembly and fuel system using same

A valve has a housing defining an interior of the valve. The valve has a first passage in the housing and a second passage in the housing. The valve has a flow limiter movable between a first position at which the first passage is in fluid communication with the second passage and a second position at which the first passage is not in fluid communication with the second passage. The valve has a flow restriction device movable between a first position at which a first flow rate is permitted into the interior of the valve and a second position at which a second flow rate is permitted out of the interior of the valve. The first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate.

Pressure control valve for a fuel system

A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes at least four fuel injectors for supplying fuel to corresponding combustion chambers of the engine and a pump assembly in fluid communication with the fuel injectors and supplying working fluid to the fuel injectors. The fuel system further includes at least three high pressure rails fluidly connected between the pump assembly and the at least four fuel injectors.

Fuel system for an internal combustion engine

Particularly in a relatively large engine that has been inactive for a substantial period of time at a cold temperature, the pressure within a fuel system may decrease. Prior to initiation of engine start-up, fuel pumps that are operably coupled to the engine cannot pressurize and/or circulate fuel within the fuel system. Thus, the time required to supply the high pressure lines with fuel pressure sufficient to start and maintain the engine can be unreasonably delayed. In order to decrease the delay in starting the engine, the present invention includes an electronic control module that includes a priming algorithm. The priming algorithm is operable to activate an electrically powered fuel pump when a fuel system is in an unprimed state. The electronic control module is in communication with at least one sensor that is operable to sense the state of the fuel system.

Electronic control system for fuel system priming

A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine is provided. The system includes a first pump adapted to generate a flow of fuel and a second pump in fluid connection with the first pump and adapted to increase the flow of fuel to a predetermined pressure. A fuel filter is disposed between the first pump and the second pump. A sensing line is adapted to provide an indication of the pressure of the flow of fuel between the filter and the second pump. A pressure regulator is adapted to receive the indication of the pressure of the flow of fuel and to control the flow of fuel delivered to the fuel filter based on the indication of the pressure.

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Metamora, IL, United States of America

Amy Marie Hess