Caterpillar Inc.

Avtar S Sandhu

Stephen Robert Lewis

Wade James Robel

David E Martin

Larry R Mitzelfelt, Jr

Charles B Looney

James D Griffith

J Duwayne Manahan

Ronald Dean Shinogle

Avinash Reddy Manubolu

Mingchun Dong

Sami I El-Sayed

William T Groff

Venu G Garimidi

Christopher A Greer

Kenneth A Caron

A fuel injector nozzle assembly is disclosed. The assembly may include a nozzle casing, a first tip member, and a second tip member. The first tip member may extend longitudinally within the nozzle casing and may define first and second shoulders on the first tip member. The second tip member may extend longitudinally within the nozzle casing and may be arranged in predetermined rotational alignment with the first tip member. The second tip member may define a third shoulder on the second tip member configured to interact with the first shoulder to oppose rotation of the first tip member relative the second tip member in a first direction about a longitudinal axis of the first tip member. The second tip member may further define a fourth shoulder on the second tip member configured to interact with the second shoulder to oppose rotation of the first tip member relative the second tip member in a second direction about a longitudinal axis of the first tip member.

Fuel injector nozzle with tip alignment apparatus

A compression spring assembly is disclosed herein. The compression spring assembly may be used in a fuel injection device and may include a compression spring having first and second adjacent turns spaced apart by a distance. The compression spring assembly may further include a damping element arranged between the first and second turns and having first and second spaced apart support regions separated by an arched third support region. The first and second support regions may be configured to exert force on a surface of the first turn, and the third support region may be configured to exert force on a surface of the second turn to at least inhibit movement of the first turn toward the second turn during operation of the spring.

Self damping compression spring assembly for a fuel injection device

A unit injector assembly is provided that helps to ensure maximum injection flow while minimizing the harmful affects of pressure waves within the unit injector assembly. The unit injector assembly has a first fuel passageway extending from the plunger piston pumping chamber to the tip check stem injection chamber and valve seat. The unit injector assembly has a second fuel passageway extending from the tip check stem injection chamber to a fuel control valve assembly. A flow restricting fuel passageway connects one of the pumping chamber and the first fuel passageway with the second fuel passageway and acts to minimize cavitation at the valve seat and effectively eliminates pressure waves within the unit injector assembly.

Unit injector with stabilized pilot injection

A spool slides in a bore to open and close a valve. The spool moves in a first direction until the spool forcibly engages a seat in the bore, closing the valve. The spool moves in a second direction opposite the first direction so that the spool disengages with the seat, opening the valve. Proper configuration of the spool and bore geometries in the vicinity of the seat keeps static pressure from developing that could otherwise retard spool valve opening.

Poppet valve shaping for quick valve opening

A spool slides in a bore to open and close a valve. An armature moveable relative to the spool is biased in a first direction. A coupling biasing member biases the armature and the spool toward each other. When a solenoid is actuated the armature and the spool move in a second direction opposite the first direction until the spool forcibly engages a seat in the bore, closing the valve and stopping the spool movement. The armature continues to move in the second direction, causing the coupling to apply additional force to keep the spool engaged against the seat, until the armature reaches a second position where it forcibly engages with the spool. This stops the armature from moving further in the second direction, but allows the stationary armature to continue applying force to keep the spool engaged against the seat. When the solenoid is de-energized the armature bias sends the armature back in the first direction until it strikes the spool, causing the spool to rapidly unseat, thus opening the valve. Proper configuration of the spool and bore geometries in the vicinity of the seat keeps static pressure from developing that could otherwise retard spool valve opening.

Rapidly opening electromagnetic valve

A fuel injector assembly having a valve with a valve seat and at least one pressure-equalizing fuel cavity to reduce pressure variations at the valve seat when the valve is in a closed position. The fuel injector assembly has a fuel injector body and a fuel inlet formed in the fuel injector body. A nozzle with a nozzle fuel cavity is formed in the fuel injector body, and a nozzle check is disposed for reciprocating movement in the nozzle. A valve having a valve element and a valve seat is disposed in the fuel injector body. The valve element has a first position relative to the valve seat in which the fuel inlet is fluidly isolated from the nozzle fuel cavity and a second position relative to the valve seat in which the fuel inlet is fluidly coupled to the nozzle fuel cavity. A fuel supply bore supplies pressurized fuel to a valve fuel cavity formed in the valve, and an annular pressure-equalizing fuel cavity is disposed adjacent the valve fuel cavity and adjacent a periphery of the valve element to reduce fluid pressure variations in the valve fuel cavity so that the fluid seal at the valve seat is not weakened.

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Bloomington, IL, United States of America

Avtar S Sandhu