Siemens Automotive Corporation

Allied Corporation

Siemens-Bendix Automotive Electronics Limited

The Bendix Corporation

Other

General Electric Company

Siemens Corporation

Danny O Wright

Perry Robert Czimmek

Kregg S Wiggins

James Paul Fochtman

Michael A Pauwels

James H Cohen

Russell J Wakeman

Ralph W Carp

Robert E Weber

Bruce J Harvey

Vernon R Warner

Louis G DeGrace

Jeffrey B Pace

Jerry Edward Nines

James A Nitkiewicz

Thomas J Bauer

Frank Zimmerman

Richard W Miller

William A Peterson, Jr

Michael J Frick

Jim Cohen

An improved method for controlling the landing velocity of an armature in an electromechanical actuator, such as a fuel injector, fuel pressure regulator, or engine valve actuator is provided. The position and velocity of an armature during a stroke is dynamically estimated by calculating the inductance and rate of change of inductance of the actuator coil in real-time as the armature moves through its stroke, compensating for non-linear permeability and magnetization effects due to changing gap, temperature, magnetic material properties or magnetic architecture, normalizing the calculated inductance value at the end of a stroke (zero gap), and mapping the value of normalized inductance to correspond to an armature position by an algebraic transformation. Inductance may be used directly as a position variable without mapping it to units of position. Rate of change of inductance may be used as a rate variable without mapping it to units of velocity.

Method of using inductance for determining the position of an armature in an electromagnetic solenoid

An electromagnetically actuable fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is disclosed having an outer housing, a fuel inlet connector positioned in the upper end portion of the outer housing for reception of fuel therein, and an armature having a valve needle attached thereto and positioned adjacent the fuel inlet connector and spaced therefrom by a working gap. The armature defines a generally elongated central opening to receive fuel flow from the fuel inlet connector and has valve needle attached thereto which interacts with a fixed valve having a fixed valve seat associated with the housing to selectively permit fuel to flow through a valve aperture associated with the fixed valve seat. The fuel inlet connector has a fuel outlet end facing a fuel inlet end of the armature and includes a plurality of radially extending raised pads separated by a corresponding plurality of radially extending recessed portions to reduce the contact area between the fuel inlet connector and the armature when the armature is moved upwardly, and to promote fuel flow transversely across the working gap therebetween to establish a first fuel flow path outside of the armature. The first fuel flow path prevents contaminants from accumulating in the working gap. The armature includes at least one first aperture extending through a wall portion thereof for receiving fuel flow from the generally elongated central opening and for directing the fuel flow to a second flow path toward the fixed valve seat. At least one-second aperture extends through a wall portion of the armature and extends at a generally acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis to establish a third fuel flow path toward the fixed valve seat. The size, orientation and numbers of the apertures can be varied to achieve predetermined flow conditions. A method of directing fuel through an injector is also disclosed although the fuel injector and method disclosed utilize gaseous fuels, all types of fuels are contemplated.

Contaminant tolerant compressed natural gas injector and method of directing gaseous fuel therethrough

A method is provided to determine a static position of an armature of an electronically controlled solenoid device . The method provides an electronically controlled solenoid device having a first stator and a first coil operatively associated with the first stator, a second stator and a second coil operatively associated with the second stator, and an armature mounted for movement between the first and second stators. The armature defines a magnetic circuit with each of the first and second stators and their associated coils. A flux of a magnetic circuit associated with each coil is ramped in a generally linear manner over a period of time. A nominal position of the armature is defined where current in both of the coils is substantially equal. A current slope of each of the coils resulting from the associated ramped flux is observed. An offset of each current slope from the nominal position is indicative of the static position of the armature.

Sensorless method to determine the static armature position in an electronically controlled solenoid device

An electromagnetically operable fuel injector for a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed having a ferromagnetic core, a magnetic coil at least partially surrounding the ferromagnetic core and an armature magnetically coupled to the magnetic coil and being movably responsive to the magnetic coil. The armature actuates a valve-closing element, which interacts with a fixed valve seat and is movable away from the fixed valve seat of a fuel valve when the magnetic coil is excited. The armature has a generally elongated shape and a generally central opening for reception of fuel from a fuel inlet connector positioned adjacent thereto. The fuel inlet connector extends in a generally longitudinal direction above the armature and defines a central path for fuel to enter the inlet connector and to be directed toward the armature for further passage toward the fixed valve seat. The fuel inlet connector has a lowermost end portion spaced above the armature to define a working gap through which the armature is movable to open and close the valve. The lowermost end portion of the fuel inlet connector has a transverse cross-sectional dimension corresponding to the transverse dimension of an upper end face of the armature to define a substantially direct magnetic flux path between the armature and the fuel inlet connector.

Compressed natural gas fuel injector having magnetic pole face flux director

An electromagnetically operable fuel injector for a gaseous fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, the injector having a generally longitudinal axis, which includes a ferromagnetic core, a magnetic coil at least partially surrounding the ferromagnetic core and an armature magnetically coupled to the magnetic coil and being movably responsive to the magnetic coil. The armature actuates a valve closing element in the form of a valve needle which interacts with a fixed valve seat of a fuel valve and is movable away from the fixed valve seat when the magnetic coil is excited. The fixed valve seat defines an aperture of predetermined dimension for passage of fuel therethrough, the armature having a generally elongated shape and a generally central opening for axial reception and passage of gaseous fuel from a fuel inlet connector positioned adjacent thereto. The fuel inlet connector and the armature are adapted to permit a first flow path of gaseous fuel between the armature and the magnetic coil as part of a path leading to said fuel valve. An orifice device is positioned downstream of the fuel valve and defines an orifice for reception of fuel from the fuel valve, the orifice being of lesser dimension than the aperture of said fixed valve seat. A method of directing gaseous fuel through an electromagnetically openable fuel injector in a manner which provides dampening of the valve needle upon closing is also disclosed.

Compressed natural gas injector having gaseous dampening for armature needle assembly during closing

The present invention provides a fuel injector with an armature and a means for biasing the armature toward a first position. A primary coil is wound in a first direction such that, when energized, it develops a magnetic force that opposes the biasing means and causes the armature to move from the first position to a second position. A secondary coil is positioned coaxially with the primary coil. The secondary coil has an at least partially reverse wound portion wound in a second direction opposite the first direction, such that the magnetic field generated by the at least partially reverse wound portion at least partially cancels the magnetic field of the primary coil.

High-speed dual-coil electromagnetic valve and method

The present device provides a fuel injector including a two-input, self-triggering monostable driver circuit for an electromechanical valve is disclosed. Upon receipt of an initiation signal, the driver circuit generates a predetermined current profile in a coil. A current sensing mechanism senses the current flowing through the coil, enabling a current threshold generator to detect a preset peak current threshold state. Upon detection of the preset peak current threshold state, the current threshold generator establishes a new hold current threshold state in the coil. A rapid decay generator forces a rapid transition from peak current to hold current within the coil. The hold current is maintained within preset hysteretic limits until the valve cycle is terminated by removing the initiation signal from the inputs.

Electromechanical valve driver circuit and method

A method is provided for determining magnetic characteristics of an electrically controlled solenoid. The method includes providing an electronically controlled solenoid having an armature, a stator and a coil operatively associated with the stator. The armature, stator and coil define a magnetic circuit. The armature is spaced from the stator to define an air gap between the armature and the stator. Current to the coil is ramped in a generally linear manner over a period of time to define a known current curve. A resulting rate of change of flux in the magnetic circuit is observed and recorded at certain points along the current curve. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, flux in the magnetic circuit is ramped in a generally linear manner over a period of time to define a known flux curve. A resulting current in the coil is observed and recorded at certain points along the flux curve. With the method, a magnetization curve may be developed wherein flux may be determined at any point along a curve for a given amount of current in a solenoid.

Method for determining magnetic characteristics of an electronically controlled solenoid

A method of controlling velocity of an armature of an electromagnetic actuator as the armature moves from a first position towards a second position is provided. The electromagnetic actuator includes a coil and a core at the second position. The coil generates a magnetic force to cause the armature to move towards and land at the second position. A control method is provided to ensure a near zero velocity landing of the armature in the second position while compensating for non-ideal external influences on the system.

Method of compensation for flux control of an electromechanical actuator

A method and apparatus for controlling a heated tip injector having a connector with more than two pins. In one embodiment, the method includes (a) providing a plurality of heated tip injectors each having a coil and an internal heater; (b) maintaining all the internal heaters in an OFF state while the engine is cranking; (c) maintaining an internal beater in an OFF state if any of the coils are ON; and (d) maintaining an internal heater in an ON state if the engine is not cranking and all the internal heater coils are OFF. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a plurality of heated tip injectors each having a coil and an internal heater; a power supply; an ignition switch connected to the power supply, one end of each coil and heater being connected together and to the ignition switch; an engine electronic control unit, another end of each coil being connected to the engine electronic control unit; means for switching each internal heater ON and OFF, another end of each internal heater being connected through a respective means for switching to ground; a crank circuit including a crank for cranking the engine; and means for isolating the crank circuit from the engine electronic control unit.

Control method and apparatus for a heated tip injector

Sensing magnetic flux in an electromechanical actuator having dual axially opposed stators and dual springs, a control system modifies the rise of flux in such a manner to produce a substantially zero velocity landing of an armature against the stators. The flux is sensing by means of a sensor such as a hall effect sensor that is mounted each stator. The control system controls the flux rise when the armature is within the landing zone of the armature against the stator to match the spring rate of axially opposed springs in the actuator.

Electronically controlling the landing of an armature in an electromechanical actuator

An electromagnetically operable fuel injector for a gaseous fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, the injector having a generally longitudinal axis, a ferromagnetic core, a magnetic coil at least partially surrounding the ferromagnetic core, and an armature magnetically coupled to the magnetic coil and being movably responsive to the magnetic coil. The armature actuates a valve closing element in the form of a valve needle which interacts with a fixed valve seat of a fuel valve and is being movable away from the fixed valve seat when the magnetic coil is excited. The armature has a generally elongated shape and a generally central opening for axial reception and passage of gaseous fuel from a fuel inlet connector positioned adjacent thereto. The fuel inlet connector and the armature are adapted to permit at least a first flow path of gaseous fuel between the armature and the magnetic coil as part of a path leading to the fuel valve. A thermally conductive material is positioned adjacent the magnetic coil to transfer heat from the magnetic coil to adjacent components to as to render the coil thermally efficient and relatively unaffected by heat generated thereby.

Gaseous fuel injector with thermally stable solenoid coil

A method is provided to control velocity of an armature of a fuel injector as the armature moves from a first position towards a second position. The fuel injector includes a stator core at the second position and a coil is associated with the stator core. The coil, the stator core and the armature define a magnetic circuit. The coil generates a magnetic force to cause the armature to move towards and impact the stator core. The method includes energizing the coil to permit the armature to move towards the stator core. A rate of change of magnetic flux of the magnetic circuit is determined. Closed loop feedback control of the determined rate of change of magnetic flux is used to regulate a rate of magnetic flux by controlling current to the coil so as to control a velocity of the armature upon impact with the stator core.

Apparatus and method for electronically reducing the impact of an

A fuel injector apparatus includes an electromagnetic fuel injector having a housing and a magnetic circuit in the housing. The magnetic circuit includes a first coil having a certain resistance to generate a peak current and a second coil having a resistance greater than the certain resistance to generate a hold current. Circuit structure is disposed in the housing and is electrically coupled with the coils to selectively excite the coils. The circuit structure includes switch structure to transition the peak current to the hold current based on a preset threshold. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the switch structure includes an RC circuit and a comparator which sets a threshold voltage. A time constant of the RC circuit is provided to be an analog model of an inductance and resistance time constant of the fuel injector such that when a voltage of a capacitor of the RC circuit exceeds the threshold voltage, the peak current is transitioned to the hold current.

Dual coil fuel injector having smart electronic switch

A fuel injector apparatus includes an electromagnetic fuel injector having a housing and a magnetic circuit in the housing. The magnetic circuit including an electromagnetic coil constructed and arranged to operate at a nominal voltage to open the fuel injector. The nominal voltage is substantially less that a supply voltage. Circuit structure is electrically coupled with the coil and is constructed and arranged to step-down the supply voltage to be substantially the nominal voltage at the coil.

Growing community of inventors

Newport News, VA, United States of America

Danny O Wright