Caterpillar Inc.

International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC

Gregory G Hafner

Brian G McGee

Kevin Patrick Duffy

Matthew R Roth

Eric Charles Fluga

Xiangying Liu

Ronald Dean Shinogle

Chuong Q Dam

James R Blass

Kenneth W Burris

Jeffrey C Huang

Mark Rudolph DeVito

A fuel injector assembly has a control valve body and a plurality of end caps. End cap locating holes are formed into a mating surface of each end cap, and control valve body locating holes are formed into each mating surface of the control valve body. Locating pins inserted into the end cap and control valve body locating holes each have a fixed portion that affixes the locating pins to either the control valve body or the end cap. In the event of failure of a locating pin between the fixed portion and a free portion of the pins, the free portion maintains alignment of the control valve body locating holes with the end cap locating holes.

Locating pin

A fuel injection control system and method for delivering multiple fuel injections to a cylinder of an engine during a fuel injection event based upon engine operating conditions, the control system including an electronic controller coupled to an electrically controlled fuel injector, and a plurality of sensors coupled to the controller for inputting certain signals representative of certain engine operating conditions of the engine, the controller being operable to output a fuel injection signal to the fuel injector to deliver a first, a second, and a third fuel shot to the cylinder during a fuel injection event based upon the sensor signals. The controller also delivers each of the multiple fuel injection shots within defined cylinder piston displacement parameters during a particular piston stroke, within defined fuel apportionment limits, and within defined delay limits between each respective fuel shot so as to control exhaust emissions.

Method and apparatus for delivering multiple fuel injections to the cylinder of an internal combustion engine

A fuel injection control system and method for trimming an internal combustion engine during a fuel injection event based upon engine operating conditions, the control system including an electronic controller in electrical communication with the engine, the controller being operable to detect the operating mode of each injector of the engine and alter each injector operating mode as desired.

Method and apparatus for trimming an internal combustion engine

A method of assembling an apparatus such as a fuel injector ( ) wherein parts or components are selected based on their capacity to compensate for variations in timing and delivery contributed by the tolerance variations of components assembled or measured for assembly prior to the selected components. The method involves an apparatus such as an injector of the type including a set of input parameters, a set of control parameters, and a set of observed performance parameters wherein the method includes the steps of performing tests ( ) on the injector ( ) to measure the values of the input parameters and determining the values of the set of control parameters ( ) using the set of input parameters to reduce performance parameter variability of the final assembly. The method also includes the steps of selecting ( ), for each control parameter, the component associated therewith and, assembling the selected components into the injector ( ).

Method for assembling an apparatus, such as a fuel injector, using select fit of dimensional control features

A fuel injection control system and method for delivering multiple fuel injections to a cylinder of an engine during a fuel injection event based upon engine operating conditions, the control system including an electronic controller coupled to an electronically controlled fuel injector, and a plurality of sensors coupled to the controller for inputting certain signals representative of certain engine operating conditions of the engine, the controller being operable to output a fuel injection signal to the fuel injector to deliver a first, a second, and a third fuel shot to the cylinder during a fuel injection event based upon the sensor signals. The controller also delivers each of the multiple fuel injection shots within defined cylinder piston displacement parameters during a particular piston stroke, within defined fuel apportionment limits, and within defined delay limits between each respective fuel shot so as to control exhaust emissions.

When two fuel shots such as the main and anchor fuel shots are closely coupled, the controller is operable to determine a total main and anchor fuel quantity, a main shot duration, and anchor delay. The total main and anchor fuel quantity is determined by subtracting a pilot shot fuel amount from the governor fuel output, and a sensor senses a rail pressure. If a triggering condition is met, preferably a main shot fuel amount being less than or equal to a minimum main shot fuel amount, the anchor duration is determined from a map using the main shot duration, anchor delay, rail pressure, and total main and anchor fuel quantity as factors for setting the anchor duration.

Accurate deliver of total fuel when two injection events are closely coupled

An apparatus and method for controlling fuel injection signals to an engine during a sudden acceleration event. The present apparatus and method includes an electronic controller coupled to the electronically controlled fuel injectors of the engine and operable to recognize a sudden acceleration condition based upon certain sensed conditions associated with the acceleration of the engine. The controller is further operable to increase the pull-in current level and/or the hold-in current level of the fuel injection signals to improve fuel injector performance, fuel consumption, and emissions when a sudden acceleration event is recognized. Shortening the duration of the fuel shots associated with the fuel injection signal helps offset additional electrical power requirements associated with the higher current levels.

Method and apparatus for controlling the current level of a fuel injector signal during sudden acceleration

A system and method for trimming a fuel injector using a fuel injection system simulator to test the injector at selected simulated engine operating conditions, the system simulator including an electronic controller in electrical communication with the injector, the electronic controller being operable to detect and, optionally, record the resultant performance characteristics of the trimmed injector for future reference.

Method and apparatus for trimming a fuel injector

A displacement control valve includes a valve element having a first operative position communicating a displacement controller of a variable displacement hydraulic pump with a tank for increasing the pump displacement and a second operative position communicating a discharge passage of the pump with the control port for decreasing pump displacement. The discharge passage communicates with a first end of the valve element to generate a force biasing the valve element toward the second position. An opposing biasing force is exerted on the valve element in opposition to the pressure generated force acting on the first end of the valve element so that a predetermined pressure level is established in the discharge passage when the forces acting on the valve element are equalized. The opposing biasing force is generated by a spring disposed to exert a substantially constant biasing force on the valve element and an orifice device for generating a fluid pressure at the second end of the valve element commensurate with the pressure in the discharge passage. A variable mechanical biasing force can be exerted on the valve element in concert with the opposing biasing force to change the pressure level in the discharge passage proportional to the level of the mechanical biasing force.

Pressure control system for a variable displacement hydraulic pump

A hydraulically-actuated fuel injector comprises an injector body that defines a nozzle chamber that opens to a nozzle outlet and a plunger bore, and a spill port that opens into the plunger bore. A hydraulic means within the injector body pressurizes fuel in the nozzle chamber, and includes a plunger with an end face, a side surface and a centerline. The plunger is positioned in the plunger bore and moveable a stroke distance between a retracted position and an advanced position. A needle valve member is positioned in the nozzle chamber and moveable between an open position in which the nozzle outlet is open and a closed position in which the nozzle outlet is blocked. The plunger includes a groove in its side surface that is arranged in a helical pattern about the centerline and further includes a spill passage extending between the end face and the groove. A pin and guide slot assembly, within the injector body, are provided for rotating the plunger about the centerline when the plunger is moving a portion of the stroke distance between its advanced position and its retracted position. Finally, the injector includes a control valve for stopping the plunger at a metered position between its retracted position and its advanced position when the plunger is retracting from its advanced position.

Injection rate shaping device for a fill metered hydraulically-actuated

A bearing assembly comprising, an inner race, an outer race spaced apart from the inner race and a plurality of rolling elements disposed in the space between the inner race and the outer race. The rolling elements are in rolling contact with the inner and outer races. An abrasion resistant coating is deposited on at least one of the inner race and the outer race. The coating is selected from the group consisting of metallic nitrides, metallic carbonitrides, and mixtures thereof.

Bearing assembly having improved fretting and abrasion resistance

In hydraulically actuated fuel injectors, an intensifier piston is utilized with a plunger for raising fuel pressure to initiate an injection event with a VOP type fuel injector. The present invention lowers the mass flow rate of fuel at the beginning of each injection event by slowing the rate of the plunger relative to the intensifier piston by utilizing a spring to separate the two. As the spring compresses, energy from the high pressure actuation fluid is absorbed rather than transferred to raise fuel pressure. A short time into each injection event, the spring becomes fully compressed and the intensifier piston and plunger begin moving in rigid unison for the remaining of the injection event in a manner typical of prior art fuel injectors. The lowering of injection mass flow rate toward the beginning of each injection event results in improved engine performance and a lowering of undesirable exhaust emissions, especially NOx compounds.

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Normal, IL, United States of America

Gregory G Hafner