Caterpillar Inc.

Other

Steven Y Tian

Scott F Shafer

Ralph A Smith, Iii

Daniel Richard Ibrahim

Alan Ray Stockner

Ronald Dean Shinogle

David Elliot Hackett

Keith Edward Lawrence

Martin A Lehman

Thomas G Ausman

David J Beatty

Brenton William Bush

Bradley E Bartley

Mark S Cavanagh

Norval J Wiemken

Kranti Kumar Nellutla

Michael Taylor McKinley

Timur T Trubnikov

Amy Marie Hess

Anand Krishnamurthygopalan

Brian P Brennan

Christopher Robert Jones

James Ulstad

Scott A Chockley

Sasidhar Rayasam

Chris Lee Stewart

Junru Azam

Greg Armstrong

Jay Tomaseki

Sourav Sen

Haithem Algousi

A method for predicating a service life of a fuel filter includes causing a fuel pump of a fuel system to direct fuel through a fuel filter of a fuel system. The method also includes receiving work cycle data from machines that implement a same or similar fuel system. The method further includes receiving, via sensors of the fuel system, fuel system data and determining, from the fuel system data, a pressure difference across the fuel filter. The method further includes determining, based on the work cycle data, predicted load cycle data for the fuel system and determining, via a filter life model, a filter service interval representing an amount of time the fuel filter is operable in the fuel system prior to the pressure difference reaching a predetermined value.

Systems and methods for predicting engine fuel filtration system service cycle

An engine has an injector communicating with a combustion chamber to introduce a plurality of dosing shots to mix with exhaust gases and regenerate an aftertreatment device downstream of the combustion chamber. An apportionment strategy can apportion a per cylinder quantity, representing the quantity of dosing fuel to introduce per cylinder per combustion cycle, among a predefined number of dosing shots each having a first per shot quantity. The strategy compares the predefined number of dosing shots with a temporal dosing window to determine if predefined number of dosing shots can be conducted within the temporal dosing window. If so, the strategy proceeds to introduce the predefined number of dosing shots and if not, the strategy may recalculate a reduced number of dosing shots and reapportions a second per shot quantity.

Fuel apportionment strategy for in-cylinder dosing

A fluid conditioning system includes a first filter mount having a first filter inlet port and a first filter outlet port, a first motor, a first pump operatively coupled to the first motor, a second filter mount having a second filter inlet port, a second pump, and a controller operatively coupled to the first motor. The controller is configured to operate the first pump at a flowrate that is higher than a flowrate of the second pump. An outlet of the first pump is fluidly coupled to the first filter inlet port via a first filter inlet conduit, and an inlet of the first pump is fluidly coupled the first filter outlet port via a first filter outlet conduit. An inlet of the second pump is fluidly coupled to the first filter outlet port via the first filter outlet conduit.

Fluid conditioning module

The pump described herein provides a potentially lower cost alternative to conventional high-pressure pumps by providing a head, a plunger, and a control valve assembly. The head defines a valve bore having a first diameter, a plunger bore having a second diameter, and an intermediate chamber having a third diameter. The plunger is configured to reciprocate within the plunger bore. The plunger, the plunger bore, and the intermediate chamber at least partially define a pumping chamber. The control valve assembly is coupled to the head and includes an actuator moveable in response to an input signal and a valve element coupled to the actuator. The valve element is received within the valve bore and moveable between an open and a closed position. The valve element includes a body having a fourth diameter and a valve head having a fifth diameter. The first diameter is no larger than the second diameter.

High-pressure pump

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

Because of the relatively high pressures experienced within fuel injectors, several internal components can undergo substantial deformation each time fuel is pressurized to injection levels. In some instances, such as when a solenoid operated control valve is positioned near a distortion region, the internal distortion can cause a fuel injector to behave with less predictability, and can undermine consistency from one fuel injector to another, since distortion levels and affects therefrom are likely to vary substantially from one injector to another. In order to desensitize fuel injector performance to this internal distortion, a deflection cavity is disposed within the fuel injector between the distortion region and the needle valve of the fuel injector. This strategy finds particular applicability to needle control valves disposed deep within fuel injectors in order to control fluid pressure on a closing hydraulic surface of a direct control needle valve, which opens and closes the nozzle outlets.

Desensitizing armature air gap to component distortion in a fuel injector

A fuel injector includes a homogenous charge nozzle outlet set and a conventional nozzle outlet set controlled respectively, by first and second needle valve members. One of the needle valve members moves to an open position while the other needle valve member remains stationary for a homogeneous charge injection event. The former needle valve member stays stationary while the other needle valve member moves to an open position for a conventional injection event. One of the needle valve members is at least partially positioned in the other needle valve member. Thus, the injector can perform homogeneous charge injection events, conventional injection events, or even a mixed mode having both types of injection events in a single engine cycle.

Mixed mode fuel injector with individually moveable needle valve members

An actuation fluid control valve for a hydraulically actuated fuel injector has a valve body having an inlet seat, a bore having a bore axis and a bore wall, an actuation control cavity, a low pressure actuation fluid drain, an actuation fluid inlet for admitting high pressure actuation fluid to the bore from outside the fuel injector, an inlet seat at a border between the actuation control cavity and the bore, and a drain seat at a border between the actuation control cavity and the actuation fluid drain. An actuator is attached with the valve body. An actuation valve member has an inlet pin surface partially defining a fluid entry chamber within the bore and is slidably disposed in the bore in response to the actuator between a first position in which the actuation control cavity is open to the actuation fluid inlet via the fluid entry chamber and the actuation valve member is being held against the drain seat such that the actuation control cavity is fluidly isolated from the actuation fluid drain, and a second position in which the actuation control cavity is open to the actuation fluid drain and the actuation valve member is being held against the inlet seat such that the actuation control cavity is fluidly isolated from the actuation fluid inlet.

Hydraulically actuated fuel injector with seated pin actuator

A pilot actuated spool valve assembly includes a valve body that defines a first passage, a second passage and a flow passage. A unitary pilot body is at least partially positioned in the valve body and has a first valve seat and a second valve seat. A pilot member is moveable in the pilot body between an up position in which the pilot member closes the first valve seat and a down position in which the pilot member closes the second valve seat. A spool valve member has a control hydraulic surface and is positioned in the valve body. It is moveable between a first position in which the first passage is open to the flow passage, and a second position in which the second passage is open to the flow passage. At least one of the valve body, the pilot body, the pilot member and the spool valve member define a control volume fluidly connected to the first passage when the pilot member is in one of its up position and its down position. The control hydraulic surface of the spool valve member is exposed to fluid pressure in the control volume. The valve assembly finds its preferred application in a hydraulically actuated fuel injector having a direct control needle valve.

Pilot actuator and spool valve assembly

A hydraulically actuated fuel injector comprises a valve body and a stepped valve member. The valve body has a wide bore portion and a narrow bore portion. The stepped valve member has a wide member section and a narrow member section. The wide member section is slidably disposed in the wide bore portion and defines a first diametrical clearance therebetween. The narrow member section and the wide bore portion define a damping chamber therebetween that is wider than the first diametrical clearance. The stepped valve member is slidable between a first position at which the damping chamber is substantially fluidly open to a low pressure hydraulic fluid reservoir, and a second position at which a fractional portion of the narrow member section is slidably disposed within a portion of the narrow bore portion defining a second diametrical clearance therebetween that is less wide than the damping chamber and substantially restricts fluid communication between the damping chamber and the reservoir.

Liquid control valve assembly with local damping and hydraulically

An injector body defines a fuel pressurization chamber, a spill passage, a stop volume and a nozzle outlet. Positioned within the injector body is a plunger which is movable between a retracted position and an advanced position. The plunger opens the spill passage to the fuel pressurization chamber over a portion of the distance between the retracted and advanced positions. The injector body also contains a needle valve member which includes a closing hydraulic surface that is exposed to fluid pressure in the stop volume. The stop volume is pressure coupled to the spill passage.

Fuel injector with controlled spill to produce split injection

A hydraulically-actuated fuel injector includes an injector body that defines an actuation fluid inlet that is open to a first actuation fluid cavity, and a second actuation fluid cavity that is connected to the first actuation fluid cavity via a connection passage. The injector body also defines at least one actuation fluid drain. A source of relatively high pressure actuation fluid is connected to the actuation fluid inlet. A relatively low pressure reservoir is connected to the at least one actuation fluid drain. A control valve is attached to the injector body and is moveable between a first position in which the second actuation fluid cavity is open to the first actuation fluid cavity, and a second position in which the second actuation fluid cavity is open to the at least one actuation fluid drain. An intensifier piston is movably mounted in the injector body and has a primary hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in the first actuation fluid cavity, and an opposing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in the second actuation fluid cavity.

Hydraulically-actuated fuel injector with intensifier piston always

A hydraulically-actuated fuel injector includes an injector body having a nozzle chamber that opens to a nozzle outlet and a plunger bore, and further has a prime spill port and an idle stability port that open to the plunger bore. A hydraulic means for pressurizing fuel in the nozzle chamber includes a plunger mounted to reciprocate in the plunger bore between a retracted position and an advanced position. A portion of the plunger bore and plunger define a fuel pressurization chamber. A needle valve member is mounted to reciprocate in the nozzle chamber between an open position in which the nozzle outlet is open and a closed position in which the nozzle outlet is closed. A portion of the plunger blocks the prime spill port when the plunger is in its retracted position. A different portion of the plunger blocks the idle stability port when the plunger is in its retracted position. The prime spill port opens to the fuel pressurization chamber over part of the plunger stroke between its retracted position and its advanced position. The idle stability port opens to the fuel pressurization chamber over a different part of the plunger stroke between its retracted position and its advanced position. The prime spill port has a relatively unrestricted flow area, whereas the idle stability port has a relatively restricted flow area about equal to that of the nozzle outlet.

Hydraulically-actuated fuel injector with idle stability port

A control valve, preferably for use in a fuel injector, includes a valve body that defines a first passage and a second passage. A solenoid is attached to the valve body and has an armature. A multi piece valve member is attached to the armature and is positioned in the valve body. The multi piece valve member is moveable between a first position in which the first passage is open to the second passage, and a second position in which the first passage is closed to the second passage. The multi piece valve member includes a second valve member piece moveable with respect to a first valve member piece between a contact position in which a portion of the second valve member piece is in contact with the first valve member piece, and a separated position in which the portion is a distance away from the first valve member piece. A damping spring is compressed between the second valve member piece and the first valve member piece when the second valve member piece is in its separated position. The damping spring serves to absorb energy that might otherwise reveal itself as bouncing behavior when the valve member comes in contact with one of its stops.

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Bloomington, IL, United States of America

Steven Y Tian