Distributor for a high pressure fuel system

Abstract

A fuel distributor is provided which is capable of distributing fuel through plural fuel injection lines to the corresponding cylinders of a multicylinder internal combustion engine and which includes a distributor housing including a supply inlet passage, a plurality of fuel injection outlet passages and a plurality of distributor valves for providing sequential periodic fluidic communication between the supply inlet passage and the outlet passages. Each distributor valve, which may be cam-actuated or solenoid-actuated, is adapted to be placed in an open position to define a fuel injection period during which high pressure fuel may flow through the distributor valve to the respective engine cylinder and a closed position blocking fuel flow through the respective fuel injection outlet passage. Each of the distributor valves is adapted to receive a force from the high pressure fuel flowing from the supply inlet passage which urges the distributor valve into the closed position thereby providing an effective seal and minimizing leakage. The distributor may be used in a high pressure fuel system having a control valve positioned between a high pressure accumulator and the fuel distributor for controlling the flow of high pressure fuel to the distributor. The control valve is moveable to define a fuel injection event, occurring within the injection period provided by each distributor valve, during which high pressure fuel may flow from the high pressure supply means through one of the distributor valves to a respective engine cylinder.