The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 06, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2003
Gordon D. Cheever, Jr., Peru, IN (US);
Nigel P Baker, Kent, GB;
Steven J. Martin, Kent, GB;
Joseph A. Engel, Oberkorn, LU;
Joel F. Downey, Kokomo, IN (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
A drive circuit is provided in a full H-bridge and half H-bridge configuration for controlling one or more piezoelectric fuel injectors. The drive circuit includes a voltage input for receiving a voltage signal, an energy storage device coupled to the voltage input for storing an electrical charge, a bidirectional current path coupled to one or more piezoelectric injectors, an inductor coupled in series with the piezoelectric injector(s) in the bidirectional current path, and switching circuitry for controlling current flow through the piezoelectric injector(s) and the inductor to open and close the piezoelectric injector(s). The switching circuitry is controlled to provide a recirculation current to recover energy stored in the piezoelectric injector(s) for storage in the energy storage device.