This disclosure generally relates to a wiring harness tray for an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to a fuel injector wiring harness tray for an internal combustion engine.
Internal combustion engines, such as, but not limited to, Otto and Diesel cycle engines, are used in a variety of applications. Generally speaking, internal combustion engines include an air intake system, a fuel system, an exhaust system and an electrical system. More specifically, the fuel system includes a fuel line configured to carry a fuel from a fuel source to a fuel injector, and the fuel injector is configured to receive an electrical signal and deliver the fuel to a cylinder in response to the electrical signal. Furthermore, the electrical system includes a fuel injector wiring harness configured to convey the electrical signal to the fuel injector.
As is depicted and described in US patent application having publication number US 2004/0000292 (“Bodenhausen”), it is known to position a fuel injector wiring harness configured to convey the electrical signal to the fuel injector. More specifically, and as is described and depicted therein, the fuel injector wiring harness is fastened to the fuel line via one or more clips outwardly extending from the fuel line. This arrangement presents limitations to the operation of internal combustion engines, especially when separation of the fuel line from the fuel injector wiring harness is required. Moreover, such an approach adds parts and labor in terms of manufacturing and maintenance, thereby increasing cost and decreasing reliability.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more problems set forth above and/or other problems associated with the prior art.
In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a tray configured to support a fuel injector wiring harness is disclosed. The tray may include a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a bottom wall extending between the first end and the second end, and the bottom wall may be configured to support the fuel injector wiring harness above a rocker arm support. Moreover, the tray may include a tab outwardly extending from the tray, and the tab may include a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and an aperture extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. The aperture may be configured to circumscribe a stud upwardly extending from the rocker arm support.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a cylinder head is disclosed. The cylinder head may include a valve system, a rocker system operationally engaged with the valve system, and the rocker system includes a rocker arm support. Furthermore, a stud may upwardly extend from the rocker arm support. Additionally, the cylinder head may include a fuel injector and a fuel injector wiring harness configured to convey an electrical signal to the fuel injector. Furthermore, the cylinder head may include a tray configured to support the fuel injector wiring harness above the rocker arm support. The tray may include a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a bottom wall extending between the first end and the second end, and a tab outwardly extending from the tray. Moreover, the tab may include a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface and have an aperture extending therethrough configured to circumscribe the stud upwardly extending from the rocker arm support.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The internal combustion engine may include an engine block and a cylinder head supported by the engine block. The cylinder head may include a valve system, a rocker system operationally engaged with the valve system including a rocker arm support and a stud upwardly extending from the rocker arm support. Moreover, the cylinder head may include a fuel injector, a fuel injector wiring harness configured to convey an electrical signal to the fuel injector, and a tray configured to support the fuel injector wiring harness above the rocker arm support. Furthermore, the tray may include a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a bottom wall extending between the first end and the second end, and a tab outwardly extending from the tray. In addition, the tab may include a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the bottom surface and have an aperture extending therethrough configured to circumscribe the stud upwardly extending from the rocker arm support
These and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will be more readily understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Various aspects of the disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements, unless specified otherwise. Referring now to the drawings and with specific reference to
Referring to
Moreover, and turning particularly to
Perspective views of the tray 30 configured to support the fuel injector wiring harness 28 above the rocker arm support 22, along with the wiring harness 28, are depicted in
Turning to
With reference now to
Furthermore, the tray 30 may include a valve-side 50 and in an alternative embodiment the tab 38 may outwardly extend from the valve-side 50. Moreover, as depicted in
The tray 30 may also include a load ring 54 to maintain proper spacing between the tray 30 and the rocker arm support 22. Turning to
Further, as depicted in
In general, the present disclosure may find use in many industrial applications including, but not limited to, internal combustion engines, such as, but not limited to, Otto cycle, Diesel cycle and gas turbine engines. More specifically, the present disclosure finds usefulness in an internal combustion engine 10 utilizing a fuel-injector 26 located in a cylinder head 14. Specifically, the present disclosure finds usefulness by supporting a fuel injector wiring harness 28 in a tray 30 that is fixedly attached to a rocker arm support 22 of the rocker system 20, thereby easing repair and maintenance of the cylinder head 14.
The present disclosure also reduces part count, complexity and cost of manufacture. For example, prior wiring harnesses were mounted below a valve cover in the region of the valve cover base. This required utilizing a separate valve cover base and valve cover. Such an approach added manufacturing steps and cost, while also adding additional components subject to failure. The present disclosure, on the other hand, reduces parts, removes at least one seal, simplifies manufacturability and increases reliability.
The above description is meant to be representative only, and thus modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, these modifications fall within the scope of present disclosure and are intended to fall within the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5285754 | Bell | Feb 1994 | A |
5642704 | Gogots | Jul 1997 | A |
5771850 | Okada | Jun 1998 | A |
6672272 | McGloin | Jan 2004 | B2 |
20040000292 | Bodenhausen | Jan 2004 | A1 |
20040074464 | Zwick | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20130104837 | Sengstock et al. | May 2013 | A1 |
20140238331 | Saito et al. | Aug 2014 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20170328320 A1 | Nov 2017 | US |