Patent Grant
10590899
This invention generally relates to nozzles suitable for use in a fuel injector for an internal combustion engine. The invention is further applicable to fuel injectors incorporating such nozzles. This invention also relates to methods of making such nozzles, as well as methods of making fuel injectors incorporating such nozzles. The invention further relates to methods of using nozzles and fuel injectors in vehicles.
There are three basic types of fuel injector systems. Those that use port fuel injection (PFI), gasoline direct injection (GDI), and direct injection (DI). While PFI and GDI use gasoline as the fuel, DI uses diesel fuel. Efforts continue to further develop fuel injector nozzles and fuel injection systems containing the same so as to potentially increase fuel efficiency and reduce hazardous emissions of internal combustion engines, as well as reduce the overall energy requirements of a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine.
The present invention is directed to fuel injector nozzles. In one exemplary embodiment, the fuel injector nozzle comprises: an inlet face; an outlet face opposite the inlet face; and one or more nozzle through-holes, with each of the one or more nozzle through-holes comprising at least one inlet opening on the inlet face connected to at least one outlet opening on the outlet face by a cavity defined by an interior surface, each inlet opening having an inlet opening dimension or diameter, D, each outlet opening having an outlet opening dimension or diameter, d, and at least one nozzle through-hole exhibiting a coefficient of discharge, CD, of greater than about 0.50 as calculated by the formula:
wherein:
Qoutlet represents a volumetric flow rate of a fluid exiting the at least one outlet opening;
Aoutlet represents an outlet area of the at least one outlet opening;
Ainlet represents an inlet area of the at least one inlet opening;
P1 represents a first pressure along the at least one inlet opening;
P2 represents a second pressure along the at least one outlet opening; and
ρ represents a density of a fluid exiting the at least one outlet opening, and wherein the maximum outlet opening diameter is about 200 μm.
In another exemplary embodiment, the fuel injector nozzle of the present invention comprises: an inlet face having an inlet surface area, Ainletsurface; an outlet face opposite the inlet face; and a plurality of nozzle through-holes, with each of the nozzle through-holes comprising at least one inlet opening on the inlet face connected to at least one outlet opening on the outlet face by a cavity defined by an interior surface, each inlet opening having an inlet opening area Ainlet, wherein said inlet face surface area Ainletsurface comprises (i) the combined inlet opening area of said one or more nozzle through-holes n Ainlet values, wherein n represents the number of inlet openings, and (ii) an inlet land area Ainletland, (i.e., Ainletsurface=Σ Ainlet+Ainletland) and the inlet land area defines 90.5% or less of the inlet face surface area.
The present invention is further directed to fuel injectors. In one exemplary embodiment, the fuel injector comprises any one of the herein-disclosed nozzles of the present invention incorporated therein.
The present invention is even further directed to fuel injection systems. In one exemplary embodiment, the fuel injection system comprises any one of the herein-disclosed nozzles or fuel injectors of the present invention incorporated therein.
The present invention is even further directed to vehicles. In one exemplary embodiment, the vehicle comprises any one of the herein-disclosed nozzles or fuel injectors or fuel injection systems of the present invention incorporated therein.
The present invention is even further directed to methods of using the herein-disclosed nozzles of the present invention. In one exemplary embodiment, the method of using a nozzle of the present invention comprises a method of reducing an overall energy requirement of a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: incorporating any one of the herein-disclosed nozzles into a fuel injector system of the vehicle.
In another exemplary embodiment, the method of using a nozzle of the present invention comprises a method of increasing an overall fuel efficiency of a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: incorporating any one of the herein-disclosed nozzles into a fuel injector system of the vehicle.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, the method of using a nozzle of the present invention comprises a method of maintaining a mass flow rate of a fluid through a fuel injector system of a vehicle while utilizing a reduced pressure within the fuel injector system, wherein the method comprises: incorporating any one of the herein-disclosed nozzles into the fuel injector system of the vehicle.
The present invention is also directed to methods of making fuel injector nozzles. In one exemplary embodiment, the method of making a fuel injector nozzle comprises making any one of the herein-disclosed fuel injector nozzles.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, the method of making a fuel injector nozzle comprises: forming a nozzle using one or more design parameters that increase an overall coefficient of discharge of the nozzle, the nozzle having an inlet face, an outlet face opposite the inlet face, and one or more nozzle through-holes, with each of the one or more nozzle through-holes comprising at least one inlet opening on the inlet face connected to at least one outlet opening on the outlet face by a cavity defined by an interior surface, each inlet opening having an inlet opening dimension or diameter, D, and each outlet opening having an outlet opening dimension or diameter, d, wherein at least one nozzle through-hole exhibits a coefficient of discharge, CD, of greater than about 0.50 as calculated by the formula:
wherein:
Qoutlet represents a volumetric flow rate of a fluid exiting the at least one outlet opening;
Aoutlet represents an outlet area of the at least one outlet opening;
Ainlet represents an inlet area of the at least one inlet opening;
P1 represents a first pressure along the at least one inlet opening;
P2 represents a second pressure along the at least one outlet opening; and
ρ represents a density of a fluid exiting the at least one outlet opening.
The present invention is also directed to methods of making fuel injectors for use in an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. In one exemplary embodiment, the method of making a fuel injector comprises incorporating any one of the herein-described nozzles into the fuel injector.
The present invention is further directed to methods of making fuel injection systems of an internal combustion vehicle. In one exemplary embodiment, the method of making a fuel injection system of a vehicle comprises incorporating any one of the herein-described nozzles or fuel injectors into the fuel injection system.
The invention may be more completely understood and appreciated in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the specification, a same reference numeral used in multiple figures refers to the same or similar elements having the same or similar properties and functionalities.
The disclosed nozzles represent improvements to nozzles disclosed in (1) International Patent Application Publication WO2011/014607, which published on Feb. 3, 2011, and (2) International Patent Application Serial No. US2012/023624 (entitled “Nozzle and Method of Making Same”) filed on Feb. 2, 2012, the subject matter and disclosure of both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. The disclosed nozzles provide one or more advantages over prior nozzles as discussed herein. For example, the disclosed nozzles can advantageously be incorporated into fuel injector systems to improve fuel efficiency. The disclosed nozzles can be fabricated using multiphoton, such as two photon, processes like those disclosed in International Patent Application Publication WO2011/014607 and International Patent Application Serial No. US2012/023624. In particular, multiphoton processes can be used to fabricate various microstructures, which can at least include one or more hole forming features. Such hole forming features can, in turn, be used as molds to fabricate holes for use in nozzles or other applications.
It should be understood that the term “nozzle” may have a number of different meanings in the art. In some specific references, the term nozzle has a broad definition. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0308953 A1 (Palestrant et al.), discloses an “atomizing nozzle” which includes a number of elements, including an occluder chamber 50. This differs from the understanding and definition of nozzle put forth herewith. For example, the nozzle of the current description would correspond generally to the orifice insert 24 of Palestrant et al. In general, the nozzle of the current description can be understood as the final tapered portion of an atomizing spray system from which the spray is ultimately emitted, see e.g., Merriam Webster's dictionary definition of nozzle (“a short tube with a taper or constriction used (as on a hose) to speed up or direct a flow of fluid.” Further understanding may be gained by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,009 (Ogihara et al.) issued to Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (Kariya, Japan). In this reference, again, fluid injection “nozzle” is defined broadly as the multi-piece valve element 10 (“fuel injection valve 10 acting as fluid injection nozzle . . . . ”—see col. 4, lines 26-27 of Ogihara et al.). The current definition and understanding of the term “nozzle” as used herein would relate, e.g., to first and second orifice plates 130 and 132 and potentially sleeve 138 (see FIGS. 14 and 15 of Ogihara et al.), for example, which are located immediately proximate the fuel spray. A similar understanding of the term “nozzle” to that described herein is used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,156 (Yokoyama et al.) to Hitachi, Ltd. (Ibaraki, Japan). There, the nozzle 10 is defined separately from elements of the attached and integrated structure, such as “swirler” 12 (see FIG. 1(II)). The above-defined understanding should be understood when the term “nozzle” is referred to throughout the remainder of the description and claims.
wherein:
Qoutlet represents a volumetric flow rate of a fluid exiting the at least one outlet opening 152;
Aoutlet represents an outlet area of the at least one outlet opening 152;
Ainlet represents an inlet area of the at least one inlet opening 151;
P1 represents a first pressure along the at least one inlet opening 151;
P2 represents a second pressure along the at least one outlet opening 152; and
ρ represents a density of a fluid exiting the at least one outlet opening 152, and wherein the maximum outlet opening diameter is about 200 μm. In some embodiments, two or more (or all) of the nozzle through-holes 15 of nozzle 10 exhibit a coefficient of discharge, CD, of greater than about 0.50 (or any value greater than 0.50 up to but excluding 1.00 in increments of 0.01) as calculated by the above formula.
The one or more nozzle through-holes 15 provide one or more of the following properties to the nozzle 10: (1) the ability to provide variable fluid flow through a single nozzle through-hole 15 or through multiple nozzle through-holes 15 (e.g., the combination of increased fluid flow through one or more outlet openings 152 and decreased fluid flow through other outlet openings 152 of the same nozzle through-hole 15 or of multiple nozzle through-holes 15) by selectively designing individual cavity passages (i.e., cavity passages 153′ discussed below) extending along a length of a given nozzle through-hole 15), (2) the ability to provide single-or multi-directional fluid flow relative to an outlet face 14 of the nozzle 10 via a single nozzle through-hole 15 or multiple nozzle through-holes 15, and (3) the ability to provide single-or multi-directional off-axis fluid flow relative to a central normal line 20 extending perpendicularly through the nozzle outlet face 14 via a single nozzle through-hole 15 or multiple nozzle through-holes 15.
Due to their nozzle through-hole 15 design, the disclosed nozzles 10 can advantageously be incorporated into fuel injector systems 100 so as to enhance one or more performance features of an internal combustion engine 106. For example, the disclosed nozzles 10, when incorporated into a fuel injector system 100 of an internal combustion engine 106 of a vehicle 200, provide one or more of the following performance features: (1) a reduction in an overall energy requirement of the vehicle 200, (2) an increase in an overall fuel efficiency of the vehicle 200, and (3) an ability to maintain a mass flow rate of a fluid through the fuel injector system 100 of the vehicle 200 while utilizing a reduced pressure within the fuel injector system 100 (e.g., a reduced pressure of at least 40% less (or at least 50% less, or at least 60% less) than a normal operating pressure within the fuel injector system of the vehicle.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, at least one of nozzle through-holes 15 has an inlet opening 151 axis of flow, a cavity 153 axis of flow and an outlet opening 152 axis of flow, and at least one axis of flow is different from at least one other axis of flow. As used herein, the “axis of flow” is defined as the central axis of a stream of fuel as the fuel flows into, through or out of nozzle through-hole 15. In the case of a nozzle through-hole 15 having multiple inlet openings 151, multiple outlet openings 152 or both, the nozzle through-hole 15 can have a different axis of flow corresponding to each of the multiple openings 151/152.
In some embodiments, inlet opening 151 axis of flow may be different from outlet opening 152 axis of flow. In other embodiments, each of inlet opening 151 axis of flow, cavity 153 axis of flow and outlet opening 152 axis of flow is different from one another. In other embodiments, nozzle through-hole 15 has a cavity 153 that is operatively adapted (i.e., dimensioned, configured or otherwise designed) such that fuel flowing therethrough has an axis of flow that is curved.
Examples of factors that contribute to such differences in axis of flow may include, but are not be limited to, any combination of: (1) a different angle between (i) cavity 153 and (ii) inlet face 11 and/or outlet face 14, (2) inlet openings 151 and/or cavities 153 and/or outlet openings 152 not being aligned or parallel to each other, or being aligned along different directions, or being parallel but not aligned, or being intersecting but not aligned, and/or (3) any other conceivable geometric relationship two or three non-aligned line segments could have.
The disclosed nozzles 10 may comprise (or consist essentially of or consist of) any one of the disclosed nozzle features or any combination of two or more of the disclosed nozzle features. In addition, although not shown in the figures and/or described in detail herein, the nozzles 10 of the present invention may further comprise one or more nozzle features disclosed in (1) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/678,475 (entitled “GDI Fuel Injectors with Non-Coined Three-Dimensional Nozzle Outlet Face”) filed on Aug. 1, 2012 (e.g., outlet face overlapping features 149), (2) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/678,356 (entitled “Targeting of Fuel Output by Off-Axis Directing of Nozzle Output Streams”) filed on Aug. 1, 2012 (e.g., specifically disclosed nozzle through-holes 15 and/or inlet face features 118 that reduce a SAC volume of a fuel injector), (3) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/678,330 (entitled “Fuel Injector Nozzles with at Least One Multiple Inlet Port and/or Multiple Outlet Port”) filed on Aug. 1, 2012 (e.g., nozzle through-holes 15 having multiple inlet openings 151, multiple outlet openings 152, or both, and fuel injectors 101 and fuel injection systems 100 containing the same), and (4) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/678,288 (entitled “Fuel Injectors with Non-Coined Three-dimensional Nozzle Inlet Face”) filed on Aug. 1, 2012 (e.g., a non-coined three-dimensional inlet face 11), the subject matter and disclosure of each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The disclosed nozzles 10 may be formed using any method as long as the resulting nozzle 10 has (i) one or more nozzle through-holes 15 therein, and at least one nozzle through-hole 15 has a coefficient of discharge as described herein and/or (ii) a plurality of nozzle through-holes 15 with an inlet land area configuration as described herein. Although suitable methods of making nozzles 10 of the present invention are not limited to the methods disclosed in International Patent Application Serial No. US2012/023624, nozzles 10 of the present invention may be formed using the methods (e.g., a multiphoton process, such as a two photon process) disclosed in International Patent Application Serial No. US2012/023624. See, in particular, the method steps described in reference to
Nozzle Embodiments
wherein:
Qoutlet represents a volumetric flow rate of a fluid (not shown) exiting said at least one outlet opening 152;
Aoutlet represents an outlet area of said at least one outlet opening 152;
Ainet represents an inlet area of said at least one inlet opening 151;
P1 represents a first pressure along said at least one inlet opening 151;
P2 represents a second pressure along said at least one outlet opening 152; and
ρ represents a density of a fluid exiting said at least one outlet opening 152. It is preferable for the maximum outlet opening diameter for outlet openings 152 of nozzles 10 to be about 200 μm (or, in increments of about 5 μm, down to and including about 10 μm, and any maximum therebetween or any range therebetween).
wherein:
Qoutlet represents a volumetric flow rate of a fluid (not shown) exiting said at least one outlet opening 152;
Aoutlet represents an outlet area of said at least one outlet opening 152;
Ainlet represents an inlet area of said at least one inlet opening 151;
P1 represents a first pressure along said at least one inlet opening 151;
P2 represents a second pressure along said at least one outlet opening 152; and
ρ represents a density of a fluid exiting said at least one outlet opening 152.
wherein:
Qoutlet represents a volumetric flow rate of a fluid exiting said at least one outlet opening 152;
Aoutlet represents an outlet area of said at least one outlet opening 152;
Ainlet represents an inlet area of said at least one inlet opening 151;
P1 represents a first pressure along said at least one inlet opening 151;
P2 represents a second pressure along said at least one outlet opening 152; and
ρ represents a density of a fluid exiting said at least one outlet opening 152.
In any of the above embodiments, nozzle 10 may comprise a nozzle plate 10 having a substantially flat configuration typically with at least a portion of inlet face 11 substantially parallel to at least a portion of outlet face 14.
Desirably, nozzles 10 of the present invention each independently comprise a monolithic structure. As used herein, the term “monolithic” refers to a nozzle having a single, integrally formed structure, as oppose to multiple parts or components being combined with one another to form a nozzle.
It can be desirable for the thickness of a fuel injector nozzle 10 to be at least about 100 μm, preferably greater than about 200 μm; and less than about 3 mm, preferably less than about 1 mm, more preferably less than about 500 μm (or any thickness between about 100 μm and about 3 mm in increments of 1.0 μm).
Further, although not shown in the figures, any of the herein-described nozzles 10 may further comprise one or more alignment surface features that enable (1) alignment of nozzle 10 (i.e., in the x-y plane) relative to a fuel injector 101 and (2) rotational alignment/orientation of nozzle 10 (i.e., a proper rotational position within the x-y plane) relative to a fuel injector 101. The one or more alignment surface features aid in positioning nozzle 10 and nozzle through-holes 15 therein so as to be accurately and precisely directed at one or more target location lt as discussed above. The one or more alignment surface features on nozzle 10 may be present along inlet face 11, outlet face 14, periphery 19, or any combination of inlet face 11, outlet face 14 and periphery 19. Further, the one or more alignment surface features on nozzle 10 may comprise, but are not limited to, a visual marking, an indentation within nozzle 10, a raised surface portion along nozzle 10, or any combination of such alignment surface features.
It should be understood that although the above-described nozzles, nozzle plates, fuel injectors, fuel injector systems, and methods are described as “comprising” one or more components, features or steps, the above-described nozzles, nozzle plates, fuel injectors, fuel injector systems, and methods may “comprise,” “consists of,” or “consist essentially of” any of the above-described components and/or features and/or steps of the nozzles, nozzle plates, fuel injectors, fuel injector systems, and methods. Consequently, where the present invention, or a portion thereof, has been described with an open-ended term such as “comprising,” it should be readily understood that (unless otherwise stated) the description of the present invention, or the portion thereof, should also be interpreted to describe the present invention, or a portion thereof, using the terms “consisting essentially of” or “consisting of” or variations thereof as discussed below.
As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having,” “contains”, “containing,” “characterized by” or any other variation thereof, are intended to encompass a non-exclusive inclusion, subject to any limitation explicitly indicated otherwise, of the recited components. For example, a nozzle, nozzle plate, fuel injector, fuel injector system, and/or method that “comprises” a list of elements (e.g., components or features or steps) is not necessarily limited to only those elements (or components or features or steps), but may include other elements (or components or features or steps) not expressly listed or inherent to the nozzle, nozzle plate, fuel injector, fuel injector system, and/or method.
As used herein, the transitional phrases “consists of” and “consisting of” exclude any element, step, or component not specified. For example, “consists of” or “consisting of” used in a claim would limit the claim to the components, materials or steps specifically recited in the claim except for impurities ordinarily associated therewith (i.e., impurities within a given component). When the phrase “consists of” or “consisting of” appears in a clause of the body of a claim, rather than immediately following the preamble, the phrase “consists of” or “consisting of” limits only the elements (or components or steps) set forth in that clause; other elements (or components) are not excluded from the claim as a whole.
As used herein, the transitional phrases “consists essentially of” and “consisting essentially of” are used to define a nozzle, nozzle plate, fuel injector, fuel injector system, and/or method that includes materials, steps, features, components, or elements, in addition to those literally disclosed, provided that these additional materials, steps, features, components, or elements do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. The term “consisting essentially of” occupies a middle ground between “comprising” and “consisting of”.
Further, it should be understood that the herein-described nozzles, nozzle plates, fuel injectors, fuel injector systems, and/or methods may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of any of the herein-described components and features, as shown in the figures with or without any additional feature(s) not shown in the figures. In other words, in some embodiments, the nozzles, nozzle plates, fuel injectors, fuel injector systems, and/or methods of the present invention may have any additional feature that is not specifically shown in the figures. In some embodiments, the nozzles, nozzle plates, fuel injectors, fuel injector systems, and/or methods of the present invention do not have any additional features other than those (i.e., some or all) shown in the figures, and such additional features, not shown in the figures, are specifically excluded from the nozzles, nozzle plates, fuel injectors, fuel injector systems, and/or methods.
The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples, which are not to be construed in any way as imposing limitations upon the scope thereof. On the contrary, it is to be clearly understood that resort may be had to various other embodiments, modifications, and equivalents thereof which, after reading the description herein, may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention and/or the scope of the appended claims.
Nozzles, similar to exemplary nozzles 10 as shown in
From the above disclosure of the general principles of the present invention and the preceding detailed description, those skilled in this art will readily comprehend the various modifications, re-arrangements and substitutions to which the present invention is susceptible. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof. In addition, it is understood to be within the scope of the present invention that the disclosed and claimed nozzles may be useful in other applications (i.e., not as fuel injector nozzles). Therefore, the scope of the invention may be broadened to include the use of the claimed and disclosed structures for such other applications.
This application is a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 of PCT/US2013/053153, filed Aug. 1, 2013, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/678,305, filed Aug. 1, 2012, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties herein.
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| WO2014/022631 | 2/6/2014 | WO | A |
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