Claims
- 1. A method of heating fuel comprising the following steps in the order named:providing a fuel injector having an internal heater and a reciprocable needle valve; providing fuel to the fuel injector; passing the fuel through at least one flow disturbing element, the passing step including passing the fuel through a first plurality of openings in the flow disturbing element and then passing the fuel through a second plurality of openings in the flow disturbing element, wherein the first plurality of openings are offset from the second plurality of openings such that, when viewed in a longitudinal direction to the injector, there is substantially no overlap between the first and second plurality of openings; and heating the fuel.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the passing step includes passing the fuel through a first pair of opposed openings in a first disk, through an opening in a second disk, and then through second and third pairs of opposed openings in a third disk.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein, when viewed in a longitudinal direction of the fuel injector, the first pair of opposed openings in the first disk do not substantially overlap the second and third pair of opposed openings in the third disk.
- 4. The method of claim 3 further comprising passing the fuel around both an interior and exterior surface of the internal heater.
- 5. A method of heating fuel comprising the following steps in the order named:providing a fuel injector having an internal heater and a reciprocable needle valve; providing fuel to the fuel injector; passing the fuel through at least one flow disturbing element, the passing step including creating a swirl flow component in the fuel, wherein the creating the swirl flow component includes creating a circumferential flow component in the fuel including directing the fuel through at least one arc-shaped opening in the flow disturbing element; and heating the fuel.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein creating a circumferential flow component in the fuel includes directing the fuel through six arc-shaped openings in the flow disturbing element.
- 7. The method of claim 6 wherein directing the fuel includes directing the fuel in one direction through three of the arc-shaped openings and directing the fuel in an opposite direction through the other three of the arc-shaped openings.
- 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the three arc-shaped openings are substantially equal in size and spaced substantially uniformly in the flow disturbing element and the other three arc-shaped openings are substantially equal in size and spaced substantially uniformly in the flow disturbing element.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the three arc-shaped openings are located further from a center of the flow disturbing element than the other three arc-shaped openings.
- 10. A method of heating fuel comprising the following steps in the order named:providing a fuel injector having an internal heater and a reciprocable needle valve; providing fuel to the fuel injector; passing the fuel through at least one flow disturbing element, the at least one fuel disturbing element reciprocating with the needle valve; and heating the fuel; wherein when the needle valve reciprocates to a closed position the flow-disturbing element rests substantially on a top of the internal heater.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one flow disturbing element is stationary with respect to the needle valve.
- 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the passing step includes passing the fuel through a first opening in the flow disturbing element and then passing the fuel through a second opening in the flow disturbing element wherein the second opening is offset from the first opening.
- 13. The method of claim 11 wherein when the needle valve reciprocates to a closed position the flow-disturbing element rests substantially on a top of the internal heater.
- 14. The method of claim 11 wherein when the needle valve reciprocates to a closed position there is a gap between the flow disturbing element and a top of the internal heater.
- 15. A method of heating fuel comprising the following steps in the order named:providing a fuel injector having an internal heater and a reciprocable needle valve; providing fuel to the fuel injector; passing the fuel through at least one flow disturbing element, the at least one fuel disturbing element reciprocating with the needle valve; and heating the fuel; wherein when the needle valve reciprocates to a closed position there is a gap between the flow disturbing element and a top of the internal heater.
- 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one flow disturbing element is stationary with respect to the needle valve.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein when the needle valve reciprocates to a closed position the flow-disturbing element rests substantially on a top of the internal heater.
- 18. The method of claim 16 wherein when the needle valve reciprocates to a closed position there is a gap between the flow disturbing element and a top of the internal heater.
- 19. The method of claim 15 wherein the passing step includes passing the fuel through a first opening in the flow disturbing element and then passing the fuel through a second opening in the flow disturbing element wherein the second opening is offset from the first opening.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of applications Ser. No. 09/088,126 entitled “Method of Preheating Fuel With an Internal Heater,” filed on Jun. 1, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,543 which is expressly incorporated by reference herein and Ser. No. 09/088,127 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,303 entitled “Fuel Injector With Internal Heater,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,303, filed on Jun. 1, 1998 which is also expressly incorporated by reference herein.
US Referenced Citations (30)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
19812 092 A 1 |
Sep 1998 |
DE |
WO 9210011 |
Jun 1992 |
WO |
WO 9630644 |
Oct 1996 |
WO |
WO 9905412 |
Jul 1998 |
WO |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 107, No. 241 (E-1364, May 14, 1993 and JP 04 366585 A (Nippondenso Co., Ltd.), Dec. 18, 1992. |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/088126 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/261408 |
|
US |
Parent |
09/088127 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/088126 |
|
US |