Patent Application
20110120419
The present invention relates to fuel injectors for internal combustion engines; and more particularly, to a system combining a universal fuel injector assembly and a plurality of specific adaptors to permit use of a single fuel injector design for differing designs of internal combustion engines.
Fuel injectors are well known in the engine arts for injection of fuel into either the intake ports or the cylinders of internal combustion engines, both gasoline-fueled and diesel-fueled. To meet different physical requirements of differing engine designs and/or layouts, fuel injector manufacturers must manufacture a multitude of different fuel injectors which may comprise the same basic arrangement of injecting mechanism, injector tip, and fuel rail tip but have differing electrical connector types and locations for mating with differing wiring harnesses of various engine manufacturers. Connector location and orientation may vary based upon an engine and vehicle manufacturer's engine layout and space constraints.
For low volume applications, providing a specifically manufactured fuel injector increases substantially the cost of the fuel injector to the engine manufacturer. For this reason, some fuel injector manufacturers specify a minimum lot size, the cost of which can be prohibitive for a low volume engine application; thus, a significant portion of a potential market can be lost to the fuel injector manufacturer.
What is needed in the art is a system whereby a universal fuel injector assembly can be used in a variety of differing engine designs and layouts.
It is a principal object of the present invention to reduce the cost of manufacturing a family of fuel injectors for differing applications.
It is a further object of the invention to broaden the market available to a fuel injector manufacturer.
Briefly described, a fuel injector system in accordance with the present invention comprises a) a universal fuel injector assembly having a universal electrical receptacle, and b) a plurality of adaptors for connecting the universal fuel injector assembly to a corresponding plurality of engine harnesses and design layouts. The universal fuel injector assembly has an injector tip and fuel rail tip compatible with the engine and fuel rail sockets of a plurality of engines. Each adaptor comprises a fuel-injector plug at a first end for mating with the injector electrical receptacle and a harness-specific plug or socket at a second end for mating with a specific harness socket or plug.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The exemplification set out herein illustrates a currently-preferred embodiment of the invention, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
Referring to
The term “universal” should be taken to mean being applicable to a plurality of different engine designs having common fuel injector mechanical connections such as injector tip and fuel rail tip. Thus, universal fuel injector assembly 12 has an injector tip 20 and fuel rail tip 22 compatible with the engine and fuel rail sockets 24,26 of a plurality of engines 28 but has differing harness connection requirements across the plurality of engines.
Each adaptor 16a comprises a fuel-injector plug 30 at a first end for mating with universal electrical receptacle 14 and a harness-specific plug or socket 32 at a second end for mating with a specific harness socket or plug 34. In first adaptor embodiment 16a, as shown in
Adaptor 16a or 16b and fuel injector assembly 12 may be assembled together by known connection methods used in prior art connection of harness sockets or plugs to fuel injectors.
System 10 is useful for all classes of fuel injectors, including gasoline and diesel direct injection and gasoline port injection.
Of course, the universal electrical receptacle of the universal fuel injector assembly need not be limited to what is shown in
Some benefits and advantages of the present invention are:
While the invention has been described by reference to various specific embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but will have full scope defined by the language of the following claims.
