Fuel Injector for Use in an Engine

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a fuel injector for use in an engine.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a known high pressure fuel injector, fuel injected from a fuel supply bore arranged in the injector housing is divided to flow into a pair of branch passages formed in the injector housing. The fuel injector has a nozzle opening formed on the tip portion thereof, and the branch passages are joined at the nozzle opening. The fuel flows in the branch passages are caused to collide with each other in the nozzle opening, to promote the vaporization of fuel injected from the nozzle opening (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 52-59218).

In this fuel injector, however, if the injection pressure of fuel injected from the fuel supply bore is lowered, when the fuel flows in the branch passages collide with each other, the fuel droplets are not divided into fine particles but are joined together, and as a result, a problem arises in that it is impossible to promote the atomization of fuel injected from the nozzle opening.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel injector capable of promoting the vaporization of fuel injected from the nozzle opening even if the injection pressure of fuel injected from the fuel supply bore is lowered.

According to the present invention, there is provided a fuel injector comprising: a housing body; a fuel supply bore for injecting fuel into an interior of said housing body; a nozzle opening arranged on a common axis with said fuel supply bore and always open to an exterior of the housing body to inject both fuel and air into the exterior of the housing body; an air passage filled with an air having a pressure higher than a pressure in the exterior of the housing body; a joining portion formed in the housing for joining the fuel injected from the fuel supply bore with the air fed from the air passage to cause the fuel to be carried by the air; a fuel air passage formed in the housing and extending between the joining portion and the nozzle opening to cause both the air and the fuel carried by the air to move toward the nozzle opening; the fuel air passage extending obliquely relative to an axis of the nozzle opening and comprising a pair of fuel air passages, with corresponding joining portions, symmetrically arranged with respect to the common axis and joined in the nozzle opening, the fuel injected from the fuel and an impingement wall formed in by an inner circumferential wall of the nozzle opening, the fuel air passage extending toward the impingement wall to cause the air and fuel to impinge against the impingement wall.

The present invention may be more fully understood from the description of preferred embodiments of the invention set forth below, together with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an engine;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the tip portion of a fuel injector;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of the tip portion of a fuel injector;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of a further embodiment of the tip portion of a fuel injector;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of a still further embodiment of the tip portion of a fuel injector;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI--VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a still further embodiment of the tip portion of a fuel injector;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of a still further embodiment of the tip portion of a fuel injector;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX--IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a still further embodiment of the tip portion of a fuel injector;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI--XI in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of a still further embodiment of the tip portion of a fuel injector;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIII--XIII in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the bottom wall of the assist air swirl chamber.

Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 designates a piston, 2 a combustion chamber, 3 an intake valve, 4 an exhaust valve, and 5 an intake port. The intake port 5 is connected to a surge tank 7 via a corresponding branch pipe 6, and the surge tank 7 is connected to an air cleaner 9 via an intake duct 8 having a throttle valve 10 arranged therein. A fuel injector 20 is mounted on the branch pipe 6 to inject fuel into the corresponding intake port 5.

FIG. 2 illustrates the tip portion of the fuel injector 20 illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 designates a housing of the fuel injector 20, 22 a nozzle member fixed to the tip end of the housing 21, and 23 a cap member arranged to cover the outer circumferential wall of the nozzle member 22. An annular air chamber 24 is formed between the cap member 23 and the outer circumferential wall of the nozzle member 22, and the air inlet 25 of the air chamber 24 is connected to the air pump 11 driven by the engine, as illustrated by the solid line in FIG. 1, or to the intake duct 8 upstream of the throttle valve 10, as illustrated by the broken line in FIG. 1. A fuel supply bore 26 is formed on the tip end face of the housing 21 on the axis of the housing 21, and a needle bore 27 connected to the fuel supply bore 26 is formed in the housing 21. Fuel under a low pressure is fed into the needle bore 27 from a fuel supply passage 28. A needle 29 actuated by the solenoid (not shown) is arranged in the needle bore 27 to control the opening operation of the fuel supply bore 26, and when the needle 29 opens the fuel supply bore 26, the fuel under a low pressure is injected from the fuel supply bore 26.

A nozzle opening 30, which is always open for injecting both fuel and air therefrom, is formed on the tip end face of the nozzle member 22 and arranged coaxially with the fuel supply bore 26. A pair of passages 31 are formed in the nozzle member 22 and extended straight from the air chamber 24 to the nozzle opening 30 while approaching each other. These passages 31 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the axis of the nozzle member 22 and are joined at the nozzle opening 30. A fuel flow passage 32 is formed in the inner end portion of the nozzle member 22, and the fuel supply bore 26 is open to the fuel flow passage 32. This fuel flow passage 32 is divided into a pair of fuel flow passages 32a arranged such that the distance therebetween is increased toward the tip end face of the nozzle member 22. These fuel flow passages 32a are symmetrically arranged with respect to the axis of the nozzle member 22 and jointed with the corresponding passages 31. Consequently, a wedge-shaped separating wall 33 is formed between the fuel flow passages 32a. As mentioned above the air chamber 24 is connected to the air pump 11 or the intake duct 8 upstream of the throttle valve 10, and the nozzle opening 30 is always open to the interior of the branch pipe 6. In this case, the pressure acting on the nozzle opening 30 is lower than the pressure in the air chamber 24, and thus air in the air chamber 24 continuously flows into the nozzle opening 30 via the passages 31. That is, assist air continuously flows within the passages 31 toward the nozzle opening 30. Fuel flows in the fuel flow passages 32a are joined with the assist air at the joining portions 34 of the fuel flow passages 32a and the passages 31, and the fuels then flow toward the nozzle opening 30 together with the assist air. Consequently, the portion of the passage 31 between the air chamber 24 and the joining portion 34 forms an assist air passage 31a in which only assist air flows, and the portion of the passage 31 between the joining portion 34 and the nozzle opening 30 forms a fuel air passage 31b in which both fuel and assist air flow. Consequently, the fuel injected from the fuel supply bore 26 is joined with the assist air at the joining portions 34 after being divided at the fuel flow passages 32a. When the fuel is joined with the assist air, the fuel is carried by the assist air and thus caused to flow within the fuel air passages 31b at a high speed, together with the assist air. Then the fuel is injected from the nozzle opening 30 together with the assist air.

The velocity of the fuel injected from the fuel supply bore 26 drops immediately after being injected, and thus the velocity of the assist air flowing within the passages 31 is considerably higher than the velocity of the fuel injected from the fuel supply bore 26. Therefore, when the fuel is joined with the assist air at the joining portions 34, the velocity of the fuel is immediately increased by the assist air, and thus the fuel is caused to flow within the fuel air passages 31b together with the assist air at a speed which is considerably higher than the speed of the fuel shortly after the fuel is injected from the fuel supply bore 26. Consequently, if the assist air is caused to impinge against a stationary wall in the fuel air passages 31b, the fuel droplets are caused to impinge against the stationary wall at a considerably higher speed, compared with the case wherein the fuel injected from the fuel supply bore 26 is directly impinged against a stationary wall. As a result, the vaporization of the fuel can be considerably promoted. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, if one of the passages 31 is removed, the fuel and the assist air, which flow within the fuel air passage 31b, impinge against the inner circumferential wall of the nozzle opening 30, and thus in this case the inner circumferential wall of the nozzle opening 30 forms an impingement wall against which the fuel and the assist air impinge. The concept of causing the fuel droplets to be carried by the assist air and then impinge against the impingement wall as mentioned above is the basic feature of the present invention.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, this basic concept is improved, and the fuel and the assist air flowing in both fuel air passages 31b are caused to impinge against each other in the nozzle opening 30. Consequently, since the relative velocity of the fuel droplets is further increased at the time of impingement, and a strong shearing force is give to the fuel droplets by the assist air, the atomization of fuel is further promoted. In addition, since the fuel joined with the assist air at the joining portions 34 is immediately carried and conveyed by the assist air, there is no danger that the fuel will adhere to the inner walls of the fuel air passages 31b. Consequently, since the fuel injected from the fuel supply bore 26 is instantaneously injected from the nozzle opening 30 without accumulating in the nozzle member 22, a good accelerating operation of the engine can be obtained.

FIGS. 3 through 14 illustrate various embodiments. In these embodiments, similar components having similar functions are indicated by the same reference numerals used in FIGS. 1 and 2, so that the present invention can be easily understood.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the assist air passages 31a are open to the corresponding passages 31 toward the upper end portion of the separating wall 33, and further, the fuel air passages 31b are smoothly curved.

If the amount of fuel injected from the fuel supply bore 26 is increased, there is a danger that the fuel will adhere to the upper end portion of the separating wall 33, and thus it is difficult to obtain a good response in an accelerating operation. Therefore, in this embodiment, the assist air passages 31a are open to the passages 31 toward the upper end portion of the separating wall 33, so that fuel adhering to the upper end portion of the separating wall 33 is blown off by the assist air flowing in from the assist air passages 31a. Also, the fuel air passages 31b are smoothly curved to reduce the flow resistance thereof, so that the impingement energy of the fuel droplets at the nozzle opening 30 is not reduced by a reduction in the velocity of the fuel and the assist air, which reduction occurs during the time these elements flow in the fuel air passages 31b.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, in addition to a pair of the combinations of the fuel flow passage 32a and the fuel air passage 31b, another combination of a fuel flow passage 32c and a fuel air passage 31c is additionally formed in the plane including the axis of the fuel injector 20 and perpendicular to the plane in which the fuel flow passages 32a and the passages 31 are arranged.

Where a pair of the passages 31 is arranged in the same plane as illustrated in FIG. 2, the spray of fuel injected from the nozzle opening 30 has an ellipsoidal cross-sectional shape. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4, the additional fuel flow passage 32c and fuel air passage 31c are provided so that the cross-sectional shape of the spray of fuel injected from the nozzle opening 30 becomes as close to a circular shape as possible.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the assist air passage 31a comprises a first wide assist air passage A extending through the separating wall 33 and the joining portions 34 of the fuel flowing passages 32a and the fuel flow passages 31b, and a second assist air passage B extending in the same plane as the first assist air passage A and intersecting the first assist air passage A at a right angle. In this embodiment, although a large amount of the assist air flows into the fuel flow passages 31b via the first assist air passage A as illustrated by the arrows Fl in FIG. 6, a part of the assist air flows into the fuel flow passages 31b via the second assist air passage B, from inward as illustrated by the arrows F2 in FIG. 6. Consequently, in this embodiment, the liquid fuel flowing down the separating wall 33 is flown off by the assist air, as illustrated by the arrows F2 in FIG. 6.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, in addition to a pair of the assist air passages 31a, another pair of assist air passages 35 is provided, and these assist air passages 35 are open to the corresponding fuel flow passages 32a toward the upper end portion of the separating wall 33. Consequently, in this embodiment, the fuel adhering to the upper end portion of the separating wall 33 is blown off by the assist air flowing out of the assist air passages 35.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, each of the assist air passages 31a comprises a pair of assist air passages which are tangentially connected to the inner circumferential wall of the corresponding fuel air passage 31b at the joining portion of the fuel flowing passage 32a and the fuel flow passage 31b, so that the openings of the paired assist air passages 31a are directed toward the same circumferential direction. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the assist air passages 31a are symmetrically arranged with respect to a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the fuel flow passages 31b are formed, and thus as illustrated by the arrows S in FIG. 9, swirl motions in opposite directions are created in the fuel flow passages 31b, respectively. As mentioned above, in this embodiment, since a swirl motion is given to the assist air flowing within the fuel flow passages 31b, a strong shearing force is given to the fuel droplets by the assist air, and thus it is possible to further promote the vaporization of the fuel. In addition, since the swirling assist airstreams are joined in the nozzle opening 30, a strong turbulence is created, and thus it is possible to further promote the vaporization of the fuel.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, a cylindrical shape assist air swirl chamber 36 is formed in the nozzle member 22, and the fuel is injected from the fuel supply bore 26 toward the central portion of the assist air swirl chamber 36. The assist air passage 31a is tangentially connected to the cylindrical inner circumferential wall of the assist air swirl chamber 36, and thus a swirl motion F3 (FIG. 10) swirling in the plane A--A in FIG. 11 is created in the assist air swirl chamber 36. As illustrated in FIG. 11, in this embodiment, the nozzle opening 30 comprises a pair of nozzle openings symmetrically arranged with respect to the plane A--A, at a position furthest from the plane A--A, and thus the assist air flows out from the assist air swirl chamber 36 after being sufficiently swirled in the assist air swirl chamber 36.

The velocity of the outer periphery of the swirl motion of the assist air in the assist air swirl chamber 36 is the highest, and in this embodiment the fuel is injected from the fuel supply bore 26 toward the outer periphery of the swirl motion, which swirls at the highest speed. As a result, since the fuel droplets are subjected to a strong shearing force due to the swirling assist air, the vaporization of the fuel is considerably promoted. Then, the fuel droplets carried by the assist air are caused to impinge against the opposed end walls 36a of the assist air swirl chamber 36. At this time, the velocity of the assist air is very high, and thus since the assist air impinges against the opposed end walls 36a of the assist air swirl chamber 36 at a high speed, it is possible to further promote the variation of the fuel. Then the fuel is injected from the nozzle openings 30 together with the assist air.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the assist air swirl chamber 36 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and in addition to the assist air passage 31a, another assist air passage 37 is provided. The assist air passage 31a has a cross-sectional area which is larger than that of the assist air passage 37, and the opening of the assist air passage 31a is directed toward the central portion of the bottom wall 36b of the assist air swirl chamber 36. Conversely, the opening of the assist air passage 37 is directed toward the upper interior of the assist air swirl chamber 36.

In this embodiment, the assist air flowing out from the assist air passage 31a moves upward along the side wall of the assist air swirl chamber 36 after flowing along the bottom wall 36b. Then, as illustrated by the arrow F.sub.5 in FIG. 12, since the flow direction of the assist air is deflected inward by the assist air flowing out from the assist air passage 37, a swirl motion F.sub.5 swirling in the plane A--A in FIG. 13 is created in the assist air swirl chamber 36. Then, since the fuel droplets carried by the swirling assist air are caused to impinge against the opposed end walls 36a of the assist air swirl chamber 36, it is possible to promote the vaporization of the fuel.

In addition, also in this embodiment, since the fuel is injected from the fuel supply bore 26 toward the outer periphery of the swirl motion, which swirls at the highest speed, the vaporization of the fuel can be further promoted. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the assist air F.sub.4 flowing out from the assist air passage 37 comes into violent contact with the assist air F.sub.5 , a strong turbulence is created in the outer periphery of the swirl motion F.sub.5 , and thus the vaporization of the fuel is further promoted by this strong turbulence. In addition, to give a further strong turbulence to the outer periphery of the swirl motion F.sub.5 , the inner wall, for example, the bottom wall 36b of the assist air swirl chamber 36 may be formed so that it has a rough surface as illustrated in FIG. 14. In addition, although the assist air swirl chamber 36 is formed in the nozzle member 22 in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12, the assist air swirl chamber 36 may be formed in the housing 21.

According to the present invention, by causing the fuel droplets to be carried by the assist air flowing at a high speed and then by causing these fuel droplets to impinge against the impingement wall at a high speed, it is possible to promote the vaporization of the fuel.

While the invention has been described by reference to specific embodiments chosen for purposes of illustration, it should be apparent that numerous modifications could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the basic concept and scope of the invention.