EP2134956A1

EP2134956A1 - Fuel injector comprising an improved control valve

Info

Publication number: EP2134956A1
Application number: EP08708438A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans-Christoph Magel
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2007-03-09
Filing date: 2008-01-30
Publication date: 2009-12-23
Also published as: WO2008110408A1; DE102007011685A1; US20090308353A1; CN101636578A

Abstract

The invention relates to a fuel injector (1) for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, said injector comprising a nozzle needle (4) which moves back and forth in an injector body (2) and/or in a nozzle body (3) in order to release and/or to close at least one injection opening (5) in the nozzle body (3). The movement of the nozzle needle (4) can be controlled by a control valve which co-operates with a control chamber (6). The control valve comprises a valve needle (7) which is guided back and forth and can be moved in relation to a sealing seat (8) in order to ventilate the control chamber (6) in a fuel return (8) when the valve needle (7) is lifted from the sealing seat (8). The valve needle (7) has a differential surface which enables the needle to be subjected to a fuel pressure and held in the direction of the sealing seat (8).

Description

Kraftstoffini ector with improved control valve

The present invention relates to a fuel injector for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine with an improved

Control valve according to the type described in more detail in the preamble of claim 1.

State of the art

For the injection of fuel into direct-injection diesel engines, stroke-controlled common-rail systems are currently being used increasingly. This results in the advantage that the injection pressure can be adapted to load and speed. For this purpose, in particular fuel injectors, which have a solenoid valve to effect the control of the nozzle needle, wherein the nozzle needle is controlled either directly or indirectly by means of a control chamber which either under

High fuel pressure is set or vented. If the control chamber is vented, then the nozzle needle lifts off from the Einspritzöffhungen so that the fuel can get into the combustion chamber. The pressurization or venting of the control chamber via a control valve, which can be switched by an electromagnet, and when energizing the electromagnet via a liftably received nozzle needle, a sealing seat is released to vent the control chamber at least partially or over the duration of the injection to effect.

The control valve of the generic fuel injector comprises a valve needle, which is designed according to a first embodiment either cylindrical, and forms over the end face against a valve plate the required sealing seat. A further embodiment of the valve needle can be formed by a sleeve which is received in a liftable manner on a pressure pin. With respect to the embodiment of the valve needle as a cylinder pin, this extends into a valve pressure chamber, which is under high fuel pressure in the idle state of the fuel injector. The venting of the valve pressure chamber is effected by a stroke movement of the cylinder pin, so that the sealing seat is released on the valve plate and a centrally arranged in the sealing seat Absteuerkanal is released, so that the valve pressure chamber can vent into the Absteuerkanal. Characterized in that the cylinder pin-like valve needle only This is hydraulically balanced by means of force due to the lateral surface. With regard to the embodiment of the sleeve-like valve needle, the high-pressure fuel is inside the valve needle, so that also only the wall of the valve needle is subjected to high pressure, and equally a hydraulically pressure-balanced arrangement of the valve needle is provided. Here the Absteuerung occurs in a Absteuerraum, which surrounds the outside of the valve needle. Furthermore, the valve needle is acted upon by means of a compression spring, which pushes the valve needle into the sealing seat. Only when activating the solenoid coil, the valve needle is lifted from the sealing seat, so that the magnetic actuation acts against the spring force. The use of pressure compensated valve pins allows smaller spring forces, smaller magnetic forces, smaller valve lifts and thus faster switching times. It is also possible to improve the multiple injection capability.

In the known arrangements of the valve needle of the control valve, however, this results

Problem that the application of force to the compression spring on the valve needle must be made relatively large in order to achieve the required sealing effect. As a result, the solenoid for actuating the valve needle must apply increased forces in order to act against the stiff designed compression spring. The result is a control valve, which requires a large space, since electromagnets with larger

Actuating force occupy a larger space. Further, it must be noted that in such a pressure balanced arrangement of the valve needle with a Federkraftbeaufschlagung increased wear arises because at closing the strong spring force moves the valve needle with a relatively large acceleration against the valve plate to form the sealing seat. In addition, a arises

Impact behavior, which is also disadvantageous both for the control of the nozzle needle and for the wear of the components involved.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved embodiment of the valve needle of the control valve in a fuel injector, which

Use smaller spring forces of the compression spring for actuating the valve needle allows and allows the use of smaller electromagnets. Disclosure of the invention

This object is achieved on the basis of a fuel injector according to the preamble of claim 1 in conjunction with its characterizing features. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The invention includes the technical teaching that the valve needle has a differential surface over which it can be acted upon by fuel pressure and held in the direction of the sealing seat. The inventive design of the valve needle utilizes the application of the differential area by the high-pressure fuel, so that the resulting fluidic force acts as a closing force of the valve needle in the direction of the sealing seat. Consequently, the compression spring can be made with a lower rigidity, resulting in lower spring forces. The closing force by the compression spring is added to the hydraulic closing force by the pressurization of the differential area by the fuel. If the solenoid is energized, it must act against a smaller spring force, so that the solenoid can also be made smaller. Due to the high fuel pressures, the differential area can be relatively small, so that the valve needle is only almost pressure balanced, and the differential area forms a small closing pressure stage. This allows for optimized valve tuning and improved

Multiple injection capability. Furthermore, as the hydraulic closing force increases with increasing pressure, the tightness of the sealing seat of the valve needle is improved and no provision must be made in the basic design of the control valve for occurring pressure oscillations in the system. Furthermore, the wear is minimized, since at lower operating pressure no valve closing occurs with high spring forces. The closing force depends on the height of the fuel pressure, so that at high pressure, a high closing force is required, and by the pressurization of the differential area, the closing force is automatically increased. At lower fuel pressure, the resulting hydraulic force also manifests itself with a lower value for pressurizing the valve needle into the sealing seat. Furthermore, there is an increase in the switching speed at the valve opening, since at the beginning of the valve opening, the hydraulic closing force is reduced and thus a larger force is available for acceleration to lift the valve needle from the sealing seat. This high opening force despite a small solenoid allows valve tuning with large damping forces on the stroke stop. This is an optimized Öffhungsbewegung achievable. Furthermore, the damping behavior when closing the valve needle in the sealing seat can also be improved. Since only small spring forces are necessary to close the valve needle, the impact energy when placed on the sealing seat on the valve plate only a small impact energy is released. In addition, in the closed state of the needle seat acts the hydraulic closing force, the one

Reopening the valve prevented.

With a one-piece construction of the valve needle and the armature of the electromagnet with a total small moving mass in connection with the differential area according to the invention very short time intervals of individual injections are possible because the

Switching dynamics independent of the return conditions of the fuel is optimally adjustable.

According to a first embodiment of the valve needle, this has a cylindrical pin-like shape with a pin diameter, which merges to form the differential surface in the region of the sealing seat against the sealing end in a sealing diameter which is greater than the pin diameter. Thus, a first embodiment of the valve needle is shown, which is designed in the form of a cylindrical pin and seals over the end face in the direction of movement against the valve plate. The difference surface results from a larger diameter of the cylindrical pin in the area of

High-pressure fuel pressurized valve pressure chamber, so that through the annular differential surface, the pressurization in the direction of the sealing seat can take place.

It is advantageous that the control valve has a valve piece which adjoins the valve pressure chamber, wherein the valve needle is guided in a liftable manner at least in the valve piece and wherein the region of the sealing end of the valve needle extends from the valve piece into the valve pressure space. In this case, the leadership of the valve needle by the valve piece is not limited to this, but may be performed in other components within the electromagnet. The valve piece may at least partially have a recess or a cavity, and to the

Adjacent valve plates. This cavity forms the valve pressure chamber, which is connected via fluid channels with the control chamber for controlling the nozzle needle. The valve pressure chamber surrounds the portion of the cylinder pin-like valve needle, so that it is acted upon on the full extent of the lateral surface with high fuel pressure. Advantageously, in the valve plate within the sealing seat concentric with Extension of the valve needle formed a Absteuerkanal, so that when lifting the valve needle from the sealing seat of the valve pressure chamber and thus the control chamber is vented into the Absteuerkanal. The connection of the valve pressure chamber with the control chamber for controlling the nozzle needle may include a throttle to provide a controlled venting of the valve control chamber. The diversion channel is with a

Fuel return connected, in which a much lower fuel pressure prevails, so that the valve pressure chamber is vented into the Absteuerraum. The sealing seat is designed as an annular sealing seat, and concentrically surrounds the diversion channel, so that when the end face of the cylinder pin-like valve needle is placed, the diversion channel can be fluidically separated from the valve pressure chamber.

In a further embodiment of the valve needle this is sleeve-shaped, wherein a pressure pin extends with a defined pin diameter through the valve needle and the valve needle sealingly leads in the lifting movement. According to the second embodiment of the valve needle this encloses a relative to

Injector body fixed pressure pin, wherein the valve needle has a bore into which the pressure pin hineinerstreckt and the valve needle sealingly leads. However, the pressure pin does not extend the entire length through the valve needle, wherein the bore in the valve needle extends over the entire height of the valve needle. In the region of the sealing seat of the valve needle, however, the bore has a smaller diameter, so that the differential area according to the invention on the valve needle is formed by the difference in diameter. According to this embodiment of the fuel injector, the fluidic connection of the control chamber with a pressure chamber within the valve needle via a fluid channel, which runs centric to the extension direction of the pressure pin. Consequently, the flows

Centrifugal fluid channel in the sealing seat of the valve plate, so that in a closed sealing seat, the control chamber remains under high pressure. The closed space inside the valve needle is formed by the valve needle and the end face of the pressure pin. The valve needle itself is housed within a Absteuerraums, which forms the low pressure area and with a Absteuerkanal for returning the

Control amount of the fuel is used. If the valve needle lifts off from the sealing seat, the fluidic connection between the fluid channel and the diversion chamber is produced so that the fluid channel can vent into the diversion chamber and thus into the diversion channel. If the energization of the electromagnet is terminated, then the compression spring presses the valve needle against the sealing seat, so that the Absteuerraum from the fluid channel is fluidly separated again. The valve needle has in the region of the sealing seat on a sealing diameter, which is smaller than the pin diameter, and thus smaller than the bore in the valve needle. Thus, the differential surface is formed, so that the valve needle is pressed against the sealing seat by the action of the differential surface by the high pressure of the fuel.

According to the two differently shaped valve needles can be shown that the differential area may be formed preferably by a diameter difference of the valve needles in the region of the high-pressure fuel chamber, the present invention is not limited to a design of the differential area by a

Diameter difference is limited. Rather, any geometric configuration in the context of the present invention is possible, which exerts a comparatively lower force on the valve needle to push them into the sealing seat. Furthermore, the application of fluid does not necessarily have to be carried out from the direction of the high-pressure space, so that the differential area is also in the

Low pressure range can extend into it, and a pressurization by the low pressure also a force can be exerted on the valve needle. Preferably, however, a pressurization by the high pressure area is provided.

The control valve of the fuel injector is not limited to the embodiment as a solenoid valve, but may also be designed as piezoaktorbetätigtes valve.

Further, the invention improving measures will be described below together with the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to

Figures shown in more detail.

embodiments

It shows:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a fuel injector with a cylindrical pin-like shape of the valve needle of the control valve;

and Figure 2 is a schematic view of a fuel injector with a sleeve-shaped valve needle, which extends around a pressure pin around.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a fuel injector according to the invention

1 in a cross-sectional view. The illustrated fuel injector 1 comprises an injector body 2, which merges into a nozzle body 3. Within the injector body 2 and in the nozzle body 3, a nozzle needle 4 is received in a liftable manner, wherein in the nozzle body 3 introduced Emspritzöffhungen 5 are released by a stroke of the nozzle needle 4 to inject fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The fuel is provided by a high-pressure accumulator 20 which supplies the fuel via a high-pressure line 21 to a high-pressure chamber 22 within the injector body 2 or within the nozzle body 3. Via a channel structure 23, the fuel is guided in front of the injection openings 5, so that only a small stroke movement of the nozzle needle 4 releases the injection openings and the fuel can escape from the injection openings 5. To control the lifting movement of the nozzle needle 4 is a control chamber 6, which can be filled via a throttle 24 under high pressure fuel. The control chamber 6 is limited both by an end face of the nozzle needle 4 and by a valve plate 14. The lateral boundary of the control chamber 6 via a sealing ring 25, which is pressed by a compression spring 26 against the lower end face of the valve plate 14.

The valve plate 14 has a fluidic connection 13, which also includes a throttle. The fluidic connection 13 opens into a valve pressure chamber 12, which is also under high fuel pressure in the idle state of the fuel injector 1.

The valve pressure chamber 12 is formed by a geometric shape within a valve member 11, wherein the valve member 11 is adjacent to the valve plate 14, and in the upper region of the fuel injector 1, an electromagnet 27 connects. from

Valve pressure chamber 12 into the electromagnet 27 extends a valve needle 7, which is movable by means of the electromagnet 27 in a stroke direction. In the idle state of the fuel injector 1, the electromagnet 27 is not energized, so that the valve needle 7 is in a position in which it abuts against a sealing seat 8. The sealing seat 8 is formed over a surface of the valve plate 14, wherein the geometric design of the end of the valve needle 7 forms an annular abutment against the valve plate 14, so that the sealing seat 8 is formed. This is the valve pressure chamber

12 sealed against a Absteuerkanal 15, which extends centrally within the sealing seat 8 in this. If the electromagnet 27 is energized, then the valve needle 7 moves in a liftable manner away from the valve plate 14, so that the sealing seat 8 is opened. In the Öffhungszustand thus formed, the valve pressure chamber 12 can vent into the Absteuerkanal 15, so that the control chamber 6 via the fluidic connection

13 is also vented. Due to the pressure drop in the control chamber 6, the nozzle needle 4 can stand out from the Einspritzöffhungen 5, so that the fuel injection takes place. If the energization of the electromagnet 27 is stopped, the moves

Valve needle 7 again against the valve plate 14, so that the sealing seat 8 is formed again. In this case, the valve pressure chamber 12 is again set under high fuel pressure, so that the control chamber 6 is also again under high pressure. Thus, the nozzle needle 4 closes again.

The electromagnet 27 comprises a compression spring 28 which urges the valve needle 7 in the direction of the sealing seat 8. In this case, the valve needle 7 is designed together with an anchor plate 29, so that the armature plate 29 and the valve needle 7 are jointly subjected to force by the compression spring 28.

According to the invention, the valve needle 7 has a sealing diameter 10 which is greater than the pin diameter 9. The pin diameter 9 forms a sealing seat in the section inside the valve piece 11 so that, in addition to the fluidic seal, a guide of the valve needle 7 in the stroke direction is provided. Furthermore, the valve pressure chamber 12 between the valve needle 7 and the valve piece 1 is sealed by the sealing seat. On the portion of the valve needle 7, which extends into the valve pressure chamber 12, this is pressurized only on the lateral surface, so that initially a pressure-balanced arrangement of the valve needle 7 is formed. Due to the difference in diameter between the sealing diameter 10 and the pin diameter 9, however, creates a difference surface on the valve needle 7, which this in the direction of

Seating seat 8 subjected to force. By the high pressure loading of the differential surface within the valve pressure chamber 12, the valve needle 7 is moved with a force into the sealing seat 8 or held in this, so that the compression spring 28 is designed with a low rigidity. Furthermore, the solenoid 27 is designed correspondingly small, since this only against a small spring force of the compression spring 28 must act. For lifting the valve needle 7 from the sealing seat 8, although the resultant force must be overcome by the pressurized differential area, however, this force no longer acts in the further stroke of the valve needle 7, so that the electromagnet 27 does not have to act against a fluidic force. According to the invention thus the dynamic behavior of the valve needle 7 is optimized, so that a compression spring 28 can be used with smaller spring forces, further comprising an electromagnet 27 with smaller magnetic forces is sufficient.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of a fuel injector according to the invention, which is also shown schematically in cross-section. Of the

Fuel injector comprises an injector body 2, which merges into a nozzle body 3, wherein a nozzle needle 4 is guided within the injector body 2 or in the nozzle body 3. The nozzle needle 4 comes against Einspritzöffhungen 5 within the nozzle body 3 to the system, so that fuel, which is provided by a high-pressure accumulator 20 via a high-pressure line 21 in the nozzle body 3 through the

Injection openings 5 can escape. In this case, the fuel is first conducted via the high-pressure line 21 or via connected high-pressure ducts into a collecting space 30, so that it is under high-pressure fuel. If the nozzle needle 4 lifts off from the injection openings 5, they are released and the fuel can enter the combustion chamber.

The lifting movement of the nozzle needle 4 is controlled via a control chamber 6, which is limited by the end face of the nozzle needle 4. The nozzle needle 4 is guided in a guide body 32, in which a throttle 31 is introduced. Via the throttle 31 high-pressure fuel enters the control chamber 6, so that this fills up with high fuel pressure. The control chamber 6 is connected via a fluid channel 18 with the control valve of the fuel injector 1, whereby the control chamber 6 is temporarily vented. In the fluid channel 18, a further throttle 33 is introduced in order to limit the size of the fuel flow within the fluid channel 18, and thus to control the speed of the lifting movement of the nozzle needle 4.

The control valve includes an electromagnet 27 to drive a valve needle 7. If the solenoid 27 is energized, the valve needle 7 is offset against the spring force of a compression spring 28 in a stroke movement. According to the present embodiment, the valve needle 7 is designed sleeve-shaped, which is characterized by the Valve needle 7 extends a bore. In the bore, a pressure pin 16 is introduced, which is at rest connected to the electromagnet 27 and is introduced into the injector body 2. The pressure pin 16 extends only in a partial area in the valve needle 7, so that the through hole within the valve needle 7 forms a limited by the end face of the pressure pin 16 space. The fluid channel 18 extends concentrically to the pressure pin 16 in the space formed inside the valve needle, wherein the valve needle 7 can be brought into abutment against the valve plate 14, so that a sealing seat 8 is formed. If the electromagnet 27 is not energized, then the compression spring 28 presses the valve needle 7 against the valve plate 14 to form the sealing seat 8. The valve needle 7 is received within a Absteuerraums 19, which is connected to a Absteuerkanal 15 and therefore is not under high fuel pressure. Lifting the valve needle 7 by energizing the electromagnet 27 from the sealing seat 8, so the control chamber 6 via the fluid channel 18 can be vented. If the energization of the electromagnet 27 is terminated, then the compression spring 28 presses the valve needle 7 again against the interface of the valve plate 14, so that the sealing seat 8 forms again and the fluid channel 18 is separated from the Absteuerraum 19 again.

The geometric configuration of the valve needle 7 in the region of the bore provides a sealing diameter 17, which is smaller than the pin diameter 9 of the pressure pin

16. This results in the differential area according to the invention, which is acted upon by the fuel under high pressure. The differential surface is formed such that the valve needle 7 is pressed against the sealing seat 8 by the fluidic pressure dropping action. Thus, the compression spring 28 is supported in its force, so that these and the electromagnet 27 also according to this

Embodiment of Krafstoffinjektors 1 can be made smaller, and the above-mentioned advantages are formed.

The invention is not limited in its execution to the above-mentioned preferred embodiment. Rather, a number of variants is conceivable, which makes use of the illustrated solution even with fundamentally different types of use. Thus, it is conceivable to use the solution according to the invention in principle also for other components in the high pressure area, which require comparable control valves. Such control valves for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber have the liftable guided valve needle in common, which is movable against a sealing seat to relieve a pressure chamber in a fuel return when lifting the valve needle from the sealing seat, wherein the valve needle has the differential surface over which it can be acted upon by the fuel pressure and held in the direction of the sealing seat.

Claims

claims

1. Fuel injector (1) for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising a hub movable in an injector body (2) and / or in a nozzle body (3) guided nozzle needle (4) for releasing and / or closing of at least one in Nozzle body (3) introduced Einspritzöffhung (5), wherein the movement of the nozzle needle (4) by a control valve is controllable, which cooperates with a control chamber (6), and wherein the control valve has a liftable guided valve needle (7) which against a sealing seat (8) is movable to vent when lifting the valve needle (7) from the sealing seat (8) the control chamber (6) in a fuel return (8), characterized in that the valve needle (7) has a differential area over which this with Fuel pressure can be acted upon and held in the direction of the sealing seat (8).

2. Fuel injector (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve needle (7) has a cylindrical pin-like shape with a

Pin diameter (9), which merges to form the differential surface in the region of the seal against the sealing seat (8) end in a sealing diameter (10) which is greater than the pin diameter (9).

3. Fuel injector (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control valve has a valve piece (11) adjacent to a valve pressure chamber (12), wherein the valve needle (7) is guided at least in the valve piece (11) and wherein the region of the sealing end of the valve needle (7) extends from the valve piece (11) into the valve pressure chamber (12).

4. Fuel injector (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the valve pressure chamber (12) is fluidically connected to the control chamber (6), wherein the fluidic connection (13) in a sealing seat (8) forming valve plate ( 14) is formed.

5. Fuel injector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the valve plate (14) within the sealing seat (8) concentric with the extension of the valve needle (7) a discharge channel (15) is formed, so when lifting the valve needle ( 7) of the sealing seat (8) of the valve pressure chamber (12) and thus the control chamber (6) in the Absteuerkanal (15) is vented.

6. Fuel injector (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve needle (7) is sleeve-shaped and extends a pressure pin (16) with a pin diameter (9) through the valve needle (7) and the valve needle (7) sealing is guided on the pressure pin (16).

7. fuel injector (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the pin diameter (9) is greater than that formed on the valve needle (7) sealing diameter (17) to form the differential surface.

8. Fuel injector (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that by means of the sealing seat (8) in operative connection with the valve needle (7) with the control chamber (6) in fluid communication fluid channel (18) against a Absteuerraum (19 ) is sealable, wherein the valve needle (7) is received in the Absteuerraum (19).

9. fuel injector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control valve is designed as a solenoid valve.

10. Fuel injector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control valve is designed as piezoaktorbetätigtes valve.