GB2586880A - Common rail mounting arrangement - Google Patents

Common rail mounting arrangement Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2586880A
GB2586880A GB1912966.7A GB201912966A GB2586880A GB 2586880 A GB2586880 A GB 2586880A GB 201912966 A GB201912966 A GB 201912966A GB 2586880 A GB2586880 A GB 2586880A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
engine
common rail
interface portion
injector
side mounting
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB1912966.7A
Other versions
GB2586880B (en
GB201912966D0 (en
Inventor
Akin Levent
Altinol Cuneyt
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Delphi Technologies IP Ltd
Original Assignee
Delphi Technologies IP Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Delphi Technologies IP Ltd filed Critical Delphi Technologies IP Ltd
Priority to GB1912966.7A priority Critical patent/GB2586880B/en
Publication of GB201912966D0 publication Critical patent/GB201912966D0/en
Publication of GB2586880A publication Critical patent/GB2586880A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2586880B publication Critical patent/GB2586880B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
    • F02M55/00—Fuel-injection apparatus characterised by their fuel conduits or their venting means; Arrangements of conduits between fuel tank and pump F02M37/00
    • F02M55/02—Conduits between injection pumps and injectors, e.g. conduits between pump and common-rail or conduits between common-rail and injectors
    • F02M55/025—Common rails
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
    • F02M61/00—Fuel-injectors not provided for in groups F02M39/00 - F02M57/00 or F02M67/00
    • F02M61/14—Arrangements of injectors with respect to engines; Mounting of injectors
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
    • F02M2200/00—Details of fuel-injection apparatus, not otherwise provided for
    • F02M2200/85—Mounting of fuel injection apparatus
    • F02M2200/855—Mounting of fuel injection apparatus using clamp elements or fastening means, e.g. bolts or screws
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
    • F02M2200/00—Details of fuel-injection apparatus, not otherwise provided for
    • F02M2200/85—Mounting of fuel injection apparatus
    • F02M2200/856—Mounting of fuel injection apparatus characterised by mounting injector to fuel or common rail, or vice versa
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
    • F02M2200/00—Details of fuel-injection apparatus, not otherwise provided for
    • F02M2200/85—Mounting of fuel injection apparatus
    • F02M2200/857—Mounting of fuel injection apparatus characterised by mounting fuel or common rail to engine

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Fuel-Injection Apparatus (AREA)

Abstract

A common rail assembly 1 comprising a common rail 10 mounted to an engine component 3 of an engine 2, the common rail comprising at least one injector interface portion (14, fig.2) that retains a fuel injector 20. The common rail is mounted to the engine component by at least one mounting arrangement 4 comprising an engine-side mounting part 30 connected to the engine, and a retention element 40 coupled to the engine-side mounting part. The retention element comprises a mounting portion (41, fig.3) that is secured to the engine-side mounting part by a fastener 50, and a retaining portion (42, fig.3) connected to the mounting portion and bearing against the common rail to attach the common rail to the engine component. Preferably the engine interface portion of the rail is aligned with the injector interface. A method of assembly is also claimed.

Description

COMMON RAIL MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a mounting arrangement for a common rail for an internal combustion engine. Aspects of the invention relate to a common rail, to a common rail assembly, to an internal combustion engine, and to a method of mounting a common rail to an engine component.
BACKGROUND
Gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines inject fuel at high pressure directly into the cylinders of the engine. The fuel injectors of GDI engines are typically connected to a common rail. The common rail comprises a tubular body that defines a high pressure fuel reservoir from which fuel is supplied to the injectors. The common rail enables fuel to be supplied to the injectors at a controlled and stable pressure, and helps to damp oscillations in fuel pressure within the fuel system.
In GDI fuel systems, the common rail is also typically used to mount the fuel injectors to the engine. In particular, the common rail typically comprises a plurality of injector interface portions that are each configured to receive and retain an injector, and to hold the injector in a corresponding injector cavity provided in the cylinder head. (This is in contrast to diesel fuel injection systems, in which the fuel injectors are only connected to the common rail indirectly via high pressure pipes, and the common rail does not have the secondary mounting function.) The injector interface portions may be provided directly on the underside of the main body of the common rail, but more commonly project outwardly from the side of the main body. The injector interface portions may be integrally formed together with the main body of the common rail, or alternatively attached to the main body, for example by welding.
Common rails for both GDI and diesel engines also typically include a plurality of "mounting pads" for mounting the common rail to the engine. The mounting pads typically project outwardly from the main body of the common rail, and are designed to be clamped against a corresponding plurality of mounting formations provided on the engine. For example, the mounting pads may be clamped against upwardly facing surfaces of mounting formations by bolts that extend through apertures provided in the mounting pads into threaded bores provided in the mounting formations. As with the injector interface portions, the mounting pads may be integrally formed together with the main body of the common rail, or alternatively attached to the main body, for example by welding. However, the mounting pads are typically provided separately to the injector interface portions as separate projections that are spaced apart from the injector interface portions along the length direction of the common rail.
GDI engines have various advantages over port injection gasoline engines, including improved control of the delivery of fuel into the cylinders of the engine. However, the need to provide a common rail increases the cost of manufacturing GDI engines compared to port injection gasoline engines. In particular, the cost and complexity of designing and manufacturing common rails is increased by the need to include multiple separate injector interface portions and mounting tabs.
In addition, since the fuel injectors are mounted directly to the common rail, common rails for GDI engines are typically subjected to operating loads from the fuel injectors that are offset from the mounting pads, which results in moment loads being created at the mounting pads. This increases the need for reinforcement of the mounting pads, thereby further increasing the cost and weight of common rails for GDI engines.
It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages
associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a common rail for an internal combustion engine, the common rail comprising an elongate tubular body, at least one injector interface portion connected to the tubular body that is configured to receive and retain a fuel injector, and at least one engine interface portion connected to the tubular body via which the common rail is configured to be mounted to the internal combustion engine; wherein the engine interface portion is aligned with the injector interface portion.
For example, the engine interface portion may be located at the same position along the length of the tubular body of the common rail as the injector interface portion. In a preferred arrangement the engine interface portion may lie directly on a central axis defined by the injector interface portion. The engine interface portion may optionally define its own central axis, which may be at least substantially parallel to or at least substantially coincident with the central axis of the injector interface portion.
The common rail may have an offset design in which the injector interface portion and/or the engine interface portion are offset from the tubular body of the common rail. In this case the injector interface portion and the engine interface portion preferably both form part of a common projection that extends outwardly from the tubular body of the common rail.
Alternatively, the common rail may have an in-line or axial design in which the injector interface portion and the engine interface portion are each aligned with the tubular body of the common rail. In this case the injector interface portion and the engine interface portion preferably extend outwardly from the tubular body of the common rail on opposing sides thereof.
In either case, the injector interface portion and the engine interface portion may be integrally formed together with each other and/or with the tubular body of the common rail.
By aligning the engine interface portion with the injector interface portion it is possible to reduce or eliminate the moment loads that would otherwise be created at the engine interface portion of the common rail. In addition, by providing the engine interface portion and the injector interface portion as part of a common projection or providing the engine interface portion directly opposite the injector interface portion it is possible to eliminate the need to provide a separate mounting pad that protrudes outwardly from the tubular body of the common rail. The present invention therefore allows a more reliable connection to be formed between the common rail and the engine, and allows the weight, cost and complexity of the common rail to be significantly reduced compared to the direct mount common rails known in the prior art.
A common rail according to the first aspect of the present invention may be more challenging to mount to an internal combustion engine that a conventional direct mount common rail including separate mounting tabs and injector interface portions that are spaced apart from each other along the length direction of the common rail. In particular, since the engine interface portion is aligned with the injector interface portion, the injector interface portion may prevent the engine interface portion from being lowered onto an upwardly facing surface of an engine-side mounting formation in the usual manner as the common rail is fitted to the engine. It may also be difficult to fit the engine interface portion underneath an engine-side mounting tab.
Therefore, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a common rail assembly comprising a common rail mounted to an engine component of an internal combustion engine, the common rail comprising an elongate tubular body and at least one injector interface portion connected to the tubular body that is configured to receive and retain a fuel injector; wherein the common rail is mounted to the engine component by at least one mounting arrangement comprising an engine-side mounting part connected to the engine component, and a retention element coupled to the engine-side mounting part; wherein the retention element comprises a mounting portion that is secured to the engine-side mounting part by a fastener, and a retaining portion that is connected to the mounting portion and bears against an engine interface portion of the common rail to thereby retain the common rail with respect to the engine component.
The mounting arrangement of the second aspect of the present invention is especially useful for mounting a common rail according to the first aspect of the present invention to an internal combustion engine since the retention element eliminates the need for the engine interface portion of the common rail to engage an engine-side mounting formation directly, for example by being lowered onto an upwardly facing surface of the engine-side mounting formation in the usual manner.
The engine-side mounting part may take the form of a tab that extends outwardly from the engine component. The tab may be generally planar, and may be integrally formed together with a main body of the engine component. The engine component may, for example, be a cylinder head or an engine cover.
The engine-side mounting part may define an open sided channel. The open sided channel may be configured to allow at least a portion of the injector interface portion and/or the engine interface portion of the common rail to pass therethrough as the common rail is being assembled together with the engine component. In particular, the open sided channel may have a width that is greater than the width of the injector interface portion and/or the engine interface portion.
The mounting portion and the retaining portion of the retention element may be integrally formed together with each other as part of a single component, and may be connected to each other by a connecting wall. The mounting portion and the retaining portion may each be generally planar. The mounting portion and the retaining portion may be spaced apart from each other and arranged at least substantially parallel to each other.
The mounting portion and the retaining portion of the retention element may be located on opposing sides of the engine-side mounting part. The mounting portion preferably engages an upper surface of the engine-side mounting part (that is the surface of the engine-side mounting part that faces away from the fuel injector) directly. However, the retaining portion is preferably spaced slightly apart from the lower surface of the engine-side mounting part.
The retention element may be resiliently deformable. For example, the retaining portion may be resiliently deformable in a direction towards the mounting portion and the engine-side mounting part. In this case the retention element may be configured to resiliently bias the common rail towards the engine, and may be capable of damping oscillations of the injector and/or the common rail in use.
The retention element and the engine-side mounting part may comprise complimentary formations that engage each other to thereby resist movement of the retention element with respect to the engine-side mounting part. The complimentary formations may be located on the inwardly facing surface of the mounting portion of the retention element (that is the surface of the mounting portion that faces towards the retaining portion) and on the upper surface of the engine-side mounting part.
The retention element may also define an open sided channel. The open sided channel defined by the retention element may overlap with the open sided channel defined by the engine-side mounting part to thereby define an enclosed aperture.
The common rail may comprise a fastener engaging formation with which the fastener is engaged to thereby secure the retention element with respect to the engine-side mounting part. The fastener engaging formation may extend outwardly from a bearing surface of the engine interface portion that is engaged by the retention element, and may be at least partially surrounded by the bearing surface. The fastener engaging formation may be integrally formed together with the main body of the engine interface portion.
The fastener and/or the fastener engaging formation may extend into and/or through the open sided channels defined by the engine-side mounting part and/or the retention element.
The fastener engaging formation may comprise a threaded shaft and the fastener may comprise a nut that is engaged with the threaded shaft. Alternatively the fastener engaging formation may comprise a threaded bore and the fastener may comprise a bolt that is engaged with the threaded bore.
The engine interface portion of the common rail may be aligned with the injector interface portion of the common rail. In this case the common rail may be a common rail according to the first aspect of the present invention. For example, the engine interlace portion may be located at the same position along the length of the tubular body of the common rail as the injector interface portion. In a preferred arrangement the engine interface portion may lie directly on a central axis defined by the injector interface portion. The engine interface portion may optionally define its own central axis, which may be at least substantially parallel to and/or at least substantially coincident with the central axis of the injector interface portion.
The injector interface portion and/or the engine interface portion of the common rail may be offset to one side of the tubular body of the common rail, or alternatively may be in line with the tubular body of the common rail.
The injector interface portion and the engine interface portion may both form part of a common projection that extends outwardly from the tubular body of the common rail, or alternatively may extend outwardly from the tubular body of the common rail on opposing sides thereof.
In either case the injector interface portion and the engine interface portion may be integrally formed together with each other and/or with the tubular body of the common rail.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an internal combustion engine comprising a common rail assembly according to the second aspect of the present invention. The internal combustion engine may, for example, be a gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of mounting a common rail to an engine component of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising: providing a common rail comprising an elongate tubular body and at least one injector interface portion connected to the tubular body; coupling a fuel injector to the injector interface portion of the common rail; moving the common rail into an installed position with respect to the engine component; assembling a retention element together with an engine-side mounting part connected to the engine component after the common rail has been moved into its installed position; securing a mounting portion of the retention element to the engine-side mounting part using a fastener; and engaging an engine interface portion of the common rail with a retaining portion of the retention element to thereby retain the common rail with respect to the engine component.
The fuel injector is preferably already coupled to the injector interface portion of the common rail when the common rail is moved into its installed position with respect to the engine component.
The step of moving the common rail into its installed position with respect to the engine component may comprise moving the common rail in a direction that is at least substantially parallel to a central axis of the injector interface portion, a central axis of the fuel injector and/or a central axis of an injector cavity of a cylinder head within which the fuel injector is received. The central axis of the injector interface portion and/or the central axis of the fuel injector may be at least substantially coincident with the central axis of the injector cavity of the cylinder head as the common rail is being moved towards its installed position. However, in other cases the common rail/injector assembly may be moved towards its installed position at a slight angle with respect to the injector cavity of the cylinder head.
The engine-side mounting part may comprise an open sided channel. The step of moving the common rail into its installed position with respect to the engine component may comprise passing at least a portion of the injector interface portion and/or the engine interface portion of the common rail through the open sided channel.
The step of assembling the retention element together with the engine-side mounting part may comprise moving the retention element into contact with the engine-side mounting part in a direction that is at least substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the injector interface portion and/or a central axis of the engine interface portion of the common rail.
The step of securing the mounting portion of the retention element to the engine-side mounting part may comprise engaging the fastener with a fastener engaging formation of the common rail, and using the fastener to clamp the mounting portion of the retention element against the upper surface of the engine-side mounting part.
Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible.
The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 schematically illustrates a portion of a common rail assembly in accordance with one possible embodiment of the present invention; Figures 2 and 3 schematically illustrate cross section views through a mounting arrangement of the common rail assembly shown in Figure 1; Figures 4 and 5 schematically illustrate the mounting arrangement shown in cross section in Figures 2 and 3; Figure 6 schematically illustrates an exploded view of the common rail assembly shown in Figure 1; Figures 7a and 7b schematically illustrate alternative configurations for the mounting arrangement, and Figures 8a and 8b schematically illustrate an alternative common rail design in accordance with another possible embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 schematically illustrates a portion of a common rail assembly 1 for a gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine 2 according to one possible embodiment of the present invention. The common rail assembly 1 comprises a common rail 10 mounted to the engine 2 by a plurality of mounting arrangements 4, as described in more detail below.
The common rail 10 comprises an elongate tubular body 11 having a longitudinal axis. The tubular body 11 is generally hollow and defines an internal fuel reservoir 12 that extends along the length of the tubular body 11, as illustrated in the transverse cross-section view of Figure 2. The fuel reservoir 12 is connected to a high pressure pump (not shown) that supplies fuel to the common rail 10 at high pressure in a conventional manner.
The common rail 10 further comprises a plurality of fuel injector interface portions 14 that are spaced apart along the length of the tubular body 11, one of which is illustrated in Figure 2. The following description relates to a single one of the injector interface portions 14. However, it will be appreciated that the common rail 10 may include any suitable number of injector interface portions 14 depending on the design of the engine 2, and that the following features may apply equally to each of the injector interface portions 14.
The injector interface portion 14 is formed by a projection 13 that is integrally formed with and extends outwardly from the tubular body 11 of the common rail 10 in a direction towards the engine 2. The injector interface portion 14 defines an injector cavity 15 that is configured to receive and retain a proximal end of fuel injector 20 therein. The injector cavity 15 is in communication with the fuel reservoir 12 of the common rail 10 via a cross-drilled passage to thereby enable fuel to be supplied to the fuel injector 20 at high pressure during use of the engine 2. Since the fuel injector 20 is mounted directly to the injector interface portion 14 of the common rail 10 the common rail 10 is able to mount the fuel injector 20 to the engine 2. The injector cavity 15 has a central axis that is at least substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the common rail 10 and offset from the longitudinal axis of the common rail 10 in a lateral direction.
The projection 13 also defines an engine interface portion 16 that forms part of the mounting arrangement 4 for mounting the common rail 10 to the engine 2.
An enlarged view of the engine interface portion 16 is illustrated in Figure 3. The engine interface portion 16, which is integrally formed with the injector interface portion 14 and the tubular body 11 of the common rail 10, comprises an upwardly facing bearing surface 17 that faces away from the injector interface portion 14 and the fuel injector 20. The bearing surface 17 is planar and annular in shape, and lies directly on the central axis of the injector interface portion 14.
The engine interface portion 16 further comprises a fastener engaging formation 18 in the form of a threaded shaft that is integrally formed with the main body of the engine interface portion 16 and extends upwardly from the bearing surface 17. The threaded shaft 18 defines a central axis of the engine interface portion 16. The central axis of the engine interface portion 16 is parallel to and coincident with the central axis of the injector interface portion 14.
Since the engine interface portion 16 of the common rail 10 is aligned with and arranged directly on the central axis of the injector interface portion 14, it is able to counteract forces exerted on the common rail 10 by the fuel injector 20 directly. In this way moment loading of the common rail 10 can be eliminated, or at least minimised. In addition, since the engine interface portion 16 is integrally formed together with the injector interface portion 14 as part of a common projection 13 there is no need to provide a separate mounting pad in addition to the injector interface portion 14.
As mentioned above, the common rail 10 is mounted to the engine 2 by a plurality of mounting arrangements 4, one of which is illustrated in Figures 1 to 5.
The following description relates to a single one of the mounting arrangements 4.
However, it will be appreciated that the common rail 10 may be mounted to the engine by any suitable number of mounting arrangements 4, for example one at the location of each fuel injector 20, and that the features described below may apply equally to each of the mounting arrangements 4.
The mounting arrangement 4 comprises an engine-side mounting part 30 and a retention element 40.
The engine-side mounting part 30, which is shown most clearly in Figures 4, 5 and 6, comprises a substantially planar tab that is integrally formed with and extends outwardly from the engine component 3 to which the common rail 10 is mounted, for example a cylinder head or an engine cover of the engine 2. The engine-side mounting part 30 is located directly above an injector cavity 5 of the cylinder head 3 within which the fuel injector 20 is received, as shown most clearly in the exploded view of Figure 6.
The engine-side mounting part 30 comprises an open sided channel 31 that extends through the thickness of the tab 30 directly above the injector cavity 5 of the cylinder head 3 in a direction aligned with the central axis of the injector cavity 5. The open side of the channel 31 faces away from the main body of the cylinder head 3. The engine-side mounting part 30 therefore defines a U shaped projection with an open side that faces towards the common rail 10. The open sided channel 31 has a width that is greater than the width of the injector interface portion 14 and the engine interface portion 16 of the common rail 10 in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axis of the common rail 10, as illustrated in Figure 5. Therefore the injector interface portion 14 and the engine interface portion 16 are able to pass though the open sided channel 31 of the engine-side mounting part 30 as the common rail 10 is being assembled together with the engine component 3, as described in more detail below.
The retention element 40, which is shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 4, is a clip-like member comprising upper 41 and lower 42 sections that are connected to each other by a connecting wall 43. The upper and lower sections 41, 42 are each planar and sheet-like, and are spaced apart from each other to define a cavity within which the engine-side mounting part 30 is received. The retention element 40 may, for example, be formed by bending a strip of metal into a bent shape, and is preferably resiliently deformable.
Similarly to the engine-side mounting part 30, the retention element 40 also comprises an open sided channel 44 that extends through the upper and lower sections 41, 42 of the retention element 40, as shown most clearly in the exploded view of Figure 6. The open sided channel 44 of the retention element 40 faces towards the main body of the cylinder head 3 and overlaps with the open sided channel 31 of the engine-side mounting part 30 to thereby define a closed aperture when viewed from above.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the threaded shaft 18 of the engine interface portion 16 of the common rail 10 extends upwardly through the open sided channels 31, 44 defined by the engine-side mounting part 30 and the retention element 40 beyond the upper section 41 of the retention element 40. A fastener in the form of a nut 50 is engaged with the distal end of the threaded shaft 18.
The nut 50 clamps the upper section 41 of the retention element 40 against the upper surface 32 of the engine-side mounting part 30 (that is the surface that faces away from the fuel injector 20). The upper section 41 of the retention element 40 also comprises a downwardly-projecting ridge that engages a recess formed in the upper surface of the engine-side mounting part 30 to thereby resist movement of the retention element with respect to the engine-side mounting part.
In this way, the upper section 41 of the retention element 40 acts as a mounting portion for mounting the retention element 40 to the cylinder head 3.
The lower section 42 of the retention element 40 bears against the bearing surface 17 of the engine interface portion 16 of the common rail 10. In this way, the lower section 42 of the retention element 40 acts as a retaining portion for holding the fuel injector 20 in the correct position within the injector cavity 5 of the cylinder head 3.
The lower section 42 of the retention element 40 is preferably spaced slightly apart from the lower surface 33 of the engine-side mounting part 30 and resiliently deformable in a direction towards the engine-side mounting part 30. In this way the retention element 40 is able to resiliently bias the common rail 10 towards the engine 2, and to act as a damper for damping oscillation of the common rail 10 in use.
Assembly of the common rail 10 together with the cylinder head 3 will now be described with reference particularly to Figure 6.
In a first step, the fuel injectors 20 are mounted to the common rail 10 by pushing the proximal ends of the fuel injectors 20 into the injector cavities 15 defined by the injector interface portions 14 of the common rail 10 to form a rail/injector assembly, as illustrated in Figure 6.
In a second step, the rail/injector assembly is moved downwardly towards the cylinder head 3 in the direction indicated by arrow A in Figure 6 into an installed position in which the fuel injectors 20 are received within the injector cavities 5 of the cylinder head 3 and the threaded shafts 18 extend through the open sided channels 31 of the engine-side mounting parts 30.
Due to the interaction between the injector cavities 5 of the cylinder head 3 and the fuel injectors 20, it is preferable for the common rail 10 to be movable towards and into its final installed position in a direction that is at least substantially aligned with the central axes of the injector cavities 5 of the cylinder head 3 with the fuel injectors 20 fully aligned with the injector cavities 5 of the cylinder head 3.
In the present embodiment the open sided channels 31 of the engine-side mounting parts 30 are wider than the projections 13 that provide the injector interface portions 14 and the engine interface portions 16 of the common rail 10. It is therefore possible for the injector interface portions 14 and the engine interface portions 16 to pass through the open sided channels 31 as the common rail 10 is being moved into its final installed position to thereby facilitate mounting of the common rail 10 to the cylinder head 3.
In a third step, the retention elements 40 are assembled together with the engine-side mounting parts 30 by moving the retention elements 40 into contact with the engine-side mounting parts 30 in a direction that is at least substantially perpendicular to the central axes of the threaded shafts 18, as indicated by arrow B in Figure 6. The retention elements 40 are pushed onto the engine-side mounting parts 30 until the ridges of the retention elements 40 are engaged within the corresponding recesses provided in the upper surfaces 32 of the engine-side mounting parts 30. In this position the threaded shafts 18 are received within the open sided channels 44 of the retention elements 40.
In a fourth and final step, the nuts 50 are threaded onto the upper ends of the threaded shafts 18 in the direction indicated by arrows C in Figure 6. The nuts 50 are screwed downwardly along the threaded shafts 18 until they engage the upper sections 41 of the retention elements 40, thereby clamping the retention elements 40 in position against the engine-side mounting parts 30.
Once the mounting arrangements 4 have been assembled in the manner described above, the retention elements 40 are fixed in position with respect to the cylinder head 3, and the lower retaining portions 42 of the retention elements 40 bear against the bearing surfaces 17 of the engine interface portions 16 of the common rail 10 to thereby retain the common rail 10 in its fully mounted position.
In this way it is possible for the common rail 10 to be securely mounted to the cylinder head 3 despite the fact that the engine interface portions 16 of the common rail 10 do not directly engage or overlap with the engine-side mounting parts 30.
It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present application as defined by the accompanying claims.
For example, in the above-described embodiment the fasteners that are used to secure the retention elements 40 with respect to the engine-side mounting parts 30 comprise nuts 50 that are engaged with threaded shafts 18 provided on the common rail 10, as illustrated in cross section in Figure 7a. However, in an alternative embodiment the engine interface portions 16 of the common rail 10 may instead each comprise a threaded bore 18b that is engaged by a fastener 50b in the form of a bolt 50b, as illustrated in cross section in Figure 7b.
In addition, in the above-described embodiment the common rail 10 is an offset common rail in which the injector interface portions 14 and the engine interface portions 16 are offset from the tubular body 11 of the common rail 10 such that the central axis of the tubular body 11 lies in a different plane to the axes of the injector interface portions 14 and the engine interface portions 16. However, in an alternative embodiment the common rail 10 may instead be an in-line or axial common rail in which the injector interface portions 14 and the engine interface portions 16 are each aligned with the tubular body 11 of the common rail 10 such that the central axis of the tubular body 11 lies in the same plane as the axes of the injector interface portions 14 and the engine interface portions 16, as illustrated in Figures 8a and 8b. This embodiment has the advantage over the above-described embodiment that the common rail 10 can be manufactured without any requirement to cross-drill the tubular body 11 in order to connect the injector cavities 15 of the common rail 10 to the fuel reservoir 12 (as shown in Figure 2).
In this embodiment it may not be possible for the common rail 10 to be moved into its fully installed position in a direction that is exactly aligned with the central axes of the of the injector cavities 5 of the cylinder head 3 due to interaction between the engine-side mounting parts 30 and the tubular body 11 of the common rail 10. In this case the common rail 10 may be moved into a position in which the fuel injectors 20 are at least partially received within the injector cavities 5 of the cylinder head 3 with the common rail/injector assembly at a slight angle to the injector cavities 5. The common rail 10 may then be pivoted towards the engine 2 such that the threaded shafts 18 are received within the open sided channels 31 of the engine-side mounting parts 30 before the retention elements are assembled together with the engine-side mounting parts 30 and secured to the engine-side mounting parts by fasteners 50.
Other variations will also be apparent to the skilled person.
List of reference numbers: 1 -common rail assembly 2 -engine 3 -engine component/cylinder head 4 -mounting arrangement -injector cavity of the cylinder head 10-common rail 11 -tubular body of the common rail 12-fuel reservoir of the common rail 13-projection of the common rail 14-injector interface portion of the common rail 15-injector cavity of the injector interface portion 16-engine interface portion of the common rail 17-bearing surface of the engine interface portion 18-threaded shaft of the engine interface portion 20-fuel injector -engine-side mounting part 31 -open sided channel of the engine-side mounting part 32 -upper surface of the engine-side mounting part 33-lower surface of the engine side mounting part 40-retention element 41 -upper section of the retention element 42 -lower section of the retention element 43-connecting wall of the retention element 44-open sided channel of the retention element 50 -nut

Claims (15)

  1. CLAIMS: 1. A common rail assembly (1) comprising a common rail (10) mounted to an engine component (3) of an internal combustion engine (2), the common rail (10) comprising an elongate tubular body (11) and at least one injector interface portion (14) connected to the tubular body (11) that is configured to receive and retain a fuel injector (20); wherein the common rail (10) is mounted to the engine component (3) by at least one mounting arrangement (4) comprising an engine-side mounting part (30) connected to the engine component (3), and a retention element (40) coupled to the engine-side mounting part (30); wherein the retention element (40) comprises a mounting portion (41) that is secured to the engine-side mounting part (30) by a fastener (50), and a retaining portion (42) that is connected to the mounting portion (41) and bears against an engine interface portion (16) of the common rail (10) to thereby retain the common rail with respect to the engine component (3).
  2. 2. A common rail assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the engine-side mounting part (30) defines an open sided channel (31). 20
  3. 3. A common rail assembly (1) according to claim 2, wherein the open sided channel (31) is configured to allow at least a portion of the injector interface portion (14) and/or the engine interface portion (16) of the common rail (10) to pass therethrough as the common rail is being assembled together with the engine component (3).
  4. 4. A common rail assembly (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting portion (41) and the retaining portion (42) of the retention element (40) are located on opposing sides of the engine-side mounting part (30).
  5. 5. A common rail assembly (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the retention element (40) is resiliently deformable.
  6. 6. A common rail assembly (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the retention element (40) and the engine-side mounting part (30) comprise complimentary formations that engage each other to thereby resist movement of the retention element with respect to the engine-side mounting part.
  7. 7. A common rail assembly (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the common rail (10) comprises a fastener engaging formation (18) with which the fastener (50) is engaged to thereby secure the retention element (40) with respect to the engine-side mounting part (30).
  8. 8. A common rail assembly (1) according to claim 7, wherein the fastener engaging formation (18) extends outwardly from a bearing surface (17) of the engine interface portion (16) that is engaged by the retention element (40), and is at least partially surrounded by the bearing surface (17).
  9. 9. A common rail assembly (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the fastener engaging formation (18) comprises a threaded shaft and the fastener comprises a nut (50) that is engaged with the threaded shaft (18); or alternatively wherein the fastener engaging formation comprises a threaded bore and the fastener comprises a bolt that is engaged with the threaded bore.
  10. 10. A common rail assembly (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the engine interface portion (16) of the common rail (10) is aligned with the injector interface portion (14) of the common rail (10).
  11. 11. An internal combustion engine (2) comprising a common rail assembly (1) according to any preceding claim, optionally wherein the internal combustion engine is a gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine.
  12. 12. A method of mounting a common rail (10) to an engine component (3) of an internal combustion engine (2), the method comprising: providing a common rail (10) comprising an elongate tubular body (11) and at least one injector interface portion (14) connected to the tubular body (11); coupling a fuel injector (20) to the injector interface portion (14) of the common rail (10); moving the common rail (10) into an installed position with respect to the engine component (3); assembling a retention element (40) together with an engine-side mounting part (30) connected to the engine component (3) after the common rail (10) has been moved into its installed position; securing a mounting portion (41) of the retention element (40) to the engine-side mounting part (30) using a fastener (50); and engaging an engine interface portion (16) of the common rail (10) with a retaining portion (42) of the retention element (40) to thereby retain the common rail (10) with respect to the engine component (3).
  13. 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the engine-side mounting part (30) comprises an open sided channel (31), wherein the step of moving the common rail (10) into its installed position with respect to the engine component (3) comprises passing at least a portion of the injector interface portion (14) and/or the engine interface portion (16) of the common rail (10) through the open sided channel (31).
  14. 14. A method according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the step of assembling the retention element (40) together with the engine-side mounting part (30) comprises moving the retention element (1) into contact with the engine-side mounting part (30) in a direction that is at least substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the injector interface portion (14) and/or a central axis of the engine interface portion (16) of the common rail (10).
  15. 15. A common rail (10) for an internal combustion engine (2), the common rail (10) comprising an elongate tubular body (11), at least one injector interface portion (14) connected to the tubular body (11) that is configured to receive and retain a fuel injector (20), and at least one engine interface portion (16) connected to the tubular body (11) via which the common rail (10) is configured to be mounted to the internal combustion engine (2); wherein the engine interface portion (16) is aligned with the injector interface portion (14).
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Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6340019B1 (en) * 2000-09-11 2002-01-22 Delphi Technologies, Inc. Fuel rail mounting bracket with isolator
US20120204837A1 (en) * 2011-02-16 2012-08-16 Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc. Fuel injector assembly
WO2013063408A1 (en) * 2011-10-28 2013-05-02 Robert Bosch Gmbh Fuel rail mounting arrangement
DE102013205647A1 (en) * 2013-03-28 2014-10-02 Dichtungstechnik G. Bruss Gmbh & Co. Kg Fastening device for fastening a tubular fuel reservoir in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle
US20160069315A1 (en) * 2013-04-23 2016-03-10 Robert Bosch Gmbh Holder for fastening a fuel distributor to an internal combustion
US20160305387A1 (en) * 2013-09-06 2016-10-20 Robert Bosch Gmbh Holder for fastening a fuel distributor to an internal combustion engine, and connecting method

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6340019B1 (en) * 2000-09-11 2002-01-22 Delphi Technologies, Inc. Fuel rail mounting bracket with isolator
US20120204837A1 (en) * 2011-02-16 2012-08-16 Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc. Fuel injector assembly
WO2013063408A1 (en) * 2011-10-28 2013-05-02 Robert Bosch Gmbh Fuel rail mounting arrangement
DE102013205647A1 (en) * 2013-03-28 2014-10-02 Dichtungstechnik G. Bruss Gmbh & Co. Kg Fastening device for fastening a tubular fuel reservoir in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle
US20160069315A1 (en) * 2013-04-23 2016-03-10 Robert Bosch Gmbh Holder for fastening a fuel distributor to an internal combustion
US20160305387A1 (en) * 2013-09-06 2016-10-20 Robert Bosch Gmbh Holder for fastening a fuel distributor to an internal combustion engine, and connecting method

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GB201912966D0 (en) 2019-10-23

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