JP2013241866A - Fluid injection direction changing method, fluid injection direction changing mechanism, fuel injection device and internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fluid injection direction changing method, a fluid injection direction changing mechanism and a fuel injection device, capable of accurately changing and controlling the fluid injection direction without being influenced by a state of fluid, enabling the device to easily manage work accuracy by a combination of simple-shaped parts, and easy in processing and production.SOLUTION: A fluid injection direction changing method changes the injection direction of fluid F in a fluid injection device for injecting the fluid F via a fluid passage 11a, a passage member 11 is supported on the fluid outflow side of the passage member 11 for constituting the fluid passage 11a so that an angle can be changed, the fluid supply side of the passage member 11 is directly or indirectly supported by a singular or plurality of actuators 14, and the injection direction of the fluid F is changed by changing the direction of the passage member 11 by moving a fluid supply side position of the passage member 11 by selectively driving the actuator 14.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fluid injection direction changing method, a fluid injection direction changing mechanism, a fuel injection device, and an internal combustion engine that can easily control a fluid injection direction using an actuator.

  In recent years, automobile diesel engines are more popular in Europe and the like from the viewpoint of preventing global warming because they have better thermal efficiency than gasoline engines. However, this diesel engine contains harmful components that may be harmful to health, such as black smoke and nitrogen oxide (NOx), in exhaust gas, so it is not popular in Japan except for commercial vehicle engines. Absent.

  As one of countermeasures against this, a common rail device has come to be used for fuel injection of diesel engines, and it has become common. By using this common rail device, it is possible to inject ultra-high pressure fuel, so that atomization of fuel can be performed, mixing of fuel and air is promoted, and the amount of black smoke and particulate matter (PM) generated is reduced. can do. In addition, since the control of the fuel injection amount is easy, the combustion temperature can be lowered by finely changing the fuel injection amount and timing, thereby reducing the amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Can do.

  However, in order to achieve more strict regulation values than the current exhaust gas regulations by suppressing the emission of components such as black smoke, particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) contained in the exhaust gas In addition to the fuel injection system using the common rail device, a more precise fuel control method is required.

  In this connection, since gentle initial combustion helps to reduce nitrogen oxides and noise, by providing a mechanism that delays the lifting of the needle that controls the fuel injection amount, the initial fuel injection amount is reduced, Then, as a fuel injection device that can increase the injection amount, prepare a plurality of needles, provide a throttle part in the hydraulic flow path for driving one needle, and connect the needles between the other needles without the throttle part. There has been proposed an injection device that realizes a “variable injection hole” by temporally manipulating the fuel injection amount so as to delay the operation start time between them (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, since this fuel injection device has a structure in which fuel injected from a flow path opened by a plurality of needles collides, fuel sprays collide with each other and a fuel rich region appears. It is estimated that harmful components such as black smoke, unburned hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide are generated in the gas. As a result, there is a trade-off relationship between the effects of nitrogen oxide reduction and noise reduction, and there is a problem that it does not lead to the development of a diesel engine that meets future exhaust gas regulations.

  In addition, it is conceivable that the cost for processing and production of the throttle part of the injection device also increases when mass production is considered. Also, since the timing of the injection delay is determined depending on the shape of the throttle, depending on the work accuracy of the throttle and its quality control, there is a high possibility that the timing of the injection delay will vary from injection unit to injection unit. Unless the fluid and the spring constant are controlled, there is a problem that it is difficult to control the engine by the fuel injection amount. In addition, there may be a flow loss due to the presence of the throttle portion, and there is also a problem that the mechanism is disadvantageous from the viewpoint of energy consumption, in which the energy required to increase the injection pressure is lost at the throttle portion.

  Further, the “variable injection hole” of this injection device cannot change the direction and angle of fuel injection, and is limited to the function of “variable injection amount”. However, in order to reduce harmful components in engine exhaust gas, the nozzle mechanism that changes the nozzle hole diameter, the number of injection holes, the injection direction, etc., that is, the state of the holes themselves can be made variable, There is a need for a nozzle mechanism that can control and deliver fluid. On the other hand, recently, a piezo-type injection device using a piezoelectric element (piezo element) has been realized, and it is possible to control fuel injection like the above-described injection device without preparing a plurality of needles. It is becoming.

  Further, in a cylinder (in a cylinder) of an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine, when the engine is operated in the same combustion chamber, depending on the load related to the fuel injection amount and the engine speed related to the in-cylinder air flow, It is predicted that the amount of harmful components of the fuel will be different, and that the spread distribution of the fuel spray that is optimal for the increase in thermal efficiency will be different. This is because the over-concentrated and lean regions of fuel produced by fuel injection differ depending on the in-cylinder environment such as in-cylinder density, pressure, temperature, and flow, which is greatly affected by the load and engine speed. This is because the fuel distribution after fuel injection varies depending on the engine speed.

  For example, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the combustion chamber 43 at the top of the piston 42 inserted into the cylinder 41 has the same shape, and the injection state of the fuel F injected from the fuel injection device (injector) 20 If the load and the engine speed are different, even if the load and the engine speed are different, a good spray state is obtained as shown in FIG. 17, and if the load is increased, a portion indicated by an arrow A as shown in FIG. Thus, it is predicted that the fuel spray collides with the lower surface of the cylinder head 41a and the heat loss increases. Further, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 19, when the shape of the combustion chamber 43 is different, the optimum spraying situation also differs. Therefore, the injection direction of the fuel F is changed in accordance with the shape of the fuel chamber 43. It will be necessary to make it different.

  That is, when the engine is operated in the same combustion chamber 43 while changing the rotation speed and the injection amount in the cylinder (inside the cylinder) of the diesel engine, the overlap of the injected sprays and the sprays in the combustion chamber 43 It is predicted that a fuel rich region is formed after colliding with the wall surface, leading to an increase in harmful components such as soot and HC in the exhaust gas. On the other hand, a fuel lean region is also generated, and fuel that is discharged without completing combustion is also expected, so that fuel consumption is also expected to deteriorate. That is, it is desired to realize a fuel spray distribution that does not form the fuel-rich region as much as possible and also reduces the unburned region.

  Therefore, if fuel can be injected while changing the spray angle of spray, harmful components in the exhaust gas can be reduced regardless of the in-cylinder environment, and high efficiency can be realized. Therefore, it has been desired to realize a fuel supply device that can set an optimal spray spread distribution according to the environment in the cylinder.

  As shown in the injection device that realizes the above-mentioned “variable injection hole”, if processing is performed by changing the angle of the fuel injection hole between the needles, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 21, by spraying from the narrow-angle injection hole of the needle and then from the wide-angle injection hole of the other needle, the spray having the widening angle is widened from the spray having the widening angle. Can be changed to injection. However, there is a problem that the spread distribution in the wide-angle spray becomes constant due to the hole processing.

  In this connection, in order to realize low NOx and low smoke diesel combustion, two types of “premixed compression injection mode” and “normal injection mode” are selected according to the engine operation state of light load and high load. Various types of injection methods have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2), indicating that there is a high demand for injection devices that can change the injection angle. However, this is a proposal for a combustion method and a combustion control technique, and no mention is made of an injection device itself that can change the injection angle for realizing the method.

JP 2000-329025 A JP 2003-83119 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and its object is to accurately change and control the fluid ejection direction continuously or stepwise without being influenced by the state of the fluid. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluid ejection direction changing method and a fluid ejection direction changing mechanism, in which the machine accuracy is easily managed by a combination of simple shaped parts, and the machining and production can be easily performed.

  A further object is not only to control the direction of one direction with a low degree of freedom, but also to change the direction of fluid injection in multiple directions with a high degree of freedom, and to allow fine control over the direction of fuel injection. It is possible to precisely set the optimal fuel injection direction to the combustion chamber formed at the top of the piston in accordance with the state of the cylinder (inside the cylinder) and to inject the fuel, and to achieve a desired fuel spatial distribution. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fuel injection device that can be freely created and is a very effective means for a fuel control technique for reducing harmful components of exhaust gas.

  A further object is to set an optimal fuel spray spread distribution according to the load of the internal combustion engine and the engine speed, to reduce harmful components in the exhaust gas, and to reduce the fuel consumption. The present invention provides an internal combustion engine capable of changing the angle of fuel injection during the fuel injection period while injecting fuel so as to be optimal.

  A fluid ejection direction changing method of the present invention for achieving the above object is a fluid ejection direction changing method for changing a fluid ejection direction in a fluid ejection device that ejects fluid via a fluid passage. The passage member constituting the fluid passage is supported on the fluid outflow side of the passage member by a support member capable of changing the angle, and the fluid supply side of the passage member is directly or indirectly supported by one or a plurality of actuators. Then, by selectively driving the actuator, the fluid supply side position of the passage member is moved, thereby changing the direction of the passage member and changing the fluid ejection direction. It is.

  According to this method, the ejection direction of the fluid can be changed continuously and / or stepwise without being influenced by the state of the fluid. In addition, when a plurality of actuators are used, the fluid ejection direction can be changed not only in one direction but also in multiple directions.

  Further, in the above-described method of changing the fluid ejection direction, the support capable of changing the angle on the fluid outflow side is performed by providing a corrugated structure having an uneven surface between the passage member and the support member. The actuator on the fluid supply side is formed including a piezoelectric element. In other words, the piezoelectric element is deformed by applying electric energy to the piezoelectric element (piezo element) of the actuator outside the fluid passage through which the fluid passes, thereby changing the position of the passage member on the fluid supply side. The ejection direction of the fluid passage through which the fluid passes is changed continuously or stepwise. According to this method, since the fluid ejection direction is controlled using the piezoelectric element, it is possible to finely control the fluid ejection direction in accordance with the electrical signal applied to the piezoelectric element.

  And the fluid injection direction change mechanism of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises the fluid passage in the fluid injection direction change mechanism that changes the direction of the fluid injected through the fluid passage. The fluid outlet side of the passage member is supported by a support member that can change the angle, and the fluid supply side of the passage member is supported directly or indirectly by one or a plurality of actuators, and the drive of the actuator is controlled. And a controller that selectively drives the actuator to move the position of the passage member on the fluid supply side to change the direction of the passage member.

  According to this configuration, the fluid ejection direction can be changed continuously and / or stepwise without being influenced by the fluid state. In addition, when a plurality of actuators are used, the fluid ejection direction can be changed not only in one direction but also in multiple directions.

  In the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism, the support member that supports the passage member so that the angle can be changed is formed to support the fluid outflow side of the passage member with an elastically deformable member, and the actuator If the piezoelectric device is formed and the control device is formed by a voltage control device that selectively applies a voltage to the piezoelectric device, the fluid ejection direction is controlled using the piezoelectric device, so that the fluid is applied to the piezoelectric device. Fine control of the fluid ejection direction according to the electrical signal becomes possible. In addition to the fluid injection direction changing mechanism being configured by a combination of parts, the parts to be configured have a simple shape, which makes it easy to manage the machining accuracy, thus significantly improving the workability. Inspection and management become easy.

  Furthermore, in the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism described above, when the elastically deformable member of the support member is configured with a corrugated structure having an uneven surface, by using the corrugated structure having an uneven surface having a relatively simple shape, The workability is good and the support member can be made light, and the fluid outflow side can be easily formed into an airtight structure by providing a wall surface having a corrugated structure around the fluid outflow side of the passage member.

  And the fuel-injection apparatus of this invention for achieving said objective is comprised including said fluid injection direction change mechanism. In other words, by attaching the fluid injection direction changing mechanism as a component to each injection hole provided in the fuel injection device of the prior art, the fuel injection direction is changed, and the inclination of the central axis of the injection hole is changed widely, thereby changing the fuel injection direction. The spread of the spray distribution can be controlled. Thereby, the variable injection spread distribution in the fuel injection can be realized.

  In order to achieve the above object, an internal combustion engine of the present invention includes this fuel injection device. With this configuration, it is possible to perform control to change the fuel injection direction continuously and / or stepwise without being influenced by the state of the fuel. In addition, when a plurality of actuators are used, the fuel injection direction can be changed continuously and / or stepwise not only in one direction but also in multiple directions. Fuel injection with a higher degree of freedom can be performed by setting for each cycle injection in the piston stroke of the internal combustion engine or by changing the fuel injection direction even during fuel injection within one cycle. It becomes like this. In particular, when the fuel injection direction is controlled using a piezoelectric element, fine and accurate control is possible according to an electric signal applied to the piezoelectric element.

  Therefore, in accordance with the state of the cylinder (inside the cylinder) of the internal combustion engine, it becomes possible to precisely set the optimum fuel injection direction for the combustion chamber formed at the top of the piston and inject the fuel. It is possible to control to create a desired fuel spatial distribution freely in the combustion chamber. As a result, the fuel supply in the internal combustion engine can be further optimized, so that the internal combustion engine is provided with extremely effective means for a fuel control technique for reducing harmful components of the exhaust gas.

  According to the fluid ejection direction changing method and the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism according to the present invention, by selectively driving one or more actuators provided outside the fluid passage, the fluid ejection direction can be accurately determined without depending on the fluid state. In addition, the fluid ejection direction can be changed and controlled continuously and / or stepwise. Further, by using a plurality of actuators, it is possible to easily control the fluid ejection direction not only in one direction with a low degree of freedom but also in many directions with a high degree of freedom. In addition, the configuration of the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism is a combination of components, and the components to be configured have a simple shape. Therefore, the machining accuracy can be easily managed, and machining and production can be easily performed.

  According to the fuel injection device and the internal combustion engine of the present invention, fine control is possible with respect to the direction of fuel injection, and combustion is formed on the top of the piston in accordance with the state in the cylinder (inside the cylinder) of the internal combustion engine. It is possible to precisely set the optimum fuel injection direction for the chamber and to inject the fuel, and control to freely create a desired fuel spatial distribution is possible. In addition, an optimal fuel spray spread distribution can be set according to the load of the internal combustion engine and the engine speed, and furthermore, harmful components in the exhaust gas can be reduced, and it is optimal for combustion with low fuel consumption. Thus, the fuel injection direction can be changed while injecting fuel during the fuel injection period. Therefore, this internal combustion engine is an internal combustion engine provided with means extremely effective for a fuel control method for reducing harmful components of exhaust gas.

It is a sectional side view which shows the structure of the fluid injection direction change mechanism of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the nozzle of the fluid injection direction change mechanism of FIG. It is a sectional side view which shows the structure of the fluid injection direction change mechanism of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a sectional side view which shows the structure of the fluid injection direction change mechanism of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a sectional side view which shows the structure of the fluid injection direction change mechanism of the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the nozzle of the fluid injection direction change mechanism of FIG. It is a sectional side view which illustrates modification of a piezoelectric element. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a fluid ejection direction in a state where the piezoelectric element is not deformed by the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a fluid ejection direction in a state where a piezoelectric element is deformed by the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism of FIG. 4. It is a sectional side view which shows the fluid ejection direction in the state which the piezoelectric element does not deform | transform with the nozzle of the fluid ejection direction change mechanism of FIG. It is a sectional side view which shows the change of the fluid ejection direction in the state which the piezoelectric element deform | transformed with the nozzle of the fluid ejection direction change mechanism of FIG. FIG. 12 is a side sectional view showing a change in the fluid ejection direction in a state where the piezoelectric element is deformed in the direction opposite to that in FIG. 11 in the nozzle of the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism in FIG. 1. It is a partial sectional side view which shows the fuel-injection part of the fuel-injection apparatus provided with the nozzle of the fluid-injection direction change mechanism of FIG. It is a typical fragmentary sectional side view which shows the spray condition of the fuel in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. It is a typical fragmentary sectional side view which shows the spray condition of another fuel in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. It is a typical fragmentary sectional side view which shows the spray condition of the multilayered layered fuel in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. It is a typical fragmentary sectional side view which shows the spray condition of the fuel in the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine in a prior art. It is a typical fragmentary sectional side view which shows the spray condition of another fuel in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine in the combustion chamber shape same as FIG. 17 in a prior art. It is a typical fragmentary sectional side view which shows the spray condition of the fuel in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine in a combustion chamber shape different from FIG. 17 in a prior art. It is typical partial sectional drawing which shows the injection in a narrow angle in the injection device which has a some injection hole in a prior art. It is a typical fragmentary sectional side view which shows the injection in a wide angle in the injection device which has a some injection hole of FIG.

  Hereinafter, a fluid injection direction changing method, a fluid injection direction changing mechanism, a fuel injection device, and an internal combustion engine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, a fluid ejection direction changing method and a fluid ejection direction changing mechanism will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1 in the first embodiment is a mechanism that changes the direction of the fluid F ejected through the fluid passage 11 a of the passage member 11. The apparatus housing 2, the nozzle 10, the actuator 14, the nozzle restraining member 3, and the fixing member 4 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus housing 2 is provided with a pedestal portion 2a hollowed out in a truncated cone shape at the bottom, and a cylindrical portion 2b hollowed out in a cylindrical shape adjacent to the pedestal portion 2a and the cylindrical portion. An adjacent female screw portion 2c is provided. When the fluid injection direction changing mechanism 1 is assembled to a fuel injection device or the like, the device housing 2 is substituted by an injection hole mounting portion of the fuel injection device.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle 10 includes a passage member 11 having a fluid passage 11 a and an injection port 11 b and a support member 12. The support member 12 includes a skirt portion 12 a and an elastic deformation portion 12 b provided between the skirt portion 12 a and the injection port 11 b of the passage member 11.

  The elastic deformation portion 12b of the support member 12 is constituted by a corrugated structure having an uneven surface, but may be supported by an elastic body such as a spring support or rubber. However, when it is used for a fuel injection device of an internal combustion engine, it is necessary to consider heat resistance, and the combustion gas in the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine is on the rear side (fluid supply side) of the injection port 11b of the passage member 11. Since it is necessary not to wrap around, it is preferable to use a metal plate having a corrugated structure as shown in FIGS. With the support structure of the passage member 11 on the injection port 11b side of the nozzle 10, the fluid outflow side of the passage member 11 constituting the fluid passage 11a is supported by a support member 12 that supports an angle changeable.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1, a skirt portion 12a of a nozzle 10 is fitted to a pedestal portion 2a of an apparatus housing 2, and a portion of the skirt portion 12a opposite to an ejection port 11b, The actuator 14 and the nozzle restraining member 3 are fitted into the cylindrical portion 2b of the apparatus housing 2, and further assembled by screwing the fixing member 4 having a male screw portion. The nozzle restraining member 3 and the fixing member 4 are not necessary when the nozzle 10 and the actuator 14 are restrained by parts of a device that incorporates the fluid injection direction changing mechanism 1 such as a fuel injection device.

  With this configuration, the fluid supply side of the passage member 11 is supported directly or indirectly (directly in FIGS. 1 and 2) by the plurality of actuators 14. The actuator 14 is formed to include a piezoelectric element, and includes a control device (not shown) that controls the driving of the actuator 14. Further, the actuator 14 selectively applies a voltage to the piezoelectric element of the actuator 14. It is formed by a voltage control device (not shown) configured to be applied and to be able to supply electric energy. Although not shown, a piezoelectric element control wiring is also provided. By selectively driving the piezoelectric element of the actuator 14 by this control device, the position of the passage member 11 on the fluid supply side is moved to change the direction of the passage member 11.

  When only one direction is required to change the passage member 11, the actuator 14 may be two or one (single), and in the case of one, the passage member is driven by driving the one actuator 14. 11 is changed, and by stopping the driving of the actuator 14, the angle of the passage member 11 is restored by the restoring force of the elastic deformation of the elastic deformation portion 12b of the support member 12.

  Next, the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1A in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 will be described. The fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1A is configured such that the nozzle 10A has a flange 12c on the side opposite to the ejection port 11b of the skirt portion 12a of the support member 12A. In this fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1A, the flange 12c of the support member 12 increases the area where the support member 12A contacts the device housing 2 and the nozzle restraining member 3, and the nozzle 10A is more firmly fixed to the device housing 2. Can do. Except for this configuration, it is the same as the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1 of the first embodiment.

  Next, the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1B in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4 will be described. The fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1B is configured such that the device housing 2B can be divided into a lower member 2d and an upper member 2e, and the nozzle 10B is disposed on the opposite side of the ejection port 11b of the skirt portion 12a of the support member 12B. It has a cylindrical portion 12d. In this fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1B, the skirt portion 12a and the cylindrical portion 12d of the support member 12B are sandwiched between the lower member 2d and the upper member 2e by connecting the lower member 2d and the upper member 2e of the apparatus housing 2B. The nozzle 10B is fixed. In this configuration, the nozzle restraining member 3 and the fixing member 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 are not necessary. Except for this configuration, it is the same as the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1 of the first embodiment.

  Next, a fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1C according to the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 will be described. In this fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1C, the skirt portion 12e of the support member 12C of the nozzle 10C is expanded on the opposite side with respect to the ejection port 11b side, that is, the diameter of the skirt portion 12a shown in FIG. It is formed to be reversed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the assembly of the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1C is performed by inserting the actuator 14 into the hole of the device housing 2C, and then forming the inside of the device housing 2C into a truncated cone shape. The nozzle restraining member 3C, which is pulled out and formed in a cylindrical shape on the outside, comes into contact, and the nozzle 10C is inserted into the hollowed-out portion of the truncated cone shape. Thereafter, the nozzle restraining ring 13 is brought into contact with the nozzle restraining member 3C, the fuel injection port 4b is opened on the bottom surface 4a, and the fixing member 4C having the cylindrical portion 4c hollowed out in a cylindrical shape is formed in the cylinder. The nozzle pressing ring 13, the nozzle 10C, and the nozzle restraining member 3C are arranged in the portion 4c. In this configuration, the tip of the nozzle 10C is widened, and the nozzle 10C is fixed in the fixing member 4C only after the fixing member 4C is assembled to the apparatus housing 2.

  With this configuration, all the parts can be assembled to the apparatus housing 2C from the lower side of FIG. 5, so that it is not necessary to move the apparatus housing 2C at the time of assembly, and labor during production can be saved. Further, according to this configuration, the size of the nozzle 10C, in particular, the fluid supply side of the support member 12C can be reduced. Except for this configuration, it is the same as the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1 of the first embodiment.

  According to the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1, 1A, 1B, 1C having the above configuration, in the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1, 1A, 1B, 1C for changing the direction of the fluid ejected via the fluid passage 11a, The fluid outflow side of the passage member 11 constituting the fluid passage 11a is supported by support members 12, 12A, 12B, and 12C so that the angle can be changed, and the fluid supply side of the passage member 11 is directly (or indirectly) by a plurality of actuators 14. Constructed with support. Further, the injection port 11b of the passage member 11 includes an elastic deformation portion 12b having a corrugated structure having an uneven surface, which is an elastically deformable portion of the support members 12, 12A, 12B, and 12C that support the angle change. It is formed to hold the side. At the same time, the actuator 14 is formed including a piezoelectric element.

  Next, a method for changing the fluid ejection direction in the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1, 1A, 1B, 1C will be described. In this method, the control device that controls the driving of the actuator 14 moves the position of the fluid supply side of the passage member 11 by selectively driving the actuator 14, thereby changing the direction of the passage member 11. The injection direction of the fluid F is changed.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the first piezoelectric element 14a and the second piezoelectric element 14b of the actuator 14 are expanded by applying a positive voltage to the first piezoelectric element 14a as shown on the left side of FIG. If the second piezoelectric element 14b is contracted by applying a negative voltage, the passage member 11 moves downward in FIG. When the positive voltage is applied to the second piezoelectric element 14b and the first piezoelectric element 14a is contracted by applying a negative voltage to the first piezoelectric element 14a as shown in the right side of FIG. It moves to. The first piezoelectric element 14a and the second piezoelectric element 14b are preferably provided with protective members 14aa and 14ba, respectively, to protect the portion that presses the passage member 11.

  FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show the relationship between the movement of the first piezoelectric element 14a and the second piezoelectric element 14b and the change in the ejection direction of the passage member 11 and the fluid passage 11a, and the fluid ejection direction of the third embodiment. This is indicated by a change mechanism 1B. In FIG. 8, no voltage is applied to both the first piezoelectric element 14a and the second piezoelectric element 14b, and the passage member 11 faces the center line direction of the nozzle 10B. In FIG. 9, a negative voltage is applied to the first piezoelectric element 14a, and a positive voltage is applied to the second piezoelectric element 14b. As a result, the passage member 11 is inclined by an angle α from the center line direction of the nozzle 10B. Since the inclination angle α depends on the magnitude of the voltage applied to the first piezoelectric element 14a and the second piezoelectric element 14b, the magnitude of the voltage can be controlled to finely control the magnitude of the inclination angle α.

  In other words, normally, the fluid F from the nozzle 10B constrained by the apparatus housing 2B passes through the fluid flow path 11a which is a part of the nozzle 10B and flows out from the ejection port (nozzle hole) 11b. When no voltage is applied to the piezoelectric elements (piezo elements) 14a, 14b, etc., as shown in FIG. 8, the fluid F flows out in the direction indicated by the fluid passage 11a when the nozzle 10B is manufactured.

  Next, a voltage (which may be positive or negative) is selectively applied to one of the piezoelectric elements 14a, 14b, etc., so that the piezoelectric elements 14a, 14b are deformed and expanded and deformed. By pressing the end of the passage member 11 of the nozzle 10B on the fluid supply side, a force is applied to the end of the passage member 11, and the position of this end changes. When the end of the passage member 11 moves, the direction of the passage member 11 and the fluid passage 11a is changed as shown in FIG. 9, and the flow-out direction of the fluid F is changed.

  Next, the relationship between the inclination of the passage member 11 and the nozzle 10 of the first embodiment is shown in FIGS. The position of the fuel supply side of the passage member 11 can be changed by applying a selective voltage to the piezoelectric elements constituting the actuator 14, that is, by selectively driving the actuator. ~ Can be tilted as shown in FIG. Further, the magnitude of the inclination angle α shown in FIG. 11 and the inclination angle β shown in FIG. 12 can be controlled by the control amount of the actuator 14.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the actuator 14 is arranged with a gap between the passage members 11, and a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element of one actuator 14 so that the passage member 11 is pressed only by the piezoelectric element. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the passage member 11 is sandwiched between two piezoelectric elements, and a positive voltage and a negative voltage are applied to both piezoelectric elements, respectively. 11 may be pressed.

  According to the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1, 1 </ b> A, 1 </ b> B, 1 </ b> C and the fluid ejection direction changing method configured as described above, for example, the fluid ejection direction can be changed by arranging the actuator 14 in four directions as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. Control that can be changed not only in one direction but also in two directions, and in which the direction of fluid F is changed accurately and continuously and / or stepwise without depending on the state of the fluid F. It can be performed.

  In addition, since the actuator 14 can be arranged more finely and finely, the inclination direction of the passage member 11 can be easily increased. Thus, the spatial distribution of the ejected fluid can be made into a free spatial distribution. Control becomes possible.

  In other words, the ejection direction of the fluid F can be changed easily and continuously and / or stepwise without being influenced by the state of the fluid F easily by driving the actuator 14 provided outside the fluid passage 11a. And can be controlled. In addition, the fluid ejection direction can be easily controlled not only in one direction with a small degree of freedom but also in many directions with a large degree of freedom by selectively driving the plurality of actuators 14. In addition, the configuration of the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism 1, 1A, 1B, 1C is a combination of components, and the components to be configured have a simple shape. Can be processed and produced.

  Further, since the ejection direction of the fluid F is controlled using the piezoelectric elements 14a and 14b, fine control of the ejection direction of the fluid F according to the electric signal applied to the piezoelectric elements 14a and 14b is possible.

  Further, if the elastically deforming portions 12b of the support members 12, 12A, 12B, and 12C are configured with a corrugated structure having a concavo-convex surface, the workability is good and the light support member 12 can be obtained. By providing a wall surface having a corrugated structure around the outflow side, an airtight structure can be easily obtained.

  Next, a fuel injection device and an internal combustion engine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 13, the fuel injection device (injector) 20 includes the fluid injection direction changing mechanisms 1, 1 </ b> A, 1 </ b> B, and 1 </ b> C described above. Further, the internal combustion engine of the embodiment according to the present invention includes the fuel injection device 20 described above.

  The fuel injection device 20 changes the fuel injection direction by attaching the fluid injection direction changing mechanism 1, 1 </ b> A, 1 </ b> B, and 1 </ b> C as a component to each injection hole provided in the conventional fuel injection device. The spread of the fuel spray distribution can be controlled by widely changing the inclination of the central axis of the hole.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 13, a needle 21 that is also in a conventional fuel injection device is shown at the top of FIG. 13 of the fuel injection device 20. The fuel injection device 20 includes a nozzle 10, an actuator 14 formed with a piezoelectric element, a fuel flow path configuration block 22, an injection device housing 23, a piezoelectric element control wiring 24, etc. in order to form the minimum structural unit of the device. It is configured. The needle 21 of the fuel injection device 20 hits the valve seat of the fuel flow path constituting block 22. The structure of the fuel injection device 20 above this is the same as the structure of the fuel injection device of the prior art.

  Next, the operation of the fuel injection device 20 will be described with reference to FIG. Normally, the fuel (fluid) F flowing out from the gap between the needles 21 passes through the fuel flow path constituting block 22, and from the fuel flow path (fluid path) 11a provided in the nozzle 10 to the injection port (injection hole) 11b. The fuel F exits from the injection port 11b. When no voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element of the actuator 14, the fuel flow path 11a of the nozzle 10 is in its original state. On the other hand, in a state where a voltage is selectively applied to the piezoelectric element of the actuator 14, the direction of the fuel flow path 11 a of the nozzle 10 changes due to the deformation of the selected piezoelectric element of the actuator 14. The spread distribution of the injection is changed. That is, depending on whether or not the piezoelectric element of the actuator 14 is deformed, the direction of the passage member 11 and the fuel flow path 11a that are in contact with the piezoelectric element of the actuator 14 changes, and the direction of the injection port 11b changes accordingly, and the fuel F The injection direction changes.

  As described above, by operating the fuel injection device 20 according to the engine load and the rotational speed, the engine load state as shown in FIG. 14 is light or the engine load as shown in FIG. The injection direction of the fuel F and the spread distribution of the spray can be set according to the case where the state is a high load. In addition, the premixed compression injection mode and the normal injection mode can be realized.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 16, when the injection spread angle is changed during the fuel injection period according to the injection period (for example, angle A: 1.8 ms, angle B: 1.5 ms, angle C: 1.0 ms, etc.). The fuel concentration distribution can be made into a layer shape formed by the layers F1, F2, and F3. This is because by defining the injection period for each angle in the injection direction during the fuel injection period, it is possible to make a thin region from a region having a high fuel concentration in a layered manner in the fuel chamber. Thereby, the propagation of the flame can be controlled.

  In addition, the internal combustion engine provided with the fuel injection device 20 can change the injection direction of the fuel F not only in one direction but also in multiple directions, and the injection of the fuel F without being influenced by the state of the fuel. Control can be performed by changing the direction. Thereby, it is possible to control to create a desired fuel spatial distribution in the combustion chamber 43. In particular, when the ejection direction is controlled using the control of the piezoelectric element, fine and accurate control according to the electric signal applied to the piezoelectric element becomes possible.

  Therefore, in accordance with the state in the cylinder (inside the cylinder) of the internal combustion engine, the fuel can be injected by precisely setting the optimum fuel injection direction for the combustion chamber 43 formed at the top of the piston 42. Therefore, it is possible to control to create a desired fuel spatial distribution in the combustion chamber 43 freely. Therefore, this internal combustion engine is equipped with a very effective means for a fuel control technique for reducing harmful components of exhaust gas. This spray spread distribution can be set for each injection in one cycle of the piston stroke of the internal combustion engine, and the fuel injection direction can be changed even during the fuel injection in one cycle. Since high fuel injection can be performed, the fuel supply in the internal combustion engine can be further optimized.

  According to the fuel injection device 20 described above, fine control is possible with respect to the direction of fuel injection, and with respect to the combustion chamber 43 formed at the top of the piston 42 in accordance with the state in the cylinder (inside the cylinder) of the internal combustion engine. It is possible to precisely set the optimal fuel injection direction and inject fuel, and control to freely create the desired fuel spatial distribution, which is extremely useful for fuel control techniques to reduce harmful components of exhaust gas Since it becomes an effective means, it can utilize for the fuel-injection apparatus of an internal combustion engine.

  Further, the control of the spread of the jet distribution that changes the inclination of the central axis of the jet nozzle 11b is performed by combining the actuator 14 formed including a piezoelectric element and the nozzles 10, 10A, 10B, and 10C supported by the elastic deformation portion 12b. Therefore, fine control is possible, and combustion state control by control of the fuel injection direction can be easily performed.

  According to the above internal combustion engine, it is possible to control the fuel distribution in the cylinder (inside the cylinder) of the internal combustion engine by changing the injection spread distribution of the fuel spray. As a result, it is possible to realize premixed combustion aiming at simultaneous reduction of NOx and soot, which has been proposed in the past, creating a fuel distribution with a small overconcentration region in the combustion chamber 43, and complete combustion In addition, the fuel spray can be controlled to achieve a fuel distribution that reduces NOx.

  According to the fluid ejection direction changing method and the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism of the present invention, it is easy to selectively drive a plurality of actuators provided outside the fluid passage, without being influenced by the fluid state, accurately. The ejection direction of the fluid can be changed and controlled continuously and / or stepwise, and when a plurality of actuators are used, not only one-direction direction control with a low degree of freedom but also a large number of degrees of freedom. In addition, the structure of the fluid injection direction changing mechanism is a combination of parts, and the constituent parts have a simple shape, so that the machining accuracy is easy to manage and machining is easy. And can be used for a fluid ejection direction changing method and a fluid ejection direction changing mechanism of many fluid ejecting apparatuses.

  Further, according to the fuel injection device of the present invention, it is possible to finely control the direction of fuel injection, and with respect to the combustion chamber formed at the top of the piston in accordance with the state of the cylinder (inside the cylinder) of the internal combustion engine. It is possible to precisely set the optimal fuel injection direction and inject fuel, and control to freely create the desired fuel spatial distribution, which is extremely useful for fuel control techniques to reduce harmful components of exhaust gas Since it becomes an effective means, it can utilize for the fuel-injection apparatus of an internal combustion engine.

  Furthermore, according to the internal combustion engine of the present invention, an optimal fuel spray spread distribution can be set according to the load of the internal combustion engine and the engine speed, and harmful components in the exhaust gas can be reduced. Since the angle of fuel injection can be changed during the fuel injection period while injecting fuel so as to be optimal for combustion with a small amount, it can be used as an internal combustion engine or the like mounted on an automobile.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A, 1B, 1C Fluid injection direction change mechanism 2 Apparatus housing 2a Base part 2b Cylindrical part 2c Female screw part 2d Lower member 2e Upper member 3, 3C Nozzle restraint member 4, 4C Fixing member 4a Bottom surface 4b of fixing member Fuel injection port 4c Cylindrical portion 10, 10A, 10B, 10C Nozzle 11 passage member 11a Fluid passage 11b Injection port 12, 12A, 12B, 12C Support member 12a Skirt portion (expanded shape)
12b Elastic deformation part 12c Flange 12d Cylindrical part 12e Skirt part (reduced diameter shape)
13 Nozzle holding ring 14 Actuator 14a, 14b Piezoelectric element 14aa, 14ba Protection member 20 Fuel injection device 21 Needle 22 Fuel flow path component block 23 Injection device housing 24 Piezoelectric element control wiring F Fluid α, β Inclination angle

Claims (7)

  A fluid ejection direction changing method for changing a fluid ejection direction in a fluid ejecting apparatus that ejects fluid via a fluid passage, wherein the angle of the passage member is changed on the fluid outflow side of the passage member constituting the fluid passage. A position on the fluid supply side of the passage member by supporting the fluid supply side of the passage member directly or indirectly by one or a plurality of actuators and selectively driving the actuator. By changing the direction of the passage member to change the direction of ejecting the fluid.   The angle changeable support on the fluid outflow side is performed by providing a corrugated structure having an uneven surface between the passage member and the support member, and the actuator on the fluid supply side of the passage member includes a piezoelectric element. The method of changing a fluid ejection direction according to claim 1, wherein the fluid ejection direction is formed.   In the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism for changing the direction of the fluid ejected via the fluid passage, the fluid outlet side of the passage member constituting the fluid passage is supported by a support member that can change the angle, and the passage member The fluid supply side is configured to be supported directly or indirectly by a single or a plurality of actuators, and includes a control device that controls the driving of the actuator, and the actuator is selectively driven by the control device to thereby pass the passage. A fluid ejection direction changing mechanism characterized in that a position of the fluid supply side of the member is moved to change the direction of the passage member.   The support member that supports the passage member so that the angle can be changed is formed so as to support the fluid outflow side of the passage member with an elastically deformable member, and the actuator includes a piezoelectric element, and the control device The fluid ejection direction changing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the fluid ejection direction changing mechanism is formed by a voltage control device that selectively applies a voltage to the piezoelectric element.   The fluid ejection direction changing mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the elastically deformable member of the support member is configured with a corrugated structure having an uneven surface.   A fuel injection device comprising the fluid injection direction changing mechanism according to any one of claims 3 to 5.   An internal combustion engine comprising the fuel injection device according to claim 6.

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