An injector for injecting fuel including an injector housing, a movable nozzle needle with a nozzle needle tip arranged in the injector housing, and a nozzle needle seat for receiving the nozzle needle tip. A contact pairing of the nozzle needle and the nozzle needle seat here represents a mechanical switch that adopts a closed state upon contact of the nozzle needle tip with the nozzle needle seat and an open state upon interruption of the contact. Provision is additionally made that the injector has an input line and an output line for controlling movement of the nozzle needle, the switch has a first connector connected to the input line and a second connector connected to the injector housing, and a resistor connected between the first connector of the switch and the input line.

An injection control device includes an injector and a detection unit. The injector includes: an injection hole; a movable part; a seat portion; a valve housing; a magnetic field application unit; and a detection sensor. The movable part opens and closes the injection hole by reciprocal movement. The seat portion when seated by the movable part closes the injection hole, and when the movable part lifted therefrom opens the injection hole. The valve housing accommodates the movable part in a reciprocally movable manner. The magnetic field application unit is installed on an outer circumference of the valve housing and applies a magnetic field to the movable part and the valve housing. The detection sensor outputs a detection signal according to a size of a distance between the valve housing and the movable part.

A fuel injector interface device and associated method include an interface device having a plurality of input leads and a plurality of output leads. The input leads are communicatively linked to the fuel pressure sensor on the common rail of a vehicle fuel injection system. The output leads are communicatively linked to a display device such as a diagnostic scope. Circuitry positioned within the interface device detects the rail pressure signals, filters the signals, and outputs data to the display device representing a graphical depiction of the same. A method of using the interface device includes generating the signals, mapping the signals to an individual fuel injector of the vehicle's engine cylinder and determining fluctuations in the strength of the displayed signals to determine anomalies in a particular fuel injector.

A fuel injector interface device and associated method include an interface device having a plurality of input leads and a plurality of output leads. The input leads are communicatively linked to the fuel pressure sensor on the common rail of a vehicle fuel injection system. The output leads are communicatively linked to a display device such as a diagnostic scope. Circuitry positioned within the interface device detects the rail pressure signals, filters the signals, and outputs data to the display device representing a graphical depiction of the same. A method of using the interface device includes generating the signals, mapping the signals to an individual fuel injector of the vehicle's engine cylinder and determining fluctuations in the strength of the displayed signals to determine anomalies in a particular fuel injector.

A valve system of a vehicle includes: a housing that is electrically conductive and made of a metal and that includes: an inlet configured to receive a fluid; an outlet configured to output the fluid; and a fluid channel fluidly connecting the inlet and the outlet; a pintle disposed within the housing and that is electrically conductive and made of a metal; a ball that is mechanically fastened to the pintle, that is configured to close the outlet, and that is electrically conductive and made of a metal; an armature that is mechanically fastened to the pintle, that is disposed within the housing, and that is electrically conductive and made of a metal; a solenoid coil that is disposed within the housing and that surrounds the pintle; and an electrically insulative material configured to insulate the pintle from the housing.

A method of determining the nature of a fault in the operation of a hydraulic fuel injector includes sending an actuation pulse to an actuator of the injector, the actuation pulse being above the minimum drive pulse of the injector. The method also includes analyzing a signal from an accelerometer of the injector to determine if there is a high frequency vibration component subsequent to the end of the activation pulse. The method also includes determining the functionality of a needle control valve of the injector dependent on the outcome of analyzing the signal from the accelerometer.

An injector for injecting fuel including an injector housing, a movable nozzle needle with a nozzle needle tip arranged in the injector housing, and a nozzle needle seat for receiving the nozzle needle tip. A contact pairing of the nozzle needle and the nozzle needle seat here represents a mechanical switch that adopts a closed state upon contact of the nozzle needle tip with the nozzle needle seat and an open state upon interruption of the contact. Provision is additionally made that the injector has an input line and an output line for controlling movement of the nozzle needle, the switch has a first connector connected to the input line and a second connector connected to the injector housing, and a resistor connected between the first connector of the switch and the input line.

An electrical connector includes two lateral mounting bush. A knock sensor which delivers data representative of the operation of a fuel injector is integrally overmoulded in one of the mounting bush. The knock sensor includes a piezoelectric member arranged between a base member and a seismic member.

A method for monitoring a pressure sensor in a direct injection system including at least one common rail, a high-pressure fuel pump, a hydraulic circuit connecting the high-pressure pump to the common rail, a passive pressure-limiting valve connected to the hydraulic circuit, configured to open once the pressure in the hydraulic circuit is greater than a threshold pressure, so as to discharge the fuel, including the steps of detecting the opening of the pressure-limiting valve, measuring the pressure P.sub.MES corresponding to the time of opening of the pressure-limiting valve and comparing the measured pressure P.sub.MES to the threshold pressure P.sub.1 in order to detect a drift in the pressure sensor.

A fuel injection valve includes a nozzle portion for injecting fuel, a fuel inlet port, a fuel supply main passage for supplying the fuel from the fuel inlet port to the nozzle portion, a pressure sensor for detecting fuel pressure in the fuel supply main passage, and a fuel introduce passage for supplying the fuel from the fuel supply main passage to the pressure sensor. The fuel supply main passage includes a first fuel supply passage extending in a first direction from the fuel inlet port to the pressure sensor and a second fuel supply passage extending in a second direction from the pressure sensor to the nozzle portion.