An ECU as a valve body operation estimation device includes a sampling unit that obtains at least one of voltage and current of the electromagnetic coil as sample values at intervals of a predetermined time in a sampling period set based on a predetermined reference timing, a variation calculation unit that calculates a degree of variation of the sample values obtained in the sampling period, a variation waveform which represents a change of the degree of variation caused by shifting the reference timing including a point at which the degree of variation reduces and then rises as the reference timing is delayed, the point referred to as a rising start point, and a timing estimation unit that estimates an operation timing of a valve body based on the reference timing at the rising start point.

A method for detecting the malfunction of a software solution configured to generate data representing the instant of interruption of fuel injection of an internal combustion engine. The method comprises acquiring data by a data acquisition device which is connected to a measurement device fixed to an injector body and configured to emit data representing closure instants of an injection nozzle, recording the data generated by the software solution and the data emitted by the measurement device, over a predetermined duration, synchronizing the data generated by the software solution and the data emitted by the measurement device, and comparing the data generated by the software solution and the data emitted by the measurement device, the software solution being considered to be malfunctioning when they do not satisfy predefined criteria.

A vehicle includes an engine having a combustion cylinder, and at least one fuel injector configured to supply a number of fuel pulse to the cylinder. A controller is programmed to issue a first fuel pulse command to actuate the fuel injector allowing fuel to pass through the fuel injector as a first fuel mass. The controller is also programmed to monitor a voltage across the fuel injector, and determine a preliminary fuel injector opening magnitude based on a rate of change of voltage. The controller is further programmed to assign the preliminary fuel injector opening magnitude as a maximum fuel injector opening magnitude in response to the first fuel mass being greater than a quantity threshold. The controller is further programmed to apply a scaling factor to adjust a second fuel pulse command to normalize the maximum fuel injector opening magnitude value to a predetermined full open value.

A fuel injector includes an injection nozzle with a body, in which a needle moves between a closed position, in which a first end of the needle rests on a seat, and an open position, in which the first end of the needle is lifted from the seat. The fuel injector also includes a control chamber, a control valve, and an upper guide guiding the needle axially by the second end thereof. An electric link in contact with the second end of the needle bring the needle to a predetermined electric potential. The needle is mounted in the body so as to be able to move therein while being electrically isolated from the body, except for the region of the seat, so that the needle is in electric contact with the body only in the closed position.

A reciprocating piston internal combustion engine includes: a sensor system on a gas exchange valve which has a valve head situated at a first end of a valve stem; a lever element which engages at a second end of the valve stem and which is designed to actuate the gas exchange valve by displacing the valve head; a detection element which, upon actuation of the gas exchange valve, is displaced along a displacement path; and a sensor device configured to ascertain a position of the detection element. The sensor device is situated in such a way that the detection element, during a displacement along a portion of the displacement path, moves predominantly in a movement toward the sensor device or away from the same, thereby providing a measurement of valve timing of the gas exchange valve.

A fuel injection control device is a control device controlling an injection of fuel by a fuel injector and includes: a setting part that sets a request injection quantity of an injection quantity requested of the fuel injector; a dividing part that divides the request injection quantity set by the setting part into a specified injection quantity and an adjusting injection quantity other than the specified injection quantity; an injection performing part that performs a dividing injection of an adjusting injection and a partial lift injection by the fuel injector, the adjusting injection injecting the adjusting injection quantity of fuel, the partial lift injection finishing a lift of a valve body of the fuel injector in a partial lift state before the valve body reaching a full lift position and injecting the specified injection quantity of fuel; and a learning part that learns an injection characteristic of the fuel injector at the time of the partial lift injection.

The invention relates to a fuel injection nozzle comprising a nozzle element (1) in which a pressure chamber (2) is formed which can be filled with pressurized fuel and in which a nozzle needle (3) is arranged in a longitudinally movable manner, a sealing surface (7) of said nozzle needle interacting with a nozzle seat (8) in order to open and close at least one injection opening (11). The nozzle needle (3) has a guide section (5) by means of which the nozzle needle is guided in a guide region (6) of the pressure chamber (2) in a radial direction. The nozzle needle (3) has a coating (20) at least in the region of the sealing surface (7), and the coating is a DLC layer (DLC=diamond-like carbon). In the open position, the nozzle needle (3) is electrically insulated from the nozzle element (1).

A control device for a high-pressure pump includes: a determination unit, an acquisition unit, and an electric power setting unit. The determination unit determines whether a movable portion of an electromagnetic valve has been moved to a closed position to close the electromagnetic valve when the electromagnetic valve is energized. The acquisition unit acquires, as an electromagnetic-valve response time, a period of time from a start of the energization of the electromagnetic valve until when it is determined that the electromagnetic valve has been closed. The electric power setting unit sets a supply power to the electromagnetic valve by repeating a process in which the supply power to the electromagnetic valve is reduced so as to be smaller than a previous value until the electromagnetic-valve response time reaches a predefined upper limit value.

A fuel injection system for fuel metering may include an injection nozzle, which includes a nozzle body, a nozzle needle, and a nozzle orifice, wherein nozzle needle is disposed in the nozzle body; a control piston configured to mechanically and electrically contact the nozzle needle in an axial direction opposite to the nozzle orifice; a transmitter configured to communicate with a controller and electrically contact the nozzle needle via the control piston; wherein the controller is configured to determine an open state and a closed state between the nozzle needle and the nozzle body via an electrical signal detected by the transmitter; and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the open state and the closed state in correlation with a fuel injection quantity.

A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine includes an injector body in which there are positioned an actuator, a control valve, and a needle guide. The actuator actuates the control valve, the control valve controlling an injection needle sliding the needle guide between an open position in which injection is permitted and a closed position in which the injection of fuel is prevented. The injector additionally includes a first electrical connection extending from the needle guide to a metal that are internal to the injector, and a metal extension extending from the metal ring to a connector pin accessible from the outside of the injector, so that an electrical signal indicative of the position of the needle can be transmitted from the needle guide for the needle to the connector pin.