The present disclosure relates to valves. Some embodiments may include solenoid injection valves with a valve body; a valve needle with a needle shaft, an upper retaining element, and a lower retaining element; an electro-magnetic actuator comprising a pole piece and an armature spaced from the pole piece by a first axial gap when de-energized. The armature slides on the valve needle between the upper retaining element and the lower retaining element. The valve may include a calibration spring and a spring element arranged between the armature and the upper retaining element. The armature compresses the spring element and travels at least 50% of the first axial gap before an opening force of the valve assembly becomes larger than a total needle closing force. An opening force for displacing the valve needle away from the closing position is transferred from the armature to the valve needle completely through the spring element and a second axial gap between the armature and the upper retaining element is maintained throughout the operation of the valve assembly.

A high-pressure fuel supply pump including an electromagnetically driven intake valve is configured such that a pressure equalizing hole is provided in the valve stopper positioned between the valve and a pressurizing chamber. The pressure equalization hole connects a spring storage space, provided between a valve and a valve stopper, with a surrounding fluid passage. The high-pressure fuel supply pump is further configured such that an opening of the pressure equalizing hole at the spring storage chamber side is open at a position at the inner side of a diameter of the spring. Since the pressure in the pressurizing chamber can be introduced into the inner side of the spring without traversing the spring, the unstable behavior of the spring or the valve due to the introduced pressure eliminated. Since the force applied to the valve when the valve closes is stabilized, the closing timing of the valve is stable.

A control unit (2) for a fuel injector (3) comprising a solenoid actuator (31) having an armature (33), the control unit configured to drive a current through an electromagnet coil (34) of the solenoid actuator in a voltage mode during at least a portion of an injection cycle.

A tappet assembly for use in translating force between a camshaft lobe and a fuel pump assembly via reciprocal movement within a tappet cylinder having a guide slot. The tappet assembly includes a bearing assembly having a shaft and a bearing rotatably supported by the shaft for engaging the lobe. An intermediate element has a shelf for engaging the fuel pump assembly, and a pair of arc-shaped bearing surfaces rotatably engaging the shaft when the bearing engages the lobe and the shelf engages the fuel pump assembly. The intermediate element includes a pair of lock apertures. The bearing assembly further includes a pair of shields supported on the shaft of the bearing assembly with the bearing interposed between the shields. The shields include a pair of opposing fingers for engaging the lock apertures so as to substantially retain the bearing assembly to the intermediate element and so as to substantially retain the shaft of the bearing assembly within the annular body in absence of engagement between the bearing and the camshaft lobe.

In some embodiments, the injector valves have additional flow holes in the seat face to reduce flow variation, decrease package size and allow for a fast response. In another embodiment, the injector valve has a seat with multiple flow channels leading to a venturi, allowing for a fast response and decreased package size.

Various methods and systems are provided for a fuel injector. In one example, a fuel injector includes a nozzle tip including a plurality of injection holes, a first needle biased against the nozzle tip via a first biasing member positioned within a first control volume, and a second needle surrounding a portion of the first needle and biased against the first needle and the nozzle tip via a second biasing member positioned within a second control volume. A needle actuator may be energized for different durations of time in order to move one or more of the first needle and the second needle relative to the nozzle tip.

A tappet assembly for use in translating force between a camshaft lobe and a fuel pump assembly via reciprocal movement within a tappet cylinder having a guide slot. The tappet assembly includes a bearing assembly having a shaft and a bearing rotatably supported by the shaft for engaging the lobe. An intermediate element has a shelf for engaging the fuel pump assembly, and a pair of arc-shaped bearing surfaces rotatably engaging the shaft when the bearing engages the lobe and the shelf engages the fuel pump assembly. The intermediate element includes a pair of lock apertures. The bearing assembly further includes a pair of shields supported on the shaft of the bearing assembly with the bearing interposed between the shields. The shields include a pair of opposing fingers for engaging the lock apertures so as to substantially retain the bearing assembly to the intermediate element and so as to substantially retain the shaft of the bearing assembly within the annular body in absence of engagement between the bearing and the camshaft lobe.

An inlet valve assembly of a fluid pump comprises an inlet valve member movable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position the inlet valve member is arranged to block a pump chamber inlet to prevent fluid from entering or exiting a pump chamber of the fluid pump through the pump chamber inlet. In the open position the inlet valve member is arranged to allow fluid to enter or exit the pump chamber through the pump chamber inlet. The inlet valve assembly further comprises a first biasing means configured to bias the inlet valve member in a first direction, d.sub.1, towards the open position, when the inlet valve member is in the closed position; and a second biasing means configured to reduce the speed of the inlet valve member when the inlet valve member is moving in the first direction, d.sub.1, towards the open position.

A fuel pump system of a hybrid vehicle is provided. The fuel pump system prevents a fuel pump from continuing to operate when fuel is exhausted, whereby the fuel pump may be damaged. The pressure of fuel is measured in response to exhaustion of fuel, and when the pressure of fuel is low, fuel is circulated within the fuel pump instead of being supplied to the engine side, thereby preventing the fuel pump from being stuck due to frictional heat.

A tappet assembly for use in translating force between a camshaft lobe and a fuel pump assembly via reciprocal movement within a tappet cylinder having a guide slot. The tappet assembly includes a bearing assembly having a shaft and a bearing rotatably supported by the shaft for engaging the lobe. An intermediate element has a first aperture, a shelf for engaging the fuel pump assembly, and a pair of arc-shaped bearing surfaces rotatably engaging the shaft when the bearing engages the lobe and the shelf engages the fuel pump assembly. An annular body has a second aperture and at least one stop member abutting the intermediate element to align the first aperture with the second aperture. An anti-rotation clip is disposed so as to extend through the apertures and cooperates with the stop member to substantially prevent rotational and axial movement of the intermediate element with respect to the body.