A gas injector for injecting a gaseous fuel. The gas injector includes a solenoid actuator having an armature, an internal pole and a coil; a closing element, which unblocks and seals a gas path at a valve seat, the armature being connected to the closing element; a sealed lubricant chamber, which is filled with a lubricant, and in which the armature is situated, the lubricant ensuring lubrication of the armature; and a flexible sealing element, which seals the lubricant chamber with respect to the gas path, a damping device being situated in the lubricant chamber.

A gas injector for injecting a gaseous fuel. The gas injector includes a solenoid actuator having an armature, an internal pole and a coil; a closing element, which unblocks and seals a gas path at a valve seat, the armature being connected to the closing element; a sealed lubricant chamber, which is filled with a lubricant, and in which the armature is situated, the lubricant ensuring lubrication of the armature; and a flexible sealing element, which seals the lubricant chamber with respect to the gas path, a damping device being situated in the lubricant chamber.

An electronically controlled fuel injection device that achieves reduced component count, simplified construction, and cost reduction while promoting discharge of vapor that is generated in a pressurizing chamber. With a fuel passage from a fuel intake pipe into a pressurizing chamber and a return passage that is a discharge passage for vapor generated in the pressurizing chamber, and a plunger with a prescribed reciprocating operation having a standby position set as a position enabling fuel supply and vapor discharge, the electronically controlled fuel injection device eliminates the need for an inlet check valve and promotes the discharge of vapor that is generated when fuel is supplied from the fuel intake pipe to the pressurizing chamber.

An insert for use with a fuel injector comprises a shaft including a substantially cylindrical configuration defining a shaft cylindrical axis, a shaft radial direction, and a shaft diameter; and a head including a substantially cylindrical configuration defining a head cylindrical axis, a head radial direction, and a head diameter. The shaft and head may be attached to each other, the shaft cylindrical axis and the head cylindrical axis may be parallel to each other, the head diameter may be greater than the shaft diameter, and the shaft cylindrical axis may be spaced away from the head cylindrical axis.

An insert for use with a fuel injector comprises a shaft including a substantially cylindrical configuration defining a shaft cylindrical axis, a shaft radial direction, and a shaft diameter; and a head including a substantially cylindrical configuration defining a head cylindrical axis, a head radial direction, and a head diameter. The shaft and head may be attached to each other, the shaft cylindrical axis and the head cylindrical axis may be parallel to each other, the head diameter may be greater than the shaft diameter, and the shaft cylindrical axis may be spaced away from the head cylindrical axis.

A fuel injector 100 includes a nozzle member 60 having a fuel passage 60a leading to an injection port 60b; a valve main body 51 adapted to reciprocate for opening and closing the fuel passage 60a; an elastic portion 56 elastically deformable in closing the fuel passage 60a by movement of the valve main body 51 in a closing direction, the elastic member being attached to one of the nozzle member 60 and the valve main body 51 and adapted to be abutted against the other of the nozzle member 60 and the valve main body 51 to close the fuel passage 60a by moving the valve main body 51 in the closing direction; and a stopper 70 adapted to restrict movement of the valve main body 51 in the closing direction by being abutted against the valve main body 51, the stopper 70 being formed of material different from the nozzle member 60.

A fuel injector 100 includes a nozzle member 60 having a fuel passage 60a leading to an injection port 60b; a valve main body 51 adapted to reciprocate for opening and closing the fuel passage 60a; an elastic portion 56 elastically deformable in closing the fuel passage 60a by movement of the valve main body 51 in a closing direction, the elastic member being attached to one of the nozzle member 60 and the valve main body 51 and adapted to be abutted against the other of the nozzle member 60 and the valve main body 51 to close the fuel passage 60a by moving the valve main body 51 in the closing direction; and a stopper 70 adapted to restrict movement of the valve main body 51 in the closing direction by being abutted against the valve main body 51, the stopper 70 being formed of material different from the nozzle member 60.

A valve for metering a flowing medium, in particular a fluid, having a metering opening situated in the fluid flow and surrounded by a valve seat, a valve needle that controls the metering opening and that has a closing head that works together with the valve seat to close and release the metering opening, a piezoelectric actuator that acts on the valve needle to release the metering opening, and an elastic resetting element that acts on the valve needle to close the metering opening. To minimize the required stroke of the piezoelectric actuator for a required stroke of the closing head of the valve needle, the point of action of the resetting element on the valve needle is situated on or close to the end of the valve needle that bears the closing head.

A valve for metering a flowing medium, in particular a fluid, having a metering opening situated in the fluid flow and surrounded by a valve seat, a valve needle that controls the metering opening and that has a closing head that works together with the valve seat to close and release the metering opening, a piezoelectric actuator that acts on the valve needle to release the metering opening, and an elastic resetting element that acts on the valve needle to close the metering opening. To minimize the required stroke of the piezoelectric actuator for a required stroke of the closing head of the valve needle, the point of action of the resetting element on the valve needle is situated on or close to the end of the valve needle that bears the closing head.

An apparatus and method for igniting a gaseous fuel directly introduced into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine comprises steps of heating a space near a fuel injector nozzle; introducing a pilot amount of the gaseous fuel in the combustion chamber during a first stage injection event; controlling residency of the pilot amount in the space such that a temperature of the pilot amount increases to an auto-ignition temperature of the gaseous fuel whereby ignition occurs; introducing a main amount of the gaseous fuel during a second stage injection event after the first stage injection event; and using heat from combustion of the pilot amount to ignite the main amount.