GASKET FOR FUEL INJECTOR

Abstract

A gasket for a fuel injector includes: an annular tube having an opening, a first surface, and a second surface, in which the second surface is disposed opposite to the first surface of the annular tube; and an inner portion and an outer portion connecting the first surface with the second surface. The inner portion and the outer portion include a flexible material and interact with a fluid filled within the annular tube via the opening of the annular tube.

Claims

1. A gasket for a fuel injector, comprising: an annular tube having an opening, a first surface, and a second surface, the second surface of the annular tube disposed opposite to the first surface of the annular tube; and an inner portion and an outer portion, each of which connecting the first surface with the second surface, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion include a flexible material and interact with a fluid filled within the annular tube via the opening of the annular tube, wherein the first surface is partially mounted on the fuel injector and the second surface is partially mounted on a cylinder head, wherein the inner portion comprises at least partially a fuel injector nozzle guidance, and wherein the first and second surfaces are resilient by the fluid filled within the annular tube.

2. The gasket according to claim 1, wherein the annular tube has an enclosed shape and the fluid enters or exits the annular tube via the opening such that a pressure of the fluid is constant inside the annular tube.

3. The gasket according to claim 1, wherein the fluid enters the annular tube at engine start.

4. The gasket according to claim 2, wherein the fluid enters the annular tube at engine start.

5. The gasket according to claim 1, wherein the annular tube is connected with a constant pressure source via the opening.

6. The gasket according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is oil.

7. The gasket according to claim 1, wherein the opening is formed on the outer portion of the gasket.

8.-9. (canceled)

10. The gasket according to claim 1, wherein the flexible material is a spring steel.

11. The gasket according to claim 1, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion partially reversibly deform in a perpendicular direction to a vertical extent of the gasket.

12. The gasket according claim 1, wherein a thickness of the inner portion is different from a thickness of the outer portion.

13. The gasket according claim 11, wherein the vertical extent of the gasket is a thickness of the gasket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional washer.

[0041] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a gasket according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic cross-sectional views of the gasket in its initial shape and under load according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of a fuel injection system with a gasket according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Unless indicated otherwise, like reference numbers to the figures indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0046] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a conventional washer.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional washer W1 has a predetermined thickness or vertical extent D5. The washer can be available with a thickness of 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0 millimeter. The thickness of the washer W1 is not adjustable or variable with respect to an injector position. That is, the protrusion of an injection nozzle or the protrusion of a tip of the injector nozzle is predefined. Consequently, a combustion engine having the washer W1 cannot be efficiently driven in terms of the position of the injector nozzle since the washer has a fixed vertical extent or thickness D5. The washer W1 is typically made of copper.

[0048] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of a gasket according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate schematic cross-sectional views of the gasket in its initial shape and under load according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 2-3B, a gasket 100 for a fuel injector 110 (see FIG. 5) comprises an annular tube 10 with an opening 20 and a first surface 11 and a second surface 12. The second surface 12 is located opposite to the first surface 11 of the annular tube 10. The annular tube 10 may be hollow and may have a ring-shape. The first surface 11 and the second surface 12 may be parallel to each other, such that mounting of corresponding components of the injector system 110 can be easily realized in oil-tight manner.

[0050] The gasket 100 further comprises an inner portion 13 and an outer portion 14, wherein the inner portion 13 and the outer portion 14 of the gasket 100 connect the first surface 11 with the second surface 12. The inner portion 13 and the outer portion 14 include a flexible material 7 and interact with a fluid 30 (refer to FIG. 4) filled within the annular tube 10 via the opening 20 of the annular tube 10.

[0051] The opening 20 may be connected to a constant pressure source (not shown), such as a fluid pump or an oil pump. The constant pressure source allows the pressure of the fluid 30 within the annular tube 10 to be constant during operation of the fuel injector 110. The constant fluid pressure can be easily managed by the constant pressure source, for example, fluid pump. In other words, the fluid 30 is homogeneously distributed within the gasket 100. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the fluid 30 may be oil. The opening 20 is arranged on the outer portion 14 of the gasket 100. The gasket may be made of spring steel, e.g. X7CrNiAl177K+A (DIN 17224) or 55Cr3 (DIN 17221). Referring to FIG. 3A, which illustrates the gasket 100 in its initial state, the initial state can be obtained at engine start since the fluid 30, for example, oil, enters the annular tube 10 of the gasket 100. The annular tube 10 may be fully filled with the fluid at engine start in order to prevent or protect the gasket from breaking.

[0052] FIG. 3B illustrates a case in which a gasket is under load according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As can be seen in FIG. 3B, the inner portion 13 and the outer portion 14 are at least partially reversibly deformed oblique to a vertical extent V1 of the gasket 100. The vertical extent V1 of the gasket 100 is parallel to an injector movement direction M1. The inner portion 13 and the outer portion 14 deform substantially in opposite directions. A direction of the deformation of the inner portion 13 can be predetermined by the shape of the injector nozzle N1. FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 4 an injector nozzle guidance 15 may be arranged above a reversibly deformable region (13) of the inner portion 13. Here, numeral reference 30 indicates homogenous distribution of the oil. Under the constant oil pressure level, a constant counter pressure with respect to a movement of an injector 40 can be maintained. The first surface 11 may be at least partially mounted on an injector 40 of the fuel injector 110 and the second surface 12 may be at least partially mounted on a cylinder head 50 of the fuel injector 110. A thickness D1 of the inner portion 13 may be at least partially different to a thickness D2 of the outer portion 14 (refer to FIG. 3A). By varying the thickness D1 or D2, the deformation of the annular tube 10 of the gasket 100 can be easily modified. The thickness D1 and D2 may be perpendicular to the vertical extent V1 or the injector movement direction M1. On the other hand, when the inner and the outer portions 13, 14 have substantially the same thickness D1, D2, the deformation of the inner portion 13 and the outer portion 14 during load can be simultaneously realized

[0054] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a fuel injection system with a gasket according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] FIG. 5 illustrates the injector 40 having an injector surface 41 and the cylinder head 50 having a cylinder head surface 51. The gasket 100 may be disposed between the injector surface 41 and the cylinder head surface 51, wherein the injector surface 41 and cylinder head surface 51 face each other. The injector nozzle N1 or the tip of the injector nozzle T1 is disposed or inserted in the gasket 10. The injector nozzle N1 may be in contact with the injector nozzle guidance 15.

[0056] Although the here afore-mentioned gasket has been described in connection to vehicles, accordingly. For a person skilled in the art it is clearly and unambiguously understood that the here described gasket can be applied to various object which comprises combustion engines based on injector system.