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A direct injection fuel injector includes a nozzle tip having a plurality of passages allowing fluid communication between an inner nozzle tip surface portion and an outer nozzle tip surface portion and directly into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. A first group of the passag

A direct injection fuel injector includes a nozzle tip having a plurality of passages allowing fluid communication between an inner nozzle tip surface portion and an outer nozzle tip surface portion and directly into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. A first group of the passages have inner surface apertures located substantially in a first common plane. A second group of the passages have inner surface apertures located substantially in at least a second common plane substantially parallel to the first common plane. The second group has more passages than the first group.

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What is claimed is: 1. A direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly, comprising: a combustion chamber; a piston forming a moving end wall of the combustion chamber; and a fuel injector having a nozzle tip communicating directly with the combustion chamber, the nozzle tip including, an outer

What is claimed is: 1. A direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly, comprising: a combustion chamber; a piston forming a moving end wall of the combustion chamber; and a fuel injector having a nozzle tip communicating directly with the combustion chamber, the nozzle tip including, an outer nozzle tip surface portion, an inner nozzle tip surface portion, a plurality of passages, including a first group and a second group, allowing fluid communication between the inner nozzle tip surface portion and the outer nozzle tip surface portion and directly into the combustion chamber, each of the plurality of passages having an inner surface aperture on the inner nozzle tip surface portion and an outer surface aperture on the outer nozzle tip surface portion, and each of the passages having a longitudinal axis that extends into the piston at a piston position of approximately 30 degrees before top dead center each of the inner surface apertures of the first group being spaced apart from each of the inner surface apertures of the second group with respect to a longitudinal axis of the combustion chamber. 2. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the passages have a longitudinal axis that extends into the piston at a piston position of approximately 40 degrees before top dead center. 3. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 1, wherein the piston includes a piston crater and the axes of the passages extend into the piston crater at a piston position of approximately 50 degrees before top dead center. 4. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the passages have a longitudinal axis that extends into the piston at a piston position of approximately 50 degrees before top dead center. 5. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 4, wherein the first group of said passages includes inner surface apertures located substantially in a first common plane, and the second group of said passages includes inner surface apertures located substantially in at least a second common plane substantially parallel to the first common plane. 6. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 5, wherein the second group has more passages than the first group. 7. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 5, wherein the second group of passages includes a third group of passages having inner surface apertures located substantially in a third common plane substantially parallel to the first and second common planes. 8. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 5, wherein the second group includes at least twice as many passages as the number of passages of the first group. 9. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 5, wherein the second group includes at least twelve passages. 10. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 5, wherein the first group includes eight passages and the second group includes sixteen passages. 11. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of passages total at least twenty four. 12. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner nozzle tip surface portion and the outer nozzle tip surface portion are each concavely rounded to form a portion of a nozzle tip sac. 13. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 5, wherein the first group of passages each have a longitudinal axis extending at acute angles alpha (α) of approximately 55 degrees or greater from the first common plane, the acute angles alpha (α) being measured in a plane perpendicular to the first common plane. 14. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 13, wherein the second group of passages each have a longitudinal axis extending at acute angles theta (θ) of approximately 27.5 degrees or greater from the second common plane, the acute angles theta (θ) being measured in a plane perpendicular to the second common plane. 15. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 5, wherein the second group of passages includes a third group of passages having inner surface apertures located substantially in a third common plane substantially parallel to the first and second common planes, the cumulative number of passages in the second and third groups being greater than the number of passages in the first group. 16. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 15, wherein the first group of passages all extend at substantially a same acute angle alpha (α), the second group of passages all extend at substantially a same acute angle theta (θ), and the third group of passages all extend at a same acute angle beta (β), wherein acute angle alpha (α) is different than acute angles theta (θ) and beta (β). 17. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 16, wherein acute angles theta (θ) and beta (β) are substantially the same. 18. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 17, wherein acute angle alpha (α) is approximately 65 degrees, and acute angles theta (θ) and beta (β) are approximately 45 degrees. 19. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 16, wherein acute angle alpha (α) is approximately 75 degrees, acute angle theta (θ) is approximately 60 degrees, and acute angle beta (β) is approximately 45 degrees. 20. A method of providing combustion within a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising: providing air into the combustion chamber; injecting fuel into the combustion chamber through a plurality of passages located in a nozzle tip of a fuel injector so as to form a plurality of fuel plumes in the combustion chamber, the plurality of plumes including a first group of fuel plumes and a second group of fuel plumes, each of the plurality of fuel plumes corresponding to one of said plurality of passages and sharing a common axis with the corresponding passage, the axis of each passage extending into a piston of the combustion chamber at a piston position of approximately 30 degrees before top dead center, the first group of fuel plumes originating axially closer to the piston than the second group of fuel plumes; and compressing the air and fuel in the combustion chamber to auto-ignite the mixture. 21. The method of providing combustion according to claim 20, wherein the axis of each passage extends into a piston of the combustion chamber at a piston position of approximately 50 degrees before top dead center. 22. The method of providing combustion according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of fuel plumes do not substantially intersect within the combustion chamber. 23. The method of providing combustion according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of fuel plumes are substantially completely developed prior to contacting the piston or sidewall of the combustion chamber. 24. The method of providing combustion according to claim 20, wherein the injection step initiates when the piston is approximately 90 degrees before top dead center. 25. The method of providing combustion according to claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of passages include an inner surface aperture on an inner nozzle tip surface portion and an outer surface aperture on an outer nozzle tip surface portion, a first group of said passages include inner surface apertures located substantially in a first common plane, and a second group of said passages include inner surface apertures located substantially in at least a second common plane substantially parallel to the first common plane. 26. The method of providing combustion according to claim 25, wherein the second group of passages includes a third group of said passages, the third group of passages including inner surface apertures located substantially in a third common plane substantially parallel to the first and second common planes. 27. The method of providing combustion according to claim 25, wherein the second group includes at least twice as many passages as the number of passages of the first group. 28. The method of providing combustion according to claim 25, wherein the first and second groups together total at least twenty four passages. 29. The method of providing combustion according to claim 25, wherein the inner nozzle tip surface portion and the outer nozzle tip surface portion are each concavely rounded to form a portion of a nozzle tip sac. 30. The method of providing combustion according to claim 25, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first group of passages each extend at a substantially common acute angle alpha (α) of approximately 65 degrees or greater from the first common plane, the acute angle alpha (α) being measured in a plane perpendicular to the first common plane. 31. The method of providing combustion according to claim 30, wherein the longitudinal axes of the second group of passages each extend at a substantially common acute angle theta (θ) of approximately 45 degrees or greater from the second common plane, the acute angle theta (θ) being measured in a plane perpendicular to the second common plane and common acute angle alpha (α) is different than common acute angle theta (θ). 32. A direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly, comprising: a combustion chamber having a longitudinal axis; a piston forming a moving end wall of the combustion chamber; and a fuel injector having a nozzle tip communicating directly with the combustion chamber, the nozzle tip including: an outer nozzle tip surface portion, an inner nozzle tip surface portion, and a plurality of passages allowing fluid communication between the inner nozzle tip surface portion and the outer nozzle tip surface portion and directly into the combustion chamber, each of the plurality of passages having a longitudinal axis, an inner surface aperture on the inner nozzle tip surface portion, and an outer surface aperture on the outer nozzle tip surface portion, each of the longitudinal axes of the plurality of passages extending into the piston at a piston position of approximately 30 degrees before top dead center, a longitudinal axis of at least one of the plurality of passages extending to intersect the longitudinal axis of the fuel injector at a first point and a longitudinal axis of at least another one of the plurality of passages extending to intersect the longitudinal axis of the fuel injector at a second point different than the first point. 33. The direct fuel injection combustion chamber assembly of claim 32, wherein the plurality of passages includes a first group of passages and a second group of passages, the inner surface apertures of the first group being spaced apart from each of the inner surface apertures of the second group with respect to the longitudinal axis of the combustion chamber.