초록

A fuel injection system providing both fuel injection devices and methods of fuel injection for internal combustion engines in which a piezoelectric material generates a current discharged to ignite fuel delivered into the engine combustion chamber.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A fuel injector, comprising: a. a fuel supply passage; b. a nozzle having a nozzle chamber and a fuel injection orifice, wherein said fuel supply passage communicates with said nozzle chamber, and wherein said fuel injection orifice communicates with a fuel combustion c

The invention claimed is: 1. A fuel injector, comprising: a. a fuel supply passage; b. a nozzle having a nozzle chamber and a fuel injection orifice, wherein said fuel supply passage communicates with said nozzle chamber, and wherein said fuel injection orifice communicates with a fuel combustion chamber; c. a valve means operable to open and close communication between said nozzle chamber and said combustion chamber; d. a fuel pressure generator operable to increase pressure of an amount of fuel in said nozzle chamber; e. an electric current generator, wherein said electric current generator generates a current in response to increased pressure of said amount of fuel in said nozzle chamber; and f. at least one conductor disposed to generate a discharge of said electric current across a gap. 2. A fuel injector as described in claim 1, wherein said fuel pressure generator operable to increase pressure of an amount of fuel in said nozzle chamber operates to increase fuel pressure sufficiently to generate said electrical current from said electric current generator, and wherein said fuel pressure generator further operates to increase fuel pressure sufficiently to open said valve means between said nozzle chamber and said combustion chamber. 3. A fuel injector as described in claim 1, wherein said fuel pressure generator operable to increase pressure of an amount of fuel in said nozzle chamber comprises a fuel pressure generator disposed within said fuel injector. 4. A fuel injector as described in claim 3, wherein said fuel pressure generator disposed within said fuel injector comprises: a. a fuel storage chamber which communicates with said fuel supply passage; b. a plunger actuatable from a location outside the fuel injector movable within said fuel storage chamber to pressurize fuel; c. a fuel control passage which communicates with said fuel storage chamber and said nozzle chamber; and d. a second valve means operable to open and close communication between said fuel control passage and said nozzle chamber. 5. A fuel injector as described in claim 1, wherein said electric current generator has a configuration which generates an electrical current sufficient to generate said discharge of said electric current across said gap. 6. A fuel injector as described in claim 1, wherein said electric current generator comprises a piezoelectric element. 7. A fuel injector as described in claim 6, wherein said piezoelectric element is selected from the group of piezoelectric materials consisting of lead zirconate titanate, tourmaline, quartz, quartz analogue crystals, topaz, berlinite, gallium orthophosphate, perovskite, tugsten-bronze, BaTiO3, KNbO3, LiNbO 3, LiTaO3, BiFeO3, NaxWO3, Ba 2NaNb5O5, Pb2KNb5O15; ceramic containing at least one of perovskite, tugsten-bronze, lead zirconate titanate, BaTiO3, KNbO3, LiNbO3, LiTaO3, BiFeO3, NaxWO3, Ba2 NaNb5O5, Pb2KNb5O15, and a material containing at least one of perovskite, tugsten-bronze, lead zirconate titanate, BaTiO3, KNbO3, LiNbO3, LiTaO3, BiFeO3, NaxWO3, Ba2 NaNb5O5, Pb2KNb5O15. 8. A fuel injector as described in claim 5, wherein said electric current generator has a location within said nozzle chamber. 9. A fuel injector as described in claim 1, where said combustion chamber comprises the combustion chamber of a reciprocal piston engine. 10. A fuel injector as described in claim 9, wherein said reciprocal piston engine comprises an aircraft engine. 11. A fuel injector as described in claim 9, wherein said reciprocal piston engine is selected from the group consisting of an automotive engine, a motorcycle engine, a lawnmower engine, a single piston engine, a two stroke engine, a four stroke engine, and an aircraft engine. 12. A method of operating a fuel injector, comprising the steps of; a. supplying an amount of fuel to a nozzle chamber; b. pressurizing said amount of fuel in said nozzle chamber; c. generating an electrical current from an electric current generator responsive to said pressure of said amount of fuel in said nozzle chamber; d. opening communication between said nozzle chamber and a fuel combustion chamber; e. injecting said amount of fuel into said fuel combustion chamber; and f. discharging said electric current generated by said electric current generator to initiate combustion of said fuel injected into said combustion chamber. 13. A method of operating a fuel injector as described in claim 12, wherein said step of pressurizing said amount of fuel in said nozzle chamber comprises the step of pressurizing said amount of fuel in said nozzle chamber sufficiently to generate said electrical current from said electric current generator and open communication between said nozzle chamber and said fuel combustion chamber to inject said amount of fuel into said fuel combustion chamber. 14. A method of operating a fuel injector as described in claim 12, wherein said step of supplying an amount of fuel to a nozzle chamber comprises the step of supplying said amount of fuel at a supply pressure insufficient to generate said electrical current from said electric current generator and open communication between said nozzle chamber and said fuel combustion chamber to inject said amount of fuel into said fuel combustion chamber, and wherein said step of pressurizing said amount of fuel in said nozzle chamber comprises pressurizing said amount of fuel with a fuel pressurization means disposed within said fuel injector. 15. A method of operating a fuel injector as described in claim 14, wherein said step of pressurizing said amount of fuel with fuel pressurization means disposed within said fuel injector comprises the steps of: a. storing said amount of fuel in a fuel storage chamber which communicates with said fuel supply passage and said nozzle chamber; b. actuating a plunger movable within said fuel storage chamber from a location outside of said fuel injector to pressurize said fuel; c. closing said fuel storage chamber in response to a level of fuel pressure insufficient to generate said electrical current from said electric current generator; and d. opening said fuel storage chamber in response to a level of fuel pressure within said fuel storage chamber sufficient to generate said electrical current from said electric current generator; and e. delivering said amount of fuel to said nozzle chamber. 16. A method of operating a fuel injector as described in claim 12, further comprising the step of locating said electrical current generator within said nozzle chamber. 17. A method of operating a fuel injector as described in claim 16, wherein said electrical current generator comprises a piezoelectric element. 18. A method of operating a fuel injector as described in claim 17, wherein wherein said piezoelectric element is selected from the group of piezoelectric materials consisting of lead zirconate titanate, tourmaline, quartz, quartz analogue crystals, topaz, berlinite, gallium orthophosphate, perovskite, tugsten-bronze, BaTiO3, KNbO 3, LiNbO3, LiTaO3, BiFeO3, Nax WO3, Ba2NaNb5O5, Pb2KNb 5O15; ceramic containing at least one of perovskite, tugsten-bronze, lead zirconate titanate, BaTiO3, KNbO3, LiNbO3, LiTaO3, BiFeO3, NaxWO 3, Ba2NaNb5O5, Pb2KNb5 O15, and a material containing at least one of perovskite, tugsten-bronze, lead zirconate titanate, BaTiO3, KNbO3, LiNbO3, LiTaO3, BiFeO3, NaxWO 3, Ba2NaNb5O5, Pb2KNb5 O15. 19. A method of operating a fuel injector as described in claim 12, where said combustion chamber comprises the combustion chamber of a reciprocal piston engine. 20. A method of operating a fuel injector as described in claim 19, wherein said reciprocal piston engine comprises an aircraft engine. 21. A method of operating a fuel injector as described in claim 20, wherein said reciprocal piston engine is selected from the group consisting of an automotive engine, a motorcycle engine, a lawnmower engine, a single piston engine, a two stroke engine, a four stroke engine, and an aircraft engine.