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A solitary fuel injector for a diesel engine that is capable of injecting fuel for a homogeneous charge compression ignition injection event, a conventional injection event. The solitary fuel injector also has a mixed mode that includes a homogeneous charge compression ignition injection and a conve

A solitary fuel injector for a diesel engine that is capable of injecting fuel for a homogeneous charge compression ignition injection event, a conventional injection event. The solitary fuel injector also has a mixed mode that includes a homogeneous charge compression ignition injection and a conventional injection in a single compression stroke for the engine.

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1. A nozzle assembly comprising: a plurality of assembled components having a centerline and defining a plurality of nozzle outlets;a homogenous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets including at least one nozzle outlet oriented at a first angle with respect to said

1. A nozzle assembly comprising: a plurality of assembled components having a centerline and defining a plurality of nozzle outlets;a homogenous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets including at least one nozzle outlet oriented at a first angle with respect to said centerline;a conventional portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets including at least one nozzle outlet oriented at a second angle with respect to said centerline;said assembled components including a needle valve being positioned to move between positions that open and close said plurality of nuzzle outlets, and being moveable between a first position in which said first portion are open but said second portion are closed, and a second position in which said second portion are open but said first portion are closed; andat least one electrical actuator operably coupled to said needle valvesaid needle valve including a first needle valve member with a first closing hydraulic surface and a second needle valve member with a second closing hydraulic surface; andsaid first closing hydraulic surface is exposed to fluid pressure in a first needle control chamber and said second closing hydraulic surface is exposed to fluid pressure in a second needle control chambersaid first needle control chamber contains a first fluid and said second needle control chamber contains a second fluid that is different from said first fluid. 2. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein said first angle is relatively small and said second angle is relatively large. 3. The nozzle assembly of claim 2 wherein said first angle is less than or equal to 30 degrees; and said second angle is greater than or equal to 60 degrees. 4. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein said second needle valve member is at least partially positioned within said first needle valve member. 5. The nozzle assembly of claim 4 wherein said first needle valve member includes a valve seat and said second needle valve member includes a valve surface; a nozzle supply passage being blocked when said valve surface is in contact with said valve seat; andsaid nozzle supply passage being open when said valve surface is out of contact with said valve seat. 6. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein a nozzle body includes a first valve seat and a second valve seat; and a number of said plurality of nozzle outlets are located between said first valve seat and said second valve seat. 7. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein said needle valve includes a solitary needle valve member; and said needle valve member defines a portion of at least one nozzle supply passage. 8. The nozzle assembly of claim 7 wherein said needle valve is movable to a first position in which said first portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets and said second portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets are blocked; said needle valve is movable to a second position in which said first portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets is open; andsaid needle valve being movable to a third position in which said second portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets is open. 9. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein said homogenous charge portion and said conventional portion are mutually exclusive. 10. An engine having at least two modes of operation comprising: an engine housing defining a plurality of cylinders;a solitary fuel injector for each of said plurality of cylinders, each said fuel injector having at least one electrical actuator and including a tip at least partially positioned in one of said plurality of cylinders;each said fuel injector having a first configuration for a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode of operation in which fuel is injected relatively early in a compression stroke when a piston is nearer a bottom dead center position than a top dead center position in a first spray pattern with a relatively small average angle to an injector centerline; andeach said fuel injector having a second configuration for a conventional mode of operation in which fuel is injected relatively late in a compression stroke when said piston is nearer said top dead center position than said bottom dead center position in a second spray pattern with a relatively large average angle to said injector centerline. 11. The engine of claim 10 wherein each said fuel injector includes a plurality of nozzle outlets disposed therein; a first portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being open when said fuel injector is in said first configuration; anda second portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being open when said fuel injector is in said second configuration. 12. The engine of claim 11 wherein each said fuel injector includes a needle valve that is biased toward a first position blocking said plurality of nozzle outlets; said needle valve having a second position that opens said first portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets while blocking said second portion when said fuel injector is in said first configuration; andsaid needle valve having a third position that opens said second portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets while blocking said first portion when said fuel injector is in said second configuration. 13. The engine of claim 11 wherein each of said first portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets are oriented at first angles with respect to a centerline of said cylinder; each of said second portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets are oriented at a second angles with respect to said centerline; andsaid first angles being different from said second angles. 14. The engine of claim 13 wherein said first angle is relatively small and said second angle is relatively large. 15. The engine of claim 14 wherein said first angle is less than or equal to 30 degrees; and said second angle is greater than or equal to 60 degrees. 16. The engine of claim 10 wherein said needle valve includes a first needle valve member and a second needle valve member; and the at least one electrical actuator includes a first electrical actuator being operably coupled to said first needle valve member and a second electrical actuator being operably coupled to said second needle valve member. 17. The engine of claim 10 wherein said fuel injector includes a first needle valve member and a second needle valve member; said first needle valve member includes a first closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a first needle control chamber; andsaid second needle valve member includes a second closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a second needle control chamber. 18. The engine of claim 17 wherein said first needle control chamber is fluidly isolated from said second needle control chamber. 19. The engine of claim 10 wherein said fuel injector includes a first needle valve member and a second needle valve member; and said second needle valve member is at least partially positioned within said first needle valve member. 20. The engine of claim 19 wherein said first needle valve member includes a valve seat, said second needle valve member includes a valve surface; a nozzle supply passage being blocked when said valve surface is in contact with said valve seat; andsaid nozzle supply passage being open when said valve surface is out of contact with said valve seam. 21. The engine of claim 10 wherein said needle valve includes a solitary needle valve member; and said needle valve member defines a portion of at least one nozzle supply passage 22. The engine of claim 21 wherein said needle valve includes a stop component positioned in said injector body and movable between a retracted position and an advanced position; said needle valve member is out of contact with said stop component when said needle valve is in a first position;said needle valve member being in contact with said stop component when said needle valve is in a second position; andsaid needle valve member being in contact with said stop component when said needle valve is in a third position. 23. A method of operating an engine comprising the steps of: providing an engine having an engine housing defining a plurality of engine cylinders, each of said engine cylinders including a piston;positioning a solitary fuel injector for each of said plurality of engine cylinders, at least in part by positioning a tip of each said fuel injector at least partially within one of said engine cylinders;if said fuel injector is operating in a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode, injecting fuel in a first spray pattern from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position than a top dead center position; andif said fuel injector is operating in a conventional mode, injecting fuel in a second spray pattern from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position than said bottom dead center position; andat least one of the injecting steps includes energizing an electrical actuator of the fuel injector. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of injecting fuel when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position includes a step of opening a first portion of fuel injector nozzle outlets; and said step of injecting fuel when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position includes a step of opening a second portion of said fuel injector nozzle outlets. 25. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of injecting fuel from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position includes a step of moving a needle valve from a first position to a second position; and said step of injecting fuel from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position includes a step of moving said needle valve to a third position. 26. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of injecting fuel when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position includes a step of injecting fuel in a first spray pattern with respect to a centerline of said cylinder; and said step of injecting fuel when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position includes a step of injecting fuel in a second spray pattern with respect to said centerline. 27. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of injecting fuel in a first spray pattern includes a step of injecting fuel at a relatively small average angle with respect to said centerline; and said step of injecting fuel in a second spray pattern includes a step of injecting fuel at a relatively large average angle with respect to said centerline. 28. The method of claim 23 including a step of closing at least one fuel injector nozzle outlet at least in part by applying high pressure to a closing hydraulic surface of a needle valve member movably positioned in said fuel injector. 29. The method of claim 23 including the steps of operating said fuel injector in said homogeneous charge compression ignition mode when said engine is operating in a low load condition; and operating said fuel injector in said conventional mode when said engine is operating in a high load condition. 30. The method of claim 23 including the step of operating said fuel injector in a mixed mode, at least in part by injecting fuel when said piston is relatively far from its top dead center position and injecting fuel when said piston is relatively close to its top dead center position in a same piston stroke. 31. A fuel injector comprising: a plurality of assembled components having a centerline and defining a plurality of nozzle outlets;a homogenous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a first average angle with respect to said centerline;a conventional portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a second average angle with respect to said centerline;said assembled components including at least one needle valve member being positioned adjacent said plurality of nozzle outlets;said at least one needle valve member having a first position in which said homogenous charge portion is open but said conventional portion is closed, and a second position in which said conventional portion is open but said homogenous charge portion is closed;said at least one needle valve member including a closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a needle control chamber;said assembled components including at least one electrical actuator attached to said injector body; andsaid assembled components also including a three-way needle control valve operably coupled to said electrical actuator, and being movable between a first position in which said needle control chamber is fluidly connected to a source of high pressure fluid but fluidly disconnected from a low pressure passage, and a second position in which said needle control chamber is fluidly connected to said low pressure passage but fluidly disconnected from said source of high pressure fluid. 32. The fuel injector of claim 31 wherein said first average angle is relatively small and said second average angle is relatively large. 33. The fuel injector of claim 32 wherein said first average angle is less than or equal to 30 degrees; and said second average angle is greater than or equal to 60 degrees. 34. The fuel injector of claim 33 wherein said needle valve includes a first needle valve member and a second needle valve member. 35. The fuel injector of claim 34 wherein said second needle valve member is at least partially positioned within said first needle valve member. 36. The fuel injector of claim 35 wherein said first needle valve member includes a valve seal, said second needle valve member includes a valve surface; a nozzle supply passage being blocked when said valve surface is in contact with said valve seat; andsaid nozzle supply passage being open when said valve surface is out of contact with said valve seat. 37. The fuel injector of claim 36 wherein said first needle valve member includes a first closing hydraulic surface and said second needle valve member includes a second closing hydraulic surface; and said first closing hydraulic surface is exposed to fluid pressure in a first needle control chamber and said second closing hydraulic surface is exposed to fluid pressure in a second needle control chamber. 38. The fuel injector of claim 37 wherein said first needle control chamber is fluidly isolated from said second needle control chamber. 39. A fuel injector comprising: a plurality of assembled components having a centerline and defining a plurality of nozzle outlets;a homogenous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a first average angle with respect to said centerline;a conventional portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a second average angle with respect to said centerline;said assembled components including at least one needle valve member being positioned adjacent said plurality of nozzle outlets;said at least one needle valve member having a first position in which said homogenous charge portion is open but said conventional portion is closed, and a second position in which said conventional portion is open but said homogenous charge portion is closed;said at least one needle valve member including a first needle valve member with a first closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a first needle control chamber, and a second needle valve member with a second closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a second needle control chamber;said first needle control chamber contains a first fluid and said second needle control chamber contains a second fluid that is different from said first fluid. 40. An engine having at least two modes of operation comprising: an engine housing defining a plurality of cylinders;at least one common rail attached to said engine housing;a solitary fuel injector for each of said plurality of cylinders, each said fuel injector having a tip at least partially positioned in one of said plurality of cylinders, and including a plunger that partially defines a fuel pressurization chamber;each said fuel injector being fluidly connected to said at least one common rail;each said fuel injector having a first configuration corresponding to a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode of operation in which fuel is injected in a first spray pattern with a small average angle with respect to an injector centerline relatively early in a compression stroke when a piston is nearer a bottom dead center position than a top dead center position; andeach said fuel injector having a second configuration corresponding to a conventional mode of operation in which fuel is injected in a second spray pattern with a large average angle with respect to said injector centerline relatively late in a compression stroke when said piston is nearer said top dead center position than said bottom dead center position. 41. The engine of claim 40 wherein each said fuel injector includes an injector body that defines a plurality of nozzle outlets: a first portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being open when said fuel injector is in said first configuration; anda second portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being open when said fuel injector is in said second configuration. 42. The engine of claim 41 wherein each said fuel injector includes a needle valve that is biased toward a first position blocking said plurality of nozzle outlets; said needle valve having a second position that opens said first portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets when said fuel injector is in said first configuration; andsaid needle valve having a third position that opens said second portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets when said fuel injector is in said second configuration. 43. The engine of claim 42 wherein said small average angle is less than or equal to 30 degrees; and said large average angle is greater than or equal to 60 degrees. 44. The engine of claim 43 wherein said needle valve includes a first needle valve member and a second needle valve member; and a first electrical actuator being operably coupled to said first needle valve member and a second electrical actuator being operably coupled to said second needle valve member. 45. The engine of claim 44 wherein said first needle valve member includes a first closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a first needle control chamber; and said second needle valve member includes a second closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a second needle control chamber. 46. The engine of claim 45 wherein said first needle control chamber is fluidly isolated from said second needle control chamber. 47. The engine of claim 46 wherein said first needle valve member is at least partially positioned within said second needle valve member. 48. The engine of claim 47 wherein said second needle valve member includes a valve scat, said first needle valve member includes a valve surface; a nozzle supply passage being blocked when said valve surface is in contact with said valve seat; andsaid nozzle supply passage being open when said valve surface is out of contact with said valve seat. 49. The engine of claim 48 wherein said at least one common rail includes an amount of oil; and each said fuel injector includes a fuel inlet fluidly connected to a source of fuel that is different from said oil. 50. A method of operating an engine comprising: providing an engine having an engine housing defining a plurality of engine cylinders, each of said engine cylinders including a piston;positioning a solitary fuel injector for each of said plurality of engine cylinders, at least in part by positioning a tip of each of said solitary fuel injectors at least partially within one of said engine cylinders;if said fuel injector is operating in a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode, injecting fuel in a first spray pattern from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position than a top dead center position;if said fuel injector is operating in a conventional mode, injecting fuel in a second spray pattern from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position than said bottom dead center position; andapplying high pressure to a closing hydraulic surface of at least one needle valve member movably positioned in said fuel injector; andat least one of the injecting steps includes energizing an electrical actuator of the fuel injector. 51. The method of claim 50 wherein said step of injecting fuel when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position includes a step of opening a first portion of fuel injector nozzle outlets; and said step of injecting fuel when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position includes a step of opening a second portion of said fuel injector nozzle outlets. 52. The method of claim 50 wherein said step of injecting fuel from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position includes a step of moving said at least one needle valve member from a first position to a second position; and said step of injecting fuel from said fuel injector when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position includes a step of moving said at least one needle valve member to a third position. 53. The method of claim 50 wherein said step of injecting fuel when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position includes a step of injecting fuel in a first spray pattern with respect to a centerline of said cylinder; and said step of injecting fuel when said piston is nearer to said top dead center position includes a step of injecting fuel in a second spray pattern with respect to said centerline. 54. The method of claim 50 wherein said step of injecting fuel in a first spray pattern includes a step of injecting fuel at a relatively small angle with respect to said centerline; and said step of injecting fuel in a second spray pattern includes a step of injecting fuel at a relatively large angle with respect to said centerline. 55. The method of claim 50 including the steps of operating said fuel injector in said homogeneous charge compression ignition mode when said engine is operating in a low load condition; and operating said fuel injector in said conventional mode when said engine is operating in a high load condition. 56. The method of claim 50 including the step of operating said fuel injector in a mixed mode, at least in part by injecting fuel when said piston is nearer a bottom dead center position and injecting fuel when said piston is relatively close to its top dead center position in a same piston stroke. 57. A fuel injector comprising: a plurality of assembled components having a centerline and defining a plurality of nozzle outlets;a homogeneous charge subset of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a relatively small average angle with respect to said centerline;a conventional subset of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a relatively large average angle with respect to said centerline;said assembled components including at least one needle valve member movable between a first configuration in which said plurality of nozzle outlets are closed, a second configuration in which said homogeneous charge subset is open but said conventional subset is closed, and a third configuration in which said homogeneous charge subset is closed but said conventional subset is open;said plurality of assembled components including a plunger that defines a portion of a fuel pressurization chamber that is fluidly connected to one of said homogeneous charge subset and said conventional subset when a portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets is open; andsaid plurality of assembled components including an electronically operated pressure control valve and at least one electronically operated needle control valve. 58. The fuel injector of claim 57 wherein said plurality of assembled components include an intensifier piston operably coupled to said plunger. 59. The fuel injector of claim 57 wherein said needle control valve includes a three-way valve member trapped to move between a first seat and a second seat. 60. The fuel injector of claim 57 wherein said homogeneous charge subset and said conventional subset are mutually exclusive. 61. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein said homogeneous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets is separated from said conventional portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets by a sealing member; and said sealing member is continuously biased toward a position separating said homogeneous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets from said conventional portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets. 62. A method of operating an engine, comprising the steps of: injecting fuel from a fuel injector via a first at least one nozzle outlet in a first spray pattern directly into an engine cylinder;mixing the fuel with air in the cylinder;combusting the fuel after the mixing step;injecting additional fuel from the fuel injector via a second at least one nozzle outlet in a second spray pattern directly into the engine cylinder when a piston of the engine cylinder is nearer top dead center than bottom dead center; andat least one of the fuel injecting step and the additional fuel injecting step includes energizing at least one electrical actuator of the fuel injector. 63. The method of claim 62 wherein the first at least one nozzle outlet has a relatively small average angle with respect to a centerline; and the at least one second nozzle outlet has a relatively large average angle with respect to the centerline. 64. The method of claim 62 wherein the at least one electrical actuator includes a first electrical actuator and a second electrical actuator; the step of injecting fuel includes energizing the first electrical actuator; andthe step of injecting additional fuel includes energizing the second electrical actuator. 65. The method of claim 62 wherein the step of injecting fuel in the first spray pattern occurs during a compression stroke. 66. A nozzle assembly comprising: a plurality of assembled components defining a plurality of nozzle outlets; a homogenous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of assembled outlets being oriented at a first average angle with respect to a centerline;a conventional portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented a second average angle with respect to said centerline;said assembled components including a needle valve being positioned to move between positions that open and close said plurality of nozzle outlets, and being moveable between a first configuration in which said first portion are open but said second portion are closed, and a second configuration in which said second portion are open but said first portion are closed;said assembled components also including at least one control valve member positioned to move between a high pressure seat and a low pressure seat; andsaid assembled components further including at least one electrical actuator operably coupled to said needle valve via said at least one control valve member. 67. The nozzle assembly of claim 66 wherein said first average angle is relatively small and said second average angle is relatively large. 68. The nozzle assembly of claim 66 wherein at least one of a first needle valve member and a second needle valve member of the needle valve includes a closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a needle control chamber. 69. An engine having at least two modes of operation comprising: an engine housing defining a plurality of cylinders; a solitary fuel injector for each of said plurality of cylinders, each said fuel injector having a tip at least partially positioned in one of said plurality of cylinders;each said fuel injector having a first configuration for a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode of operation in which fuel is injected in a first spray pattern; andeach said fuel injector having a second configuration for a conventional mode of operation in which fuel is injected in a second spray pattern; andeach said fuel injector including at least one control valve member positioned to move between a high pressure seat and a low pressure seat. 70. A fuel injector comprising: a plurality of assembly components having a centerline and defining a plurality of nozzle outlets;a homogenous charge compression ignition portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a first average angle with respect to said centerline;a conventional portion of said plurality of nozzle outlets being oriented at a second average angle with respect to said centerline;said assembled components including at least one needle valve member being positioned adjacent said plurality of nozzle outlets;said at least one needle valve member having a first position in which said homogenous charge portion is open but said conventional portion is closed, and a second position in which said conventional portion is open but said homogenous charge portion is closed;said at least one needle valve member including a closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in a needle control chamber;said assembled components includes at least one control valve member positioned to move between a high pressure seat and a low pressure seat; andsaid assembled components further includes at least one electrical actuator.