Fuel injector

Inventors: Andrew John Hargreaves (Faversham, GB); Michael Peter Cooke (Kent, GB)

Assignee: PHINIA DELPHI LUXEMBOURG SARL

F02M21/0263 F02M21/0254 F02M51/0614 F02M2200/46 F02M2200/50

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12692827
App. No.: 18/858,477
Granted: Jul 28, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A fuel injector for delivering gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine comprises: a nozzle body having a nozzle bore; a first valve needle received within the nozzle bore and engageable with a first valve seat to control gaseous fuel delivery through at least one outlet of an injection nozzle; a first actuator arrangement for controlling movement of the first valve needle; a second valve needle engageable with a second valve seat to control gaseous fuel delivery through at least one outlet of the injection nozzle; and a second actuator for controlling movement of the second valve needle. The second valve seat is defined by the first valve needle, which defines an internal flow path for gaseous fuel flow when the second valve needle is lifted from the second valve seat and the first valve needle is lifted from the first valve seat.

Claims (22)

1 . A fuel injector for delivering gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine, the fuel injector comprising:

a nozzle body provided with a nozzle bore;

a first valve needle received within the nozzle bore and engageable with a first valve seat to control gaseous fuel delivery through at least one outlet of an injection nozzle at a first injection rate;

a first actuator arrangement for controlling movement of the first valve needle, the first actuator arrangement comprising a first coil which is mounted concentrically on an associated first solenoid body of the first actuator arrangement and further comprising a first armature which is mounted radially inward of the first coil;

a second valve needle which is engageable with a second valve seat to control gaseous fuel delivery through the at least one outlet of the injection nozzle at a second injection rate; and

a second actuator arrangement for controlling movement of the second valve needle, the second actuator arrangement comprising a second coil which is mounted concentrically on an associated second solenoid body of the second actuator arrangement and further comprising a second armature which is mounted radially inward of the second coil;

wherein the second valve seat is defined by an upper end surface of the first valve needle, the first valve needle defining an internal flow path for gaseous fuel flow when the second valve needle is lifted from the second valve seat and the first valve needle is lifted from the first valve seat.

2 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first valve needle has a first seat diameter and the second valve needle has a second seat diameter, and wherein the first seat diameter is greater than the second seat diameter.

3 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the internal flow path of the first valve needle defines a restriction to restrict a rate of flow of fuel therethrough.

4 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 1 , including a first coupling member for the first valve needle, the first coupling member being coupled to the first armature of the first actuator arrangement so that actuation of the first actuator arrangement causes movement of the first coupling member and the first valve needle.

5 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first coupling member is a first pull tube within which a portion of the first valve needle is received.

6 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first pull tube defines a further internal flow path for gaseous fuel.

7 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first pull tube is provided with at least one opening to allow gaseous fuel to flow into the internal flow path of the first valve needle when the second valve needle is lifted from the second valve seat.

8 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first valve needle has a first lift member, the first lift member being actionable via the first actuator arrangement, wherein the first coupling member associated with the first valve needle is coupled to the first lift member so that movement of the first lift member results in movement of the first coupling member to lift the first valve needle away from the first valve seat.

9 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 1 , including a coupling member associated with the second valve needle, the coupling member associated with the second valve needle being coupled to the second armature of the second actuator arrangement so that actuation of the second actuator arrangement causes movement of the coupling member associated with the second valve needle and also the second valve needle.

10 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the coupling member associated with the second valve needle takes the form of a pull tube within which a portion of the second valve needle is received.

11 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the pull tube within which the portion of the second valve needle is received defines a further internal flow path for gaseous fuel.

12 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the pull tube within which the portion of the second valve needle is received is provided with at least one opening to allow fuel within the further internal flow path to flow out of the pull tube within which the portion of the second valve needle is received.

13 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second valve needle has an associated lift member, the associated lift member being actionable via the second actuator arrangement, wherein a coupling member associated with the second valve needle is coupled to the associated lift member so that movement of the associated lift member results in movement of the associated coupling member to lift the second valve needle away from the second valve seat.

14 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the coupling member associated with the second valve needle includes an engagement surface which is spaced from the associated lift member of the second valve needle by a separation distance when the second valve needle is seated against the second valve seat, the separation distance being closed when the coupling member associated with the second valve needle is actuated so as to bring the engagement surface into engagement with the associated lift member of the second valve needle, thereby causing the second valve needle to move away from the second valve seat.

15 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising a spring plate which is coupled to the coupling member associated with the second valve needle and which defines an engagement surface, wherein the engagement surface is spaced from the associated lift member of the second valve needle by a separation distance when the second valve needle is seated against the second valve seat, the separation distance being closed when the coupling member associated with the second valve needle is actuated so as to bring the engagement surface into engagement with the associated lift member of the second valve needle, thereby causing the second valve needle to move away from the second valve seat.

16 . The fuel injector as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising a first lift member for the first valve needle which is actuated via the first actuator arrangement, wherein a first coupling member associated with the first valve needle is coupled to the first lift member of the first valve needle so that movement of the first lift member results in movement of the first coupling member to lift the first valve needle away from the first valve seat.