Electronic unit injectors

1. An electronic unit injector comprising a housing with a fuel pressure chamber, a mechanically operated plunger reciprocating in the housing chamber to pressurize fuel in the chamber, an electronically controlled valve for venting fuel from the chamber when it is open and thereby preventing high pressurization of fuel in the chamber by the plunger and allowing the plunger to pressurize fuel in the chamber to an injection pressure when it is closed, a spray tip including a valve seat communicating with the fuel pressurization chamber, a needle valve arranged to close on the seat to prevent discharge of fuel from the spray tip or to open off the seat to dispense fuel from the spray tip, a spring biasing the needle valve to a closed position on the valve seat, a spring seat disposed between the spring and the needle valve, the needle valve being arranged to overcome the biasing force of the spring when the pressure in the pressure chamber reaches a predetermined level as a result of the electronically controlled valve closing, the spring and seat being disposed in a cage, the cage having a port area circumferentially arranged about said spring and said spring seat to allow fuel from a low pressure source to supply fuel to the area occupied by said spring and spring seat to reduce the risk of cavitation in said spring cage, said cage having a cylindrical wall and said port area comprising a series of radial holes distributed about the circumference of said cylindrical wall, the collective area of said holes being at least about one-quarter of the area of the spring seat.

2. An electronic unit injector comprising a housing with a fuel pressure chamber, a mechanically operated plunger reciprocating in the housing chamber to pressurize fuel in the chamber, an electronically controlled valve for venting fuel from the chamber when it is open and thereby preventing high pressurization of fuel in the chamber by the plunger and allowing the plunger to pressurize fuel in the chamber to an injection pressure when it is closed, a spray tip including a valve seat communicating with the fuel pressurization chamber, a needle valve arranged to close on the seat to prevent discharge of fuel from the spray tip or to open off the seat to dispense fuel from the spray tip, a spring biasing the needle valve to a closed position on the valve seat, a spring seat disposed between the spring and the needle valve, the needle valve being arranged to overcome the biasing force of the spring when the pressure in the pressure chamber reaches a predetermined level as a result of the electronically controlled valve closing, the spring and seat being disposed in a cage, the cage having a port area circumferentially arranged about said spring and said spring seat to allow fuel from a low pressure source to supply fuel to the area occupied by said spring and spring seat to reduce the risk of cavitation in said spring cage, said spring cage having port areas adjacent said spring seat and remote from said spring seat whereby circulation of fuel through said spring cage can be induced by movement of said spring seat.

3. An electronic unit injector comprising a housing with a fuel pressure chamber, a mechanically operated plunger reciprocating in the housing chamber to pressurize fuel in the chamber, an electronically controlled valve for venting fuel from the chamber when it is open and thereby preventing high pressurization of fuel in the chamber by the plunger and allowing the plunger to pressurize fuel in the chamber to an injection pressure when it is closed, a spray tip including a valve seat communicating with the fuel pressurization chamber, a needle valve arranged to close on the seat to prevent discharge of fuel from the spray tip or to open off the seat to dispense fuel from the spray tip, a spring biasing the needle valve to a closed position on the valve seat, a spring seat disposed between the spring and the needle valve, the needle valve being arranged to overcome the biasing force of the spring when the pressure in the pressure chamber reaches a predetermined level as a result of the electronically controlled valve closing, the spring and seat being disposed in a cage, the cage having a port area circumferentially arranged about said spring and said spring seat to allow fuel from a low pressure source to supply fuel to the area occupied by said spring and spring seat to reduce the risk of cavitation in said spring cage, said cage having a cylindrical wall and said port area comprising a series of radial holes distributed about the circumference of said cylindrical wall, said spring cage being surrounded by an annular space having a cross-sectional area of at least one-quarter of an area of the spring seat.

4. A kit for use in an electronic unit injector comprising a circular spray tip having a major diameter outer surface, a valve seat, and a bore concentrically arranged about an axis, a needle valve receivable in said bore with a precision sliding fit, a spring cage adapted to abut a rear face of the spray tip and limit opening movement of the needle valve, the spring cage being formed by a circular tubular wall, a shim, a spring, and a spring seat receivable in the spring cage, the spring cage and spray tip being adapted to be retained in an operating position, with the needle valve in the spray tip and the spring cage, and with the spring seat, spring and shim in the spring cage, by a nozzle nut threaded with an injector body, the spring cage being smaller in diameter than the spray tip, the spring cage having a port area formed by a plurality of circumferentially disposed ports in its wall for permitting free communication of fuel between the outside and inside of the spring cage whereby the risk of cavitation in the spring cage is reduced.

5. A kit as set forth in claim 4 , wherein said ports are axially proximate to said spring seat when the kit is in an assembled state.

6. A kit as set forth in claim 5 , wherein said port area includes a location remote from said spring seat so as to provide circulation of fuel through said spring cage as a result of movement of said spring seat during opening and closing movement of said needle valve.