Silenced fuel pump for a direct injection system

1. A fuel pump ( 4 ) for a direct-injection system provided with a common rail ( 3 ), said fuel pump ( 4 ) comprising:

a pumping chamber ( 14 ) defined in a main body ( 12 );

a piston ( 15 ) that is mounted in a sliding manner inside said pumping chamber ( 14 ) to cyclically vary volume of said pumping chamber ( 14 );

a suction channel ( 17 ) connected to said pumping chamber ( 14 ) and regulated by a suction valve ( 18 );

a delivery channel ( 19 ) connected to said pumping chamber ( 14 ) and regulated by a delivery valve ( 20 ); and

a flow-rate-adjustment device ( 6 ) that is mechanically coupled to said suction valve ( 18 ) to keep, when necessary, said suction valve ( 18 ) substantially open during pumping of said piston ( 15 ) and includes a control rod ( 21 ) that is coupled to said suction valve ( 18 ) and an electromagnetic actuator ( 22 ) that acts on said control rod ( 21 ) and has a one-way hydraulic brake ( 28 ) that is integral to and substantially slows movement of said control rod ( 21 ).

2. A fuel pump ( 4 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said electromagnetic actuator ( 22 ) moves said control rod ( 21 ) between a “passive” position, in which said control rod ( 21 ) allows said suction valve ( 18 ) to close, and an “active” position, in which said control rod ( 21 ) does not allow said suction valve ( 18 ) to close, and said hydraulic brake ( 28 ) generates a high-breaking force when said control rod ( 21 ) moves toward the “active” position and generates a negligible breaking force when said control rod ( 21 ) moves toward the “passive” position.

3. A fuel pump ( 4 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said hydraulic brake ( 28 ) has a disc ( 29 ) provided with at least one first through-hole ( 31 ) and a valve element ( 32 ) that is coupled to said first through-hole ( 31 ) and defines a different permeability to passage of fuel as a function of direction of the passage of the fuel through said first through-hole ( 31 ).

4. A fuel pump ( 4 ) according to claim 3 , wherein said valve element ( 32 ) has an elastic lamina ( 33 ) that is partially fitted to said disc ( 29 ) and defines a second through-hole ( 34 ) of substantially small dimensions substantially aligned with said first through-hole ( 31 ).

5. A fuel pump ( 4 ) according to claim 4 , wherein said disc ( 29 ) defines a plurality of first through-holes ( 31 ) that are substantially uniformly distributed and said lamina ( 33 ) is fitted to said disc ( 29 ) in correspondence to a peripheral edge thereof and provided with a series of flaps each of which is coupled to respective said second through-hole ( 34 ).

6. A fuel pump ( 4 ) according to claim 3 , wherein said electromagnetic actuator ( 22 ) has a spring ( 23 ) that pushes on said control rod ( 21 ) and an electromagnet ( 24 ) provided with an anchor ( 25 ), which is integral to said control rod ( 21 ) and defines a centrally perforated annular form, and a fixed magnetic armature ( 26 ), which magnetically attracts said anchor ( 25 ), and said disc ( 29 ) of said hydraulic brake ( 28 ) is substantially laterally integral to said anchor ( 25 ) and centrally integral to said control rod ( 21 ) to establish a mechanical connection between said anchor ( 25 ) and control rod ( 21 ).

7. A fuel pump ( 4 ) according to claim 6 , wherein said disc ( 29 ) of said hydraulic brake ( 28 ) defines a third through-hole ( 30 ), which is substantially centrally arranged and receives an upper portion of said control rod ( 21 ), and a plurality of first through-holes ( 31 ), which are arranged substantially around said third through-hole ( 30 ).