High pressure gasoline injector seat to reduce particle emissions

1. A fuel injector having an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway providing a fuel flow conduit from the inlet to the outlet, the fuel injector comprising:

a valve structure movable in the passageway between a first position and a second position;

a seat, at the outlet, having at least one seat passage in communication with the passageway, the seat contiguously engaging a portion of the valve structure in the first position thereby closing the at least one seat passage and preventing fuel from exiting the at least one seat passage, the valve structure in the second position being spaced from the at least one seat passage so that fuel can move through the passageway and exit through the at least one seat passage, the seat including an outer tip surface through which the least one seat passage extends, and

a fin structure provided in the outer tip surface and constructed and arranged to increase a surface area of the outer tip surface as compared to a surface area of the outer tip surface absent the fin structure,

wherein the outer tip surface, including the fin structure, is constructed and arranged to be heated by combustion gases so that the outer tip surface reaches a temperature greater than a temperature that the outer tip surface would reach absent the fin structure, so as to cause evaporation of fuel that contacts the outer tip surface,

wherein the outer tip surface includes a convex protuberance through which the at least one seat passage extends, the fin structure being provided in the protuberance,

wherein the fin structure comprises a plurality of channels in the protuberance provided in such a manner so as to not communicate with the at least one seat passage,

wherein the channels either extend radially relative to a center of the protuberance or extend linearly for alignment with intake airflow of an engine when the injector is installed in the engine, and the channels are disposed adjacent to the at least one seat passage,

wherein the seat is generally cylindrical and includes a planar portion surrounding the protuberance, and

wherein the at least one seat passage is disposed in a central portion of the protuberance and the channels are disposed between the at least one seat passage and the planar portion surrounding the protuberance.

2. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the channels extend radially relative to the center of the protuberance.

3. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the channels extend linearly for alignment with the intake airflow of the engine when the injector is installed in the engine.

4. The fuel injector of claim 3 , wherein for each channel, a space between the channel and one or more immediately adjacent channels does not change along the channel.

5. The fuel injector of claim 3 , wherein the channels are configured for alignment with exhaust flow of the engine when the fuel injector is installed therein.

6. A seat for a fuel injector, the seat comprising:

a body having surfaces defining at least one seat passage there-through,

an outer tip surface through which the least one seat passage extends, and

means, provided in the outer tip surface, for increasing a surface area of the outer tip surface as compared to a surface area of the outer tip surface absent said means,

wherein when the seat is placed in a fuel injector that is associated with an engine, the outer tip surface, including said means, is constructed and arranged to be heated by combustion gases so that the outer tip surface reaches a temperature greater than a temperature that the outer tip surface would reach absent said means, so as to cause evaporation of fuel that contacts the outer tip surface,

wherein the outer tip surface includes a protuberance through which the at least one seat passage extends, said means being provided in the protuberance,

wherein said means comprises a plurality of channels in the protuberance provided in such a manner so as to not communicate with the at least one seat passage, and

wherein the channels are disposed adjacent to the at least one seat passage, and the channels either extend radially relative to a center of the protuberance or extend linearly for alignment with intake airflow of the engine when the injector is associated with the engine,

wherein the seat is generally cylindrical and includes a planar portion surrounding the protuberance, and

wherein the at least one seat passage is disposed in a central portion of the protuberance and the channels are disposed between the at least one seat passage and the planar portion surrounding the protuberance.

7. The seat of claim 6 , wherein the protuberance is a convex protuberance.

8. The seat of claim 6 , wherein the channels extend radially relative to the center of the protuberance.

9. The seat of claim 6 , wherein the channels extend linearly for alignment with intake airflow of the engine when the injector is associated with the engine.

10. The seat of claim 9 , wherein for each channel, a space between the channel and one or more immediately adjacent channels does not change along a length of the channel.