Automotive high pressure pump solenoid valve with limp home calibration

1. A solenoid valve for a direct injection, high pressure pump of an automobile fuel delivery system, the solenoid valve comprising:

a valve body defining an inlet opening and an outlet opening in communication with the inlet opening, the valve body including a valve seat at a distal end thereof,

a valve member at least partially disposed in the valve body, the valve member having a sealing surface associated with the valve seat,

a movable armature coupled with valve member such that movement of the armature moves the valve member between a closed position with the sealing surface engaging the valve seat to prevent fuel from passing through the outlet opening, and an open position with at least a portion of the valve member moving outwardly from the distal end of valve body with the sealing surface being disengaged from the valve seat to permit fuel to pass through the outlet opening,

a stator associated with the armature,

an electromagnetic coil associated with the stator and armature for causing movement of the armature towards the stator, and

a spring constructed and arranged to bias the armature and thus the valve member to the closed position, the spring being constructed and arranged to provide a spring force that is greater than a first, normal hydrostatic force applied to the valve seat, but less than a second, overpressure hydrostatic force applied to the valve seat to ensure that the valve member 1) will not move to the open position when the first, normal hydrostatic force is applied to the valve seat unless the coil is energized, and 2) will move to the open position when the second, overpressure hydrostatic force is applied to the valve seat in the event that the solenoid valve does not operate properly,

wherein the spring is engaged between the armature and the stator, wherein the valve seat is constructed and arranged to receive the first, normal hydrostatic force and the second, overpressure hydrostatic force from a low pressure fuel pump.

2. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the first, normal hydrostatic force is about 6 bar and the second, overpressure hydrostatic force is about 9 bar.

3. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a coil spring.

4. The valve of claim 1 , in combination with a high-pressure fuel pump, the valve being constructed and arranged to control a flow rate of fuel through the pump.

5. The combination of claim 4 , in further combination with the low pressure fuel pump supplying fuel to the high pressure fuel pump, wherein the first, normal hydrostatic force is about 6 bar sent from the low pressure fuel pump to the high pressure fuel pump, and the second, overpressure hydrostatic force is about 9 bar sent from the low pressure fuel pump to the high pressure fuel pump.

6. The combination of claim 4 , wherein the pump is a single piston pump.

7. A method of ensuring a limp home operation of a vehicle having direct injection, high pressure pump with a solenoid valve for controlling flow rate of fuel through the pump, the method comprising:

providing a solenoid valve associated with an inlet of a direct injection, high pressure pump, the valve comprising:

a valve body defining an inlet opening and an outlet opening in communication with the inlet opening, the valve body including a valve seat at a distal end thereof,

a valve member at least partially disposed in the valve body, the valve member having a sealing surface associated with the valve seat,

a movable armature coupled with the valve member such that movement of the armature moves the valve member between a closed position with the sealing surface engaging the valve seat to prevent fuel from passing through the outlet opening, and an open position with at least a portion of the valve member moving outwardly from the distal end of valve body with the sealing surface being disengaged from the valve seat to permit fuel to pass through the outlet opening,

a stator associated with the armature,

an electromagnetic coil associated with the stator and armature for causing movement of the armature towards the stator, and

a spring engaged between the armature and the stator and constructed and arranged to bias the armature and thus the valve member to the closed position,

preventing the valve member from moving to the open position when a first, normal hydrostatic force is applied to the valve seat unless the coil is energized, and

permitting the valve member to move to the open position when a second, overpressure hydrostatic force is applied to the valve seat in the event that the solenoid valve does not operate properly so that fuel can be provided to the pump for limp home operation of the automobile, wherein the valve seat is constructed and arranged to receive the first, normal hydrostatic force and the second, overpressure hydrostatic force from a low pressure fuel pump.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preventing and permitting steps include:

ensuring a force of the spring is greater than the first, normal hydrostatic force, but less than the second, overpressure hydrostatic force.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first, normal hydrostatic force is about 6 bar and the second, overpressure hydrostatic force is about 9 bar.

10. The method of claim 9 , with the low pressure fuel pump provides the first and second hydrostatic forces.