Patent ID: 6575138
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: F02B,F02D,F02M,Y02T

Abstract:
An injection valve for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, said injection valve comprising:(a) a valve housing comprising: a fuel inlet port; an interior chamber fluidly connected to said fuel inlet port; and a valve seat for cooperating with a valve member to seal said interior chamber from said combustion chamber when said injection valve is closed; (b) said valve member having one end disposed within said valve housing and an opposite end extendable from said valve seat toward said combustion chamber, wherein said valve member comprises a sealing surface that fluidly seals against said valve seat when said injection valve is closed and that is liftable away from said valve seat when said injection valve is open; (c) a biasing mechanism associated with said valve member, said biasing mechanism applying a closing force to said valve member when said valve member is in said closed position; (d) an actuator assembly associated with said valve member, wherein said actuator assembly may be actuated to apply an opening force to said valve member stronger than said closing force, for moving said valve member to said open position; and (e) a hydraulic link assembly comprising a passive hydraulic link having a hydraulic fluid thickness through which said opening and closing forces are transmitted, whereby said hydraulic fluid acts substantially as a solid with said thickness being substantially constant while said actuator assembly is actuated and wherein said thickness of said hydraulic link is adjustable while said actuator assembly is not actuated in response to changes in the dimensional relationship between components of said injection valve to maintain a desired valve lift upon actuation of said actuator assembly.