Abstract:
A solenoid that includes a housing having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a bore through the housing and the outer surface including a flange extending therefrom. A gland nut having a threaded outer surface and an inner surface surrounds the outer surface of the housing, is rotatable relative to the housing, and abuts the flange.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to a high pressure solenoid, and more particularly to a high pressure solenoid having a threaded gland nut that allows simple assembly and re-alignment of electrical connectors as well as decrease required service time when the solenoid requires maintenance. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    It is important in the design of high pressure solenoids, especially fuel injectors, to provide a device which is both easy to assemble and service. 
         [0003]    A typical fuel injector is assembled by fitting the housing of the fuel injector into an opening in a combustion chamber of an engine. In low pressure applications, the fuel injector is held in place via only a friction fit with the opening in the intake manifold. In higher pressure applications, the fuel injector is typically held in place through both a friction fit with the opening in the combustion chamber and a separate clamping assembly attached to a surface in the cylinder head. 
         [0004]    It is typically very difficult to remove a fuel injector during a servicing operation because a large amount of force/leverage is required to overcome the friction fit holding the fuel injector in place. In modern engines, there is sometimes not enough room in the engine compartment of a vehicle for a service technician to apply the require amount of force/leverage for removal. 
         [0005]    Also, during an assembly/re-assembly operation, it is typically very difficult and time consuming to properly align the electrical connectors of the fuel injectors before fitting the fuel injector in pace in its opening. If alignment is riot correct, the electrical connection can not be properly made and the fuel injector must be removed and re-aligned. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In one form, the present disclosure provides a solenoid that includes a housing having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a bore through the housing and the outer surface including a flange extending therefrom, and a gland nut having a threaded outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of the gland nut being dimensioned to surround the outer surface of the housing and abut the flange. 
         [0007]    In another form, the present disclosure provides a solenoid fluid injector assembly having a tubular housing with an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a bore through the housing and the outer surface including a flange extending radially therefrom. An actuator subassembly and a valve member subassembly are positioned within the bore and electromagnetically coupled to each other, and a terminal is coupled to the actuator assembly. A gland nut having a threaded outer surface and an inner surface surrounds the outer surface of the housing, is rotatable relative to the housing, and abuts the flange. 
         [0008]    In yet another form, the present disclosure provides a method of assembling an engine that includes a) providing a solenoid fluid injector having a tubular housing with a bore therethrough and an outer surface including a flange extending radially therefrom, an actuator subassembly positioned within the bore, a valve member subassembly positioned within the bore and electromagnetically coupled to the actuator subassembly, a terminal coupled to the actuator assembly, and a gland nut having a threaded outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of the gland nut being dimensioned to surround the outer surface of the housing, be rotatable relative to the housing, and abut the flange; b) providing an automotive component having a threaded opening; c) locating the solenoid fluid injector within the threaded opening of the automotive component; d) rotating the housing relative to the gland nut so as to position the terminal in a desired orientation; and e) rotating the gland nut so as to engage the threads of the gland nut with the threaded opening while maintaining the desired orientation of the terminal. 
         [0009]    Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, drawings and claims provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description, including disclosed embodiments and drawings, are merely exemplary in nature, intended for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, its application, or use. Thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a cross sectional view of a high pressure solenoid configured as a fuel injector according to an aspect of the present invention; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the high pressure solenoid of  FIG. 1  positioned within a threaded opening in an automotive component. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The following detailed description illustrates the present invention incorporated into a fuel injector solenoid. It will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art that the present invention is applicable outside of a fuel injector solenoid configuration and can be configured for use in any automotive component for the purpose of hydraulic flow or pressure control. For example, one of skill in the art will recognize that the solenoid can be configured for use within an electrohydromechanical valvetrain for the purpose of controlling both hydraulic flow and pressure to engine valves so as to control valve lift and timing, or for use in anti-lock braking systems. 
         [0013]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a high pressure solenoid configured as a fuel injector  1  according to the teachings of the invention is shown. The fuel injector  1  includes a tubular housing  10  having an upper portion  12 , a lower portion  14 , an inner surface  16  and an outer surface  18 . A bore  20  extends through the housing  10 . 
         [0014]    An electromagnetic actuator subassembly  22  is positioned within the bore  20  at the upper portion  12  of the housing  10 . The electromagnetic actuator subassembly  22  includes a coil  24  and a terminal  26  that actuates the coil  24 . The terminal  26  extends out from the actuator subassembly  22  for connection to a lead (not shown) for selectively energizing the coil  24 . A combined valve guide  72 , seat  74 , armature  76  and valve member  78  subassembly  28  is located within the bore  20  at the lower portion  14  of the housing  10 . Energizing of the coil  24  causes reciprocal movement of the armature  76  within subassembly  28 . This reciprocal movement is used to direct a spray of fuel into a combustion chamber associated with the fuel injector  1 . 
         [0015]    The outer surface  18  of the housing  10  includes a radially outwardly extending flange portion  30  encircling the housing  10  at approximately the midportion thereof. A gland nut  32  is provided around the outer surface  18  of the housing  10 , adjacent to and abutting the flange portion  30 . An inner surface  34  of the gland nut  32  is configured so as to allow the gland nut  32  to rotate relative to the housing  10 . An outer surface  36  of the gland nut  32  includes a thread  38  along a lower portion thereof, and an upper portion of the gland nut  32  is provided with angled linear surfaces  40  configured to be gripped by a tool such that the gland nut  32  can be rotated and engaged with corresponding threads within an opening in an automotive component, such as the corresponding threads  50  within an opening  52  in the cylinder head  56  of the engine as shown in more detail in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0016]    The fuel injector  1  also preferably has a ring retainer  42  attached to the upper portion  12  of the housing  10 . In the configuration shown in  FIG. 1 , the ring retainer  42  is crimped onto a groove  44  provided on the upper portion  12  of the housing  10  so that the gland nut  32  is retained between the ring retainer  42  and the flange portion  30 . In other configurations, the ring retainer can be held in place with other retention features, including but not limited to providing the ring retainer with a thread and screwing the ring retainer onto a corresponding thread on the upper portion of the housing, providing a set screw to hold the ring retainer in place, or using swaging to hold the ring retainer in place. 
         [0017]    The ring retainer  42  keeps the gland nut  32  from being separated from the housing  10  while also allowing the gland nut  32  to rotate relative to the housing  10 . In addition, and as shown in  FIG. 1 , the ring retainer  42  can be configured to overlap the upper portion  12  of the housing  10  so as to assist in holding the actuator subassembly  22  within the bore  20 . As described in more detail below, the use of the ring retainer  42  also provides benefits in the overall serviceability of the solenoid. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the fuel injector  1  is shown attached to tie cylinder head  56  with the lower housing  14  protruding through an opening  52  into the combustion chamber  54 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the cylinder head  56  incorporates a thread  50  corresponding to the thread  38  on the gland nut  32  of tie fuel injector  1 . During assembly/re-assembly, the fuel injector  1  is placed in tie opening  52  and the terminal  26  is aligned in a desired orientation. This orientation of the terminal  26  is possible because the housing  10  is rotatable relative to the gland nut  32 . After the terminal  26  is in the desired orientation, the gland nut  32  is rotated so that the thread  38  of the gland nut  32  engages the thread  50  of the opening  52 . During this engagement of the threads of the gland nut  32  and the opening  52 , the terminal  26  can be held in its desired orientation while the gland nut  32  is continuously rotated until a first O-ring seal  58  is seated against a shoulder within the opening  52 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , depending on the configuration of the fuel injector  1 , a second O-ring seal  60  can be provided in a channel  62  in the lower portion  14  of the housing  10  so as to seat against a wall of the opening  52  of the cylinder head  56  and thereby provide an additional seal. 
         [0019]    One of the important improvements realized with the use of the ring retainer is the increased serviceability of the solenoid. Because the gland nut  32  is positioned between the ring retainer  42  and the flange  30 , and rotatable relative to the housing  10 , when a service operation is carried out to remove the solenoid, the gland nut  32  is unscrewed and pushes against the ring retainer  42  to assist in forcing the solenoid out of the opening in the automotive component. This extra leverage provided by the gland nut  32  against the retainer ring  42  allows the solenoid to be easily extracted. 
         [0020]    With the above described configuration, assembly/repair of the fuel injector is simplified and assembly/repair time can be significantly decreased.