Internal combustion engine with fuel injection unit

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel injection unit (1) for an internal combustion engine comprising a fuel passage (14) for supplying fuel and an air passage (16) for supplying pressurized air, into which the outlet (15) of said fuel passage (14) for supplying fuel opens and an injection valve (10) for opening and closing at least the air outlet (16a) of said air passage (16), wherein said fuel passage (14) and said air passage (16) are provided independently of each other. Moreover, fuel injection is performed either with a certain delay with respect to the initiation of the pressurized air injection or is carried out simultaneously therewith in order to ensure that the fuel becomes sufficiently atomized and that improved combustion stability is obtained.

Description: The present invention relates to a fuel injection unit for an internal combustion engine comprising a housing, a fuel passage for supplying fuel and an air passsage for supplying pressurized air which are provided independently of each other, and an injection valve for opening and closing at least the air outlet of the air passage, having a fuel injection system for injecting fuel and an air injection system for injecting pressurized air, wherein a fuel outlet of the fuel passage opens into the air flow passage upstream of the air outlet of the air flow passage. Among various kinds of fuel injection units for injecting fuel into the internal combustion engine combustion chamber which have so far been proposed to improve combustion stability, there is one, as disclosed by, e.g., Japanese Provisional Patent Publication S62-93481, in which fuel and air are premixed and then this fuel-air premix is injected into the engine combustion chamber. Hereupon, if fuel and air are premixed and then injected, although fuel is supplied together with air even at the start and termination of injection, it happens there that fuel is supplied under an insufficiently atomized condition which is a cause of poor combustion stability of the internal combustion engine, because the injection flow speed becomes smaller at the start and termination of injection. Moreover, in the prior art, when the injection valve for injecting the fuel/air-mixture is in its closed position, fuel is supplied into the chamber or air passage wherein fuel and air are premixed and, accordingly, in which the air is supplied. In that case, some fuel is apt to flow towards the upstream side of said mixture make-up chamber or air passage and adheres there even when the injection valve is being opened. As a result thereof, the exact supply of a premetered amount of fuel to the cylinder is deteriorated and, accordingly, the engine output lacks optimal performance. An air/fuel direct injection unit is known from US-A-4 771 754 disclosing a pneumatic injuector for injecting a pressurized air/fuel charge through a fuel injector. In that case a pre-mix of air and fuel is provided relatively remote of the nozzle of the injection unit. From AT-B-82 344, a fuel injection flow valve is shown wherein a continous flow of scavenging air air is fed to the valve housing and the fuel injection opening is controlled by means of a piston which, sequentially opens the air feed opening (in conjunction with the opening movement of the valve body) and opens only then the fuel injection opening, leaving a scavenging flow of pressurized air to flow through the valve in advance and after the discharge of an air/fuel mixture. A fuel injection unit as indicated in the introductory portion of the specification is known from WO-A1-87/02419 disclosing a differential pressure air/fuel metering device which enables fuel and air to be simultaneously fed through the delivery port of the nozzle. Further improvement of such fuel injection units is desired. Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a fuel injection unit as indicated above which allows a pre-mixed air/fuel charge to be supplied injecting the fuel in a highly atomized condition , thus improving the engine combustion stability and performance. Said objective is achieved by a fuel injection unit of the type is indicated above wherein said fuel injection system includes a fuel injector for timing the fuel injection into the fuel passage said fuel injector being fastened to the housing inclined against the axis of the injection valve around which the air passage extends and wherein fuel injection is started later than pressurized air injection is started and fuel injection is terminated prior to termination of pressurized air injection to acquire optimum atomizatin of the fuel. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are laid down in the subclaims. Specifically, the fuel injection unit according to the present invention is preferably designed in that the fuel outlets of the fuel passage join with the air passage near the air outlet thereof in such a manner that the fuel outlets face with the air flow passage. The timing of fuel injection from the fuel outlets of the fuel passage is variable depending the operating conditions of the engine. The fuel injection unit, the method for injecting a fuel/air-mixture and the internal combustion engine, according to the present invention, exhibit a plurality of advantageous effects as, since the fuel passage and the air passage are made independent of each other and the pressurized air is being introduced from the air outlet of the air passage before the fuel injection is started or terminated or at least is performed simultaneously therewith, fuel can be sufficiently atomized even at the start or the termination of fuel injection and the combustion stability can be improved. Further, in case that the fuel outlets of the fuel passage open near the air outlet of the air passage in such a manner that the fuel outlets face with the air flow passage, the fuel is carried by the air flow to be supplied into the combustion chamber of the engine and fuel atomization is further improved and enhanced. Still, in case that the timing of fuel injection from the fuel outlets of the fuel passage is variable according to the operating conditions of the engine, fuel can be supplied according to the engine operating conditions such as speed, load, etc. and the fuel consumption is improved while the mixture-by can be prevented. In the following the present invention is explained in greater detail by means of a preferred embodiment thereof in conjunction with the associated drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a fuel injection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a sectional view of a valve member portion of the fuel injection unit according to Figure 1 on a larger scale, Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a diagram showing the fuel injection timing according to one embodiment of an injection timing method, Figure 5 is a time chart showing the fuel injection timing according to the diagram of Figure 4, Figure 6 is a diagram showing another fuel injection timing according to another embodiment of an injection timing method, Figure 7 is a time chart showing the fuel injection timing according to the diagram of Figure 6, and Figure 8 is a sectional view of still another embodiment of a valve member portion of an injection valve accomodated in a fuel injection unit according to the present invention on a larger scale. In the following, a first embodiment of the present invention is described in detail referring to the appendent drawings, Figures 1 to 7, as explained above. A fuel injection unit 31 in this embodiment is mounted near the ignition plug 33 of the cylinder 32 of a 2-cycle internal combustion engine, and has a fuel injection system 34 for injecting fuel and an air injection system 35 for injecting pressurized air provided independently of each other. The cylinder 32 has an exhaust port 80 formed therethrough. The housing 36 of the fuel injection unit 31 is covered by a detachable cap 81 and has an electromagnetic coil or solenoid 37 mounted therein to operate the injection valve 38 which is kept urged in the closing direction A by a spring 42 mounted under precompression between a retainer 39 secured within the housing 36 and a stopper 41 fastened by a nut 40. The urging force of this spring 42 is set through adjusting the distance between the stopper 41 and the retainer 39 by rotating an adjuster nut 43 with a tool when assembling with the cover 60 removed. After completion of this adjustment, the retainer 39 is fixed by caulking the notch portion 36a of the housing 36. By this adjustment, the opening/closing movement of the injection valve 38 can be made correct, and the contact between the valve portion 38a and the valve seat 44a can be fixed at a predetermined relationship. Within the valve side of the housing 36 is provided a holder 44 through which is provided an injection valve 38 axially slidably. Between the holder 44 and the injection valve 38 is formed an air passage 45 into which is continually supplied pressurized air from the air supply port 46 provided through the cover 60. The injection valve 38 has a valve member portion 38a and communicating holes 38b, and the pressurized air from the air passage 45 is supplied toward the valve member portion 38a through the communicating holes 38b and, when the valve portion 38a is opened, is injected into the combustion chamber 47 from the air outlet 62 formed between the valve portion 38a and the valve seat 44a of the holder 44. Between the holder 44 and the housing 36 is formed a fuel passage 48 into which is supplied fuel from the injector 49 fastened on the housing 36 through fuel passage 50. At its lower end, the fuel passage 48 forms a broadened annular chamber section. The fuel from the fuel passage 48 and its broadened chamber section at the lower end thereof, formed between the holder 44 and the housing 36 is injected in the direction of the valve portion 38a of the injection valve 38 through inclined fuel outlets 51 formed through the valve seat 44a, which outlets 51 are faced with the air flow passage opening onto the seat surface of the valve seat 44a formed at the tip of the holder 44. The fuel injection timing of this injection unit 31 is explained hereinafter with respect to Figures 4 and 5 or, alternatively, with respect to Figures 6 and 7. The injection timings of this injection unit is shown in Figures 4 and 5. In Figure 4, "air injection started" means that the injection valve 38 is opened and air injection from the air outlet 16a is started, and "air injection terminated" means that the injection valve 38 is closed and air injection from the air outlet 16a is terminated. "Fuel injection started" and "fuel injection terminated" shows the injection timing of the injector 49. Further, in Figure 5, "air injection" shows the timing of opening and closing of the injection valve 38, and "fuel injection" shows the injection timing of the injector 49. That is to say, the injection valve 38 is moved in the opening direction B against the spring 42 by the energized electromagnetic coil 37 when the exhaust port provided through the engine cylinder begins to be opened, by which the pressurized air having been supplied into the air chamber in the housing 36 is injected from the air outlet 62 between the valve portion 38a of the injection valve 38 and the valve seat 44a of the housing 36 through the air passage 45. With a predetermined lag t1 after this injection of pressurized air, fuel is injected from the injector 49 and begins to be injected from the fuel outlets 51 through the fuel passage 48 of the injection valve 10. Since pressurized air is being supplied with a definite flow speed when the fuel is injected as mentioned above, the injected fuel can be appropriately atomized. When the exhaust port is closed, with a predetermined lag of t2 after termination of fuel injection by the injector 49 and, thus, after termination of fuel injection from the injection valve 38, the electromagnetic coil 37 is deenergized, the injection valve is moved back by the spring 42 in the closing direction A, and the valve portion 38 of the injection valve 38 is brought into contact with the valve seat 44a of the housing 36 to terminate injection of pressurized air. The fuel injection timing is such that, while the exhaust port is opened, fuel injection is started after the start of the pressurized air injection and is terminated before the termination of the pressurized air injection. In addition, since air injection is started after the exhaust port is opened and accordingly injection of fuel and pressurized air into the engine combustion chamber is started after the combustion gas has begun to be exhausted and, thus, after the pressure within the combustion chamber has begun to be lowered, the combustion gas can be prevented from flowing back into the fuel injection unit 31 while the injection pressures of fuel and pressurized air are not required to be immoderately higher. Further, since fuel is injected at points where the pressurized air is flowing at a high speed, fuel can be satisfactorily atomized, and still further, since the pressurized air is being injected before the start and after termination of fuel injection, fuel can be atomized satisfactorily even at early and final stages of fuel injection and, thus, combustion stability can be improved. Further, the timing of fuel injection from the fuel outlets 51 of the fuel passage 48 can be varied according to the engine operating conditions such as its speed or load. For example, the blow-by of fuel-air mixture from the exhaust port can be prevented by supplying fuel earlier within the high speed rotation range of the internal combustion engine and later within the low speed rotation range. On the other hand, while fuel is supplied earlier within high load operating range, fuel supplying timing can be retarded to improve combustion stability within low load operating range through laminar combustion. Figures 6 and 7 refer to a method for controlling the timing of fuel and air injection different from the timing according to claim 1. In this case fuel injection is started at the same time when the injection valve opens, i.e., simultaneously with the start of the air injection. Similarly, according to such a control method for triggering a fuel and an air supply simultaneously, the fuel injection is terminated at the same time when the injection valve is closed, i.e., simulaneously with termination of the pressurized air injection. Also in this way, fuel is not supplied to the air passage when the injection valve is in its closed position and, accordingly, the fuel will be supplied to the combustion chamber of the cylinder exactly metered and atomized. Summarizing both timing methods for injecting fuel into the pressurized air flow, it is important that, in no way, fuel injection is triggered prior to the initiation of pressurized air injection into the combustion chamber. That is, the timing of fuel injection is controlled thus, that it starts only simultaneously with the opening of the injection valve, i.e., at the same time with pressurized air injection or starts with a certain delay with respect to said air injection, and said fuel injection is terminated prior to closing the injection valve, i.e., prior to the pressurized air injection being terminated or is at least performed simultaneously with the shut-off of pressurized air injection by closing the injection valve. Thus, combustion stability can be improved and an exactly metered fuel/air-mixture can be supplied into the combustion chamber of the engine. The fuel outlets 51, as shown in Figure 2, may be spaced apart circumferentially from one another to form separate fuel outlets 51 or the outlet port at the sealing surface of the valve seat 44a thereof may be communicated through an angular groove connecting the separate outlets 51 to one another. Again, the valve member portion 38a may have a hemispherical or truncated cone-shaped configuration with the cooperating valve seat 44a adapted thereto. Further, the injection valve 38 may either open/close both fuel passage 45 and fuel passage 48 simultaneously as mentioned above, or as shown in Figure 8, open/close only fuel/air passage 45 by forming fuel outlets 51 in communication with the air passage 45. According to the embodiment of Figure 8, the lower end of the fuel supply passage 48 terminates into a broadened chamber section in between the housing 36 and the holder 44 and a plurality of fuel outlets 51 branch from said broadened annular chamber section through the holder 44 upstream of the valve seat 44a to open into the air supply passage 45 upstream of the valve member portion 38a of the fuel injection valve 38. With the fuel injection unit according to this invention, since the fuel passage for supplying fuel and the air passage for supplying pressurized air are provided independently of each other, and the timing of fuel injection from the fuel outlets of the fuel passage is set in such a manner that fuel injection is started simultaneously with or after air injection from the air outlet of the air passage is started and is terminated before air injection is terminated or at least simultaneously therewith, the pressurized air is being injected from the air outlet of the air passage at a predetermined flow speed when fuel injection is started or terminated, fuel can be sufficiently atomized even at the start or the termination of fuel injection, and the combustion stability can be improved. Further, since the fuel outlets of the fuel passage are opened near the air outlet of the air passage in such a manner that the fuel outlets face with the air flow passage, the fuel is carried by the air flow to be supplied into the engine combustion chamber and fuel atomization is further improved. Still, the timing of fuel injection from the fuel outlets of the fuel passage can be varied according to the operating conditions of the engine, fuel can be supplied according to the engine operating conditions such as its speed, load, etc., and the fuel consumption is improved while the mixture blow-by can be prevented.

Claims: A fuel injection unit for an internal combustion engine comprising a housing, a fuel passage for supplying fuel and an air passage for supplying pressurized air which are provided independently of each other, and an injection valve for opening and closing at least the air outlet of said air passage, having a fuel injection system for injecting fuel and an air injection system for injecting pressurized air, wherein a fuel outlet of the fuel passage opens into the air flow passage directly upstream of the air outlet of the air flow passage, characterised in that said fuel injection system includes a fuel injector (49) for timing the fuel injection into the fuel passage (48,50) said fuel injector (49) being fastened to the housing (36) inclined against the axis of the injection valve (38) around which the air passage (45) extends and wherein fuel injection is started later than pressurized air injection is started and fuel injection is terminated prior to termination of pressurized air injection to acquire optimum atomization of the fuel. A fuel injection unit as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the fuel supply passage (48) terminates into a plurality of spaced fuel outlets (51), facing with the air flow passage (45) directly upstream of the valve controlled air outlet (62), respectively. A fuel injection unit a claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, characterised in that , the air flow passage (45) opens into a downwardly expanding outlet (62) to establish a valve seat (44a) at a lower end portion of a housing (36) cooperating with a valve member portion (38a) of the elongated fuel injection valve (38). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterised in that , the fuel supply passage (48) extends through a stem portion of the elongated fuel injection valve (38) terminating into a plurality of circumferentially spaced outlet passages (52) opening onto a sealing surface of the valve member portion (38a) cooperating with the valve seat surface (44a) of a housing (36) of the fuel injection unit (31). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterised by a partition dividing the fuel injection unit into an air chamber and a fuel chamber wherein the air chamber accommodating a holder (44) cooperating with the injection valve (38) received in the housing (36). A fuel injection unit as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that , the electromagnetic coil (37) is controlled electronically by a controller to move the injection valve (38) in a downwards direction (B) to open the injection valve (38) upon energizing said coil (37). A fuel injection unit as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that , the injection valve (38) is inserted through a tip portion of the housing (36), the holder (44) and the partition. A fuel injection unit as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that , a spring (42) is connected to the fuel injection valve (38) by means of a stopper (41) and a nut (40) continuously urging the injection valve (38) in an upward direction (A) to perform sealing contact with the valve seat (44a) biasing the injection valve member portion (38a) in a closed position of the fuel injection valve (38). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterised in that , the injection valve (38) is provided with an axial fuel passage (48) extending through its stem portion and the valve member portion (38a) of the injection valve (38) is abutted against the valve seat (44a) at the tip (4a) of the housing (36) when the fuel injection valve (38) is closed. A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterised in that , the valve member portion (38a) of the fuel injection valve (38) includes a plurality of fuel outlets (51) formed radially therethrough in communication with the axial fuel passage (48) in a manner that fuel is injected radially from the axial fuel supply passage (48) through said radial fuel outlets (51), preferably in eight directions. A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, characterised in that , the fue outlets (51) of the fuel supply passage open shortly upstream of, i.e. near an air outlet (62) of an air passage (45) in a manner that the fuel outlets (51) face with the air flow passage (45) in a manner that the fuel is carried by the air flow to be supplied into the engine combustion chamber. A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 11, characterised in that , the valve seat (44a) at the tip of the housing (36) is in the shape of a downwardly expanding truncated cone with the valve member portion (38a) of the fuel injection valve (10) being shaped correspondingly to establish sealing contact in between an outer conical surface of the valve member portion (38a) and the valve seat (44a) of the fuel injection valve (38). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 12, characterised in that , an air supply passage (45) is formed around the injection valve (38) along its stem portion in between the injection valve (38) and the surrounding holder (44) as well as in between the valve stem portion and the tip of the housing (36), said air supply passage (45) is communicated with the air chamber through a communication passage formed in the holder, said air supply passage (45) being continuously supplied with pressurized air through an air introducing port (46) formed through the housing. A fuel injection unit as claimed in claim 13, characterised by guide projections integrally provided at the circumference of the stem portion of the fuel injection valve (38) at an intermediate position thereof, adapted to guide the fuel injection valve (38) axially within the accommodating air supply passage (45) said projections being recessed by axial communicating bores extending axially through the integral guide projections of the stem portion of the fuel injection valve (38) to communicate the air passage (45) upstream of said guide projections with the valve member portion side (38a) of the fuel injection valve (38) downstream of said guide projections. A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 14, characterised in that , the injection valve (38) is a common valve for opening and closing both the fuel outlets (62) of the fuel supply passage (48) and the air outlet (51) of the air passage (45). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 15, characterised by an injector (49) accommodated in the housing (36) and adapted to inject the fuel which has been supplied continuously from the fuel supply port into the fuel chamber through a filter from the fuel outlets (51) via the fuel passage (48), extending through the injection valve (38), at a predetermined timing. A fuel injection unit as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that , the injector is inserted into the housing and is held down by a cover in a manner that the axis of the injector is in alignment with the center axis of the injection valve. A fuel injection unit as claimed in claim 1, characterised by a fuel injection system (34) for injecting fuel and air injection system (35) for injecting pressurized air being provided independently of each other and the fuel injection unit (31) being located near an ignition plug (33) of a cylinder (32) of a two-cycle internal combustion engine. A fuel injection unit as claimed in claim 18, characterised by a housing (36) bearing an electromagnetic coil or solenoid (37) to operate an injection valve (38) which is prebiased in its closed position by a spring (42) mounted under precompression between a retainer (39), secured with the housing (36) and a stopper (41) fastened by a nut (40), with the housing being kept covered by a detachable cap (81). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 18 and 19 , characterised in that, the biasing force of the spring (42) is adjustable through an adjuster nut (43) enabling to correctly adjust the opening/closing movement of the injection valve (38) and the finally-adjusted assembly can be fixed in order to establish the contact between a valve member portion (38a) of the injection valve (38) and a valve seat (44a) at the housing (4) to become fixed at a predetermined relationship. A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 18 to 20, characterised in that , the valve side of the housing (36) accomodates a holder (44) which, in turn, axially slidably receives an elongated stem portion of the injection valve (38) terminating into a lower valve member portion (38a) adapted to establish contact with a valve seat (44a) of the holder (44). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 18 to 21, characterised in that, an air supply passage (45) is formed in between the holder (44) and the injection valve (38) continuously supplied with pressurized air from an air supply port (46) extending through the cover (60). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 18 to 22, characterised in that , the injection valve (38) has a valve member portion (38a) provided at the lower end portion of the stem of the injection valve (10), said valve member portion (38a) cooperates with a corresponding contact surface of the valve seat (44a) of the holder (44) and, moreover, the injection valve (38) provides communicating holes (38b) extending through guide section of the injection valve stem portion to communicate the air supply passage (45) upstream of said guide sections with the valve portion side of the air supply passage (45) downstream of said guide sections to supply pressurized air from the air passage (45) toward the valve member portion (38a) of the injection valve (38) through the communicating holes (38b). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 18 to 23, characterised in that , a fuel passage (48) is formed in between the holder (44) and the surrounding housing (36) into which fuel is supplied from an injector (49), fastened on the housing (36) through a fuel passage (50). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 18 to 24, characterised in that , the lower end of the fuel supply passage (48) terminates into a broadened chamber section in between the housing (36) and the holder (44) and a plurality of inclined fuel outlets (51) branch from said broadened chamber section of the fuel supply passage (48) through the valve seat portion (44a) of the holder (44) in a manner that the outlets (51) face with the air flow passage formed in between the valve member portion (38a) of the injection valve (38) and the associated valve seat (44a) of the holder (44). A fuel injection unit as claimed in claim 25, characterised in that , the fuel outlets (51) terminate into an angular groove recessed in the valve seat surface of the valve seat (44a) of the holder (44). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 18 to 26, characterised in that , the fuel outlets (51) of the fuel supply passage (48) open into the seat surface of the valve seat (44a) of the fuel injection valve provided at the lower tip end of the holder (44). A fuel injection unit as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims 18 to 24, characterised in that , the lower end of the fuel supply passage (48) terminates into a broadened chamber section in between the housing (36) and the holder (44) and a plurality of fuel outlets (51) branch from said broadened annular chamber section through the holder (44) upstream of the valve seat (44a) to open into the air supply passage (45) upstream of the valve member portion (38a) of the fuel injection valve (38).

Inventors: KISHIDA HAJIME, YOSHIDA TAKEO, KISHIDA, HAJIME, YOSHIDA, TAKEO
Applicants: YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD, YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1990
Main classification: F02M67
IPC codes: F02B75, F02M67, F02D41, F02M69