Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8561591B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 02:42:20
Document Index: 288918655

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61']

US8561591B2 - Integrated fuel injector igniters having force generating assemblies for injecting and igniting fuel and associated methods of use and manufacture - Google Patents
US8561591B2
US8561591B2 US13/347,603 US201213347603A US8561591B2 US 8561591 B2 US8561591 B2 US 8561591B2 US 201213347603 A US201213347603 A US 201213347603A US 8561591 B2 US8561591 B2 US 8561591B2
US13/347,603
US20120216782A1 (en
2010-12-06 Priority to US12/961,453 priority Critical patent/US8091528B2/en
2012-01-10 Application filed by McAlister Tech LLC filed Critical McAlister Tech LLC
2012-01-10 Priority to US13/347,603 priority patent/US8561591B2/en
2012-08-30 Publication of US20120216782A1 publication Critical patent/US20120216782A1/en
2012-09-13 Assigned to MCALISTER TECHNOLOGIES, LLC reassignment MCALISTER TECHNOLOGIES, LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MCALISTER, ROY EDWARD
2013-10-22 Publication of US8561591B2 publication Critical patent/US8561591B2/en
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/961,453, filed on Dec. 6, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,091,528 and titled INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTOR IGNITERS HAVING FORCE GENERATING ASSEMBLIES FOR INJECTING AND IGNITING FUEL AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE.
The present application incorporates by reference in its entirety the subject matter of the following applications: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/237,466, filed Aug. 27, 2009 and titled MULTIFUEL MULTIBURST; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/407,437, filed Oct. 27, 2010 and titled FUEL INJECTOR SUITABLE FOR INJECTING A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT FUELS INTO A COMBUSTION; U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/304,403, filed Feb. 13, 2010 and titled FULL SPECTRUM ENERGY AND RESOURCE INDEPENDENCE; U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/312,100, filed Mar. 9, 2010 and titled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING HIGH VOLTAGE RF SHIELDING, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR USE WITH A FUEL INJECTOR; U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/237,425, filed Aug. 27, 2009 and titled OXYGENATED FUEL PRODUCTION; U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/237,479, filed Aug. 27, 2009 and titled FULL SPECTRUM ENERGY; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/841,170, filed Jul. 21, 2010 and titled INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITERS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/804,510, filed Jul. 21, 2010 and titled FUEL INJECTOR ACTUATOR ASSEMBLIES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/841,146, filed Jul. 21, 2010 and titled INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTOR IGNITERS WITH CONDUCTIVE CABLE ASSEMBLIES; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/841,149, filed Jul. 21, 2010 and titled SHAPING A FUEL CHARGE IN A COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH MULTIPLE DRIVERS AND/OR IONIZATION CONTROL; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/841,135, filed Jul. 21, 2010 and titled CERAMIC INSULATOR AND METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE THEREOF; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/804,509, filed Jul. 21, 2010 and titled METHOD AND SYSTEM OF THERMOCHEMICAL REGENERATION TO PROVIDE OXYGENATED FUEL, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH FUEL-COOLED FUEL INJECTORS; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/804,508, filed Jul. 21, 2010 and titled METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR REDUCING THE FORMATION OF OXIDES OF NITROGEN DURING COMBUSTION IN ENGINES; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/581,825, filed Oct. 19, 2009 and titled MULTIFUEL STORAGE, METERING AND IGNITION SYSTEM; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/653,085, filed Dec. 7, 2009 and titled INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITERS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/006,774 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,137), filed Jan. 7, 2008 and titled MULTIFUEL STORAGE, METERING AND IGNITION SYSTEM; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/913,749, filed Oct. 27, 2010 and titled ADAPTIVE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITERS; PCT Application No. PCT/US09/67044, filed Dec. 7, 2009 and titled INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITERS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/961,461, filed concurrently herewith on Dec. 6, 2010 and titled: INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTOR IGNITERS CONFIGURED TO INJECT MULTIPLE FUELS AND/OR COOLANTS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE.
1. An injector for introducing fuel into a combustion chamber and igniting fuel, the injector comprising:
a base portion having a fuel inlet for receiving fuel into the body;
a nozzle portion coupled to the base portion and positioned to inject fuel; and
an enclosure member at least partially defining a fuel flow channel for transporting fuel from the base portion to the nozzle portion, wherein the enclosure member includes a fuel exit port;
an ignition electrode at the nozzle portion for generating an ignition event to at least partially ignite fuel;
a flow control valve at the nozzle portion, wherein the flow control valve is radially expandable from a closed position covering the fuel exit port to an open position exposing the fuel exit port; and
a piezoelectric force generator operably coupled to the flow control valve, wherein activation of the piezoelectric force generator expands the flow control valve from the closed position to the open position.
2. The injector of claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric force generator is a first piezoelectric force generator, the injector further comprising
a base valve at the base portion, the base valve operable from a closed position to an open position; and
a second piezoelectric force generator, the second piezoelectric force generator operably coupled to the base valve, wherein activation of the second piezoelectric force generator operates the base valve from the closed position to the open position to provide fuel to the flow channel.
3. The injector of claim 2, further comprising a fuel connecting conduit, wherein the fuel connecting conduit extends from the base portion to the fuel flow channel, wherein the base valve is positioned to deliver fuel directly to the fuel connecting conduit, and wherein the fuel flow channel delivers fuel to the fuel exit port.
4. The injector of claim 1 wherein the fuel exit port is one of a plurality of fuel exit ports, the plurality of fuel exit ports encircling the fuel flow channel and extending along a section of the enclosure member.
5. The injector of claim 1, further comprising an ignition conductor and a core insulator, wherein the core insulator is coaxially disposed over at least a portion of the ignition conductor, and wherein the fuel flow channel encircles the core insulator.
6. The injector of claim 1, further comprising an ignition conductor and a core insulator, wherein the ignition conductor extends coaxially through the core insulator, and wherein the core insulator includes an enlarged end portion positioned coaxially within the flow control valve.
7. The injector of claim 1 wherein the fuel control valve is adhered to an outer surface of the enclosure member.
8. An injector for introducing fuel into a combustion chamber and igniting fuel, the injector comprising:
an injector body having a base portion and a nozzle portion;
a valve carried by the body, wherein the valve is movable from a closed position to an open position to introduce fuel into the combustion chamber; and
a force generator assembly including
a first piezoelectric component operably coupled to the valve, wherein an application of current to the first piezoelectric component activates the first piezoelectric component to move the valve from the closed position to the open position; and
a second piezoelectric component operably coupled to the first piezoelectric component, wherein activation of the first piezoelectric component activates the second piezoelectric component to generate current and at least partially initiate the ignition event.
9. The injector of claim 8 wherein the first piezoelectric component is annular in shape, and wherein the valve is coaxial with the first piezoelectric component.
10. The injector of claim 8, further comprising a fuel connecting conduit and a fuel flow channel, wherein the fuel connecting conduit extends from the base portion to the fuel flow channel, wherein the valve is positioned to deliver fuel directly to the fuel connecting conduit, and wherein the fuel flow channel delivers fuel to a fuel exit port.
11. The injector of claim 8 wherein the first piezoelectric component and the second piezoelectric component are concentrically positioned within the base portion.
12. The injector of claim 8, further comprising a controller operably coupled to the force generator assembly to actuate the introduction of fuel and the ignition event.
13. The injector of claim 8, further comprising an ignition conductor and a core insulator, wherein the ignition conductor extends through the injector body and is operably coupled to the ignition electrode, and wherein the core insulator encircles at least a portion of the ignition conductor.
14. The injector of claim 13, further comprising a tubular enclosure member at least partially encircling the core insulator, wherein the core insulator and the enclosure member at least partially define a fuel flow channel that delivers fuel to the nozzle portion.
15. A method for operating a fuel injector to inject and ignite fuel, the method comprising:
introducing fuel into a body of the fuel injector;
operating a radially expanding valve from a closed position to an open position by applying current to a piezoelectric force generator to expand the valve, wherein operating the radially expanding valve to an open position exposes a fuel exit port and dispenses fuel; and
igniting fuel with an ignition electrode.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising adaptively controlling the radially expanding valve based on a detected combustion chamber property.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the piezoelectric force generator is a first piezoelectric force generator, the method further comprising operating a base valve with a second piezoelectric generator to introduce fuel into a fuel flow channel.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising selectively actuating the second piezoelectric generator with a controller in response to a detected combustion chamber property.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the fuel exit port is one of a plurality of fuel exit ports, and wherein operating the radially expainding valve to an open position includes exposing the plurality of fuel exit ports to dispense fuel in a circular pattern from a nozzle portion of the fuel injector.
providing current to the ignition electrode through an ignition conductor that extends through a core insulator; and
directing fuel through a flow channel that at least partially encircles the core insulator.
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US12/961,453 US8091528B2 (en) 2010-12-06 2010-12-06 Integrated fuel injector igniters having force generating assemblies for injecting and igniting fuel and associated methods of use and manufacture
US13/347,603 US8561591B2 (en) 2010-12-06 2012-01-10 Integrated fuel injector igniters having force generating assemblies for injecting and igniting fuel and associated methods of use and manufacture
US14/060,210 US9151258B2 (en) 2010-12-06 2013-10-22 Integrated fuel injector igniters having force generating assemblies for injecting and igniting fuel and associated methods of use and manufacture
US12/961,453 Continuation US8091528B2 (en) 2010-12-06 2010-12-06 Integrated fuel injector igniters having force generating assemblies for injecting and igniting fuel and associated methods of use and manufacture
US14/060,210 Continuation US9151258B2 (en) 2010-12-06 2013-10-22 Integrated fuel injector igniters having force generating assemblies for injecting and igniting fuel and associated methods of use and manufacture
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Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MCALISTER, ROY EDWARD;REEL/FRAME:028955/0947