Patent ID: 8225768

Claim:
An injector for introducing and igniting fuel at an interface with a combustion chamber, the injector comprising: an injector body including— a base portion configured to receive fuel into the injector body; a nozzle portion opposite the base portion, wherein the nozzle portion is configured to be positioned proximate to the combustion chamber for injecting fuel in the combustion chamber; a body insulator extending through at least a portion of the body; and a valve seat carried by the body insulator, wherein the valve seat is positioned at or proximate to the nozzle portion; a fuel flow path extending through the body; and a core assembly extending through the body coaxially with at least a portion of the fuel flow path, the core assembly including— an ignition rod extending from the base portion to the nozzle portion; an ignition insulator coaxially disposed over the ignition rod, the ignition insulator extending from the base portion at least partially into the nozzle portion; and a valve coaxially disposed over the ignition insulator, wherein the valve includes a sealing head adjacent to the valve seat, and wherein the valve moves along the ignition insulator between an open position in which the sealing head is spaced apart from the valve seat to allow fuel to exit the fuel flow path, and a closed position in which the sealing head at least partially contacts the valve seat to close the fuel flow path.