Patent ID: 7059307

Claim:
A fuel injector for vaporizing a liquid fuel for use in an internal combustion engine, comprising: (a) a plurality of capillary flow passages, each of said plurality of capillary flow passages having an inlet end and an outlet end; (b) a fluid control valve for placing said inlet end of each of said plurality of capillary flow passages in fluid communication with the liquid fuel source and introducing the liquid fuel in a substantially liquid state; (c) a heat source arranged along each of said plurality of capillary flow passages, said heat source operable to heat the liquid fuel in said plurality of capillary flow passages to a level sufficient to change from the liquid state to a vapor state and deliver a stream of vaporized fuel from said outlet end of each of said plurality of capillary flow passages; and (d) means for cleaning deposits formed during operation of the apparatus wherein said means for cleaning deposits includes said fluid control valve, said fluid control valve operable for placing each of said plurality of capillary flow passages in fluid communication with a solvent, enabling in-situ cleaning of said plurality of capillary flow passages when the solvent is introduced into said capillary flow passages.