Patent ID: 8113179

Claim:
Apparatus for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine comprising: a solid magnetostrictive material with a favored direction of magnetostrictive response formed into a shape with ends that are substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the favored direction of magnetostrictive response; a fuel control valve element located coaxial to the favored direction of magnetoelastic response of the magnetostrictive material, the element opening inwardly; a solenoid coil located concentric with the magnetostrictive material and coaxial to the favored direction of magnetoelastic response, the solenoid coil adapted to excite the magnetostrictive material into mechanical motion; an excitation signal within the solenoid coil consisting of a main current signal with a superposed alternating signal approximately the width of a hysteresis loop of the solid magnetostrictive material; and a magnetic return path circuit in magnetic communication with the solid magnetostrictive material.