FUEL INJECTION ADAPTERS AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150233330A1
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Go Natural CNG LLC
• Original Assignee: Go Natural CNG LLC
• Inventors: MATSUKAWA, Matthew M.
• Application Number:
  US14/703,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20150233330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0281 Adapters, sockets or the like to mount injection valves onto engines; Fuel guiding passages between injectors and the air intake system or the combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/029 Arrangement on engines or vehicle bodies; Conversion to gaseous fuel supply systems
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0296 Manufacturing or assembly; Materials, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 43/00 Fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels, or on a liquid fuel and another liquid, e.g. the other liquid being an anti-knock additive
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 43/04 Injectors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 55/025 Common rails
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/145 the injection nozzle opening into the air intake conduit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6851 With casing, support, protector or static constructional installations

Abstract

A fuel injection adapter can include a primary cavity into which a primary fuel injector can be received and a secondary cavity into which a secondary fuel injector can be received. A channel can provide fluid communication between the primary and secondary cavity, and the primary cavity can be in fluid communication with an outlet of the fuel injection adapter.

Claims

1. A fuel injection adapter comprising:

an output port;

a first cavity in fluid communication with the output port, wherein the first cavity is configured to be coupled with at least a portion of a first fuel injector so as to align an output tip of the first fuel injector with the output port and so as to permit a first fuel to be delivered from the first fuel injector through the output port;

a second cavity that is configured to be coupled with at least a portion of a second fuel injector; and

a channel that fluidly connects the second cavity with the first cavity such that a second fuel delivered from the second fuel injector can flow from the second cavity through the channel and through the output port.

2. The fuel injection adapter of claim 1, wherein when the first cavity is coupled with the first fuel injector, the output tip of the fuel injector is aligned with the output port so as to permit at least a portion of the first fuel that is delivered from the first fuel injector to pass from the fuel injector and through the output port along a straight path.

3. The fuel injection adapter of claim 1, wherein the second cavity is configured to be coupled with the second fuel injector so as to align an output tip of the second fuel injector with a base wall such that a fuel ejected from the second fuel injector is redirected from its original trajectory to pass from the second cavity through the channel and through the output port.

4. The fuel injection adapter of claim 1, wherein the second cavity is vertically offset relative to the first cavity.

5. The fuel injection adapter of claim 1, wherein the first cavity defines a central longitudinal axis that is parallel to a central longitudinal axis defined by the second cavity.

7. The fuel injection adapter of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall is configured to be coupled with an output end of the first fuel injector so as to align a tip of the first fuel injector with the output port to permit at least a portion of fuel that is ejected from the tip to pass through the output port without being redirected by the fuel injection adapter.

8. The fuel injection adapter of claim 1, wherein the only fluid path of egress from the second cavity is through the channel when the second sidewall is coupled with a second fuel injector, and wherein a fuel ejected from the second fuel injector is redirected from its original trajectory so as to pass from the second cavity through the channel and through the output port.

9. The fuel injection adapter of claim 1, wherein the connection protrusion comprises a sealing member that is configured to form a fluid-tight seal with the intake manifold.

10. The fuel injection adapter of claim 1, wherein the first cavity defines a central axis, and wherein, when the central axis is oriented vertically, the first and second cavities are vertically offset relative to each other.

6. A fuel injection adapter comprising:

a connection protrusion that defines an output port, wherein the connection protrusion has a configuration suitable for coupling the fuel injection adapter with an intake manifold of a vehicle;

a first sidewall that defines at least a portion of a first cavity, wherein the first sidewall is configured to be coupled with an output end of a first fuel injector that has a configuration identical to the configuration of the connection protrusion, and wherein the first cavity is in fluid communication with the output port;

a second sidewall that defines at least a portion of a second cavity, wherein the second sidewall is configured to be coupled with an output end of a second fuel injector; and

a channel that fluidly connects the first and second cavities.

11. A method of injecting fuel into an intake manifold via an adapter, wherein the adapter comprises a first cavity and a second cavity that are in fluid communication with each other via a channel, and wherein the adapter further comprises an output port that is in fluid communication with the first cavity, the method comprising:

ejecting a first fuel from a first fuel injector such that the first fuel passes through the output port of the adapter, wherein said ejecting the first fuel is performed without altering, via the adapter, a trajectory of at least a portion of the first fuel after the first fuel has exited the first fuel injector;

ejecting a second fuel from a second fuel injector; and

altering a trajectory of the second fuel via the adapter so as to pass the second fuel through the channel and through the output port.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first fuel is in liquid form and the second fuel is in gaseous form.