Method of and conversion kit for converting an engine to hydraulically-actuated fuel injection system
First Claim
1. 1. A fuel injection system for an existing internal combustion engine, the engine having a cylinder block and a cylinder head defining a plurality of injector bores and being conventionally mounted to the cylinder block, comprising:
- an adapter assembly releasably connected to the cylinder head and defining an actuating fluid manifold therein and a plurality of injector bores in substantial axial alignment with the plurality of injector bores in the cylinder head;
a plurality of fuel injector sleeves, one positioned in each of the plurality of injector bores in the cylinder head and the adapter assembly;
a plurality of hydraulically-actuated fuel injectors, one positioned in each of the plurality of injector sleeves with the injectors each having an actuating fluid inlet passage; and
the adapter assembly including actuating fluid passage means for communicating between the actuating fluid manifold and the actuating fluid inlet passage of each of the injectors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The design and manufacture of past fuel injection systems required extensive modification of the cylinder head in order to provide and actuate hydraulically actuated fuel injectors. Additionally, methods to avoid the cylinder head modifications have presented reliability concerns. The present invention overcomes these problems by providing an adapter assembly releasably connected to the cylinder head. The adapter assembly includes an adapter which has an integrally formed actuating fluid manifold and an integrally formed fuel manifold. The present invention provides a means for communicating between the actuating fluid manifold and the actuating fluid inlet passage of a hydraulically actuated fuel injector and a means for communicating between the fuel manifold and the fuel inlet passage of the fuel injector. Actuating fluid is communicated through the actuating fluid manifold and into the actuating fluid inlet passage in order to actuate the fuel injector. This results in a more reliable system which eliminates costly modifications to the cylinder head.
67 Citations
13 Claims
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1. 1. A fuel injection system for an existing internal combustion engine, the engine having a cylinder block and a cylinder head defining a plurality of injector bores and being conventionally mounted to the cylinder block, comprising:
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an adapter assembly releasably connected to the cylinder head and defining an actuating fluid manifold therein and a plurality of injector bores in substantial axial alignment with the plurality of injector bores in the cylinder head; a plurality of fuel injector sleeves, one positioned in each of the plurality of injector bores in the cylinder head and the adapter assembly; a plurality of hydraulically-actuated fuel injectors, one positioned in each of the plurality of injector sleeves with the injectors each having an actuating fluid inlet passage; and the adapter assembly including actuating fluid passage means for communicating between the actuating fluid manifold and the actuating fluid inlet passage of each of the injectors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine, the engine having a cylinder block and a cylinder head defining a plurality of injector bores and being conventionally mounted to the cylinder block, comprising:
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an adapter assembly releasably connected to the cylinder head and defining an actuating fluid manifold, a fuel manifold, and a plurality of injector bores in substantial axial alignment with the plurality of injector bores in the cylinder head; a plurality of fuel injector sleeves, one positioned in each of the plurality of injector bores in the cylinder head and the adapter assembly; a plurality of hydraulically-actuated fuel injectors, one positioned in each of the plurality of injector sleeves with the injectors each having an actuating fluid inlet passage and a fuel inlet passage; the adapter assembly including actuating fluid passage means for communicating between the actuating fluid manifold and the actuating fluid inlet passage of each of the injectors; and the adapter assembly including fuel passage means for communicating between the fuel manifold and the fuel inlet passage of each of the injectors. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of converting an internal combustion engine to a hydraulically actuated fuel injection system, the engine having a cylinder block and a cylinder head defining a plurality of injector bores and being conventionally mounted to the cylinder block, comprising the steps of:
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connecting an adapter assembly releasably to the cylinder head, the adapter assembly defining an actuating fluid manifold, a fuel manifold, and a plurality of injector bores in substantial axial alignment with the plurality of injector bores in the cylinder head; positioning a fuel injector sleeve in each of the plurality of injector bores in the cylinder head and the adapter assembly; positioning a hydraulically-actuated fuel injector in each of the plurality of injector sleeves, the injectors each having an actuating fluid inlet passage and a fuel inlet passage; providing communication between the actuating fluid manifold and the actuating fluid inlet passage of each of the injectors; and providing communication between the fuel manifold and the fuel inlet passage of each of the injectors. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification