Fuel injector system diagnostic system

• US 7,096,726 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sena Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sena Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Brock, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/289,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20060101904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• Field of Search: 731/16, 731/172, 731/173, 731/181, 731/19.A, 731/19.R, 340/438, 340/439, 340/451, 701/101, 701/103, 701/104
• US Class Current: 73/114.51
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/224 Diagnosis of the fuel system
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0602 Fuel pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/221 relating to the failure of actuators or electrically driven elements
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3836 Controlling the fuel pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2200/21 Fuel-injection apparatus with piezoelectric or magnetostrictive elements
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2200/24 Fuel-injection apparatus with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/465 of fuel rails
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/008 using piezoelectric devices piezoelectric resonators G01L9/0022; surface acoustic waves G01L9/0025
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/09 by monitoring pressure in fluid ducts, e.g. in lubrication or cooling parts

Abstract

An internal combustion engine diagnostic sensor system comprises a fuel rail for the engine wherein the fuel rail has a high pressure inlet end, a plurality of injector ports, and a terminating end and wherein a piezoelectric sensor is mounted on the terminating end. The piezoelectric sensor is in open communication with contents in the fuel rail. In addition, the internal combustion engine diagnostic sensor system comprises a fuel rail for the engine wherein the fuel rail has a high pressure inlet end, a plurality of injector ports and a terminating end. There is also a connector disposed at the high pressure inlet end of the fuel rail wherein the connector has a near end that is openly connected to the fuel rail, and a distal end that has mounted thereon, a valve. There is surmounted on the valve, a piezoelectric sensor, wherein the piezoelectric sensor is in open communication with the contents of the fuel rail through the valve.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric transducer assembly comprising in combination,

A. a receiving assembly comprising a housing having a front and a back, said back having centered therein, a hub, said centered hub having a first centered opening therethrough and a second centered opening therethrough, said centered hub being integrally connected to said housing,

said housing having a first circular opening in the front, said first circular opening having a circular piezoelectric transducer element disposed therein;

said piezoelectric transducer element having a bottom surface and a top surface, there being disposed on the top surface of the piezoelectric transducer element, at least one spacer disk, there being a second opening in the front, deeper than the first circular opening and having a lesser diameter than the diameter of the first circular opening;

the centered opening in the centered hub continuing on through the transducer retainer assembly housing and opening into the second opening in the back to provide a continuous channel through the transducer retainer assembly that exits at the hub;

an insertable assembly comprising a housing, said housing having a front and a back, the front having a centered first opening therethrough, the front having a second centered opening therethrough, said second centered opening being of lesser diameter than the first centered opening in the front, said second centered opening continuing on through the housing and exiting out the back of the housing, said housing having a lesser diameter at the back than the insertable assembly has at the front;

a saucer-like depression at the exit point of the second opening in the housing, said saucer-like depression having a top surface, the surface area of the top of the saucer-like depression being relative to the surface area of the top of the piezoelectric transducer element, said surface area relationship having a ratio in the range of from zero to 1;

1, said saucer-like depression having an outside circumferential leading edge and disposed in said outside circumferential leading edge is a sealing means;

a conductive cup, said conductive cup having a bottom and a top edge, said cup having a centered opening in the bottom thereof said cup being seated in the second opening of the housing such that the centered opening in the bottom of the cup aligns with the second centered opening in the back of the receiving retainer assembly housing, said conductive cup containing therein, a plug, said plug having a centered opening, said plug being surmounted by a washer, and

B. an electrical connection, said electrical connection comprised of an electrical connector having a base, said base having a top and said base containing an electrical lead therein, which lead passes through the base and exits at the top of the base, said lead being surmounted by a spring, said connector inserted in and fastened into the second centered opening of the back of the housing such that the spring passes through the centered opening in the bottom of the conductive cup, the plug, and washer, and impinges on the bottom surface of the piezoelectric transducer element.

2. A piezoelectric transducer assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein in B, there is a resistor that is electrically connected to the spring and electrically grounded to the base.