Coupling device

• US 8,286,612 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2009
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Biasci, Enio, Giorgetti, Edoardo, Marc, Daniel, Serra, Giandomenico
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamaoui, David
• Application Number:
  US12/371,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20090229576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 123/470, 123/456, 123/468, 123/469, 239/600, 285/305, 285/318, 285/348
• US Class Current: 123/470
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2200/16 Sealing of fuel injection apparatus not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2200/8023 the assembly involving use of quick-acting mechanisms, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2200/856 characterised by mounting injector to fuel or common rail, or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2200/857 characterised by mounting fuel or common rail to engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 55/025 Common rails
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/14 Arrangements of injectors with respect to engines; Mounting of injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/465 of fuel rails

Abstract

Coupling device for hydraulically and mechanically coupling a fuel injector to a combustion engine fuel rail, having a fuel injector cup with a central longitudinal axis hydraulically coupled to the rail and engaging a fuel inlet portion of the injector, a first ring element fixedly coupled to the cup, and a second ring element fixedly coupled to the injector. One of the ring elements has a collar arranged radially outside the other elements and extending from the one element in direction of the longitudinal axis. The collar has a recess facing the central longitudinal axis. A circlip is arranged in the recess and arranged and designed to form a positive fitting coupling between the first and second ring elements. The circlip prevents a movement of the first ring element relative to the second element retaining the fuel injector in the fuel injector cup in direction of the central longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A coupling device for hydraulically and mechanically coupling a fuel injector to a fuel rail of a combustion engine, the coupling device comprising:

a fuel injector cup having a central longitudinal axis and being designed to be hydraulically coupled to the fuel rail and to engage a fuel inlet portion of the fuel injector,

a first ring element being fixedly coupled to the fuel injector cup, and

a second ring element being fixedly coupled to the fuel injector, wherein

the second ring element comprises a contact portion extending radially outward relative to the central longitudinal axis and a collar being arranged radially outside the other of the ring elements and extending from the contact portion in a direction of the central longitudinal axis, wherein the other of the ring elements is received in the collar and abuts the contact portion of the second ring element to form a ring element assembly, and

the collar of the second ring element having a recess facing the central longitudinal axis, and wherein a circlip is arranged in the recess and is arranged and designed to form a positive fitting coupling between the first ring element and the second ring element, the circlip being designed to prevent a movement of the first ring element relative to the second ring element to retain the fuel injector in the fuel injector cup in direction of the central longitudinal axis, and

the collar of the second ring element being configured such that when the other of the ring elements is received in the collar and abuts the contact portion of the second ring element to form the ring element assembly, a ring-shaped gap between an inner surface of the collar and an opposite outer surface of a cylindrical element is sufficiently sized to receive the circlip from outside the ring element assembly and into the recess in the collar.

2. The coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the collar is fixedly coupled to the second ring element.

3. The coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the fuel injector cup has a groove, a first snap ring is arranged in the groove and is designed to fixedly couple the first ring element to the fuel injector cup.

4. The coupling device according to claim 3, wherein the groove and the first snap ring are arranged and designed to form a positive fitting coupling between the first ring element and the fuel injector cup which is designed to prevent a movement of the first ring element relative to the fuel injector cup at least in a first direction of the central longitudinal axis.

5. The coupling device according to claim 1, wherein a welding seam is arranged between the first ring element and the fuel injector cup to fixedly couple the first ring element to the fuel injector cup.

6. The coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the first ring element is in one part with the fuel injector cup.

7. The coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the fuel injector comprises a groove, a second snap ring is arranged in the groove of the fuel injector and is designed to fixedly couple the second ring element to the fuel injector.

8. The coupling device according to claim 7, wherein the groove of the fuel injector and the second snap ring are arranged and designed to form a positive fitting coupling between the second ring element and the fuel injector which is designed to prevent a movement of the second ring element relative to the fuel injector at least in a second direction of the central longitudinal axis opposing the first direction of the central longitudinal axis.

9. The coupling device according to claim 1, wherein a welding seam is arranged between the second ring element and the fuel injector to fixedly couple the second ring element to the fuel injector.

10. The coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the second ring element is in one part with the fuel injector.

11. A method for hydraulically and mechanically coupling a fuel injector to a fuel rail of a combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

designing a fuel injector cup having a central longitudinal axis to be hydraulically coupled to the fuel rail and to engage a fuel inlet portion of the fuel injector,

coupling a first ring element fixedly to the fuel injector cup, and

coupling a second ring element fixedly to the fuel injector, wherein

the second ring element comprises a contact portion extending radially outward relative to the central longitudinal axis and a collar being arranged radially outside the other of the ring elements and extending from the contact portion in a direction of the central longitudinal axis, the collar having a recess facing the central longitudinal axis,

inserting the other of the ring elements to a position radially inside the collar and abutting the contact portion of the second ring element to form a ring element assembly, the collar being configured such the ring element assembly defines a ring-shaped gap between an inner surface of the collar and an opposite outer surface of a cylindrical element is sufficiently sized to receive a circlip through the ring-shaped gap, and

passing the circlip through the ring-shaped gap and into the recess, such that the circlip forms a positive fitting coupling between the first ring element and the second ring element, the circlip being designed to prevent a movement of the first ring element relative to the second ring element to retain the fuel injector in the fuel injector cup in direction of the central longitudinal axis.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the fuel injector cup has a groove, the method comprising the step of arranging a first snap ring in the groove to fixedly couple the first ring element to the fuel injector cup.

13. The coupling device according to claim 12, comprising the step of arranging the groove and the first snap ring to form a positive fitting coupling between the first ring element and the fuel injector cup which is designed to prevent a movement of the first ring element relative to the fuel injector cup at least in a first direction of the central longitudinal axis.

14. The coupling device according to claim 11, comprising the step of arranging a welding seam between the first ring element and the fuel injector cup to fixedly couple the first ring element to the fuel injector cup.

15. The coupling device according to claim 11, wherein the fuel injector comprises a groove, the method comprising the step of arranging a second snap ring in the groove of the fuel injector to fixedly couple the second ring element to the fuel injector.

16. The coupling device according to claim 15, comprising the step of arranging the groove of the fuel injector and the second snap ring to form a positive fitting coupling between the second ring element and the fuel injector which is designed to prevent a movement of the second ring element relative to the fuel injector at least in a second direction of the central longitudinal axis opposing the first direction of the central longitudinal axis.

17. The coupling device according to claim 11, comprising the step of arranging a welding seam between the second ring element and the fuel injector to fixedly couple the second ring element to the fuel injector.