EP1826395A1

EP1826395A1 - Coupling device for connecting an injector to a fluid supply

Info

Publication number: EP1826395A1
Application number: EP06003609A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roberto Ricci; Domenico Viggiani
Original assignee: Siemens AG; Siemens Corp
Current assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
Priority date: 2006-02-22
Filing date: 2006-02-22
Publication date: 2007-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2026-02-22
Also published as: DE602006003857D1; EP1826395B1

Abstract

A Coupling device (6) for connecting an injector (2) to a fluid supply (4) comprises a pipe (8), an adjusting element (10), and a coupling body. The pipe (8) communicates with the fluid supply (4) and has a plane end face (9). The adjusting element (10) has a first plane side (11) facing to the plane end face (9) and is coupled to the plane end face (9). Further, the adjusting element (10) is movable rectangular to an axis (X) of the pipe (8) and has a recess. The recess penetrates the adjusting element (10) in axial direction and communicates with the pipe (8). The coupling body has a side portion and a bottom portion. The side portion is fixed to the pipe (8) and radially surrounds the adjusting element (10). The bottom portion is axially coupled to the adjusting element (10) and has a recess for coupling the adjusting element (10) to the injector.

Description

The invention relates to a coupling device for connecting an injector to a fluid supply. The coupling device comprises a pipe and a coupling body.
EP 0 969 203 A1 discloses a coupling system between an engine head, an injector and a fuel manifold. The engine head has a seating which is designed to house the injector. The fuel manifold extends above the engine head. The fuel manifold is connected to the injector through a bush which projects from the fuel manifold. The injector is coupled to the seating by means of a ball coupling. The fuel manifold is wretchedly secured to the engine head. An opposing spring is interposed between the fuel manifold and the injector to compress the injector inside the seat.
It is an object of the invention to create a coupling device for connecting an injector to a fluid supply which enables a proper flexible coupling of the injector to the fluid supply.
The object is achieved by the independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are given in the sub claims.
The invention is distinguished by a coupling device for connecting an injector to a fluid supply. The coupling device comprises a pipe, an adjusting element, and a coupling body. The pipe communicates with the fluid supply and has a plane end face. The adjusting element has a first plane side facing to the plane end face of the pipe. The first plane side of the adjusting element is coupled to the plane end face of the pipe. The adjusting element is moveable rectangular to an axis of the pipe. Further, the adjusting element has a recess which penetrates the adjusting element in axial direction and which communicates with the pipe. The coupling body has a side portion and a bottom portion. The side portion is fixed to the pipe and the side portion radially surrounds the adjusting element. The bottom portion is axially coupled to the adjusting element and has a recess for coupling the adjusting element to the injector.
If the injector does not fit to the pipe, in particular, if an axis of the injector does not correspond to the axis of the pipe, the adjusting element may be moved rectangular to the axis of the pipe. So, the coupling device enables to fix the injector to the pipe although the position of the injector is shifted relative to its given position. This contributes to a proper flexible coupling of the injector to the pipe and via the pipe to the fluid supply.
In an advantageous embodiment of the coupling device, the coupling body comprises a coupling nut. The pipe has a corresponding thread for the coupling nut. The coupling nut is screwed onto the pipe at the thread of a pipe. This contributes to the proper coupling of the injector to the pipe.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the coupling device, the plane end face of the pipe and/or the first plane side of the adjusting element, which is coupled to the plane end face, comprise a coupling groove. The coupling groove is formed circumferential an axis of the adjusting element and/or, respectively, circumferential the axis of the pipe. The coupling device comprises a first O-ring seal which is arranged in the coupling groove. This contributes to a proper sealed coupling of the adjusting element to the pipe.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the coupling device, the coupling device comprises a tube. The tube takes in an axial section of the coupling body and an axial section of the pipe. Further, the tube is coupled to the coupling body and the axial section of the pipe by a press-fit. This contributes to a proper fixation of the coupling body.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the coupling device, the pipe has a circumferential groove at an outer shell of the pipe. If the tube is crimped partly into the circumferential groove of the pipe, the circumferential groove contributes to a proper fixation of the tube.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the coupling device the recess of the adjusting element has an inner diameter which increases away from the pipe. This contributes to a wide flexibility of the coupling device.
The invention is explained in the following with the help of schematic drawings.
These are as follows:

Figure 1 an injector and a fluid supply,
Figure 2 a first embodiment of a coupling device,
Figure 3 a second embodiment of the coupling device.

Elements with the same design or function that appear in the different illustrations are identified by the same reference characters.
An injector 2 (figure 1) is connected to a fluid supply 4 by a coupling device 6. The injector 2 is suited for injecting fluid. Preferably, the injector 2 is used for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine.
A pipe 8 (figure 2) is connected to the fluid supply 4. Preferably, an axis of the fluid supply 4 is rectangular to an axis X of the pipe 8. The pipe 8 has a plane end face 9.
An adjusting element 10 has a first plane side 11. The first plane side 11 is coupled to the plane end face 9 of the pipe 8. The adjusting element 10 has a recess which penetrates the adjusting element 10 in direction of an axis Y of the adjusting element 10. The recess of the adjusting element 10 communicates with the pipe 8.
Preferably, the adjusting element 10 comprises a coupling groove 12 which is formed in the first plane side 11 of the adjusting element 10 circumferential the axis Y of of the adjusting element 10. A first O-ring seal 14 is arranged in the coupling groove 12 of the adjusting element 10. The first O-ring seal 14 contributes to a proper sealed coupling between the adjusting element 10 and the pipe 8. Alternatively or additionally the coupling groove 12 may be formed in the plane end face 9 of the pipe 8 which then preferably is formed circumferential the axis X of the pipe 8 and which then takes in the first O-ring seal 14.
The adjusting element 10 is fixed to the pipe 8 by a coupling body. The coupling body takes in the adjusting element 10 and an end area of the pipe 8 which comprises the plane end face 9. Further, the coupling body has a side portion which radially surrounds the adjusting element 10 and a bottom portion which has a recess through which an inlet tube 35 of the injector 2 may be stuck into the adjusting element 10. Preferably, the coupling body comprises a coupling nut 32. Then, the pipe 8 comprises a corresponding thread 33 for screwing the coupling nut 32 onto the pipe 8.
The coupling nut 32 is screwed on to the pipe 8 in such a way, that the adjusting element 10 is moveable rectangular to the axis X of the pipe 8. So, the axis Y of the adjusting element 10 and the axis X of the pipe 8 are shiftable relative to each other. This enables to compensate system tolerances of the internal combustion engine which lead to an incorrect position of the injector 2 relative to the fluid supply 4. For example, the system tolerances may relate to a position of the fluid supply 4 and/or to the position of the pipe 8 at the fluid supply 4 and/or to dimensions of the fluid supply 4 and/or the pipe 8 and/or to a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine in which the injector 2 is arranged, and/or to further system tolerances which lead to a shifting of an axis of the inlet tube 35 of the injector 2 relative to the axis X of the pipe 8.
Preferably, an inner diameter of the recess of the adjusting element 10 increases towards the injector 2. This enables a slight tilting of the injector 2 relative to the axis Y of the adjusting element 10. This contributes to the proper flexible coupling of the injector 2 to the fluid supply 4.
Additionally, there may be arranged a tube 34 at the outside of the coupling device 6. The tube 34 takes in an axial section of the coupling nut 32 and an axial section of the pipe 8. The Tube 34 may comprise aluminum or stainless steel. After screwing the coupling nut 32 onto the pipe 8, the tube 34 may be sticked onto the coupling nut 32 and the pipe 8. Preferably, the tube 34 is fixed to the pipe 8 and to the coupling nut 32 by a press-fit. If the tube 34 is fixed to the pipe 8 by the press-fit the pipe 8 preferably comprises a circumferential groove 38 at an outer shell of the pipe 8. Then, the tube 34 is crimped into the groove 38 circumferential groove 38 at the outer shell of the pipe 8. So, the tube 34 holds the coupling nut 32 in its position.
Preferably, the inlet tube 35 of the injector 2 comprises a diminution 37 of the inlet tube 35. An O-ring seal 36 of the injector 2 is arranged in the diminution 37 of the inlet tube 35. The O-ring seal 36 of the inlet tube 35 contributes to a proper sealing between the injector 2 and the pipe 8.

Claims

Coupling device (6) for connecting an injector (2) to a fluid supply (4) comprising
- a pipe (8) which communicates with the fluid supply (4) and which has a plane end face (9),

- an adjusting element (10), which has a first plane side (11) facing to the plane end face (9) and being coupled to the plane end face (9), and which is movable rectangular to an axis (X) of the pipe (8), and which has a recess, with the recess penetrating the adjusting element (10) in axial direction and with the recess communicating with the pipe (8),

- a coupling body having a side portion, which is fixed to the pipe (8) and which radially surrounds the adjusting element (10), and having a bottom portion, which is axially coupled to the adjusting element (10) and which has a recess for coupling the adjusting element (10) to the injector.
Coupling device (6) in accordance with claim 1 with the coupling body comprising a coupling nut (32) and with the pipe (8) having a corresponding thread (33) for the coupling nut (32) and with the coupling nut (32) being screwed onto the pipe (8) at the thread (33) of the pipe (8).
Coupling device (6) in accordance with one of the preceding claims with the plane end face (9) of the pipe (8) and/or with the first plane side (11) of the adjusting element (10), which is coupled to the plane end face (9), comprising a coupling groove (12) which is formed circumferential the axis (X) of the pipe and/or, respectively, circumferential an axis (Y) of the adjusting element (10) and with the coupling device (6) comprising an O-ring seal (14) which is arranged in the coupling groove (12).
Coupling device (6) in accordance with one of the preceding claims comprising a tube (34) which takes in an axial section of the coupling body and an axial section of the pipe (8) and which is coupled to the coupling body and the axial section of the pipe (8) by a press fit.
Coupling device (6) in accordance with claim 4 with the pipe (8) having a circumferential groove (38) at an outer shell of the pipe (8).
Coupling device (6) in accordance with one of the preceding claims with the recess of the adjusting element (10) having an inner diameter which increases away from the pipe (8).