Claims:We Claim:

1. A high pressure fuel pump (10), said high pressure fuel pump (10) comprising:
a pumping chamber, and at least one outlet (12) in flow communication with said pumping chamber;
at least one connector (14) coupled to said at least one outlet (12), said at least one connector (14) supplies fuel delivered by said pumping chamber; characterized in that
an element (16) comprising at least one hole (18) and coupled to said at least one connector (14), and wherein said at least one hole (18) is aligned with said at least one outlet (12) to facilitate delivering fuel from said high pressure fuel pump (10), and wherein the said at least one hole (18) is aligned with said at least one outlet (12) by means of an actuator during normal operation.
2. The high pressure fuel pump (10) in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said actuator may be one selected from a list comprising a solenoid (20), a piezoelectric material, and the like.
3. The high pressure fuel pump (10) in accordance with Claim 2 wherein said solenoid (20) is deactivated to facilitate disorienting said at least one hole (18) of said element (16) with respect to said at least one outlet (12) for shutting off delivery of fuel from said high pressure fuel pump (10).
4. The high pressure fuel pump (10) in accordance with Claim 2 wherein said solenoid (20) is in electrical communication with an engine control unit, said engine control unit supplies said solenoid (20) with electric power to facilitate shutting off delivery of fuel from said high pressure fuel pump (10).
5. The high pressure fuel pump (10) in accordance with Claim 2 wherein said element (16) is translated by said solenoid (20) from a position where said at least one hole (18) is aligned with said at least one outlet (12) to a position where said at least one hole (18) is disoriented with respect to said at least one outlet (12).
6. The high pressure fuel pump (10) in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said element (16) may be one selected from a list comprising a plate, a rod, and the like.
7. The high pressure fuel pump (10) in accordance with Claim 1 further comprising an overflow valve (22) in flow communication with said element (16), said overflow valve (22) facilitates channeling excess fuel from said high pressure fuel pump (10) to a fuel tank.
8. An element (16) for a high pressure fuel pump (10) adapted to shut off a supply of fuel, said element (16) comprising:
at least one hole (18) created in said element (16), and wherein said at least one hole (18) is aligned with at least one outlet (12) of said high pressure fuel pump 10 to deliver fuel from said high pressure fuel pump (10) during normal operation, wherein said at least one hole (18) is aligned with at least one outlet (12) by means of an actuator.
9. The element (16) for a high pressure fuel pump (10) in accordance with Claim 8 wherein said actuator may be one selected from a list comprising a solenoid (20), a piezoelectric material, and the like.
10. The element (16) for a high pressure fuel pump (10) in accordance with Claim 8 wherein said element (16) is translated by said solenoid (20) from a position where said at least one hole (18) is aligned with said at least one outlet (12) to a position where said at least one hole (18) is disoriented with respect to said at least one outlet (12).
, Description:Field of the invention
This invention relates to a high pressure fuel pump and more particularly to a method and apparatus for cutting off fuel supply from the high pressure fuel pump to a plurality of fuel injectors.
Background of the invention
A high pressure fuel pump includes a plurality of fuel supply paths that supply fuel to a plurality of fuel injectors. A plurality of high pressure connectors are coupled between a plurality of outlets of the high pressure fuel pump and the plurality of fuel injectors for supplying pressurized fuel to the plurality of fuel injectors. When it is required to deactivate an engine, a plunger of the high pressure fuel pump prevents delivery of fuel when activated by means of mechanical linkages by a user. Therein, fuel supply to the engine is cut off which leads to the deactivation of the engine. However, this method is inconvenient because the user is required to manually operate a mechanical lever that cuts off fuel supply to the engine. Therefore, a solution is required wherein the supply of fuel to the engine is cut off by electrical means. In response to turning on/off an ignition key, the supply/cut off of fuel from the high pressure fuel pump to the plurality of fuel injectors is effected in a faster and more efficient manner.

DE Patent Number 102013215953-A1 describes a pump (1) that has a housing (3) comprising a housing recess (5). Pump pistons (10,15) are axially arranged between a top dead center and a bottom dead center and moved in the housing recess (5). A high pressure chamber (17) is used for compacting a fluid and commonly arranged to the pump pistons (10,15). A locking device i.e. check latch is used for disabling axial movement of one of the pump pistons in a pre-determined cut-off point. This pre-determined cut-off point is formed in a top dead center of the other pump piston.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings
[0001] Different modes of the invention are disclosed in detail in the description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings:
[0002] Figure 1 illustrates a high pressure fuel pump.
Detailed description of the embodiments
[0003] Figure 1 illustrates a high pressure fuel pump 10. The high pressure fuel pump 10 comprises a pumping chamber, and at least one outlet 12 in flow communication with the pumping chamber. At least one connector 14 is coupled to the at least one outlet 12, the at least one connector 14 supplies fuel delivered by the pumping chamber. An element 16 comprising at least one hole 18 and coupled to the at least one connector 14, and wherein the at least one hole 18 is aligned with the at least one outlet 12 to facilitate delivering fuel from the high pressure fuel pump 10 and wherein the at least one hole 18 is aligned with the at least one outlet 12 by means of an actuator during normal operation.

[0004] In addition, an element 16 for a high pressure fuel pump 10 adapted to shut off a supply of fuel is described. The element 16 comprises at least one hole 18 created in the element 16, and wherein the at least one hole 18 is aligned with at least one outlet 12 of the high pressure fuel pump 10 to facilitate deliver from the high pressure fuel pump 10 during normal operation, wherein the at least one hole 18 is aligned with at least one outlet 12 by means of an actuator.

[0005] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a high pressure fuel pump 10. In an embodiment, the high pressure fuel pump 10 may be an inline high pressure fuel pump 10 and includes a pumping chamber. Alternatively, the high pressure fuel pump 10 may be any other type of high pressure fuel pump known in the art that is capable of delivering pressurized fuel to a plurality of fuel injectors. The high pressure fuel pump 10 includes at least one outlet 12 that is in flow communication with the pumping chamber. At least one connector 14 is in flow communication with the at least one outlet 12. In an embodiment, the at least one connector 14 may be an integral portion of the high pressure fuel pump 10. In an alternate embodiment, the at least one connector 14 may be detachably coupled to the high pressure fuel pump 10. The at least one connector 14 channels fuel from the at least one outlet 12 to at least one fuel injector via a bore provided in the at least one connector 14.

[0006] An element 16 is positioned with respect to the at least one connector 14. The element 16 includes at least one hole 18 that is aligned with the at least one outlet 12. Then the at least one hole 18 of the element 16 is aligned with the at least one outlet 12 to facilitate channelling fuel out of the high pressure fuel pump 10. In an embodiment, the element 16 may be a plate. In another embodiment of the invention, the element 16 may be but is not limited to a rod, and the like. An overflow valve 22 is in flow communication with the element 16. The overflow valve 22 channels excess fuel from the high pressure fuel pump 10 to a fuel tank (not shown). Specifically, when the high pressure fuel pump 10 is deactivated, the excess fuel that is present in the gap between the element 16 and the at least one connector 14 is channelled to the fuel tank via the overflow valve 22.

[0007] A solenoid 20 is coupled to the element 16 via actuator linkages. The solenoid 20 may be coupled directly or indirectly to the ignition key via an electric circuit breaker. The solenoid 20 may be electrically powered to facilitate translating the element 16. When the high pressure fuel pump 10 is functional, the at least one hole 18 of the element 16 is aligned with the at least one outlet 12. Therefore, fuel flows from the high pressure fuel pump 10 via the at least one hole 18 of the element 16. When the high pressure fuel pump 10 is required to be deactivated, the at least one hole 18 of the element 16 is disoriented with respect to the at least one outlet 12 by the solenoid 20. In an embodiment, the solenoid 20 may be activated when it is required to align the at least one hole 18 of the element 16 with the at least one outlet 12. Alternatively, in an another embodiment, the solenoid 20 may be activated when it is required to disorient the at least one hole 18 of the element 16 with the at least one outlet 12.

[0008] Due to the at least one hole 18 of the element 16 being disoriented with the at least one outlet 12, the flow of fuel from the high pressure fuel pump 10 is blocked thereby leading to a cut off in the supply of pressurized fuel from the high pressure fuel pump 10. In an embodiment, the solenoid 20 may be replaced by a piezoelectric device. In an embodiment, the solenoid 20 may be replaced by any other type of electromechanical device/actuator that is capable of actuating the element 16 to facilitate aligning/disorienting the at least one hole 18 with respect to the at least one outlet 12. The alignment of the at least one hole 18 with respect to the at least one outlet 12 causes the flow of fuel to be channelled out of the high pressure fuel pump 10 to at least one fuel injector. Disorienting the at least one hole 18 with respect to the at least one outlet 12 causes the flow of fuel to be cut off from the high pressure fuel pump 10.

[0009] The principle of working of the element 16 for the high pressure fuel pump 10 is now explained as an example. When the high pressure fuel pump 10 is in operation, the at least one hole 18 of the element 16 is aligned with the at least one outlet 12 due to the solenoid 20 being actuated. Therein, high pressure fuel from the high pressure fuel pump 10 is channeled out of the high pressure fuel pump 10 via the at least one hole 18. When the high pressure fuel pump 10 is required to be shut off, a user deactivates the solenoid 20 by turning the ignition key to an off position. Therein, the solenoid 20 facilitates translating the element 16 such that the at least one hole 18 is disoriented with respect to the at least one outlet 12. Due to the at least one hole 18 being disoriented with respect to the at least one outlet 12, the flow of fuel from the high pressure fuel pump 10 is cut off. Therefore, due to the flow of fuel from the high pressure fuel pump 10 being cut off, an engine that is downstream from the high pressure fuel pump 10 is deactivated. When the ignition key is turned to an on position, the solenoid 20 is activated to translate the element 16 such that the at least one hole 18 of the element 16 is aligned with the at least one outlet 12. Therein, pressurized fuel from the high pressure fuel pump 10 is channeled out of the high pressure fuel pump 10 to at least one fuel injector.

[00010] Using the device of the present invention, the engine may be deactivated in a simple and cost effective manner by merely turning the ignition key to an off position by the user. Moreover, the use of the solenoid 20 for aligning/disorienting the at least one hole 18 of the element 16 with the at least one outlet 12 improves the response time at which the engine may be deactivated.

[00011] The above described high pressure fuel pump 10 adapted to cut off a supply of fuel facilitates deactivating the engine by the user when the user turns the ignition key to the off position. Therefore, the mechanical lever that was earlier used to deactivate the engine may be replaced by an electrically controlled mechanism.

[00012] It must be understood that the embodiments explained in the above detailed description is only illustrative and does not limit the scope of this invention. The scope of this invention is limited only by the scope of the claims. Many modification and changes in the embodiments aforementioned are envisaged and are within the scope of this invention.