Claims:We Claim

1. A pressure regulator (10) for controlling a flow of pressurized gaseous fuel to a fuel injector, said pressure regulator (10) comprising:
an inlet supply path (12);
an outlet supply path (14);
a casing (16) defined between the inlet supply path (12) and the outlet supply path (14);
a first orifice plate (18) and a second orifice plate (20) positioned between the inlet supply path (12) and the outlet supply path (14), said first orifice plate (18) and said second orifice plate (20) each positioned within said casing (16) and adapted to abut against each other to prevent a flow of pressurized fuel from said inlet supply path (12) to said outlet supply path (14); and
a first solenoid coil (22) and a second solenoid coil (24) inserted within said casing (16) and proximate to said first orifice plate (18) and said second orifice plate (20), said first solenoid coil (22) and said second solenoid coil (24) adapted to be actuated to facilitate translating said first orifice plate (18) and said second orifice plate (20) apart from each other, thereby creating a passage for fuel to flow from said inlet supply path (12) to said outlet supply path (14).

2. The pressure regulator (10) for controlling a flow rate of pressurized gaseous fuel to a fuel injector in accordance with Claim 1 further comprising a first spring member (26) positioned between said first solenoid coil (22) and said first orifice plate (18), and a second spring member (28) positioned between said second solenoid coil (24) and said second orifice plate (20), said first spring member (26) and said second spring member (28) adapted to restore said first orifice plate (18) and said second orifice plate (20) to abut against each other, thereby closing the passage of gaseous fuel from said inlet supply path (12) to fuel outlet supply path (14).
, Description:Complete Specification:

The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
Field of the invention
[0001] This invention relates to a pressure regulator, and more specifically to a pressure regulator for controlling a flow rate of pressurized gaseous fuel to a fuel injector.

Background of the invention
[0002] GB 1390767A - In a fluid flow control system, the active components, e.g. pressure regulators and valves, are incorporated in one or more blocks of solid material which have passages for the flow or flows between the active components in each block. The first block has air inlet and a pressure regulating valve with a manual adjustor which projects through a panel on which both blocks are mounted. A pressure gauge of the mini-strip type is connected to a port. A solenoid valve of on/off type controls flow from passage to passage and a flow regulating valve with manual control controls flow from passage through socket. The first block has an inlet in which a flowmeter is mounted. The flowmeter tube connects sockets to provide fluid connection between the two blocks. A solenoid on/off valve controls a flow of fluid from the recess via a passage into a gallery inter-connecting outlet ports. A similar valve controls the flow from the recess to the outlet ports. Adjacent modular blocks may be clamped together with aligned ports sealed by O-ring seals.

Brief description of the accompanying drawing
[0003] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a pressure regulator positioned in a gaseous flow path of a fuel injection system.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0004] Figure 1 illustrates a pressure regulator 10 for controlling a flow rate of pressurized gaseous fuel to a fuel injector. The pressure regulator 10 comprises a fuel inlet supply path 12, and a fuel outlet supply path 14. A casing 16 is defined between the fuel inlet supply path 12 and the fuel outlet supply path 14. A first orifice plate 18 and a second orifice plate 20 are positioned between the fuel inlet supply path 12 and the fuel outlet supply path 14. The first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 are each positioned within the casing 16 and adapted to abut against each other to prevent a flow of pressurized fuel from the fuel inlet supply path 12 to the fuel outlet supply path 14. A first solenoid coil 22 and a second solenoid coil 24 is inserted within the casing 16 and proximate to the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20, the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24 adapted to be actuated to facilitate actuating the first orifice plate 18 apart from the second orifice plate 20 thereby creating a passage for fuel to flow from the fuel inlet supply path 12 to the fuel outlet supply path 14.

[0005] The pressure regulator 10 for controlling a flow rate of pressurized gaseous fuel to a fuel injector comprises an inlet supply path 12 that permits a flow of gaseous fuel within the pressure regulator 10. An outlet supply path 14 is in flow communication with the inlet supply path 12 and is adapted to channel the flow of gaseous fuel out of the pressure regulator 10. A casing 16 is defined between the inlet supply path 12 and the outlet supply path 14 and is circumferentially coupled to the pressure regulator 10. The casing 16 is inserted within a bore that is defined in the pressure regulator and is used to house a plurality of components therein, as will be explained in further detail below.

[0006] A first orifice plate 18 and a second orifice plate 20 are positioned within the casing 16. More specifically, a first end of the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 are inserted within the casing 16 and are adapted to reciprocate within the casing 16. In the exemplary embodiment, the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 are positioned between the fuel inlet supply path 12 and the fuel outlet supply path 14. The opposite second end of the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 are adapted to abut against each other to prevent a flow of pressurized gaseous fuel from the inlet supply path 12 to the outlet supply path 14. Therefore, in this position, no gaseous fuel is allowed to flow from the inlet supply path 12 to the outlet supply path 14.

[0007] A first solenoid coil 22 and a second solenoid coil 24 are inserted within diametrically opposite ends of the casing 16. More specifically, the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24 are each inserted within a first bore 30 and a second bore 32 at diametrically opposite ends of the casing 16 respectively. The first solenoid coil 22 is proximate to the first orifice plate 18, and the second solenoid coil 24 is proximate to the second orifice plate 20. The first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24 are each adapted to be actuated to facilitate translating the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 apart from each other. When the first orifice plate 18 is separated from the second orifice plate 20, a passage for fuel to flow from the inlet supply path 12 to the outlet supply path 14 is created.

[0008] A first spring member 26 and a second spring member 28 are inserted within the casing 16 respectively. More specifically, the first spring member 26 and the second spring member 28 are each inserted within the first bore 30 and the second bore 32 respectively. The first spring member 26 is positioned between the first orifice plate 18 and the first solenoid coil 22 respectively. The second spring member 28 is positioned between the second orifice plate 20 and the second solenoid coil 24 respectively. More specifically, the first end of the first spring member 26 is positioned against the first solenoid coil 22 while an opposite second end of the first spring member 26 is positioned against the first orifice plate 18. Similarly, the first end of the second spring member 28 is positioned against the second solenoid coil 24 while an opposite second end of the second spring member 28 is positioned against the second orifice plate 20.
[0009] After the actuation force has been released by the first solenoid coil 22 the first spring member 26 and the second spring member 28 are each adapted to apply a restoring force on the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 respectively.
The restoring force applied by the first spring member 26 and the second spring member 28 respectively are adapted to restore the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 against each other. The restoring force that is applied by the first spring member 26 and the second spring member 28 facilitates closing the passage of gaseous fuel from the inlet supply path 12 to the outlet supply path 14.

[0010] An acceleration position sensor 34 is in electronic communication with the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24 respectively. When the acceleration position sensor 34 receives an input signal in the form of a depression in the accelerator pedal by a user, the acceleration position sensor 34 transmits an electronic signal to the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24 respectively. On receiving the electronic signal from the acceleration position sensor 34, the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24 translate the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 apart from each other respectively.

[0011] A working of the pressure regulator 10 for controlling a flow rate of pressurized gaseous fuel to a fuel injector is described as an example. When a user depresses the accelerator pedal of a vehicle, the acceleration pedal sensor 34 transmits an electronic signal to the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24 respectively. Therein, the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24 each actuate the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 apart from each other to facilitate separating the first orifice plate 18 from the second orifice plate 20. Due to the separation of the first orifice plate 18 from the second orifice plate 20, a cavity is created that facilitates the flow of fuel from the inlet supply path 12 to the outlet supply path 14. When the accelerator pedal has been released, a signal is transmitted from the acceleration position sensor 34 to the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24, thereby deactivating the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24. The deactivation of the first solenoid coil 22 and the second solenoid coil 24 causes the first spring member 26 and the second spring member 28 to apply a restoring force on the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20. This restoring force applied on the first orifice plate 18 and the second orifice plate 20 causes the first orifice plate 18 to abut against the second orifice plate 20, thereby closing the cavity that was created between the first orifice plate 12 and the second orifice plate 14. The closure of the cavity prevents the pressurized gaseous fuel from flowing from the inlet supply path 12 to the outlet supply path 14.

[0012] It must be understood that the embodiments explained above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Many modifications in the embodiments with regard to dimensions of various components are envisaged and form a part of this invention. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.