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] The present disclosure relates to an electrical interface assembly for a fuel injection component and a metering unit with an electrical interface assembly for a fuel injection component.

Background of the invention
[0002] Fuel injection system comprises a fuel tank, high pressure pump and at least a fuel injector. The high pressure pump receives low pressure fuel from the fuel tank through a feed pump and a fuel filter, and supply high pressure fuel to the fuel injector. A metering unit is mounted on the high pressure pump to accurately meter the amount of fuel supplied to the fuel injector. The metering unit and the other fuel injection components are connected to electronic control unit. The electronic control unit controls the parameters, start of energization and energizing time.

[0003] The fuel injection component is connected to the electronic control unit by means of an electrical interface assembly. The electrical interface assembly comprises of a male connector in contact with the fuel injection component and a female connector in contact with a wiring harness emanating from the electronic control unit. The electrical input from the electronic control unit is transmitted through the wiring harness to the female connector. The electrical input gets transmitted to the male connector as there exists direct contact between the female and the male connectors. A problem with the conventional arts is that the direct electrical contact between the male and female connectors may lead to fretting wear over time which may cause error in the electrical connectivity and communication from the electronic control unit. Hence there occurs a need for a contactless electrical interface assembly which transmits the electrical signal from the female connector to the male connector without causing fretting wear and thereby not causing any errors.

[0004] The patent application IN03758CH2015 A titled “Fuel Metering unit for an Electric Feed Pump” discloses fuel metering unit for an electric feed pump. The electric feed pump is in flow communication with a fuel tank. The fuel metering unit is characterized in having a valve located at the inlet of the electric feed pump, and an electrical interface assembly adapted to receive signal from an electronic control unit to actuate the valve. The electrical interface assembly losses connectivity due to fretting wear and breakage of wiring harness connector pins leading to stoppage and start-ability issues in vehicle.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings
[0005] An embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings:
[0006] Figure 1 depicts a fuel injection component (101) with a disconnected electrical interface assembly (102).
[0007] Figure 2 depicts a fuel metering unit (109) with a connected electrical interface assembly (102).

Detailed description of the drawings
[0008] The present invention is further described below in combination with the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are merely used for more clearly describing the technical solutions of the present invention but are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 1 depicts a fuel injection component (101) with a disconnected electrical interface assembly (102). The electrical interface assembly (102) connects the fuel injection component (101) with an electronic control unit (108) and is configured to transmit an electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) to the fuel injection component (101). The electrical interface assembly (102) comprises a male connector (103) in contact with the fuel injection component (101) and a female connector (105) in contact with the electronic control unit (108) via a wiring harness (104).

[0010] The transmission of the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) to the fuel injection component (101) takes place by the principle of induction. The female connector (105) connected to the wiring harness (104) emanating from the electronic control unit (108) transmits the electrical signal to the male connector (103) connected to the fuel injection component (101) via the principle of induction. This is achieved by two electromagnetic coils embodied in each of the male (103) and female (105) connectors.

[0011] The female connector (105) leading from the electronic control unit (108) has a transmitting coil (107) which transmits the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) to the male connector (103). Likewise, the male connector (103) in the fuel injection component (101) has a receiving coil (106) configured to receive the induced electrical signal from the transmitting coil (107). The receiving coil (106) of the male connector (103) is in direct electrical contact (113) with the fuel injection component (101). The induced signal which is proportional to the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) gets transmitted to the fuel injection component (101) and actuate the fuel injection component (101).

[0012] A person skilled in the art would appreciate that the electrical interface assembly (102) disclosed in the present invention has extended application to any fuel injection component (101) like the fuel injector, high pressure pump etc.… Likewise, the electrical interface assembly can be extended to a metering unit of a fuel injection component.

[0013] Figure 2 depicts a fuel metering unit (109) with a connected electrical interface assembly (102). The fuel metering unit meters the amount of fuel entering the fuel injection component (101). The metering unit (109) comprises a piston (110) in contact with the fuel injection component, the piston (110) being actuated by a tappet (111), said tappet (111) actuated by an armature (112) upon receiving an electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108). The electrical signal is transmitted from the electronic control unit (108) to the metering unit (109) via an electrical interface assembly (102). The electrical interface assembly (102) comprises a male connector (103) in contact with the metering unit (109) and a female connector (105) in contact with the electronic control unit (108) via a wiring harness (104).

[0014] The transmission of the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) to the metering unit (109) takes place by the principle of induction. The female connector (105) connected to the electronic control unit (108) via the wiring harness (104) transmits the electrical signal to the male connector (103) connected to the metering unit (109) via the principle of induction. This is achieved by two electromagnetic coils embodied in each of the male (103) and female (105) connectors. The female connector (105) leading from the electronic control unit (108) via a wiring harness (104) has a transmitting coil (107) which transmits the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) to the male connector (103). Likewise the male connector (103) in the metering unit (109) has a receiving coil (106) configured to receive the induced electrical signal from the transmitting coil (107).

[0015] In the connected configuration of the male (103) and female (105) connectors, the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) gets transmitted to the female connector (105) via the wiring harness (104). The transmitting coil (107) in the female connector (105) gets excited by the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108). The excitation of the transmitting coil (107) induces an electromagnetic signal in the receiving coil (106) of the male connector (103) which is in connection with the female connector (105).

[0016] The receiving coil (106) of the male connector (103) is in direct electrical contact (113) with the armature (112) of the metering unit (109). The induced signal which is proportional to the electrical signal from the ECU (108) gets transmitted to the armature (112) of the metering unit (109). The armature (112) gets excited thereby moving the tappet (111) of the metering unit (109) which is in contact with a piston (110). The piston (110) is characterized by the presence of slots on either side which opens and closes based on the pressure exerted by the tappet (111). The piston (110) slots meter the amount of fuel entering the fuel injection component (101). The fuel flowing from the openings is directed to an inlet of the fuel injection component (101).
[0017] The male (103) and female (105) connectors are characterized by the presence of electromagnetic coils. The female connector (105) has a transmitting coil (107) for transmitting the signal from the electronic control unit (108) via the wiring harness (104). The electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) energizes the transmitting coil (107) thereby inducing an electromagnetic signal in the receiving coil (106) placed in the male connector (103) via the principle of induction.

[0018] This idea of embodying an electrical interface assembly (102) which functions by the principle of induction eliminates the problem of the conventional art wherein there occurs fretting wear due to direct physical contact and vibrations over time. The present disclosure eliminates this problem of fretting wear as there no longer exists direct electrical contact (113) between the female (105) and male connectors (103).

[0019] It must be understood that the embodiments explained in the above detailed description are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Any modification to an electrical interface assembly (102) for a fuel injection component (101) are envisaged and form a part of this invention. The scope of this invention is limited only by the claims.
, Claims: Claims
1.An electrical interface assembly (102) for a fuel injection component (101), the electrical interface assembly (102) connecting the fuel injection component (101) with an electronic control unit (108), said electrical interface assembly (102) configured to transmit an electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) to the fuel injection component (101), the electrical interface assembly (102) comprising a male connector (103) and a female connector (107), characterized in that:
The male connector (103) is in contact with the fuel injection component (101), the male connector (103) comprising at least a receiving coil (106);
The female connector (105) is in contact with the electronic control unit (108) via a wiring harness (104), the female connector (105) comprising at least a transmitting coil (107).
2. An electrical interface assembly (102) for a fuel injection component (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting coil (107) in the female connector (105) is adapted to receive the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) via the wiring harness (104) and transmit an electromagnetic signal to the male connector (103).
3. An electrical interface assembly (102) for a fuel injection component (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving coil (106) in the male connector (103) is adapted to receive the transmitted electromagnetic signal from the female connector (105) and actuate the fuel injection component (101).
4. A metering unit (109) with an electrical interface assembly (102) for a fuel injection system, the electrical interface assembly (102) connecting the metering unit (109) with an electronic control unit (108), said electrical interface assembly (102) configured to transmit an electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) to the metering unit (109), the metering unit (109) comprising a piston in contact with a fuel injection component, the piston (110) being actuated by a tappet (111), said tappet (111) actuated by an armature (112) upon receiving the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108), said electrical interface assembly (102) comprising a male connector (103) and a female connector (105), characterized in that:
The male connector (103) is in contact with the metering unit (109), the male connector (103) comprising at least a receiving coil (106);
The female connector (105) is in contact with the electronic control unit (108) via a wiring harness (104), the female connector (105) comprising at least a transmitting coil (107);
5. A metering unit (109) with electrical interface assembly (102) for a fuel injection system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the transmitting coil (107) in the female connector (105) is adapted to receive the electrical signal from the electronic control unit (108) via the wiring harness (104) and transmit an electromagnetic signal to the male connector (103).
6. A metering unit (109) with electrical interface assembly (102) for a fuel injection system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the receiving coil (106) in the male connector (103) is adapted to receive the transmitted electromagnetic signal from the female connector (105) to actuate the armature (112) of the metering unit (109), moving the tappet (111) towards the piston (110) to regulate the amount of fuel entering the fuel injection component (101).