DESC:FORM 2
The Patent Act 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules, 2005

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(SEE SECTION 10 AND RULE 13)

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

“ELECTRO-MECHANICAL FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM”

APPLICANTS:
Name Nationality Address
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited Indian Mahindra ResearchValley, Mahindra World City (MWC), Anjur Post, Chengalpattu,
Kanchipuram District – 603204, Tamil Nadu,India

The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:-

TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] The embodiments herein generally relate to fuel injection systems in vehicles, and more particularly but not exclusively to electro mechanical fuel injection systems.

BACKGROUND
[002] Currently emission norms are very stringent and demand substantial reduction in nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. In order to achieve the emission norms high pressure injection, variable injection timing, split injection, pre & post injection techniques are some of the commonly used fuel injection techniques. Common rail diesel injection and gasoline direct injection are some of the most commonly used fuel injection systems in engines for implementing the aforementioned techniques to achieve stringent emission norms.
[003] Though the aforementioned fuel injection systems have flexibility in varying injection characteristics across operating range and are highly efficient in controlling the emissions, they are quite costlier and involve high initial and maintenance cost as they are completely/fully electronically controlled.
[004] On the other hand though mechanical fuel injection systems are cheap they do not have flexible injection characteristics and hence it is not possible to achieve stringent emission norms using mechanical fuel injection systems.
[005] Therefore, there exists a need for a fuel injection system for an engine that has flexible injection characteristics to achieve stringent emission norms with cost much lower than existing fully electronic controlled fuel injection systems.

OBJECTS
[006] The principal object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a cost effective fuel injection system for an engine that has flexible injection characteristics.
[007] Another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide an electro mechanical fuel injection system for an engine.
[008] Yet, another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a fuel injection system for an engine that facilitates in achieving stringent emission norms.
[009] These and other objects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] The embodiments of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts a layout of the fuel injection system according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0012] FIG. 2 depicts a cross sectional view of the injection phasing means of the fuel injection system according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein; and
[0013] FIG. 3 depicts a cross sectional view along the section A-A of Fig. 2 showing the fuel flow from the rotor to the stator of the injection phasing means according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0015] The embodiments herein achieve a cost effective fuel injection system for an engine that has flexible injection characteristics. Further, embodiments herein achieve an electro mechanical fuel injection system for an engine that facilitates in achieving stringent emission norms. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 3, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown embodiments.
[0016] FIG. 1 depicts a layout of the fuel injection system according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. The fuel injection system 100 includes a fuel tank 102, a fuel metering valve 104, a fuel feed pump 106, a fuel pump drive cam 108, a fuel pump 110, a fuel reservoir 112, a pressure relief valve 114, a control valve 116, an injection phasing means 118, a plurality of fuel injectors 120 and a control unit 122.
[0017] In an embodiment the engine (not shown) includes a sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque 202, an engine speed sensor 204, a cam phase sensor (not shown), a coolant temperature sensor (not shown) and an ambient temperature sensor (not shown). In an embodiment the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque 202 is an accelerator pedal sensor. In another embodiment the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque 202 is a throttle position sensor.
[0018] In an embodiment the fuel tank 102 is used for storing a fuel. In an embodiment the fuel metering valve 104 is used for metering the fuel pumped to the fuel reservoir 112. In an embodiment the fuel feed pump 106 is used for pumping the fuel from the fuel tank 102 to the fuel pump 110. In an embodiment the fuel pump drive cam 108 is used for driving the fuel pump 110. In an embodiment the fuel pump 110 is used for pumping the fuel to the fuel reservoir 112 and to build desired pressure inside the fuel reservoir 112.
[0019] In an embodiment the fuel reservoir 112 is adapted for storing the fuel at a high pressure. In an embodiment the pressure relief valve 114 is used for limiting the pressure inside the fuel reservoir 112. In an embodiment the pressure relief valve 114 is provided in fluid communication with the fuel metering valve 104, thereby returning the excess fuel from the fuel reservoir 112 to the fuel metering valve 104. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the pressure relief valve 114 in fluid communication with the fuel tank 102 or fuel feed pump 106 or fuel pump 110 without otherwise deterring the intended function of the pressure relief valve 114 as can be deduced from the description.
[0020] FIG. 2 depicts a cross sectional view of the injection phasing means of the fuel injection system according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. In an embodiment the injection phasing means 118 is used for distributing the fuel from the control valve 116 to the fuel injectors 120. In an embodiment the injection phasing means 118 includes a rotor 118a, a stator 118b and a plurality of valves 118c. It is also within the scope of the invention to provide the injection phasing means 118 without valves 118c. The rotor 118a is provided inside the stator 118b and is configured to rotate inside the stator 118b. In an embodiment the rotor 118a includes an orifice 118d adapted for providing the fuel from the control valve 116 to the stator 118b. In an embodiment the rotor 118a is driven by the camshaft (not shown) of the engine (not shown). However, it is also within the scope of the invention to drive the rotor 118a by an electric motor or crankshaft (not shown) of the engine (not shown) without otherwise deterring the intended function of the rotor 118a as can be deduced from the description.
[0021] FIG. 3 depicts a cross sectional view along the section A-A of Fig. 2 showing the fuel flow from the rotor to the stator of the injection phasing means according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the stator 118b includes a plurality of orifices 118e, a plurality of ports 118f and at least one leak port 118g. The plurality of orifices 118e are provided in fluid communication with the corresponding valves 118c. The orifice 118d of the rotor 118a is operatively provided in fluid communication with the plurality of orifices 118e. The plurality of orifices 118e is used for providing the fuel from the orifice 118d of the rotor 118a to the fuel injectors 120 through the valves 118c. In an embodiment, the stator 118b includes four orifices 118e. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide any number of orifice 118e without otherwise deterring the intended function of the fuel injection system 100 as can be deduced from the description.
[0022] In an embodiment the plurality of ports 118f are provided in fluid communication with corresponding orifices 118e of the stator 118b. The plurality of ports 118f are used for receiving/mounting the corresponding valves 118c in the stator 118b.
[0023] In an embodiment the leak port 118g is used for collecting any fuel leaked through the clearance between the rotor 118a and the stator 118b. In an embodiment the leak port 118g is provided in fluid communication with the fuel metering valve 104, thereby returning the leaked fuel from the leak port 118g to the fuel metering valve 104. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the leak port 118g in fluid communication with the fuel tank 102 or fuel feed pump 106 or fuel pump 110 without otherwise deterring the intended function of the leak port 118g as can be deduced from the description.
[0024] In an embodiment each of the valves 118c includes an inlet (not shown) adapted to receive fuel from the corresponding orifice 118e and an outlet (not shown) adapted to provide fuel to the corresponding fuel injector 120. In an embodiment each of the valves 118c are provided in each of the corresponding ports 118f of the stator 118b and inlet (not shown) of each of the valves 118c are provided in fluid communication with each of the corresponding orifices 118e and the outlet (not shown) of each of the valves 118c are provided in fluid communication with corresponding fuel injectors 120. The valves 118c are adapted to open at a predefined fuel pressure and are used to control the flow of fuel from the orifices 118e to the fuel injectors 120.
[0025] In an embodiment the control valve 116 is used for controlling the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir 112 to the orifice 118d in the rotor 118a of the injection phasing means 118, based on a signal provided by the control unit 122. The control valve 116 includes an inlet (not shown) and an outlet (not shown). The control valve 116 is normally closed and is opened at a predetermined time and for predetermined duration based on the signal provided by the control unit 122 to allow the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir 112 to the orifice 118d in the rotor 118a. The control valve 116 is provided in communication with the control unit 122. The inlet (not shown) of the control valve 116 is provided in fluid communication with the fuel reservoir 112 and the outlet (not shown) of the control valve 116 is provided in fluid communication with the orifice 118d of the rotor 118a. In an embodiment the control valve 116 is an electrically actuated solenoid valve. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide a hydraulic or pneumatic type control valve or any other type of valve without otherwise deterring the intended function of the control valve 116 as can be deduced from the description.
[0026] In an embodiment the plurality of fuel injectors 120 is used for injecting the fuel to the corresponding cylinders (not shown) of the engine (not shown). The fuel injectors 120 are provided in fluid communication with the outlet (not shown) of each of the corresponding valves 118c. In an embodiment the fuel injection system 100 includes four fuel injectors 120. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide any number of fuel injectors 120 based on the number of cylinders (not shown) of the engine (not shown). In an embodiment the plurality of fuel injectors 120 is a closed orifice mechanical nozzle type fuel injector. However it is also within the scope of the invention to provide any other type of fuel injectors 120 without otherwise deterring the intended function of the fuel injection system 100 as can be deduced from the description.
[0027] In an embodiment the control unit 122 is used for controlling the control valve 116. The control unit 122 provides information/signal to the control valve 116 to open at a predetermined time and for predetermined duration to allow the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir 112 to the orifice 118d in the rotor 118a.
[0028] In an embodiment the control unit 122 is provided in communication with the control valve 116, the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque 202 and the engine speed sensor 204. Based on the information provided by the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque 202 and the engine speed sensor 204, the control unit 122 controls the control valve 116. In another embodiment the control unit 122 is provided in communication with the control valve 116, sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque 202, engine speed sensor 204, cam phase sensor, coolant temperature sensor and ambient temperature sensor of the engine (not shown) to provide information to the control unit 122 for controlling the control valve 116.
[0029] The working of the fuel injection system 100 is as follows. As the engine (not shown) is cranked/started, the fuel from the fuel tank 102 is pumped to the fuel reservoir 112 and the rotor 118a is rotatably driven by the engine. The control unit 122 receives information from the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque 202 and the engine speed sensor 204 and provides signal/information to the control valve 116. Based on the signal/information, the control valve 116 is opened for a predetermined time and for predetermined duration and the fuel from the fuel reservoir 112 flows to the orifice 118d of the rotor 118a. As the rotor 118a rotates inside the stator 118b, the orifice 118d is in fluid communication with each of the orifices 118e of the stator 118b and the fuel from the orifice 118d of the rotor 118a flows to each of the orifices 118e. Thereafter, the fuel from each of the orifices 118e flows to each of the corresponding fuel injectors 120 through the corresponding valves 118c.
[0030] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

CLAIMS
We claim,
1. A fuel injection system for an engine, the fuel injection system comprising:
a fuel reservoir adapted to store a fuel;
at least one fuel injector adapted to inject the fuel to the engine;
an injection phasing means adapted to distribute the fuel to the fuel injector, the injection phasing means comprising at least one valve; a rotor having an orifice; a stator comprising at least one orifice and at least one port;
a control valve adapted to control the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the orifice of the rotor, the control valve provided in fluid communication with the fuel reservoir and the orifice of the rotor; and
a control unit adapted to control the control valve, the control unit provided in communication with the control valve, a sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque of the engine and an engine speed sensor of the engine,
wherein
the rotor is rotatably connected to the stator and is adapted to rotatably driven by the engine thereby the orifice of the rotor is operatively provided in fluid communication with the orifice of the stator;
the valve is adapted to open at a predefined fuel pressure and to control the flow of fuel from the orifice of the stator to the fuel injector and the valve is provided in fluid communication with the orifice of the stator and the fuel injector;
the port of the stator is adapted to mount the valve; and
the control unit receives information from the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque and the engine speed sensor and provides information to the control valve to open at a predetermined time and for predetermined duration to allow the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the orifice in the rotor and the fuel from the orifice in the rotor flows to the fuel injector through the orifice of the stator and the valve.
2. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stator further comprising at least one leak port adapted to collect the fuel leaked through the clearance between the rotor and the stator.
3. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel injector is a closed orifice mechanical nozzle type fuel injector.
4. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque is an accelerator pedal sensor.
5. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque is a throttle position sensor.
6. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fuel tank adapted to store the fuel.
7. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fuel metering valve adapted to meter the fuel pumped to the fuel reservoir.
8. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fuel pump adapted to pump the fuel to the fuel reservoir.
9. A fuel injection system for an engine, the fuel injection system comprising:
a fuel reservoir adapted to store a fuel;
at least one fuel injector adapted to inject the fuel to the engine;
an injection phasing means adapted to distribute the fuel to the fuel injector, the injection phasing means comprising at least one valve; a rotor having an orifice; a stator comprising at least one orifice and at least one port;
a control valve adapted to control the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the orifice of the rotor, the control valve provided in fluid communication with the fuel reservoir and the orifice of the rotor; and
a control unit adapted to control the control valve, the control unit provided in communication with, the control valve, a sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque of the engine, an engine speed sensor of the engine, a coolant temperature sensor of the engine, a cam phase sensor of the engine and an ambient temperature sensor of the engine,
wherein
the rotor is rotatably connected to the stator and is adapted to rotatably driven by the engine thereby the orifice of the rotor is operatively provided in fluid communication with the orifice of the stator;
the valve is adapted to open at a predefined fuel pressure and to control the flow of fuel from the orifice of the stator to the fuel injector and the valve is provided in fluid communication with the orifice of the stator and the fuel injector;
the port of the stator is adapted to mount the valve; and
the control unit receives information from the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque, the engine speed sensor, the coolant temperature sensor, the cam phase sensor and the ambient temperature sensor and provides information to the control valve to open at a predetermined time and for predetermined duration to allow the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the orifice in the rotor and the fuel from the orifice in the rotor flows to the fuel injector through the orifice of the stator and the valve.

10. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the stator further comprising at least one leak port adapted to collect the fuel leaked through the clearance between the rotor and the stator.
11. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of fuel injector is a closed orifice mechanical nozzle type fuel injector.
12. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque is an accelerator pedal sensor.
13. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque is a throttle position sensor.
14. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a fuel tank adapted to store the fuel.
15. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a fuel metering valve adapted to meter the fuel pumped to the fuel reservoir.
16. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a fuel pump adapted to pump the fuel to the fuel reservoir.

Date: March 24th , 2016 Signature:
Dr..Kalyan Chakravarthy
ABSTRACT
Electro-mechanical fuel injection system includes a fuel reservoir, a plurality of fuel injectors, a control valve, a control unit, an injection phasing means having a plurality of valves, a rotor having an orifice, a stator having a plurality of orifices and a plurality of ports. The rotor is rotatably connected to stator and is rotatably driven by the engine and orifice of rotor is operatively provided in fluid communication with orifices of stator. The control unit receives information from a sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque of the engine and an engine speed sensor and provides information to control valve to open at a predetermined time and for predetermined duration to allow the flow of fuel from fuel reservoir to orifice in rotor and fuel from orifice in rotor flows to each of the fuel injectors through corresponding orifices of stator and corresponding valves.

,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
We claim,
1. A fuel injection system for an engine, the fuel injection system comprising:
a fuel reservoir adapted to store a fuel;
at least one fuel injector adapted to inject the fuel to the engine;
an injection phasing means adapted to distribute the fuel to the fuel injector, the injection phasing means comprising at least one valve; a rotor having an orifice; a stator comprising at least one orifice and at least one port;
a control valve adapted to control the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the orifice of the rotor, the control valve provided in fluid communication with the fuel reservoir and the orifice of the rotor; and
a control unit adapted to control the control valve, the control unit provided in communication with the control valve, a sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque of the engine and an engine speed sensor of the engine,
wherein
the rotor is rotatably connected to the stator and is adapted to rotatably driven by the engine thereby the orifice of the rotor is operatively provided in fluid communication with the orifice of the stator;
the valve is adapted to open at a predefined fuel pressure and to control the flow of fuel from the orifice of the stator to the fuel injector and the valve is provided in fluid communication with the orifice of the stator and the fuel injector;
the port of the stator is adapted to mount the valve; and
the control unit receives information from the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque and the engine speed sensor and provides information to the control valve to open at a predetermined time and for predetermined duration to allow the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the orifice in the rotor and the fuel from the orifice in the rotor flows to the fuel injector through the orifice of the stator and the valve.
2. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stator further comprising at least one leak port adapted to collect the fuel leaked through the clearance between the rotor and the stator.
3. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel injector is a closed orifice mechanical nozzle type fuel injector.
4. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque is an accelerator pedal sensor.
5. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque is a throttle position sensor.
6. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fuel tank adapted to store the fuel.
7. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fuel metering valve adapted to meter the fuel pumped to the fuel reservoir.
8. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fuel pump adapted to pump the fuel to the fuel reservoir.
9. A fuel injection system for an engine, the fuel injection system comprising:
a fuel reservoir adapted to store a fuel;
at least one fuel injector adapted to inject the fuel to the engine;
an injection phasing means adapted to distribute the fuel to the fuel injector, the injection phasing means comprising at least one valve; a rotor having an orifice; a stator comprising at least one orifice and at least one port;
a control valve adapted to control the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the orifice of the rotor, the control valve provided in fluid communication with the fuel reservoir and the orifice of the rotor; and
a control unit adapted to control the control valve, the control unit provided in communication with, the control valve, a sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque of the engine, an engine speed sensor of the engine, a coolant temperature sensor of the engine, a cam phase sensor of the engine and an ambient temperature sensor of the engine,
wherein
the rotor is rotatably connected to the stator and is adapted to rotatably driven by the engine thereby the orifice of the rotor is operatively provided in fluid communication with the orifice of the stator;
the valve is adapted to open at a predefined fuel pressure and to control the flow of fuel from the orifice of the stator to the fuel injector and the valve is provided in fluid communication with the orifice of the stator and the fuel injector;
the port of the stator is adapted to mount the valve; and
the control unit receives information from the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque, the engine speed sensor, the coolant temperature sensor, the cam phase sensor and the ambient temperature sensor and provides information to the control valve to open at a predetermined time and for predetermined duration to allow the flow of fuel from the fuel reservoir to the orifice in the rotor and the fuel from the orifice in the rotor flows to the fuel injector through the orifice of the stator and the valve.

10. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the stator further comprising at least one leak port adapted to collect the fuel leaked through the clearance between the rotor and the stator.
11. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of fuel injector is a closed orifice mechanical nozzle type fuel injector.
12. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque is an accelerator pedal sensor.
13. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor adapted to determine user demand for engine speed and torque is a throttle position sensor.
14. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a fuel tank adapted to store the fuel.
15. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a fuel metering valve adapted to meter the fuel pumped to the fuel reservoir.
16. The fuel injection system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a fuel pump adapted to pump the fuel to the fuel reservoir.