(19)
(11) EP 1 300 586 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
03.12.2003 Bulletin 2003/49

(43) Date of publication A2:
09.04.2003 Bulletin 2003/15

(21) Application number: 02256849.7

(22) Date of filing: 02.10.2002
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7F02M 69/04, F02M 51/06, F02M 61/18, F02M 61/04
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 02.10.2001 JP 2001306385
16.11.2001 JP 2001352166
12.03.2002 JP 2002067216
18.07.2002 JP 2002209223

(71) Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
Nagoya-City, Aichi Prefecture 467-8530 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Ohnishi, Takao, c/o Int Prop Dept., NGK Insulators
    Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken 467-8530 (JP)
  • Hirota, Toshikazu, Int Prop Dept., NGK Insulators
    Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken 467-8530 (JP)

(74) Representative: Paget, Hugh Charles Edward et al
MEWBURN ELLIS York House 23 Kingsway
London WC2B 6HP
London WC2B 6HP (GB)

   


(54) Liquid injection apparatus


(57) A liquid injection apparatus is provided which is capable of uniformly atomizing and injecting liquid such as fuel even if the surrounding environment changes significantly.
A liquid injection apparatus (10) comprises an injection unit (14) fixed to a liquid injection space (21) defined by, e.g., a suction pipe (20) of an internal combustion engine, and a pressurizing pump (11) for pressurizing liquid from a liquid storage tank (22) up to a pressure to supply the liquid to the injection unit and to inject the liquid into the space. The injection unit comprises, in order to atomize the liquid supplied by the pressurizing pump, a plurality of chambers in which a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is formed at least on its wall surface, and a plurality of liquid ejection nozzles. Vibration energy induced by the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is given to the pressurized liquid in the chamber of the injection unit. and the liquid is atomized and injected into the liquid injection space from the extremity of the liquid ejection nozzle.





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