Fuel pump and inlet valve assembly thereof

A fuel pump comprising:

• a fuel pump housing with a pumping chamber defined therein;
• a pumping plunger which reciprocates within a plunger bore along a plunger bore axis such that an intake stroke of said pumping plunger increases volume of said pumping chamber and a compression stroke of said pumping plunger decreases volume of said pumping chamber;
• and
• an inlet valve assembly comprising:
• a check valve member which is moveable between 1) an unseated position which provides fluid communication between said pumping chamber and a fuel supply passage and 2) a seated position which prevents fluid communication between said pumping chamber and said fuel supply passage;
• and
• a solenoid assembly which includes a wire winding;
• a pole piece;
• an armature which is moveable along an inlet valve axis between 1) a first position when said wire winding is not energized with electricity and 2) a second position when said wire winding is energized with electricity;
• a return spring which biases said armature away from said pole piece;
• and a control rod which is moveable along said inlet valve axis independently of said armature, wherein said first position of said armature urges said control rod to hold said check valve member in said unseated position and wherein said second position of said armature allows said check valve member to move said control rod to allow said check valve member to move to said seated position.