Fuel injector with locating pins, internal combustion engine using the same, and method

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a combustion chamber;
• a fuel injector receiving bore;
• a locating bore;
• and a fuel injector comprising:
• a nozzle body within said fuel injector receiving bore along a nozzle body axis;
• a valve housing held in fixed relationship to said nozzle body;
• and
• a first locating pin and a second locating pin each extending from said valve housing, said first locating pin extending from a first locating pin fixed end which is fixed to said valve housing to a first locating pin free end and said second locating pin extending from a second locating pin fixed end which is fixed to said valve housing to a second locating pin free end, said first locating pin and said second locating being elastically deformed within said locating bore, thereby preventing rotational movement of said fuel injector about said nozzle body axis
• said first locating pin and said second locating pin are collectively centered about a locating pin axis which is eccentric to said nozzle body axis a gap is formed between said first locating pin and said second locating pin such that said gap extends from said first locating pin free end and said second locating pin free end to said first locating pin fixed end and to said second locating pin fixed end and such that said locating pin axis is located within said gap.

A method of assembling a fuel injector to an internal combustion engine where the internal combustion engine includes a fuel injector receiving bore and a locating bore and where the fuel injector includes a nozzle body extending along a nozzle body axis;

• a valve housing held in fixed relationship to said nozzle body;
• and a first locating pin and a second locating pin each extending from said valve housing, said first locating pin extending from a first locating pin fixed end which is fixed to said valve housing to a first locating pin free end and said second locating pin extending from a second locating pin fixed end which is fixed to said valve housing to a second locating pin free end, said method comprising:
• inserting said nozzle body into said fuel injector receiving bore;
• inserting said first locating pin and said second locating pin into said locating bore;
• and
• elastically deforming said first locating pin and said second locating pin while said first locating pin and said second locating pin are being inserted into said locating bore such that said first locating pin and said second locating pin radially orient said nozzle body in said fuel injector receiving bore and thereby preventing rotation movement of said fuel injector about said nozzle body axis
• said first locating pin and said second locating pin are collectively centered about a locating pin axis which is eccentric to said nozzle body axis a gap is formed between said first locating pin and said second locating pin such that said gap extends form said first locating pin free end and said second locating pin free end to said first locating pin fixed end and to said second locating pin fixed end and such that said locating pin axis is located within said gap.