Fuel injector for internal combustion engine

A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine including a cylinder and an intake port communicated with the cylinder, the fuel injector comprising:

• an intake port fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into the intake port;
• an in-cylinder fuel injection valve for directly injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of the cylinder;
• a low pressure fuel path for supplying the intake port fuel injection valve with fuel having relatively low pressure;
• a pump for pressurizing the fuel having relatively low pressure to supply the in-cylinder fuel injection valve with fuel having relatively high pressure;
• and
• a controller for controlling the intake port fuel injection valve and the in-cylinder fuel injection valve in accordance with an operating condition of the internal combustion engine,
• wherein the controller executes a flow restricting process for restricting fuel flow between the pump and the low pressure fuel path during an intake port injection mode in which only the intake port fuel injection valve injects fuel.

A method for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine, wherein the internal combustion engine includes a cylinder, an intake port communicated with the cylinder, and a fuel injector, the fuel injector including:

• an intake port fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into the intake port;
• an in-cylinder fuel injection valve for directly injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of the cylinder;
• a low pressure fuel path for supplying the intake port fuel injection valve with fuel having relatively low pressure;
• and
• a pump for pressurizing the fuel having relatively low pressure to supply the in-cylinder fuel injection valve with fuel having relatively high pressure, the method comprising:
• injecting fuel from at least one of the intake port fuel injection valve and the in-cylinder fuel injection valve;
• and
• restricting fuel flow between the pump and the low pressure fuel path when only the intake port fuel injection valve injects fuel.