Fuel injection valve

A fuel injection valve comprising:

• a housing that has:
• an injection hole, through which fuel is injected;
• a fuel passage that is communicated with the injection hole;
• and
• a valve seat that is formed in an inner wall of the fuel passage;
• a needle valve that is axially reciprocatable in an axial direction of the needle valve, wherein:
• the needle valve has a flange that radially outwardly projects;
• the needle valve opens the injection hole when the needle valve is lifted away from the valve seat;
• and
• the needle valve closes the injection hole when the needle valve is seated against the valve seat;
• a coil that generates a magnetic field in an energized state of the coil;
• a stationary core;
• a movable core that is axially reciprocatable and is placed on one axial side of the stationary core where the injection hole is located, wherein the movable core is slidable relative to the needle valve and is engageable with the flange of the needle valve;
• a first spring that axially urges the needle valve toward the injection hole;
• and
• a stopper that is placed on one axial side of the movable core where the injection hole is located, wherein:
• when a contact surface of the stopper directly contacts a contact surface of the movable core, the stopper limits movement of the movable core toward the injection hole;
• the movable core is movable between a first movable end position, which is located on a first axial side where the stationary core is placed, and a second movable end position, which is located on a second axial side where the stopper is placed;
• the movable core is placed and is held in the first movable end position when the coil is energized;
• the stopper directly contacts the movable core at the second movable end position of the movable core;
• the movable core has a plurality of communication holes that extend through the movable core to communicate between the first axial side and the second axial side of the movable core while each of the plurality of communication holes has a first opening located on the first axial side and a second opening located on the second axial side;
• and
• at the second movable end position of the movable core, the second opening of each of the plurality of communication holes of the movable core at least partially overlaps with the contact surface of the stopper in a radial direction of the needle valve.