Arrangement for retaining a fuel injector to a fuel rail socket

A fuel injector retention arrangement for retaining a fuel injector to a fuel rail socket of a fuel rail, said fuel injector having a fuel injector upper housing which defines a fuel inlet to said fuel injector, said fuel rail socket having a fuel rail socket body, and said fuel rail having a fuel rail volume which receives pressurized fuel;

• said fuel injector retention arrangement comprising:
• a fuel rail socket interior space defined within said fuel rail socket body such that said fuel rail socket interior space extends into said fuel rail socket body along a fuel rail socket axis from a fuel rail socket end surface, said fuel rail socket interior space being in fluid communication with said fuel rail volume;
• a fuel injector retention flange extending radially outward from said fuel injector upper housing such that said fuel injector retention flange is disposed within said fuel rail socket interior space and such that said fuel inlet is in fluid communication with said fuel rail socket interior space;
• a fuel rail socket slot extending radially from said fuel rail socket interior space to a fuel rail socket exterior surface and also extending axially to said fuel rail socket end surface;
• a fuel rail socket retention groove which extends radially outward from said fuel rail socket interior space;
• and
• a retainer which is forked, thereby including 1) a retainer first leg located between said fuel injector retention flange and said fuel rail socket end surface and extending through said fuel rail socket slot and 2) a retainer second leg located between said fuel injector retention flange and said fuel rail socket end surface and extending through said fuel rail socket slot, said retainer first leg and said retainer second leg being connected to each other at one end by a retainer base, said retainer first leg having a first retainer lobe which is convex and which extends part way into said fuel rail socket retention groove and part way into said fuel rail socket interior space, thereby supporting said fuel injector retention flange thereon and retaining said fuel injector to said fuel rail socket and said retainer second leg having a second retainer lobe which is convex and which extends part way into said fuel rail socket retention groove and part way into said fuel rail socket interior space, thereby supporting said fuel injector retention flange thereon and retaining said fuel injector to said fuel rail socket;
• wherein said fuel rail socket retention groove extends to said fuel rail socket exterior surface at said fuel rail socket slot and said retainer first leg and said retainer second leg are located within said fuel rail socket retention groove where said fuel rail socket retention groove meets said fuel rail socket exterior surface at said fuel rail retention groove.

A fuel injector retention arrangement for retaining a fuel injector to a fuel rail socket of a fuel rail, said fuel injector having a fuel injector upper housing which defines a fuel inlet to said fuel injector, said fuel rail socket having a fuel rail socket body, and said fuel rail having a fuel rail volume which receives pressurized fuel;

• said fuel injector retention arrangement comprising:
• a fuel rail socket interior space defined within said fuel rail socket body such that said fuel rail socket interior space extends into said fuel rail socket body along a fuel rail socket axis from a fuel rail socket end surface, said fuel rail socket interior space being in fluid communication with said fuel rail volume;
• a fuel injector retention flange extending radially outward from said fuel injector upper housing such that said fuel injector retention flange is disposed within said fuel rail socket interior space and such that said fuel inlet is in fluid communication with said fuel rail socket interior space;
• a first fuel rail socket slot extending radially from said fuel rail socket interior space to a fuel rail socket exterior surface and also extending axially to said fuel rail socket end surface;
• a second fuel rail socket slot extending radially from said fuel rail socket interior space to said fuel rail socket exterior surface and also extending axially to said fuel rail socket end surface such that said second fuel rail socket slot is diametrically opposed to said first fuel rail socket slot;
• a fuel rail socket retention groove which extends radially outward from said fuel rail socket interior space;
• and
• a retainer which is forked, thereby including 1) a retainer first leg located between said fuel injector retention flange and said fuel rail socket end surface and extending through said fuel rail socket slot and 2) a retainer second leg located between said fuel injector retention flange and said fuel rail socket end surface and extending through said first fuel rail socket slot and said second fuel rail socket slot, said retainer first leg and said retainer second leg being separated from each other by a retainer space and being connected to each other at one end by a retainer base, said retainer first leg having a first retainer lobe which is convex and which extends part way into said fuel rail socket retention groove and part way into said fuel rail socket interior space, thereby supporting said fuel injector retention flange thereon and retaining said fuel injector to said fuel rail socket and said retainer second leg having a second retainer lobe which is convex and which extends part way into said fuel rail socket retention groove and part way into said fuel rail socket interior space, thereby supporting said fuel injector retention flange thereon and retaining said fuel injector to said fuel rail socket, wherein said retainer space is located within said first fuel rail socket slot and said second fuel rail socket slot.