Fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine

A fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine having one end adapted to be inserted into a fuel injection valve insertion hole (2) in a cylinder head (1) of the internal combustion engine, said hole having a shoulder portion (3). and another opposite other end adapted to be connected to a fuel supply pipe (5), said fuel injection valve comprising:

• a) a valve assembly (6);
• b) a hollow housing (14) having a coupling portion (16) at one end thereof coupled to said valve assembly and connected to the fuel supply pipe at an other, opposite end, said housing having an abutting surface (36) disposed at a position radially outward of said coupling portion with respect to said valve assembly and in an opposing relationship relative to said shoulder portion of the fuel injection valve insertion hole and a mounting surface (31) for positioning said housing relative to the cylinder head;
• c) a solenoid assembly (22) disposed within said housing for opening and closing an injection valve (12) of said valve assembly;
• and
• d) a sleeve (40;50) having one end (41) disposed on said valve assembly in opposition to said shoulder portion of the cylinder head and another, opposite end 42) mounted to said housing in abutment against said abutting surface to bridge across said valve assembly and said housing over said coupling portion to prevent the coupling portion from being subjected to a force Urging the fuel injection valve against the cylinder head. 2). A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a seal ring (45) having one side (46) disposed on said valve assembly in abutment against said one end of said sleeve and another, opposite side (47) adapted to abut against said shoulder portion of the fuel injection valve insertion hole, wherein axial movements of Said one end of the housing, and attendantly the valve assembly, induced by temperature and pressure conditions within a cylinder of the engine, are accommodated by the sleeve
• and seal ring without affecting lift stroke of the injection valve. 3. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling portion of said housing comprises a welded or caulked portion of said housing
• caulked against said valve assembly. 4. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting surface for positioning said housing relative to said cylinder head comprises a mounting flange (30) disposed on said housing, said fuel injection valve being fixedly mounted to said
• cylinder head through said mounting flange. 5. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve is press-fit on an outer
• circumferential surface of said valve assembly. 6. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve is welded to an outer
• circumferential surface of said valve assembly. 7. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve is caulked against an outer
• circumferential surface of said valve assembly. 8. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a highly heat conductive material (55) filled within a space defined within said sleeve by said
• valve assembly and said housing. 9. A fuel injection valve as claimed in
• claim 1, wherein said sleeve is heat-resistive and erosion-resistive. 10. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one side of said seal ring in abutment against one end of said sleeve is positioned radially inward of said opposite side of said seal ring adapted to be abut against said shoulder portion of said fuel injection valve insertion hole.
• 1. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seal ring
• comprises a metal ring having a substantially S-shaped cross-section. 12. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seal ring
• comprises a plated tin surface layer. 13. A fuel injection valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seal ring comprises a projection substantially radially inwardly extending from an inner circumferential surface of said seal ring and elastically engaging with said valve assembly.