Self-locking spring stop for fuel injector calibration

A fuel injector having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a fuel passageway extending along an axis between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, the fuel injector comprising:

• a body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a passage disposed between the inlet portion and the outlet portion;
• an armature disposed within the passage and displaceable along the axis relative to the body;
• a spring disposed within the passage and applying a biasing force to the armature, the spring having a first end disposed proximate the armature and a second end opposite from the first end;
• and
• a spring stop disposed within the passage and having a first and second portion, the first portion including at least one projection engaging the passage, the at least one projection extending obliquely with respect to the axis and in a direction generally toward the inlet portion, wherein the second portion comprises a seat slidably engaging one of the first and second ends.

A fuel injector having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a fuel passageway extending along an axis between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, the fuel injector comprising:

• a body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a passage disposed between the inlet portion and the outlet portion;
• an armature disposed within the passage and displaceable along the axis relative to the body;
• a spring disposed within the passage and applying a biasing force to the armature, the spring having a first end disposed proximate the armature and a second end opposite from the first end, the spring comprising a coil spring;
• and
• a spring stop disposed within the passage and having a first and second portion, the first portion including at least one projection engaging the passage, the at least one projection extending obliquely with respect to the axis and in a direction generally toward the inlet portion, wherein the seat further comprises a projection slidably engaging the first one of the first and second ends, the projection extending within the coil spring.

A method of assembling a fuel injector having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, a fuel passageway extending along an axis between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, a body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a passage extending between the inlet portion and the outlet portion, and an armature, the method comprising:

• disposing within the passage the armature displaceable along the axis relative to the body;
• disposing within the passage a spring applying a biasing force to the armature, the spring having a first end disposed proximate the armature and a second end opposite from the first end;
• maintaining a seat in a first configuration adapted for applying a first pressure on the passage;
• positioning the seat in the first configuration at a location along the axis with respect to the body for applying the biasing force;
• and
• releasing the seat to a second configuration adapted for applying a second pressure on the passage, the second pressure being greater than the first pressure.

A fuel injector having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a fuel passageway extending along an axis between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, the fuel injector comprising:

• a body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a passage disposed between the inlet portion and the outlet portion, the passage extending therethrough;
• an armature disposed within the passage and displaceable along the axis relative to the body;
• a spring disposed within the passage and applying a biasing force to the armature, the spring having a first end disposed proximate the armature and a second end opposite from the first end;
• and
• a spring stop disposed within the passage and having a first and second portion, the first portion including at least one projection engaging the passage, the at least one projection extending obliquely with respect to the axis and in a direction generally toward the inlet portion, the projection including a free end, the free end defining a diameter transverse and coincident to the axis, the diameter being greater, prior to installation of the spring stop in the passage, than an engagement diameter at a location along the axis in the passage where the free end engages the passage, and when installed in the passage, a diameter less than the engagement diameter of the passage.