Needle/armature rotation limiting feature

A fuel injector comprising:

• a housing having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a fuel passageway extending from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet along a longitudinal axis;
• a valve body disposed proximate the fuel outlet, the valve body having an inlet portion, and an armature guide eyelet disposed in the inlet portion of the valve body within the fuel passageway, the armature guide eyelet sized to direct and support reciprocal motion of a closure assembly within the fuel passageway along the longitudinal axis;
• a closure assembly reciprocally disposed in and axially aligned with the fuel passageway, the closure assembly including an upper bearing guide fixedly connected to a stem portion;
• the upper bearing guide including a bearing portion and a contacting portion;
• and
• the armature guide eyelet including a first portion circumscribing the upper bearing guide bearing portion, and a second portion engaging the upper bearing guide contacting portion, wherein both the contacting portion of the upper bearing guide and the second portion of the armature guide eyelet comprise a flat surface.

A fuel injector comprising:

• a housing having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a fuel passageway extending from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet along a longitudinal axis;
• a valve body disposed proximate the fuel outlet, the valve body having an inlet portion, and an armature guide eyelet disposed in the inlet portion of the valve body within the fuel passageway, the armature guide eyelet sized to direct and support reciprocal motion of the closure assembly within the fuel passageway along the longitudinal axis;
• a closure assembly reciprocally disposed in and axially aligned with the fuel passageway, the closure assembly including an upper bearing guide fixedly connected to a stem portion;
• the upper bearing guide including a bearing portion and a contacting portion;
• and
• the armature guide eyelet including a first portion circumscribing the upper bearing guide bearing portion, and a second portion engaging the upper bearing guide contacting portion, wherein the second portion projects toward the longitudinal axis.

A fuel injector comprising:

• a housing having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a fuel passageway extending from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet along a longitudinal axis;
• a valve body disposed proximate the fuel outlet, the valve body having an inlet portion, and an armature guide eyelet disposed in the inlet portion of the valve body within the fuel passageway, the armature guide eyelet sized to direct and support reciprocal motion of the closure assembly within the fuel passageway along the longitudinal axis;
• a closure assembly reciprocally disposed in and axially aligned with the fuel passageway, the closure assembly including an upper bearing guide fixedly connected to a stem portion;
• the upper bearing guide including a bearing portion and a contacting portion;
• and
• the armature guide eyelet including a first portion circumscribing the upper bearing guide bearing portion, and a second portion engaging the upper bearing guide contacting portion, wherein both the contacting portion of the upper bearing guide and the second portion of the armature guide eyelet project away from the longitudinal axis.

A method of mechanically insuring a repeatable stroke of a closure assembly within a solenoid actuated fuel injector, the method comprising:

• providing a housing including a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a fuel passageway extending from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet along a longitudinal axis;
• providing a valve body disposed proximate the fuel outlet;
• providing a closure assembly reciprocally disposed in and axially aligned with the fuel passageway, the closure assembly including an upper bearing guide fixedly connected to a stem portion;
• providing an armature guide eyelet disposed in an inlet portion of the valve body within the fuel passageway, the armature guide eyelet sized to direct and support reciprocal motion of the closure assembly within the fuel passageway along the longitudinal axis;
• forming a bearing portion and a contacting portion on the upper bearing guide of the closure assembly;
• forming a first portion of the armature guide eyelet circumscribing the upper bearing guide bearing portion;
• forming a second portion of the armature guide eyelet abutting the upper bearing guide contacting portion;
• and
• engaging the second portion of the armature guide eyelet and the contacting portion of the upper bearing guide of the closure assembly.

A method of mechanically insuring a repeatable stroke of a closure assembly within a solenoid actuated fuel injector, the method comprising:

• providing a housing including a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a fuel passageway extending from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet along a longitudinal axis;
• providing a valve body disposed proximate the fuel outlet;
• providing a closure assembly reciprocally disposed in and axially aligned with the fuel passageway, the closure assembly including an upper bearing guide fixedly connected to a stem portion;
• providing an armature guide eyelet disposed in an inlet portion of the valve body within the fuel passageway, the armature guide eyelet sized to direct and support reciprocal motion of the closure assembly within the fuel passageway along the longitudinal axis;
• forming a bearing portion and a contacting portion on the upper bearing guide of the closure assembly;
• forming a first portion of the armature guide eyelet circumscribing the upper bearing guide bearing portion;
• forming a second portion of the armature guide eyelet abutting the upper bearing guide contacting portion;
• and
• engaging the second portion of the armature guide eyelet and the contacting portion of the upper bearing guide of the closure assembly, wherein the engagement of the second portion of the armature guide eyelet and the contacting portion of the upper bearing guide of the closure assembly within the fuel passageway limits rotation of the second portion with respect to the contacting portion.