Claims:CLAIMS

We Claim

1. A fuel injector (10), said fuel injector (10) comprising:
a housing (12);
a slot (14) defined in said housing (12), the slot (14) adapted to extend partially along a longitudinal length of said housing (12) of said fuel injector (10) such that the slot (14) is adapted to reduce a diameter of said housing (12) along the slot (14) that extends partially along the longitudinal length of said housing (12) of said fuel injector (10);
a shoulder (16) defined between said housing (12) of said fuel injector (10) and the slot (14) defined in said housing (12); characterized in that
a first flat shaped portion (18) defined adjoining a first end of said shoulder (16) and a second flat shaped portion (20) defined adjoining a second end of said shoulder (16) and a circularly shaped recessed portion (22) defined between the first flat shaped portion (18) and the second flat shaped portion (20), the circularly shaped recessed portion (22) defined between the first flat shaped portion (18) and the second flat shaped portion (20) adapted to receive a circularly shaped clamped portion (24) therein.

2. The fuel injector (10) in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the circularly shaped recessed portion (22) defined between the first flat shaped portion (18) and the second flat shaped portion (20) is sized such that when the circularly shaped clamped portion (24) is inserted within the circularly shaped recessed portion (22) defined between the first flat shaped portion (18) and the second flat shaped portion (20), the circularly shaped clamped portion (24) fits snugly within the circularly shaped recessed portion (22).
3. The fuel injector (10) in accordance with Claim 1, wherein a diameter of the circularly shaped recessed portion (22) is defined by a user based on a user specific application that is slightly larger than a diameter of the circularly shaped clamped portion (24) to facilitate securing the circularly shaped clamped portion (24) within the circularly shaped recessed portion (22).

4. The fuel injector (10) in accordance with Claim 1, wherein a maximum diameter of the circularly shaped clamped portion (24) is positioned within a maximum depth of the circularly shaped recessed portion (22) to facilitate securing the circularly shaped clamped portion (24) snugly within the circularly shaped recessed portion (22).

5. The fuel injector (10) in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the circularly shaped recessed portion (22) defined between the first flat shaped portion (18) and the second flat shaped portion (20) is milled by means of a milling cutter to create the circularly shaped recessed portion (22) within said shoulder (16) defined between the housing (12) of said fuel injector (10) and the slot (14) defined in the housing (12) of said fuel injector (10).

6. The fuel injector (10) in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the circularly shaped recessed portion (22) is defined between the first end of said shoulder (16) and the second end of said shoulder (16), the circularly shaped recessed portion (22) defined between the first end of said shoulder (16) and the second end of said shoulder (16) adapted to receive a circularly shaped clamped portion (24) therein.
, Description:Complete Specification:

The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
Field of the invention
[0001] This invention relates to a clamping guide, and more specifically to a clamping guide that is defined in a fuel injector for positioning a clamp therein.

Background of the invention
[0002] GB 2213197 A1 describes a support bracket with an upstanding support post connected to the engine by a stud and nut and supports a clamp arm with one end adapted to engage the support post at a point of rolling contact and the other end adapted to engage the injector body at a point of rolling contact. A nut on the study urges a part-spherical washer to engage the arm at an intermediate point to apply a clamping load. A tool comprising a guide member that is inserted into the bore for the injector and a pair of arms that engage either side of the support bracket, is used to orientate the bracket angularly about the stud.

Brief description of the accompanying drawing
[0003] Figure 1 illustrates a clamping guide defined in a fuel injector for positioning a clamp therein in one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0004] A fuel injector 10 is described. The fuel injector 10 comprises a housing 12, and a slot 14 defined in the housing 12. The slot 14 is adapted to extend partially along a longitudinal length of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 such that the slot 14 is adapted to reduce a diameter of the housing 12 along the slot 14 that extends partially along the longitudinal length of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. A shoulder 16 is defined between the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 and the slot 14 defined in the housing 12. A first flat shaped portion 18 is defined adjoining a first end of the shoulder 16, and a second flat shaped portion 20 is defined adjoining a second end of the shoulder 16. A circularly shaped recessed portion 22 is defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20. The circularly shaped recessed portion 22 defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20 is adapted to receive a circularly shaped clamped portion 24 therein.

[0005] In an exemplary embodiment, a fuel injector 10 is described. The fuel injector 10 comprises a housing 12. The housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 is used to house a solenoid valve (not shown), a spring chamber (not shown) that is located proximate to the solenoid valve, and a spring (not shown) that is positioned below the spring chamber. A solenoid valve (not shown) is positioned below the spring and is adapted to reciprocate within a solenoid valve chamber and inject pressurized fuel into a pumping chamber of an engine. A slot 14 is defined in the housing 12 that is machined by means of a milling cutter tool. The slot 14 that is defined in the housing 12 is adapted to extend partially along a longitudinal length of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. More specifically, the slot 14 is adapted to reduce a diameter of the housing 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the diameter to which the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 is reduced is user defined based on a user specific application. The slot 14 is adapted to reduce the diameter of the housing 12 all along the outer circumference of the slot 14 that extends partially along the longitudinal length of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10. The slot 14 comprises a wedge-shaped portion in contrast with the circular shaped portion that circumscribes the outer circumference of the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, a shoulder 16 is defined between the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 and the slot 14 defined in the housing 12. The shoulder 16 that is defined between the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 and the slot 14 defined in the housing 12 comprises a wedge-shaped projection that is formed therein. The shoulder 16 that is defined between the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 and the slot 14 that is defined in the housing 12 comprises a first flat shaped portion 18 is defined adjoining a first end of the shoulder 16, and a second flat shaped portion 20 is defined adjoining a second end of the shoulder 16 that is at its opposite second end. A circularly shaped recessed portion 22 is defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20. The circularly shaped recessed portion 22 that is defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20 is adapted to receive a circularly shaped clamped portion 24 of a clamp 11 therein. More specifically, the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 is adapted to be positioned within the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 that is defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20 respectively to facilitate securing the fuel injector 10 to the clamp 11.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20 is sized such that when the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 is inserted within the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20, the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 fits snugly within the circularly shaped recessed portion 22. More specifically, the size of the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20 is slightly larger than the circularly shaped clamped portion 24. Therefore, when the smaller diameter circularly shaped clamped portion 24 is inserted within the larger diameter circularly shaped recessed portion 22 defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20, the smaller diameter circularly shaped clamped portion 24 is snugly fitted within the larger diameter circularly shaped recessed portion 22 defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20 respectively.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, a diameter of the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 is defined by a user based on a user specific application. As disclosed earlier, the diameter of the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 is slightly larger than the diameter of the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 to facilitate securing the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 within the circularly shaped recessed portion 22. Therefore, the maximum diameter of the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 is positioned within the maximum depth of the circularly shaped recessed portion 22. The alignment of the maximum diameter portion of the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 within the maximum depth of the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 facilitates securing the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 snugly within the circularly shaped recessed portion 22, thereby preventing an axial movement of the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 within the circularly shaped recessed portion 22. The circularly shaped recessed portion 22 that is defined between the first flat shaped portion 18 and the second flat shaped portion 20 is milled by means of a milling cutter to create the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 within the shoulder 16 that is defined between the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 and the slot 14 that is defined in the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10.

[0009] In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 is defined adjoining the first end of the shoulder 16 and adjoining the second end of the shoulder 16 that is defined between the housing 12 of the fuel injector 10 and the slot 14 that is defined in the housing 12. The circularly shaped recessed portion 22 that is defined adjoining the first end of the shoulder 16 and the second end of the shoulder 16 is adapted to receive a circularly shaped clamped portion 24 therein. The circularly shaped clamped portion 24 that is received within the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 form a snug fit to ensure securing the circularly shaped clamped portion 24 within the circularly shaped recessed portion 22 that is defined in the shoulder 16 of the fuel injector 10.

[0010] It must be understood that the embodiments explained above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Many modifications in the embodiments regarding dimensions of various components are envisaged and form a part of this invention. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.