Patent ID: 7789062

Claim:
An injection nozzle for a compression ignition internal combustion engine, the injection nozzle comprising: a nozzle body provided with a bore, within which a unitary valve needle is movable along a primary valve needle axis, the valve needle being engageable with a valve seating defined by the bore to control fuel delivery through first and second outlets, and including a first valve region, a second valve region and a first seat region defined by a transition between the first and second valve regions that seats against the valve seating when the nozzle is in a non-injecting state, wherein the valve needle comprises a third valve region, a relieved region defined by a transition between said second and third valve regions, the relieved region defining a first exit volume between the valve needle and the bore adjacent to the first outlet when the valve needle is lifted from the valve seating into an injecting state, and a fourth valve region having at least a part in closer proximity to the bore than said relieved region, said second outlet being disposed downstream of the fourth valve region.