Patent ID: 7404526

Claim:
An injection nozzle for an internal combustion engine, the injection nozzle comprising; an outer valve needle that is engageable with an outer valve seating so as to control injection through a first nozzle outlet, an inner valve needle that is movable within the outer valve needle and engageable with an inner valve seating so as to control injection through a second nozzle outlet, and a coupling arrangement for coupling movement of the outer valve needle to the inner valve needle in circumstances in which the outer valve needle is moved away from the outer valve seating beyond a predetermined amount, thereby to permit fuel injection through both the first and second nozzle outlets, wherein the outer valve seating defines first and second seats for the outer valve needle, co-operation between the outer valve needle and the first seat controlling fuel flow between a first delivery chamber and the first nozzle outlet and co-operation between the outer valve needle and the second seat controlling fuel flow between a second delivery chamber and the first nozzle outlet, the second delivery chamber communicating with the first delivery chamber by way of a supplementary flow path defined, at least partially, within the outer valve needle, wherein the coupling arrangement includes a resilient member carried by the outer valve needle, the resilient member being brought into engagement with the inner valve needle following movement of the outer valve needle beyond the predetermined amount so as to cause the inner valve needle to move together with the outer valve needle, and wherein the resilient member takes the form of a spring pin having lateral resilience.