Patent ID: 7021558

Claim:
A fuel injector for injecting pressurized fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, the injector comprising: a nozzle housing including a nozzle bore extending along a longitudinal axis thereof; a nozzle valve element disposed within said nozzle bore; a longitudinal passage extending substantially parallel to said nozzle valve element, said longitudinal passage including an outer end for discharging a flow of cooling fluid and an inner end for receiving a flow of cooling fluid; at least one transverse passage located adjacent said inner end of said longitudinal passage and extending transversely between said longitudinal passage and said nozzle bore; and a sleeve disposed around said nozzle housing that at least partially defines said longitudinal passage; wherein a quantity of cooling medium flows into the nozzle bore, through said transverse passage, into said longitudinal passage, and along said longitudinal passage at least when said nozzle valve element is in a closed position within said nozzle bore to cool said nozzle valve element.