Patent ID: 7574994

Claim:
A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a high-pressure accumulator in which fuel may be stored at high pressure; at least one fuel injector that is connectable to the high-pressure accumulator and via which fuel found in the high-pressure accumulator can be injected into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine; a high-pressure pump that draws in fuel out of a leak fuel area and supplies the fuel in compressed form to the high-pressure accumulator, so that a high fuel pressure is built up therein during operation of the high-pressure pump; and a return line including a regulating valve and being implemented between the leak fuel area and the high-pressure accumulator; wherein: the regulating valve: allows a fuel flow from the leak fuel area into the high-pressure accumulator when the high-pressure pump is shut down; and is configured to be switchable; and the return line continuously opens when the high-pressure pump is shut down.