Spring clip for retaining a fuel injector in a fuel rail cup

摘要

A spring clip for retaining together a fuel injector and a fuel rail cup includes first and second parallel spaced side walls and a third side wall resiliently connecting the first and second side walls to form a generally U-shaped body with an open side. The first and second parallel spaced side walls include flanges extending inwardly toward one another from opposed lower edges of the side walls. The flanges are configured to coact with an exterior surface of an associated fuel injector to locate the injector axially relative to the clip. The first and second parallel spaced side walls also include slots arranged to receive a flanged portion of the fuel rail cup such that the clip is located axially relative to the cup, thereby locating said injector axially relative to said cup. An aperture in the third side wall receives both a radially protruding orientation key of the injector and a corresponding orientation key of the fuel rail cup to fix the injector against rotational motion in the cup. Angled upper edges of the side walls and the side wall aperture allow the clip to be radially installed on the injector and to thereafter permit axial connection of the clip with the fuel rail cup when the injector inlet end is inserted into the cup. Alternatively, when the injector is assembled in the fuel rail cup, the clip may be snapped onto the assembly. In either case, the clip fixes the injector against axial and rotational movement relative to the fuel rail cup.