Holding component and fuel injection assembly for an internal combustion engine

1. A holding component for securing a fuel injector to an injector cup, the holding component comprising:

a U-shaped holding element with two parallel supporting arms for engaging opposite sides of an annular groove in the fuel injector to secure the fuel injector in the injector cup;

a base part extending along a longitudinal axis of the fuel injector, wherein the two parallel supporting arms extend from the base part at a first axial position;

two resilient arms extending from the base part at the first axial position for engaging an outer surface of the injector cup; and

a depending leg extending from the base part along the longitudinal axis at a second axial position, the depending leg engageable with a recess in the fuel injector to accurately position the fuel injector angularly relative to the injector cup, and wherein the second axial position is more remote from the injector cup than the first axial position.

2. A holding component according to claim 1 , wherein the holding component comprises a molded plastics material.

3. A holding component according to claim 1 , wherein the holding element comprises a one-piece component formed from a sheet metal material.

4. A holding component according to claim 1 , wherein the two parallel supporting arms comprise a double thickness of material and the two resilient arms comprise a single thickness of material.

5. A holding component according to claim 1 , further comprising a second depending leg, wherein the two depending legs are in spaced parallel relationship, each leg engageable with a respective recess the fuel injector.

6. A holding component according to claim 1 , wherein roots of the resilient arms extend from a resilient web of the base part enabling the resilient arms to move in a direction of their longitudinal extent.

7. A holding component according to claim 1 , wherein at respective free ends, the two resilient arms have inwardly extending projections which, when the holding component is inserted in the injector cup, engage the injector cup to lock the holding component in position.

8. A fuel injection assembly having a longitudinal axis, the fuel injection assembly comprising:

an elongate fuel injector having a fuel inlet port, a fuel outlet port, and an annular groove;

an injector cup with a generally cylindrical body extending along the longitudinal axis with an upper end and a lower end and having an outer surface;

a holding component comprising:

a U-shaped holding element with two parallel supporting arms for engaging opposite sides of the annular groove to secure the fuel injector in the injector cup;

a base part extending along a longitudinal axis of the fuel injector, wherein the two parallel supporting arms extend from the base part at a first axial position;

two resilient arms extending from the base part at the first axial position for engaging the outer surface of the injector cup; and

a depending leg extending from the base part along the longitudinal axis at a second axial position, the depending leg engageable with a first recess in the fuel injector to accurately position the fuel injector angularly relative to the injector cup, and wherein the second axial position is more remote from the injector cup than the first axial position;

wherein the injector cup has a second recess at the lower end receiving the fuel inlet port;

an opening formed in a peripheral wall of the injector cup receiving the holding element;

wherein the supporting arms engage opposite sides of the annular groove.

9. A fuel injector assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the holding component further comprises a second depending leg and the two depending legs are in spaced parallel relationship, each leg engaged with a corresponding recess the fuel injector.

10. A fuel injector assembly according to claim 8 , wherein at respective free ends, the two resilient arms have inwardly extending projections engaging the injector cup to lock the holding component in position.

11. A fuel injector assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the first recess is formed in a plastics component part of the fuel injector.