Fuel injector assembly having an improved solenoid operated check valve

A fuel injector assembly for an internal combustion engine including an injector body (20) in fluid communication with a source of fuel and a nozzle assembly (28) through which fuel is dispersed from the fuel injector assembly during an injection event. A high pressure fuel delivery system (30) provides high pressure fuel to the nozzle assembly. The injector body defines a low pressure fuel spill gallary (72) in which unused fuel is collected from the high pressure delivery system. The high pressure fuel delivery system includes a cylindrical bore (32), a plunger (18) supported for reciprocation within the cylindrical bore, a pump chamber (34) defined by the plunger and the cylindrical bore, and a high pressure fuel passage (48) extending through the injector body from the pump chamber to the nozzle assembly for dispersing fuel at high pressure from the injector assembly. A solenoid operated check valve (60) is located between the pump chamber (34) and the nozzle assembly (28) and between the low pressure fuel spill gallery (72) and the high pressure fuel passage (48). The check valve is operable to control the pressure in the fuel delivery system by alternatingly reducing the pressure in the fuel system or increasing the pressure in the fuel delivery system by opening and closing same.