Disclosed is a valve mechanism, especially a fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine, comprising a valve element whose switching position at least indirectly depends on the switching mode of a piezo actuator. Said piezo actuator is impinged upon by a tubular and overall cylindrical biasing device (30) that is made from a plate-shaped starting material and is provided with two abutting longitudinal edges (42, 44) such that the longitudinal rigidity is modified in said area. The inventive biasing device (30) encompasses at least one zone (52) whose longitudinal rigidity is different from that of an adjacent zone and which is disposed relative to the abutting longitudinal edges (42, 44) in such a way that the bending moment (M) which is generated as a result of the modified longitudinal rigidity in the area of the abutting longitudinal edges (42, 44) and acts upon the piezo actuator is reduced.