×

Control valve assembly

  • US 4,719,943 A
  • Filed: 11/25/1986
  • Issued: 01/19/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1983
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A control valve assembly of the type adapted to be operated at a high frequency with a variable duty cycle, the valve having an axis Am, which comprises:

  • a housing having a cavity which extends axially within the housing, the housing further havinga first seat disposed in the cavity,a second seat disposed in the cavity and spaced axially from the first seat leaving a control chamber therebetween,a first port which adapts the valve assembly to be in fluid communication with a fluid at a first pressure, and which is in fluid communication through the first seat with the control chamber,a second port which adapts the valve assembly to be in fluid communication with a region having a fluid at a second pressure which is not equal to the first pressure, and which is in fluid communication through the second seat with the control chamber,a third port which is in fluid communication with the control chamber;

    an armature having a first end and a second end, the armature extending axially about the axis Am, and being movable in a first direction to a first position and movable in a second direction to a second position, the armature havinga first section extending from the first end which is adapted to engage a shaft, the first section includinga poppet disposed in the control chamber which is adapted to engage the first seat at the first position of the armature and to engage the second seat at the second position of the armature, andmeans integrally joined to the poppet for adapting the first section to engage a diaphragm,a second section extending from the second end, the second section includinga plunger disposed in the cavity which is spaced axially from the poppet and which is spaced radially from the housing leaving a clearance gap Gr therebetween, and having an end spaced axially from the housing leaving an axial gap Ga therebetween,a shaft which is integrally joined to the plunger and which extends axially from the plunger to the first section through one of said seats to axially engage the first section to join the poppet to the plunger and which is slidable with respect to the second section;

    means engaging the first section for urging the poppet in one of said directions to engage one of said seats;

    a coil extending circumferentially about at least a portion of the plunger for urging the poppet in the other of said directions to engage the other of said seats; and

    ,means for radially positioning the armature from the housing as the armature moves between the first seat and the second seat under operative conditions and for resisting movement of the armature in the radial direction which includes an annular diaphragm having an outer portion attached to the housing and having an inner portion which is engaged by the means for adapting the first section to engage a diaphragm to attach the inner portion of the diaphragm to the first section of the armature at a location between the poppet and said first end of the armature, the diaphragm extending circumferentially about the axis Am between the armature and the housing to bound a flow path for fluid extending through the contral chamber and to block the fluid from contacting said first end of the armature and the diaphragm extending axially to adapt the diaphragm to exert a centering force on the armature in response to the static pressure of the fluid as the poppet moves between the seats;

    wherein forces exerted on the first section of the armature are transmitted to the poppet to positively drive the poppet at high frequencies from the first seat to the second seat and from the second seat to the first seat to establish an average pressure in the control chamber which is a function of the time spent at each seat and between the seats, and wherein the inertia of the first section of the armature and the means for radially positioning the armature act to resist movement of the poppet in the radial direction in response to fluid forces acting on the poppet as the poppet moves between the seats.

View all claims
  • 8 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×