Proportional flow valve
First Claim
1. A proportional flow valve comprising:
- a valve body including an inlet port, an outlet port, and a valve seal between the ports, the valve seal surrounding an orifice,a valve member movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat to close and open the valve, respectively, the pressure of fluid from the inlet port urging the valve member into engagement with the valve seat when the valve is closed,a pressure member movable with respect to the valve seat,means for rigidly interconnecting the pressure member and the valve member,passageway means through which high pressure fluid from the inlet port can flow to the pressure member, so as to counterbalance the high pressure fluid acting on the valve member, the pressure member thereby opposing the force of fluid pressure from the inlet port tending to close the valve,support means within the valve body for slidably receiving said passageway means,vent means carried by the passageway means through which the passageway means can communicate with the outlet port, the vent means moving into the support means to close the vent means when the pilot valve is opened, to permit pressurizing of the pressure member, so as to establish the counterbalancing between the pressure member and the valve member, and the vent means moving out of said support means to open the vent means when the pilot valve is closed, so as to depressurize the pressure member,resilient means constantly urging the valve member toward the valve seat, anda solenoid actuator for moving the passageway means to move the valve member out of engagement with the valve seat against the force of the resilient means, the distance which the valve member moves from the seat being proportional to the amount of current applied to the actuator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A proportional flow valve wherein inlet fluid pressure urges the valve member toward the valve set. A pressure member, which may be a rolling diaphragm, has an effective area about equal to that of the valve orifice and is also subjected to inlet fluid pressure, when the valve is open, to counterbalance the force of the inlet fluid pressure on the valve member. A spring constantly urges the valve member toward the valve seat, to close the valve, and a solenoid actuator, when energized, moves the valve member way from the valve seat against the force of the spring. The distance which the valve member moves from the seat, and hence the rate of flow through the valve, is proportional to the amount of current applied to the solenoid actuator. A pilot valve controls the flow of inlet fluid pressure to the pressure member.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A proportional flow valve comprising:
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a valve body including an inlet port, an outlet port, and a valve seal between the ports, the valve seal surrounding an orifice, a valve member movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat to close and open the valve, respectively, the pressure of fluid from the inlet port urging the valve member into engagement with the valve seat when the valve is closed, a pressure member movable with respect to the valve seat, means for rigidly interconnecting the pressure member and the valve member, passageway means through which high pressure fluid from the inlet port can flow to the pressure member, so as to counterbalance the high pressure fluid acting on the valve member, the pressure member thereby opposing the force of fluid pressure from the inlet port tending to close the valve, support means within the valve body for slidably receiving said passageway means, vent means carried by the passageway means through which the passageway means can communicate with the outlet port, the vent means moving into the support means to close the vent means when the pilot valve is opened, to permit pressurizing of the pressure member, so as to establish the counterbalancing between the pressure member and the valve member, and the vent means moving out of said support means to open the vent means when the pilot valve is closed, so as to depressurize the pressure member, resilient means constantly urging the valve member toward the valve seat, and a solenoid actuator for moving the passageway means to move the valve member out of engagement with the valve seat against the force of the resilient means, the distance which the valve member moves from the seat being proportional to the amount of current applied to the actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification