Automotive emission control valve with a counter-force mechanism
First Claim
1. An electric-operated valve assembly comprising a body having an internal main flow passage between a first port and a second port, an annular valve seat in circumscribing relation to the passage, an operating mechanism comprising an electric actuator including an armature, a valve which is operated by the armature to selectively open and close the passage and to which a force due to pressure differential between the ports is applied when the valve is closing the passage, a counter-force mechanism that, when the valve is closing the passage, applies a counter-force to the valve opposite the force due to pressure differential between the first and second ports, the counter-force mechanism including a chamber space that is internal to the body and bounded in part by a fluid-impermeable movable wall that extends between and is sealed to both the body and the valve, and a communication passage that communicates one of the ports to the chamber space when the valve is closing the passage, wherein the valve comprises plural parts in assembly relation, one of the plural parts being a valve head and another of the plural parts being a retainer, the valve head and the retainer coacting to hold the movable wall sealed to the valve, and wherein a fastener passes through both the valve head and the retainer to hold the valve in assembly with the armature.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A valve assembly (14) has an internal main flow passage through a valve body (24) between a first port (25) and a second port (26), an electric actuator (30), and a valve (86) operated by an armature (58) of the actuator to selectively open and close the passage. A force-balancing mechanism (92) applies to the valve (86) a force that opposes force created by pressure differential between the first and second ports. This mechanism includes an internal chamber (126) bounded in part by a fluid-impermeable movable wall (94) that extends between and is sealed to both the body (24) and the valve (86), and a communication passage (110, 112) that communicates one of the ports (26) to the chamber space when the valve is closing the passage. The valve (86) has a head part (88) and a seal part (90) joined together. The seal part seals the head part to the valve seat (29) when the valve is closing the passage. A retainer part (116) holds the inner margin of the movable wall sealed on the head part. The communication passage extends through the valve to communicate with the chamber space at a region of the valve disposed within the chamber space. The valve also has cushion media (76, 80, 142) that cushions impact of lateral displacements of the armature, an overmold (32) that encloses internal parts, and sonic nozzle structure (28).
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Citations
54 Claims
- 1. An electric-operated valve assembly comprising a body having an internal main flow passage between a first port and a second port, an annular valve seat in circumscribing relation to the passage, an operating mechanism comprising an electric actuator including an armature, a valve which is operated by the armature to selectively open and close the passage and to which a force due to pressure differential between the ports is applied when the valve is closing the passage, a counter-force mechanism that, when the valve is closing the passage, applies a counter-force to the valve opposite the force due to pressure differential between the first and second ports, the counter-force mechanism including a chamber space that is internal to the body and bounded in part by a fluid-impermeable movable wall that extends between and is sealed to both the body and the valve, and a communication passage that communicates one of the ports to the chamber space when the valve is closing the passage, wherein the valve comprises plural parts in assembly relation, one of the plural parts being a valve head and another of the plural parts being a retainer, the valve head and the retainer coacting to hold the movable wall sealed to the valve, and wherein a fastener passes through both the valve head and the retainer to hold the valve in assembly with the armature.
- 17. A valve assembly comprising a body having an internal main flow passage between a first port and a second port, an annular valve seat in circumscribing relation to the passage, a multi-part valve which selectively opens and closes the passage and to which a force due to pressure differential between the ports is applied when the valve is closing the passage, a mechanism that, when the valve is closing the passage, applies a counter-force to the valve opposite the force due to pressure differential between the first and second ports, the mechanism including a chamber space that is internal to the body and bounded in part by an annular fluid-impermeable movable wall that extends between and the body and the valve, a communication passage that communicates one of the ports to the chamber space when the valve is closing the passage, the movable wall comprising an inner margin and an outer margin, the outer margin being in sealed relation to the body, the multi-part valve comprising a head part and a seal part joined together, the seal part sealing the heads part to the valve seat when the multi-part valve is closing the passage, and the multi-part valve further comprising a retainer part that holds the inner margin of the movable wall sealed on the head part, and wherein a fastener passes through both the valve head part and the retainer part to hold the multi-part valve in assembly with the armature.
- 33. A valve assembly comprising a body having an internal main flow passage between a first port and a second port, an annular valve seat in circumscribing relation to the passage, an electric actuator comprising an armature, a valve which is operated by the armature to selectively open and close the passage and to which a force due to pressure differential between the ports is applied when the valve is closing the passage, a mechanism that, when the valve is closing the passage, applies a counter-force to the valve opposite the force due to pressure differential between the first and second ports, the mechanism including a chamber space that is internal to the body and bounded in part by an annular fluid-impermeable movable wall that extends between and is sealed to the body and the valve, a communication passage that communicates one of the ports to the chamber space when the valve is closing the passage, the communication passage extending through the valve and having communication with the chamber space at a region of the valve that is disposed within the chamber space, wherein the valve comprises plural parts in assembly relation, one of the plural parts being a valve head and another of the plural parts being a retainer, the valve head and the retainer coacting to hold the movable wall sealed to the valve, and wherein a fastener passes through both the valve head and the retainer to hold the valve in assembly with the armature.
- 49. An electric-operated valve assembly comprising a body having an internal main flow passage between a first port and a second port, an annular valve seat in circumscribing relation to the passage, an operating mechanism comprising an electric actuator including an armature, a valve which is operated by the armature to selectively open and close the passage and to which a force due to pressure differential between the ports is applied when the valve is closing the passage, a counter-force mechanism that, when the valve is closing the passage, applies a counter-force to the valve opposite the force due to pressure differential between the first and second ports, the counter-force mechanism including a chamber space that is internal to the body and bounded in part by a fluid-impermeable movable wall that extends between and is sealed to both the body and the valve, and a communication passage that communicates one of the ports to the chamber space when the valve is closing the passage, the valve comprising an annular valve head part and an annular retainer part, a fastener that passes centrally through both the valve head part and the retainer part and fastens the valve head part and the retainer part to the armature with the retainer part disposed between the valve head part and the armature and with the movable wall held between the valve head part and the retainer part to seal the movable wall to the valve, and wherein the communication passage comprises respective through-holes in the valve head part and the retainer part.
Specification