Electromagnetic control valve

• US 6,142,445 A
• Filed: 05/01/1998
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Saginomiya Seisakusho, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Saginomiya Seisakusho, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Nagai, Hiroyuki, Kawaguchi, Masahiro, Suitou, Ken, Ikeda, Tadaaki, Sonobe, Masanori, Okada, Tomoo, Ohkawara, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEASEL, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US09/070,814
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 251/324, 251/129.15, 251/323
• US Class Current: 251/129.15
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2027/1854 External parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2027/1859 Suction pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 27/1804 Controlled by crankcase pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/0263 multiple way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/029 Electromagnetically actuated valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0613 with cylindrical slides
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0631 with ball shaped valve members

Abstract

An electromagnetic control valve is provided. The control stability of the electromagnetic control valve is improved because: (1) one end of the guide pin is forced into and then secured in a hole formed in the center of the coil guide so that the plunger moves in the center of the suction portion; (2) one end of the connecting rod is forced into and then secured in a hole formed in the center of the plunger, and a guide portion for guiding the connecting rod is provided in the center of the upper main body; or (3) the connecting rod is forced into and then secured in a hole formed in the center of the plunger, and a first guide portion for guiding the connecting rod is provided at the lower end of the coil guide and/or a second guide portion for guiding the connecting rod is provided at the lower end of the upper main body.

Claims

1. A plunger-type electromagnetic control valve comprising:

a plunger reciprocatively disposed in the control valve in a predetermined operative disposition within a solenoid coil structure;

a valve element;

a first spring arranged with the plunger for applying a first bias thereto;

a second spring arranged with the valve element for applying a second bias thereto;

a connecting rod operatively interconnecting the plunger and the valve element; and

a guide arrangement for guiding the plunger in a spaced, contact-free, sliding-friction reducing relationship with respect to the solenoid coil structure;

wherein the connecting rod extends through the plunger and wherein the alignment arrangement comprises first and second guide portions which are made of a low friction material and are arranged to support the connecting rod on either side of the plunger, the first spring being disposed between the first guide portion and the plunger.

2. A plunger-type electromagnetic control valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plunger has a vent port therein.

3. A plunger-type electromagnetic control valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve element is a spherical valve element and wherein the second spring is arranged to apply a bias to the spherical valve element through a cage in which the valve element is disposed.

4. A plunger-type electromagnetic control valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plunger is cup-shaped so as to have an upstanding peripheral wall portion which surrounds the first spring.

5. A plunger-type electromagnetic control valve comprising:

a plunger for controlling movement of a valve member reciprocatively driven within a fixed upper main body by an electromagnetic coil;

an alignment unit for guiding the plunger along a center axis of the fixed upper main body, said alignment unit comprising;

a guide hole which extends coaxially through a center of the plunger, and

a guide pin having one end immovably secured in a hole formed in a stationary member of the control valve, said guide pin being disposed in the guide hole so that said plunger can reciprocate therealong while being maintained in a spaced, contact free relationship with a member which surrounds the periphery of said plunger, and so that one end of the plunger directly engages a first end of a connecting rod which is reciprocatively disposed in the electromagnetic control valve.

6. A plunger-type electromagnetic control valve comprising:

a plunger reciprocatively disposed in the control valve in a predetermined operative disposition within a solenoid coil structure;

a valve element;

a first spring arranged with the plunger for applying a first bias thereto;

a second spring arranged with the valve element for applying a second bias thereto;

a connecting rod operatively interconnecting the plunger and the valve element; and

a guide arrangement for guiding the plunger in a spaced, contact-free, sliding-friction reducing relationship with respect to the solenoid coil structure;

wherein the guide arrangement comprises a guide pin which is rigidly set in a stationary structure of the control valve and an axial bore formed in the plunger in which the guide pin is received.

7. A plunger-type electromagnetic control valve as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first spring surrounds part of the guide pin.

8. A plunger-type electromagnetic control valve as set forth in claim 6, wherein the connecting rod abuts an end surface of the plunger and is coaxially aligned with the guide pin.

9. A plunger-type electromagnetic control valve comprising:

a plunger for controlling movement of a valve member reciprocatively driven within a fixed upper main body by an electromagnetic coil;

an alignment unit for guiding the plunger along a center axis of the fixed upper main body so that an outer peripheral surface of the plunger is maintained in a contact free relationship with surrounding control valve structure, said alignment unit comprising;

a guide hole which extends coaxially through a center of the plunger, and

a guide pin having one end immovably secured in a pin receiving hole formed in a stationary member of the control valve.

10. The plunger-type electromagnetic control valve according to claim 9, wherein:

the contact surfaces between the plunger and the fixed upper main body are conic surfaces having a uniform vertical angle and a plane perpendicular to the center axis of the plunger.

11. The plunger-type electromagnetic control valve according to claim 9, wherein:

said guide hole of the alignment unit is formed along the coaxial the center of the plunger.

12. The plunger-type electromagnetic control valve according to claim 9, wherein:

the member in which an end of the guide pin is secured, is a coil guide and wherein another end of the guide pin is received in said guide hole formed in a center of the plunger.

13. The plunger-type electromagnetic control valve according to claim 9, wherein:

the alignment unit is formed by securing one end of a connecting rod in a rod receiving hole formed at the center of the plunger, and by engaging the connecting rod with a second guide hole formed in the center of the fixed upper main body.

14. The plunger-type electromagnetic control valve according to claim 9, wherein:

the alignment unit is formed by securing one part of a connecting rod in a rod receiving hole formed at the center of the plunger, and by engaging one end portion of the connecting rod with a guide portion having a low frictional resistance disposed in a concave portion at the center of a coil guide.

15. The plunger-type electromagnetic control valve according to claim 14, wherein:

the other end portion of the connecting rod is engaged with a second guide portion having a low frictional resistance disposed in a concave portion at the center and lower end of the fixed upper main body.

16. The plunger-type electromagnetic control valve according to claim 9, further comprising:

a coil cover disposed within the electromagnetic coil, the coil cover being made of a magnetic material and arranged so that an upper end portion is in contact with an outer casing and the lower end portion is positioned to surround the plunger.

17. The plunger-type electromagnetic control valve according to claim 9, further comprising:

a first spring disposed between the plunger and a stationary member of the control valve;

a second spring disposed with a valve element; and

a connecting rod operatively connecting the valve element and the plunger so that displacement of the plunger displaces the valve element.