Fast-acting fluid control valve
First Claim
1. A fluid control valve comprising:
- an annular-shaped spool comprising multiple axially-spaced circumferential spool sealing features;
a housing comprising an annular-shaped spool cavity in which the spool is received so as to be capable of axial movement within the spool cavity between first and second spool positions, the housing having multiple axially-spaced circumferential housing sealing features configured and disposed within the spool cavity so that;
with the spool in the first spool position, fluid flow is enabled through the spool cavity, the fluid flow being enabled axially between the circumferential spool sealing features and the circumferential housing sealing features, which are sized and configured to provide axial force balancing of the spool; and
with the spool in the second spool position, the circumferential spool sealing features and the circumferential housing sealing features cooperate to substantially prevent fluid flow through the spool cavity.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid control valve capable of rapidly opening and closing. The valve includes a housing with an annular-shaped spool cavity that contains an annular-shaped spool capable of axial movement within the spool cavity between first and second spool positions. The spool has axially-spaced circumferential spool sealing features and optionally radial passages therethrough. The housing has axially-spaced circumferential housing sealing features configured and disposed within the spool cavity so that, with the spool in the first spool position, fluid flow is enabled through the spool cavity axially between the spool sealing features and the housing sealing features, which provide axial force balancing of the spool. With the spool in the second spool position, the spool sealing features and the housing sealing features cooperate to substantially prevent fluid flow through the spool cavity.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fluid control valve comprising:
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an annular-shaped spool comprising multiple axially-spaced circumferential spool sealing features; a housing comprising an annular-shaped spool cavity in which the spool is received so as to be capable of axial movement within the spool cavity between first and second spool positions, the housing having multiple axially-spaced circumferential housing sealing features configured and disposed within the spool cavity so that; with the spool in the first spool position, fluid flow is enabled through the spool cavity, the fluid flow being enabled axially between the circumferential spool sealing features and the circumferential housing sealing features, which are sized and configured to provide axial force balancing of the spool; and with the spool in the second spool position, the circumferential spool sealing features and the circumferential housing sealing features cooperate to substantially prevent fluid flow through the spool cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A fluid control valve comprising:
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a spool comprising an annular-shaped spool wall, circumferential-oriented inner spool channels on an interior surface of the spool wall, circumferential-oriented inner spool sealing lands between adjacent pairs of the inner spool channels, circumferential-oriented outer spool channels on an exterior surface of the spool wall, circumferential-oriented outer spool sealing lands between adjacent pairs of the outer spool channels, and radial flow passages extending through the spool wall so as to fluidically couple corresponding pairs of the inner and outer spool channels; a housing comprising an inner housing portion circumscribed by the spool and an outer housing portion circumscribing the spool, the spool being received in an annular-shaped spool cavity between the inner and outer housing portions so as to be capable of axial movement within the spool cavity between first and second spool positions; the inner housing portion comprising circumferential-oriented inner housing channels on an exterior surface thereof, circumferential-oriented inner housing sealing lands between adjacent pairs of the inner housing channels thereof, first internal flow passages within the inner housing portion that are directly fluidically coupled to a first set but not a second set of the inner housing channels, and second internal flow passages within the inner housing portion that are directly fluidically coupled to the second set but not the first set of the inner housing channels, the inner housing channels and inner housing sealing lands being disposed within the spool cavity; the outer housing portion comprising circumferential-oriented outer housing channels on an interior surface thereof and circumferential-oriented outer housing sealing lands between adjacent pairs of the outer housing channels, the outer housing channels and outer housing sealing lands being disposed within the spool cavity, each of the outer housing channels of the outer housing portion being fluidically coupled to a corresponding one of the inner housing channels of the inner housing portion through a corresponding one of the radial flow passages of the spool; and means for forcing the spool to move within the spool cavity between the first and second positions; wherein the spool and the inner and outer housing portions are configured so that when the spool is in the first spool position within the spool cavity a continuous fluid course is defined through the flow control valve, the continuous fluid course comprising the first internal flow passages within the inner housing portion fluidically coupled to the first set of the inner housing channels of the inner housing portion, the first set of the inner housing channels of the inner housing portion fluidically coupled to the second set of the inner housing channels of the inner housing portion through axial flow passages between the inner spool sealing lands of the spool and the inner housing sealing lands of the inner housing portion, the first set of the inner housing channels of the inner housing portion being further fluidically coupled to the second set of the inner housing channels of the inner housing portion through the radial flow passages, and wherein the spool and the inner and outer housing portions are configured so that, when the spool is in the second spool position within the spool cavity, the continuous fluid course is closed as a result of closure of the axial flow passages between the inner spool sealing lands of the spool and the inner housing sealing lands of the inner housing portion.
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Specification