Hydraulic valve device with associated spool displacement transducer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hydraulic valve (20), comprising:
- a valve body (19);
inner channels (22) within the valve body, the inner channels defining passages for fluid flow;
at least a spool (21) present in the body, the spool movable axially in order to control the fluid flow in the inner channels (22); and
at least a sensor (30) attached to said body (19), said sensor (30) movable with the spool (21) to i) sense a current position of the spool, and ii) give out a corresponding electrical signal indicating the current position of the spool,wherein said sensor (30) measures a linear displacement of the spool (21) by sensing an angle of magnetic field lines,wherein said sensor comprises;
a tube assembly comprising at leasti) a tube (8) resistant to oil pressure, the tube comprising a thread (8A), the sensor mounted on the valve body by the thread so that the tube together with the valve body create a closed space where oil flows, the tube serving as a magnet housing,ii) a moving plunger (1, 2, 4, 5) having an axis (AA),iii) a magnet carrier (5) with a permanent magnet (4) located in an inside of the magnet carrier,iv) a spring (6) placed internal to the tube (8) and acting against the magnet carrier (5), the spring keeping the plunger, with the magnet (4) inside the magnet carrier, in contact with the spool (21),v) an anti-spin device (3) cooperating with the moving plunger and preventing the moving plunger from rotating around the axis (AA); and
a body assembly comprising at leasti) a connector (9,10,12) for power supply and output signals,ii) a printed circuit board (11) with an integrated circuit serving as magnetic pickup (23),iii) a body (13) supporting the integrated circuit and the tube,iv) a tube and PC board holder (14) within the body,v) a non-magnetic body cover (16), andvi) a seal-lock nut (18) keeping the tube assembly mounted in the body assembly, wherein,said magnet moves along with the spool and creates a variation in a magnetic field during movement with the spool, andthe integrated circuit measures a linear displacement of the spool (21) by sensing a variation in an angle of magnetic field lines of the magnetic field from the permanent magnetic and generates an output signal proportional to the movement of the spool (21).
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Abstract
A hydraulic valve device includes a sensor for determining spool displacement of within the valve. The sensor includes two main subassemblies, a tube assembly and a body assembly; the tube assembly being mounted onto the valve body by the thread so that the tube together with the valve creates a closed space where oil flows; the plunger with the magnet inside, is kept in contact with the valve spool by the spring so that the magnet moves along with the spool, so does also the magnetic field created by the magnet. An integrated circuit on the printed circuit board senses the angle of magnetic field lines and generates an output signal proportional to the movement of the spool.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A hydraulic valve (20), comprising:
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a valve body (19); inner channels (22) within the valve body, the inner channels defining passages for fluid flow; at least a spool (21) present in the body, the spool movable axially in order to control the fluid flow in the inner channels (22); and at least a sensor (30) attached to said body (19), said sensor (30) movable with the spool (21) to i) sense a current position of the spool, and ii) give out a corresponding electrical signal indicating the current position of the spool, wherein said sensor (30) measures a linear displacement of the spool (21) by sensing an angle of magnetic field lines, wherein said sensor comprises; a tube assembly comprising at least i) a tube (8) resistant to oil pressure, the tube comprising a thread (8A), the sensor mounted on the valve body by the thread so that the tube together with the valve body create a closed space where oil flows, the tube serving as a magnet housing, ii) a moving plunger (1, 2, 4, 5) having an axis (AA), iii) a magnet carrier (5) with a permanent magnet (4) located in an inside of the magnet carrier, iv) a spring (6) placed internal to the tube (8) and acting against the magnet carrier (5), the spring keeping the plunger, with the magnet (4) inside the magnet carrier, in contact with the spool (21), v) an anti-spin device (3) cooperating with the moving plunger and preventing the moving plunger from rotating around the axis (AA); and a body assembly comprising at least i) a connector (9,10,12) for power supply and output signals, ii) a printed circuit board (11) with an integrated circuit serving as magnetic pickup (23), iii) a body (13) supporting the integrated circuit and the tube, iv) a tube and PC board holder (14) within the body, v) a non-magnetic body cover (16), and vi) a seal-lock nut (18) keeping the tube assembly mounted in the body assembly, wherein, said magnet moves along with the spool and creates a variation in a magnetic field during movement with the spool, and the integrated circuit measures a linear displacement of the spool (21) by sensing a variation in an angle of magnetic field lines of the magnetic field from the permanent magnetic and generates an output signal proportional to the movement of the spool (21). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification