Hydraulic valve for use in a control module of an automatic transmission

• US 9,086,170 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BorgWarner Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BorgWarner Incorporated
• Inventors: Jones, Michael E., Que, Dennis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLON MORALES, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/377,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20120085436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.15, 251/366, 137/625.64, 137/625.69
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2013/004 Cartridge valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0253 Details of electro hydraulic valves, e.g. lands, ports, spools or springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0251 Elements specially adapted for electric control units, e.g. valves for converting electrical signals to fluid signals
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/07 with cylindrical slides
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0613 with cylindrical slides
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7758 Pilot or servo controlled

Abstract

A hydraulic valve assembly (10) adapted to be mounted to a transmission control module (15) and having a valve body (12), a valve bore (16), and at least one pressure supply port (26) as well as at least one pressure control port (28) that establish fluid communication between a source of pressurized fluid and a component to be controlled by the valve assembly. A valve member (18) is supported in the valve bore (16) and is selectively movable between predetermined positions to direct the pressurized fluid between the pressure supply port (26) and the pressure control port (28). In addition, the hydraulic valve assembly (10) includes a biasing mechanism (80, 180, 280, 380) that is responsive to the flow of hydraulic fluid through the valve body to generate a biasing force acting on the valve body (12) in a direction toward the pressure supply port (26).

Claims

1. A hydraulic valve assembly (10) adapted to be mounted to a transmission control module (15), said hydraulic valve comprising:

a valve body (12) adapted to be received and retained in the bore (13) of the transmission control module (15), said valve body (12) having a valve bore (16) extending axially along the length of said valve body (12), at least one pressure supply port (26) providing fluid communication between a source of pressurized fluid and said valve bore (16), and at least one pressure control port (26) providing fluid communication between said valve bore (16) and a component controlled by the transmission control unit, a valve member (18) supported in said valve bore (16) and selectively moveable between predetermined positions to direct pressurized fluid between said pressure supply port (26) and said pressure control port (28);

a channel (80) formed on the outer circumference of said valve body (12), said channel having first and second ends and extending substantially arcuately about the longitudinal axis of said valve bore (16) opposite to said pressure supply port (26) such that said first and second ends are disposed in spaced angular relationship with respect to the longitudinal axis of said valve bore (16), said channel being in fluid communication with said pressure supply port (26) and adapted to define a hydraulic biasing reservoir generating a force acting in a direction toward said pressure supply port (26) to improve the seal of said pressure supply port against the bore (13) of the transmission control module (15).

2. The hydraulic valve assembly (10) as set forth in claim 1 further including a bladder (186) disposed in said channel (82) and between said channel (82) and the bore (13) defined in the transmission control module (15).

3. A hydraulic valve assembly (10) adapted to be mounted to a transmission control module (15), said hydraulic valve comprising:

a valve body (12) adapted to be received and retained in the bore (13) of the transmission control module (15), said valve body (12) having a valve bore (16) extending axially along the length of said valve body (12), at least one pressure supply port (26) providing fluid communication between a source of pressurized fluid and said valve bore (16), and at least one pressure control port (28) providing fluid communication between said valve bore (16) and a component controlled by the transmission control unit, a valve member (18) having at least two lands supported in said valve bore (16), said valve member (18) selectively moveable between predetermined positions to direct pressurized fluid between said pressure supply port (26) and said pressure control port (28);

a channel (182) formed on the outer circumference of said valve body (12) and extending substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said valve bore (16) opposite to said pressure supply port (26) and so as to substantially span the distance between said at least two lands of said valve member (18), said channel (182) being in fluid communication with said pressure supply port (26) and adapted to define a hydraulic biasing reservoir generating a force acting in a direction toward said pressure supply port (26) to improve the seal of said pressure supply port against the bore (13) of the transmission control module (15).

4. The hydraulic valve assembly (10) as set forth in claim 3 further including a bladder (186) disposed in said channel (182) and between said channel (182) and the bore (13) defined in the transmission control module (15).