Solenoid valve

• US 4,561,632 A
• Filed: 09/20/1984
• Issued: 12/31/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: J. Lorch Gesellscahft & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: J. Lorch Gesellscahft & Co. KG
• Inventors: Hugler, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAMEN, NOAH P
• Application Number:
  US06/652,615
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 251/141, 251/65, 251/129, 251/137, 251/138, 335/78, 335/79, 335/234, 137/625.44
• US Class Current: 251/129.15
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/082 using a electromagnet and a permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86847 Pivoted valve unit

Abstract

A solenoid valve for liquid and gaseous media whose valve closure piece or pieces (24) can be actuated by an armature (20'"'"') which is movable relative to the valve seat or seats (18, 19) is disclosed. The armature lies in the magnetic field of at least one electromagnet (4, 5) and of at least one permanent magnet (10) arranged outside the field of the electromagnet. The valve is closed via the armature (20'"'"') and has operating air gaps which change in opposite directions upon a movement of the armature. The electromagnet is provided with a core (4) whose ends form three magnet poles (10, 11, 12). The armature (20'"'"') which contains the permanent magnet (21) has two pole pieces (20'"'"') which extend between the three magnet poles (10, 11, 12) of the electromagnet to form four operating air gaps, the pole pieces being combined with the permanent magnet and connected with them to form as assembly.

Claims

1. A solenoid valve comprising a valve body defining a chamber with two ports and at least one valve seat within said chamber for controlling port-to-port flow via said chamber, an armature mounted for pivotal displacement with respect to said body, a valve member in said chamber and connected to said armature for coaction with said seat in accordance with pivoted displacement of said armature, said armature including a permanent magnet with two spaced arms defining opposed poles across an air gap therebetween, and an electromagnet mounted to said body and outside said chamber, said electromagnet comprising a three-leg core positioned to receive one armature arm between the center core leg and one of the outer core legs and to receive the other armature arm between the center core leg and the other of the outer core legs, the positioning and proportioning of core legs and armature arms being such that four air gaps are established between the respective adjacent faces of said core legs and said armature arms, and an excitation winding coupled to said center leg.

2. A solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein said armature is a U-shaped assembly of two like arms of magnet-flux-conducting material assembled to oppositely polarized faces of a permanent magnet of rectangular section.

3. A solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein said three-leg core is of E or M configuration.

4. A solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein a rocker lever is the means of valve member connection to the armature and is also the means of pivotal mounting of the armature.

5. A solenoid valve according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that at least in one of the two outer core legs of the electromagnet there is provided a continuous threaded borehole which extends into the adjoining operating air gap and in which an adjustment screw of magnetizable material is arranged.

6. A solenoid valve according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that a pair of oppositely directed springs act in the direction of pivotal displaceability of the armature.

7. A solenoid valve according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the springs are two coil springs each of which has one end referenced to said body and its outer end poised for action to pivot said armature.

8. A solenoid valve according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that a spring-tension adjustment screw is associated with at least one of said springs.

9. A solenoid valve according to claim 1, in which said chamber has a valve seat and a valve member at each of said ports, and in which said armature is part of an assembly which includes valve-member supports on opposite sides of the pivotal axis.

10. A solenoid valve according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that said valve-member supports are developed on a plastic member which surrounds said permanent magnet.

11. A solenoid valve according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that said valve members are guided by said supports and are spring-urged toward valve-seating.

12. A solenoid valve according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said armature is external to said chamber and is part of an assembly which at least in part forms a first arm of a double-armed rocker lever, whose second arm extends into said chamber, said second arm being sealed to said body at entrance to said chamber, and said second arm carrying said valve member for throttling coaction with said valve seat.

13. A solenoid valve according to claim 12, in which said valve member is a part of a plastic member surrounding the second arm.

14. A solenoid valve according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that said plastic member is integrally formed to additionally effect the sealed engagement to said body.

15. A solenoid valve according to claim 12, characterized by the fact that the rocker lever is developed as a resilient leaf spring or bar spring.

16. A solenoid valve comprising a generally cup-shaped body open at one end and defining a chamber with two ports and at least one valve seat and a coacting valve member within said chamber for controlling port-to-port flow via said chamber, a membrane spanning and providing sealed closure of the open end of said body, and electromagnetic means for actuating said valve member;

said electromagnetic means comprising a core of magnetic-flux-conducting material having three spaced legs interconnected at one end and terminating in a single geometrical plane at their other end, an electrical winding coupled to the center core leg, said core and winding being assembled to and externally of said valve body with the said other ends of the core legs in face-to-face adjacency with one side of said membrane, three spaced core-extension blocks of magnetic-flux-conducting material mounted to and within said body in face-to-face adjacency with the other side of said membrane and in lapping register with the respective core legs whereby the core circuit of said electromagnetic means is extended into said body and is characterized by two spaced gaps between blocks within said body, a permanently magnetized armature pivotally suspended within said body and having spaced oppositely polarized arms within the respective gaps, and an actuating connection from said armature to said valve member.

17. A solenoid valve comprising a valve body defining a chamber with two ports and at least one valve seat within said chamber for controlling port-to-port flow via said chamber, a valve member movably mounted in said body for coaction with said seat, an armature external to said chamber and carried for movement with said valve member, said armature including a permanent magnet with two spaced arms defining opposed poles across an air gap therebetween, and an electromagnet mounted to said body and outside said chamber, said electromagnet comprising a three-leg core positioned to receive one armature arm between the center core leg and one of the outer core legs and to receive the other armature arm between the center core leg and the other of the outer core legs, the positioning and proportioning of core legs and armature arms being such that four air gaps are established between the respective adjacent faces of said core legs and said armature arms, and an excitation winding coupled to said center leg.