Dual armature purge valve

A purge valve for an evaporative emission control (EVAP) system of an engine fuel supply system, the purge valve comprising:

• a chamber having an inlet conduit for receiving fuel vapors from an evaporative emission control (EVAP) canister, a first outlet conduit to an engine for the fuel vapors, and a second outlet conduit to the engine for the fuel vapors;
• a coil within the chamber;
• a stator core surrounded by the coil;
• a first armature seated within the stator core and movable to open and close a first opening to the first outlet conduit;
• a second armature seated within the stator core and movable to open and close a second opening to the second outlet conduit;
• a first magnetic flux shunt defined by the stator core spaced apart from the first opening to allow the first armature to be actuated into an open position;
• and
• a second magnetic flux shunt defined by the stator core spaced apart from the second opening to allow the second armature to be actuated into an open position, the first magnetic flux shunt has a first thickness and the second magnetic flux shunt has a second thickness that is different from the first thickness such that the first armature and the second armature are actuated with different force;
• wherein energizing the purge valve at a first current actuates the first armature from a closed position to the open position to open the first opening and allow fuel vapors to flow through the first outlet conduit to the engine, without actuating the second armature from a closed position;
• and
• wherein energizing the purge valve at a second current that is greater than the first current actuates the second armature from the closed position to the open position, while the first armature remains in the open position, to open the second opening and allow additional fuel vapors to flow through the second outlet conduit to the engine.

A purge valve for an evaporative emission control (EVAP) system of an engine fuel supply system, the purge valve comprising:

• a chamber having an inlet conduit for receiving fuel vapors from an evaporative emission control (EVAP) canister, a first outlet conduit to an engine for the fuel vapors, and a second outlet conduit to the engine for the fuel vapors;
• a coil within the chamber;
• a stator core surrounded by the coil;
• a first armature seated within the stator core and movable to open and close a first opening to the first outlet conduit;
• a second armature seated within the stator core and movable to open and close a second opening to the second outlet conduit;
• a first magnetic flux shunt defined by a first angled surface of the stator core opposite to the first armature;
• and
• a second magnetic flux shunt defined by a second angled surface of the stator core opposite to the second armature, the first angled surface and the second angled surface are angled differently such that the first armature and the second armature are actuated with different force;
• wherein energizing the purge valve at a first current actuates the first armature from a closed position to an open position to open the first opening and allow fuel vapors to flow through the first outlet conduit to the engine, without actuating the second armature from a closed position;
• and
• wherein energizing the purge valve at a second current that is greater than the first current actuates the second armature from the closed position to an open position, while the first armature remains in the open position, to open the second opening and allow additional fuel vapors to flow through the second outlet conduit to the engine.