Bistable hydraulic solenoid valve

A method for operating a bistable valve spool of a hydraulic valve, the valve spool disposed within a valve body and including a first permanent magnet attached to a first spool end of the valve spool and a second permanent magnet attached to a second spool end of the valve spool, a first solenoid positioned adjacent the first spool end of the valve spool, a first sensor and a first plunger provided in the first solenoid and extending down a center of magnetic materials of the first solenoid;

• a second solenoid positioned adjacent the second spool end of the valve spool, a second sensor and a second plunger provided in the second solenoid and extending down a center of magnetic materials of the second solenoid;
• the first solenoid and the second solenoid cooperatively drivable to move the valve spool to transition between a first position and a second position, the first permanent magnet operable to maintain the valve spool in the second position and the second permanent magnet operable to maintain the valve spool in the first position when the first solenoid and the second solenoid are de-energized, the method comprising:
• responsive to receiving a first instruction to move the valve spool from the second position to the first position, energizing the first solenoid and the second solenoid to cause the valve spool to move to the first position, so that a second magnetic face of the second permanent magnet pushes the second plunger at a second solenoid face of the second solenoid to cause the second sensor to detect the first position of the valve spool and control a controlled component;
• and
• responsive to receiving a second instruction to move the valve spool from the first position to the second position, energizing the first solenoid and the second solenoid to cause the valve spool to move to the second position, so that a first magnetic face of the first permanent magnet pushes the first plunger at a first solenoid face of the first solenoid to cause the first sensor to detect the second position of the valve spool and control the controlled component.

An aircraft system comprising:

• a pump;
• a hydraulic fluid reservoir;
• an actuator configured to control a controlled component;
• and
• a hydraulic valve fluidically coupled to the pump, the hydraulic fluid reservoir, and the actuator, the hydraulic valve comprising:
• a valve body;
• a bistable valve spool disposed within the valve body and including a first permanent magnet attached to a first spool end of the valve spool and a second permanent magnet attached to a second spool end of the valve spool;
• a first solenoid positioned adjacent the first spool end of the valve spool, a first plunger and a first sensor provided in the first solenoid, the first plunger extending down a center of magnetic materials of the first solenoid;
• and
• a second solenoid positioned adjacent the second spool end of the valve spool, a second plunger and a second sensor provided in the second solenoid, the second plunger extending down a center of magnetic materials of the second solenoid, wherein
• the first solenoid and the second solenoid are cooperatively drivable to move the valve spool to transition between a first position and a second position;
• the first permanent magnet is operable to maintain the valve spool in the second position and the second permanent magnet is operable to maintain the valve spool in the first position when the first solenoid and second solenoid are de-energized
• in the first position, a second magnetic face of the second permanent magnet pushes the second plunger at a second solenoid face of the second solenoid to cause the second sensor to detect the first position of the valve spool;
• and
• in the second position, a first magnetic face of the first permanent magnet pushes the first plunger at a first solenoid face of the first solenoid to cause the first sensor to detect the second position of the valve spool.