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US 12,146,583 B2Granted
Latching valve
AssigneeLeggett & Platt Canada Co.
InventorsJianlin Zhang, Milosz Niec, Renato Colja
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pneumatic valve includes a housing, a first port, a second port, and a third port, each in communication with an interior of the housing, a coil assembly coupled to the housing, a plunger axially movable within the housing between a first position and a second position in response to electrical current being driven through the coil assembly, and a permanent magnet configured to retain the plunger in at least one of the first position or the second position.
Claims19
A pneumatic valve comprising:
- a housing;
- a first port, a second port, and a third port, each in communication with an interior of the housing;
- a coil assembly coupled to the housing;
- a plunger axially movable within the housing between a first position and a second position in response to electrical current being driven through the coil assembly, wherein the plunger extends longitudinally along a first direction, wherein one of the first port, the second port, or the third port extends along a second direction coaxial with the first direction, and wherein another of the first port, the second port, or the third port extends along a third direction transverse to the first direction;
- a permanent magnet configured to retain the plunger in at least one of the first position or the second position;
- and
- a single valve sealing element attached to the plunger so as to move with the plunger, wherein the single valve sealing element is configured to (i) open fluid communication between the first port and the second port and close fluid communication between the second port and the third port in the first position, and open fluid communication between the second port and the third port and close fluid communication between the first port and the second port in the second position.
4 more elements
A pneumatic valve comprising:
- a housing;
- a first port in communication with an interior of the housing;
- a coil assembly coupled to the housing;
- a plunger axially movable within the housing between a first position and a second position in response to electrical current being driven through the coil assembly;
- a permanent magnet attached to the plunger so as to move with the plunger between the first position and the second position, wherein the permanent magnet is configured to retain the plunger in at least one of the first position or the second position;
- and
- a first ferromagnetic element coupled to the housing and a second ferromagnetic element coupled to the housing and spaced from the first ferromagnetic element magnet, wherein the first ferromagnetic element is positioned to cooperate with the permanent magnet to retain the plunger in the first position and the second ferromagnetic element is positioned to cooperate with the permanent magnet to retain the plunger in the second position,
- wherein the plunger is configured to open the first port when the plunger is in the first position, and wherein the first port is configured to be closed when the plunger is in the second position.
5 more elements
A vehicle seating system comprising:
- a seat;
- an inflatable bladder disposed within the seat;
- a power source;
- an air pump electrically coupled to the power source;
- and
- a valve operable to control inflation and deflation of the bladder, wherein the valve comprises:
- a housing including
- a pressure port fluidly coupled to the air pump,
- a bladder port fluidly coupled to the inflatable bladder, and
- a vent port,
- a coil assembly coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the power source,
- a plunger axially movable within the housing between the pressure port and the vent port in response to electrical current being driven through the coil assembly, wherein the plunger extends longitudinally along a first direction, wherein one of the pressure port, the bladder port, or the vent port extends along a second direction coaxial with the first direction, and wherein another of the pressure port, the bladder port, or the vent port extends along a third direction transverse to the first direction, and
- a permanent magnet configured to retain the plunger in at least one of a first position or a second position,
- wherein the plunger is configured to open fluid communication between the pressure port and the bladder port and close fluid communication between the bladder port and the vent port when the plunger is in the first position, and
- wherein the plunger is configured to open fluid communication between the bladder port and the vent port and close fluid communication between the pressure port and the bladder port when the plunger is in the second position.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.