Sliding spool valves, and methods therefor

A method of providing a spool valve to valve a fluid between at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port, comprising the steps of:

• providing a bore having one or more of the at least one inlet port and the at least one outlet port;
• sliding a spool linearly at least in part within the bore;
• sealing an internal diameter of the bore, using at least one in-bore seal, between the internal diameter and in selective sliding engagement with an external diameter of the spool;
• spacing the at least one in-bore seal within the bore using at least one spacer that floats along a longitudinal axis of the bore;
• retaining the at least one in-bore seal, the at least one spacer, and the spool within bore, such that at least one spacer retains the at least one in-bore seal;
• and
• sliding the spool so that it is in selective sliding engagement between a first position where the external diameter is clear of the at least one in-bore seal to allow fluid flow from the at least one inlet port, to the at least one outlet port, and a second position where the external diameter is sealed to the at least one in-bore seal to prevent fluid flow from the at least one inlet port, to the at least one outlet port,
• such that the spool valve to control fluid flow is provided,
• wherein when the at least one in-bore seal and the at least one spacer are assembled in the bore and retained within the bore, the method further comprises:
• allowing the at least one in-bore seal and the at least one spacer to slide along the longitudinal axis of the bore, but such that the at least one in-bore seal is prevented from interacting with the at least one inlet port or the at least one outlet port.

A spool valve to valve a fluid, comprising;

• a bore having one or more inlets, and one or more outlets;
• a spool slidingly operable within the bore;
• one or more in-bore seals contained within the bore, the one or more in-bore seals fluidly sealing on a seal outer diameter to an inside of the bore, and selectively fluidly sealing on a seal inside diameter to a spool outside diameter;
• at least one spacer located in the bore to float along a longitudinal axis of the bore, adjacent the one or more in-bore seals having a fluid communication from a spacer internal diameter to a spacer external diameter and with the one or more inlets, or the one or more outlets;
• a removable retention component retaining the at least one spacer and the one or more in-bore seals within the bore;
• and
• wherein the spool slides between at least two positions, a first of which prevents flow from at least one of the one or more inlets, to at least one or more of the outlets via a sealing of at least one of the in-bore seals on the at least one spool outside diameter, and a second of which allows flow from at least one of the one or more inlets, to at least one or more of the outlets by an unsealing of at least one of the in-bore seals on the at least one spool outside diameter, and
• wherein when the one or more in-bore seals and the at least one spacer are assembled in the bored and retained within the bore by the removable retention component, the one or more in-bore seals and the at least one spacer are able to slide along the longitudinal axis of the bore, but not such that the one or more in-bore seals can interact with the one or more inlets of the one or more outlets.