Hard coating of an impact surface of a solenoid actuator and fuel injector using same
OwnerRonald Shinogleinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid control valve assembly controls the flow of actuation fluid to and from a fuel injector. The fluid control valve assembly includes at least one solenoid actuator attached to a valve body. The solenoid actuator includes a stator and an armature comprised of a soft magnetic material. At least one of the armature and the stator include an impact surface. The impact surface is coated with a relatively hard, nonmagnetic material coating. Thus, the relatively hard, nonmagnetic material coating will protect the relatively soft, magnetic material comprising the stator and the armature, and increase the durability of the solenoid actuator and the fluid control valve assembly.
Claims10
A fuel injector comprising:
- a fuel injector body;
- a solenoid actuator attached to the injector body and including a stator and a moveable armature comprised of a relatively soft material;
- each of the stator and the armature including an impact surface that impact one another, and at least one of the impact surfaces has a relatively hard material coating;
- and
- said armature being a portion of a three way valve that includes valve surfaces that are different from the impact surfaces.
-9. (canceled)
A valve assembly comprising:
- a valve body having first second and third passages disposed therein;
- at least one solenoid actuator being attached to the valve body;
- the solenoid actuator including a stator and a moveable armature comprised of a relatively soft material;
- at least one of the stator and the armature including at least one impact surface with a relatively hard material coating, and each of the at least one impact surface being located away from at least one annulus that facilitates a fluid connection between any of the first, second, and third passages;
- and
- the armature being a spool valve member that includes at least one annulus located between opposite ends that are impact surfaces.
-20. (canceled)
A method of operating a valve, comprising the steps of:
- magnetically pulling a relatively soft magnetic material of a spool valve member until one end impacts with a stop surface;
- protecting the end with a relatively hard material coating;
- and
- the pulling step including a step of opening an annulus of a the spool valve member to a passage in a valve body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.