Flow directing spool for valve

A spool valve comprising:

• a body defining a bore;
• and
• a positionable spool located within the bore, wherein the spool comprises:
• a central body portion comprising a central body portion diameter;
• sealing lands each comprising a sealing land diameter larger than the central body portion diameter, the sealing lands including first and second sealing lands that are separated by the central body portion;
• and
• a plurality of flow-shaping rings located between the first and second sealing lands, wherein the flow-shaping rings each comprise an intermediate diameter larger than the central body portion diameter and smaller than the sealing land diameter.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body defining a bore having a central axis, the valve body also defining a plurality of galleries that are axially spaced-apart from one another along the central axis, the galleries including a pump gallery positioned between a first work-port gallery and a second work-port gallery, each of the galleries including an annular cavity that surrounds the central axis and includes an open inner side in fluid communication with the bore, the valve body defining a first work port fluidly connected to the first work-port gallery, a second work port fluidly connected to the second work-port gallery, and a pump port fluidly connected to the pump gallery, the pump gallery defining an axial width;
• and
• a spool mounted within the bore, the spool being movable within the bore along the central axis, the spool including first and second annular sealing lands that project radially outwardly from a main body of the spool, the first and second annular sealing lands being separated from one another by an annular flow passage that extends along the central axis between the valve body and the main body of the spool, the spool including first and second flow-shaping rings that project radially outwardly from the main body of the spool, the first and second flow-shaping rings being positioned within the flow passage, the first and second flow-shaping rings having outer diameters that are smaller than outer diameters of the first and second annular sealing lands, the first flow-shaping ring being separated from the first annular sealing land by a first annular flow-shaping groove, the second flow-shaping ring being separated from the second annular sealing land by a second annular flow-shaping groove, the first and second annular flow-shaping grooves having axial widths that are smaller than the axial width of the pump gallery;
• the spool being axially movable within the bore between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position:
• a) the annular flow passage provides fluid communication between the pump gallery and the second work-port gallery;
• b) the first annular sealing land blocks fluid communication between the pump gallery and the first work-port gallery;
• and c) the first flow-shaping ring and the first flow-shaping groove are axially co-extensive with the pump gallery;
• and wherein in the second position:
• a) the annular flow passage provides fluid communication between pump gallery and the first work-port gallery;
• b) the second annular sealing land blocks fluid communication between the pump gallery and the second work-port gallery;
• and c) the second flow-shaping ring and the second flow-shaping groove are axially co-extensive with the pump gallery.