Spool valve
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsMarcin CIS, Dominik GUNIA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spool for a spool valve having a longitudinal axis (L). The spool comprising: a plurality of lands each having a substantially radially extending metering edge and an axially extending circumferential surface; a plurality of grooves separating each of the plurality of the lands; and a guiding section located axially between at least one land and an adjacent groove. The guiding section comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced guiding surfaces being substantially flush and contiguous with the circumferential surface of the land, wherein the guiding section allows fluid communication between the groove and the metering edge of the land.
Claims13
A spool for a spool valve, the spool having a longitudinal axis (L) and comprising:
- a plurality of lands each having a substantially radially extending metering edge and an axially extending circumferential surface;
- a plurality of grooves separating each of the plurality of the lands;
- and
- a guiding section located axially between at least one land and an adjacent groove, wherein the guiding section comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced guiding surfaces being substantially flush and contiguous with the circumferential surface of the land, wherein the guiding section allows fluid communication between the groove and the metering edge of the land.
A spool valve comprising:
- a housing having a spool cavity therein defined by an inner surface of the housing;
- and
- the spool of any preceding claim disposed within the spool cavity, wherein the spool is moveable along its longitudinal axis (L) in response to actuation of the spool valve, and the circumferential surface of the land and the guiding surfaces are in sliding contact with the inner surface of the housing.
A method of preventing deformation of a spool valve housing adjacent a control port, comprising:
- providing a land of a spool with a guiding section comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced guiding surfaces being substantially flush and contiguous with the circumferential surface of the land, wherein the guiding section allows fluid communication between the groove and the metering edge of the land;
- disposing the spool within a spool cavity in the spool valve housing such that the circumferential surface of the land and the guiding surfaces are in sliding contact with an inner surface of the housing that defines the spool cavity, such that when the metering edge opens the control port the inner surface of the housing is supported by the contact with the guiding surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.