US 2020/0096114 A1 · PILOT-ACTUATED SPOOL VALVE HAVING ROD RETAINER

Abstract

A pilot-actuated spool valve comprises a generally cylindrical valve cage having a central axial cavity open at both ends and a plurality of generally radial openings connecting the central axial cavity to the external cylindrical surface of the cage; a valve sleeve sized to slide within the central axial cavity of the cage and having a first sealing surface at a first end and a second sealing surface at an opposing second end; a piston responsive to fluid pressure at a pilot inlet of the valve; a piston rod connected at a first end to the piston and having a threaded second end opposite the first end; and a cap nut in threaded engagement with the second end of the piston rod securing the valve sleeve to the piston rod. The cap nut is sized and configured to provide a clearance gap between the cap nut and the valve sleeve when the cap nut is fully tightened onto the threaded second end of the piston rod.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A spool valve actuated by pilot pressure for controlling communication of a third port with a first port and a second port, the valve comprising:

an outer body having a first inner passage, the outer body having at least one first, second, and third opening communicating the first inner passage respectively with the first, second, and third ports outside the outer body;
an annular seal disposed in the first inner passage between the at least one first and second openings;
an inner body disposed within the first inner passage of the body, the inner body being movable in first and second opposite directions between first and second positions and being slideably sealed with the annular seal, the inner body in the first position communicating the at least one third opening with the at least one second opening, the inner body in the second position communicating the at least one third opening with the at least one first opening;
a piston movably responsive to the pilot pressure and having a distal end connected to the inner body;
and
a cap nut threaded onto the distal end, the cap nut having a cap end abutting the distal end and having a first shoulder facing the first direction, the first shoulder defining a clearance gap with a second shoulder of the inner body facing the second direction.

3 more elements

A spool valve actuated by pilot pressure for controlling communication of a function with a supply and a vent, the valve comprising:

a cage having a central bore and first and second ends, the cage having at least one first side opening communicating the central bore with the supply outside the cage, the cage having at least one second side opening communicating the central bore with the vent outside the cage, the first end of the cage having a first sealing surface, the second end of the cage having a second sealing surface with an orifice communicating the central bore with the function;
an annular seal disposed in the central bore between the at least one first and second side openings;
a sleeve movably disposed within the central bore of the cage in first and second opposite directions between the first and second sealing surfaces, the sleeve having first and second end openings at opposing ends and having an outer surface slideably sealed with the annular seal;
a piston movably responsive to the pilot pressure and having a distal end connected to the sleeve;
and
a cap nut in threaded engagement with the distal end of the piston and securing the sleeve thereto, the cap nut having a cap end capped against the distal end of the stem and having a first shoulder facing the first direction, the first shoulder defining a clearance gap with a second shoulder of the sleeve facing the second direction.

3 more elements

A spool valve actuated by pilot pressure for use in a component defining a receptacle, the receptacle having an opening, an end surface, and a sidewall, the sidewall having a supply port and a vent port, the end surface having a function port, the valve comprising:

a distal seal disposed in the receptacle adjacent the end surface and defining a first orifice communicating with the function port;
a cage having a central bore with distal and proximal open ends, the cage disposed in the receptacle with the distal open end adjacent the distal seal, the cage having at least one distal side opening toward the distal end and having at least one proximal side opening toward the proximal end, the at least one distal side opening communicating the central bore with the vent port outside the cage, the at least one proximal side opening communicating the central bore with the supply port outside the cage;
an intermediate seal disposed in the central bore between the at least one distal and proximal side openings;
a proximal seal disposed in the receptacle adjacent the proximal open end of the cage and defining a second orifice;
a sleeve slideably sealed with the intermediate seal and being movably disposed within the central bore of the cage in distal and proximal directions between the distal and proximal seals;
a housing threaded into the opening of the receptacle adjacent the proximal seal;
a piston disposed in the housing and movably responsive to the pilot pressure, the piston having a distal end disposed through the second orifice and connected to the sleeve;
and
a cap nut in threaded engagement with the distal end of the piston and securing the sleeve thereto, the cap nut fully tightened onto the threaded distal end having a first shoulder facing the proximal direction and defining a clearance gap with a second shoulder of the sleeve facing the distal direction.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pilot-actuated spool valve having rod retainer

Life of this patent

Pilot-actuated spool valve having rod retainer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22