Latching valve

A pneumatic valve comprising:

• a housing including a first port and a second port, each in communication with an interior of the housing;
• a coil assembly coupled to the housing;
• a plunger axially movable within the housing between a first position and a second position in response to electrical current being driven through the coil assembly;
• a permanent magnet coupled to the plunger for movement therewith relative to the housing;
• a ferromagnetic element fixed relative to the housing, wherein the permanent magnet is configured to retain the plunger in the first position by magnetic attraction between the permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic element to open fluid communication between the first port and the second port;
• and
• a biasing member configured to create a biasing force to retain the plunger in the second position to close fluid communication between the first port and the second port,
• wherein the coil assembly is configured to produce a magnetic field when energized in a first direction to act on the permanent magnet with a force sufficient to overcome the attractive force between the permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic element to allow the plunger to move from the first position to the second position, and wherein the coil assembly is configured to produce a magnetic field when energized in a second direction opposite the first direction to act on the permanent magnet with a force sufficient to overcome the biasing force of the biasing member to allow the plunger to move from the second position to the first position.

A vehicle seating system comprising:

• a seat;
• an inflatable bladder disposed within the seat;
• a power source;
• an air pump electrically coupled to the power source;
• and
• a valve operable to control inflation and deflation of the bladder, wherein the valve comprises:
• a housing including
• a pressure port fluidly coupled to the air pump, and
• a bladder port fluidly coupled to the inflatable bladder,
• a coil assembly coupled to the housing;
• a plunger axially movable within the housing between a first position and a second position in response to electrical current being driven through the coil assembly;
• a permanent magnet coupled to the plunger for movement therewith relative to the housing;
• a ferromagnetic element fixed relative to the housing, wherein the permanent magnet is configured to retain the plunger in the first position by magnetic attraction between the permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic element to open fluid communication between the first port and the second port;
• and
• a biasing member configured to create a biasing force to retain the plunger in the second position to close fluid communication between the pressure port and the bladder port,
• wherein the coil assembly is configured to produce a magnetic field when energized in a first direction to act on the permanent magnet with a force sufficient to overcome the attractive force between the permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic element to allow the plunger to move from the first position to the second position, and wherein the coil assembly is configured to produce a magnetic field when energized in a second direction opposite the first direction to act on the permanent magnet with a force sufficient to overcome the biasing force of the biasing member to allow the plunger to move from the second position to the first position.