Proportional solenoid valve

An electromechanical valve apparatus comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux circuit defining a flux path comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments, including a generally cylindrical center segment which defines a fluid passage of predetermined cross sectional area aligned with said flux axis, and outer segment, and an end segment adjacent a first end of said fluid passage, at least one of said segments being physically translatable within said valve apparatus along said flux path relative to an adjacent segment to adjust the portion of one of said segments that is in said flux path and the extent of an air gap between the translatable segment and the adjacent segment;
• an annular non-magnetic seat member having a central opening aligned with, and disposed near the other end of, the fluid passage;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat to define a fluid opening, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means;
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• fluid conduit means having a first end extending from said chamber whereby a differential fluid pressure can be applied between said other end of said fluid passage and the other end of said fluid conduit means;
• and
• means for accessing the relative pressure in said chamber,
• said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage and seat member central opening and against the closure means can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding, translation of the adjustable segment along said flux path being effective to vary the portion of one of said segments in said flux path and the air gap distance and thus vary the reluctance of the flux circuit, to correspondingly adjust the response of the valve assembly for a given energization level of the electrical winding to provide a given pressure difference;
• said means for accessing comprises displacement means forming a part of said chamber wherein the position of said displacement means if related to said relative pressure.

An electromechanical valve apparatus comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux circuit defining a flux path comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments, including a generally cylindrical center segment which defines a fluid passage of predetermined cross sectional area aligned with said flux axis, and outer segment, and an end segment adjacent a first end of said fluid passage, at least one of said segments being physically translatable within said valve apparatus along said flux path relative to an adjacent segment to adjust the portion of one of said segments that is in said flux path and the extent of an air gap between the translatable segment and the adjacent segment;
• an annular non-magnetic seat member having a central opening aligned with, and disposed near the other end of, the fluid passage;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat to define a fluid opening, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means;
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• fluid conduit means having a first end extending from said chamber whereby a differential fluid pressure can be applied between said other end of said fluid passage and the other end of said fluid conduit means;
• and
• means for accessing the relative pressure in said chamber,
• said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage and seat member central opening and against the closure means can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding, translation of the adjustable segment along said flux path being effective to vary the portion of one of said segments in said flux path and the air gap distance and thus vary the reluctance of the flux circuit, to correspondingly adjust the response of the valve assembly for a given energization level of the electrical winding to provide a given pressure difference;
• said means for accessing comprises control means including the displacement means forming a part of the means defining a chamber and a fluid flow control means responsive to the displacement thereof.

An electromechanical valve apparatus comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux circuit defining a flux path comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments, including a generally cylindrical center segment which defines a fluid passage of predetermined cross sectional area aligned with said flux axis, an outer segment, and an end segment adjacent one end of said fluid passage, at least one of said segments being physically translatable within said valve apparatus along said flux path relative to an adjacent segment to adjust the portion of one of said segments that is in said flux path and the extent of an air gap between the translatable segment and the adjacent segment;
• an annular non-magnetic seat member having a central opening aligned with, and disposed near the other end of, the fluid passage;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat to define a fluid opening, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means,
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• fluid conduit means having one end extending from said chamber, said fluid passage, fluid opening, fluid chamber and fluid conduit means defining a fluid path whereby a differential fluid pressure can be applied between the other end of said fluid passage and the other end of said fluid conduit means;
• and
• means for accessing the relative pressure in said chamber,
• restriction means in said fluid path restricting the flow therethrough, said restriction means having an effective cross section less than the cross sections of said fluid passage and conduit means and less than the cross section of said fluid opening for operating positions of said closure means,
• said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage and seat member central opening and against the closure means can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding, translation of the adjustable segment along said flux path being effective to vary the portion of one of said segments in said flux path and the air gap distance and thus vary the reluctance of the flux circuit, to correspondingly adjust the response of the valve assembly for a given energization level of the electrical winding to provide a given pressure difference.

An electromechanical valve apparatus comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux circuit comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments, including a generally cylindrical center segment which defines a fluid passage of predetermined cross sectional area aligned with said flux axis, an outer segment, and an end segment;
• an annular non-magnetic seat member having a central opening aligned with, and disposed near a first end of, the fluid passage;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat to define a fluid opening, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means, said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage and seat member central opening and against the closure means can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding;
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• fluid conduit means having a first end extending from said chamber, said fluid conduit means including restriction means, said restriction means having an effective cross section area substantially smaller than said cross sectional area of said fluid passage, whereby a differential fluid pressure can be applied between the other end of said fluid passage and the other end of said fluid conduit;
• and
• means for accessing the relative pressure in said chamber.

An electromechanical valve apparatus comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux circuit comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments, including a generally cylindrical center segment, an outer segment and an end segment;
• an annular non-magnetic seat member having a central opening which defines a fluid passage of predetermined cross sectional area aligned with said flux axis;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat to define a fluid opening, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means, said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage and seat member central opening and against the closure means can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding;
• means defining a cylindrical guide adjacent said non-magnetic seat member to receive said magnetic closure means and to constrain the motion thereof substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said fluid passage between a position against said annular non-magnetic seat member and a position displaced therefrom;
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• fluid conduit means having a first end extending from said chamber, said fluid conduit means including restriction means, said restriction means having an effective cross sectional area substantially smaller than said cross sectional area of said fluid passage;
• and
• means for accessing the relative pressure in said chamber.

An electromechanical valve apparatus comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments, including a generally cylindrical center segment which defines fluid passage of predetermined cross sectional area aligned with said flux axis, an outer segment, and an end segment;
• an annular non-magnetic seat member having a central opening aligned with, and disposed near the other end of, the fluid passage, the area defined by said central opening being substantially greater than said cross sectional area of said fluid passage;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat to define a fluid opening, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means, said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage and seat member central opening and against the closure means can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding;
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• and
• means for accessing the relative pressure in said chamber.

An electromechanical valve assembly comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux circuit defining a flux path comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments, including a generally cylindrical center segment which defines a fluid passage of predetermined cross sectional area aligned with said flux axis, and outer segment, and an end segment adjacent one end of said fluid passage;
• non-magnetic seat means at the other end of said fluid passage and having an axially extending portion defining a central opening aligned with the fluid passage and a seat portion at the other end of said fluid passage and surrounding said axially extending portion;
• the relative axial positions of said center segment and said axially extending portion being adjustable whereby the spacing between said other end and said seat portion is adjusted;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat portion to define a fluid opening, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means;
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• and
• fluid conduit means having a first end extending from said chamber whereby a differential fluid pressure can be applied between said other end of said fluid passage and the other end of said fluid conduit means;
• said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage and seat means central opening and against the closure means can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding, the relative adjustment of said axially extending portion and said center segment varying the effective magnetic air gap and thus vary the reluctance of the valve assembly for a given energization level of the electrical winding to provide a given differential pressure.

An electromechanical valve assembly comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux circuit defining a flux path comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments, including at least one generally cylindrical center segment, and an end segment, at least one of said generally cylindrically center segments being physically translatable within said valve apparatus along said flux path relative to an adjacent segment to adjust the portion of one of said generally cylindrically center segments that is in said flux path and the extent of an air gap between the translatable segment and an adjacent segment;
• an annular non-magnetic seat member having a central fluid passage generally aligned with said flux axis and having a predetermined cross sectional area;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat means to define a fluid opening radially outward from said fluid passage, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means;
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• and
• fluid conduit means having a first end extending from said chamber whereby a differential fluid pressure can be applied between said fluid passage and the other end of said fluid conduit means;
• said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage, against the closure means and through said fluid opening can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding, translation of the adjustable segment along said flux path being effective to vary the portion of one of said segments in said flux path and the effective air gap and thus vary the reluctance of the flux circuit, to correspondingly adjust the response of the valve assembly for a given energization level of the electrical winding to provide a given differential fluid pressure.

An electromechanical valve assembly comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux circuit comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments;
• including a generally cylindrical center segment which defines a fluid passage of predetermined cross sectional area aligned with said flux axis, and outer segment, and an end segment;
• non-magnetic seat means having an axially extending portion defining a central opening aligned with the fluid passage and a seat portion at the other end of said fluid passage and surrounding said axially extending portion;
• the relative axial positions of said center segment and said axially extending portion being adjustable within said valve assembly along said flux path to adjust an effective air gap defined by said seat portion;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat portion to define a fluid opening, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means, said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage and seat means central opening and against the closure means can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding;
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• and
• means for accessing the relative pressure in said chamber.

An electromechanical valve apparatus comprising:

• an electrical winding defining a central flux axis;
• a magnetic flux circuit comprising a plurality of adjacent magnetic segments, including at least one generally cylindrical center segment, and outer segment and an end segment;
• an annular non-magnetic seat member having a central fluid passage generally aligned with said flux axis having a predetermined cross sectional area;
• magnetic closure means comprising one of said segments and positioned adjacent the non-magnetic seat means to define a fluid opening radially outward from said fluid passage, said fluid opening being substantially less than said cross sectional area for operating positions of said closure means, said closure means forming a part of said flux circuit such that fluid flow urged by a predetermined pressure difference through the fluid passage, against said closure means and through said opening can be modulated by varying the energization level of the electrical winding;
• means defining a cylindrical guide adjacent said non-magnetic seat member to receive said magnetic closure means and to constrain the motion thereof substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said fluid passage between a position against said annular non-magnetic seat member and a position displaced therefrom;
• and
• means defining a fluid chamber communicating with said fluid passage through said fluid opening and enclosing said closure means;
• fluid conduit means having a first end extending from said chamber, restriction means communicating with said fluid conduit means, said restriction means having an effective cross section substantially less than said fluid passage.