Solenoid-actuated diaphragm valve with biased disc spring

A valve apparatus comprising:

• a valve body having a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, and a valve seat separating said inlet and outlet ports;
• a flexible diaphragm positioned in an unflexed condition to face, and be spaced from, said valve seat, said diaphragm having a periphery fixed relative to said valve body;
• a loading means provided at the opposite side of the diaphragm from the valve seat for causing flexing displacement of the diaphragm toward said valve seat,
• wherein said loading means includes a thin plate annularly continuous disc having a center and an outer periphery, and fastened around the outer periphery relative to said valve body;
• a valve stem operatively connected to the center of said thin plate disc;
• and
• an electromagnetic actuator operatively connected to said valve stem for selectively urging said disc counter to said loading means, whereby said diaphragm can flex away from said valve seat,
• wherein said loading means is equipped with an adjusting means to depress said diaphragm onto said valve seat.

A valve apparatus comprising:

• a valve body having a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, and a valve seat separating said inlet and outlet ports;
• a flexible diaphragm positioned in an unflexed condition, and be spaced from, said valve seat, said diaphragm having a periphery fixed relative to said valve body;
• a loading means provided at the opposite side across said diaphragm from said valve seat for providing spring force biasing said diaphragm toward said valve seat;
• and
• an electromagnetic actuator operatively connected to said loading means for selectively countering said spring force for allowing said diaphragm to flexibly move away from said valve seat;
• wherein, the spring force biasing characteristics of said loading means have a mean spring constant during the movement range wherein said electromagnetic actuator is activated to allow said diaphragm to separate from said valve seat 1.2 to 3 times the mean spring constant during an initialization range wherein said diaphragm is flexed until it is depressed by said loading means onto said valve seat.