Solenoid controlled one-way valve

A fluid flow controlling valve assembly comprising:

• a. a valve housing defining a fluid flow inlet, a fluid flow outlet, a valve seat and a flow path extending between said inlet and outlet;
• b. a solenoid assembly disposed in said housing between said inlet and said outlet comprising a coil surrounding said flow path in convective heat transfer relationship with air in said flow path, an armature disposed within said coil, and pole structure associated with said coil and said armature, said pole structure comprising pole elements spaced apart along said flow path, each pole element positioned with respect to said coil for magnetically coupling said coil with said armature;
• c. a valve member comprising an actuating stem disposed along said flow path and a valving member attached to said stem and defining a circumferential seating face disposed radially outwardly from said stem;
• d. said valve member supported for reciprocating motion to engage and disengage said valving member and said seat;
• and,
• e. a spring system for exerting a first force on said valve member when said solenoid in de-energized and exerting a second force on said valve member when said solenoid is energized.

A valve assembly for controlling flow in a fluid system and having a first condition for blocking system fluid flow when system fluid pressure differential across the valve assembly is in a given range above a predetermined pressure differential and a second condition for permitting system fluid flow in one direction when system fluid pressure differential across the valve assembly is in said range comprising:

• a valve housing comprising a body defining a fluid flow inlet, a fluid flow outlet and a valve seat between said inlet and outlet;
• a valving member disposed within said housing comprising a valving element positioned for engagement with said valve seat and a stem element fixed to and projecting from said valving element, said valving element movable between an open position spaced from said valve seat for enabling fluid flow through said housing and a closed position engaged with said valve seat;
• a solenoid comprising an armature movable with respect to said valving member and said housing, said solenoid having an energized condition subjecting said armature to an electromagnetic force and a de-energized condition;
• first and second springs coacting between said housing and said stem element to produce a valve closing spring force maintaining said valving member in said closed position to block fluid flow in either direction through the valve assembly when said solenoid is de-energized and said the system differential pressure acting on said valving member is in said range;
• and,
• a solenoid energizing circuit for energizing said solenoid to shift said armature relative to said spring elements, said armature engaging at least one spring element and shifting to reduce the valve closing spring force applied to said valving member so that system fluid differential pressures above said predetermined differential pressure shift said valving member toward said open position to permit flow from said inlet to said outlet.