Solenoid actuated miniservo spool valve

A valve adapted to actuate a fuel injector, comprising:

• an actuator;
• a body having a high pressure inlet, a low pressure inlet, an outlet adapted for connection to a fuel injector intensifier and first and second sealing surfaces;
• a pilot valve disposed in the body and including a high pressure port, a low pressure port, an outlet port and a ball element movable by the actuator between a first position wherein the high pressure port is in fluid communication with the outlet port and a second position wherein the low pressure port is in fluid communication with the outlet port;
• and
• a movable spool disposed in the body and having third and fourth sealing surfaces engagable with the first and second sealing surfaces, respectively, of the body, a first end in fluid communication with the high pressure inlet and a second end in fluid communication with the outlet port of the pilot valve.

A fuel injector actuation valve, comprising:

• an actuator;
• a body coupled to the actuator having a high pressure inlet, a low pressure inlet, an outlet adaptable for connection to a fuel injector intensifier and first and second sealing surfaces in fluid communication with the high pressure inlet and the low pressure inlet, respectively;
• a high pressure fluid source coupled to the high pressure inlet;
• a low pressure fluid source coupled to the low pressure inlet;
• a pilot valve disposed in the body and including a high pressure port in fluid communication with the high pressure fluid source, a low pressure port in fluid communication with a drain, an outlet port and a ball element movable by the actuator between a first ball element position wherein the high pressure port is in fluid communication with the outlet port and a second ball element position wherein the low pressure port is in fluid communication with the outlet port;
• a spool disposed in the body and having third and fourth sealing surfaces, a first end in fluid communication with the high pressure fluid source and a second end in fluid communication with the outlet port of the pilot valve, the spool being movable between a first spool position wherein the third sealing surface is engaged with the first sealing surface of the body and a second spool position wherein the fourth sealing surface is engaged with the second sealing surface of the body;
• and
• means for biasing the spool toward the first spool position.

A valve, comprising:

• a housing including a high pressure inlet, a low pressure inlet, an outlet and first and second sealing surfaces;
• a pilot valve disposed in the housing and including a valve element movable between first and second positions wherein said valve element is movable from said second position to said first position by fluid pressure alone from said high pressure inlet;
• and
• a movable spool disposed in the housing and including third and fourth sealing surfaces engagable with the first and second sealing surfaces, respectively, carried by the housing to connect the outlet to the low pressure inlet when the valve element is in the first position and to connect the outlet to the high pressure inlet when the valve element is in the second position.