Fast valve and actuator

A fast-acting poppet valve mechanism including a poppet valve for selectively allowing or blocking fluid flow through an axial port in a cylinder head closing a combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine, said poppet valve mechanism comprising:

• an actuator comprising:
• a valve body having an axial bore having first, second, third and fourth ports extending radially from and in fluid communication with the bore;
• a piston slidably mounted in said bore for reciprocating movement between top and bottom limit positions, said first port being below said bottom limit position, said second port being closed by said piston in said bottom limit position, said third port being closed by said piston in said top limit position and said fourth port being above said top limit position;
• and
• first and second springs mounted within said bore, said first spring being compressed by said piston in said bottom limit position and relaxed with said piston being located in said top limit position and said second spring being compressed by said piston in said top limit position and relaxed with said piston in said bottom limit position;
• and
• a poppet valve comprising:
• a cylindrical valve chamber formed in the cylinder head with the axial port at one end thereof opening into the combustion chamber and a radial port spaced from said axial port;
• and
• a poppet valve member slidably mounted in said cylindrical valve chamber for movement between a lowermost limit position closing said axial port and an uppermost limit position clear of said radial port and where both said axial port and said radial port are open and in fluid communication with each other, said radial port being located intermediate said lowermost and uppermost limit positions, said lowermost limit position being spaced from said radial port so that said poppet valve member must travel through a predetermined distance upward from said lowermost limit position before reaching and subsequently uncovering said radial port, thereby opening the valve to allow fluid communication between and through said axial port and said radial port, and said uppermost limit position being spaced from said radial port so that said poppet valve member must travel through a predetermined distance downward from said uppermost limit position before reaching and subsequently uncovering said radial port thereby closing the valve by blocking fluid communication between said axial port and said radial port.

A fast-acting two-way cartridge valve comprising:

• a valve body defining a cylindrical chamber with an axial port in a cylindrical end face of the cylindrical chamber, at least one radial port extending radially from the cylindrical chamber and a valve seat surrounding said axial port;
• a piston valve member slidably mounted in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocating movement between a closed limit position, where said piston valve member is seated in said valve seat blocking fluid communication between said axial and radial ports, and an open limit position where said piston valve member is clear of said radial port and axially opposite said axial port, relative to said radial port, allowing fluid communication between said axial and radial ports, said radial port being located axially intermediate said closed and open limit positions and axially spaced from said piston valve member in said closed and open limit positions to allow said piston valve member to accelerate in travel between said closed limit position and said radial port and in travel between said open limit position and said radial port;
• and
• bias means for biasing said piston valve toward said closed limit position.

A fuel injection system comprising:

• a fuel injection nozzle;
• and
• first and second fast-acting two-way cartridge valves, said first cartridge valve being connected in series with said fuel injection nozzle for supplying fuel at high pressure to said fuel injection nozzle and said second cartridge valve being connected in parallel with said first cartridge valve for releasing high pressure from said fuel injection nozzle, through said first cartridge valve, each of said first and second cartridge valves comprising:
• a valve body defining a cylindrical chamber with an axial port in a cylindrical end face of the cylindrical chamber and a radial port extending radially from the cylindrical chamber and a valve seat surrounding said axial port;
• a piston valve member slidably mounted in said cylindrical chamber for reciprocating movement between a closed limit position, where said piston valve member is seated in said valve seat blocking fluid communication between said axial and radial ports, and an open limit position where said piston valve member is clear of said radial port and axially opposite said axial port, relative to said radial port, allowing fluid communication between said axial and radial ports, said radial port being located axially intermediate said closed and open limit positions and axially spaced from said piston valve member in said closed and open limit positions to allow said piston valve member to accelerate in travel between said closed limit position and said radial port and in travel between said open limit position and said radial port;
• and
• bias means for biasing said piston valve toward said closed limit position.

A fast-acting valve comprising:

• a valve body having an axial bore;
• a cylindrical valve spool slidably mounted in said bore for reciprocating movement in a linear path between a fully closed position at one side of said valve body and a fully open position at a side of said valve body opposite said one side;
• at least one valve body fluid flow passage extending through said valve body between inlet and outlet ports and intersecting said bore;
• at least one valve spool fluid flow passage extending through said valve spool between openings at opposing locations in a cylindrical surface of said valve spool;
• at least two solenoids in series, located at said one side and at least two solenoids in series located at said opposite side, surrounding said bore, for alternately accelerating and decelerating said valve spool in travel between said fully closed and fully open positions.

A fast-acting poppet valve mechanism for selectively allowing or blocking fluid flow through an axial port in a cylinder head closing a combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine, said poppet valve mechanism comprising:

• a cylindrical valve chamber formed in the cylinder head with the axial port at one end thereof opening into the combustion chamber and at least one radial port spaced from said axial port;
• and
• a poppet valve member slidably mounted in said cylindrical valve chamber for movement between a lowermost limit position closing said axial port and an uppermost limit position clear of said radial port where both said axial port and said radial port are open and in fluid communication with each other, said radial port being located intermediate said lowermost and uppermost limit positions, said lowermost limit position being spaced from said radial port so that said poppet valve member must travel through a predetermined distance upward from said lowermost limit position before reaching and subsequently uncovering said radial port, thereby opening the valve to allow fluid communication between and through said axial port and said radial port and said uppermost limit position being spaced from said radial port so that said poppet valve member must travel through a predetermined distance downward from said uppermost limit position before reaching and subsequently uncovering said radial port thereby closing the valve by blocking fluid communication between said axial port and said radial port.