Solenoid valve with an external sleeve armature

A solenoid actuated valve for controlling the delivery of a fluid, the solenoid actuated valve comprising:

• a cylindrical valve body having a valve inlet and a plurality of valve outlets, the valve inlet being adapted for communication with a source of fluid, the valve body having a portion of reduced diameter defining a shoulder near one end of the valve body;
• at least one solenoid coil mounted on the valve body, the solenoid coil being located on the shoulder;
• a generally tubular sleeve armature, the sleeve armature being slidably disposed on the exterior of the valve body for axial movement between a fluid flow preventing position and a fluid flow permitting position, at least a portion of the sleeve armature overlying the solenoid coil;
• the valve body and the sleeve armature are configured and arranged to define a fluid flow diverter in at least one of the fluid flow paths through the valve outlets for directing the pressurized fluid to at least first and second opposing pressure balancing surfaces to produce balancing pressure forces, thereby providing substantially balanced fluid flow through the valve outlets;
• the solenoid coil being energizable for causing the sleeve armature to move axially axially relative to the valve body from one of the positions toward the other one of the positions.

A solenoid actuated valve for controlling the delivery of a pressurized fluid, the solenoid actuated valve comprising:

• a valve body, the valve body having an inlet adapted for communication with a source of fluid and at least one valve outlet;
• a first solenoid coil mounted on the valve body;
• a second solenoid coil mounted on the valve body spaced apart from the first solenoid coil;
• and
• a sleeve armature axially slidably mounted on the exterior of the valve body in overlying relation with the valve outlet for movement relative to the valve outlet between a flow preventing and flow permitting positions, the first solenoid coil being energizable for causing the sleeve armature to be moved from the flow preventing position toward the flow permitting position, and the second solenoid coil being energizable for causing the sleeve armature to be moved from the flow permitting position toward the flow preventing position.

A solenoid actuated valve for controlling the delivery of a pressurized fluid to an inflatable restraint, the solenoid actuated valve comprising:

• a valve body, the valve body having a valve inlet adapted for communication with a source of fluid and at least one valve outlet;
• at least one solenoid coil mounted on the valve body;
• and
• a sleeve armature slidably mounted on the exterior of the valve body for controlling fluid flow through the valve outlet, the sleeve armature forming at least a portion of an exterior side wall of the valve and being disposed in an overlying relationship with the valve outlet and with at least a portion of the solenoid coil;
• the solenoid coil being energizable to produce magnetic flux for moving the sleeve armature axially relative to the valve body and the valve outlet between first position and second positions, the sleeve armature forming a portion of a magnetic flux path for magnetic flux produced by the solenoid coil, and the sleeve armature substantially preventing fluid flow through the valve outlet when the sleeve armature is in a first one of said positions, and fluid flow through the valve outlet being permitted when the sleeve armature is moved away from said first position.