Back to results
US 6,427,970 B1Granted
Heat dissipating voice coil activated valves
AssigneeYoung & Franklin Inc.
InventorGabriel Silva
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electromechanical valve that includes a cylindrical housing having a first axially disposed chamber containing a valve body and a spool reciprocally mounted in the body for movement along the axis of the housing. A second chamber is located within the housing adjacent to the first chamber which contains a voice coil actuator having a coil holder that is coupled to the spool so that the spool moves linearly when a current is applied to the coil. Materials having a high thermal conductivity are placed in the voice coil actuator for rapidly transmitting heat energy generated in the coil to the housing so that the energy is dissipated into the surrounding ambient before it can damage the actuator.
Claims25
A voice coil operated valve that includes:
- a housing having a first chamber that contains a valve sleeve and a valve spool mounted for reciprocal movement within the sleeve along a central axis of the housing;
- said housing further containing a second chamber located adjacent said first chamber;
- a linear voice coil actuator mounted within said second chamber that contains a stationary permanent magnet and a coil holder for movably supporting a coil within the magnetic field of said magnet whereby said holder moves along the axis of the housing when a current is applied to said coil;
- connecting means for coupling the coil holder to the valve spool whereby the spool is positioned within the sleeve in response to the current flow through said coil;
- and
- a thermally conductive material positioned between adjacent surfaces of the voice coil actuator and the housing for rapidly conducting heat energy from the voice coil actuator to said housing to maintain the voice coil actuator operating temperature below a level at which the coil windings are damaged.
3 more elements
An voice coil operated valve that includes:
- a cylindrical housing that has a first chamber containing a valve sleeve and a valve spool mounted for reciprocal movement within the sleeve along the central axis of said housing;
- said housing further containing a second chamber adjacent said first chamber that is in axial alignment with said first chamber,
- a linear voice coil actuator mounted within said second chamber, said actuator having a cylindrical ferromagnetic core surrounded by a cylindrical shell to create an assembly having a cylindrical air gap between the core and shell that is axially aligned with the axis of the housing, the ends of said core and shell being in axial alignment;
- a cylindrical coil holder passing into the air gap at one end of said core and shell assembly adjacent to said valve sleeve for supporting a coil within said air gap, and a magnet for establishing a flux field within said air gap so that said holder moves axially when a current is applied to said coil;
- said valve spool being connected to said coil holder by a coupling means for axial movement therewith;
- a radially disposed flange covering the opposite end of said core and shell assembly, said flange extending outwardly beyond the assembly and being seated against a shoulder formed in said second chamber of said housing;
- and
- a thermally conductive material positioned between the outer surface of said shell and an adjacent surface of the housing and said material extending radially between the opposite end of said core and shell assembly and the shoulder formed in said second chamber of the housing for rapidly conducting heat energy from the voice coil actuator to said/housing.
5 more elements
A voice coil operated valve that includes:
- a housing having a first chamber that contains a valve sleeve and a valve spool mounted for reciprocation within the valve sleeve along the axis of the housing and a second chamber adjacent said first chamber,
- a linear voice coil actuator mounted within said second chamber that contains a magnetic core mounted in axial alignment within a cavity formed in said housing to establish an air gap between the core and the housing whereby a magnetic flux field is located within said air gap,
- a coil mounted upon a movable frame so that the coil is located within the magnetic flux field,
- means for connecting the frame to said valve spool,
- ferrofluids contained in said air gap having a high thermal conductivity for rapidly conducting heat from the voice coil actuator to said housing, and
- an electric controller mounted in said chamber adjacent to the voice coil actuator and further including a position sensor for coupling the coil frame to the controller.
3 more elements
A voice coil operated valve that includes:
- a housing having a first chamber that contains a valve sleeve and a valve spool mounted for reciprocation with the valve sleeve along the axis of said housing and a second chamber that is adjacent said first chamber,
- a linear voice coil actuator mounted within said second chamber that includes a cylindrical pole piece axially aligned with the axis of said housing, an air gap separating the pole piece from the housing wall and a magnet surrounding the pole piece that is mounted within the wall of said housing to establish a magnetic flux field within said air gap,
- a coil mounted upon a movable frame so that said coil is located within the magnetic flux field,
- means for connecting said frame to said valve spool, and
- lubricating oil located within said air gap for cooling said coil and for rapidly conducting heat from said pole piece to said housing.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.