Electromagnetic valve and fluid control apparatus
AssigneeAdvics Co., Ltd.
InventorsTaro Segawa, Hiroyuki Shinkai, Masahiko Kamiya, Hidenobu Kajita, Shinichi Tsujimura
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Abstract
A stopper formed of a magnetic material and forming a portion of a magnetic circuit has a deformable portion that deforms in accordance with the pressure in a space within a sleeve. The deformable portion is provided with a pressure sensor that measures the amount of deformation of the deformable portion. The deformable portion, corresponding to a diaphragm, is formed in the stopper, which is a conventional electromagnetic valve component part. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to provide a diaphragm or a seal member.
Claims16
An electromagnetic valve comprising:
- a coil that forms a magnetic field when energized;
- a tubular sleeve which is disposed at an inner peripheral side of the coil and whose interior has a space;
- a stopper having an end side that is joined to the sleeve and closes an end of the sleeve;
- and an armature that is disposed slidably in the space in the sleeve, wherein
- the stopper is formed of a magnetic material, and forms a portion of a magnetic circuit,
- a deformable portion that deforms in accordance with a pressure in the space in the sleeve is formed in the stopper,
- the deformable portion is provided with a pressure sensor that measures an amount of deformation of the deformable portion, and
- the pressure sensor is made of semiconductor material and is a strain gage based pressure sensor, a specific resistance of the pressure sensor varies in accordance with stress, and the stopper is made of a material that has substantially the same linear expansion coefficient as the semiconductor material.
A fluid control apparatus comprising:
- an electromagnetic valve comprising;
- a coil that forms a magnetic field when energized;
- a tubular sleeve which is disposed at an inner peripheral side of the coil and whose interior has a space;
- a stopper having an end side that is joined to the sleeve and closes an end of the sleeve;
- and
- an armature that is disposed slidably in the space in the sleeve,
- wherein the stopper is formed of a magnetic material, and forms a portion of a magnetic circuit,
- wherein a deformable portion that deforms in accordance with a pressure in the space in the sleeve is formed in the stopper,
- wherein the deformable portion is provided with a pressure sensor that measures an amount of deformation of the deformable portion;
- a housing having a fluid conduit that is opened and closed by the electromagnetic valve;
- a circuit board having a control circuit that controls current flow to the coil,
- wherein the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the circuit board, and
- wherein the stopper extends toward a side of the circuit board to such a position that a position such that the deformable portion is substantially flush with a surface of the circuit board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.