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US 7,603,855 B2Granted
Valve with magnetic detents
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorChristopher L. Strong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motor including a piston disposed within a cylinder and a valve configured to control a flow of a fluid into the cylinder. In some embodiments, the valve has a housing, a valve member disposed in the housing, and a magnetic detent configured to resist movement of the valve member within the housing.
Claims20
A motor, comprising:
- a piston disposed within a cylinder;
- a first pilot valve disposed in a first end of the cylinder;
- a second pilot valve disposed in a second end of the cylinder opposite the first end;
- and
- a main valve configured to control a flow of a fluid into the cylinder, wherein the main valve comprises:
- a housing;
- a valve member disposed in the housing;
- and
- a magnetic detent configured to resist movement of the valve member within the housing by applying a magnetic force to the valve member;
- wherein the first and second pilot valves are configured to be actuated by the piston.
7 more elements
A valve, comprising:
- a housing;
- a spool valve disposed in the housing, the spool valve comprising a middle seal that defines an upper chamber and a lower chamber in the housing;
- and
- a magnetic detent between the housing and the spool valve, wherein the magnetic detent comprises a stationary magnet coupled to the housing, wherein the spool valve comprises a magnetically responsive material, and wherein the spool valve is configured to be magnetically biased by the stationary magnet.
1 more element
A method of operating an air motor, the method comprising:
- magnetically biasing a valve member in a housing against a first side of the housing to hold the valve member in a first position;
- directing a fluid flow to a first end of a cylinder having a piston disposed therein when the valve member is in the first position, wherein the fluid flow drives the piston from a first end of the cylinder to a second end of the cylinder opposite the first end;
- actuating a first pilot valve disposed in the second end of the cylinder via the piston;
- and
- pneumatically overcoming the magnetic bias by adjusting a pressure of a fluid in contact with the valve member to drive the valve member to a second position in response to the actuation of the first pilot valve.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.