Electromagnetic linear valve

An electromagnetic linear valve comprising:

• a housing having a dividing portion that divides an interior of said housing into a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber, said housing having a through-hole that passes through said dividing portion such that said first and second fluid chambers are to be in communication with each other via said through-hole, said interior of said housing being filled with a working fluid;
• a plunger movable in an axial direction thereof and located in said first fluid chamber in which said through-hole opens through an opening thereof, said plunger including a first end portion which serves as a valve body and which is seatable on said opening serving as a valve seat;
• an inlet port provided in said housing and being in communication with said second fluid chamber;
• an outlet port provided in said housing and being in communication with said first fluid chamber;
• an elastic body forcing said plunger in a forcing direction that causes said first end portion to be moved toward said opening;
• and
• a coil disposed to surround said housing and configured to form a magnetic field that causes said plunger to be moved in a direction that is opposite to the forcing direction,
• wherein said plunger has two flux-passing portions which are contiguous to each other in the axial direction, such that a magnetic flux is caused to flow in the axial direction upon formation of a magnetic field by said coil,
• and wherein one of said two flux-passing portions is (a) a first flux-passing portion including an end portion that is constituted by a second end portion of said plunger, while the other of said two flux-passing portions is (b) a second flux-passing portion that is located on a side of said first end portion of said plunger, such that the magnetic flux can be caused to flow by a larger amount within said first flux-passing portion than within said second flux-passing portion,
• said electromagnetic linear valve being constructed such that, upon movement of said plunger within said housing, said second flux-passing portion and said housing are slidingly contactable with each other, while said first flux-passing portion and said housing are spaced apart from each other by a clearance defined therebetween without said first flux-passing portion and said housing being in sliding contact with each other, said clearance defined between said first flux-passing portion and said housing being larger than a clearance defined between said second flux-passing portion and said housing,
• and said electromagnetic linear valve being constructed such that, upon flow of the magnetic flux through said first and second flux-passing portions, a part of the magnetic flux, which is disabled to flow to said second flux-passing portion as a result of magnetic saturation of said second flux-passing portion, is caused to flow between said first flux-passing portion and said housing via said clearance defined therebetween, while a part of the magnetic flux, which is allowed to flow to said second flux-passing portion, is caused to flow between said second flux-passing portion and said housing.