Solenoid valve assembly with pilot pressure control

A valve assembly comprising:

• a selectively energizable coil;
• a valve body defining an interior cavity and having a primary supply port, a secondary supply port, a control port, and an exhaust port, each of the ports extending through the valve body to the interior cavity;
• wherein the valve body defines a first valve seat between the primary supply port and the control port, and defines a second valve seat between the control port and the exhaust port;
• wherein the secondary supply port is in fluid communication with the interior cavity and with the control port between the first valve seat and the second valve seat;
• an armature assembly configured to move within the interior cavity due to magnetic flux when the coil is energized;
• wherein the armature assembly has a first poppet and a second poppet;
• wherein the first poppet is configured to seat at the first valve seat and the second poppet is configured to be spaced from the second valve seat when the coil is not energized;
• wherein the first poppet is configured to be spaced from the first valve seat and the second poppet is configured to be seated at the second valve seat when the coil is energized;
• a regulator body operatively connected to the valve body and having an exhaust passage in fluid communication with the exhaust port;
• and
• a regulator valve positioned in the regulator body and configured to block the exhaust passage when fluid pressure on the regulator valve is not greater than a predetermined pilot pressure, and configured to unblock the exhaust passage when fluid pressure on the regulator valve is greater than the predetermined pilot pressure;
• fluid thereby being permitted to the enter control port only through the secondary supply port at the predetermined pilot pressure when the coil is not energized, and being permitted to enter the control port through the primary supply port at a supply pressure greater than the predetermined pilot pressure when the coil is energized.

A valve assembly comprising:

• a selectively energizable coil;
• a valve body that defines an interior cavity and has a primary supply port, a secondary supply port, a control port, and an exhaust port each extending to the interior cavity;
• an armature assembly configured to move within the interior cavity from a first position to a second position when the coil is energized;
• a regulator body operatively connected to the valve body and having an exhaust passage positioned at the exhaust port;
• a regulator valve positioned in the regulator body and configured to prevent fluid flow out of the exhaust passage when fluid pressure on the regulator valve is not greater than a predetermined pilot pressure, and configured to permit fluid flow out of the exhaust passage when fluid pressure on the regulator valve is greater than the predetermined pilot pressure;
• wherein the valve body and the armature assembly are configured to permit fluid flow from the secondary supply port to the control port at the predetermined pilot pressure and block fluid flow from the primary supply port to the control port when the armature is in one of the first position and the second position;
• and wherein the valve body and the armature assembly are configured to permit fluid flow from the primary supply port to the control port at a supply pressure greater than the predetermined pilot pressure when the armature is in the other of the first position and the second position;
• wherein the valve body defines a first valve seat between the primary supply port and the control port, and a second valve seat between the control port and the exhaust port;
• wherein the secondary supply port is in fluid communication with the interior cavity and the control port between the first valve seat and the second valve seat;
• wherein the armature assembly has a first poppet and a second poppet configured to move together in unison when the armature assembly moves from the first position to the second position;
• wherein the first poppet is configured to seat at the first valve seat and the second poppet is configured to be spaced from the second valve seat when the armature is in the first position;
• and wherein the first poppet is configured to be spaced from the first valve seat and the second poppet is configured to be seated at the second valve seat when the armature is in the second position.