Actuator with toothed profile engaging inclined surfaces for solenoid operated valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10443756-B2
Application number	US-201715462525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2017
Priority date	Mar 17, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

An actuator for use with an on/off solenoid configured to maintain a position corresponding to the energized state of the solenoid when the solenoid is de-energized. The actuator is comprised of a guide that rotates a selector between one of two positions each time the solenoid is energized. One position of the actuator places the selector in an extended position and the other position of the actuator places the selector in a retracted position. To move the selector between the first and second positions, the solenoid is momentarily energized, and in each position of the selector, the solenoid is de-energized. The actuator can be coupled to a poppet valve to maintain the valve in one of two positions when the solenoid is de-energized.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator for a solenoid operated valve, the actuator comprising:
a body including a first axial end, a second axial end, and an inner wall defining an axial bore through the body, the axial bore comprising a stepped diameter including a stepped-up portion and a stepped-down portion of the axial bore, wherein the inner diameter of the stepped-up portion is greater than the inner diameter of the stepped-down portion;
at least one post located within the stepped-up portion of the axial bore and projecting radially inward from the inner wall along a portion of a length of the axial bore parallel to a longitudinal axis of the axial bore, the post comprising a first end located distal to the stepped-down portion of the axial bore and second end located adjacent to the stepped-down portion of the axial bore;
a cylindrical selector disposed within the axial bore, and configured for axial displacement and selective rotational displacement, the cylindrical selector including a plurality of bosses and at least one gap, wherein
the plurality of bosses is disposed on an outer periphery of the cylindrical selector,
each boss of the plurality of bosses is separated from an adjacent boss by a gap of the at least one gap, and
each boss of the plurality of bosses is formed with a pattern of inclined surfaces on a first axial face and directed towards the stepped diameter; and

a cylindrical guide disposed within the axial bore, rotationally fixed and configured for axial displacement, the cylindrical guide comprising a plurality of outward projections, at least one passage, and a toothed profile comprised of a pattern of peaks and valleys distributed around a perimeter of an axial face facing the cylindrical selector and arranged so that the toothed profile engages with the inclined surfaces, wherein
the outward projections extend radially outward from the cylindrical guide such that an inner diameter of the cylindrical guide at the outward projections is greater than the inner diameter of the stepped-down portion, wherein

axial displacement of the cylindrical guide in a first direction away from the stepped-down portion of the axial bore axially displaces the cylindrical selector alternately between a first selector position in which each post of the at least one post is disposed within a corresponding gap of the at least one gap such that the cylindrical selector is rotationally fixed, and a second selector position in which each post of the at least one post is disengaged from the corresponding gap and is engaged with a portion of one of the inclined surfaces.

2. The actuator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the at least one post includes a plurality of posts evenly angularly spaced along the inner wall of the stepped-up portion; and
the at least one gap includes a plurality of gaps,
wherein a number of posts corresponds with a number of gaps.

3. The actuator according to claim 2 , wherein when the cylindrical selector is in the first selector position, each post of the plurality of posts is received in a corresponding gap of the gaps.

4. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the pattern of inclined surfaces includes a pattern of discontinuous inclined surfaces comprising a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface with an axially aligned step between an end of the first inclined surface and a beginning of the second inclined surface.

5. The actuator according to claim 4 , wherein the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are axially advancing in a same angular direction.

6. The actuator according to claim 4 , wherein a portion of a longitudinal face of each post abuts a portion of the axially aligned step of each pattern of discontinuous inclined surfaces when the cylindrical selector is in the first selector position.

7. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein engagement of the toothed profile with the inclined surfaces angularly displaces the cylindrical selector such that the first end of the post engages a portion of a corresponding inclined surface to rotate the cylindrical selector alternately between the first selector position and the second selector position.

8. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outward projections is spaced a distance from the toothed profile.

9. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of outward projections is separated from an adjacent outward projection by a passage of the at least one passage, and
each post of the at least one post is configured to be disposed within a corresponding passage of the at least one passage.

10. A solenoid-operated valve assembly comprising:
the actuator according to claim 1 ;
an electro-mechanical solenoid comprising an armature, a magnetic coil disposed around the armature, and a housing surrounding the magnetic coil, the armature being axially displaceable with respect to the housing beyond a mounting end of the housing between an extended armature position and a retracted armature position, the mounting end of the housing disposed on the first axial end; and
a valve comprising a valve body and a valve stem configured for displacement between a first valve position forming a first flow path and a second valve position forming a second flow path,
wherein, when the coil is momentarily energized to a momentarily energized state, the armature extends to axially displace the cylindrical guide in the first direction to alternately place the cylindrical selector in at least one of the first selector position or the second selector position so that when the coil is de-energized, the valve remains in one of the first valve position or the second valve position associated with the momentarily energized state.

11. The assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the valve further comprises:
a first resilient element disposed around the valve stem between the first valve disk and the cylindrical selector configured to apply an axial force to the guide through the cylindrical selector against the displacement of the armature to the extended armature position, and
a second resilient element disposed around the valve stem between the second valve disk and a second end of the valve housing biasing the second valve disk towards the mounting flange.

12. The solenoid-operated valve assembly of claim 10 , wherein the extended armature position is in response to an energized state and the retracted armature position is in response to a de-energized state.

13. The solenoid-operated valve assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
a first end of the valve body includes a mounting flange disposed on the second axial end, and
the valve stem comprises a first valve disk displaceable with respect to the valve stem and a second valve disk disposed on the valve stem, and both the first valve disk and the second valve disk are configured for displacement within an axial passage of the valve body between the first valve position and the second valve position.

14. A method of controlling movement of the actuator of claim 10 , the method comprising:
energizing the solenoid to an energized state;
axially displacing the cylindrical guide when the solenoid is in the energized state,
axially and rotationally displacing the cylindrical selector from one of the first selector position or the second selector position to the second selector position or the first selector position, respectively when the solenoid is in the energized state;
de-energizing the solenoid to a de-energized state when the cylindrical selector is in one of the first selector position or the second selector position; and
maint

Assignees

• Flextronics Ap Llc

Inventors

• Peterson Matthew

Classifications

• F16K11/048

  with valve seats positioned between movable valve members · CPC title

• F16K31/52416

  comprising a multiple-way lift valve · CPC title

• F16K31/10 Primary

  with additional mechanism between armature and closure member · CPC title

• F16K31/003

  operated without a stable intermediate position, e.g. with snap action (F16K31/56 takes precedence) · CPC title