Direct acting solenoid actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9022346-B2
Application number	US-201313939895-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2013
Priority date	Jul 11, 2012
Publication date	May 5, 2015
Grant date	May 5, 2015

Abstract

A solenoid actuator comprising an armature member that engages a spool including a spool cap on an end of the spool that is axially movable relative to the spool. A bore in the spool allows fluid to flow from a control port to the spool cap, such that pressure is established in the spool cap. The pressure established in the spool cap acts on the spool with a force directly proportional to the control pressure and the fluid-contacting area inside the spool cap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solenoid actuator fluid control valve comprising:
a solenoid actuator component having:
a fixed solenoid component; and
a movable armature component; and

a fluid control valve component having:
a fixed nozzle body;
a movable spool within the fixed nozzle body; and
a spool end cap disposed over a first end of the moveable spool and between the first end of the moveable spool and the fixed nozzle body to provide a feedback pressure;
wherein the spool end cap is axially movable relative to the movable spool; and
wherein an exterior of the spool cap is exposed to exhaust or zero pressure and an interior of the spool cap is exposed to control pressure.

2. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 1 wherein the movable armature component is coupled to the movable spool.

3. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 1 wherein the fixed nozzle body has at least one control port, and wherein a bore in the movable spool allows fluid to flow from the at least one control port to the spool end cap.

4. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 3 wherein the fluid in the spool end cap establishes the feedback pressure in the spool end cap.

5. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 4 wherein the feedback pressure established in the spool end cap causes the spool end cap to move axially until it abuts an end of the fixed nozzle body.

6. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 4 wherein the feedback pressure established in the spool end cap acts on the movable spool with a motive feedback force in a first axial direction.

7. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 6 wherein a pressure is established at the control port, and wherein the motive feedback force is directly proportional to the pressure established at the control port.

8. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 6 wherein the spool end cap has an axial fluid contacting area, and wherein the motive feedback force is directly proportional to the axial fluid contacting area.

9. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 6 wherein a motive magnetic force acts on the movable armature component in a second axial direction, and wherein the motive feedback force substantially balances out the motive magnetic force.

10. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 6 wherein the solenoid actuator component further comprises a spring mechanism, and wherein the spring mechanism acts on the movable armature component with a motive spring force in a second axial direction.

11. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 10 wherein the motive feedback force substantially balances the motive spring force.

12. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 1 wherein the diameter of an inner surface of an end of the fixed nozzle body is wider than the diameter of an outer surface of an end the movable spool.

13. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 12 further comprising a radial space between the inner surface of the end of the fixed nozzle body and the outer surface of the movable spool.

14. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 1 wherein the diameter of an inner surface of an end of the fixed nozzle body is wider than the diameter of an outer surface of the spool end cap.

15. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 1 wherein the spool end cap is concentric to the first end of the movable spool.

16. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 1 wherein the fixed nozzle body comprises an exhaust chamber at an end of the fixed nozzle body.

17. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 16 wherein an axial end of the exhaust chamber comprises an end exhaust opening.

18. The solenoid actuator fluid control valve of claim 17 wherein the end exhaust opening allows fluid to flow out of the exhaust chamber.

19. A method of operation of a fluid control valve comprising:
in a fluid control valve component having:
a fixed nozzle body;
a movable spool within the fixed nozzle body; and
a spool end cap within the fixed nozzle body disposed over a first end of the moveable spool and axially movable relative to the movable spool;
wherein an exterior of the spool cap is exposed to exhaust or zero pressure and an interior of the spool cap is exposed to control pressure;
adjusting a diameter of the spool end cap to selectively adjust a feedback pressure on the movable spool.

Assignees

• Flextronics Ap Llc

Inventors

• Najmolhoda Hamid
• Peterson Matthew S

Classifications

• H01F2007/163

  with axial bearing · CPC title

• G05D16/00

  Control of fluid pressure · CPC title

• F16K31/0613 Primary

  with cylindrical slides · CPC title

• F16C2322/39

  General buildup of machine tools, e.g. spindles, slides, actuators · CPC title

• H01F7/16

  Rectilinearly-movable armatures (H01F7/17 takes precedence) · CPC title