Solenoid controlled flow valve

Abstract

A pilot operated flow regulating valve which can be remotely controlled by varying the energization to a solenoid. The valve consists of a normally-closed, spring-biased, pressure-differential-actuated, main valve element and a pressure-compensated, pilot flow valve employing a solenoid acting like a remotely controllable electromagnetic spring to control the flow of fluid through the pilot valve and the pressure difference across the main valve element.

Having described our invention, we claim: 
     
       1. An electrically controlled pilot actuated flow valve comprised of: a. a housing having an elongated cylindrical cavity with a pressure inlet port and at least one radially facing main outlet port;   b. a main valve element operable to control the flow of fluid between said inlet and outlet ports;   c. said main element having a first axially facing surface exposed to inlet pressure and a second oppositely facing surface defining with said cavity a variable pressure chamber;   d. means biasing said main valve element to an initial position relative to said inlet and outlet ports;   e. a main valve orifice communicating said inlet port with said variable pressure chamber;   f. a pilot valve outlet port adapted to communicate said variable pressure chamber to low pressure;   g. a pilot valve element operable to control the flow of fluid from said chamber through said pilot valve outlet port;   h. pressure differential responsive means biasing said pilot valve element in one direction to restrict said flow from said chamber;   i. an armature supporting field pole and an axially spaced armature attracting field pole;   j. a solenoid coil surrounding said poles; and,   k. a magnetically permeable armature operatively associated with said pilot valve element and having a first end substantially overlapping said supporting field pole and a second end slightly overlapping said attracting field pole and operable when said coil is energized to exert a magnetic force on said pilot valve element in an opposite direction to move it to a new position relative to said pilot valve outlet port.   
     
     
       2. The valve of claim 1 wherein said means includes an axially facing orifice operatively associated with said pilot valve element through which all fluid flowing through said pilot valve outlet port flows to create a pressure force on said pilot valve element opposite to magnetic forces on said armature. 
     
     
       3. The valve of claim 1 wherein said pilot valve outlet port opens radially into said variable pressure chamber and said pilot valve element moves axially. 
     
     
       4. The valve of claim 2 wherein said pilot valve outlet port opens radially into said variable pressure chamber and said pilot valve element moves axially. 
     
     
       5. The valve of claim 1 wherein an edge of said main outlet port adjacent the inlet port extends circumferentially and said main valve element moves axially. 
     
     
       6. The valve of claim 2 wherein an edge of said main outlet port adjacent the inlet port extends circumferentially and said main valve element moves axially. 
     
     
       7. The valve of claim 1 wherein said main outlet port is rectangular with one wall extending circumferentially. 
     
     
       8. The valve of claim 2 wherein said main outlet port is rectangular with one wall extending circumferentially. 
     
     
       9. An electrically controlled flow valve comprising in combination: a spring-biased, normally-closed, pressure-differential-actuated main flow valve having a pressure inlet, a main outlet and a variable pressure outlet with the difference in pressures between pressure inlet and variable pressure outlet determining the communication between pressure inlet and main outlet; and a pressure compensated pilot flow valve in series with said variable pressure outlet and a low pressure outlet, and variable spring means for establishing the rate of flow of fluid through said pilot valve. 
     
     
       10. The valve of claim 9 wherein said spring means includes an electro-magnetic spring biasing said pilot valve to the open position in an amount proportional to the electrical energization of said electro-magnetic spring. 
     
     
       11. The valve of claim 9 wherein mechanical spring means bias said pilot valve to the closed position and a solenoid-armature arrangement creates a force opposing the force of said mechanical spring to move the pilot valve to a partially open position in an amount proportional to the electrical energization of said solenoid. 
     
     
       12. In an electrically controlled flow valve comprising in combination: a spring-biased, pressure-differential actuated main valve; an adjustable pilot flow valve, the flow of which, when varied, varies the pressure difference on said main valve; the improvement which comprises said pilot flow valve being of the pressure compensated type; and electro-magnetic means for varying the flow of fluid through said pilot valve and the pressure differential across said main valve. 
     
     
       13. An electrically controlled pilot actuated flow valve comprised of: a. a housing having an elongated cylindrical cavity with a pressure inlet port and at least one radially facing main outlet port;   b. a main valve element operable to control the flow of fluid between said ports;   c. said main element having a first axially facing surface exposed to inlet pressure and a second oppositely facing surface defining with said cavity a first variable pressure chamber;   d. a pilot valve element having a first axially facing surface exposed to the pressure in said first variable pressure chamber and a second axially facing surface defining with said cavity a second variable pressure chamber;   e. main valve means biasing said main element to an initial closed position relative to said ports;   f. a main valve orifice communicating said inlet port with said first chamber;   g. a pilot valve outlet port adapted to communicate said second variable pressure chamber to low pressure;   h. said pilot valve element being operable to control the flow of fluid from said second chamber through said pilot valve outlet port;   i. means in the form of an orifice communicating said variable pressure chambers, resulting in pressure differentials biasing said pilot valve element in one direction to restrict said flow from said second chamber; and,   j. other means for adjustably and resiliently biasing said pilot valve element in the opposite direction to permit flow from said second chamber to said pilot valve outlet port.   
     
     
       14. The valve of claim 13 wherein said means of subparagraph i includes an orifice operatively associated with said pilot valve element through which all fluid flowing through said pilot valve outlet port flows, said element having axially oppositely facing surfaces exposed to the pressure differential across said orifice to create a pressure differential force on said pilot valve element opposite to said bias means of subparagraph j. .Iadd. 
     
     
       15.  A pressure actuated, fluid device, comprising: (a) pilot valve means defining a variable orifice for controlling fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet, said outlet communicating with a reservoir port and said inlet communicating with a source of pressurized fluid;   (b) structure defining a fixed orifice located in a fluid flow path defined between said source of pressurized fluid and said reservoir port;   (c) electromagnetically actuated pilot valve operating means for controlling the effective size of said variable orifice;   (d) said fixed orifice being operative to generate a biasing force on said pilot valve operating means in opposition to an electromagnetically generated biasing force when fluid flow above a predetermined minimum passes through said fixed orifice;   (e) a spring biased valving member movable in response to a pressure differential applied to said member, said pressure differential being a function of the fluid flow rate through said variable orifice. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The fluid device of claim 15 wherein said fixed orifice is located intermediate said source of pressurized fluid and said variable orifice. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A pressure actuated, fluid device, comprising:   (a) a valve member defining, at least in part, a variable orifice disposed in a flow path, intermediate a source of pressurized fluid and an outlet;   (b) an armature for applying an electromagnetic biasing force to said member;   (c) a fixed orifice for generating an opposing biasing force on said member such that the combination of said electromagnetic biasing force and said opposing biasing force determines the effective opening of said variable orifice;   (d) a main control section including a spring biased main element;   (e) said variable orifice controlling a pressure differential across said spring biased main element whereby positions of said element are a function of the effective size of said variable orifice. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The fluid device of claim 17 wherein said spring biased main element defines a valve element operative to control communication between an inlet port and an outlet port. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The fluid device of claim 17 wherein said electromagnetic force urges said valve member towards a position tending to increase said effective size of said variable orifice and said opposing biasing force urges said valve member towards a position at which flow through said variable orifice is inhibited. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A pressure actuated, fluid device, comprising:   (a) a pilot section defining a variable orifice for controlling fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet, said inlet communicating with a source of pressurized fluid and said outlet communicating with a tank means;   (b) a main control section, including structure defining a fixed orifice located in a fluid flow path extending between said source of pressurized fluid and said tank means;   (c) electromagnetically operated valving means for adjusting an effective opening of said variable orifice;   (d) said fixed orifice being operative to apply a biasing force on said valving means, in opposition to an electromagnetically generated biasing force, when fluid flow above a predetermined minimum is conveyed through said fixed orifice;   (e) said main section including a control element selectively positionable in response to a pressure differential applied to said element, said pressure differential being a function of the fluid flow rate through said variable orifice. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The fluid device of claim 20 wherein said main section comprises a spool element operative to control fluid flow between an inlet port and a control port forming part of said fluid device. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. A solenoid controlled fluid assembly comprising:   (a) a tubular body including inlet and main outlet passages;   (b) a spool slidably carried by the body and adapted selectively to enable fluid communication between the inlet and main outlet passages, the spool including a first fixed orifice for establishing pressure reducing fluid communication between the inlet and a chamber;   (c) a pilot including a second fixed orifice for pressure dropping fluid communication between a variable outlet at least partially defined by said pilot and the chamber, the chamber being supplied when the assembly is in use by flow through the first orifice;   (d) first biasing means biasing the spool toward the inlet; and,   (e) second biasing means including an ampere turn controllable solenoid for selectively controlling positioning of the pilot when the assembly is in use and thereby controlling the operating conditions of the assembly. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The assembly of claim 22 wherein the spool and pilot   
     
     
        are axially aligned. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  The assembly of claim 22 wherein the first biasing means is a spring. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The assembly of claim 22 wherein the second biasing means includes a spring. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. An electrically controlled pilot actuated fluid assembly comprising: (a) a housing having an elongated cavity with a pressure inlet port and at least one laterally extending main outlet port;   (b) a main valve element operable selectively to establish communication between said inlet and outlet ports;   (c) said main element having a first axially facing surface exposed to inlet pressure and a second oppositely facing surface defining with said cavity a variable pressure chamber;   (d) means biasing said main valve element toward an initial position relative to said inlet and outlet ports;   (e) the main valve element including an orifice communicating said inlet port with said variable pressure chamber;   (f) the assembly including a pilot valve outlet port adapted to communicate said variable pressure chamber to low pressure;   (g) a pilot valve element operable to control the flow of fluid from said chamber through said pilot valve outlet port;   (h) pressure differential responsive means biasing said pilot valve element in one direction to restrict said flow from said chamber;   (i) field pole means;   (j) a solenoid coil around said pole means; and;   (k) a magnetically permeable armature operatively associated with said pilot valve element and operable when said coil is energized to exert a magnetic force on said pilot valve element in an opposite direction to   
     
     
        move it relative to said pilot valve outlet port. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27.  The assembly of claim 26 wherein said biasing means includes an axially facing orifice operatively associated with said pilot valve element through which all fluid flowing to said pilot valve outlet port flows to create a pressure force on said pilot valve element opposite to magnetic forces on said armature. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The assembly of claim 26 wherein said pilot valve outlet port opens radially into said variable pressure chamber and said pilot valve element is movable axially. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. An electrically controlled hydraulic mechanism comprising in combination: a biased, normally-closed, pressure-differential-actuated assembly having a pressure inlet, a main outlet and a variable pressure outlet with the difference in pressures between pressure inlet and variable pressure outlet determining the communication between the pressure inlet and the main outlet; and a pressure compensated pilot valve in series with said variable pressure outlet and a low pressure outlet, and variable biasing means for establishing the rate of flow of fluid through said pilot valve. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The mechanism of claim 29 wherein said biasing means includes an electromagnetic spring biasing said pilot valve toward an open position in an amount proportional to the electrical energization of said 
     
     
        electromagnetic spring. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31.  The mechanism of claim 29 wherein a mechanical spring biases said pilot valve toward an open position and a solenoid-armature arrangement creates a force opposing the force of said mechanical spring to move the pilot valve to a partially closed position in an amount proportional to the electrical energization of said solenoid. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32. In an electrically controlled fluid assembly comprising in combination: a spring-biased, pressure-differential actuated main element; an adjustable pilot valve means, the flow of which, when varied, varies the pressure difference on said main element; the improvement which comprises said pilot being of the pressure compensated type; and electromagnetic means for varying the flow of fluid through said pilot valve means and the pressure differential across said main element whereby positions of said main element are a function of the pressure differential. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. An electrically controlled pilot actuated fluid assembly comprising: (a) a housing having an elongated cavity with a pressure inlet port and at least one laterally facing main outlet port;   (b) a main element operable to control the flow of fluid between said inlet and main outlet ports;   (c) said main element having a first axially facing surface exposed to inlet pressure and a second oppositely facing surface defining with said cavity a first variable pressure chamber;   (d) a pilot element having a first axially facing surface exposed to pressure in said first variable pressure chamber and a second axially facing surface defining with said cavity a second variable pressure chamber;   (e) main spring means biasing said main element toward an initial closed position relative to said inlet and main outlet ports;   (f) a main element orifice communicating said inlet port with said first chamber;   (g) a pilot outlet port adapted to communicate said second variable pressure chamber to low pressure;   (h) said pilot element being operable to control the flow of fluid from said second chamber through said pilot valve outlet port;   (i) pressure drop means in the form of a further orifice communicating said variable pressure chambers, to produce pressure differentials biasing said pilot element in one direction to restrict said flow from said second chamber; and,   (j) other means for adjustably and resiliently biasing said pilot element in the opposite direction to permit flow from said second chamber to said   
     
     
        pilot valve outlet port. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34.  The valve of claim 33 wherein said further orifice is operatively associated with said pilot element and flow through the further orifice when in use causes all fluid flow through said pilot, said pilot element having axially oppositely facing surfaces exposed to the pressure differential across said further orifice to create a pressure differential force on said pilot element opposite to the bias of said other means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35. An electrically controlled flow valve comprising in combination: at least one spring biased pressure-differential-actuated main flow section having a pressure inlet, a main outlet and a variable pressure outlet with the difference in pressures between pressure inlet and variable pressure outlet determining the communication between pressure inlet and main outlet; and   a pressure compensated pilot flow valve in series with said variable pressure outlet and a low pressure outlet, and a variable spring means for establishing the rate of flow through said pilot valve. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36. The electrically controlled flow valve of claim 35 wherein said main flow section is normally opened. .Iaddend. .Iadd.37. The electrically controlled flow valve of claim 35 further comprising a manifold receiving   
     
     
        said main flow section(s). .Iaddend. .Iadd.38.  A pressure actuated, fluid device, comprising: (a) a valve member defining, at least in part, a variable orifice disposed in a flow path, intermediate a source of pressurized fluid and an outlet;   (b) an armature for applying an electromagnetic biasing force to said member;   (c) a fixed orifice for generating an opposing biasing force on said member such that the combination of said electromagnetic biasing force and said opposing biasing force determines the effective opening of said variable orifice;   (d) a main control section including a spring biased main element and a valve means for controlling fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet;   (e) said variable orifice controlling a pressure differential across said spring biased main element whereby positions of said element are a function of the effective size of said variable orifice. .Iaddend. .Iadd.39. A pressure actuated, fluid device, comprising:   (a) a valve member defining, at least in part, a variable orifice disposed in a flow path, intermediate a source of pressurized fluid and an outlet;   (b) an armature for applying an electromagnetic biasing force to said member;   (c) a fixed orifice for generating an opposing biasing force on said member such that the combination of said electromagnetic biasing force and said opposing biasing force determines the effective opening of said variable orifice;   (d) a main control section including a spring biased main control element;   (e) said variable orifice controlling a pressure differential across said spring biased main control element whereby positions of said main control element are a function of the effective size of said variable orifice.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.40.  A pressure actuated, fluid device, comprising: (a) a pilot section defining a variable orifice for controlling fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet, said inlet communicating with a source of pressurized fluid and said outlet communicating with a tank means;   (b) a main control section, including structure defining a fixed orifice located in a fluid flow path extending between said source of pressurized fluid and said tank means;   (c) electromagnetically operated valving means for adjusting an effective opening of said variable orifice;   (d) said fixed orifice being operative to apply a biasing force on said valving means, in opposition to an electromagnetically generated biasing force, when fluid flow above a predetermined minimum is conveyed through said fixed orifice;   (e) said main section including a fluid flow control element selectively positionable in response to a pressure differential applied to said element, said pressure differential being a function of the fluid flow rate through said variable orifice. .Iaddend.