Solenoid operated hydraulic control valve

Claim 2

A spool valve comprising: a valve spool including a central recess region of predetermined length and substantially constant cross section along said recess region length; a valve body slidably fitted over said valve spool, including a supply port, a discharge port separated from said supply port by a port separation length less than said recess region length, said supply port and said discharge port having substantially identical areas along said valve body; means for biasing said valve spool to a normally closed position with said valve spool recess region positioned beyond said supply port toward said discharge port to block fluid flow through said valve recess region from said supply port; and means for displacing said valve spool to an open position with said valve spool recess region displaced midway between said supply port and said discharge port to allow flow through said valve recess region from said supply port to said discharge port without flow induced valve spool force imbalance.

Claim 3

The spool valve recited in claim 1, wherein said means for biasing includes a compression type spring penetrating said valve body from a spring end of said valve body, said spring being axially aligned with said valve spool.

Claim 4

The spool valve recited in claim 2, wherein said means for displacing includes a plunger pin penetrating said valve body from a plunger pin end of said valve body opposite said valve body spring end.

Claim 5

The spool valve recited in claim 3, wherein said supply port includes an annular supply channel in said valve body surrounding said valve spool, and said discharge port includes an annular discharge channel in said valve body surrounding said valve spool, said supply channel and said discharge channel having substantially equal lengths along said valve body.

Claim 6

The spool recited in claim 4, wherein said valve body is a cylindrical cavity in a spool valve housing.

Claim 7

The spool valve recited in claim 5, further comprising a valve body plunger end wall for retaining said valve spool in said normally closed position.

Claim 8

The spool valve recited in claim 6, wherein said plunger pin penetrates said valve plunger end wall.

Claim 9

The spool valve recited in claim 7, further comprising a valve body spring end wall for retaining said spring.

Claim 10

The spool valve recited in claim 8, further comprising a solenoid operator coupled to said plunger pin for controlling said plunger pin penetration into said valve body.

Claim 11

The spool valve recited in claim 9, wherein said plunger pin is coupled to an armature of said solenoid operator and said valve body plunger end wall includes a stator of said solenoid operator.

Claim 12

The spool valve recited in claim 10, wherein said plunger pin penetrates a central pole piece of said solenoid operator stator.

Claim 13

The spool valve recited in claim 11, wherein said solenoid coil for said solenoid operator is wound around said stator central pole piece.

Claim 14

The spool valve recited in claim 12, wherein a magnetic field produced by said solenoid coil controls said plunger pin penetration into said valve body.

Claim 15

The spool valve recited in claim 13, wherein said armature is disc shaped, said plunger pin is coupled to the radial axis of said armature, and said solenoid magnetic field circulates through the circumferential area of said armature from said stator.

Claim 16

The spool valve recited in claim 14, wherein said plunger pin slides through said stator central pole piece along the axis of said stator central pole piece.

Claim 17

The spool valve recited in claim 15, wherein said plunger pin aligns said armature within said stator.

Claim 18

A solenoid operated actuator including a stator, an armature having freedom of motion along a prescribed axis relative to said stator, a stator pole piece axially aligned with said armature axis, and a solenoid coil wound around said stator pole piece, comprising: a non-working gap between said stator and said armature having a constant interstitial surface area in axial alignment with said armature axis; and coupling means between said stator pole piece and said armature for maintaining axial alignment between said stator and said armature.

Claim 19

A solenoid operated actuator including a stator, an armature having freedom of motion along a prescribed axis relative to said stator, a stator pole piece axially aligned with said armature axis, and a solenoid coil wound around said stator pole piece, comprising: a non-working gap between said stator and said armature having a constant interstitial surface area in axial alignment with said armature axis; and coupling means between said stator pole piece and said armature for maintaining axial alignment between said stator and said armature.

Claim 20

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 17, wherein said coupling means includes a shaft axially aligned with said armature axis.

Claim 21

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 18, wherein said shaft slidably penetrates said stator pole piece.

Claim 22

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 19, wherein said armature has a cross-sectional area transverse to said armature axis which is substantially larger than the surface area of said stator pole piece.

Claim 23

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 20, wherein said armature includes a plurality of axial holes through said armature, substantially parallel to said armature axis, and radially arranged around said armature axis between said stator pole and said non-­working gap, for permitting fluidic flow through said armature without evidencing said non-working gap.

Claim 24

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 21, wherein said axial holes are sized to minimize fluidic resistance through said armature at low temperature.

Claim 25

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 22, wherein said radial arrangement of said axial holes are tangentially arranged to maximize magnetic circuit efficiency.

Claim 26

A solenoid operated spool valve comprising: a valve spool having a spool axis including a central recess region of predetermined length and substantially constant cross section along said recess region length; a valve body slidably fitted over said valve spool, including a supply port, a discharge port separated from said supply port by a port separation length less than said recess region length, said supply port and said discharge port having substantially identical areas along said valve body; a compression type spring, axially aligned with said valve spool axis, penetrating said valve body from a spring end of said valve body, for biasing said valve spool to a normally closed position, with said valve spool recess region positioned beyond said supply port toward said discharge port to block fluid flow through said valve recess region from said supply port; a plunger pin, penetrating said valve body from a plunger pin end of said valve body opposite said valve body spring end, and having a plunger pin end of said valve for displacing said valve spool to an open position, with said valve spool recess region displaced midway between said supply port and said discharge port to allow flow through said valve recess region from said supply port to said discharge port without flow induced valve spool force imbalance; a solenoid stator, including a central pole piece with a linear bearing through it for slidably retaining said plunger pin along said valve spool axis, and an annular pole piece, axially aligned with said central pole piece, and having a diameter substantially greater than said central pole piece; a solenoid armature, coupled to said plunger pin through said stator central pole piece bearing, having an axis aligned with said plunger pin axis, a working gap surface substantially parallel to the surface of said central pole piece, and a circumferential non-working gap surface substantially parallel to the surface of said stator annular pole piece; and a solenoid coil, wound around said central pole piece, for operating said armature coupled plunger pin with an electric signal.

Claim 27

A solenoid operated spool valve comprising: a valve spool having a spool axis including a central recess region of predetermined length and substantially constant cross section along said recess region length; a valve body slidably fitted over said valve spool, including a supply port, a discharge port separated from said supply port by a port separation length less than said recess region length, said supply port and said discharge port having substantially identical areas along said valve body; a compression type spring, axially aligned with said valve spool axis, penetrating said valve body from a spring end of said valve body, for biasing said valve spool to a normally closed position, with said valve spool recess region positioned beyond said supply port toward said discharge port to block fluid flow through said valve recess region from said supply port; a plunger pin, penetrating said valve body from a plunger pin end of said valve body opposite said valve body spring end, and having a plunger pin end of said valve for displacing said valve spool to an open position, with said valve spool recess region displaced midway between said supply port and said discharge port to allow flow through said valve recess region from said supply port to said discharge port without flow induced valve spool force imbalance; a solenoid stator, including a central pole piece with a linear bearing through it for slidably retaining said plunger pin along said valve spool axis, and an annular pole piece, axially aligned with said central pole piece, and having a diameter substantially greater than said central pole piece; a solenoid armature, coupled to said plunger pin through said stator central pole piece bearing, having an axis aligned with said plunger pin axis, a working gap surface substantially parallel to the surface of said central pole piece, and a circumferential non-working gap surface substantially parallel to the surface of said stator annular pole piece; and a solenoid coil, wound around said central pole piece, for operating said armature coupled plunger pin with an electric signal.

Claim 28

The solenoid operated spool valve recited in claim 24, wherein said armature is disc shaped, having a diameter substantially greater than its thickness.

Claim 29

The solenoid operated spool valve recited in claim 25, wherein said armature includes a plurality of axial holes through said armature, substantially parallel to said armature axis, sized and radially arranged around said armature axis to minimize low temperature resistance to fluidic flow through said armature, and tangentially arranged to maximize armature magnetic efficiency and response time.

Claim 30

The solenoid operated spool valve recited in claim 26, wherein said valve spool is cyclically displaced to control flow between said valve body supply port and said valve flow discharge port.

Claim 31

The solenoid operated spool valve recited in claim 27, wherein said valve spool cyclical displacement is duty cycle controlled to proportionally vary flow between said valve body supply port and said valve body discharge port.

Claim 32

The solenoid operated spool valve recited in claim 28, wherein said valve spool controls flow in a hydraulic shock absorber for a semi-active suspension system.

Claim 33

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 20 including an armature/stator pole piece interface between an inner surface of said armature transverse to said armature axis and said stator pole piece.

Claim 34

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 30 wherein said armature/stator pole piece interface further comprises a means for reducing surface tension.

Claim 35

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 31 wherein said means for reducing surface tension comprises a spacer made of a non-magnetic material.

Claim 36

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 32 wherein said spacer includes a surface tension reducing surface pattern.

Claim 37

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 31 wherein said means for reducing surface tension comprises a pattern formed into said surface area of said stator pole piece.

Claim 38

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 31 wherein said means for reducing surface tension comprises a pattern formed into said inner surface area of said armature.

Claim 39

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 20 wherein said armature has an outer surface opposite said inner surface transverse to said armature axis.

Claim 40

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 36 further comprised of a cover attached to said stator to prevent said armature from excessive axial motion.

Claim 41

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 37 wherein said cover is disc shaped having a diameter substantially greater than its thickness.

Claim 42

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 38 wherein said cover has an inner surface transverse to said armature axis and located adjacent to said outer surface of said armature.

Claim 43

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 39 wherein said inner surface of said cover has a surface contour that recedes toward the axis of said cover.

Claim 44

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 36 wherein said outer surface of said armature has a surface contour that recedes towards the axis of said armature.

Claim 45

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 35 wherein said pattern is tri-radial, with radiating spokes raised with respect to substantially triangular surface depressions between the radiating spokes.

Claim 46

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 41 wherein said surface contour that recedes towards the axis of said armature has a constant slope.

Claim 47

A solenoid operated actuator comprising: a solenoid stator, including a central pole piece with a linear bearing through it for slidably retaining a plunger pin along said valve spool axis, and an annular pole piece, axially aligned with said central pole piece, and having a diameter substantially greater than said central pole piece; a solenoid armature, coupled to said plunger pin through said stator central pole piece bearing, having an axis aligned with said plunger pin axis, an inner surface substantially parallel to the surface of said central stator pole piece including an armature/stator pole piece interface to form a working gap between said armature and said stator, said armature/stator interface including a pattern formed into said inner surface of said armature, an outer armature surface transverse to said armature axis and opposite said inner surface, said outer surface including a surface contour that recedes toward the axis of said armature, and a plurality of axial holes through said armature, substantially parallel to said armature axis, sized and radially arranged around said armature axis to minimize low temperature resistance to fluidic flow through said armature, and tangentially arranged to maximize armature magnetic efficiency and response time; a solenoid coil, wound around said central pole piece, for operating said armature coupled plunger pin with an electric signal; and a cover attached to said stator to prevent said armature from excessive axial motion wherein said cover is disc shaped having a diameter substantially greater than its thickness with an inner surface transverse to said armature axis and located adjacent to said outer surface of said armature.

Claim 48

A solenoid operated actuator comprising: a solenoid stator, including a central pole piece with a linear bearing through it for slidably retaining a plunger pin along said valve spool axis, and an annular pole piece, axially aligned with said central pole piece, and having a diameter substantially greater than said central pole piece; a solenoid armature, coupled to said plunger pin through said stator central pole piece bearing, having an axis aligned with said plunger pin axis, an inner surface substantially parallel to the surface of said central stator pole piece including an armature/stator pole piece interface to form a working gap between said armature and said stator, said armature/stator interface including a pattern formed into said inner surface of said armature, an outer armature surface transverse to said armature axis and opposite said inner surface, said outer surface including a surface contour that recedes toward the axis of said armature, and a plurality of axial holes through said armature, substantially parallel to said armature axis, sized and radially arranged around said armature axis to minimize low temperature resistance to fluidic flow through said armature, and tangentially arranged to maximize armature magnetic efficiency and response time; a solenoid coil, wound around said central pole piece, for operating said armature coupled plunger pin with an electric signal; and a cover attached to said stator to prevent said armature from excessive axial motion wherein said cover is disc shaped having a diameter substantially greater than its thickness with an inner surface transverse to said armature axis and located adjacent to said outer surface of said armature.

Claim 49

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 44 wherein said pattern is tri-radial, with radiating spokes raised with respect to substantially triangular surface depressions between the radiating spokes.

Claim 50

The solenoid operated actuator recited in claim 44 wherein said surface contour that recedes towards the axis of said armature has a constant slope.