Electromechanically actuated valve

Claim 2

Electromechanically operated valve structure, comprising a valve body having a passage for pressure fluid flow, a movable valve member for controlling said flow, and actuating means for said valve member; said actuating means comprising magnetic-core means establishing two spaced substantially parallel gaps which are directionally polarized in opposite directions, an electrically conductive coil having a course defining two substantially parallel legs that are spaced substantially in accordance with the spacing of said gaps, means including a compliantly suspended beam movably mounting and orienting said coil with respect to said core means such that each of said legs is positioned with clearance within and substantially parallel to a different one of said gaps, said mounting means constraining and guiding said coil for movement which is substantially in the plane of said legs and normal to the orientation of said legs, said valve member being so connected to said mounting means that such flow is controlled in response to excitation of said coil, and viscous damping means coacting between a part of said beam and a part of said valve body.

Claim 3

Electromechanically operated valve structure, comprising a valve body having a passage for pressure fluid flow, a movable valve member for controlling said flow, and actuating means for said valve member; said actuating means comprising magnetic-core means establishing two spaced substantially parallel gaps which are directionally polarized in opposite directions, an electrically conductive coil having a course defining two substantially parallel legs that are spaced substantially in accordance with the spacing of said gaps, compliant suspension means movably mounting and orienting said coil with respect to said core means such that each of said legs is positioned with clearance within and substantially parallel to a different one of said gaps, said mounting means constraining and guiding said coil for movement which is substantially in the plane of said legs and normal to the orientation of said legs, said valve member being connected to said mounting means substantially in the plane of and substantially normal to said legs and being so positioned with respect to the valve-body passage that such flow is controlled in response to excitation of said coil, and viscous damping means coating between a part of said valve body and a part carried by and for movement with said coil.

Claim 4

Electromechanically operated valve structure, comprising a valve body having a passage for pressure fluid flow, a movable valve member for controlling said flow, and actuating means for said valve member; said actuating means comprising magnetic-core means establishing two spaced substantially parallel gaps which are directionally polarized in opposite directions, an electrically conductive coil having a course defining two substantially parallel legs that are spaced substantially in accordance with the spacing of said gaps, compliant suspension means movably mounting and orienting said coil with respect to said core means such that each of said legs is positioned with clearance within and substantially parallel to a different one of said gaps, said mounting means constraining and guiding said coil for movement which is substantially in the plane of said legs and normal to the orientation of said legs, said valve member being connected to said mounting means substantially in the plane of and substantially normal to said legs and being so positioned with respect to the valve-body passage that such flow is controlled in response to excitation of said coil, and viscous damping means coating between a part of said valve body and a part carried by and for movement with said coil.

Claim 5

Electromechanically operated valve structure, comprising a valve body having a passage for pressure fluid flow, a movable valve member for controlling said flow, and actuating means for said valve member; said actuating means comprising magnetic-core means establishing two spaced substantially parallel gaps which are directionally polarized in opposite directions, an electrically conductive coil having a course defining two substantially parallel legs that are spaced substantially in accordance with the spacing of said gaps, compliant suspension means movably mounting and orienting said coil with respect to said core means such that each of said legs is positioned with clearance within and substantially parallel to a different one of said gaps, said mounting means constraining and guiding said coil for movement which is substantially in the plane of said legs and normal to the orientation of said legs, said valve member being so connected to said mounting means that such flow is controlled in response to excitation of said coil, and viscous damping means coacting between a part of said valve body and a part carried by and for movement with said coil.

Claim 6

Electromechanically operated valve structure, comprising a valve body having a passage for pressure fluid flow, a movable valve member for controlling said flow, and actuating means for said valve member; said actuating means comprising magnetic-core means establishing two spaced substantially parallel gaps which are directionally polarized in opposite directions, an electrically conductive coil having a course defining two substantially parallel legs that are spaced substantially in accordance with the spacing of said gaps, compliant suspension means movably mounting and orienting said coil with respect to said core means such that each of said legs is positioned with clearance within and substantially parallel to a different one of said gaps, said mounting means constraining and guiding said coil for movement which is substantially in the plane of said legs and normal to the orientation of said legs, said valve member being so connected to said mounting means that such flow is controlled in response to excitation of said coil, and viscous damping means coacting between a part of said valve body and a part carried by and for movement with said coil.

Claim 7

Electromechanically operated valve structure, comprising a valve body having a passage for pressure fluid flow, a movable valve member for controlling said flow, and actuating means for said valve member; said actuating means comprising magnetic-core means establishing two spaced substantially parallel gaps which are directionally polarized in opposite directions, an electrically conductive coil having a course defining two substantially parallel legs that are spaced substantially in accordance with the spacing of said gaps, a compliantly suspended elongate rigid beam movably mounting and orienting said coil with respect to said core means such that each of said legs is positioned within and substantially parallel to a different one of said gaps, the suspension of said beam comprising a single relatively thin, flat and stiffly compliant element having essentially a single compliant bending mode which defines an axis of pivotal mounting, said coil being mounted to said beam at a first and relatively large radius about said axis, said beam constraining and guiding said coil for pivotal movement which is substantially in the plane of said legs and normal to the orientation of said legs, said valve member being effectively connected by abutment with said beam at a second and relatively small radius about said axis such that flow is controlled with mechanical advantage in response to excitation of said coil, and viscous damping means coacting between a part of said beam and a part of said valve body.

Claim 8

Electromechanically operated valve structure, comprising a valve body having a passage for pressure fluid flow, a movable valve member for controlling said flow, and actuating means for said valve member; said actuating means comprising magnetic-core means establishing two spaced substantially parallel gaps which are directionally polarized in opposite directions, an electrically conductive coil having a course defining two substantially parallel legs that are spaced substantially in accordance with the spacing of said gaps, a compliantly suspended elongate rigid beam movably mounting and orienting said coil with respect to said core means such that each of said legs is positioned within and substantially parallel to a different one of said gaps, the suspension of said beam comprising a single relatively thin, flat and stiffly compliant element having essentially a single compliant bending mode which defines an axis of pivotal mounting, said coil being mounted to said beam at a first and relatively large radius about said axis, said beam constraining and guiding said coil for pivotal movement which is substantially in the plane of said legs and normal to the orientation of said legs, said valve member being effectively connected by abutment with said beam at a second and relatively small radius about said axis such that flow is controlled with mechanical advantage in response to excitation of said coil, and viscous damping means coacting between a part of said beam and a part of said valve body.

Claim 9

Valve structure according to claim 4, said valve member is a poppet ball compliantly suspended by a set of like radially extending coil springs angularly spaced about the motional axis of said valve member.

Claim 10

Valve structure according to claim 4, in which the location of effective viscous-damping coaction with said beam is at substantially greater radius about the axis of pivotal mounting than is the relatively small radius of valve-member abutment with said beam.

Claim 11

Valve structure according to claim 4, in which said valve body is closed to define a chamber within which said coil is suspended, said passage including inlet and outlet ports to said chamber, whereby pressure fluid may fill said chamber, so that said viscous-damping coacting may proceed in the context of viscous reaction with the pressure fluid.

Claim 12

Valve structure according to claim 7, in which said valve body is adapted for mounting such that said axis of pivotal mounting is horizontal and with said beam extending generally horizontally from said pivotal-mounting axis, whereby a range of beam movement is generally up-down in a vertical plane, said viscous damping means including a generally horizontal plate carried by said beam and having relatively close perimeter clearance with the adjacent valve-body wall region throughout said range of beam movement.

Claim 13

Valve structure according to claim 8, in which vertically oriented compliant means is positioned to react between said body and said beam to offset gravitational moments acting upon said beam.