Electromagnet for valves

Claim 2

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly comprising electrically energizable coil means, stator means, armature means, said coil means being operatively held against movement relative to said stator means, wherein said stator means and said armature means define an operatively closed loop magnetic circuit upon energization of said coil means, wherein said stator means comprises stator body means, wherein said armature means comprises armature body means, a central axis extending through said stator body means and said armature body means, wherein said stator body means is substantially symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said armature body means is substantially symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said stator body means and said armature body means comprise wall means effectively embracing at least a major portion of said coil means, wherein at least a portion of said wall means is of thin wall and of tubular configuration, a first working air gap existing between first and second juxtaposed portions of said stator body means and said armature body means respectively, and a second working air gap existing between third and fourth juxtaposed portions of said stator body means and said armature body means, wherein said first air gap is generally circular and lies in a first general plane extending transversely to said central axis, wherein said second air gap is generally circular and lies in a second general plane extending transversely to said central axis, wherein the radius of said first circular air gap as measured from said central axis is substantially greater than the radius of said second circular air gap as also measured from said central axis, wherein said first and second general planes are spaced from each other along said central axis, wherein said first and second juxtaposed portions respectively define first and second magnetically effective areas, wherein said third and fourth juxtaposed portions respectively define third and fourth magnetically effective areas, and wherein said first and second magnetically effective areas are approximately equal to said third and fourth magnetically effective areas.

Claim 3

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 1 and further comprising a thin walled guide tube carried by said armature body means for movement in unison therewith.

Claim 4

In electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 1 wherein said coil means is of an annular configuration and has an axis generally coincident with said central axis, wherein one of said general planes containing one of said air gaps is at a location which is generally one fourth the axial distance from one axial end of said coil means, and wherein the other of said general planes containing the other of said air gaps is at a location which is generally three fourths the axial distance from said one axial end of said coil means.

Claim 5

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 1 wherein said coil means is of an annular configuration and has an axis generally coincident with said central axis, wherein said first general plane containing said first air gap is at a location which is generally one fourth the axial distance from one axial end of said coil means, and wherein said second general plane containing said second air gap is at a location which is generally three fourths the axial distance from said one axial end of said coil means.

Claim 6

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 2 wherein said thin walled guide tube is separate from said armature body means, and wherein said thin walled guide tube is fixedly secured to said armature body means for said movement in unison therewith.

Claim 7

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least said stator body means comprises at least first and second laminations of magnetic material.

Claim 8

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 6 wherein said at least first and second laminations of magnetic material are at least in part electrically insulated from each other.

Claim 9

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 6 wherein said stator body means comprises a tubular extension extending axially through said coil means as to have said coil means radially thereabout, and wherein said tubular extension is comprised of said first and second laminations of magnetic material firmly secured to each other.

Claim 10

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 8 wherein said at least first and second laminations of magnetic material are at least in part electrically insulated from each other.

Claim 11

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 1 wherein said stator body means is provided with slot means extending in the longitudinal direction of said stator body means.

Claim 12

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 1 wherein said armature body means is provided with slot means extending in the longitudinal direction of said armature body means.

Claim 13

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least said first and second juxtaposed portions have roughened surfaces to reduce adhesion forces therebetween.

Claim 14

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least said third and fourth juxtaposed portions have roughened surfaces to reduce adhesion forces therebetween.

Claim 15

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 1 and further comprising passage means formed through said armature body means for fluid pressure equalization.

Claim 16

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 2 and further comprising passage means formed through said thin walled guide tube for fluid pressure equalization.

Claim 17

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 2 wherein said thin walled guide tube serves as the valving means of said valving assembly.

Claim 18

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly comprising electrically energizable coil means, stator means, armature means, said coil means being operatively held against movement relative to said stator means, wherein said stator means and said armature means define an operatively closed loop magnetic circuit upon energization of said coil means, wherein said stator means comprises stator body means, wherein said armature means comprises armature body means, a central axis extending through said stator body means and said armature body means, wherein said stator body means is substantially symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said armature body means is substantially symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said stator body means and said armature body means comprise wall means effectively embracing at least a major portion of said coil means, wherein at least a portion of said wall means is of thin wall and of tubular configuration, a working air gap existing between first and second juxtaposed portions of said stator body means and said armature body means respectively, wherein said air gap is generally circular and lies in a general plane extending transversely to said central axis, wherein said coil means is of an annular configuration and has an axis generally coincident with said central axis, wherein said general plane containing said air gap is at a location which is at least one fourth the axial distance from one axial end of said coil means, and a thin walled guide tube carried by said armature body means for movement in unison therewith.

Claim 19

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly comprising electrically energizable coil means, stator means, armature means, said coil means being operatively held against movement relative to said stator means, wherein said stator means and said armature means define an operatively closed loop magnetic circuit upon energization of said coil means, wherein said stator means comprises stator body means, wherein said armature means comprises armature body means, a central axis extending through said stator body means and said armature body means, wherein said stator body means is substantially symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said armature body means is substantially symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said stator body means and said armature body means comprise wall means effectively embracing at least a major portion of said coil means, wherein at least a portion of said wall means is of thin wall and of tubular configuration, a working air gap existing between first and second juxtaposed portions of said stator body means and said armature body means respectively, wherein said air gap is generally circular and lies in a general plane extending transversely to said central axis, wherein said coil means is of an annular configuration and has an axis generally coincident with said central axis, wherein said general plane containing said air gap is at a location which is at least one fourth the axial distance from one axial end of said coil means, and a thin walled guide tube carried by said armature body means for movement in unison therewith.

Claim 20

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 17 wherein said thin walled guide tube is separate from said armature body means, and wherein said thin walled guide tube is fixedly secured to said armature body means for said movement in unison therewith.

Claim 21

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 17 wherein said stator body means is provided with slot means extending in the longitudinal direction of said stator body means.

Claim 22

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 17 wherein said armature body means is provided with slot means extending in the longitudinal direction of said armature body means.

Claim 23

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly comprising electrically energizable coil means, stator means, armature means, said coil means being operatively held against movement relative to said stator means, wherein said stator means and said armature means define an operatively closed loop magnetic circuit upon energization of said coil means, wherein said stator means comprises stator body means, wherein said armature means comprises armature body means, a central axis extending through said stator body means and said armature body means, wherein said stator body means is substantially rotationally symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said armature body means is substantially rotationally symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said stator body means and said armature body means comprise wall means effectively embracing at least a major portion of said coil means, wherein at least a portion of said wall means is of thin wall and of tubular configuration, a first working air gap existing between first and second juxtaposed portions of said stator body means and said armature body means respectively, and a second working air gap existing between third and fourth juxtaposed portions of said stator body means and said armature body means respectively, wherein said first and second air gaps are each generally circular, wherein the radius of said second circular air gap as also measured from said central axis is substantially greater than the radius of said first circular air gap as also measured from said central axis, wherein said first and second juxtaposed portions respectively define first and second magnetically effective surface areas, wherein said third and fourth juxtaposed portions respectively define third and fourth magnetically effective surface areas, wherein said first and second magnetically effective surface areas are approximately equal to said third and fourth magnetically effective surface areas, wherein said first and second air gaps are each so positioned as to be at an angle normal to said central axis, and wherein at least a major portion of said armature body means extends axially along said coil means in the direction of said central axis.

Claim 24

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly comprising electrically energizable coil means, stator means, armature means, said coil means being operatively held against movement relative to said stator means, wherein said stator means and said armature means define an operatively closed loop magnetic circuit upon energization of said coil means, wherein said stator means comprises stator body means, wherein said armature means comprises armature body means, a central axis extending through said stator body means and said armature body means, wherein said stator body means is substantially rotationally symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said armature body means is substantially rotationally symmetrical about said central axis, wherein said stator body means and said armature body means comprise wall means effectively embracing at least a major portion of said coil means, wherein at least a portion of said wall means is of thin wall and of tubular configuration, a first working air gap existing between first and second juxtaposed portions of said stator body means and said armature body means respectively, and a second working air gap existing between third and fourth juxtaposed portions of said stator body means and said armature body means respectively, wherein said first and second air gaps are each generally circular, wherein the radius of said second circular air gap as also measured from said central axis is substantially greater than the radius of said first circular air gap as also measured from said central axis, wherein said first and second juxtaposed portions respectively define first and second magnetically effective surface areas, wherein said third and fourth juxtaposed portions respectively define third and fourth magnetically effective surface areas, wherein said first and second magnetically effective surface areas are approximately equal to said third and fourth magnetically effective surface areas, wherein said first and second air gaps are each so positioned as to be at an angle normal to said central axis, and wherein at least a major portion of said armature body means extends axially along said coil means in the direction of said central axis.

Claim 25

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 21 and further comprising a thin walled guide tube carried by said armature body means for movement in unison therewith.

Claim 26

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 21 wherein said coil means is of an annular configuration and has an axis generally coincident with said central axis, wherein said first air gap lies in a first general plane extending normal to said central axis, wherein said second air gap lies in a second general plane extending normal to said central axis, wherein one of said first and second general planes is at a location which is generally one fourth the axial distance from one axial end of said coil means, and wherein the other of said first and second general planes is at a location which is generally three-fourths the axial distance from said one axial end of said coil means.

Claim 27

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 22 wherein said thin walled guide tube is separate from said armature body means, and wherein said thin walled guide tube is fixedly secured to said armature body means for said movement in unison therewith.

Claim 28

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 21 wherein at least said stator body means comprises at least first and second laminations of thin magnetic material.

Claim 29

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 25 wherein said at least first and second laminations of magnetic material are at least in part electrically insulated from each other.

Claim 30

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 25 wherein said stator body means comprises a tubular extension extending axially through said coil means as to have said coil means radially thereabout, and wherein said tubular extension is comprised of said first and second laminations of thin magnetic material firmly secured to each other.

Claim 31

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 27 wherein said at least first and second laminations of thin magnetic material are at least in part electrically insulated from each other.

Claim 32

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 21 and further characterized by passage means formed through said armature body means for fluid pressure equalization.

Claim 33

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 22 and further comprising passage means formed through said thin walled guide tube for fluid pressure equalization.

Claim 34

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 22 wherein said thin walled guide tube serves as the valving means of said valving assembly.

Claim 35

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 21 wherein said armature body means directly serves as the valving means of said valving assembly.

Claim 36

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 21 wherein said armature body means is slidably guided directly by associated support structure.

Claim 37

An electromagnetically actuated fluid valving assembly according to claim 21 wherein said armature body means is slidably guided by associated support structure, wherein said armature means and said associated support structure respectively define bearing surface means cooperating to provide for said armature body means being slidably guided, and wherein at least a portion of said fluid is forced to flow between said cooperating bearing surface means to further reduce frictional effects.