Electrically operated refrigerant valve

Claim 1

An electrically operated refrigerant valve assembly comprising: (a) a valve body means defining an inlet adapted for connection to a pressurized source of liquid refrigerant, an outlet adapted for connection to an evaporator and a valving chamber including a passage connecting said inlet and outlet; (b) casing means having a generally tubular configuration closed at one end with the other end attached to said body means and sealed thereon for closing said valving chamber; (c) guide post means having an end portion thereof attached to said body and defining a hollow thereon communicating with said passage and having at least one valving port for communicating said hollow with the exterior thereof; (d) armature means having ferromagnetic properties disposed for sliding movement thereon, said armature means having a pair of longitudinally spaced guide means thereon, said guide means providing the sole sliding contact surfaces between said post means and said armature means, with one of said guide means configured to close said at least one port when slidably disposed thereover; and, (e) electromagnetic coil means disposed over said casing means and attached to said body means, said coil means operative upon flow of electrical current therethrough to provide a magnetomotive force for moving said armature means from a position closing said at least one port to any of a plurality of positions at least partially opening said port for permitting controlled flow from said inlet to said outlet.