Frictionless plate valve

Claim 2

A plate valve comprising: a plate having a first and second side and a given thickness; a valve element, disposed within said plate, for stroking to meter a fluid flow into said element, said element having a first and second side and having a lesser thickness than said plate, a supply passage passing through said element, at least one metering stop disposed within said element, and a first metering groove disposed within said first side of said element, said metering groove extending from said passage to said stop; and a flexure, for attaching said plate to said element by providing a first attachment between said flexure and said element and by providing a second attachment between said flexure and said plate, wherein a direction from said first attachment to said second attachment is substantially perpendicular to a direction of said fluid flow.

Claim 3

The plate valve of claim 1 wherein said valve element further comprises: a second metering groove disposed within said second side of said element, said second metering groove extending from said passage to said stop, said first and second metering grooves being located to pressure balance said metering element within said plate.

Claim 4

The plate valve of claim 1 wherein said valve element further comprises: a first drain groove disposed within said first side of said element and extending from said stop to an edge of said element.

Claim 5

The plate valve of claim 3 wherein said valve element further comprises: a second drain groove disposed within said second side of said element and extending from said stop to an edge of said element said first and second drain grooves being located to pressure balance said metering element within said plate.

Claim 6

A plate valve comprising: a first plate; a third plate; a second plate being disposed between said first and third plates, said second plate having a given thickness; a valve element, disposed within said plate, for stroking to meter a fluid flow into said element, said element having a first and second side and having a lesser thickness than said plate, a supply passage passing through said element, at least one metering stop disposed within said element, and a first metering groove disposed within said first side of said element, said metering groove extending from said passage to said stop; and, a flexure, for attaching said second plate to said element by providing a first attachment between said flexure and said element and by providing a second attachment between said flexure and said second plate, wherein a direction from said first attachment to said second attachment is substantially perpendicular to a direction of said fluid flow.

Claim 7

A plate valve comprising: a first plate; a third plate; a second plate being disposed between said first and third plates, said second plate having a given thickness; a valve element, disposed within said plate, for stroking to meter a fluid flow into said element, said element having a first and second side and having a lesser thickness than said plate, a supply passage passing through said element, at least one metering stop disposed within said element, and a first metering groove disposed within said first side of said element, said metering groove extending from said passage to said stop; and, a flexure, for attaching said second plate to said element by providing a first attachment between said flexure and said element and by providing a second attachment between said flexure and said second plate, wherein a direction from said first attachment to said second attachment is substantially perpendicular to a direction of said fluid flow.

Claim 8

The plate valve of claim 5 wherein said valve element further comprises: a second metering groove disposed within said second side of said element, said second metering groove extending from said first passage to said stop, said first and second metering grooves being located to pressure balance said metering element within said plate.

Claim 9

The plate valve of claim 5 further comprising: said third plate having a second supply passage and a metering passage, said second supply passage aligning with said first supply passage such that said fluid flows from said first passage to said second passage, said metering passage aligning with said groove such that motion of said element along said axis meters fluid through said groove to said metering passage.

Claim 10

A plate valve comprising: a first plate; a third plate; a second plate being disposed between said first and third plates, said second plate having a given thickness; a valve element, for stroking to meter a fluid flow into said element, having a lesser thickness than said second plate, and being disposed within said second plate, and having a first supply passage passing through said element, at least one metering stop disposed within said element, a first metering groove disposed within said first side of said element, said metering groove extending from said first passage to said stop, and a second metering groove disposed within said second side of said element, said second metering groove extending from said first passage to said stop, said first and second metering grooves being located to pressure balance said metering element within said plate; a flexure, for attaching said second plate to said element by providing a first attachment between said flexure and said element and by providing a second attachment between said flexure and said second plate, wherein a direction from said first attachment to said second attachment is substantially perpendicular to a direction of said fluid flow; said third plate having a second supply passage and a metering passage, said second supply passage aligning with said first supply passage such that as said fluid flows from said first passage to said second passage, said metering passage aligning with said groove such that motion of said element along said axis meters fluid through said groove to said metering passage; and said first plate having a second metering passage, said second metering passage aligning with said groove such that motion of said element within said plate members fluid through said groove to said second metering passage.

Claim 11

A plate valve comprising: a first plate; a third plate; a second plate being disposed between said first and third plates, said second plate having a given thickness; a valve element, for stroking to meter a fluid flow into said element, having a lesser thickness than said second plate, and being disposed within said second plate, and having a first supply passage passing through said element, at least one metering stop disposed within said element, a first metering groove disposed within said first side of said element, said metering groove extending from said first passage to said stop, and a second metering groove disposed within said second side of said element, said second metering groove extending from said first passage to said stop, said first and second metering grooves being located to pressure balance said metering element within said plate; a flexure, for attaching said second plate to said element by providing a first attachment between said flexure and said element and by providing a second attachment between said flexure and said second plate, wherein a direction from said first attachment to said second attachment is substantially perpendicular to a direction of said fluid flow; said third plate having a second supply passage and a metering passage, said second supply passage aligning with said first supply passage such that as said fluid flows from said first passage to said second passage, said metering passage aligning with said groove such that motion of said element along said axis meters fluid through said groove to said metering passage; and said first plate having a second metering passage, said second metering passage aligning with said groove such that motion of said element within said plate members fluid through said groove to said second metering passage.

Claim 12

The plate valve of claim 8 wherein said stops comprise: hollow sleeves passing through said element, said stops aligning with said second metering passage and said first passages such that fluid passing to said second metering passage from said groove passes through said sleeve to said first passage.

Claim 13

A plate valve comprising: a first plate; a third plate; a second plate being disposed between said first and third plates, said second plate having a given thickness; a valve element, for stroking to meter a fluid flow into said element, having a lesser thickness than said second plate, and being disposed within said second plate, and having a first supply passage passing through said element, a first and second metering stop disposed within said element, a first metering groove disposed within said first side of said element, said metering groove extending from said first passage to said first and second stop, and a second metering groove disposed within said second side of said element, said second metering groove extending from said first passage to said first and second stops, said first and second metering grooves being located to pressure balance said metering element within said plate; and, a flexure, for attaching said second plate to said element by providing a first attachment between said flexure and said element and by providing a second attachment between said flexure and said second plate, wherein a direction from said first attachment to said second attachment is substantially perpendicular to direction of said fluid flow; said third plate having a second supply passage and a first and second metering passage, said second supply passage aligning with said first supply passage such that as said fluid flows from said first passage to said second passage, said first and second metering passages align with said first metering groove such that stroking of said element meters fluid through said first metering groove to one of said first and second metering passages; and said first plate having a third and fourth metering passage, said third and fourth metering passages aligning with said second metering groove such that the stroking of said element meters fluid through said second metering groove to one of said third and fourth metering passages.

Claim 14

A plate valve comprising: a first plate; a third plate; a second plate being disposed between said first and third plates, said second plate having a given thickness; a valve element, for stroking to meter a fluid flow into said element, having a lesser thickness than said second plate, and being disposed within said second plate, and having a first supply passage passing through said element, a first and second metering stop disposed within said element, a first metering groove disposed within said first side of said element, said metering groove extending from said first passage to said first and second stop, and a second metering groove disposed within said second side of said element, said second metering groove extending from said first passage to said first and second stops, said first and second metering grooves being located to pressure balance said metering element within said plate; and, a flexure, for attaching said second plate to said element by providing a first attachment between said flexure and said element and by providing a second attachment between said flexure and said second plate, wherein a direction from said first attachment to said second attachment is substantially perpendicular to direction of said fluid flow; said third plate having a second supply passage and a first and second metering passage, said second supply passage aligning with said first supply passage such that as said fluid flows from said first passage to said second passage, said first and second metering passages align with said first metering groove such that stroking of said element meters fluid through said first metering groove to one of said first and second metering passages; and said first plate having a third and fourth metering passage, said third and fourth metering passages aligning with said second metering groove such that the stroking of said element meters fluid through said second metering groove to one of said third and fourth metering passages.

Claim 15

The plate valve of claim 10 wherein said stops comprise: hollow sleeves passing through said element, said stops aligning with said third and fourth metering passages such that fluid passing to said second and third metering passages from said second metering groove passes through said sleeves to said first and second passages.

Claim 16

The plate valve of claim 11 wherein said valve element further comprises: a first pair of drain grooves disposed within said first ride of said element, each of said grooves extending from a stop to an edge of said element.

Claim 17

The plate valve of claim 12 wherein said valve element further comprises: a second pair of drain groove disposed within said second side of said element, each of said grooves extending from a stop to an edge of said element said first pair of drain grooves and said second pair of drain grooves being located to pressure balance said metering element within said plate.