Claims
- 1. A valve assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a fluid passageway in said housing;
- a shaft member rotatably positioned in said housing and extending through said fluid passageway;
- a valve member positioned in said fluid passageway, said valve member attached to said shaft member and rotatable therewith;
- a gear mechanism for rotating said shaft member between a first position in which said valve member allows full passage of fluid through said fluid passageway and a second position in which said valve member prevents fluid from passing through said fluid passageway;
- driver means for operating said gear mechanisms and rotating said shaft member;
- said gear mechanism comprising a first gear member attached to said driver means and a second gear member operably attached to said shaft member; and
- default means comprising a spring member positioned on said second gear member and a default lever member positioned on said second gear member;
- said default means rotating said shaft member to a third position in which said valve member allows a limited amount of fluid to pass through said fluid passageway;
- said second gear member, default lever member and spring member being connected together as a subassembly in said housing.
- 2. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said spring member has a first end connected to said default lever member and a second end connected to said second gear member.
- 3. The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein said spring member is a helical torsion spring member.
- 4. The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein said spring member is a clock-type spring member.
- 5. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said gear mechanism further comprises a third gear member operably positioned between said first gear member and said second gear member.
- 6. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said default lever member has at least one spring support arm thereon.
- 7. The valve assembly of claim 6 wherein said default lever member has two spring support arms thereon.
- 8. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said default lever member has a finger member thereon with a snap-fit connector means thereon for a snap-fit connection with said second gear member.
- 9. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said second gear member has a recess thereon and said spring member is positioned in said recess.
- 10. The valve assembly of claim 9 wherein said spring member is positioned in said recess in a biased condition.
- 11. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said default lever member has a collar member thereon and said spring member is positioned on said collar member.
- 12. The valve assembly of claim 5 wherein said third gear member has a boss member thereon for assisting the operation of said default lever member.
- 13. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said driver means comprises a motor positioned in said housing.
- 14. The valve assembly of claim 1 further comprising a cover member attached to said housing, said cover member enclosing said driver means and said gear mechanism.
- 15. The valve assembly of claim 14 further comprising electronic means in said cover member for operating said driver means.
- 16. The valve assembly of claim 14 further comprising attachment means for attaching said cover member to said housing, said attachment means comprising a plurality of tab members on said housing and a corresponding plurality of slot members in said cover member.
- 17. The valve assembly of claim 11 wherein said collar member has a slot therein and said spring member is attached to said default lever member through said slot.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is related to the following patent applications which are co-owned by the same assignee and filed on the same date herewith: "Default Mechanism For Electronic Throttle Control System," Ser. No. 09/240,761, filed Jan. 29, 1999; "Throttle Body Shaft Axial Play Control," Ser. No. 09/240,762, filed Jan. 29, 1999; and "Electronic Throttle Control With Adjustable Default Mechanism," Ser. No. 09/240,340, filed Jan. 29, 1999.
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