Claims
- 1. A solenoid actuated valve assembly comprising:
a valve assembly including at least a moveable valving element; and a solenoid assembly including an armature, said solenoid assembly being operative to move the armature in response to electrical activation of the solenoid assembly, wherein said armature being independently moveable relative the valving element and the valving element being in tracking engagement with the armature and the valving element not being retained by the solenoid assembly.
- 2. The solenoid actuated valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the solenoid assembly further comprises: a solenoid housing and a retainer member, said solenoid housing is configured to overlay said valve assembly, said armature is in contact with said valving element through said retainer member.
- 3. The solenoid actuated valve assembly of claim 2, wherein said retainer is independently moveable relative said valving element along an interface between said valving element and said retainer.
- 4. The solenoid actuated valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the solenoid assembly further comprises: a connector member connected to the armature and the retainer, said connector member is adapted to adjustably change the distance between the retainer and the armature.
- 5. The solenoid actuated valve assembly of claim 4, wherein the solenoid assembly further comprises: a spring disposed between the retainer and the armature to affect a predetermined force on the valving element through the retainer.
- 6. The solenoid actuated valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly further comprises a housing having a bore therein, said valving element being slideably disposed in said bore.
- 7. The solenoid actuated valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly includes an inlet port and an outlet port, said valving element is moveable in response to movement of the armature of said solenoid to cause proportional fluid flow through the valve assembly.
- 8. The solenoid actuated valve assembly of claim 7, wherein movement of the armature away from said valve assembly causes fluid communication between the inlet port and the outlet port.
- 9. The solenoid actuated valve assembly of claim 7, wherein the solenoid assembly further comprises: an electrical wire coil assembly and a coil core, the electrical wire coil assembly and the coil core are operative to urge movement of the armature in response to electrical activation of the electrical wire coil assembly.
- 10. A method of controlling flow through a valve assembly using an electrically activated solenoid assembly, the method comprising:
causing movement of armature along a path defined by the solenoid assembly; causing a valving element within the valve assembly to move in a path defined by the valving assembly in response to the activation of the solenoid assembly, the path defined by the solenoid assembly including all paths except a path in alignment with the path defined by the valving assembly; and urging the valving element in abutment with the solenoid assembly to cause a tracking movement between the armature and the valving element.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the path defined by the solenoid assembly includes a path in substantial alignment with the path defied by the valving assembly.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/677,690, filed Oct. 2, 2000.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09677690 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Child |
10161462 |
May 2002 |
US |