Pressure balanced spool poppet valves with printed actuator coils

Abstract

Pressure balanced spool poppet valves with printed actuator coils minimize valve leakage and facilitate efficient manufacturing and reliable operation. The spool poppet valves may be configured like a conventional spool valve, but further include a poppet valve at one end of the spool to proved much better sealing when the poppet valve is closed. Various features are disclosed, including pressure balancing for high pressure operation. The printed actuator coils for the spool poppet valves are formed by the interconnection of conductive coils on each of multiple layers of a multiple layer printed circuit board, which circuit board may have a hole there through for accommodation of mechanical and/or magnet requirements, and may include similar printed actuator coils for one or more additional spool poppet valves as well as electronic devices associated with the operation thereof. The spool poppet valves may be advantageously constructed without printed actuator coils, and the printed actuator coils may be advantageously used in actuators of other designs.

1 . A valve comprising: 
 a spool valve body having a poppet valve seat at one end thereof, the spool valve body having a source port for coupling to a source of fluid under pressure at one side of the poppet valve seat, and a control port and a vent port on the other side of the poppet valve seat;    a spool within the spool valve body having a poppet valve at a first end thereof cooperatively disposed to engage the poppet valve seat when the spool is in a first position to seal;    the spool and spool valve body coupling the control port to the vent port and blocking the source port from the control port when the spool is in the first position; and,    the spool and spool valve body coupling the source port to the control port and blocking the control port from the vent port when the spool is in a second position;    whereby fluid flow from the source port to the control port or vent port when the spool is in the first position is blocked by both the poppet valve resting on the poppet valve seat and by the spool and spool valve body.    
   
   
       2 . The valve of  claim 1  wherein the angle of the poppet valve seat is slightly greater than the angle of the poppet valve so that the poppet valve seals on the edge of a bore in the spool valve body.  
   
   
       3 . The valve of  claim 2  further comprised of a hydraulic surface adjacent a second end of the spool exposed to the source of fluid under pressure.  
   
   
       4 . The valve of  claim 3  wherein the hydraulic surface has an area equal to the area of the bore in the spool valve body, thereby pressure balancing the spool when in the first position.  
   
   
       5 . The valve of  claim 1  further comprised of an actuator to controllably move the spool to the second position, and a return to return the spool to the first position when the actuator is not active.  
   
   
       6 . The valve of  claim 5  wherein the return is a return spring.  
   
   
       7 . The valve of  claim 5  wherein the actuator is an electromagnetic actuator.  
   
   
       8 . The valve of  claim 7  wherein the actuator is a magnetic latching actuator.  
   
   
       9 . The valve of  claim 7  wherein the actuator moves the spool to the second position and retains the spool in the second position using a relatively high current pulse to move the spool to the second position followed by a relative low holding current to retain the spool in the second position.  
   
   
       10 . The valve of  claim 7  wherein the electromagnetic actuator includes at least one actuator coil formed by the interconnection of conductive coils on each of multiple layers of a multiple layer printed circuit board.  
   
   
       11 . The valve of  claim 10  wherein the multiple layer printed circuit board includes at least one additional actuator coil formed by the interconnection of additional conductive coils on each of multiple layers for another valve having an electromagnetic actuator.  
   
   
       12 . The valve of  claim 10  wherein the multiple layer printed circuit board has an opening through the center of the actuator coil.  
   
   
       13 . A valve comprising: 
 a spool valve body having a poppet valve seat at one end thereof, the spool valve body having a source port for coupling to a source of fluid under pressure at one side of the poppet valve seat, and a control port and a vent port on the other side of the poppet valve seat;    a spool within the spool valve body having a poppet valve at a first end thereof cooperatively disposed to engage the poppet valve seat when the spool is in a first position to seal between the poppet valve and the poppet valve seat, a hydraulic surface adjacent a second end of the spool for coupling to the source of fluid under pressure;    the spool and spool valve body coupling the control port to the vent port and blocking the source port from the control port when the spool is in the first position;    the spool and spool valve body coupling the source port to the control port and blocking the control port from the vent port when the spool is in a second position; and,    an actuator to controllably move the spool to the second position, and a return to return the spool to the first position when the actuator is not active;    whereby fluid flow from the source of fluid under pressure to the control port or vent port when the spool is in the first position is blocked by both the poppet valve resting on the poppet valve seat and by the spool and spool valve body.    
   
   
       14 . The valve of  claim 13  wherein the angle of the poppet valve seat is slightly greater than the angle of the poppet valve so that the poppet valve seals on the edge of a bore in the spool valve body.  
   
   
       15 . The valve of  claim 14  wherein the hydraulic surface has an area equal to the area of the bore in the spool valve body, thereby pressure balancing the spool when in the first position.  
   
   
       16 . The valve of  claim 13  wherein the return is a return spring.  
   
   
       17 . The valve of  claim 13  wherein the actuator is an electromagnetic actuator.  
   
   
       18 . The valve of  claim 17  wherein the actuator is a magnetic latching actuator.  
   
   
       19 . The valve of  claim 17  wherein the actuator moves the spool to the second position and retains the spool in the second position using a relatively high current pulse to move the spool to the second position followed by a relative low holding current to retain the spool in the second position.  
   
   
       20 . The valve of  claim 17  wherein the electromagnetic actuator includes at least one actuator coil formed by the interconnection of conductive coils on each of multiple layers of a multiple layer printed circuit board.  
   
   
       21 . The valve of  claim 20  wherein the multiple layer printed circuit board includes at least one additional actuator coil formed by the interconnection of additional conductive coils on each of multiple layers for another valve having an electromagnetic actuator.  
   
   
       22 . The valve of  claim 21  wherein the multiplayer printed circuit board includes electronic devices associated with the operation of the valves.  
   
   
       23 . An electromagnetic actuator comprising: 
 a stationary magnetic member;    a moveable magnetic member moveable from a first position to a second position in response to a magnetic field linking the stationary magnetic member and the moveable magnetic member;    an actuator coil disposed to cause a magnetic field linking the stationary magnetic member and the moveable magnetic member as a result of a current in the actuator coil;    the actuator coil being formed by the interconnection of conductive coils on each of multiple layers of a multiple layer printed circuit board.    
   
   
       24 . The electromagnetic actuator of  claim 23  wherein the multiple layer printed circuit board has an opening through the center of the actuator coil.  
   
   
       25 . The electromagnetic actuator of  claim 23  wherein the multiple layer printed circuit board includes at least one additional actuator coil formed by the interconnection of additional conductive coils on each of multiple layers for another valve having an electromagnetic actuator.  
   
   
       26 . The electromagnetic actuator of  claim 25  further comprised of at least one electronic device associated with operation of a electromagnetic actuator mounted on the printed circuit board.  
   
   
       27 . The electromagnetic actuator of  claim 23  further comprised of at least one electronic device associated with operation of the electromagnetic actuator mounted on the printed circuit board.