Piloted solenoid valve assemblies and related methods
This patent document describes various valve assemblies comprising a valve member movable between an outlet flow-blocking and an outlet flow-passing position. A portion of a valve member first end is covered by a pilot, while a valve member second end is operatively associated with a solenoid mechanism. In an example, the solenoid mechanism is configured to initially move the valve member from the outlet flow-blocking to a bleed position, and subsequently move the valve member from the bleed position to the outlet flow-passing position. The pilot covers the valve member such that a solenoid mechanism force needed to move the valve member from the outlet flow-blocking position is reduced. For instance, the pilot reduces a surface area of the valve member subject to a housing outlet pressure.
1 . A valve assembly comprising:
a valve member extending from a valve first end to a valve second end, the valve member movable between an outlet flow-blocking and an outlet flow-passing position;
a solenoid mechanism operatively associated with the valve second end to move the valve member from the outlet flow-blocking to the outlet flow-passing position; and
a pilot covering a portion of the valve first end, the pilot reducing a solenoid mechanism force needed to move the valve member from the outlet flow-blocking position.
2 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , comprising a resilient member configured to bias the valve member in opposition to a movement caused by the solenoid mechanism.
3 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , comprising a housing having at least one housing inlet, at least one housing outlet, and a housing bore therebetween, the housing bore including at least the valve first end disposed therein.
4 . The valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the housing includes a housing by-pass, the housing bore in fluid communication with the housing by-pass.
5 . The valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the housing includes a pilot seat surrounding the housing outlet, a portion of the pilot contacting the pilot seat at least when the valve member is in the outlet flow-blocking position.
6 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pilot includes a pilot inlet, a pilot outlet, and a pilot bore therebetween, the valve first end disposed in the pilot bore such that a portion thereof faces the pilot outlet.
7 . The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the valve first end is movable within the pilot bore between a bleed and a non-bleed position, the non-bleed position defined by the valve first end contacting a valve member seat surrounding the pilot outlet.
8 . The valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein the valve first end is spaced from the valve member seat in the bleed position.
9 . The valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein the pilot reduces a surface area of the valve first end subject to a pressure extending through the housing outlet when the valve first end is in the non-bleed position.
10 . A valve assembly comprising:
a housing including a housing inlet, a housing outlet, and a housing bore, the housing bore connecting at least the housing inlet and housing outlet;
a valve member including a head region disposed within the housing bore, the valve member movable between an outlet flow-blocking and an outlet flow-passing position;
a solenoid mechanism operatively associated with the valve member to move the valve member from the outlet flow-blocking to the outlet flow-passing position; and
a pilot covering at least a portion of the head region such that a reduced surface area of the head region is in communication with a pressure extending through the housing outlet when the valve member is in the outlet flow-blocking position.
11 . The valve assembly of claim 10 , comprising a resilient member configured to bias the valve member in opposition to a movement caused by the solenoid mechanism.
12 . The valve assembly of claim 10 , wherein the pilot includes a pilot inlet, a pilot outlet, and a pilot bore therein, the head region disposed in the pilot bore such that the reduced surface area aligns with the pilot outlet.
13 . The valve assembly of claim 12 , wherein the head region is movable between a non-bleed position in which a perimeter of the reduced surface area contacts a valve member seat surrounding the pilot outlet and a bleed position in which the perimeter of the reduced surface area is spaced from the valve member seat.
14 . The valve assembly of claim 13 , wherein the head region of the valve member is movable relative to the pilot between the non-bleed and bleed positions.
15 . A method comprising:
reducing a housing outlet pressure acting on a valve first end of a valve member, including coving a portion of the valve first end with a pilot;
operating a solenoid mechanism to move the valve member toward a bleed position in opposition to a spring bias; and
bleeding the housing outlet pressure, including allowing fluid flow into and through the pilot.
16 . The method of claim 15 , comprising operating the solenoid mechanism to move the valve member from the bleed position toward an outlet flow-passing position in further opposition to the spring bias.
17 . The method of claim 16 , comprising flowing fluid into a housing inlet and out a housing outlet.
18 . The method of claim 15 , comprising biasing the valve member to move toward an outlet flow-blocking position, including allowing fluid to flow out a housing by-pass.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein coving the portion of the valve first end with the pilot includes reducing a surface area of the valve first end subject to the housing outlet pressure when the valve member is in an outlet flow-blocking position.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein moving the valve member toward the bleed position includes moving the valve member relative to the pilot.
21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein moving the valve member toward the bleed position includes moving the valve member within a pilot bore to a position spaced from a pilot outlet.
22 . The method of claim 15 , wherein moving the valve member toward the bleed position includes generating a solenoid mechanism force greater than the reduced housing outlet pressure acting on the valve first end.