초록 ▼

A fuel control valve (100) includes a rotary throttling valve assembly (4,7) providing one or more of the benefits of being lightweight, having a relatively low power consumption, having a fail-closed structure and/or zero leakage. The fuel control valve (100) is a rotary, throttling valve that is a

A fuel control valve (100) includes a rotary throttling valve assembly (4,7) providing one or more of the benefits of being lightweight, having a relatively low power consumption, having a fail-closed structure and/or zero leakage. The fuel control valve (100) is a rotary, throttling valve that is actuated via a rotary torque motor (70). The valve (7) can be spring loaded for providing positive shutoff. Position indication of the valve (7) is obtained via a position sensor (31) and cam (13) mounted to the throttling valve shaft at a driven end (98). In a de-energized state, a torsion spring (45) is provided that is loaded to rotate the valve (7) to the closed position. The fuel control valve (100) may be advantageously utilized in extreme operating environments, e.g., such as extreme temperature and vibration environments found in missile control fuel systems.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A fuel control valve comprising: a valve housing having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet; a rotary valve operatively engaged with a sleeve within said valve housing, wherein said rotary valve is provided more than one metering flow window for controlling a fuel flow through the

What is claimed is: 1. A fuel control valve comprising: a valve housing having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet; a rotary valve operatively engaged with a sleeve within said valve housing, wherein said rotary valve is provided more than one metering flow window for controlling a fuel flow through the fuel inlet, into an interior of said rotary valve via said more than one metering window, and out an end of said valve to said fuel outlet, said rotary valve including a plurality of holes on an end thereof, said plurality of holes being connected to an internal pressure of said valve; a direct drive rotary torque motor operatively engaged with said rotary valve for providing a rotational activation force to said rotary valve assembly to control the fuel flow through the fuel inlet and fuel outlet; and a spring biasing said rotary valve to an end position having near zero flow through the fuel outlet in a de-energized state, wherein said de-energized state occurs when electrical power is discontinued to said rotary torque motor. 2. The fuel control valve according to claim 1, further comprising a position sensing device operatively connected to said rotary torque motor via a sensing cam to sense a position of the rotary valve assembly responsive to the rotational activation force. 3. The fuel control valve according to claim 2, wherein the position sensing device further includes a sensor having a plurality of piezo-resistive elements coated with, and affixed to a metal substrate by a ceramic and having a first portion, said sensor electrically communicating with a voltage supply, said sensor operably disposed with the rotary torque motor, said first portion displaceable by the rotary torque motor, said sensor producing at least one output signal corresponding and proportional to displacement of said first portion by the activation force. 4. The fuel control valve according to claim 3, wherein the position sensing device includes a position operating cam having at least one position sensing segment and operatively engaged with said rotary torque motor. 5. The fuel control valve according to claim 1, wherein each metering flow window is provided with a contoured profile, wherein an area and a geometry of said contoured profile provides control of the fuel flow between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet. 6. The fuel control valve according to claim 1, wherein at least two metering flow windows are positioned symmetrically with respect to the circumference of the rotary valve assembly. 7. The fuel control valve according to claim 1, further comprising: a ball screw drive for transferring said rotational activation force into a linear and circumferential movement of said rotary valve. 8. The fuel control valve according to claim 7, wherein said outlet end of said valve is operatively engaged with a valve seat being positioned between said fuel outlet and said fuel inlet. 9. The fuel control valve according to claim 7, further comprising a position sensing device operatively connected to said rotary torque motor to sense a position of the rotary valve responsive to the rotational activation force. 10. A fuel control valve comprising: a valve housing having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet; a rotary valve assembly operatively engaged with a sleeve within said valve housing, wherein said rotary valve is provided with more than one metering flow window for controlling a fuel flow through the fuel inlet, into an interior of said rotary valve via said more than one metering flow window, and out an end of said valve to said fuel outlet, said rotary valve including a plurality of holes on an end thereof, said plurality of holes being connected to an internal pressure of said valve; a limited angle, direct drive rotary torque motor operatively engaged with said rotary valve for providing a rotational activation force to said rotary valve to control the fuel flow through the fuel inlet and fuel outlet; and a position sensing device operatively connected to said rotary torque motor to sense a position of the rotary valve responsive to the rotational activation force. 11. The fuel control valve according to claim 10, wherein the position sensing device further includes a sensor having a plurality of piezo-resistive elements coated with, and affixed to a metal substrate by a ceramic and having a first portion, said sensor electrically communicating with a voltage supply, said sensor operably disposed with the rotary torque motor, said first portion displaceable by the rotary torque motor, said sensor producing at least one output signal corresponding and proportional to displacement of said first portion by said rotary torque motor. 12. The fuel control valve according to claim 10, wherein each metering flow window is provided with a contoured profile, wherein an area and a geometry of said contoured profile provides control of the fuel flow between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet. 13. The fuel control valve according to claim 10, wherein at least two metering flow windows are positioned symmetrically with respect to the circumference of the rotary valve assembly. 14. The fuel control valve according to claim 10, wherein the valve position sensing device includes a direct current voltage supply; and a sensor comprising a piezo-resistive Wheatstone bridge and having a first portion, said sensor electrically communicating with said voltage supply, said sensor operably disposed with the rotary torque motor, said first portion displaceable by the rotary torque motor, said sensor producing at least one output signal corresponding and proportional to displacement of said first portion by the actuating member.