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A solenoid operated pilot valve utilizes an offset pilot opening and a lever arm to provide a mechanical advantage to multiply the opening force of the solenoid, thereby allowing the solenoid size to be reduced. The lever arm used to position the pilot valving member is mechanically positioned via a

A solenoid operated pilot valve utilizes an offset pilot opening and a lever arm to provide a mechanical advantage to multiply the opening force of the solenoid, thereby allowing the solenoid size to be reduced. The lever arm used to position the pilot valving member is mechanically positioned via a solenoid driven plunger in one embodiment, and is positioned by magnetic force alone in an alternative, plungerless embodiment. The lever arm pivots via a fixed fulcrum point, a profiled fulcrum providing continuously variable mechanical advantage, or a stepped fulcrum providing discreet different mechanical advantages as the pilot valving member is moved from its fully closed to its fully opened position.

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1. A pilot operated water valve, comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a main valving chamber defined therebetween, the valve body further defining a bypass channel in fluid communication with the outlet;a main valving chamber body operably coupled to the valve body to enclose the

1. A pilot operated water valve, comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a main valving chamber defined therebetween, the valve body further defining a bypass channel in fluid communication with the outlet;a main valving chamber body operably coupled to the valve body to enclose the main valving chamber, the main valving chamber body forming a pilot valve opening therein to provide fluid communication between the main valving chamber and the bypass channel;a main valving member positioned in the main valving chamber and operable to control a main flow of water from the inlet to the outlet, the main valving member having at least one bleed hole positioned therethrough;a pilot valving member positioned to control a bypass flow of water from the main valving chamber through pilot valve opening to the outlet to control a position of the main valving member;means for controlling the pilot valving member, the means utilizing a lever arm to provide inverse three multiplication to position the pilot valving member; andwherein the means comprises a solenoid assembly having a coil wound on a magnetic frame structure surrounding a guide tube formed by the main valving chamber body that is open on one end to the main valving chamber, a plunger moveably positioned within the guide tube and extending into the main valving chamber, the plunger coupled to a first end of the lever arm opposite the second end to which the pilot valving member is coupled, a spring operably coupled to the lever arm to apply a spring force thereto, and a fulcrum pivotably coupled to the lever arm at a position along a length of the lever arm closer to the second end thereof. 2. The pilot operated water valve of claim 1, wherein the spring provides the spring force on the plunger to extend the plunger into the main valving chamber in a quiescent state to thereby position the pilot valving member to prohibit a flow of water through the bypass channel. 3. The pilot operated water valve of claim 2, wherein the spring is a coil spring positioned in the guide tube at a closed end thereof to provide the spring force on a first end of the plunger within the guide tube. 4. The pilot operated water valve of claim 3, wherein the fulcrum comprises a shaft portion extending through an aperture in the lever arm and secured to the main valving chamber body, and a larger diameter portion at an end of the shaft portion on which the lever arm pivots. 5. The pilot operated water valve of claim 4, wherein the main valving chamber body includes a pair of lever arm guide shoulders positioned relative to the lever arm to guide pivoting thereof about the fulcrum. 6. The pilot operated water valve of claim 2, wherein the spring comprises a pair of spring arm members formed as part of the lever arm at the first end thereof, the pair of spring arm members providing the spring force on a second end of the plunger that extends out of the guide tube and into the main valving chamber. 7. The pilot operated water valve of claim 6, wherein the fulcrum comprises a pair of fulcrums positioned on either side of the lever arm, and wherein the lever arm includes a pair of fulcrum arms attached to the pair of fulcrums. 8. The pilot operated water valve of claim 2, wherein the coil is operable to pull the plunger into the guide tube when energized against the spring force applied by the spring to thereby position the pilot valving member to allow flow of water into the pilot valve opening and through the bypass channel. 9. A pilot operated water valve, comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a main valving chamber defined therebetween, the valve body further defining a bypass channel in fluid communication with the outlet;a main valving chamber body operably coupled to the valve body to enclose the main valving chamber, the main valving chamber body forming a pilot valve opening therein to provide fluid communication between the main valving chamber and the bypass channel;a main valving chamber positioned in the main valving chamber and operable to control a main flow of water from the inlet to the outlet, the main valving member having at least one bleed hole positioned therethrough;a pilot valving member positioned to control a bypass flow of water from the main valving chamber through pilot valve opening to the outlet to control a position of the main valving member;means for controlling the pilot valving member, the means utilizing a lever arm to provide inverse force multiplication to position the pilot valving member; andwherein the means comprises a solenoid assembly mounted on a wall of the main valving chamber body outside of and isolated from the main valving chamber, the solenoid assembly having a coil wound on a magnetic frame structure, a spring positioned within the main valving chamber and operably coupled to the lever arm positioned within the main valving chamber to apply a spring force thereto to position a first end of the lever arm opposite a second end to which the pilot valving member is coupled away from the wall on which the solenoid assembly is mounted in a quiescent state to thereby position the pilot valving member to prohibit a flow of water through pilot valve opening, and a fulcrum pivotably accommodating the lever arm at a position along a length of the lever arm closer to the second end thereof, wherein at least a portion of the lever arm near the first end is ferromagnetic, and wherein energization of the coil creates a magnetic field that causes the lever arm to pivot on the fulcrum so that the first end of the lever arm moves toward the wall to thereby position the pilot valving member away from the pilot valve opening to allow the flow of water through the bypass channel. 10. The pilot operated water valve of claim 9, wherein the lever arm includes a magnetic surface at the first end offset from the second end by an orientation portion, the orientation portion configured to position the second end at an acute angle away from the wall when the magnetic surface is parallel to the wall and to position the first end at an acute angle from the wall when the first end is parallel to the wall. 11. The pilot operated water valve of claim 9, wherein the fulcrum comprises a pair of fulcrums positioned on either side of the lever arm, and wherein the lever arm includes a pair of guide arms accommodated by the pair of fulcrums. 12. The pilot operated water valve of claim 11, wherein the spring comprises a generally planar spring member having a pair of outer spring arms coupled to the pair of fulcrums and a central spring arm extending between the pair of outer spring arms and applying a force on the second end of the lever arm. 13. The pilot operated water valve of claim 9, wherein the fulcrum is formed on the main valving chamber body. 14. The pilot operated water valve of claim 13, wherein the fulcrum is a profiled fulcrum to provide a changing pivot point for the lever arm as the lever arm is attracted by the magnetic field produced by the coil when energized. 15. The pilot operated water valve of claim 14, wherein the profiled fulcrum moves the pivot point along the lever arm away from the second end as the first end pivots toward the wall. 16. The pilot operated water valve of claim 15, wherein the profiled fulcrum and the lever arm provide greater leverage upon initial opening the pilot valving member to allow flow through the pilot valve opening and provide greater movement of the second end relative to the first end thereafter. 17. The pilot operated water valve of claim 13, wherein the fulcrum is a profiled fulcrum to provide a changing leverage opening ratio as the lever arm pivots about the profiled fulcrum. 18. The pilot operated water valve of claim 17, wherein the leverage opening ratio in a quiescent position is approximately 5 to 1. 19. The pilot operated water valve of claim 18, wherein the leverage opening ratio when the first end has pivoted to the wall is approximately 1.5 to 1. 20. The pilot operated water valve of claim 13, wherein the fulcrum is a stepped fulcrum to provide different, discrete pivot points for the lever arm as the lever arm is attracted by the magnetic field produced by the coil when energized to change the leverage opening ratio by discrete amounts. 21. The pilot operated water valve of claim 9, wherein the main valving chamber body defines a solenoid receiving slot on an external surface thereof configured to hold the solenoid assembly therein. 22. A pilot operated water valve, comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a main valving chamber defined therebetween, the valve body further defining a bypass channel in fluid communication with the outlet;a main valving chamber body operably coupled to the valve body to enclose the main valving chamber, the main valving chamber body forming a pilot valve opening therein to provide fluid communication between the main valving chamber and the bypass channel;a main valving member positioned in the main valving chamber and operable to control a main flow of water from the inlet to the outlet, the main valving member having at least one bleed hole positioned therethrough;a pilot valving member positioned to control a bypass flow of water from the main valving chamber through pilot valve opening to the outlet to control a position of the main valving member;means for controlling the pilot valving member, the means utilizing a lever arm to provide inverse force multiplication to position the pilot valving member;wherein the inlet is perpendicular to an axis of the outlet, and wherein the main valving chamber body is configured to form a channel between the valve body and an outer wall of the main valving chamber body to communicate fluid between the pilot valve opening and the bypass channel; andwherein the bypass channel includes a first portion parallel to an axis of the outlet and a second portion perpendicular to the axis of the outlet in fluid communication with the first portion and the outlet, further comprising a bypass channel cap to isolate the bypass channel from an external environment. 23. A water valve for use in an appliance, comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a main valving chamber defined therebetween;a valving member positioned to control a flow of water from the main valving chamber to the outlet;means for controlling the valving member, the means utilizing a lever arm to provide inverse force multiplication to position the valving member;wherein the means comprises a solenoid assembly mounted on a wall of the valve body outside of and isolated from the main valving chamber, the solenoid assembly having a coil wound on a magnetic frame structure, a spring positioned within the main valving chamber and operably coupled to the lever arm positioned within the main valving chamber to apply a spring force thereto to position a first end of the lever arm opposite a second end to which the valving member is coupled away from the wall on which the solenoid assembly is mounted in a quiescent state to thereby position the valving member to prohibit a flow of water to the outlet, and a fulcrum pivotably accommodating the lever arm at a position along a length of the lever arm closer to the second end thereof, wherein at least a portion of the lever arm near the first end is ferromagnetic;wherein energization of the coil creates a magnetic field that causes the lever arm to pivot on the fulcrum so that the first end of the lever arm moves toward the wall to thereby position the valving member to allow the flow of water through the valve body; andwherein the fulcrum is a profiled fulcrum to provide a changing pivot point for the lever arm as the lever arm is attracted by the magnetic field produced by the coil when energized, and wherein the profiled fulcrum moves the pivot point along the lever arm away from the second end as the first end pivots toward the wall. 24. A pilot operated water valve, comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a main valving chamber defined therebetween, the valve body further defining a bypass channel in fluid communication with the outlet;a main valving chamber body operably coupled to the valve body to enclose the main valving chamber, the main valving chamber body forming a pilot valve opening therein to provide fluid communication between the main valving chamber and the bypass channel;a main valving member positioned in the main valving chamber and operable to control a main flow of water from the inlet to the outlet;a pilot valving member positioned to control a bypass flow of water from the main valving chamber through pilot valve opening to the outlet to control a position of the main valving member;a lever arm having a first end and a second end, at least a portion of the first end being ferromagnetic, the second end being coupled to the pilot valving member;a fulcrum pivotably accommodating the lever arm at a position along a length of the lever arm closer to the second end thereof; anda solenoid assembly mounted on a wall of the valve body outside of and isolated from the main valving chamber, the solenoid assembly having a coil wound on a magnetic frame structure;a spring positioned within the main valving chamber and operably coupled to the lever arm positioned within the main valving chamber to apply a spring force to the lever arm to position the first end away from the wall on which the solenoid assembly is mounted in a quiescent state to thereby position the pilot valving member to prohibit a flow of water through pilot valve opening; andwherein energization of the coil creates a magnetic field that causes the lever arm to pivot on the fulcrum so that the first end of the lever arm moves toward the wall to thereby position the pilot valving member away from the pilot valve opening to allow the flow of water through the bypass channel to open the main valving member. 25. The pilot operated water valve of claim 24, wherein the lever arm includes a magnetic surface at the first end offset from the second end by an orientation portion, the orientation portion configured to position the second end at an acute angle away from the wall when the magnetic surface is parallel to the wall and to position the first end at an acute angle from the wall when the first end is parallel to the wall. 26. The pilot operated water valve of claim 24, wherein the fulcrum comprises a pair of fulcrums positioned on either side of the lever arm, and wherein the lever arm includes a pair of guide arms accommodated by the pair of fulcrums. 27. The pilot operated water valve of claim 26, wherein the spring comprises a generally planar spring member having a pair of outer spring arms coupled to the pair of fulcrums and a central spring arm extending between the pair of outer spring arms and applying a force on the second end of the lever arm. 28. The pilot operated water valve of claim 24, wherein the fulcrum is a profiled fulcrum to provide a changing pivot point for the lever arm as the lever arm is attracted by the magnetic field produced by the coil when energized to provide a changing leverage opening ratio as the lever arm pivots about the profiled fulcrum such that the leverage opening ratio in a quiescent position is approximately 5 to 1 and the leverage opening ratio when the first end has pivoted to the wall is approximately 1.5 to 1. 29. The pilot operated water valve of claim 24, wherein the fulcrum is a stepped fulcrum to provide different, discrete pivot points for the lever arm as the lever arm is attracted by the magnetic field produced by the coil when energized to change the leverage opening ratio by discrete amounts. 30. The pilot operated water valve of claim 24, wherein the inlet is perpendicular to an axis of the outlet, and wherein the main valving chamber body is configured to form a channel between the valve body and an outer wall of the main valving chamber body to communicate fluid between the pilot valve opening and the bypass channel. 31. The pilot operated water valve of claim 24, wherein the inlet is perpendicular to an axis of the outlet, and wherein the main valving chamber body is configured to form a channel between the valve body and an outer wall of the main valving chamber body to communicate fluid between the pilot valve opening and the bypass channel, the channel being isolated from an external environment by a spin ring coupled to the valve body and to the main valving chamber body. 32. The pilot operated water valve of claim 24, wherein the main valving chamber body defines a solenoid receiving slot on an external surface thereof configured to hold the solenoid assembly therein.