A sealed solenoid provides an improved actuator for valves and other devices, particular such devices used in extreme environments and/or with corrosive media. For example, the improved solenoid construction can be used to drive a precision flow control valve used in air and space applications, such
A sealed solenoid provides an improved actuator for valves and other devices, particular such devices used in extreme environments and/or with corrosive media. For example, the improved solenoid construction can be used to drive a precision flow control valve used in air and space applications, such as to control fuel and oxidizer combustion media in rocket and other thrust components. The solenoid is retained in a solenoid retainer to which is attached a rigid barrier that isolates the solenoid pole piece and coil from the media. A clapper disposed outside the barrier from the solenoid serves as the armature, receiving magnetic flux from the solenoid through the barrier without interference from the barrier. The barrier may be extremely thin and magnetically inert.
대표청구항▼
1. A solenoid actuator for a valve having a valve member movable within a housing to control the flow of a working media through an interior of the housing from an inlet port to an outlet port, the actuator comprising: a wire coil and at least one pole piece made of a magnetically active material;a
1. A solenoid actuator for a valve having a valve member movable within a housing to control the flow of a working media through an interior of the housing from an inlet port to an outlet port, the actuator comprising: a wire coil and at least one pole piece made of a magnetically active material;a solenoid retainer configured to couple to the housing and defining an interior space containing the wire coil and the at least one pole piece;a magnetically inert barrier member forming a closed end of the solenoid retainer; anda magnetically active armature separated from the wire coil and the at least one pole piece by the barrier member, the armature being configured to couple to the valve member to move the valve member when the wire coil is energized and de-energized to control communication between the inlet port and the outlet port;wherein, when the solenoid retainer is coupled to the housing, the solenoid retainer, the armature and the barrier member are in communication with the working media and the barrier member seals off the wire coil and the at least one pole piece from the working media. 2. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the barrier member is a rigid, metal plate coupled to the solenoid retainer. 3. The actuator of claim 2, wherein the armature is separated from the barrier member by a gap when the wire coil is de-energized. 4. The actuator of claim 3, wherein the barrier member has a thickness that is less than the distance across the gap between the armature and the barrier, and wherein the gap is at least five times the thickness of the barrier member. 5. The actuator of claim 3, wherein the barrier member is a non-magnetic stainless steel. 6. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the barrier member is disposed in contact with the at least one pole piece. 7. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the armature is a clapper having a disk shaped contact face disposed in physical abutting relation with the barrier member when the wire coil is energized. 8. The actuator of claim 7, wherein the contact face has at least one recessed area that does not contact the barrier member when the wire coil is energized. 9. The actuator of claim 8, wherein the contact face of the clapper has at least one raised ring defined at least in part by the recessed area, the ring disposed in physical abutting relation with the barrier member when the wire coil is energized. 10. The actuator of claim 7, further including a biasing member coupled to the clapper to bias the clapper toward or away from the wire coil and the at least one pole piece, the biasing member being a spring disposed in contact with an outer periphery of the clapper. 11. The actuator of claim 7, wherein the clapper has a valve mount opposite the contact face configured to directly couple with the valve member. 12. A solenoid valve, comprising: a housing defining an inlet port, an outlet port, a valve chamber receiving working media from the inlet port, and an actuator chamber;a valve member movable within the valve chamber to control the flow of the working media from the inlet port to the outlet port; anda solenoid actuator coupled to the housing and at least in part disposed in the actuator chamber in communication with the valve chamber, the actuator including: a solenoid having a wire coil and at least one pole piece made of a magnetically active material;a solenoid retainer coupled to the housing between the solenoid and the housing and defining an interior space containing the solenoid;a magnetically inert barrier member forming a closed end of the solenoid retainer; anda magnetically active armature separated from the solenoid by the barrier member, the armature being coupled to the valve member to move the valve member when the wire coil is energized and de-energized to control communication between the inlet port and the outlet port;wherein the solenoid retainer, the armature and the barrier member are in communication with the working media and the barrier member seals off the wire coil and the at least one pole piece from the working media. 13. The solenoid valve of claim 12, wherein the armature is disposed in the housing such that the armature is immersed in the working media during an operation of the solenoid valve. 14. The solenoid valve of claim 12, wherein the barrier member is a rigid, thin metal plate coupled to the solenoid retainer. 15. The solenoid valve of claim 12, wherein the armature is a clapper having a disk shaped contact face disposed in physical abutting relation with the barrier member when the wire coil is energized. 16. The solenoid valve of claim 12, wherein the housing further defines a vent, and wherein moving the valve member when the wire coil is energized and de-energized further controls communication between the outlet port and the vent. 17. The solenoid valve of claim 12, wherein the valve member is a pressure-balanced poppet rod. 18. A clapper solenoid valve, comprising: a housing defining an inlet port, an outlet port, a valve chamber receiving working media from the inlet port, and an actuator chamber in communication with the valve chamber and the working media;a poppet rod movable within the valve chamber to control the flow of the working media from the inlet port to the outlet port;a solenoid disposed within the actuator chamber, the solenoid including a wire coil and at least one pole piece made of a magnetizable material;a solenoid retainer disposed between the housing and the solenoid and defining an interior space containing the solenoid, the solenoid retainer having a magnetically inert rigid barrier member;a clapper armature made of a magnetizable material and separated from the wire coil and the at least one pole piece by the barrier member; anda spring disposed between the clapper and the solenoid retainer to bias the clapper either toward or away from the wire coil and the at least one pole piece;wherein the solenoid retainer, the clapper and the barrier member are subjected to the working media during operation of the clapper solenoid valve, and wherein the clapper is coupled to the poppet rod to move the poppet rod in response to the wire coil being energized and de-energized to open and close communication between the inlet port and the outlet port. 19. The clapper solenoid valve of claim 18, wherein the housing further defines a vent, and wherein moving the valve member when the wire coil is energized and de-energized further controls communication between the outlet port and the vent. 20. The clapper solenoid valve of claim 18, wherein the poppet rod is pressure-balanced.
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