Eaton Corporation

Lectron Products, Inc.

Gerrit V Beneker

Charles A Detweiler

Robert Dean Keller

Daniel L Deland

Barbara J Erickson

Robert Andrew Dayton

Charles Robert Martus

Robert John Boychuk

Leo Joseph Buresh, Iii

Jeffrey B Smith

David R Sosnowski

Peter J Henning

Mark L Dell'Eva

William G Spurrier, Iii

Janet L Hawkins

Leo Joseph Buresh Iii

A hydraulic control valve is provided having a solenoid body, an energizable coil, and an armature positioned adjacent the coil. A valve stem extends from the armature. The coil is energizable to move the armature and the valve stem from a first position to a second position. The valve body, the armature and the valve stem are configured so that the armature and the valve stem are biased to the first position by pressurized fluid, allowing the armature to operate without a biasing spring.

Fluid-biased hydraulic control valve

An oil control valve assembly for an engine is provided that has a control valve with a valve body, and a manifold that defines a control passage in fluid communication with a valve lift switching component and an exhaust passage for exhausting fluid from the valve. The control valve is controllable to selectively direct fluid from a supply source to the control passage to actuate the valve lift switching component. An elongated tubular member is positioned adjacent the engine component and is operatively connected to the exhaust passage such that fluid flows from the exhaust passage to the elongated tubular member and through the elongated tubular member onto the engine component.

Oil control valve assembly for engine cam switching

A hydraulic control system includes an oil control valve to control oil flow within a valvetrain. The control valve varies the flow rate to actuate an engine component from a first position to a second position based upon fluid pressure from the control valve. Varying the flow rate through the control valve includes increasing the flow rate through the control valve to increase the pressure to a first level to actuate the engine component to the first position. After the engine component is actuated, the flow rate through the control valve is maintained at a level sufficient to maintain the engine component in the first position. To actuate the engine component to the second position the flow rate through the control valve is then decreased. The fluid flow rate through the control valve is then maintained at a level sufficient to maintain the engine component in the second position.

Valvetrain oil control system and oil control valve

A hydraulic control valve has a valve body, a selectively energizable coil, and an armature positioned adjacent the coil. The coil is energizable to generate a magnetic force that moves the armature from a first position to a second position. A pole piece is positioned to establish a gap between the pole piece and the armature. The pole piece has a cavity that opens at the gap. A piston extends from the armature into the cavity and moves with the armature. The armature is biased to seat at a valve seat in the first position by pressurized fluid. Magnetic force required to move the armature away from the valve seat is a function of the difference between an area of the piston and an area defined by contact of the armature at the valve seat.

Fluid-biased hydraulic control valve with armature piston

A fluid condition and level sensor is provided that includes a solenoid body, a coil, and an armature surrounded by the coil. The solenoid body defines an armature chamber in which the armature is movable in response to energizing of the coil. The sensor is mounted to a reservoir such that a first portion of the solenoid body extends into a cavity defined by the reservoir, and so that movement of the armature is substantially transverse to a direction of fluid level change in the reservoir. The first portion of the solenoid body defines an opening permitting fluid communication between the cavity and the armature chamber, such that fluid enters and is displaced from the armature chamber through the opening as the armature moves, movement of the armature within the armature chamber thereby being affected by fluid level in the reservoir.

Fluid condition and level sensor

A fluid level detection system includes a fluid reservoir defining a cavity for holding fluid therein. A fluid level sensor is mounted to the fluid reservoir. The solenoid body defines a first opening establishing fluid communication between an armature chamber and a cavity defined by the reservoir. Travel time of an armature within the armature chamber is thereby affected by fluid level in the reservoir. A controller is operatively connected to the sensor and is operable to receive a sensor signal indicative of travel time from the sensor and formulate a control signal corresponding thereto. A power source is operatively connected to the controller for energizing the coil and the controller. In some embodiments, multiple fluid containing components are connected with one or more controllers. An engine, a transmission, and rear axle differentials on a vehicle may be equipped with sensors to provide fluid level, temperature and viscosity information.

Fluid level detection system

An oil condition and level sensor is provided that includes a solenoid body, a coil, an armature and a pole piece. The solenoid body defines an armature chamber between the armature and the pole piece. The armature is movable in the armature chamber in response to energizing of the coil. In an oil condition sensing system, the coil is operatively connected to a controller which can determine at least one of an oil temperature, oil viscosity, oil level, and an oil change occurrence. In one embodiment, four oil levels, including an overfill oil level and an excessively low oil level may be detected. The sensor is referred to as an integrated oil condition and level sensor as multiple sensing functions are integrated into one sensor.

Integrated oil condition and level sensor

A combination solenoid operated flow control valve and solenoid operated by-pass valve and pressure transducer are disposed in a common housing with a common electrical receptacle for connection thereto. The pressure transducer senses differential pressure across a metering orifice. The pressure transducer measures flow through the metering orifice during leak testing. A vacuum is drawn in the system for leak testing. The by-pass valve is opened to bypass the metering orifice and permit full flow to the flow control valve during normal engine operation.

Combination solenoid operated flow control and shut-off valve with pressure transducer

A pressure responsive relief valve is disposed in the tank vapor line to the engine inlet manifold and upstream of an electric flow control valve. The pressure responsive valve has a bleed orifice for providing limited flow for leak testing when the relief valve is closed; and, the relief valve is set for opening at a selected pressure differential to provide adequate vapor canister purge flow during engine operation. A differential pressure sensor is employed to read the pressure drop across the bleed orifice during leak testing and the flow determined from a lookup table for comparison with a threshold value to determine if leakage is present in the system.

System and method for determining leakage in fuel vapor emission controls

A solenoid operated valve is connected in series with a resistor and a PTC thermistor. Upon coil energization, the armature moves to close the valve member against a valve seat and further armature movement to close an air gap with a pole piece is absorbed by a spring between the armature and valve member. Upon closure of the air gap, the magnetic reluctance between the armature and pole piece is decreased such that significantly less current is required in the coil to hold the valve closed. Upon heating of the thermistor, the resistance is increased sufficiently to reduce the current to the hold-close level and less power is required thereafter to maintain the valve closed. The valve is applied to on-board vehicle diagnostic procedures performed after engine shut-down where current must be minimized to prevent battery drain to a level preventing re-start.

Low current solenoid valve

A fuel tank vapor management valve (VMV) for controlling purge flow from a vapor storage canister to an engine inlet manifold. In one embodiment, an existing VMV utilizing an electrically operated atmospheric bleed valve or EVR for controlling vacuum pressure on one side of the regulator valve diaphragm is modified to have an additional vacuum ported valve seat in the EVR to be opened and closed by the bleed valve instead of providing a vacuum port in the regulator diaphragm signal pressure chamber. The inlet of the EVR is connected to the storage canister instead of being ported to the atmosphere which equalizes canister pressure across the regulator diaphragm thus preventing undesired opening of the regular valve when the engine is shut off. In another embodiment, an existing VMV is unmodified, with the EVR bleed port connected to the canister and the shut-off valve is connected in the line connecting the engine manifold with the regulator valve diaphragm signal pressure chamber. The shut-off valve may be either electrically operated or pressure actuated by engine manifold vacuum.

Pressure compensating vapor management valve

A fuel vapor canister purge control valve assembly has an electric valve and a pressure regulator valve for connection at its inlet to a canister fluidically in series in a common housing. The electric valve has a spherical magnetically permeable operator biased closed against the seat by a balanced rotary armature. A C-shaped solenoid pole frame defines diametrally oppositely disposed radial working air gaps with the armature. Upon PWM energization of the solenoid, the armature rotation permits the spherical valve member to move from the seat to open the valve. A venturi is formed in the electric valve inlet and the venturi throat has a pressure tap connected to provide a reference pressure for one side of the pressure regulator diaphragm. The opposite side of the regulator diaphragm has an elastomeric obturator and is exposed to the outlet pressure of the electric valve. The elastomeric obturator is moveable with respect to another valve seat for controlling flow to the outlet for connection to an engine inlet manifold.

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Algonac, MI, United States of America

Gerrit V Beneker