Dunan Microstaq, Inc.

Trw Automotive Gmbh

Lucas Automotive Gmbh

Harry A Hunnicutt

Dirk Kesselgruber

Christiaan Scott Best

Gregory P Campau

A pilot-operated spool valve includes a body defining a bore. A supply port and a load port are in fluid communication with the bore. A spool is disposed in the longitudinal bore, and the spool and the body cooperate to define a command chamber at a first end of the spool, which command chamber is adapted to receive fluid at a command pressure supplied to the body. The spool is movable in the bore to control fluid communication between the supply port and the load port. A pressure space is defined in at least one of the body and the spool between the command chamber and both of the supply port and the load port in all operative positions of the spool. The pressure space is supplied with pressurized fluid such that leakage from the command chamber is minimized or eliminated.

Pilot-operated spool valve

A microvalve device includes a body, a valve element supported for movement relative to the body, and an actuator operatively coupled to the valve element for moving the valve element in a normal range of travel. A travel limiting structure operatively cooperates with at least one of the valve element and the actuator to effectively limit the magnitude of movement of the valve element or the actuator outside the normal range of travel to prevent failure of the body, the valve element, or the actuator due to exceeding failure stress limits. A method of forming a microvalve with such a travel limiting structure is also disclosed.

Microvalve device

A device has been disclosed that may include a spool valve including a body having a first connector and a second connector and a spool movable relative to the body for controlling flow between the first connector and the second connector. The reversible flow control assembly further may include a pilot valve device developing a single pressure command in the form of a fluid at a command pressure. The spool valve may be responsive to the single pressure command developed in said pilot valve device to control flow between the first connector and the second connector without regard to the direction of flow. The majority of axial forces acting on the spool to position the spool relative to the body when fluid is flowing through the valve may be fluid forces.

Fluid flow control assembly

The microvalve device includes a pilot microvalve and a pilot operated spool valve. The pilot microvalve includes a pilot input orifice; a pilot output orifice, at least one of the pilot input orifice and the pilot output orifice having a cross-section flow area that changes as the pilot microvalve is actuated; and a passageway providing fluid communication between the pilot input orifice and the pilot output orifice. The pilot operated spool valve includes a spool having a surface in fluid communication with the passageway; a spool input port; and a spool output port, at least one of the spool input port and the spool output port having a cross-section flow area that changes as the spool is actuated. The spool valve is operable by the pilot microvalve such that a ratio of the cross-sectional flow area of the spool input port to the spool output port will substantially equal to a ratio of the cross-sectional flow area of the pilot input orifice to the pilot output orifice. The spool valve may be a microvalve or a standard size valve.

Microvalve device with pilot operated spool valve and pilot microvalve

A spool valve assembly includes a spool that is moveable by differential pressure across the spool.

Pilot operated spool valve

The invention relates to an active chassis stabilization system including a hydraulic pressure supply unit, a hydraulic stabilizer assembly which is associated with a front axle, a hydraulic stabilizer assembly which is associated with a rear axle, and a control unit. The active chassis stabilization system is a two-channel system.

Active chassis stabilization system

A microvalve device for controlling the supply of pressurized fluid to a load in a fluid circuit, and having multiple internal fluid conduits for providing pressure feedback.

Microvalve device with improved fluid routing

A hydraulic control system for high flow applications in motor vehicles, in particular for active wheel suspensions and active steering arrangements, includes at least one passive high flow valve which is controlled hydraulically by at least one low flow valve.

Growing community of inventors

Dexter, MI, United States of America

Harry A Hunnicutt