Caterpillar Inc.

Michael Charles Marstall

Kevin L Martin

Paul Arthur Zwart

Mikhail A Sorokin

Lonnie J Devier

A spool for a spool valve assembly defines a spool longitudinal axis and includes a first land module defining a first land module circumferential surface, a second land module defining a second land module circumferential surface, and a first metering module. The first metering module has a first end cap and a second end cap. The first end cap is coupled to the first land module, and the second end cap is coupled to the second land module, to form the spool. The first metering module may further include at least two pillars extending from the first end cap to the second end cap, wherein the at least two pillars are entirely disposed within a virtual first metering module hollow cylinder area that surrounds a virtual first metering module central core area concentric with the spool longitudinal axis.

Spools for spool valve assemblies and methods of fabricating spools

A method of manufacturing a hydraulic valve component using additive manufacturing includes laying successive layers to form a flow aperture for a hydraulic valve component, and creating a lattice or mesh structure that at least partially defines the flow aperture of the hydraulic valve component, or a feature that forms an undercut along a direction that is parallel to a flow direction of the flow aperture, or a flow aperture having a size varying along a circumferential direction of the valve component.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Michael Charles Marstall