Lectron Products, Inc.

Richard A Schultz

Charles A Detweiler

Peter J Henning

Charles Abraham Detweiler

A two-stage high flow purge valve for an evaporative emission system of a vehicle. The valve body contains two valves for controlling fluid flow through separate parallel flow paths in the valve body. A fast-acting, pulse width modulated solenoid valve responsive to an electrical control signal from the engine control computer precisely controls flow through a low flow path, and a vacuum-responsive valve controls flow through a high flow path in accordance with the level of manifold vacuum at the engine intake. A third valve member is provided to block flow through the high flow path when the engine is off and the manifold vacuum is zero. Means for calibrating both the solenoid valve and the vacuum-responsive valves are also provided.

Two-stage high flow purge valve

A vacuum regulator for automotive vehicles of the type having a computer-controlled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. The regulator controls the vacuum signal provided to the EGR valve in accordance with the current signal supplied to the regulator by the engine control computer. The vacuum regulator includes a solenoid structure having a secondary air gap in the flux path of the solenoid at the opposite end of the pole piece from the armature. The flux path across the secondary air gap is divided into a first fixed portion and second adjustable portion that is set during calibration of the regulator. The sensitivity of the calibration process is therefore substantially reduced, thereby enabling more accurate settings with less chance of overshooting the desired set point.

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Troy, MI, United States of America

Richard A Schultz