Patent ID: 6026847
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A valve comprising a valve housing including a cavity, an inlet port and an outlet port, a valve seat associated with one of said inlet and outlet ports, a poppet positioned within said cavity for selectively moving between a first position in contact with said valve seat whereby said one of said inlet and outlet ports is closed and a second position displaced from said valve seat whereby said one of said inlet and outlet ports is open, a spring member for actively prestressing said poppet into one of said first and second positions, an actuator having a first end and a second end defining a predetermined length therebetween, excitation means for exciting said actuator and causing said predetermined length of said actuator to increase, thereby increasing the distance between said first and second ends of said actuator, said second end of said actuator being operatively associated with said poppet whereby the current applied to said excitation means controls the degree to which said second end of said actuator causes said poppet to overcome the active prestressing of said spring member and controls the position of said poppet relative to said valve seat, and control means for varying the current supplied to said excitation means.