Patent ID: 6866063
Filing Date: 2005-03-15
Classification: G05D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A pressure control actuator, comprising: a housing forming a supply port, a control port, and an exhaust port; a valve seat insert established within the housing, the control port being in fluid communication with the valve seat insert and at least partially formed thereby, the exhaust port and the supply port being formed on opposite sides of the valve seat insert from each other, the valve seat insert also defining a rod bearing configured to closely surround a poppet rod to provide radial bearing therefor, the valve seat insert further defining a poppet seat and a ball seat; a poppet slidably disposed within the housing, the poppet being coaxially co-extensive with a rod, the rod being closely received within the rod bearing; a check ball slidably disposed within the housing, the poppet and the check ball being movable between a de-energized configuration wherein flow is prohibited between the supply port and the control port, prohibited between the exhaust port and the supply port, and permitted between the control port and the exhaust port, plural partially energized configurations wherein flow is permitted between the supply port and the control port, between the control port and the exhaust port, and between the exhaust port and the supply port, wherein incremental changes in the displacement of the poppet produce incremental changes in a control pressure, and a fully energized configuration wherein flow is prohibited between the control port and the exhaust port and flow is permitted between the supply port and the control port, wherein the valve seat insert includes a central bore that is circumscribed by the poppet seat and the check ball seat, the poppet engaging the poppet seat to block fluid blow between the exhaust port and the control port, the check ball engaging the check ball seat to block fluid flow between the supply port and the control port and between the supply port and the exhaust port; a frame, the housing extending from the frame; a coil within the frame, the coil being energizable to move the actuator between the partially energized configurations and the fully energized configuration; an armature slidably disposed within the coil, the armature defining a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the armature engaging the poppet; a collar surrounding the distal end of the armature; and a first diaphragm spring circumscribing the distal end of the armature adjacent to the collar, the first diaphragm spring biasing the actuator to the de-energized configuration.