Solenoid control valve

A solenoid control valve for use in adaptive braking systems has a unique armature for reducing the operating times of the valve. When the solenoid is energized, the armature moves towards a plunger mechanism which operates to open a ball valve in the inlet of the solenoid control valve. When the solenoid is de-energized, a first spring bias means operates to close the ball valve stopping the flow of the fluid from the source to a hydraulic means. The unique armature has at least one axially extending passageway from one end surface to the other and in addition has a circular groove intersecting the passageway on the top surface of the armature abutting the plunger to provide a relief means to reduce surface adhesion.

This invention relates to solenoid control valves in general and more 
particularly to armatures for high speed electromagnetic solenoids as may 
be found in adaptive braking systems. 
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
Adaptive braking systems require very fast response times of the several 
electromechanical parts in order to be effective. One of the many 
components of the system are solenoid operated valves and pumps. 
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
A solenoid control valve having a first body member with an inlet means at 
one end and a second body member extending therefrom. Enclosing the other 
end of the second body member is an insert member having a base portion 
and a circular rib extending from the base portion to define a cavity. A 
solenoid encircles the rib. Located in the first body member is a ball 
valve means between the inlet means and a plunger cavity. The ball valve 
means is biased by a first spring means to a closed position for 
preventing the flow of fluid from the inlet means to the plunger cavity. 
A plunger is located in the plunger cavity and moves reciprocally therein 
from one position opening the ball valve means to another position 
allowing the ball valve means to close. An armature is located in the 
cavity defined by the circular rib, and is normally biased in a position 
abutting the plunger and operable by the solenoid to reciprocally move in 
the cavity to move the plunger for opening the ball valve means. The 
armature has at least one passageway axially extending longitudinally from 
the one end adjacent the plunger to the other end. The one end of the 
armature has a circular groove intersecting the at least one passageway. 
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the 
following detailed description of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 is a sectional plan view of a solenoid control valve 10 as may be 
used in an adaptive braking system. In particular this valve 10 is a build 
or decay valve. Its function is to pulse fluid at high speed to and from 
the wheel cylinders of the vehicle during an anti-skid event to bring the 
vehicle to a safe stop or under control. 
Fluid enters the solenoid control valve 10 through the inlet 12 at one end 
thereof through a ball valve means 14 located in a first body member 16. 
The ball valve means 14 comprises a ball 18, a ball carrier 20, a valve 
seat 22 and a first spring means 24. The ball valve means 14 is normally 
biased in a closed condition by the first spring means 24 interconnected 
between the inlet of the solenoid control valve 10 and the ball carrier 
20. The ball carrier 20, under the influence of the first spring means 24, 
moves the ball 18 into a seating arrangement with the valve seat 22 of the 
ball valve means 14. 
The ball valve means 14 operates to stop the flow of fluid between the 
inlet 12 of the solenoid control valve 10 and an outlet 26. In the 
particular arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1, when the ball valve means 14 
is open, the fluid flows past the ball valve means 14 through an aperture 
28 in the valve seat 22 and into a plunger cavity 30. Located in the 
plunger cavity 30 is a plunger 32 as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4. The plunger 
32 has an extending pin 34 which bears against the ball 18 and, as will 
hereinafter be shown, operates to move the ball 18 off of the valve seat 
22 allowing the flow of fluid past the ball 18, valve seat 22, and into 
the aperture 28. 
In the preferred embodiment, the plunger 32 is substantially 
triangular-shaped, as illustrated in FIG. 4, allowing the flow of fluid 
thereby from the one end having the pin 34 to the other end. Intermediate 
the ends of the plunger 32, there is a modified section 36 which is 
adjacent the outlet 26 of the valve 10. This modified section 36 has a 
larger volume to contain fluid and to permit the fluid flowing along each 
side to flow out of the outlet 26. 
Connected to the first body member 16, at the end opposite the inlet 12, is 
a second body member 38 having an insert 40 with a base portion and an 
axially extending armature cavity 42 formed by a circular rib means 44, an 
o-ring 46 encircling the rib means 44b at the end opposite the base 
portion, and solenoid 48 means including an armature 50 and a solenoid 
coil 52 concentric with the insert 40 and the second body member 38 and 
surrounding the armature cavity 42. 
The armature 50 of the solenoid means 48 is located in the armature cavity 
42 of the insert 40. The internal surface 54 of the circular rib 44 guides 
the armature 50 as it moves in a reciprocal direction. The armature 50, as 
illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, has a central counterbore 56 extending from 
one end for housing and locating a second spring bias means 58 for biasing 
the armature 50 away from the bottom of the cavity 42 at the base portion 
of the insert 40 and into contact with the plunger 32. 
The armature 50 is a cylindrical member having at least one passageway or 
aperture 60 axially extending from one end to the other end of the 
armature 50. A relief means or circular groove 62 is in the top face of 
the armature and intersects the aperture. In the preferred embodiment, as 
illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, there are four apertures 60 in the form of 
slots equally and angularly spaced along the outside surface of the 
armature and parallel to the axis. The circular groove 62 intersects all 
four apertures 60. The function of the apertures 60 and the circular 
groove 62 is to speed up the operate time of the solenoid means 48. When 
two wet surfaces abut each other there is a "stiction" or a force of 
adhesion between the two abutting surfaces. The circular groove 62 
provides a relief to this "stiction" and reduces the surface adhesion. 
When the solenoid coil 52 is energized, the armature 50 is moved toward the 
first body member 16 and the plunger 32. The plunger 32 is moved against 
the ball 18 opening the valve. The first spring bias means 24 bearing 
against the ball valve carrier 20 is compressed and the fluid flows from 
the inlet 12 through the ball valve seat 22, along the plunger 32 to the 
modified section 36 thereof and out the outlet 26. 
When the solenoid coil 52 is de-energized, the first spring bias means 24 
against the ball valve carrier 20 moves the plunger 32 and the armature 50 
to compress the second spring bias means 58. This causes the ball 18 to 
return to the valve seat 22 closing the ball valve means 14. 
FIG. 7 is a plan view of another embodiment of the armature 50 wherein 
there are four longitudinally extending bores 64 through the armature 50. 
Along the top surface of the armature, the circular groove 62 
interconnects all of the bores 64. 
Also illustrated in FIG. 1 are several o-rings for sealing various volumes 
from the flow of fluid. 
Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the 
invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope 
thereof. Accordingly, that scope is intended to be limited only by the 
scope of the appended claims.