ELECTRICALLY-OPERABLE FLUID CONTROL VALVE

Abstract: A first control element (15) is movable to control fluid flow between ports (11-14) in a housing. A second control element (16) is movable by an electric force motor and engages the first element (15) through biasing springs (19, 20) so that in normal use the elements (15, 16) move in unison. An arrangement of ports (30-32) and passages (30-32, 37, 39, 42, 44) in the elements (15, 16) has the effect that relative movement between the elements (15, 16) as a result of jamming of the first element (15) causes fluid pressure to be applied to the first element (15) to overcome the jamming.

Description: It has been proposed to use an electric force motor directly to position a valve flow control element. For normal operation of the valve a force motor output of 250 N is generally adequate. In such an arrangement it has previously been considered necessary that the motor shall be sufficiently large as to overcome any jamming of the control element, typically by metal particles which may lodge between the lands of the element and the ports of a co-operating sleeve. Unsticking of a jammed control element is normally effected by shearing the chip causing the jamming. The force required to unstick a jammed control element is typically 1 kiloNewton, which would require a very large motor. It is an object of the invention to provide a fluid control valve which is directly driven by an electric force motor which is not larger than force motors required for normal operation, and in which jamming of the valve will neverthless be overcome. According to the invention a fluid control valve comprises a ported housing, a first control element movable in said housing by an electric force motor to control flow between the ports in said housing, the valve including a second control element slidably engaging said first control element, said second element being provided with means for engagement by said force motor, a biasing spring between said first and second elements for urging said first element to move with said second element and to permit movement by said motor of said second element in either direction relative to said first element, said first and second elements being provided with co-operating passages so that, as a result of said relative movement a supply pressure is applied to respective ends of said first element to urge the latter to follow said second element. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic section through a spool control valve for fluid. A housing 10 has ports 11, 12 for a supply pressure P and return pressure R respectively, as well as ports 13, 14 for controlled pressures to an external apparatus (not shown). Slidable within a bore 26 of the housing 10 is a first spool control element 15 having lands 23, 24 which allow ports 11, 12 selectively to communicate with ports 13, 14. Slidable within the spool control element 15 is a second spool control element 16 provided at one end with means 17 for pivotal attachment to an arm 18 of a torque motor (not shown). A biasing spring 19 is interengaged between the elements 15 and 16 so that the element 15 is urged to follow movement of the element 16 in both directions. The pre-loading of the springs 19 is such that if the element 15 sticks or jams in the housing 10, the element 16 can be moved a limited distance relative to the element 15 by the torque motor. This relative movement is limited by abutments 21, 22 on the elements 15, 16 respectively. The control element 15 has ports 30 which are in constant communication with the port 11 and ports 31, 32 which are in constant communication with the port 12. The ports 31, 32 communicate with the port 12 by way of a zone of the bore 26 which is diametrally opposite the port 12, whereby pressure fluctuations resulting from turbulence adjacent the port 12 are reduced. Lands 33, 34, 35 on the element 16 control flow through the ports 30, 31, 32 respectively. In a rightward relative position (as viewed in the drawing) of the element 15 with respect to the element 16 the port 11 communicates with a chamber 36 at one end of the element 15 by way of the port 30, an annular passage 37 and an axial passage 39. In this relative position the port 12 communicates with a chamber 41 at the other end of the element 15 by way of the port 32, an annular passage 42 and an axial passage 44. The supply pressure P applied to a face 47 of the element 15 and the return pressure R applied to an opposing face 48 thus urge the element 15 to follow the element 16, independently of force applied to the element 16. It will be apparent that relative movement in the opposite direction between the elements 15, 16 will also cause the element 15 to follow the element 16. In general, chips which may cause jamming of a valve spool originate in parts of a hydraulic system outside the valve. The ports 30, 31, 32 may be much smaller than the ports 11-14, since the former have only to accommodate small servo flows within the valve. The probability of chips passing through ports 30, 31, 32 to jam the element 16 is therefore much reduced, and those chips which may so pass are sufficiently small as to be sheared or deformed by the force available from the motor. It is to be understood that in alternative embodiments of the invention the first and second control elements may not be axially movable spools, but be angulary movable relative to the housing and to each other.

Claims: 1. A fluid control valve comprising a ported housing (10), and a first control element (15) movable in said housing (10) by an electric force motor between the ports (11-14) in the housing (10), characterised in that the valve includes a second control element (16) slidably engaging the first control element (15), said second element (16) having means (17) for engagement by said force motor, a biasing spring (19) between said first and second elements (15, 16) for urging said first element (15) to move with said second element (16) and for permitting movement by said motor of said second element (16) in either direction relative to said first element (15), said first and second element (15, 16) being provided with co-operating passages (30-32, 37, 39, 42, 44) so that as a result of said relative movement a supply pressure (P) is applied to said first element (15) to urge the latter to follow said second element (16). 2. A valve as claimed in Claim 1 in which said co-operating passages are such that application of said pressure (P) to one face (47) of said first element (15) is accompanied by application of a lower pressure (R) to an opposed face (48) thereof. 3. A valve as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which said co-operating passages include first ports (30) in said first element (15) in constant communication with said supply pressure (P), a land (33) on said second element (16) co-operating with said first ports (30) for selectively connecting passages (39 or 44) in said second element (16) with said supply pressure (P) in response to respective opposite directions of relative movement between said elements (15, 16). 4. A valve as claimed in Claim 3 in which said co-operating passages include second ports (31, 32) in said first element (15) in constant communication with a lower pressure (R), and lands (34, 35) on said second element (16) co-operating with respective ones of said second ports (31, 32) for selectively connecting said lower pressure (R) to the passages (39, 44) in said second element (16). 5. A valve as claimed in Claim 1 in which said elements (15, 16) are axially slidable spools. 6. A valve as claimed in Claim 5 in which said second element (16) is axially slidable within said first element (15). 7. A valve as claimed in Claim 6 in which the passages (39, 44) in said second element (16) extend axially therein.

Inventors: HUDSON, PHILIP, MCKAY, RICHARD JOHN
Applicants: LUCAS INDUSTRIES PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
Application year: 1988
Main classification: F15B13
IPC codes: F15B20, F16K11, F15B13