Abstract:
A solenoid control valve is described wherein the valve employs a precision molded plastic valve seat member, a corresponding control valve body which includes flying buttresses for supporting and distributing loads on the control valve body, and armature vent features.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    The instant application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/470,520, filed May 14, 2003, the entire specification of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to solenoid control valves, and more particularly to an on/off solenoid control valve for controlling hydraulic functions of a transmission for a vehicle.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Various solenoid designs have been used in the automotive industry, including those for use in conjunction with automatic transmission systems. For example, automatic transmission control systems generally employ solenoids in order to control the pressure and flow of the transmission fluid. In this manner, the control of transmission fluid pressure can be used to engage and disengage a transmission clutch in response to an electrical input signal supplied to the solenoid, or the control of transmission fluid pressure can be used to maintain transmission line pressure.  
           [0004]    Generally, solenoids employ a solenoid control valve to aid in the regulation of the fluid flow by the solenoid. An example of a solenoid control valve can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,559 to McAuliffe, Jr., the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
           [0005]    Some solenoid control valves typically include a valve seat member and a corresponding control valve body. Although conventional solenoid control valves have been somewhat successful in meeting the demands of the automotive industry, these solenoid control valves can be further improved upon, e.g., in the areas of cost, quality, performance, and the like.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, there exists a need for new and improved solenoid control valves, including but not limited to new and improved valve seat members, armature members, and control valve bodies.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    In accordance with the general teachings of the present invention, a new and improved solenoid control valve is provided.  
           [0008]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the solenoid control valve advantageously makes use of a precision molded plastic valve seat member, a corresponding control valve body which includes flying buttresses for supporting and distributing loads on the control valve body, and armature vent features.  
           [0009]    In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a solenoid fluid control valve is provided, comprising: (1) a fluid control body adapted for being received in a fluid housing, said fluid control body including a central cavity, and having a pressure supply passage at a first end and a radially extending pressure control passage; (2) a feed supply tube positioned in said central cavity, said feed supply tube including an outer diameter in communication with said pressure control passage, and including an inner bore operably connected to said pressure supply passage, said feed supply tube being supported in said central cavity of said fluid control body by at least one flying buttress structure interposed therebetween, said feed supply tube including a valve receiving chamber area; (3) a valve seat portion being made of a plastic material and press fit onto said control body, said valve seat portion including a valve seat and a passage in communication between said valve seat and said pressure control passage; (4) a valve contained in said valve receiving chamber area for closing off communication between said pressure supply passage and said pressure control passage; and (5) a solenoid for opening said valve in response to a signal.  
           [0010]    In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, a solenoid fluid control valve is provided, comprising: (1) a fluid control body adapted for being received in a fluid housing, said fluid control body including a central cavity, and having a pressure supply passage at a first end and a radially extending pressure control passage; (2) a feed supply tube positioned in said central cavity, said feed supply tube including an outer diameter in communication with said pressure control passage, and including an inner bore operably connected to said pressure supply passage, said feed supply tube being supported in said central cavity of said control body by at least one flying buttress structure interposed therebetween, said feed supply tube including a valve receiving chamber area; (3) a valve seat portion being made of a plastic material and press fit onto said control body, said valve seat portion including a valve seat and a passage in communication between said valve seat and said pressure control passage; (4) a valve contained in said valve receiving chamber for closing off communication between said pressure supply passage and said pressure control passage; (5) a solenoid for opening said valve in response to a signal, said solenoid including a central axis and having a coil wound around a bobbin, spaced from and positioned around said central axis, said coil having radially stepped radial inner diameters; (6) a casing member for attaching said solenoid to said control body; a portion of said casing member extending into the stepped portion of said coil for forming a flux tube therein, said bobbin including a “C” shaped integrally molded retention ring; and (7) an armature axially movable within said bobbin.  
           [0011]    In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, a solenoid fluid control valve is provided, comprising: (1) a fluid control body adapted for being received in a fluid housing, said fluid control body including a central cavity, and having a pressure supply passage at a first end and a radially extending pressure control passage; (2) a feed supply tube positioned in said central cavity, said feed supply tube including an outer diameter in communication with said pressure control passage, and including an inner bore operably connected to said pressure supply passage, said feed supply tube including a valve receiving area; (3) a valve seat portion being made of a plastic material and press fit onto said control body, said valve seat portion including a valve seat and a passage in communication between said valve seat and said pressure control passage; (4) a valve contained in said valve receiving chamber for closing off communication between said pressure supply passage and said pressure control passage; (5) a solenoid for opening said valve in response to a signal, said solenoid including a central axis and having a coil wound around a bobbin, spaced from and positioned around said central axis, said coil having radially stepped radial inner diameters; (6) a casing member for attaching said solenoid to said control body; (7) a pole piece adjacent said armature and interposed between said bobbin and said fluid control body; (8) a flux tube secured by said casing member, said flux tube including a support portion extending therefrom; and (9) an armature axially movable within said bobbin.  
           [0012]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the solenoid control valve of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is an exploded partial sectional view of the solenoid control valve of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3A is a perspective view of valve seat member of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a rear plan view of the solenoid control valve of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 5;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the fluid control body of the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a second sectional view of the fluid control body of the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the armature of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the armature of the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the bobbin of the present invention;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 12 is a second sectional view of the bobbin of the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the bobbin of the present invention; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 14 is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment of a solenoid control valve of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.  
         [0030]    Referring generally to the Figures, and more specifically to FIGS. 1-3,  5  and  6 , there is provided a solenoid control valve generally shown at  10 , in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention. The solenoid control valve  10  preferably includes a fluid control valve body generally indicated at  12 , and an electromagnetic solenoid portion generally indicated at  14 . By way of a non-limiting example, the fluid control body  12  is preferably adapted for being received in a fluid control housing in a valve body of a transmission.  
         [0031]    The fluid control body  12  preferably includes a central cavity  16 , wherein the central cavity  16  preferably includes a fluid supply passage  18  and a fluid control passage  20 . These passages  18 ,  20 , respectively, preferably communicate with either a supply line in the manifold or a control line, as is readily known in the art.  
         [0032]    A feed supply tube  22  is preferably integrally molded with the fluid control valve body  12 . Feed supply tube  22  preferably includes an outer diameter  24 , which is preferably in communication with the control passage  20 , and preferably includes an inner bore  26  in communication with the supply passage  18  through laterally extending port  28 . The feed supply tube  22  is preferably supported in the cavity  16  by at least one or more flying buttress supports  30 . Although FIG. 4 depicts four flying buttress supports  30 , it should be appreciated that less than, or more than, this number of buttresses may be used in the practice of the present invention. The feed supply tube  22  preferably includes a valve seat receiving area  32 .  
         [0033]    Referring specifically to FIGS. 3A, 7 and  8 , a valve seat member  34  is preferably made out of plastic and is press fit over the valve seat receiving area  32 . By this arrangement, fluid passage is allowed axially between the buttresses  30 , while side loads on the valve seat member  34  are directed to the thicker base of the ribs where they are better absorbed. An alignment shelf  36  is preferably provided on the fluid control valve body  12  for providing proper depth of alignment of the valve seat member  34 . A ball valve  38  is preferably held between the valve seat  40  and the valve retainer seat receiving area  32 . The valve seat member  34  preferably provides a passageway  42  to the fluid control passage  20 . The ball valve  38  is preferably operable to selectively cut off supply of flow from the pressure supply channel  18  to the pressure control passage  20 .  
         [0034]    The valve seat member  34  preferably includes three wing members  33  which extend radially therefrom for securing the valve seat member  34  between the lower surface of the pole piece  62  and the shelf  36 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, It is generally necessary to provide a plastic part of very close tolerances such that the distance between the valve seat  40  and the upper surface of at least one, and more preferably all, of the wing portion  35  is maintained in a tolerance of ±0.025 mm or better.  
         [0035]    The solenoid portion  14  is preferably secured to the fluid control body  12 . An O-ring  44  is preferably disposed between the fluid control body  12  and the pole piece  62 . The solenoid portion  14  preferably includes a central axis A-A and has a coil  46  wound around a non-magnetic bobbin member  48 . The bobbin member  48  is preferably stepped radially, and includes a radially outward wall  52  and a radially inward wall  54 . A one-piece casing member  50  preferably includes a radially extending flux tube forming annular portion  56 . The casing  50  also preferably crimpingly attaches the solenoid portion  14  to the fluid control body  12  by way of the crimped portion  58 .  
         [0036]    Referring specifically to FIGS. 9 and 10, an armature  60  is preferably provided, which fits within the wall  54  and is axially movable in response to a current in the coil  46 . The pole piece  62  is secured between the lower portion of the bobbin  48  and the fluid control body  12 . The pole piece  62  preferably includes a center orifice  64 , which allows the control rod  66  to actuate the valve member  38 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the armature  60  is preferably provided with at least one, and more preferably at least two, semi-circular pressure relief vents  68  formed in the lower portion of the armature  60  so as to preferably control pressure build up and prevent extra pressure during solenoid actuations. This beneficially increases net force and improves precise solenoid performance.  
         [0037]    Referring specifically to FIGS. 11-13, bobbin  48  also preferably includes an integrally molded spacer portion  70 . This “C” shaped spacer preferably provides for precision alignment and load bearing during final assembly. In the past, separate spacers were used, resulting in potential operation fluctuations due to shifting components during final assembly. The integral spacer  70  of the present invention reduces inconsistencies due to shifting components inherent in manufacture when using separate spacers.  
         [0038]    Referring specifically to FIG. 14, there is shown an on/off type solenoid control valve  100 , in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Control valve  100  preferably includes a fluid control body  112  and a solenoid portion  114 . Similar to the above embodiment, a plastic valve ball retaining portion is shown at  134  engaging a feed tube casing  150 , and holds the unit together to the fluid control body  112 . However, in this embodiment, a separate flux tube member  156   a  is preferably provided, rather than the integral flux tube as shown in the previously described embodiment. The flux tube member  156   a  preferably includes a support structure  180 , which supports a bearing  182  therein. The stepped bobbin arrangement  152  is also similar to the previously described embodiment. Differing in this embodiment, however, is an armature  160 , which preferably includes an actuating rod  166 , which preferably extends through the entire core of the armature  160  and exits along the axis A-A on the side opposing the valve member. The bearing  182  of support structure  180  preferably slidingly guides the rod  166  during actuation of the armature  160 . This allows for back end guidance adjacent the bobbin  152 . With this structure in place, the flux tube member  156   a  can be closer to the armature  160 , which provides improved magnetic characteristics, particularly in high-pressure solenoid control valve applications.  
         [0039]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.