Patent ID: 6945508

Claim:
An electromagnetic control valve, comprising: a housing defining a bore and a fluid passageway having a seat; a valve element slidably disposed in the bore and moveable between a first position where a flow of fluid passes by the seat and a second position where a flow of fluid relative to the seat is blocked; a solenoid having an armature fixedly secured with the valve element so as to move in unison with the valve element during the entire operation of the valve, the solenoid operable to move the valve element from the first position to the second position; and a biasing assembly operatively engaged with the valve element and adapted to move the valve element form the second position towards the first position, the biasing assembly exerting a first force on the valve element during a first predetermined travel distance from the second position and a second force on the valve element during a second predetermined travel distance, wherein the first force is greater than the second force.