Patent ID: 8267121

Claim:
A valve assembly, comprising: a housing including an interior chamber; an inlet port configured to supply fluid under pressure to the interior chamber; an outlet port configured to receive fluid under pressure from the interior chamber; a control port in flow communication with the interior chamber; a valve member configured to move within the interior chamber to permit flow communication between the inlet port and the control port, and between the control port and the outlet port, the valve member extending longitudinally from a first end proximate the control port to a second end proximate an actuator, the valve member including a transversely extending conduit positioned between, and spaced apart from, the first end and the second end; the actuator configured to move the valve member in the interior chamber to form a first opening at the inlet port and a second opening at the outlet port; and a plurality of passageways in the valve member configured to direct fluid from the first opening to the control port and from the control port to the second opening, wherein the plurality of passageways are positioned geometrically parallel to each other and extend from the first end to the transversely extending conduit, wherein each passageway of the plurality of passageways extend completely between the first end and the transversely extending conduit of the valve member, and the plurality of passageways are arranged symmetrically about a longitudinal axis of the valve member.