Patent ID: 7147430

Claim:
A starter air valve assembly, comprising: a valve body defining a flow passage having at least an inlet port and an outlet port; a valve disposed at least partially within the flow passage and moveable between an open position and a closed position; a rate control servo mechanism having at least a control fluid inlet port, a feedback pressure inlet port, and a control fluid outlet port, the control fluid inlet port adapted to receive a flow of pressurized control fluid, the feedback pressure inlet port in fluid communication with the flow passage outlet port, the rate control servo mechanism responsive to receipt of the flow of pressurized control fluid to supply a controlled flow of the pressurized fluid via the control fluid outlet port; a valve actuator coupled to the valve and in fluid communication with the rate control servo mechanism control fluid outlet port to thereby receive the controlled flow of the pressurized fluid, the valve actuator configured, upon receipt of the controlled flow of the pressurized fluid, to move the valve between the closed position and the open position at a substantially controlled rate; an actuation control valve housing having a fluid inlet adapted to receive pressurized fluid and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the rate control servo mechanism control fluid inlet port; an actuation control valve mounted within the actuation control valve housing and moveable between a first position, in which the actuation control valve housing fluid inlet is fluidly isolated from the actuation control valve housing fluid outlet, and a second position, in which the actuation control valve housing fluid inlet is fluidly coupled to the actuation control valve housing fluid outlet, to thereby supply pressurized fluid to the rate control servo mechanism; a shuttle valve housing having a first fluid port in fluid communication with the actuation control valve housing fluid inlet, a second fluid port in fluid communication with the flow passage outlet port, and a third fluid port in fluid communication with the valve actuator; and a shuttle element disposed within the shuttle valve housing and movable between at least a first position, in which the shuttle element fluidly isolates the first fluid port from the third fluid port, and a second position, in which the shuttle element fluidly isolates the second fluid port from the third fluid port.