Patent ID: 7007924

Claim:
A solenoid assembly, comprising: a) a unitary, one-piece housing comprised of encapsulant, b) an electromagnetic device completely encompassed by and embedded in the encapsulant, the electromagnetic device including: i) a bobbin and coil subassembly, the bobbin having a central cavity and circumscribing a central axis and the coil wound around the bobbin, and an opening in the housing into the central cavity for receipt of a valve; ii) terminal means electrically connected to the coil; iii) a yoke surrounding the subassembly; and iv) a flux plate with an opening into the central cavity, the flux plate electrically connected to the yoke and electrically insulated from the coil such that a flux gap is provided between the coil and yoke; c) lead wires having one end embedded in the encapsulant and electrically connected to the terminal means; d) a hollow conduit having one end thereof embedded in the encapsulant and receiving and enclosing the lead wires, and having a distal end, free of encapsulant; and e) an insulating plug located within the conduit at the one end thereof, the lead wires extending through the insulating plug; whereby upon energization of the coil by a current applied to the lead wires, electromagnetic forces generate a magnetic field within the central cavity for movement of a valve member.