Patent ID: 8707996

Claim:
A selector valve for independently controlling fluid between a first passage, a second passage, and a common passage, comprising: a valve housing comprising an inner chamber in communication with the common passage, having a first valve seat in communication with the first passage and a second valve seat in communication with the second passage, the first valve seat and the second valve seat being coaxially located along an axis; a shaft slidably extending through the valve housing along the axis between the first valve seat and the second valve seat; a first valve poppet slidably mounted upon the shaft within the inner chamber, having a valve face for seating against the first valve seat, and an inner surface; a second valve poppet slidably mounted upon the shaft within the inner chamber, having a valve face for seating against the second valve seat, and an inner surface; wherein one of the first valve poppet or the second valve poppet slidably receives the other of the first valve poppet or the second valve poppet and the inner surface of the first valve poppet and the inner surface of the second valve poppet define a pressure chamber; and a spring coaxially located around the shaft between the first valve poppet and the second valve poppet, pushing against the inner surface of the first valve poppet and the inner surface of the second valve poppet, biasing the first valve poppet and the second valve poppet away from each other and toward the first valve seat and the second valve seat; wherein: when the shaft is in a central position, the spring biases the first valve poppet against the first valve seat and the second valve poppet against the second valve seat, restricting fluid flow between the first passage, the second passage and the common passage through first valve seat and the second valve seat, when the shaft is moved in a first direction from the central position, an actuating member on the shaft contacts the valve face of the first valve poppet, moving the first valve poppet toward the second valve poppet, such that a fluid path is opened between the first passage and the common passage through the first valve seat, and when the shaft is moved in a second direction from the central position, an actuating member on the shaft contacts the valve face of the second valve poppet, moving the second valve poppet toward the first valve poppet, such that a fluid path is opened between the second passage and the common passage through the second valve seat.