Patent ID: 7503342

Claim:
A proportional directional control valve comprising: a housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an interior chamber; an electronic controller mounted within the interior chamber; at least one solenoid assembly electrically coupled to the electronic controller, the solenoid assembly disposed in the second portion, a drive pin of the solenoid assembly being reciprocally moveable responsive to a current provided by the electronic controller; a valve assembly disposed in the second portion, the valve assembly comprising a linearly moveable valve element operatively connected to the solenoid assembly, a position of the valve element being responsive to a position of the drive pin; a magnetic assembly operatively connected to the valve element, the magnetic assembly providing a magnetic field responsive to the position of the valve element, the magnetic assembly including a non-magnetic housing having a passageway extending axially through a portion of the non-magnetic housing, first and second magnets disposed in the passageway, and first and second magnetic pole pieces disposed between the first and second magnets; and a magnetic positioning sensor assembly coupled to the electronic controller, the magnetic positioning sensor detecting a change in the magnetic field, the magnetic positioning sensor assembly generating an output voltage proportional to the change in the magnetic field.