Patent ID: 7578494

Claim:
A solenoid valve comprising: a coil that provides a magnetic field when the coil is energized; a stator core that includes a receiving bore, wherein the stator core generates a magnetic attractive force when the coil is energized; a valve member that is attracted toward the stator core due to the magnetic attractive force generated by the stator core; a coil spring that is received in the receiving bore of the stator core, wherein the coil spring biases the valve member in an opposite direction opposite from the stator core; and a stopper that positions the coil spring such that an outer peripheral surface of the coil spring is separated from an inner peripheral surface of the receiving bore, wherein: the stopper includes: a first portion at one side of the stopper closer to an end portion of the receiving bore; and a second portion that extends from the first portion toward the valve member; and Dsc <Dst 1 is satisfied in a condition where: the receiving bore has an inner diameter of Dsc; and the first portion has an outer diameter of Dst 1 ; the valve member includes an armature that is attracted toward the stator core, the armature having an end surface in opposed facing relation to the stator core; the stator core has a column portion having the receiving bore therein; the column portion of the stator core has a flat end surface facing said end surface of the armature; said end surface of the armature is disposed in a plane that is parallel to a plane of the flat end surface of the column portion of the stator core; the coil has a bottom end proximate said end surface of the armature and a top end remote from said end surface of the armature; a bottom end surface of the coil is positioned above so as to be vertically spaced from said end surface of the armature; and a majority of the stopper is received in the receiving bore.