Patent ID: 7543603

Claim:
A solenoid gas valve ( 101 ) comprising: a valve tube ( 1 ) defining: a gas input port ( 41 ) for receiving a flow of gas; two outlet passages; and a cavity ( 22 ) communicating with the gas input port ( 41 ) and the outlet passages; a normally-open outlet fitting ( 2 ) and a normally-closed outlet fitting ( 3 ) respectively fitted into said outlet passages to provide gas exit ports ( 34 ),( 35 ) having seal seats ( 40 ),( 13 ), one ( 13 ) of the seal seats being for the gas exit port ( 35 ) of the normally-closed fitting ( 3 ) and the other ( 40 ) of the seal seats being for the gas exit port ( 34 ) of the normally-open fitting ( 2 ); a support cylindrical body ( 4 ) defining pass-through holes ( 27 ) and ( 30 ) and being secured in the cavity ( 22 ) to the normally-closed outlet fitting ( 3 ) to define a chamber ( 26 ) to which the gas exit port ( 35 ) of the normally-closed fitting ( 3 ) leads and to which the pass-through holes ( 27 ) and ( 30 ) lead; a solenoid assembly ( 6 ) fitted and slidable within the chamber ( 26 ) defined by the support cylindrical body ( 4 ), the solenoid assembly: including an electrical coil ( 11 ); being disposed in sealed relation in the support cylindrical body ( 4 ) so as to divide the chamber ( 26 ) defined by the support cylindrical body ( 4 ) to a front side chamber ( 7 ) which communicates with one ( 27 ) of the pass-through holes and a back side chamber ( 29 ) which communicates with the other ( 30 ) of the pass-through holes defining: a hollow chamber ( 16 ); an interior orifice seal seat ( 18 ); a seal ( 14 ); and a bleed orifice ( 33 ) leading between an interior orifice seal seat ( 18 ) and the one ( 13 ) of the seal seats; a rod-piston assembly including: a rod ( 37 ) attached to the solenoid assembly ( 6 ) and passing through the support cylindrical body ( 4 ) into said cavity ( 22 ) in sealed relation to said support cylindrical body ( 4 ) so as to prevent gas communication between said cavity ( 22 ) and said front side chamber ( 7 ); and a piston ( 38 ) with a seal ( 39 ), attached to the rod ( 37 ) of the rod-piston assembly; a magnetic rod ( 15 ) fitted and slidable within the hollow chamber ( 16 ); a spring ( 17 ) for and urging said magnetic rod ( 15 ) towards the interior orifice seal seat ( 18 ) to seal said bleed orifice ( 33 ); a spring ( 12 ) for and urging said solenoid assembly ( 6 ) towards the one ( 13 ) of the seal seats to seal the gas exit port ( 35 ) of the normally-closed outlet fitting ( 3 ); wherein the electric coil ( 11 ) provides a magnetic field for movement of said magnetic rod ( 15 ) in the solenoid assembly ( 6 ); and the solenoid assembly ( 6 ) and the rod-piston assembly are movable between a position wherein the piston ( 38 ) of the rod-piston assembly seals against the other ( 40 ) of the seal seats and a position wherein the seal ( 14 ) of the solenoid assembly ( 6 ) seals against the one ( 13 ) of the seal seats.