Patent ID: 7905467

Claim:
A refrigeration valve for a refrigeration system evaporator configuration, the valve comprising: a valve body having spaced inlet and outlet ports separated by an intermediate valve seat in open communication with the inlet and outlet ports; a first piston reciprocable within a bore in the valve body, the piston including a valve member being adapted to sealingly mate with the valve seat, the piston including a bleed hole through a portion of the first piston providing a fluid pathway connecting the valve body outlet port to the bore in the valve body; an adapter body secured to an open end of the bore in the valve body; a second piston reciprocable within a bore in the adapter body, the second piston having a portion adapted to extend into the bore in the valve body; an end cap positioned adjacent the adapter body on a side opposite the valve body; an inlet connectable to a source of high pressure gas; a first conduit extending at least partially through the end cap and the adapter body, fluidly connecting the source of high pressure gas to the bore in the valve body; a second conduit extending at least partially through the end cap, fluidly connecting the source of high pressure gas to the bore in the adapter body; a first solenoid assembly attached to the end cap or the adapter and moveable to open and close the first conduit; and a second solenoid assembly attached to the end cap or the adapter and moveable to open and close the second conduit; the first and second solenoid being selectively activated and deactivated alone or in unison to make the valve operate in a predetermined operating condition, the predetermined operating condition including a first operating condition wherein the valve is fully open, a second operating condition wherein the valve is fully closed, and a third operating condition wherein the valve is partially open and a portion of the second piston engages the first piston to hold the first piston in the partially open position.