Patent ID: 8316888

Claim:
A hydraulic control valve comprising: a solenoid body; a selectively energizable coil; an armature positioned adjacent the coil and having a valve stem extending therefrom; the coil being energizable to move the armature and the valve stem from a first position to a second position; wherein the valve body, the armature and the valve stem are configured so that the armature and the valve stem are biased to the first position by pressurized fluid; a pole piece positioned to establish a gap between the pole piece and the armature; wherein the armature is configured to route pressurized fluid between the gap and a side of the armature opposite the pole piece and the gap; and wherein a first area of the armature exposed to pressurized fluid in the gap is greater than a second area of the armature exposed to pressurized fluid at the side of the armature opposite the gap, the armature thereby being biased away from the pole piece by the fluid.