Patent ID: 7287551

Claim:
An electronic gas control valve including: an electric motor for operating said valve; a valve body having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a gas passage between said inlet and said outlet; and a valve control element for controlling the flow of gas between said inlet and said outlet; wherein said valve control element is mounted in said valve body for rotation therein by said electric motor, and said valve control element includes a cam follower that engages with a cam surface of the valve body, rotation of the valve control element by said electric motor causing the cam follower to co-operate with the cam surface to move the valve control element longitudinally within said valve body to open or close the valve under a camming action; wherein said valve includes a main sealing element operated by said valve control element to control a main flow of gas through said valve body, and wherein said valve includes a bypass passage and bypass valve operated by said valve control element to control a bypass flow of gas that bypasses said main sealing element; and wherein said main sealing element is operated by a longitudinal movement of said valve control element relative to said valve body through said camming action, and wherein said bypass valve is operated by a rotational movement of said valve control element relative to said valve body without said camming action.