Patent ID: 7195226

Claim:
A valve comprising: a valve body defining a first body fluid passageway and a second body fluid passageway therethrough; a flux tube having a closed end and an open end, said open end being in fluid communication with said first body fluid passageway and said second body fluid passageway, said flux tube having a pole portion and a cylindrical sleeve portion, said pole portion having a substantially concave face adjacent said sleeve portion, said substantially concave face of said pole portion and the interior of said sleeve portion defining a hollow armature receiving section; a spherical armature disposed in said armature receiving section of said flux tube for reciprocating movement therein between a closed position sealing against said body to prevent communication between said first body fluid passageway and said second body fluid passageway and an open position spaced apart from said body permitting communication between said first body fluid passageway and said second body fluid passageway; a winding disposed about said flux tube for electromagnetically positioning said armature, said flux tube forming a fluid tight pressure boundary between said winding and said first and second body fluid passageways; and a spring urging said armature toward said closed position.