Patent ID: 8474485

Claim:
A fluid valve, comprising: a first port; a second port; a third port; a chamber fluidly coupled to the second port; a first slidable sleeve configured to selectively fluidly couple the first port to the chamber and the second port; a second slidable sleeve configured to selectively fluidly couple the third port to the chamber and the second port; a piston forming at least part of the chamber and operatively coupled to the sleeves, wherein the piston is configured to move between: a first position in which the first sleeve is displaced by the piston to fluidly couple the first port to the chamber and the second port; a second position in which neither sleeve is displaced by the piston so that neither of the first and third ports is fluidly coupled to the second port; and a third position in which the second sleeve is displaced by the piston to fluidly couple the third port to the chamber and the second port; and a seal coupled to the piston and configured to fluidly decouple the chamber from at least one of the first port and the third port, wherein the seal is protected by one of the first and second sleeves when the piston engages the respective sleeve.