GB2182418A

GB2182418A - Solenoid valve

Info

Publication number: GB2182418A
Application number: GB08526973A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Malcolm Wilson
Original assignee: TI Domestic Appliances Ltd
Current assignee: TI Domestic Appliances Ltd
Priority date: 1985-11-01
Filing date: 1985-11-01
Publication date: 1987-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2005-11-01
Also published as: GB2182418B; GB8526973D0

Abstract

A solenoid valve, for use in gas cooking appliances, has a body with a central axis 38, a solenoid-actuated member 30 e.g. of hexagonal section, movable reciprocally between open and closed positions in the axial direction, and an inlet 22 and an outlet 23 at opposite ends of the body and communicating with transverse inlet and outlet manifolds 11 and 12. An array of valves with different rates of flow can be used to give an on/off function and different rates of flow (Fig. 2), the array having a common inlet manifold and a common outlet manifold. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Solenoid valve This invention relates to solenoid valves and in particular, but not exclusively, to solenoid valves for controlling flows of gas.

Solenoid valves for controlling gas flows have been proposed in which a reciprocal closure member is movable to close a passage for the gas but such valves are generally expensive when considered for use with heating and cooking appliances. In the known valves the closure member is usually arranged to seat against the edges of an opening located between two portions of the passage and this arrangement contributes towards increasing the cost of the valve and the arrangement into which it fits.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved solenoid valve which is capable of providing cost benefits in construction and installation.

According to the invention a solenoid valve for fluid flow control comprises a valve body having a central longitudinal axis, a solenoid actuated reciprocal member movable between open and closed position in the axial direction, an outlet opening towards one end of the body, an inlet opening towards the opposite end of the body, and passage means defined by the valve and communicåting between the inlet and the outlet, the passage means extending in the generally axial direction through the valve and being closable by the movement of the reciprocal member towards its closed position.

Preferably the inlet communicates with an inlet manifold for supplying fluid to the inlet, the manifold extending transversely to the valve axis and the outlet communicates with an outlet manifold into which fluid is discharged when the valve is in an open position, the outlet manifold extending generally transverse to the valve axis.

Conveniently the passage means is defined in part by a fixed member towards one end of the valve adjacent the inlet, the fixed member having an axial bore for the passage of the fluid and the bore is arranged to receive spring means for urging the reciprocal member towards a closed position.

The passage means may be defined in part by a space between the reciprocal member and fixed guide means for the member.

The reciprocal member may have a non-circular cross-section and be received in the guide means which is of circular cross-section.

The invention also provides a solenoid valve array which comprises two or more solenoid valves according to the invention each having a predetermined rate of flow for the fluid, the valves being connected to common fluid supply means and common fluid discharge means, and the array including control means whereby the valves can each be operated between open and closed positions individually or in combination to give different rates of flow of fluid between thegfluid supply means and the discharge means depending on which of the valves are opened.

The valves may be arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel, with the valve inlets in communication with an inlet manifold and with the valve outlets in communication with an outlet manifold, the manifolds extending transversely to the valve axes.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-section through a solenoid valve, and Figure 2 is a similar view to that of Fig. 1 to a reduced scale showing an array of solenoid valves of the kind shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings a solenoid valve 10 is connected between an inlet manifold 11 (in this case a gas rail for, for example, a gasoperated cooking appliance) and an outlet manifold 12.

The valve 10 has an outer cylindrical casing 13 of mild steel surrounding a solenoid coil 14.

The casing 13 engages at one end with the manifold 11 and, through a mild steel washer 15, at the other end with the manifold 12.

Internally of the coil 14 is a brass sleeve 17 which is received at one end in a bore 18 formed in the outlet manifold 12. The other end of the sleeve 17 engages around and against a face of a valve member 19.

The valve member 19 is of mild steel and has a portion 21 at one end defining an inlet 22 for the valve located internally of the inlet manifold 11. Adjacent this end the number 19 is in sealing engagement with a bore 23 in the wali of the manifold 11, the seal being effected by a sealing ring 24. The member 19 is flanged at 25 to engage the outer surface of the manifold 11 and extends from the flange 25 into one end of the sleeve 17. The valve member 19 is formed with an axial bore 27 extending from the inlet 22 through to the opposite end of the member 19 and the bore 27 is arranged to receive a compression spring 28.

A reciprocal valve member 30 is located in the sleeve 17 and carries a sealing member 31 at one end. The sealing member 31 is, in the closed position of the valve, arranged to engage an annular seat 32 formed in the base of the bore 18. Within the seat 32 is an outlet orifice 33 which communicates with the outlet manifold 12. The size of the orifice 33 determines the rate of flow of fluid through the valve when the valve is in an open position, it being shown in a closed position in Fig. 1.

The reciprocal valve member 30 has an axial bore 34 at its end remote from the seal 32 and the bore 34 receives the compression spring 28 so that the spring is located between the valve member 19 and the reciprocal member 30 and urges the reciprocal member 30 towards sealing engagement with the seat 32.

The casing 13 together with the member 19, the washer 15 and the valve member 30 forms a magnetic circuit for the solenoid.

The reciprocal member 30 is guided for reciprocal movement upon energisation of the coil 14 by the sleeve 17 and is of hexagonal cross-section thereby providing spaces (not shown) between the member 30 and the circular sleeve 17 along which the fluid passes to the orifice when the valve is open, i.e.

when the sealing member 31 is raised clear of the seat 32. Radial openings 36 are formed in the reciprocal member 30 opening into the bore 34 so that access to the spaces along the member 30 is obtained.

The sleeve 17 is sealed in the bore 18 in the outlet manifold 12 by a sealing member 37.

It will be seen that the valve has a central axis 38 extending at a right angle to the axes 39 and 40 ofthe inlet and outlet manifolds 11 and 12 respectively. When the valve is in an open position, which is when the solenoid via its coil 14 is energised and the member 30 is moved upwardly, as shown, against the spring 28, fluid in the inlet manifold 11 is able to pass through the valve in a generally axial direction through the valve. The fluid enters the valve through the inlet 22, passes along the bore 27 in the member 19 and into the bore 34 in the member 30. The fluid then passes through the radial openings 36 into the spaces between the member 30 and the sleeve 17, to the orifice 33, and into the outlet manifold 12.The orifice 33 is arranged to have the smallest cross-section of the fluid passages in the valve and so determines the rate of flow through the valve at a given fluid pressure. By altering the size of the orifice 33 the same valve can be used to provide different rates of fluid flow. The coil 14 is connected to a source of direct current (not shown).

Referring now particularly to Fig. 3, an arrangement is shown of four valves of the kind shown in Fig. 1. The valves 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D are arranged in an array with the cental axes 38 of the valves parallel to one another and the inlet and outlet manifolds 11 and 12 lying at right angles to the axes of the valves.

The valves each have their inlets 22 communicating with the inlet manifold 11 and their outlets 33 communicating with the outlet manifold.The size of the outlet orifice 33 of each valve is selected so that a range of flow rates of the fluid between the inlet and outlet manifolds can be obtained as well as a no-flow facility. For example in the case of the four valve array shown fifteen different flow rates can be achieved, in addition to an "off" position. A three valve array would have seven flow rates plus an "off" position.

Suitable control means (not shown) can be arranged so that any one of the flow rates can be selected by actuating switch means, one for each available flow rate, which selects the valves which need to be energised to achieve the selected flow rate. For example when the array is to be used for controlling a flow of gas to a cooking appliance switch means will be provided for stopping the flow of gas, for providing a minimum or simmer setting, a maximum setting and for a range of settings. between the minimum and maximum settings. Such a valve arrangement is capable of more precise control of flow settings and obviates the need for the conventional rotary gas valves.

The valves can also be used in association with conventional rotary valve for the off/on function, for example, in gas oven controls having a timing mechanism.

The invention provides a solenoid-operated control valve which is of simple construction requiring relatively few parts and which is adapted for easy assembly and installation.

Claims

1. A solenoid valve for fluid flow control comprises a valve body having a central longitudinal axis, a solenoid actuated reciprocal member movable between open and closed positions in the axial direction, an outlet opening towards one end of the body, an inlet opening towards the opposite end of the body, and passage means defined by the valve and communicating between the inlet and the outlet, the passage means extending in the generally axial direction through the valve and being closable by the movement of the reciprocal member towards its closed position.

2. A solenoid valve according to claim 1 wherein the inlet communicates with an inlet manifold for supplying fluid to the inlet, the manifold extending transversely to the valve axis.

3. A solenoid valve according to claim 1 or claim 2 the outlet communicates with an outlet manifold into which fluid is discharged when the valve is in an open position, the outlet manifold extending generally transverse to the valve axis.

4. A solenoid valve according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the passage means is defined in part by a fixed member towards one end of the valve adjacent the inlet, the fixed member having an axial bore for the passage of the fluid.

5. A solenoid valve according to claim 4 wherein the bore is arranged to receive spring means for urging the reciprocal member towards a closed position.

6. A solenoid valve according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the passage means is defined in part by a space between the reciprocal member and fixed guide means for the member.

7. A solenoid valve according to claim 6 wherein the reciprocal member has a non-circular cross-section and is received in the guide means which is of circular cross-section.

8. A solenoid valve array comprising two or more solenoid valve as claimed in any one of claims 1-7 each having a predetermined rate of flow for the fluid, the valves being connected to common fluid supply means and common fluid discharge means, and the array including control means whereby the valves can each be operated between open and closed position individually or in combination to give different rates of flow of fluid between the fluid supply means and the discharge means depending on which of the valves are opened.

9. A solenoid valve array according to claim 8 wherein the valves are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel, with the valve inlets in communication with an inlet manifold and with the valve outlets in communication with an outlet manifold, the manifolds extending transversely to the valve axes.

10. A solenoid valve substantially as described with reference to the drawings.