US3909758A

US3909758A - Solenoid valve

Info

Publication number: US3909758A
Application number: US476706A
Authority: US
Inventors: Waldemar Hans; Helmut Staib; Alfred Grob
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 1973-07-25
Filing date: 1974-06-05
Publication date: 1975-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-30
Also published as: SE7409609L; JPS5759473B2; FR2238882A1; GB1451406A; CH572272A5; JPS5043523A; DE2337843C2; SE392653B; DE2337843A1; FR2238882B1; IT1025026B

Abstract

An annular magnetic plate has planar parallel side surfaces, one of them contacting an end surface of a solenoid coil carrier and the other contacting an opposite surface of a solenoid terminal carrier. The plate has outer and inner edges, in contact respectively with an inside surface of a magnetic shell and an outside surface of a tubular magnetic element, to complete the magnetic circuit induced by the solenoid coil and to mechanically interconnect the solenoid coil and terminal carriers. The coil, shell, plate and tubular element coaxially surround a magnetic core member and a valve member operated thereby, to magnetically move these members in the tubular element.

Description

Hans et al.

SOLENOID VALVE Inventors: Waldemar Hans; Helmul Staih, both of Bamherg; Alfred Grub, ()berstenfeld. all of (lei-many Assignee: Robert Bosch (i.n1 b.l'l.. Stuttgart.

Germany Filed: June 5 1974 Appl. No; 476,706

Foreign Application Priority Data Jul 15. I973 German t v i i i v t r r 133784 US. Cl. 4 i i i 335/255; 335/25U; 335/278 lnl. (fl. i i 4 r i r HUIF 7/08 Field Of Search 335/278 2(i() 251. 255

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Furrextei' et al.

llll 3,909,758

X Sept. 30, 1975 Anastasia et ul. 335/260 Flentge 335/278 I 5 7 I ABSTRACT An annular magnetic piute has planar parallel side sur faces. one of them contacting an end surface of a solenoid cuil carrier and the other contacting an opposite surface of a solenoid terminal carrier. The plate has outer and inner etlges in contact respectively with an inside surface of a magnetic shell and an outside surtaee of a tubular magnetic element. to complete the magnetic circuit induced by the solenoid coil and to mechanically interconnect the solenoid coil and terminal carriers. The coil shell, plate and tubular element cuaxially surround a magnetic core member and a valve member operated thereby. to magnetieall move these members in the tubular element,

12 Claims. 2 Druvting Figures U.S. Patent Sept. 30,1975

SOLENOID VALVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a solenoid valve of the type wherein a solenoid coil surrounds a fluid-tight tubular element, said element surrounding a magnetic core and a valve member connected to said core; the solenoid being surrounded by a magnetic shell and a magnetic plate being provided for completing a magnetic circuit between the shell and a magnetic end portion of the tubular element.

Solenoid valves of this type have heretofore met with difficulties. In a typical earlier construction of this type, the inner tubular element was threaded to a valve housing and was provided with a bolt secured to the tubular element; the coil and magnetic plate were clamped to the bolt, while the shell was fastened to the bolt by an additional nut. The construction was complex and expensive and did not allow desirable coaxial arrangement of a coil terminal carrier, at the end of the shell.

Difficulties have also been encountered in other prior constructions of the indicated type including, for example, a rapid acting miniature solenoid valve wherein the coil was arranged between two collars on the inner tubular element and was surrounded by a cover injectionmolded thereon; the magnet was fastened to the valve housing by a coupling not with the aid ofa tubular magnetic shell. The construction again was rather expensive; it also had the defect that a burnt out coil could be replaced only together with the inner tubular element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to avoid difficulties of the aforementioned types.

It is another object to provide a solenoid valve of simple construction and wherein the several elements are readily individually removable and replaceable.

Another important object is to minimize losses of electromagnetic energy in such a solenoid valve.

It is also desired that the construction be easily adaptable to various valves and applications thereof. Still other objects may be noted from the detailed disclosure which follows.

The objects have been acheived by combining the solenoid coil of a solenoid valve with a solenoid terminal carrier axially spaced therefrom, and with a magnetic end plate, inserted to fill the space between the solenoid and the terminal carrier.

By virtue of this construction the solenoid unit is particularly easy to assemble and repair. A coil unit (coil, terminal carrier and magnetic end plate) can simply be inserted by sliding it onto the inner tubular part of the magnet. Prior to such insertion of the coil unit, the

magnetic end plate is removably inserted between the coil carrier and its terminal carrier, by radially moving this plate into the space between these carriers. The two carriers are advantageously interconnected by a rigid bar or bridge; the magnetic end plate can have a relatively small peripheral recess fitting this bar or bridge and which does not significantly unbalance the symmetry of the magnetic circuit. The several parts are mechanically interconnected without bolting or the like. by this insertion of the end plate on the solenoid carriers and are held in proper arrangement by the ensuing insertion of the solenoid carriers and plate on the tubular inner part. The entire magnet and solenoid unit can then be secured to the valve housing by threads on the magnetic shell. The coil terminals can be advantageously axially fed into one end of the unit. The parts which constitute the magnetic circuit are closely fitted to each other so that losses of energy are minimized.

For this latter purpose the magnetic shell may have a first end portion, adjacent the valve, in contact with a flange element extending outwardly from the inner tubular element. The opposite end of the magnetic shell desirably has a collar, an inner surface of which is in contact with an adjacent end surface of the coil terminal carrier. In this way the shell not only serves as a part of the magnetic circuit but also firmly holds the coil carrier and terminal carrier on the inner tubular element, while holding the entire magnetic unit on the valve housing.

Other features and advantages of the invention may be noted from the detailed description which follows.

The novel features which are considered as charac teristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a solenoid valve according to the invention, the view being taken along lines Il in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is another sectional view, taken along lines 2-2 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A magnet unit generally designated by numeral 10 is threadedly connected to an end portion 11 of the valve I2, this valve being shown only in part as various constructions of it are known to the art and are not part of this invention.

The magnet unit It) is shown as having a fluid-tight inner tubular portion 13, one end of which is surrounded by a flange element 14. The inner tubular portion 13 has a non-magnetic tube element 15, between magnetic tube elements, one of which constitutes a cap 16 at the end of this unit opposite flange element l4. This cap 16, as well as the other end portion of the tubular part I3 and flange element 14, consists of magnetic material (this term being used herein to indicate magnetically permeable material). As further shown a yoke I7 is inserted in the inner tubular element 13 adjacent the flange I4, with apertures 18 extending through the yoke to connect a fluid chamber of the valve 12 with a core chamber 19 in the inner tubular part 13. In this chamber 19 a magnetic core 22, biassed toward valve 12 by a compression spring 21, is slidingly movable over a short distance, this core having apertures I8 for balancing fluid pressures on both sides of the core. A valve pin 23, slidingly guided in yoke 17, can be moved by core 22 either by threading the pin into the core or by simple contact between the pin and core. as is well known in the construction of valves. As is similarly understood, a spacer ring or shim 24 is interposed between the valve end of the inner tubular element I3 and a sleeve 26, forming part of the valve portion 11, a flat contact surface 25 being provided between these elements 24, 26.

According to the invention, a solenoid coil unit 27, surrounding the inner tubular element 13 and comprising a coil carrier 28 with a coil 29 thereon is axially spaced from a solenoid terminal carrier 31, coaxial with the coil carrier and firmly or if preferred rigidly connected therewith by a bar or bridge 32, and mag netic end plate 35 substantially fills the space between these carriers Outer peripheral portions of coil carrier 28, terminal carrier 31 and plate 35 have substantially identical diameters.

The bar or bridge 32 is disposed at or adjacent the peripheries of the carriers 28, 31. As best shown in FIG. 2, this bar or bridge 32 extends only over a limited arcuate distance.

in further accordance with the invention, an inner aperture 33 extends through the coil carrier 28 and plate 35 and into the terminal carrier 31. The diameter of this aperture substantially coincides with the outer diameter of the inner magnetic element 13 to establish firm and accurate contact therewith. Transversely of this aperture 33, the coil unit 27 has a recess 34 which separates the coil carrier 28 from the terminal carrier 31, an end surface 34a being formed on the coil carrier 28 and being contacted by a side surface of the magnetic end plate 35 which fills the recess 34 and also contacts a surface of the terminal carrier 31, opposite the end surface 34a. The end plate 35 has a small peripheral recess 32, fitting around the sides of the bar or bridge 36; the plate 35 having a large arcuate edge portion contacting the inside of a magnetic shell 46, to be described presently, and having a complete circular edge in contact with the magnetic inner cap 16.

The end portions of coil 29 extend across the recess 34, for example on the two sides of a reinforcing rib 37 on the bar 32, from the coil carrier 28 to terminal carrier 31, where they are suitably fastened to contact vanes 39, 41. These vanes as shown, extend in directions parallel to the axis of the unit, away from valve 12. Injection molded material 42 is shown as surrounding coil 29 and contact carrier 31 and as providing a receptacle 43 for a connector socket (not shown). The injection molded covering 42 also has a shoulder 44, advantageously provided with three lugs 45 extending axially away from the valve.

A magnetic shell 46 surrounds the solenoid unit 27. This shell has a valve end 47 abutting against a surface of the flange element 14, while the shell also has an inwardly projecting collar 48 remote from the valve 12 and in contact with lugs 45, axially projecting from the terminal carrier 3]. Threads 49 are formed on the outer surface of the shell 46 to fit into inner threads on the valve portion 1 1. For threading the shell 46 into the valve portion 11, flat faces 51 are formed on the shell adjacent the terminal carrier 31.

The assembly of the solenoid magnet unit is very simple. Initially the solenoid unit 27 (28, 31, 32) is held apart from the inner magnetic tubular part [3. The magnetic plate 35 is then inserted in the transverse recess 34 of this unit 27 to establish coaxial positions of the parts 27, 35. Incident to this insertion the recess 36 of plate 35 is engaged with the bar or bridge 32 of solenoid unit 27. The resulting subcombination 27, 35 can then be simply slid onto the inner tubular element 13. Next, the shell 46 is applied coaxially to these parts and is threaded onto valve portion 11, thereby at the same time fastening the subcombination 27, 35 to the inner tubular element 13 and fastening the entire magnet 10 to the valve portion 11. Surface engagement between the collar 48 and the lugs 45 establishes proper equalization of longitudinal tolerances of the solenoid unit 27, on inner magnetic tubular means 13, when the shell 46 has been threaded into valve element 11 to establish proper contact at the valve end 47 of the shell.

The several elements can be removed and interchanged easily. The construction allows continued use of unimpaired parts, while facilitating replacement of damaged parts. In particular the solenoid unit 27 can be removed and replaced, without loss of the magnetic plate 35, inner tubular element 13, or shell 46. At the same time the

parts

46, 35, l6, l4 and 13 constituting the stationary unit of the magnetic circuit, can always be kept in intimate contact with one another; similarly the solenoid portions 28, 31 can always be firmly interconnected by plate 35; and thus it is possible to fully avoid magnetic losses due to vibrations and the like.

The new magnet also facilitates application to large numbers of different valve constructions, particulary by virtue of the fact that the elements are so easily removable from one another and replaceable by other elements.

It is believed that the operation of the new solenoid valve will be obvious, to persons skilled in the art, from the structural description given herein.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of solenoid valve differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a solenoid valve, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A solenoid valve comprising tubular magnetic means having a magnetic core member and a valve member both provided within said tubular magnetic means, said valve member being connected with said magnetic core member; a magnetic shell spaced radially outwardly from and rotatable with respect to said tubular magnetic means, said magnetic shell having an open end portion; solenoid coil means surrounding said tubular means; solenoid terminal means spaced axially from said coil means and having terminals connected to said coil means which are accessible through said open end portion of said shell; and a magnetic plate insorted in said shell and around said tubular means for completing a magnetic circuit induced by said coil means so as to magnetically move said magnetic core member and said valve member, said plate substantially filling the space between said coil means and said terminal means whereby said rotatable magnetic shell is readily mountable and removable with respect to said tubular magnetic means for facilitating the continued use of unimpaired parts and the replacement of damaged parts.

2. The solenoid valve defined in claim 1 wherein the sides of said plate and adjacent surfaces of said coil and terminal means are planar and parallel to facilitate disassembly of said plate from said coil and terminal means and reassembly thereof, on removal thereof from said tubular means.

3. The solenoid valve defined in claim 2 wherein said shell is constructed to releasably hold said solenoid coil means, terminal means and plate on said tubular means.

4. The solenoid valve defined in claim 1 including contact vanes on said solenoid terminal means. extending away from said valve member parallel to the axis of the shell.

5. The solenoid valve defined in claim 1 including a flange element closely surrounding the tubular magnetic means, said shell having an end portion abutting against said flange element.

6. The solenoid valve defined in claim 5 including outer threads on said shell for connecting said shell to a portion of the valve.

7. The solenoid valve defined in claim 1 including a collar projecting inwardly from an end portion of said shell remote from said valve member, said terminal means having lug means axially extending opposite said collar and engaged by the same.

8. The solenoid valve defined in claim 1, including a cover of synthetic plastic material surrounding said coil means.

9. The solenoid valve defined in claim 1, including an end portion of said shell remote from said valve memher, and flat faces on said end portion for turning said shell to fasten it to a part of the valve.

10. A solenoid valve comprising a magnetic shell; tubular magnetic means radially inwardly spaced from said shell; a magnet core and a valve member connected thereto, both in said tubular means; solenoid coil means in said shell surrounding said tubular means; solenoid terminal means having terminals connected to said coil means and accessible through an end of said shell, said terminal means having a bar-like bridge member firmly joining said terminal means to said coil means and maintaining the latter axially spaced from said terminal means; and a magnetic plate inserted in said shell and around said tubular means for completing a magnetic circuit induced by said coil means, said plate substantially filling the space between said coil means and said terminal means.

11. The solenoid valve defined in claim 10 wherein said plate is annular except for a recess therein. corresponding to said bridge, and has a circular inner surface for full peripheral contact with said tubular means.

12. The solenoid valve defined in claim 11 wherein said annular plate has an extended, arcuate outer surface in contact with an inside surface of said shell.

Claims

1. A solenoid valve comprising tubular magnetic means having a magnetic core member and a valve member both provided within said tubular magnetic means, said valve member being connected with said magnetic core member; a magnetic shell spaced radially outwardly from and rotatable with respect to said tubular magnetic means, said magnetic shell having an open end portion; solenoid coil means surrounding said tubular means; solenoid terminal means spaced axially from said coil means and having terminals connected to said coil means which are accessible through said open end portion of said shell; and a magnetic plate inserted in said shell and around said tubular means for completing a magnetic circuit induced by said coil means so as to magnetically move said magnetic core member and said valve member, said plate substantially filling the space between said coil means and said terminal means, whereby said rotatable magnetic shell is readily mountable and removable with respect to said tubular magnetic means for facilitating the continued use of unimpaired parts and the replacement of damaged parts.

4. The solenoid valve defined in claim 1 including contact vanes on said solenoid terminal means, extending away from said valve member parallel to the axis of the shell.

9. The solenoid valve defined in claim 1, including an end portion of said shell remote from said valve member, and flat faces on said end portion for turning said shell to fasten it to a part of the valve.

11. The solenoid valve defined in claim 10 wherein said plate is annular except for a recess therein, corresponding to said bridge, and has a circular inner surface for full peripheral contact with said tubular means.