Solenoid fluid valves

Claim 1

A solenoid fluid valve of the class used for control of the flow of gases or liquids under pressure in a closed system including in combination: valve body means having a fluid duct therethrough, valve seat means intermediate said duct having a fluid passage therethrough forming a flow orifice; and adjacent solenoid operating means having a coil with a ferrous core and a ferrous plunger armature extending therein, an end of said core forming a planar magnetic pole juxtaposed one end of said armature, and a ferrous structure exterior of said coil forming with said core and said armature a loop magnetic circuit; and said armature having a portion adapted for sealing engagement with said orifice, and being operatively disposed within a unitary housing extending within said coil; the improvement thereof comprising, an armature housing of tubular construction having one end closed by a transverse diaphragm portion and extending within said coil with said diaphragm portion substantially abutting said planar end of said core and defining the energized limit of travel of said armature effected by striking directly thereagainst; and said housing being constructed of thin ferrous material of substantially the same wall thickness throughout the tubular length thereof; and arranged as a saturable magnetic shunt or shield acting to divert and bypass around said armature a major portion of the residual flux persisting in said loop magnetic circuit after deenergization of said solenoid.