A valve assembly for a vehicle exhaust system includes an exhaust component body defining an exhaust gas flow path and a flap mounted to pivot in the exhaust gas flow path between a minimum flow position and a maximum flow position. At least one bushing supports the flap for rotational movement relative to the exhaust component body about an axis. In one example, a damper is positioned radially between the bushing and the flap and defines an inner diameter that is smaller than an outer diameter of the bushing. In another example, a damper is attached to the flap such that a distal edge is free from attachment to a distal edge of the flap such that as the flap returns to the minimum flow position the damper first contacts the exhaust component body and then the flap contacts the damper.

A valve assembly includes a piston housing inside a flow duct between an inlet and an outlet so as to form an annular flow passage between the flow duct and the piston housing. The piston housing is axially aligned with a center axis of the flow duct. A piston is inside the piston housing and is configured to extend downstream of the piston housing in a closed position. A spring biases the piston to the open position. A fluid chamber is between the piston and an upstream end of the piston housing. A control opening extends through the upstream end of the piston housing and fluidically communicates with the flow duct and the fluid chamber. A control piston and a control spring are inside the piston housing. The control spring biases the control piston toward a first position that obstructs the control opening.

A solenoid valve includes a plunger configured to be movable in two opposite directions, a damper member inserted into the plunger and having at least a part protruding outward from the plunger, and a pilot member disposed in a lower region of the plunger and having a pilot flow path formed therein, in which the damper member comes into close contact with the pilot member and closes the pilot flow path when the plunger moves downward by a predetermined distance toward the pilot member.

An actuator includes a housing defining an inlet port, a piston and a return spring disposed within the housing, and an elastically deformable element. The return spring is configured to apply a biasing force to the piston to move the piston to a spring return position. A first fluid pressure applied to the inlet port moves the piston against the biasing force of the return spring to a first actuated position in which the piston indirectly engages a stop portion of the actuator housing. A second fluid pressure, greater than the first fluid pressure, applied to the inlet port moves the piston against the elastically deformable element to compress the elastically deformable element to move the piston to a second actuated position beyond the first actuated position.

An actuator includes a housing defining an inlet port, a piston and a return spring disposed within the housing, and an elastically deformable element. The return spring is configured to apply a biasing force to the piston to move the piston to a spring return position. A first fluid pressure applied to the inlet port moves the piston against the biasing force of the return spring to a first actuated position in which the piston indirectly engages a stop portion of the actuator housing. A second fluid pressure, greater than the first fluid pressure, applied to the inlet port moves the piston against the elastically deformable element to compress the elastically deformable element to move the piston to a second actuated position beyond the first actuated position.

A fuel nozzle metering valve that includes a spool having an inlet port and an outlet flow port, and a retainer assembled to one end of the spool. A valve liner houses a portion of the spool. The spool is configured to move back and forth within the valve liner. The metering valve is biased in a closed position in which the outlet flow port is disposed entirely within the valve liner. The valve is opened when the spool slides within the valve liner such that some portion of the outlet flow port extends beyond an end of the valve liner. The retainer has a stepped portion configured to abut an end of the retainer at a fuel flow pressure below the expected maximum fuel flow pressure to be used in the fuel nozzle metering valve.

When a waste gate valve (7) is forcibly fully closed for learning control at the time of start, the drive force of an electric actuator (20) is initially set to a large first level, and when a predetermined position (L1) immediately before seating is reached, the driving force is reduced to a second level. As a result, a valve body (7a) is gently seated. When a predetermined time (TM1) passes, the driving force is increased to a third level. Consequently, the electric actuator (20) presses the valve body (7a) onto a seat surface (34a) while displacing a spring member (37). As a result, a reliable sealability is obtained.

A fluid choke may include a housing and a shuttle configured to move within an interior chamber of the housing. The housing may have a fluid inlet channel and a fluid outlet channel. The shuttle may have a gate connected to an end of the shuttle and the gate may be configured to mate with a seat located in the housing at the fluid outlet channel. The shuttle may be moved within the interior chamber by a pressurized hydraulic fluid configured to apply a hydraulic pressure to a peripheral portion of the shuttle, an inner portion of the shuttle, and the gate.

A dampening valve unit, for use in a liquid distribution system is disclosed. A feeding conduit is evacuated of liquid after an associated tap unit is closed and refilled with liquid after the tap unit is opened. The dampening valve unit comprises a dampening chamber, connectable to said feeding conduit, and a liquid stop valve unit, connectable at an inlet end thereof, to said associated feeding conduit and which has an outlet end being connectable to said associated liquid tap unit. Said dampening chamber is adapted to collect gas and is connectable to said associated feeding conduit via a passage. The passage is directly connected, without any restrictions therebetween, also to a liquid stop valve at said inlet end. The passage is always open at the dampening chamber for fluid connection between the passage and the dampening chamber.

An object of the invention is to provide a method of controlling a gate valve that operates the gate valve in a short time while suppressing vibration of the valve body. A method of controlling a gate valve provided on an opening of a chamber, wherein the gate valve includes a valve body that opens and closes so as to close the opening of a chamber, a valve seat provided on the edge of the opening to which the valve body is pressed, and a sealing material for sealing between the valve body and the valve seat. The invented method is characterized in that, in moving the valve body to the open position from the closed position where the valve body is pressed against the valve seat with the sealing material compressed, the valve body is made to stop temporarily for a predetermined time at the position immediately before the compressed sealing material is pulled apart or immediately after pulled apart in the opening movement of the valve body.