A valved manifold module is disclosed, constructed and arranged to be readily connected in a chain with similar modules to form a manifold assembly. The modular manifolds allows for expansion or modification of the manifold assembly to control a group of pneumatically or hydraulically driven pumps, valves or combinations thereof in a liquid flow control apparatus. The valved manifold module can be configured to accept a group of four substantially identical valve assemblies, and can be controlled by a local controller mounted to the manifold module, thus forming an independently programmable valved manifold module. The resulting modular system is expandable to allow for coordinated operations of a liquid flow control system, using substantially independent controller functions originating at the manifold assembly level.

The absence of high efficiency, compact fluidic pumps has until recently blocked the consideration of using hydraulic devices within portable and/or alkaline battery powered consumer and non-consumer products. The higher the functionality and programmability desired for a consumer and/or non-consumer product exploiting a fluidic pump then the more complex the overall fluidic system in terms of the number of actuators, valves, switches etc. within the fluidic system coupled to the one or more fluidic pumps. Accordingly, there exists a requirement to provide compact fluidic valves and switches to support configurability, programmability, and operation of these portable battery-operated consumer and non-consumer devices in conjunction with these newly available high efficiency, compact fluidic pumps. Such fluidic valves and switches should offer high efficiency, have a small footprint, be low complexity for high reliability and ease of manufacture, and low cost.

A valve body has an inflow passage for a working fluid, an outflow passage for the working fluid, and a pressure relief passage, which connects the inflow passage and the outflow passage by bypassing a normally close valve seat. A pressure relief valve is located in the pressure relief passage. The pressure relief valve closes the pressure relief passage, if a pressure of the working fluid in the outflow passage is lower than, is equal to, and is higher by a pressure difference less than a predetermined relief pressure than a pressure of the working fluid in the inflow passage. The pressure relief valve opens the pressure relief passage, if the pressure of the working fluid in the outflow passage is higher by a pressure difference equal to or higher than the relief pressure than a pressure of the working fluid in the inflow passage.

An electromagnetic valve is configured with an electromagnetic section, a flow path section, and a sealing member between them. This separate arrangement improves a degree of freedom for arranging inflow and/or outflow passage. This separate arrangement also enables to reduce a size of the electromagnetic section. A plunger comes in contact with a central portion of a spherical portion of a valve member. A normally open compression spring comes in contact with a peripheral portion of the valve member. The valve member can be reliably seated on the normally close valve seat even if the plunger is slightly tilted.

A diagnostic method for solenoid valves includes detecting, at excitation of the solenoid, a variation rate of the supply voltage of the solenoid and comparing it with a predetermined value, generating an error signal if the variation rate is lower than the predetermined value, otherwise, detecting characteristics of the waveform of the solenoid current over a time interval between a moment of excitation of the solenoid and a moment wherein the movable core reaches end-stroke position, comparing the detected characteristics with threshold values, generating an alarm signal if the detected characteristics are lower than the threshold values, otherwise calculating the value of solenoid resistance and comparing it with a minimum resistance value and a maximum resistance value when the solenoid current is in steady state, and generating an alarm signal if the solenoid resistance value is lower than the minimum resistance value or greater than the maximum resistance value.

A fluid distributor comprising: a fluid inlet, a first outlet connected to the inlet by a first fluid communication channel, a second outlet connected to the inlet by a second fluid communication channel, an actuator comprising a movable piston capable of moving between an initial position and a switched position; a first deformable diaphragm, in contact with the first end of the piston, and configured to close the first channel when the piston is in its switched position; a second deformable diaphragm, in contact with the second end of the piston, and configured to close the second channel when the piston is in its initial position.

A valve device having a valve housing (10), in which fluid ports (P, A, T) are provided and in which at least one valve piston (12, 14) can be moved longitudinally, which valve piston either separates at least two of the fluid ports (P, A, T) from one another or interconnects them as a function of its travel position, and having at least one latching device (16, 18) for each valve piston (12, 14) for the detachable fastening of the respective valve pistons (12, 14) in one of its travel positions, which latching device has at least one latching means (20), which can be brought into a latching position (22), which is characterized in that, as part of the respective latching devices (16, 18) for detachably fastening the respective valve pistons (12, 14), at least one control body (24) that can be moved independently of the respective valve pistons (12, 14) is provided, which control body is set up such that, in at least one blocking position, it prevents the relevant latching means (20) disposed in the latching position (22) from leaving the latching position (22) by blocking the latching means (20) is disclosed.

A solenoid unit of an electromagnetic valve includes a coil, a bobbin, a fixed iron core, a movable iron core, an urging spring, a magnetic frame, and a molded plastic part. The magnetic frame includes a frame end wall, two frame arms, and an internal thread hole, to which the fixed iron core is threaded. A tubular projection protrudes from an end face of the frame end wall that is on a side opposite to the bobbin. The projection forms part of the internal thread hole. The molded plastic part includes a molded end wall, which covers the frame end wall, and a molded peripheral wall. The molded end wall includes a connecting hole that is continuous with the internal thread hole. The connecting hole includes a groove in an inner circumferential surface. The groove extends along an outer circumferential surface of the projection.

Passage forming blocks of a first pilot valve and a second pilot valve each include a supply passage, which opens in a first surface and a second surface and is connected to a valve chamber, a first output passage, which opens in the first surface and are connected to the valve chamber, and a second output passage, which opens in the first surface. Further, the passage forming blocks each include an output passage connecting recess. The output passage connecting recess is provided in a section of the second surface that overlaps with an opening region of the first output passage, which opens in the first surface, and is connected to the second output passage. The first output passage of the first pilot valve is connected to the second output passage of the second pilot valve via the output passage connecting recess of the second pilot valve.

An evaporative emissions control system includes a first vent valve configured to selectively open and close a first vent, a second vent valve configured to selectively open and close a second vent, a fuel level sensor configured to sense a fuel level in the fuel tank, a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure in the fuel tank, an accelerometer configured to measure an acceleration of the vehicle, and a controller configured to regulate operation of the first and second vent valves to provide pressure relief for the fuel tank. The controller is programmed to determine if a refueling event is occurring based one signals indicating the fuel level is increasing, the pressure in the fuel tank is increasing, and the vehicle is not moving, and open at least one of the first and second vent valves based on determining the refueling event is occurring.