1. A solenoid valve, comprising:

a valve housing having a first space in communication with the inlet flow path on a first side and a second space in communication with the outlet flow path on a second side;

a solenoid disposed in the valve housing to surround the first space;

a flow path guide provided in the first space and having an inflow path communicating with the first space;

a plunger configured to linearly move in the flow path guide with the solenoid;

a valve member connected to the plunger and configured to open or close the outlet flow path based on movement of the plunger;

a spring member configured to provide a spring force to allow the valve member to move in a direction in which the valve member blocks the outlet flow path; and

a fluid guide portion formed in the plunger and configured to selectively guide the fluid supplied to the inflow path via the first space to the second space.

2. The electromagnetic valve according to claim 1, wherein the fluid guide portion comprises:

a first guide flow path formed in the plunger and provided to selectively communicate with the inflow path based on movement of the plunger; and

a second guide flow path having a first end communicating with the first guide flow path and a second end exposed to the second space.

3. A solenoid according to claim 2 wherein the first pilot flow path remains out of communication with the inlet flow path when the valve member moves from a first position in which the outlet flow path is blocked to a second position in which the outlet flow path is opened to a predetermined initial open section.

4. The solenoid valve as set forth in claim 2 wherein the second pilot flow path comprises:

a first flow path configured to communicate with the first guide flow path and formed along an interior of the plunger; and

a second flow path having a first end in communication with the first flow path and a second end exposed to the second space.

5. The electromagnetic valve according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of the first guide flow paths are spaced from each other in the circumferential direction of the plunger, a plurality of the second flow paths are spaced from each other in the circumferential direction of the plunger, a plurality of the first guide flow paths are commonly connected to a first end of the first flow path, and a plurality of the second flow paths are commonly connected to a second end of the first flow path.

6. The electromagnetic valve according to claim 1, wherein the flow path guide has an inflow chamber formed in the first space and spaced apart from the first space, and the inflow path is formed in a sidewall portion of the flow path guide to communicate with the first space and the inflow chamber.

7. The electromagnetic valve according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of the inflow paths are formed to be spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the flow path guide.

8. The solenoid valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein the solenoid includes:

a bobbin disposed in the valve housing to surround the plunger;

a coil wound around the bobbin; and

a yoke disposed between the bobbin and the plunger.

9. The solenoid valve of claim 8, comprising:

a spring support portion extending from the yoke and configured to support the spring member.

10. The electromagnetic valve according to claim 9, wherein the spring support portion has a hole communicating with the fluid guide portion and the second space.

11. The electromagnetic valve according to claim 8, wherein a gap is formed between the yoke and the plunger, and the gap has a smaller cross-sectional area than the fluid guide portion.

12. The solenoid valve of claim 1, comprising:

a sealing member disposed on the valve member and configured to contact the outlet flow path.

Background

Solenoid valves may be used to regulate the flow of fluid or control pressure. For example, a solenoid valve may be installed in a power train including an engine of a vehicle and used to regulate the flow rate or control pressure of a fluid such as fuel or oil. More specifically, the solenoid valve installed in the fuel system may control the operation of supplying and injecting fuel, the solenoid valve installed in the cooling system may control the circulation for lubrication and cooling, and the solenoid valve installed in the power transmission system may adjust pressure.

Generally, a solenoid valve includes a solenoid configured to provide a driving force, a valve member configured to open or close an outlet flow path by operating with the solenoid, and a spring member configured to elastically support the movement of the valve member. In addition, recently, a method has been proposed which allows leak tightness by the valve member (for example, a blocked state of the outlet flow path) to be maintained by both the elastic force of the spring member and the pressure of the fluid by applying the elastic force of the spring member to the valve member and applying the pressure of the fluid supplied into the solenoid valve to the valve member (for example, applying the pressure to move the valve member in a direction in which the valve member blocks the outlet flow path).

However, in the related art, during a process of initially opening the valve member (e.g., switching from a closed state of the valve member to an open state of the valve member), fluid that presses the rear portion of the valve member to block the outlet flow path rapidly flows into the front portion of the valve member, and thus pressure changes (e.g., pressure increases in the front portion of the valve member), which makes it difficult to accurately control the movement stroke of the valve member, and the accuracy of proportional control of the valve member is reduced.

Therefore, various types of studies are recently being conducted to ensure leak tightness of the solenoid valve and improve stability of proportional control, but the results of the studies are still insufficient. Therefore, it is required to develop a solenoid valve capable of ensuring leak tightness and improving stability of proportional control.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure provides a solenoid valve capable of improving stability and reliability. The present disclosure is also directed to ensuring leak tightness of the solenoid valve, improving accuracy of proportional control, and preventing abnormal operation of the valve member caused by rapid changes in pressure during the process of initially opening the solenoid valve. The object achieved by the exemplary embodiments is not limited to the above-described object, but also includes an object or effect that can be recognized from the solutions or exemplary embodiments described below.

To achieve the object of the present disclosure, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a solenoid valve, which may include: a valve housing having a first space in communication with the inlet flow path on a first side and a second space in communication with the outlet flow path on a second side; a solenoid provided in the valve housing to surround the first space; a flow path guide provided in the first space and having an inflow path communicating with the first space; a plunger configured to linearly move in the flow path guide using a solenoid; a valve member connected to the plunger and configured to open or close the outlet flow path according to movement of the plunger; a spring member configured to provide a spring force to allow the valve member to move in a direction in which the valve member blocks the outlet flow path; and a fluid guide portion formed in the plunger and configured to selectively guide the fluid supplied to the inflow path via the first space to the second space.

Therefore, leak tightness of the solenoid valve can be ensured, and abnormal operation of the valve member caused by a rapid change in pressure when the solenoid valve is initially opened can be prevented. In other words, in the related art, since both the elastic force of the spring member and the pressure of the fluid are applied to the valve member, the leak-proof sealability (e.g., the blocked state of the outlet flow path) achieved by the valve member can be maintained.

However, during a process of initially opening the valve member (e.g., switching from a closed state of the valve member to an open state of the valve member), fluid that presses the rear portion of the valve member to block the outlet flow path rapidly flows into the front portion of the valve member, and thus the pressure changes (e.g., the pressure in the front portion of the valve member increases), which results in difficulty in accurately controlling the movement stroke of the valve member, and a decrease in the accuracy of proportional control of the valve member.

In contrast, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the fluid supplied into the first space does not always flow into the second space in which the valve member is provided, but the fluid selectively flows into the second space based on the movement of the plunger. As a result, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of minimizing abnormal operation of the valve member caused by a rapid change in the pressure in the second space while the valve member opens the outlet flow path. Advantageous effects of improving stability and reliability and improving control accuracy can also be obtained.

Among others, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, when initially opening the solenoid valve (e.g., when the valve member moves from the first position where the outlet flow path is blocked to the second position where the outlet flow path is opened to a predetermined initial opening section), it is possible to prevent abnormal operation of the valve member caused by a rapid change in pressure in the second space, and therefore, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of improving the accuracy of proportional control for the valve member.

Further, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, both the elastic force generated by the spring member and the pressure of the fluid supplied into the solenoid valve may be applied to the valve member, and therefore, an advantageous effect of stably maintaining the state in which the outlet flow path is blocked by the valve member may be obtained. The advantageous effect of improving the leak tightness can also be obtained.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flow path guide may have an inflow chamber formed in the first space, and the inflow chamber may be spatially separated from the first space. An inflow path that allows the first space and the inflow chamber to communicate with each other may be formed in the side wall portion of the flow path guide.

The plurality of inflow paths may be formed to be spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the flow path guide. As described above, since the plurality of inflow paths may be formed to be spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the flow path guide, the fluid introduced into the first space may be uniformly supplied into the inflow chamber in the circumferential direction of the flow path guide, and thus, an advantageous effect of improving stability and efficiency of supplying the fluid may be obtained.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a sealing member may be provided at a lower end of the valve member to be in elastic contact with the outlet flow path. As described above, since the seal member is provided at the lower end of the valve member, an advantageous effect of improving the leak-proof sealability produced by the valve member can be obtained.

The fluid guide portion may have various structures capable of selectively guiding the fluid supplied to the first space to the second space according to the movement of the plunger. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the fluid guide portion may include: a first guide flow path formed in the plunger and provided to selectively communicate with the inflow path according to movement of the plunger; and a second guide flow path having a first end communicating with the first guide flow path and a second end exposed to the second space.

When the valve member moves from the first position where the outlet flow path is blocked to the second position where the outlet flow path is opened to a predetermined initial opening section, the state where the first guide flow path is not communicated with the inflow path can be maintained. In the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure as described above, the state in which the first guide flow path and the inflow path are not communicated with each other may be maintained when the solenoid valve is initially opened (e.g., when the valve member is moved from the first position in which the outlet flow path is blocked to the second position in which the outlet flow path is opened to a predetermined initial opening section). As a result, it is possible to prevent abnormal operation of the valve member caused by a rapid change in the pressure in the second space, thereby obtaining an advantageous effect of improving the accuracy of the proportional control for the valve member.

A plurality of first guide flow paths may be provided to be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the plunger. The structure of the second guide flow path may be variously changed based on required conditions and design specifications. As an example, the second guide flow path may include: a first flow path configured to communicate with the first guide flow path and formed along an interior of the plunger; and a second flow path having a first end in communication with the first flow path and a second end exposed to the second space.

A plurality of second flow paths may be provided to be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the plunger. As described above, since the plurality of second flow paths may be formed to be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the plunger, the fluid supplied along the first flow path may be uniformly supplied to the second space in the circumferential direction of the piston, and therefore, an advantageous effect that the pressure is uniformly formed throughout the second space may be obtained.

The plurality of first guide flow paths may be commonly connected to a first end of the first flow path, and the plurality of second flow paths may be commonly connected to a second end of the first flow path. As described above, since the plurality of first guide flow paths may be commonly connected to the first end of the first flow path and the plurality of second flow paths may be commonly connected to the second end of the first flow path, only a single first flow path is required to connect the plurality of first guide flow paths and the plurality of second flow paths, and therefore, advantageous effects of simplifying the structure and the manufacturing process may be obtained. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of first guide flow paths and the plurality of second flow paths may be connected by a plurality of first flow paths different from each other.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the spring support portion may have a hole communicating with the fluid guide portion and the second space. As described above, since the hole is formed on the spring support portion and the fluid guided to the second guide flow path through the first guide flow path is supplied to the second space through the hole, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of minimizing the load while opening the outlet flow path. The advantageous effect of improving the efficiency of discharging the fluid can be obtained.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a gap may be formed between the yoke and the plunger. The gap may have a smaller cross-sectional area than the fluid directing portion. As described above, since the gap has a smaller cross-sectional area than the fluid guide portion, the flow rate of the fluid flowing (leaking) through the gap may be much lower than the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the fluid guide portion, so that the instantaneous pressure variation caused by the fluid leaking from the first space to the second space through the gap when the solenoid valve is initially opened is negligibly low.

Therefore, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of preventing an abnormal operation of the valve member caused by a rapid change in the pressure of the second space when the solenoid valve is initially opened. The advantageous effect of improving the accuracy of the proportional control can also be obtained. The solenoid may have various structures capable of providing a driving force for operating the plunger.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a solenoid may include: a bobbin disposed in the valve housing to surround the plunger; a coil wound around the bobbin; and a yoke disposed between the bobbin and the plunger. The solenoid valve may include a spring support portion extending from the yoke and configured to support the spring member. As described above, since the spring support portion is formed to extend from a part (e.g., the lower part) of the yoke portion, an advantageous effect of simplifying the structure for supporting the spring member and an advantageous effect of improving space utilization can be obtained.

Drawings

These and/or other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

fig. 1 is a view illustrating a solenoid valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a plunger of a solenoid valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a plunger of a solenoid valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a flow path guide of a solenoid valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a flow path guide of a solenoid valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating a blocked state of an outlet flow path of a solenoid valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 is a view illustrating an initial open state of an outlet flow path of a solenoid valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8 is a view illustrating a maximum opening state of an outlet flow path of a solenoid valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

It should be understood that the term "vehicle" or "vehicular" or other similar terms as used herein include a broad range of motor vehicles, such as passenger cars, including Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft, including various boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, combustion, plug-in hybrid vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., other resource-derived fuels in addition to petroleum).

While exemplary embodiments are described as using multiple units to perform exemplary processes, it should be understood that exemplary processes may also be performed by one or more modules. Additionally, it should be understood that the term controller/control unit refers to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor, and is specifically programmed to perform the processes described herein. The memory is configured to store the modules, and the processor is specifically configured to execute the modules to perform one or more processes, which will be described further below.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Unless otherwise indicated or apparent from the context, as used herein, the term "about" is to be understood as being within the normal tolerance of the art, e.g., within 2 standard deviations of the mean. "about" can be understood to be within 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05% or 0.01% of the stated value. All numerical values provided herein are modified by the term "about," unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the technical spirit of the present disclosure is not limited to some of the exemplary embodiments described herein, but may be implemented in various different forms. One or more constituent elements in the exemplary embodiments may be selectively combined and replaced within the scope of the technical spirit of the present disclosure.

In addition, unless otherwise specifically and explicitly defined and stated, terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be construed as meanings that can be commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. The meaning of a general term such as a term defined in a dictionary may be interpreted in consideration of the contextual meaning of the related art.

In addition, the terms used in the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are used to explain the exemplary embodiments, and do not limit the present disclosure. The singular forms may also include the plural forms unless specifically stated otherwise in the context of this specification. The description "at least one (or one or more) of A, B and C" described herein may include one or more of all combinations that may be formed by combining A, B and C.

In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a) and (b) may be used to describe constituent elements of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. These terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one constituent element from another constituent element, and the nature, order, or sequence of constituent elements is not limited by the terms.

Further, when one constituent element is described as being "connected", "coupled", or "attached" to another constituent element, one constituent element may be directly connected, coupled, or attached to the other constituent element, or may be connected, coupled, or attached to the other constituent element with the other constituent element interposed therebetween. In addition, the description of "forming or disposing one constituent element above (on) or below (under) one constituent element" includes not only the case where two constituent elements are in direct contact with each other but also the case where one or more additional constituent elements are formed or disposed between the two constituent elements. In addition, the expression "upper (upper) or lower (lower)" may include a meaning based on a downward direction and an upward direction of one constituent element.

Referring to fig. 1 to 8, a solenoid valve 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a valve housing 110 having a first space S1 communicating with the inlet flow path 112 at a first side and a second space S2 communicating with the outlet flow path 114 at a second side; a solenoid 120 provided in the valve housing 110 to surround the first space S1; a flow path guide 130 provided in the first space S1 and having an inflow path 132 communicating with the first space S1; a plunger 140 configured to linearly move in the flow path guide 130 using the solenoid 120; a valve member 150 connected to the plunger 140 and configured to open or close the outlet flow path 114 based on movement of the plunger 140; a spring member 160 configured to provide a spring force to allow the valve member 150 to move in a direction in which the valve member 150 blocks the outlet flow path 114; and a fluid guide portion 170 formed in the plunger 140 and configured to selectively guide the fluid supplied to the inflow path 132 via the first space S1 to the second space S2.

For reference, the solenoid valve 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be installed in various objects in order to adjust the flow rate or the control pressure of the fluid, and the present disclosure is not limited or restricted by the type and characteristics of the object in which the solenoid valve 10 is installed. As an example, the solenoid valve 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be installed in a powertrain including an engine of a vehicle, and used to regulate the flow of fluid such as fuel or oil or to regulate pressure. More specifically, the solenoid valve may be installed in a fuel system to control operations of supplying and injecting fuel, in a cooling system to control circulation for lubrication and cooling, or in a power transmission system to control pressure.

An inlet flow path 112 through which fluid is supplied (introduced) may be formed at a first side of the valve housing 110, and an outlet flow path 114 through which fluid is discharged is formed at a second side of the valve housing 110. In the valve housing 110, a first space S1 may be provided to communicate with the inlet flow path 112, and a second space S2 may be provided to communicate with the outlet flow path 114.

As an example, the inlet flow path 112 and the first space S1 configured to communicate with the inlet flow path 112 may be disposed at an upper side of the valve housing 110 (based on fig. 1), and the outlet flow path 114 and the second space S2 configured to communicate with the outlet flow path 114 may be disposed at a lower side of the valve housing 110 (based on fig. 1). According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the inlet flow path 112 (or the outlet flow path) may be disposed on the left side of the valve housing 110, and the outlet flow path 114 (or the inlet flow path) may be disposed on the right side of the valve housing 110.

For reference, in the present disclosure, the first space S1 and the second space S2 may be spaces that are completely separated (sealed) from each other in space, or spaces that communicate with each other through a thin gap (e.g., a gap G in fig. 7). In particular, even if the first space S1 and the second space S2 communicate with each other through the fine gap G, instantaneous pressure variation caused by the fluid flowing through the gap G (e.g., the fluid in the first space S1 flowing to the second space S2 through the gap G) may be minimal or negligible.

The solenoid 120 may be configured to provide a driving force for operating the plunger 140 (e.g., for moving the plunger 140 upward or downward), and is disposed in the valve housing 110 to surround the first space S1. The solenoid 120 may have various structures capable of providing a driving force for operating the plunger 140, and the present disclosure is not limited or restricted by the type and structure of the solenoid 120.

As an example, the solenoid 120 may include: a bobbin 122 disposed in the valve housing 110 to surround the plunger 140; a coil 124 wound around the bobbin 122; and a yoke 126 disposed between the bobbin 122 and the plunger 140. The bobbin 122 may have a hollow cylindrical shape, and may be disposed at an upper side in the valve housing 110. A first space S1 communicating with the inlet flow path 112 may be provided in the bobbin 122.

The coil 124 may be wound to surround the bobbin 122 and supplied with power from a power supply unit (not shown). The yoke 126 may be disposed at a lower side of the bobbin 122 to cover a portion of an inner circumferential surface of the bobbin 122, and the plunger 140 may be received in the yoke 126 to be linearly movable. For reference, in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first space S1 may be defined as a space disposed in the bobbin 122 and above the yoke 126 and the plunger 140, and the second space S2 may be defined as a space disposed in the valve housing 110 and below the yoke 126 and the plunger 140.

The flow path guide 130 may be disposed in the first space S1. The flow path guide 130 together with the fluid guide portion 170 may selectively supply the fluid introduced into the first space S1 through the inlet flow path 112 to the second space S2. The structure and arrangement of the flow path guide 130 may be variously changed based on required conditions and design specifications.

As an example, the flow path guide 130 may have a hollow drum shape (based on fig. 1) whose lower side is open. The flow path guide 130 may be disposed in the first space S1 to be supported at the upper end of the yoke 126. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flow path guide 130 may be directly supported (e.g., by an interference fit) on the inner wall of the bobbin 122. More specifically, referring to fig. 4 and 5, the flow path guide 130 may include an inflow chamber 134 formed in the first space S1, and the inflow chamber 134 may be spatially separated from the first space S1. The inflow path 132 allowing the first space S1 and the inflow chamber 134 to communicate with each other may be formed in the side wall portion of the flow path guide 130.

In particular, the plurality of inflow paths 132 may be formed to be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the flow path guide 130. As an example, four inflow paths 132 may be formed in the side wall portion of the flow path guide 130 to be spaced apart from each other at intervals of about 90 degrees. In some cases, the flow path guide 130 may have three or less, or five or more, inflow paths 132.

As described above, since the plurality of inflow paths 132 may be formed to be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the flow path guide 130, the fluid introduced into the first space S1 may be uniformly supplied into the inflow chamber 134 in the circumferential direction of the flow path guide 130, and thus, an advantageous effect of improving the stability and efficiency of supplying the fluid may be obtained.

The plunger 140 may be configured to move linearly in the flow path guide 130 using the solenoid 120. More specifically, the plunger 140 may be vertically movable in the bobbin 122 (yoke) and linearly moved upward or downward in the bobbin 122 (in the yoke 126) using a magnetic force generated when a current is applied to the coil 124. An upper end of the plunger 140 may be movably received in the flow path guide 130, and a lower end of the plunger 140 may be exposed to the second space S2.

For reference, the movement (stroke) of the plunger 140 with respect to the bobbin 122 may be controlled by adjusting the value of the current to be applied to the coil 124. The flow rate and pressure of fluid flowing through the solenoid valve may be proportionally controlled (via proportional control) by adjusting the movement of the plunger 140 and thus the degree to which the outlet flow path 114 is opened or closed (e.g., degree of opening) by the valve member 150. Since an exemplary embodiment of the solenoid valve according to the present disclosure may include the bobbin 122 and the plunger 140 according to the well-known art having the above-described configuration and operation principle, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

A valve member 150 may be connected to the plunger 140 and configured to open or close the outlet flow path 114 based on movement of the plunger 140. As an example, the valve member 150 may be integrally connected to a lower end of the plunger 140. When the plunger 140 moves upward, the valve member 150 moves upward together with the plunger 140, and thus, the outlet flow path 114 may be opened. Conversely, when the plunger 140 moves downward, the valve member 150 moves downward together with the plunger 140, and thus, the outlet flow path 114 may be blocked (closed).

The valve member 150 may have various structures capable of opening or closing the outlet flow path 114, and the present disclosure is not limited or restricted by the structure and shape of the valve member 150. In particular, a sealing member 180 (e.g., made of rubber or silicone) may be provided at a lower end of the valve member 150 to elastically contact the outlet flow path 114. As described above, since the sealing member 180 can be provided at the lower end of the valve member 150, an advantageous effect of improving leak tightness by the valve member 150 can be obtained.

The spring member 160 may provide a spring force to allow the valve member 150 to move in a direction in which the valve member 150 blocks the outlet flow path 114. As an example, a typical spring (e.g., a coil spring) capable of elastically supporting the movement of the valve member 150 may be used as the spring member 160, and the present disclosure is not limited or restricted by the type and structure of the spring member 160.

In particular, the spring support portion 128 may extend from a lower portion of the yoke portion 126, and the spring member 160 may be disposed to be elastically compressed and restored between the spring support portion 128 and the valve member 150. As described above, since the spring supporting portion 128 may be formed to extend from the lower portion of the yoke portion 126, advantageous effects of simplifying the structure for supporting the spring member 160 and improving space utilization may be obtained. In some cases, a separate support portion for supporting the spring member 160 may be formed on the inner wall of the valve housing 110. The fluid guide portion 170 may be provided to selectively guide the fluid supplied into the first space S1 to the second space S2.

As described above, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the fluid supplied into the first space S1 does not always flow into the second space S2 in which the valve member 150 is disposed, but the fluid selectively flows into the second space S2 according to the movement of the plunger 140. As a result, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of minimizing abnormal operation of the valve member 150 caused by a rapid change in the pressure in the second space S2 while the valve member 150 opens the outlet flow path. Advantageous effects of improving stability and reliability and improving control accuracy can also be obtained.

Further, according to the example embodiment of the present disclosure, both the elastic force generated by the spring member 160 and the pressure of the fluid supplied into the solenoid valve are applied to the valve member 150, and therefore, an advantageous effect of stably maintaining the state in which the outlet flow path 114 is blocked by the valve member 150 may be obtained. In addition, an advantageous effect of improving the leak tightness can be obtained.

The fluid guide portion 170 may have various structures capable of selectively guiding the fluid supplied into the first space S1 to the second space S2 based on the movement of the plunger 140. As an example, referring to fig. 2 and 3, the fluid guide portion 170 may include: a first guide flow path 172 formed in the plunger 140 and provided to selectively communicate with the inflow path 132 based on the movement of the plunger 140; and a second guide flow path 174 having a first end communicating with the first guide flow path 172 and a second end exposed to the second space S2.

In particular, the first guide flow path 172 may be formed to be maintained in a state in which the first guide flow path 172 does not communicate with the inflow path 132 when the valve member 150 moves from a first position (see fig. 6) in which the outlet flow path 114 is blocked to a second position (see fig. 7) in which the outlet flow path 114 is opened to a predetermined initial opening section.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure as described above, the state in which the first guide flow path 172 and the inflow path 132 are not communicated with each other may be maintained when the solenoid valve is initially opened to a predetermined initial opening section (for example, when the valve member 150 is moved from the first position in which the outlet flow path 114 is blocked to the second position in which the outlet flow path 114 is opened). As a result, abnormal operation of the valve member 150 caused by a rapid change in the pressure in the second space S2 can be prevented, so that an advantageous effect of improving the accuracy of proportional control for the valve member 150 can be obtained.

When the plunger 140 is set at a predetermined height (e.g., the plunger 140 moves to a predetermined stroke), the first guide flow path 172 may be set to communicate with the inflow path 132. In particular, the configuration in which the first guide flow path 172 is provided in communication with the inflow path 132 may indicate that a part or all of the first guide flow path 172 is provided in communication with the inflow path 132.

As an example, the first guide flow path 172 may be formed in a straight shape in a radial direction of the plunger 140 (e.g., in a horizontal direction based on fig. 1). According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first guide flow path 172 may be formed in a curved shape or other shapes, and the present disclosure is not limited or restricted by the shape and structure of the first guide flow path 172.

In particular, the plurality of first guide flow paths 172 may be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the plunger 140. As an example, the plunger 140 may be formed with four first guide flow paths 172, the four first guide flow paths 172 being spaced apart from each other at intervals of about 90 degrees to form an approximately cross (+) shape and corresponding to the inflow path 132. A first end of the second guide flow path 174 may communicate with the first flow path 174a, and a second end of the second guide flow path 174 may be exposed to the second space S2.

The structure of the second guide flow path 174 may be variously changed based on desired conditions and design specifications. As an example, the second guide flow path 174 may include: a first flow path 174a configured to communicate with the first guide flow path 172 and formed in the plunger 140 in the longitudinal direction of the plunger 140; and a second flow path 174b having a first end communicating with the first flow path 174a and a second end penetrating the lateral portion of the plunger 140 to be exposed to the second space S2.

For example, the first flow path may be formed by drilling a hole in one end of the plunger 140, and then trimming (e.g., sealing) one end of the first flow path with a trimming member (not shown). In some cases, other methods may be used to form the first flow path in the plunger. For reference, in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an example in which the second guide flow path 174 is formed in an "L" shape including two flow paths (e.g., a first flow path and a second flow path) intersecting each other will be described. However, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the second guide flow path may be formed to have only a single flow path (e.g., a straight flow path disposed to be inclined with respect to a longitudinal direction of the plunger).

As an example, the second flow path 174b may be formed in a straight shape in a radial direction of the plunger 140 (e.g., in a horizontal direction based on fig. 1) to penetrate a lateral portion of the plunger 140. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the second flow path 174b may be formed in a curved shape or other shapes, and the present disclosure is not limited or restricted by the shape and structure of the second flow path 174 b.

In particular, the plurality of second flow paths 174b may be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the plunger 140. As an example, the plunger 140 may be formed with four second flow paths 174b, the four second flow paths 174b being spaced apart from each other by an interval of about 90 degrees to form an approximately cross (+) shape. As described above, since the plurality of second flow paths 174b may be formed to be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the plunger 140, the fluid supplied along the first flow path 174a may be uniformly supplied into the second space S2 in the circumferential direction of the plunger 140, and therefore, an advantageous effect of uniformly forming the pressure in the entire second space S2 may be obtained.

In addition, the plurality of first guide flow paths 172 may be commonly connected to a first end (e.g., an upper end) of the first flow path 174a, and the plurality of second flow paths 174b may be commonly connected to a second end (e.g., a lower end) of the first flow path 174 a. As described above, since the plurality of first guide flow paths 172 may be commonly connected to the first end of the first flow path 174a and the plurality of second flow paths 174b may be commonly connected to the second end of the first flow path 174a, only a single first flow path 174a is required to connect the plurality of first guide flow paths 172 and the plurality of second flow paths 174b, and thus, advantageous effects of simplifying the structure and the manufacturing process may be obtained. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of first guide flow paths 172 and the plurality of second flow paths 174b may be connected by a plurality of first flow paths 174a different from each other.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the spring supporting portion 128 may have a hole 128a communicating with the fluid guiding portion 170 (e.g., the second flow path) and the second space S2. The spring support portion 128 may have only one hole 128a or a plurality of holes 128a, and the number of holes 128a and the structure of the holes 128a may be variously changed based on desired conditions and design specifications.

As described above, since the hole 128a may be formed in the spring support portion 128 and the fluid guided to the second guide flow path 174 through the first guide flow path 172 may be supplied into the second space S2 through the hole 128a, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of minimizing the load when the outlet flow path 114 is opened (e.g., when the valve member is moved to a position where the outlet flow path is opened). The advantageous effect of improving the efficiency of discharging the fluid can be obtained.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a gap G may be formed between the yoke 126 and the plunger 140. In other words, the gap G may be formed to ensure upward and downward movement of the plunger 140 between the yoke 126 and the plunger 140. In particular, the gap G may be formed to have a smaller cross-sectional area than the fluid guide portion 170 (e.g., L2 < L1).

As described above, since the gap G has a smaller cross-sectional area than the fluid guide portion 170, the flow rate Q1 of the fluid flowing (leaking) through the gap G may be substantially smaller than the flow rate Q2 of the fluid through the fluid guide portion 170 (Q1 < Q2), so that the instantaneous pressure change caused by the fluid leaking from the first space S1 to the second space S2 through the gap G when the solenoid valve is initially opened is negligibly low. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of preventing an abnormal operation of the valve member 150 caused by a rapid change in the pressure of the second space S2 when the solenoid valve is initially opened. An advantageous effect of improving the accuracy of the proportional control can be obtained.

Referring to fig. 6, in a state in which the solenoid valve is closed (e.g., no power is applied to the coil 124), both the elastic force F1 of the spring member 160 and the pressure P1 of the fluid supplied into the solenoid valve may be applied to the solenoid valve, and thus, leak tightness by the valve member 150 (e.g., a state in which the outlet flow path is blocked) may be ensured. In addition, in a state where the solenoid valve is closed, the first guide flow path 172 may be provided to prevent communication with the inflow path 132.

Referring to fig. 7 and 8, when power is applied to the coil 124, the plunger 140 moves relative to the bobbin 122 according to the value of the current applied to the coil 124, so that the degree of opening or closing of the valve member 150 to the outlet flow path 114 may be adjusted. Referring to fig. 7, when the valve member 150 moves from the first position (see fig. 6) where the outlet flow path 114 is blocked to the second position (see fig. 7) where the outlet flow path 114 is opened to a predetermined initial opening section (e.g., when the solenoid valve is initially opened), a state where the first guide flow path 172 does not communicate with the inflow path 132 may be maintained, and thus, an abnormal operation of the valve member 150 caused by a rapid change in the pressure in the second space S2 when the solenoid valve is initially opened may be prevented.

Referring to fig. 8, when the plunger 140 is set at a predetermined height (e.g., the plunger 140 moves upward to a predetermined stroke), the first guide flow path 172 may be set to communicate with the inflow path 132. Since the first guide flow path 172 and the inflow path 132 communicate with each other, the fluid introduced into the inflow path 132 may be guided to the second space S2 along the first guide flow path 172 and the second guide flow path 174 and discharged from the second space S2 through the outlet flow path 114.

Although the exemplary embodiments have been described above, the exemplary embodiments are only illustrative and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes not described above may be made to the present exemplary embodiment without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. For example, the respective constituent elements specifically described in the exemplary embodiments may be modified and then executed. Further, it should be construed that differences related to modifications and variations are included in the scope of the present disclosure defined by the appended claims.

According to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure as described above, an advantageous effect of improving stability and reliability can be obtained. In particular, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of ensuring leak tightness (clogging stability) of the opening/closing block type solenoid valve, an advantageous effect of improving the accuracy of proportional control, and an advantageous effect of preventing abnormal operation of the valve member caused by a rapid change in pressure when the solenoid valve is initially opened (a state in which the plunger operates at a low stroke).

Reference numerals of each element in the drawings

10: electromagnetic valve

110: valve housing

112: inlet flow path

114: outlet flow path

120: solenoid coil

122: bobbin

124: coil

126: yoke part

128: spring support part

128 a: hole(s)

130: flow path guide

132: inflow path

134: inflow chamber

140: plunger piston

150: valve member

160: spring member

170: fluid guide portion

172: first guide flow path

174: second guide flow path

174 a: first flow path

174 b: second flow path

180: a sealing member.