Abstract: A valve assembly includes a housing having a valve bore, a valve seat, and at least one port communicating with the bore. A moveable plunger resides in the valve bore and selectively seals against the valve seat. A bobbin integral with the housing has a solenoid bore adjacent to and coaxial with the valve bore. A moveable armature resides in the solenoid bore and has an operating rod connected to the plunger. A pole piece resides in the solenoid bore adjacent the armature. A solenoid coil is wound about the bobbin. A flux conductor partially surrounding the bobbin, pole piece, and armature. An assembly method includes flowing air through the port, inserting the plunger or another sealing element into the bore while monitoring the fluid flow; and stopping the plunger or sealing element when the flow is at a preselected condition.

Abstract: A plug-in connector to couple pneumatic, hydraulic, or vacuum lines to elements mounted on a printed circuit board is described. The connector employs a wedge shaped male unit that plugs into a female unit having a cut-out which receives the wedge shaped male member. The mated male and female units of the connector provide an intermediate passage that is normal to and connects with the inlet and outlet passages whereby the forces on the connector are such that no fasteners are needed to keep the mated parts from separating.

Abstract: An electrically controlled valve is arranged to be mounted on a printed circuit without requiring any fasteners other than the terminals which provide electrical connections to the coil of a solenoid. The valve has three ports arranged to permit one of the ports to be selectively connected to either one of the other two ports. The plunger of the solenoid is disposed in a receiver that extends into the central longitudinal passage of the solenoid coil which establishes a magnetic field when the coil is electrically energized. A spring causes the plunger to seal off one port when the coil is unenergized. In that position of the plunger the other two ports are connected by channels in the plunger. Upon electrical energization of the coil, the plunger moves to a new position where it seals off a different one of the three ports while opening a connecting passage between the remaining two ports.