Abstract: A valve is provided that includes a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a valve seat therebetween. The valve includes a valve member movable towards the valve seat towards engagement with a stop, and away from the valve seat when the solenoid is energized. The valve member has an opening in which a valve element is received. A spring urges the valve member and valve element towards the valve seat, and a solenoid moves the valve member away from the valve seat. The spring biases the valve member to a closed position, in which the valve element engages the valve seat, and the valve member engages a stop that prevents the valve member from impacting against the valve element that is seated against the valve seat. The solenoid when energized causes the valve member to move upward and pull the valve element away from the valve seat.

Abstract: An inventive solenoid valve comprises a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, and a movable member for moving a valve element away from a valve seat to open the valve. The moveable member engages and moves the valve element away from the seat to an open position when the solenoid is actuated. When the solenoid is not actuated, a biasing spring moves the moveable member to disengage from the valve element, which returns to a closed position. The moveable member does not transfer any impact force to the valve element on closure of the valve member, so that the valve may be operated a significant number of cycles without failure.

Abstract: A solenoid valve is provided that includes an inlet, an outlet, a valve seat in the flow path between the inlet and the outlet, a stationary core, and a moveable member for moving between an open position and a closed position against the valve seat. A resilient dampening member is disposed between the moveable member and the stationary core, and is independent from both the stationary core and the moveable member. A spring biases the resilient dampening member against the stationary core and the moveable member away from the stationary core to a closed position. Upon energizing a solenoid with a direct current voltage, the moveable member moves from the closed position towards the stationary member to an open position against the resilient dampening member. The resilient dampening member dampens the impact between the moveable member and the stationary core to reduce the noise associated with energizing the solenoid.