Abstract: A non-sliding solenoid valve has an armature supported by a spring for movement with no sliding contact with other valve surfaces. An inner perimeter of the spring is snapped into position adjacent to an inner perimeter reference surface on the armature. An outer perimeter of the spring engages a reference surface on a shell of the valve, and another reference surface spaced, from the spring reference surface, receives an outer perimeter of a seat for the valve. When the seat is positioned against its reference surface, this urges the inner and outer perimeters of the spring against respective reference surfaces and completes the assembly with assured accuracy.

Abstract: A puck retaining recess in a plunger of a solenoid valve is formed with a puck retaining lip that is fixed or unified with the plunger. The puck is then radially compressed to fit through a central opening of the retainer lip, and once the puck is pushed past the retainer lip, it is allowed to radially expand within the recess where the puck is retained between a bottom of the recess and the retainer lip. This eliminates many problems that previously occurred with separable retainer lips pressed into position to hold a puck after its insertion into a plunger recess.

Abstract: A non-sliding solenoid valve has an armature supported by a spring for movement with no sliding contact with other valve surfaces. An inner perimeter of the spring is snapped into position adjacent to an inner perimeter reference surface on the armature. An outer perimeter of the spring engages a reference surface on a shell of the valve, and another reference surface spaced, from the spring reference surface, receives an outer perimeter of a seat for the valve. When the seat is positioned against its reference surface, this urges the inner and outer perimeters of the spring against respective reference surfaces and completes the assembly with assured accuracy.

Abstract: A solenoid valve moves an armature back and forth between valve open and valve closed positions without the armature having any sliding engagement with any fixed valve part. This is accomplished by supporting the armature with a spring having one periphery engaging a fixed valve surface and another periphery engaging the armature so that armature movement causes flexure of the spring, but no sliding contact. This helps prevent generation of dirt within the valve and ensures accurate armature movement to make the valve durable and reliable. Springs in both washer and cylindrical helical shapes can accomplish this.

Abstract: A solenoid valve moves an armature back and forth translationally between valve open and valve closed positions without the armature having any sliding engagement with any fixed valve part. This is accomplished by supporting the armature with a spring having one periphery engaging a fixed valve surface and another periphery engaging the armature so that armature movement causes flexure of the spring, but no sliding contact. This helps prevent generation of dirt within the valve and ensures accurate armature movement to make the valve durable and reliable. Springs in both washer and cylindrical helical shapes can accomplish this, and the armatures supported by such springs can accommodate valve closing seals of different materials and shapes.

Abstract: A seal includes a resilient carrier with opposed limbs holding sealing rings that engage sealing surfaces. The seal is oriented so that a space between the limbs is exposed to a higher than ambient pressure that biases the limbs apart to increase the force pressing the sealing rings against sealing gland surfaces.

Abstract: A valve seat arrangement that uses a TEFLON valve seat. The seat is held in place and kept from cold flowing in undesired ways by an outlet guide and a retainer. The valve seat arrangement is assembled using interference fits to avoid damage to the TEFLON seat. To overcome technical difficulties associated with the interference fit, a particular method of assembly is used. Specifically, the seat is heated and mounted on the outlet guide. Once the guide/seat assembly returns to ambient temperature, it is immersed in liquid nitrogen to force it to shrink. After removing the guide/seat assembly from the liquid nitrogen, the retainer is mounted thereon and the assembly is allowed to return to ambient temperature, thereby achieving another interference fit. If the retainer were heated to force it to expand, its temperature upon mounting on the seat would damage or destroy the seat, causing leakage through the seat.

Abstract: An indicating or activating system has a follower arranged to follow the movement of a valve body. The follower swings about a pivot and moves between two positions. In one of the positions, the follower activates a switch. The switch can be connected to an indicator to indicate a state of the valve body or can be connected to another component whose state is dependent on the valve state. In essence, the device itself is an indicator of the valve state.

Abstract: A dual series valve is formed with two plungers within a central bore of a solenoid. Each of the plungers is formed with a guide bore that is supported on respective guide members through opposite ends of the guide bore. The guide members are firmly supported from respective plugs in the solenoid bore to prevent the plungers from contacting the central bore of the solenoid. Two of the guide members supporting respective plungers define valve seats that are opened and closed by respective valve seals carried within the guide bores of the two plungers. The valve seats and the valve seals are maintained in alignment with each other within the respective guide bores between the guide members supporting opposite ends of the plungers.

Abstract: A dual series valve is formed with two plungers within a central bore of a solenoid. Each of the plungers is formed with a guide bore that is supported on respective guide members through opposite ends of the guide bore. The guide members are firmly supported from respective plugs in the solenoid bore to prevent the plungers from contacting the central bore of the solenoid. Two of the guide members supporting respective plungers define valve seats that are opened and closed by respective valve seals carried within the guide bores of the two plungers. The valve seats and the valve seals are maintained in alignment with each other within the respective guide bores between the guide members supporting opposite ends of the plungers.