Steering control valve with different size flow gaps for noise suppression

US5562124A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• TRW Limited · US

Inventors

• Hermann W. Behrens · Rancho Palos Verdes, US
• George M. Harpole · Rancho Palos Verdes, US
• Jane M. Lin · Rancho Palos Verdes, US
• Michael F. Wolff · Torrance, US
• Wendell L. Gilbert · Pleasant Shade, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 21, 1995
• Grant date: Oct 8, 1996
• Expiry date: Feb 21, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T137/86662
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A valve (10) for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid. The valve (10) has first and second valve members (80, 82) which have a plurality of lands and grooves. The valve members (80, 82) are relatively movable from a neutral position to a displaced position in which surface segments (202, 226, 208, 218) of respective pairs of lands overlap to form flow gaps (232, 234) for restricting flow of fluid between respective pairs of grooves. At least one (234) of the flow gaps is divergent by having a cross-sectional flow area which increases along a direction of fluid flow and at least one (232) of the flow gaps is convergent by having a cross-sectional flow area which decreases along a direction of fluid flow. The flow gaps (232, 234) have minimum cross-sectional flow areas (A, B) defined by the surface segments. The flow gaps (232, 234) are sized such that the minimum cross-sectional flow area (A) of the convergent flow gap (232) is larger than the minimum cross-sectional flow area (B) of the divergent flow gap (234) for suppressing valve noise.