US 11,788,633 B1
Spools for spool valve assemblies and methods of fabricating spools
Kevin L. Martin, Washburn, IL (US); Paul A. Zwart, Dunlap, IL (US); Michael C. Marstall, Peoria, IL (US); and Mikhail A. Sorokin, Naperville, IL (US)
Assigned to Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed on Aug. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/396,162.
Int. Cl. F16K 11/07 (2006.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC F16K 11/0716 (2013.01) [B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spool defining a spool longitudinal axis, the spool comprising:
a first land module defining a first land module circumferential surface;
a second land module defining a second land module circumferential surface; and
a first metering module, wherein:
a first end cap of the first metering module is coupled to the first land module;
a second end cap of the first metering module is coupled to the second land module;
the first metering module defines a virtual first metering module central core area concentric with the spool longitudinal axis and a virtual first metering module hollow cylinder area surrounding the virtual first metering module central core area; and
at least two pillars of the first metering module extend between the first end cap of the first metering module and the second end cap of the first metering module, wherein the at least two pillars of the first metering module are entirely disposed within the virtual first metering module hollow cylinder area.