US 11,852,051 B2
Recirculating hydraulic fluid control valve
Andrew Mlinaric, Lakeshore (CA); and Gustavo de Oliveira Figueiredo, Sterling Heights, MI (US)
Assigned to Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Jun. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/341,564.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/038,889, filed on Jun. 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0388744 A1, Dec. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. F01L 1/344 (2006.01); F16K 11/07 (2006.01); F16K 31/06 (2006.01)
CPC F01L 1/3442 (2013.01) [F01L 2001/3443 (2013.01); F01L 2001/34426 (2013.01); F01L 2001/34433 (2013.01); F16K 11/0716 (2013.01); F16K 31/0613 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
11. A hydraulic fluid control valve, comprising:
a valve housing having:
a first fluid port configured to be fluidly connected to a first hydraulic actuation chamber;
a second fluid port configured to be fluidly connected to a second hydraulic actuation chamber, the first and second hydraulic actuation chambers configured to receive and exit hydraulic fluid; and
a spool disposed within a bore of the valve housing, the spool having:
a first aperture;
a second aperture;
an outer annulus; and,
an inner fluid chamber arranged radially inwardly of the outer annulus; and
in a first axial position of the spool, the inner fluid chamber is configured to recirculate hydraulic fluid from the first hydraulic actuation chamber to the second hydraulic actuation chamber, the inner fluid chamber configured to receive the hydraulic fluid from the first hydraulic actuation chamber via the first aperture; and
in a second axial position of the spool, the inner fluid chamber is configured to recirculate hydraulic fluid from the second hydraulic actuation chamber to the first hydraulic actuation chamber, the inner fluid chamber configured to receive the hydraulic fluid from the second hydraulic actuation chamber via the second aperture; and,
each of the first aperture and the second aperture are continuously fluidly connected to each other when the spool is in at least one of the first axial position or the second axial position; or
the inner fluid chamber is continuously open from the first aperture to the second aperture; and
wherein the valve housing is absent of a vent port.