Solenoid valve lock

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a solenoid valve, which includes a valve portion and a solenoid portion. The valve portion has a pin, and the pin has a groove. The solenoid portion has an orifice configured to receive the pin. A resilient locking device is located in the orifice, and the resilient locking device is configured to engage the groove when the pin has been inserted into the orifice to releasably retain the pin in the orifice. There is also a removable cap having a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the removable cap does not abut the resilient locking device, and wherein in the second position, the removable cap abuts the resilient locking device to prevent the resilient locking device from moving out of the groove. A method of locking the valve portion of a solenoid valve to the solenoid portion is also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a solenoid valve and a method for manufacturing a solenoid valve. Background Art

[0002] Solenoid valves are commonly used in fluid flow applications such as refrigeration circuits. A solenoid valve typically includes: a solenoid portion that includes a coil formed of wire; and a valve portion that is connected to the solenoid portion. A pin member of the valve portion extends inside the coil formed of wire. Controlling the magnetic field generated by passing an electric current through the coil allows the valve portion to be controlled. The valve portion is often fluidly isolated from the solenoid portion. The magnetic field from the solenoid penetrates into the pin member and is used to move an internal component within the pin, where the component is used to control the fluid flow through the valve portion. In a known solenoid valve described in detail below, the pin member is held in the solenoid portion by a resilient locking device that releasably holds the pin. The solenoid portion and the valve portion must be pulled apart with a certain force (in one example, a force of 120 N) to release the grip of the resilient locking device on the pin and thereby separate the two portions.

[0003] One such solenoid valve is known as a "Fast Lock Coil" and is manufactured by Castel. Other solenoid valves (with different locking mechanisms for holding the components together) are disclosed in US 5895026 and US 9982797.

[0004] Refrigeration circuits (especially those installed in vehicles) can often be subject to vibrations. For example, the refrigeration unit of a refrigerated truck will be subject to vibrations generated while driving along a road. A sudden impact (e.g., due to hitting a pothole or a rock) can provide sufficient force to pull the solenoid portion of the solenoid valve away from the valve portion. This may potentially not damage either component, but if the pin is thus misaligned relative to the magnetic field of the solenoid, the solenoid valve will still stop functioning properly, such that the solenoid no longer properly controls the internal component of the valve portion. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a solenoid valve including: a valve portion having a pin with a groove; a solenoid portion having an orifice configured to receive the pin; and a resilient locking device in the orifice configured to engage the groove when the pin has been inserted into the orifice to releasably hold the pin in the orifice; and characterized by a movable cap having a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, the movable cap does not abut the resilient locking device, and wherein, in the second position, the movable cap abuts the resilient locking device to prevent the resilient locking device from moving out of the groove.

[0006] The removable cap ensures that the resilient locking device cannot lose its grip on the groove of the pin. Thus, the solenoid valve can be more resistant to the separation of the valve part and the solenoid part, for example due to vibration or shock.

[0007] As is known in the art, the solenoid part may include a solenoid coil. The magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil can move one or more components located inside the pin of the valve part, and the movement of the said (one or more) components controls the fluid flow through the valve part. Various different arrangements of the components inside the pin are known in the art.

[0008] The resilient locking device can be a spring wire forming an entire ring or a partial ring. The spring wire can be forced to expand around a portion of the pin before being aligned with the groove, and due to the resilience of the spring wire, the spring wire snaps into the groove and thereby locks the pin in place. The spring wire may be inexpensive and easy to install in the orifice.

[0009] The orifice can have a first section and a second section, where the first section has a first diameter and extends from the outer surface of the solenoid part; and where the second section is located at the end of the first section remote from the outer surface, where the second section has a second diameter greater than the first diameter; and the resilient locking device can be located in the second section.

[0010] Thus, the second section can provide a cavity for accommodating the resilient locking device.

[0011] The resilient locking device can have an annular shape extending between an inner surface and an outer surface, where the inner surface has a diameter smaller than the first diameter, and where the outer surface has a diameter greater than the first diameter and smaller than the second diameter, such that a radially extending gap is formed between the outer surface of the resilient locking device and the radially outermost surface of the second part.

[0012] When the outer surface of the resilient locking device has a diameter greater than the diameter of the first part, the resilient locking device cannot easily fall out of the orifice. When the pin is inserted through the resilient locking device, the radially extending gap provides space for the resilient locking device to expand into.

[0013] The removable cap can include at least one leg, where when the removable cap is in the second position, the at least one leg at least partially fills the radially extending gap.

[0014] Thus, the leg can prevent the radially outward movement of the resilient locking device required for the resilient locking device to disengage from the groove.

[0015] The third section of the orifice may be defined as being adjacent to the second section, opposite to the first section, and the third section has a third diameter that is smaller than the second diameter. That is, the third section is defined as extending outward from the first section in a direction away from the solenoid portion and beyond the second section. The smaller diameter of the third section may help to keep the resilient locking device properly positioned within the second section.

[0016] Threading facing radially inward may be defined in the orifice, and corresponding threading may be defined in the radially outward facing surface of the leg or legs such that the movable cap may be screwed into the solenoid portion to move the movable cap from the first position to the second position.

[0017] This provides a mechanism for fixing the movable cap in the second position. When the second cap is held in the second position, the resilient locking device cannot disengage from the recess, and thus the valve portion and the solenoid portion cannot be separated from each other.

[0018] Additionally or alternatively, the movable cap may include a plurality of legs, where each leg is a resilient leg having a flange extending radially outward; and the resilient legs are positioned on the movable cap such that the diameter defined by the outermost radial extent of the flange is greater than the third diameter.

[0019] In this example, the resilient legs must bend inward to pass through the third section and into the second section.

[0020] The third section may define an annular lip at the end of the second section, where in the second position, the flange engages the lip to inhibit movement of the movable cap away from the second position.

[0021] This provides another mechanism for fixing the cap in the second position. The flange on the leg prevents the movable cap from easily moving back to the first position once it is installed in the second position. In some examples, sufficient force (e.g., by prying the cap with a screwdriver or other tool) may be used to remove the movable cap. Additionally, depending on the design (e.g., the materials used, the resiliency of the legs, etc.), this may involve breaking the movable cap or may leave the movable cap intact.

[0022] The movable cap may be made of plastic or metal or any suitable material.

[0023] Alternatively or additionally, one or more axially extending grooves may be formed in the third section, the grooves being configured to receive the flange or flanges in a first orientation of the movable cap such that the movable cap may be moved from the first position to the second position; and wherein, in the second position, the movable cap may be rotated away from the first orientation such that one or more flanges are not aligned with one or more grooves.

[0024] In this example, the removable cap is held in a first orientation in which the flange is aligned with an axially extending groove, and the cap is slid from a first position to a second position. The cap is then rotated so that the flange is positioned beneath the lip and is not aligned with the groove. Thus, the removable cap can be retained by a mechanism including a bayonet type arrangement. As such, the cap cannot be removed from the second position without first realigning the flange with the axially extending groove.

[0025] In another aspect, a method of connecting a valve portion of a solenoid valve to a solenoid portion of the solenoid valve is provided, the method including: inserting a pin of the valve portion into an orifice of the solenoid portion, wherein the pin has a groove formed therein; engaging the groove of the pin with a resilient locking device located within the orifice to inhibit removal of the pin from the solenoid portion; and moving a removable cap within the solenoid portion from a first position to a second position, wherein, in the second position, the removable cap abuts the resilient locking device to prevent the resilient locking device from moving out of the groove.

[0026] The method means that the valve portion cannot be separated from the solenoid portion when the removable cap is in the second position. This can make the solenoid valve more resistant to shock and vibration that would otherwise cause the valve portion and the solenoid portion to become disconnected from each other.

[0027] In the step of moving the removable cap from the first position to the second position, resilient legs of the removable cap can elastically deform inwardly until the legs pass over a lip within the orifice, at which time the legs return to a stress-free position abutting the resilient locking device and a flange of each of the resilient legs is positioned beneath the lip.

[0028] The resilient legs can allow the removable cap to be easily moved from the first position to the second position, but make it difficult to move the cap back from the second position.

[0029] Alternatively or additionally, the removable cap can have threads and a section of the orifice can have corresponding threads; wherein, in the step of moving the removable cap from the first position to the second position, the removable cap can be screwed into the orifice to fix the removable cap in the second position.

[0030] This provides an alternative or additional feature by which the removable cap is moved to and fixed in the second position.

[0031] The removable cap can include one or more legs each having a radially extending flange, and the orifice can include one or more corresponding axially extending grooves; and wherein in the step of moving the removable cap from the first position to the second position, the flange can slide along the axially extending groove and once in the second position, the removable cap can be rotated so that the flange is not aligned with the axially extending groove.

[0032] This positions the flange so that it is not aligned with the groove, such that the removable cap cannot be removed from the second position without first rotating the removable cap to a position where the flange is aligned with the axially extending groove. This provides another mechanism by which the removable cap can be fixed in the second position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Certain embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0034] Figure 1 A known solenoid valve including a valve portion and a solenoid portion is shown;

[0035] Figure 2 The valve portion of the known solenoid valve is shown;

[0036] Figure 3 The solenoid of the known solenoid valve is shown;

[0037] Figure 4 The solenoid valve in different configurations is shown; Figure 1 of the solenoid valve;

[0038] Figure 5 A solenoid valve according to the present disclosure is shown; and

[0039] Figure 6 Another view of the solenoid valve according to the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Figure 1 A known solenoid valve 60 is shown, which includes two main components: a valve portion 10 and a solenoid portion 30. The known solenoid valve 60 will first be described in detail, and then the solenoid valve 100 according to the present disclosure will be described.

[0041] The valve portion 10 includes a valve body 14 and a pin 12 extending away from the valve body 14. The valve body 14 and the pin 12 contain internal movable components (not shown) that control the fluid flow through the valve portion 10. Many different designs of valve portions with pins are known in the art, and the specific details of the internal movable components are outside the scope of the present disclosure.

[0042] The valve body 14 may have an inlet 14a and an outlet 14b, and the solenoid valve 60 may control the fluid flow between the inlet 14a and the outlet 14b. The valve portion 10 is typically fluidly isolated from the solenoid portion 30.

[0043] The solenoid portion 30 includes a housing 32 having a first outer surface 34. An aperture 36 is formed in the first surface 34 and extends from the first surface 34 into the solenoid portion 30. The aperture 34 is for receiving the pin 12 of the valve portion 10 when the valve portion 10 and the solenoid portion 30 are connected together. When the solenoid portion 30 and the valve portion 10 are connected together, the valve body 14 abuts the first outer surface 34 of the housing 32. Inside the housing 32, there is a solenoid coil 38 wound around a portion of the aperture 34. The current in the solenoid coil 38 generates a magnetic field, and this magnetic field is used to move one of the aforementioned movable components inside the pin 12. Thus, controlling the current applied to the solenoid coil 38 allows control of the fluid flow through the valve portion 10 of the solenoid valve 60. As described in detail below, a releasable locking device 40 holds the pin 12 in the aperture 34 such that the valve portion 10 is held relative to the solenoid portion 30.

[0044] Figure 2 The valve portion 10 is shown separated from the solenoid portion (which is shown in Figure 3 ). The pin 12 extends away from the valve body 14 along the axis X, and the pin 12 includes three portions 21, 22, 23. The first portion 21 is connected to the valve body 14 and extends along the axis X for a first length 16. The second portion is a groove 22 in the surface of the pin 12. The groove 22 is formed at the end of the first portion 21 remote from the valve body 14. The groove extends along the axis X for a second length 18. The third portion 23 of the pin 12 is formed at the axial end of the groove 16 remote from the first portion 21 and extends along the axis X for a third length 20.

[0045] The first portion 21 has a first diameter 26. The second portion (i.e., the groove 22) has a smaller second diameter 24. The third portion 23 has an outermost diameter greater than the second diameter 22, for example, the third portion 23 may have an outermost diameter equal to the first diameter 26.

[0046] In some examples, the groove 16 extends circumferentially around the pin 12 continuously. Alternatively, one or more grooves 16 may be formed by removing one or more blocks from the pin 12, where the resilient locking device 40 may engage with the one or more grooves. It is sufficient that the groove 16 defines a portion of the pin 12 having a smaller cross-sectional area than the third portion 23 such that when the third portion 23 has passed through the resilient locking device 40, the resilient locking device 40 engages the groove 16 and prevents the third portion 23 from moving back through the resilient locking device 40.

[0047] Figure 3 The valve portion is shown separated from the (which is in Figure 2The separate solenoid portion 30 (shown in [reference]) is provided. The orifice 36 extends inwardly from the first outer surface 34 along the axis Y and includes three sections 47, 48, 49. The first section 47 extends inwardly from the first outer surface 34 and extends along the axis Y for a first length 42. The first length 42 of the first section 47 is substantially the same as the length 16 of the first part 21 of the pin 12. The first part 47 has a first diameter 50 that is slightly larger than the first diameter 26 of the pin 12, such that the pin can be received within the orifice 36.

[0048] The second section 48 of the orifice 36 is formed at the end of the first section 47 that is remote from the first surface 34. The second section 48 has a second diameter 52 that is larger than the first diameter 50 of the orifice 34. The length 44 of the second section is substantially the same as the length of the groove 22 (i.e., the second part) of the pin 12. The second section extends along the axis Y for a second length 44.

[0049] The third section 49 is formed at the end of the second section 48 that is remote from the first section 47. The third section 49 extends along the axis Y for a third length 46 and terminates at the end 35 of the orifice 36 that is within the solenoid portion 30. The third section 49 has a diameter that is less than the diameter 50 of the second section 48. For example, the third section 49 may have the same diameter 50 as the first section 47.

[0050] The solenoid coil 38 is wound about the axis Y and is wound about at least some of the length 42 of the first section 47 of the orifice 34.

[0051] The resilient locking device 40 is located within the second section 48 of the orifice 36. For example, the resilient locking device 40 may be a spring wire formed in a generally annular shape. The ring has an inner diameter and an outer diameter. The inner diameter of the spring wire is less than the first diameter 50, and the outer diameter is greater than the first diameter 50, such that the spring wire is disposed within the second section 48 and does not fall out through the first part 47 of the orifice 36. The outer diameter of the resilient locking device 40 is less than the diameter 52 of the second section 48, such that there is a radial clearance 54 (radial with respect to the axis Y) defined between the outer surface of the resilient locking device 40 and the radially outer surface of the second section 48.

[0052] The sum of the lengths 16, 18, 20 of the parts 21, 22, 23 of the pin 12 is substantially equal to the sum of the lengths 42, 44, 46 of the sections 47, 48, 49 of the orifice 36. Thus, when the pin 12 is fully inserted into the orifice 36 such that the valve body 14 abuts the first surface 34, the end of the pin abuts or nearly abuts the end 35 of the orifice 36.

[0053] Figure 4The valve portion 10 is shown during the process of being connected to the solenoid portion 30. The pin 12 has entered the orifice 36 and is moving towards the resilient locking device 40 in the direction indicated by arrow D. At Figure 4 the position shown in, the third portion 23 and the second portion 22 of the pin 12 are completely located within the first section 47 of the orifice 36, and the first portion 21 of the pin 12 is partially located within the orifice 36.

[0054] When the valve portion 10 moves further in the direction D, the third portion 23 of the pin 12 finally contacts the resilient locking device 40. At this time, the third portion 23 forces the inner diameter (and outer diameter) of the resilient locking device 40 to expand radially outward to accommodate the diameter of the third portion 23. During this period, the radial clearance 54 (between the outer surface of the resilient locking device 40 and the radially outermost surface of the second section 48) slightly decreases, but the clearance 54 does not necessarily disappear completely. When the third portion 23 moves past the resilient locking device (i.e., along the axes X, Y), the groove 22 is axially aligned with the resilient locking device 40. Due to the resilience of the resilient locking device 40, the resilient locking device 40 snaps into the groove 40 to clamp the pin 12. This is Figure 1 the connection arrangement shown in. In this way, it may not be easy to remove the valve portion 10 from the solenoid portion 30 because the resilient locking device 40 prevents the outward expansion required for the third portion 23 of the pin 12 to move back through the device 40. However, with sufficient force, the pin 12 can be removed from the clamping of the resilient locking device 40 without damaging any part 10, 30 of the solenoid valve 60. In some known solenoid valves, when the resilient locking device 40 is clamping the pin 12, a force of approximately 120 N (i.e., a load of approximately 12 kg along the axes X, Y) is required to separate the valve portion 10 from the solenoid portion 30.

[0055] Figure 5 and Figure 6 shows a solenoid valve 100 according to the present disclosure. In the known solenoid valve 60 and the solenoid valve 100 according to the present disclosure, many components are the same, and thus the same numbers will be used for the same components.

[0056] Similar to the known solenoid valve 60, the solenoid valve 100 according to the present disclosure includes a valve portion 10 having a valve body 14 and a pin 12. The pin 12 is received in an orifice 36 having a first section 47 and a second section 48. A resilient locking device 40 is provided in the second section 48, and the resilient locking device 40 clamps the pin 12 in the same manner as disclosed above.

[0057] The solenoid portion 300 of the solenoid valve 100 according to the present disclosure has a similar to Figures 1 to 4a first section 47 and a second section 48 of a known arrangement, but compared to the known solenoid valve 60, the solenoid section 300 includes a modified third section 102. A solenoid coil 38 is also present in the solenoid valve 100 according to the present disclosure, but is omitted from Figure 4 and Figure 5 for clarity.

[0058] The orifice 36 of the solenoid section 300 extends completely through the solenoid section 300, and a movable cap 104 (which can be formed separately from the solenoid section 300) is used to close the end of the orifice 36. In the solenoid valve 100 according to the present disclosure, the pin 12 is inserted into the orifice 36 in the same manner as described above for the known solenoid valve 60. When the pin 12 is first fully inserted into the orifice 36 (i.e., such that the valve body 14 abuts the first surface 34 and the resilient locking device 40 clamps into the groove 22 of the pin 12), the movable cap 104 is in a first position spaced apart from the resilient locking device 40 (shown in Figure 4 ). In this first position, the movable cap 104 does not interfere with any aspect of the insertion of the pin 12 into the orifice 36 and then being releasably locked in place by the resilient locking device 40.

[0059] The first position can be a position where the movable cap 104 is completely separated from the solenoid section 100. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5 , the first position can be a position where the movable cap 104 is partially inserted into the solenoid section 100, but the resilient legs do not interfere with the resilient locking device 40.

[0060] The third section 102 of the orifice 36 has a diameter 103 that is smaller than the diameter 52 of the second section 48. In this way, the third part 102 provides an annular lip 105 at the end of the second section 48.

[0061] As Figure 4 and Figure 5 depicted, the movable cap 104 has two or more resilient legs 106. Once the resilient locking device 40 clamps the groove 16 of the pin 12, the movable cap 104 can move to a second position (shown in Figure 5As shown, in the second position, the leg 106 fills most of the radial gap 54 between the outer surface of the resilient locking device 40 and the radial outer surface of the second section 48. One or more resilient legs 106 thus prevent outward expansion of the resilient locking device 40 (e.g., beyond the diameter of the third part 23 of the pin 12), which outward expansion of the resilient locking device 40 would be necessary to remove the pin 12 from the solenoid section 300. In this way, compared to the previously described known solenoid valve 60, the movable cap 104 locks the pin 12 more firmly into the solenoid section 300 in the second position. That is, when the movable cap 104 is in the second position, a significantly greater force is required to pull the pin 12 out of the orifice 36 and thereby separate the valve section 10 from the solenoid section 300. In fact, the required force can be so great that the valve section 10 and / or the solenoid section 300 will be damaged due to the forceful removal of the pin 12 from the orifice 36.

[0062] The movable cap 104 can be moved to the second position by a user (e.g., a technician) pressing on the base 104a of the movable cap 104.

[0063] The resilient legs 106 do not need to fill the entire radial gap 54, but only need to fill a sufficient portion of the gap 54 such that the resilient locking device 40 cannot expand radially outward enough to accommodate the third part 23 of the pin 12 moving through it.

[0064] As Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown, each of the resilient legs 106 extends away from the base 104a of the movable cap 104. Each of the resilient legs 106 has a radially extending flange 108 at a point spaced from the base 104a. The movable cap 104 is designed such that the radially outermost extent of the flange 108 of the resilient leg 106 is slightly further than the diameter 103 of the third part 102 (i.e., the circle drawn to connect the flanges has a diameter greater than the diameter 103 of the third part 102). Thus, as Figure 4 shown, when the movable cap 104 is in the first position (i.e., being inserted into the solenoid section 300), the resilient legs 106 are elastically deformed radially inwards by the flange 108 pressing against the outer diameter 103 of the third part 102. Then, as Figure 5 shown, when the movable cap 104 has moved to the second position, the flange 108 has passed from the third part 102 and into the larger diameter 52 of the second part 48. Thus, the resilient legs 106 have elastically sprung back to their stress-free position, and the flange 108 is placed below the annular lip 105. The annular lip 105 prevents the resilient legs 106 (and thus the movable cap) from moving back out of the second position.

[0065] When the removable cap 104 is in the second position as shown in Figure 5 the resilient leg 106 fills the radial clearance 54 between the outer surface of the resilient locking member 40 and the radially outermost surface of the second section 48 of the orifice 36.

[0066] Other possible mechanisms (not shown) are contemplated for the removable cap 104. These mechanisms can be used in combination or separately. In one such mechanism, the third section 102 can have one or more axially extending grooves (i.e., along an axis coaxial with the axis Y of the orifice 36) that can receive the flanges 108 on the legs 106 of the removable cap 104. The removable cap 104 is then positioned such that as the removable cap 104 moves from the first position to the second position, the respective flanges 108 slide along the corresponding axial grooves. The removable cap 104 can then be rotated about the axis Y of the orifice 36 such that the flanges 108 are not aligned with the axial grooves. Thus, the flanges 108 are then positioned below the lip 105, and the removable cap cannot be removed back out of the second position unless the removable cap is first rotated back to the position where the flanges 108 and the axial grooves are aligned.

[0067] In another possible mechanism (not shown), the flanges 108 can be replaced by radially outward-facing threads, and corresponding radially inward-facing threads can be formed on the third part 102. The removable cap 104 can then be screwed into the third part such that it abuts in the second position where the (one or more) resilient legs fill the radial clearance 54. In this example, the removable cap 104 can optionally have only a single "leg" that defines a ring or part of a ring. Additionally, this "leg" need not be resilient since it does not need to deform inwardly through the third part as it moves from the first position to the second position (i.e., as it is screwed into the third part).

Claims

1. A solenoid valve (100), comprising: a valve portion (10) having a pin (12) having a first groove (22); a solenoid portion (300) having an aperture (36) configured to receive the pin; as well as a resilient locking device (40) in the aperture, the resilient locking device being configured to engage the first groove when the pin has been inserted into the aperture to releasably retain the pin in the aperture; and characterized by a removable cap (104) having a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, the removable cap does not abut the resilient locking means, and wherein, in the second position, the removable cap abuts the resilient locking means so as to prevent the resilient locking means from being removed from the first recess; wherein the orifice has a first section (47) and a second section (48), wherein the first section has a first diameter (50) and extends from an outer surface (34) of the solenoid portion; and wherein the second section is located at an end of the first section away from the outer surface, wherein the second section has a second diameter (52) greater than the first diameter; and Wherein, the resilient locking device is located in the second section; wherein a third section (102) of the orifice is defined adjacent to the second section (48) opposite the first section (47), the third section having a third diameter (103) smaller than the second diameter (52); wherein the removable cap comprises a plurality of legs (106), wherein each leg is a resilient leg having a flange (108) extending radially outward; wherein the resilient legs are positioned on the removable cap such that a diameter defined by a radially outermost extent of the flange is greater than the third diameter (103).

2. The solenoid valve according to claim 1, characterized in that The resilient locking means (40) is a spring wire forming a full or partial ring.

3. The solenoid valve according to claim 1, characterized in that The resilient locking device has an annular shape extending between an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface has a diameter smaller than the first diameter (50), and wherein the outer surface has a diameter larger than the first diameter (50) and smaller than the second diameter (52), so that a radially extending gap (54) is formed between the outer surface of the resilient locking device and the radially outermost surface of the second section.

4. The solenoid valve according to claim 3, characterized in that When the removable cap is in the second position, the legs at least partially fill the radially extending gap (54).

5. The solenoid valve according to claim 4, characterized in that Radially inwardly facing threads are defined in the aperture and corresponding threads are defined in the radially outwardly facing surface of the leg such that the removable cap can be threaded into the solenoid portion to move the removable cap from the first position to the second position.

6. The solenoid valve according to claim 1, characterized in that The third section defines an annular lip (105) at an end of the second section, wherein, in the second position, the flange engages the lip to inhibit movement of the movable cap away from the second position.

7. The solenoid valve according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that: One or more axially extending second grooves are formed in the third section, and the second grooves are configured to receive the flange in a first orientation of the movable cap so that the movable cap can be moved from the first position to the second position; and wherein, in the second position, the movable cap can be rotated away from the first orientation so that the flange is not aligned with the one or more second grooves.

8. A method of connecting a valve portion (10) of a solenoid valve (100) to a solenoid portion (300) of the solenoid valve, the method comprising: inserting a pin (12) of the valve portion into an orifice (36) of the solenoid portion, wherein the pin has a first groove (22) formed therein; engaging the first recess of the pin with a resilient lock (40) located in the aperture to inhibit removal of the pin from the solenoid portion; and moving a removable cap (104) in the solenoid portion from a first position to a second position, wherein in the second position the removable cap abuts the resilient locking device so as to prevent the resilient locking device from being removed from the first recess; Wherein, in the step of moving the movable cap from the first position to the second position, the resilient legs (106) of the movable cap are elastically deformed inwardly until the legs pass through the lip (105) in the orifice, at which time the legs return to an unstressed position adjacent to the resilient locking device, and the flanges (108) of each of the resilient legs are located below the lip.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The removable cap has threads and a section of the aperture has threads; wherein, in the step of moving the removable cap from the first position to the second position, the removable cap is screwed into the aperture to fix the removable cap in the second position.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The removable cap includes one or more legs each having a radially extending flange, wherein the orifice includes one or more corresponding axially extending second grooves; and wherein, in the step of moving the removable cap from the first position to the second position, the flange slides along the axially extending second groove, and once in the second position, the removable cap is rotated so that the flange is not aligned with the axially extending second groove.

11. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The solenoid valve is as defined in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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