# US 10,480,543 B2 · Valve assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,543 B2 - Document ID: US10480543B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/788,864 - Filed: 2017-10-20 - Published: 2018-04-26 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-20 - Assignees: Buerkert Werke GmbH - Applicants: Buerkert Werke GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Martin Ottliczky; Harry Stoesser; Heiko Engler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480543B2 ## CPC - F15B 13/0814: {Monoblock manifolds} - F15B 13/0871: {Channels for fluid} - F15B 13/0896: {using different types or sizes of valves} - F16K 27/003: {Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements} - F15B 13/0825: {the modular elements being mounted on a common member, e.g. on a rail} - F15B 13/0839: {Stacked plate type valves} - F15B 13/0853: {Electric circuit boards} - F15B 13/0864: {Signalling means, e.g. LEDs} - Y10T 137/87885: Sectional block structure - F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A valve assembly has a basic module and a plurality of valve modules which are mounted on the basic module side by side along a line-up direction. The basic module is composed of a first and a second leg which extend at an angle with respect to each other such that the two legs delimit a receiving space for the valve modules on two sides, a fluid area being provided on the first leg which has a fluid connection face formed on an inside of the first leg which is turned towards the second leg and on which fluid connections are provided which communicate with fluid connections of the valve modules. All fluid connections of the valve modules communicate with fluid connections of the fluid connection face. An electrical area in which electrical connections communicating with electrical connections of the valve modules are provided is provided on the second leg. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A valve assembly having a basic module and a plurality of valve modules which are mounted on the basic module side by side along a line-up direction, the basic module comprising a first and a second leg which extend at an angle with respect to each other such that the two legs delimit a receiving space for the valve modules on two sides, a fluid area being provided on the first leg which has a fluid connection face formed on an inside of the first leg which is turned towards the second leg and on which fluid connections are provided which communicate with fluid connections of the valve modules, all fluid connections of the valve modules communicating with fluid connections of the fluid connection face, and an electrical area being provided on the second leg, in which electrical connections are provided that communicate with electrical connections of the valve modules. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one actuator fluid connection for an external actuator is provided on the basic module, a fluid supply of the actuator being entirely controlled via one of the valve modules, and the actuator fluid connection associated with the external actuator communicating with a fluid connection in the fluid connection face which in turn communicates with a fluid connection of the valve module concerned. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein the at least one actuator fluid connection runs into a bottom surface of the basic module which is formed on the first leg on the side opposite the fluid connection face. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The valve assembly of claim 3 wherein all fluid connections are associated with the bottom surface of the basic module. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein fluid supply ducts which extend parallel to each other along the line-up direction and which guide the fluid through the basic module are formed in the first leg in the fluid area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The valve assembly of claim 5 wherein the fluid connections in the fluid connection face communicate with at least one of the supply ducts or with the bottom surface by means of a respective branch duct. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The valve assembly of claim 6 wherein a shutoff or check valve is arranged in at least one of the branch ducts and is configured so as to be adapted to be opened by a valve module mounted on the basic module. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the second leg in the electrical area has an electrical duct in which electrical connecting means extend. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The valve assembly of claim 8 wherein the electrical connecting means are formed by a printed circuit board which extends in the line-up direction (A) over the entire length of the electrical area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The valve assembly of claim 9 wherein the electrical connections are arranged on the printed circuit board. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The valve assembly of claim 9 wherein the second leg has a plurality of openings behind which the electrical connections are arranged such that they are directly accessible through the openings. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The valve assembly of claim 11 wherein the electrical connections are plug connectors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein in addition to the valve modules, further functional modules are inserted into the basic module. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The valve assembly of claim 13 wherein the further functional modules comprise at least one of an electronic module, which has electrical connections but no fluid connections, a feed-in module which includes supply connections for the supply of the basic module with fluidic energy, the supply connections communicating with at least one fluid supply duct of the basic module via at least one fluid connection of the fluid connection face, or a closure module which is arranged on one side of the basic module transversely to the line-up direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein a fastening structure into which the valve modules can be inserted is formed on the basic module, the fastening structure comprising at least one inclined surface which is directed so as to exert a clamping force onto the respective valve module which presses the fluid connections of the valve module against the associated fluid connections of the fluid connection face. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The valve assembly of claim 15 wherein a continuous groove is formed in the second leg, on of the inclined surfaces being formed on a nose which delimits the upper side of the groove, the nose being adapted for cooperating which a recess on a rear side of the valve module. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The valve assembly of claim 15 wherein an inclined surface is provided on the second leg and cooperates with the inclined surface having the same orientation on the rear side of the valve module and which is oriented substantially parallel to the inclined surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The valve assembly of claim 17 wherein the inclined surface is formed on an underside of the electrical duct. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein fixing elements which are arranged in the area of a free end of the first leg are provided on the basic module to fasten the valve modules. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one fastening element is configured in one piece with the basic module for the mounting of the valve assembly. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The valve assembly of claim 20 wherein at least one fastening element is provided, the at least one fastening element being one of a first fastening element formed by fastening openings in the bottom surface of the first leg opposite the fluid connection face or a second fastening element formed by a groove in the second leg which extends in the line-up direction and configured to be put onto a supporting rail. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the basic module is made from an extruded profile.