# US 11,112,062 B2 · Safety system for a pressure accumulator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,062 B2 - Document ID: US11112062B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/634,599 - Filed: 2018-08-09 - Published: 2020-05-14 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-12 - Assignees: Hydac Technology GmbH - Applicants: Hydac Technology GmbH - Inventors: Thomas Kreutzer; Thomas Goetz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112062B2 ## CPC - F17C 13/04: Arrangement or mounting of valves (valves per se F16K {; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00}) - F15B 1/08: using a gas cushion; Gas charging devices; Indicators or floats therefor - F15B 20/00: Safety arrangements for fluid actuator systems; Applications of safety devices in fluid actuator systems; Emergency measures for fluid actuator systems - F15B 21/005: {Filling or draining of fluid systems} - F15B 20/007: {Overload} - F15B 2211/41: characterised by the positions of the valve element - F15B 2211/411: the positions being discrete - F15B 2211/423: manually, e.g. by using a lever or pedal - F15B 2211/50518: using pressure relief valves - F15B 2211/8757: using redundant components or assemblies - F17C 2205/0329: manually actuated - F17C 2205/0332: Safety valves or pressure relief valves - F17C 2205/0385: in blocks or units - F17C 2221/014: Nitrogen - F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25) - F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A safety system has a valve block (10) to which at least one gas safety valve (12, 14) is connected in a detachable manner. At least one controllable valve (50, 52, 58) is in or at the valve block (10). At least one pressure accumulator (42) holds a gaseous pressure medium and is connected to the valve block (10) in a detachable manner. A gas-conveying connection routed at least partially within the valve block (10) between the connected pressure accumulator (42) and the connected gas safety valves (12, 14) can be opened or blocked by the valve (50, 52, 58). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A safety system, comprising: a valve block with first and second valve ports and a first supply pressure port; first and second gas safety valves connected in fluid communication to the valve block via the first and second valve ports, respectively; a first pressure accumulator being capable of holding a gaseous pressure medium and being connected in fluid communication to the valve block via the first pressure supply port; gas-conveying connections extending in the valve block between the first pressure supply port and the first and second valve ports; and a control valve device in the gas-conveying connections selectively and individually opening and blocking fluid flow in the gas-conveying connections between the first pressure supply port and the first and second valve ports such that fluid communication between the first pressure accumulator either one of the first and second gas safety valve is open while fluid communication to the other of the first and second gas safety valves is able to be blocked; whereby, one of the first and second gas safety valve may be disconnected from the valve block, while the other of the first and second gas safety valves is maintained in fluid communication with the first pressure accumulator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A safety system according to claim 1 wherein the first pressure accumulator comprises a pressure vessel at least one of filled exclusively with the gaseous pressure medium or a hydraulic accumulator with a separator in a storage housing separating a gas side from a liquid side in the storage housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A safety system according to claim 1 wherein the control valve device includes at least one of a mechanical locking system, a mechanical control system, an electrical monitoring system or a chip-controlled actuation system for controllable valves of the control valve device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A safety system according to claim 1 wherein the valve device comprises first and second ball valves connected in fluid communication between the first gas safety valve and the first pressure accumulator and between the second gas safety valve and the first pressure accumulator, respectively, the first and second control valves having first and second control disks, respectively, mechanically locking the first ball valve in an open position thereof when the second ball valve is moved to a closed position thereof and mechanically locking the second ball valve in an open position thereof when the first ball valve is moved to a closed position thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A safety system according to claim 4 wherein the first and second ball valves are manually operable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) A safety system according to claim 4 wherein the first and second ball valves have first and second ball valves have first and second hand levers, respectively, moving the first and second ball valves individually between the open and closed positions thereof; and the first and second control disks have first and second cutouts, respectively, on outer peripheries of the first and second control disks, the first and second cutouts enable or block rotational movement of the second and first hand levers, respectively. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A safety system according to claim 6 wherein the valve block comprises first and second stop limits interacting with the first and second control disks, respectively, limiting pivoting of the first and second hand levers to 90 degree rotations between the open position in which the respective hand lever is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the respective gas safety valve and the closed position in which the respective hand lever is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the respective gas safety valve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A safety system according to claim 1 wherein the control valve device comprises a mechanical three-way ball valve selectively connecting the first gas safety valve in fluid communication to the first pressure accumulator and blocking fluid communication between the second gas safety valve and the first pressure accumulator in a first control position of the three-way ball valve and connecting the second gas safety valve in fluid communication to the first pressure accumulator and blocking fluid communication between the first gas safety valve and the first pressure accumulator in a second control position of the three-wall ball valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A safety system according to claim 1 wherein sensors are connected to the control valve device and monitor positions of the control device in opening fluid communication between the first and second gas safety valves and the first pressure accumulator for an electronic monitoring system controlling operation of the control valve device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A safety system according to claim 1 wherein the first pressure accumulator is a hydraulic accumulator supply system; and a control chip of a chip controlled actuation system permits operation of the control valve device controlling fluid communication of the first and second gas safety valves to a hydraulic accumulator supply system of the first pressure accumulator if the hydraulic accumulator supply system is deployed and stops the operation of the control valve device if the hydraulic accumulator supply system is removed with the control valve device blocking fluid communication connections to the first and second gas safety valves. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A safety system according to claim 1 wherein the valve block comprises a second pressure supply port connected in fluid gas communication by a connecting line in the valve block to the first pressure supply port via a check valve when the check valve is open; and a second pressure accumulator is connected in fluid communication to the second pressure supply port. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A safety system according to claim 11 wherein the first pressure accumulator is a hydraulic accumulator with a gas side connected in fluid communication to the first pressure supply port. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A safety system according to claim 11 wherein the second pressure accumulator is a gas pressure accumulator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A safety system according to claim 11 wherein the valve block comprises a filling and testing port with a filling and testing device connected in fluid communication to the filling and testing port, the filling and testing port being directly connected in fluid gas communication to the first pressure supply port; and the filling and testing port is connected in fluid communication between the first and second pressure supply ports via a check valve opening in a direction of the control valve device. ### Claim 15 A safety system, comprising: a valve block with first and second valve ports and a pressure supply port; first and second gas safety valves connected in fluid communication connected to the valve block via the first and second valve ports, respectively; a first pressure accumulator holding a gaseous pressure medium and being connected in fluid communication to the valve block via the pressure supply port; gas-conveying lines in the valve block connecting the pressure supply port and the first and second valve ports; independently operable first and second control valves connected in the gas-conveying lines between the pressure supply port and the first and second valve ports, respectively, such that fluid communication between the pressure supply port and one of the first and second valve ports is open while fluid communication to the other of the first and second valve ports is blocked; and first and second control disks on the first and second control valves, respectively, mechanically locking the first control valve in an open position thereof when the second control valve is rotated to a closed position thereof and mechanically locking the second control valve in an open position thereof when the first control valve is rotated to a closed position thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A safety system according to claim 15 wherein the first and second control valves are manually operable. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) A safety system according to claim 15 wherein the first and second control valves have first and second levers, respectively, rotating the first and second control valves individually between the open and closed positions thereof; the first and second control disks have first and second cutouts, respectively, on outer peripheries of the first and second control disks, the first and second cutouts enable or block rotation of the first and second hand levers, respectively. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A safety system according to claim 16 wherein the valve block comprises first and second stop limits interacting with the first and second control disks, respectively, limiting pivoting of the first and second hand levers to 90 degree rotations between the open position in which the respective hand lever is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the respective gas safety valve and the closed position in which the respective hand lever is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the respective gas safety valve. ### Claim 19 A safety system, comprising: a valve block with first and second valve ports and a pressure supply port; first and second gas safety valves connected in fluid communication connected to the valve block via the first and second valve ports, respectively; a first pressure accumulator holding a gaseous pressure medium and being connected in fluid communication to the valve block via the pressure supply port; gas-conveying lines in the valve block connecting the pressure supply port and the first and second valve ports; independently operable first and second control valves connected in the gas-conveying lines between the pressure supply port and the first and second valve ports, respectively, such that fluid communication between the pressure supply port and one of the first and second valve ports is open while fluid communication to the other of the first and second valve ports is blocked; first and second hand levers on the first and second control valves, respectively, rotating the first and second control valves individually between respect open and closed positions thereof; first and second control disks on the first and second control valves, respectively; and first and second stop limits on the valve block interacting with the first and second control disk, respectively, limiting rotation of the first and second hand levers to 90 degree rotations between the open positions in which the respective hand lever is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the respective gas safety valve and the closed positions in which the respective hand lever is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the respective gas safety valve. ### Claim 20 A safety system, comprising: a valve block with first and second valve ports and a pressure supply port; first and second gas safety valves connected in fluid communication connected to the valve block via the first and second valve ports, respectively; a first pressure accumulator holding a gaseous pressure medium and being connected in fluid communication to the valve block via the pressure supply port; gas-conveying lines in the valve block connecting the pressure supply port and the first and second valve ports; and a mechanical three position control valve connected in the gas-conveying lines between the pressure supply port and the first and second valve ports selectively connecting in fluid communication the first and second valve ports to the pressure supply port in a first position of the control valve, connecting the first valve port to the pressure supply port and blocking fluid communication of the second valve port and the pressure supply port in a second position of the control valve, and connecting the second valve port to the pressure supply port in fluid communication and blocking fluid communication between the first valve port and the pressure supply port in a third position of the control valve. ### Claim 21 A safety system, comprising: a valve block with first and second valve ports and a first supply pressure port; first and second safety valves connected in fluid communication to the valve block via the first and second valve parts, respectively; gas-conveying lines in the valve block connecting the first pressure supply port to the first and second pressure ports; a control valve device in the gas-conveying lines selectively and independently opening and blocking flow between the pressure supply port and the first and second valve ports such that fluid communication between the pressure supply port and at least one of the first and second valve ports is open while fluid communication to the other of the first and second valve ports is able to be blocked; and a control chip of a chip controlled actuation system permits operation of the control valve device controlling fluid communication of the first and second valve ports to the pressure supply port if a hydraulic accumulator is deployed at the pressure supply port and stops operation of the control valve device if the hydraulic accumulator supply system is removed from the pressure supply port with the control valve device blocking fluid communication connections between the first and second valve ports and the pressure supply port.