# US 12,110,985 B2 · Switching valve, electro-hydrostatic circuit, and aircraft

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- Number: US 12,110,985 B2
- Document ID: US12110985B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/794,833
- Filed: 2020-12-17
- Published: 2023-03-23
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-23
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.; Nabtesco Corporation
- Applicants: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.; Nabtesco Corporation
- Inventors: Motoyasu Takeuchi; Toshinori Abe; Kazuyuki Suzuki; Hideki Niwa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110985B2

## CPC

- B64C 13/40: using fluid pressure
- F16K 31/426: {the actuated valves being cylindrical sliding valves}
- B64C 13/504: {using electro-hydrostatic actuators [EHA's]}
- F15B 7/006: {Rotary pump input}
- F15B 13/0402: {for linearly sliding valves, e.g. spool valves}
- F15B 13/0431: {the electrical control resulting in an on-off function}
- F15B 20/007: {Overload}
- F15B 21/082: {with different modes}
- F16K 11/0712: {comprising particular spool-valve sealing means}
- F15B 13/021: {Valves for interconnecting the fluid chambers of an actuator}
- F15B 13/024: {Pressure relief valves}
- F15B 2211/20515: Electric motor
- F15B 2211/20546: variable capacity
- F15B 2211/20561: reversible
- F15B 2211/30505: Non-return valves, i.e. check valves
- F15B 2211/3133: Regenerative position connecting the working ports or connecting the working ports to the pump, e.g. for high-speed approach stroke
- F15B 2211/322: actuated by biasing means, e.g. spring-actuated
- F15B 2211/327: electrically or electronically
- F15B 2211/329: actuated by fluid pressure
- F15B 2211/355: Pilot pressure control
- F15B 2211/40507: with constant throttles or orifices
- F15B 2211/41572: being connected to a pressure source and an output member
- F15B 2211/422: actuated by biasing means, e.g. spring-actuated
- F15B 2211/426: electrically or electronically
- F15B 2211/428: actuated by fluid pressure
- F15B 2211/50518: using pressure relief valves
- F15B 2211/5157: being connected to a pressure source and a return line
- F15B 2211/55: for limiting a pressure up to a maximum pressure, e.g. by using a pressure relief valve
- F15B 2211/625: Accumulators
- F15B 2211/6355: having valve means
- F15B 2211/6658: Control using different modes, e.g. four-quadrant-operation, working mode and transportation mode
- Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- 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)}
- F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A switching valve includes a sleeve on which a plurality of ports are disposed; a spool that is disposed inside the sleeve to move in an axial direction by a pilot hydraulic pressure to switch between switching lines each serving as a flow channel for hydraulic fluid that is formed by a combination of the ports; a first energizing unit that energizes the spool against the pilot hydraulic pressure; a relief hole that is disposed on the spool to discharge the hydraulic fluid with the pilot hydraulic pressure; a valve body that closes the relief hole; and a second energizing unit that energizes the valve body toward the relief hole of the spool against the pilot hydraulic pressure, and when the pilot hydraulic pressure exceeds a predetermined value, opens the relief hole.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A switching valve comprising:
a sleeve having a plurality of ports;
a spool inside the sleeve and configured to move in an axial direction by a pilot hydraulic pressure to switch between switching lines, each switching line serving as a flow channel for hydraulic fluid and formed by a combination of the ports;
a first energizing unit configured to energize the spool against the pilot hydraulic pressure;
a relief hole on the spool to discharge the hydraulic fluid with the pilot hydraulic pressure;
a valve body configured to close the relief hole; and
a second energizing unit configured to energize the valve body toward the relief hole of the spool against the pilot hydraulic pressure to close the relief valve, and to allow the relief valve to open when the pilot hydraulic pressure exceeds a predetermined value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The switching valve according to claim 1, wherein moving directions of the valve body and the second energizing unit are the same as the axial direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the second energizing unit is a compression spring.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve body metal-touches the relief hole of the spool.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The switching valve according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing material between the sleeve and the spool to seal the switching line against a pilot hydraulic line for supplying the hydraulic fluid with the pilot hydraulic pressure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The switching valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the first energizing unit and the second energizing unit comprises a spring, the spring of the second energizing unit being located within and coaxial with the spring of the second energizing unit.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An electro-hydrostatic circuit comprising:
a supply line connecting between a hydraulic supply device configured to supply hydraulic fluid and a driving part to be driven by a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied from the hydraulic supply device;
the switching valve according to claim 1 in the supply line to switch between the plurality of switching lines for the hydraulic fluid supplied to the driving part by the pilot hydraulic pressure;
a pilot hydraulic line connected to the switching valve to supply the hydraulic fluid with the pilot hydraulic pressure;
a check valve in the pilot hydraulic line;
a solenoid valve in the pilot hydraulic line on a downstream side of the check valve in a circulating direction of the hydraulic fluid, the solenoid valve being configured to change a supply state of the hydraulic fluid to the switching valve; and
a sealing material in the switching valve to seal the hydraulic fluid with the pilot hydraulic pressure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

An aircraft comprising:
a control surface; and
an actuator serving as the driving part to actuate the control surface by using the electro-hydrostatic circuit according to claim 7.