US 6,471,503 B1 · Rotary disc valve assembly for use with an injection mold cooling system

Abstract

A rotary disc valve is disclosed which generally includes a housing having an inlet side and an outlet side, and a disc rotatably mounted within the housing between the inlet side and the outlet side thereof. The disc includes an outlet bore which is generally aligned with the axis of rotation of the disc and extends from the outlet face of the disc partially through the disc. One or more inlet bores spaced radially outwardly from the axis of rotation of the disc extend from the inlet face of the disc partially through the disc and communicate with the outlet bore. The inlet bore or bores are located such that a bore may be selectively brought into communication with a single one of inlet side passages by rotating the disc until the bore is aligned with the desired passage. Since the outlet bore and an outlet passage are aligned along the center of rotation of the disc, the outlet bore stays in constant communication with the outlet passage in the outlet side of the housing as the disc is rotated. Therefore, by rotating the disc until an inlet passage is aligned with a respective disc inlet bore, that inlet passage is brought into communication with the outlet passage, making it possible for a fluid to flow through the valve between the inlet and outlet sides.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A valve comprising:

a) a housing having a first side and a second side;
b) a disc mounted within said housing between said first side and said second side thereof and rotatable about a disc central axis, said disc including:
i) a disc first face adjacent said housing first side;
ii) a disc second face opposite said disc first face and adjacent said housing second side;
iii) a first disc bore spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis, said first disc bore extending from said disc first face partially through said disc;
and
iv) a second disc bore centered along said disc central axis and extending from said disc second face partially through said disc, said second disc bore having sufficient diameter and depth that said second disc bore communicates with said first disc bore;
c) a plurality of first housing passages passing through said housing first side, said first housing passages being spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis, at least one of said first housing passages selectively communicating with said first disc bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
and
d) a housing second passage passing through said housing second side, said housing second passage being generally in alignment with said disc central axis such that said housing second passage stays in constant communication with said second disc bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis.

7 more elements

A purge valve for use with an injection mold cooling system, said purge valve comprising:

a) a housing having an inlet side and an outlet side;
b) a disc mounted within said housing between said inlet side and said outlet side and rotatable about a disc central axis, said disc including:
i) a disc inlet face adjacent said housing inlet side;
ii) a disc outlet face opposite said disc inlet face and adjacent said housing outlet side;
iii) an outlet bore centered along said disc central axis and extending from said disc outlet face partially through said disc;
iv) a water inlet bore spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis, said water inlet bore extending from said disc inlet face partially through said disc and communicating with said outlet bore;
and
v) an air inlet bore spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis, said air inlet bore extending from said disc inlet face partially through said disc and communicating with said outlet bore;
c) a water inlet passage passing through said housing inlet side, said water inlet passage being spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis such that said water inlet passage selectively communicates with said water inlet bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
d) an air inlet passage passing through said housing inlet side, said air inlet passage being spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis such that said air inlet passage selectively communicates with said air inlet bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
and
e) an outlet passage passing through said housing outlet side, said outlet passage being generally in alignment with said disc central axis such that said outlet passage stays in constant communication with said disc outlet bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis.

9 more elements

A cooling system for an injection mold having a cooling water inlet opening and a cooling water outlet opening, said cooling system comprising:

a) a purge valve comprising:
i) a housing having an inlet side and an outlet side;
ii) a disc mounted within said housing between said inlet side and said outlet side and rotatable about a disc central axis, said disc including:
(1) a disc inlet face adjacent said housing inlet side;
(2) a disc outlet face opposite said disc inlet face and adjacent said housing outlet side;
(3) an outlet bore centered along said disc central axis and extending from said disc outlet face partially through said disc;
(4) a water inlet bore spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis, said water inlet bore extending from said disc inlet face partially through said disc and communicating with said outlet bore;
and
(5) an air inlet bore spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis, said air inlet bore extending from said disc inlet face partially through said disc and communicating with said outlet bore;
iii) a water inlet passage passing through said housing inlet side, said water inlet passage being spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis such that said water inlet passage selectively communicates with said water inlet bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
iv) an air inlet passage passing through said housing inlet side, said air inlet passage being spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis such that said air inlet passage selectively communicates with said air inlet bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
and
v) an outlet passage passing through said housing outlet side, said outlet passage being generally in alignment with said disc central axis such that said outlet passage stays in constant communication with said disc outlet bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
b) a cooling water source connected to said valve water inlet passage by a water inlet line;
c) a pressurized air source connected to said valve air inlet passage by an air inlet line;
d) an outlet line connecting said valve outlet passage to the cooling water inlet opening;
and
e) a return line connecting the cooling water outlet opening to said cooling water source.

15 more elements

A cooling system for an injection mold having a plurality of cooling water inlet openings and a plurality of cooling water outlet openings, said cooling system comprising:

a) a three-way purge valve comprising:
i) a housing having an inlet side and an outlet side;
ii) a disc mounted within said housing between said inlet side and said outlet side and rotatable about a disc central axis, said disc including:
(1) a disc inlet face adjacent said housing inlet side;
(2) a disc outlet face opposite said disc inlet face and adjacent said housing outlet side;
(3) an outlet bore centered along said disc central axis and extending from said disc outlet face partially through said disc;
(4) a water inlet bore spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis, said water inlet bore extending from said disc inlet face partially through said disc and communicating with said outlet bore;
(5) an air inlet bore spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis, said air inlet bore extending from said disc inlet face partially through said disc and communicating with said outlet bore;
and
(6) a vent bore spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis, said vent bore extending from said disc inlet face partially through said disc and communicating with said outlet bore;
iii) a water inlet passage passing through said housing inlet side, said water inlet passage being spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis such that said water inlet passage selectively communicates with said water inlet bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
iv) an air inlet passage passing through said housing inlet side, said air inlet passage being spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis such that said air inlet passage selectively communicates with said air inlet bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
v) a vent passage passing through said housing inlet side, said vent passage being spaced radially outwardly from said disc central axis such that said vent passage selectively communicates with said vent bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
and
vi) an outlet passage passing through said housing outlet side, said outlet passage being generally in alignment with said disc central axis such that said outlet passage stays in constant communication with said disc outlet bore as said disc is rotated about said disc central axis;
b) a cooling water source connected to said valve water inlet passage by a water inlet line;
c) a pressurized air source connected to said valve air inlet passage by an air inlet line;
d) a supply manifold having an inlet opening and a plurality of outlet openings, said inlet opening being connected to said valve outlet passage by an outlet line and said outlet openings each being releaseably connectable to a respective one of the cooling water inlet openings by a respective mold supply line;
and
e) a return manifold having an outlet opening and a plurality of inlet openings, said inlet openings each being releaseably connectable to a respective one of the cooling water outlet openings by a respective mold return line, said outlet opening being connected to said cooling water source by a cooling water return line.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotary disc valve assembly for use with an injection mold cooling system

Life of this patent

Rotary disc valve assembly for use with an injection mold cooling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16