# US 8,464,754 B2 · Valve manifold

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- Number: US 8,464,754 B2
- Document ID: US8464754B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/477,006
- Filed: 2009-06-02
- Published: 2010-01-21
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2008-06-02
- Assignees: Eaton Corporation
- Applicants: Dale A. Stretch; Jeffrey C. Thompson; Mahesh Joshi; Shrikant Basurtekar; Jerry L. Carlson; Aaron H. Jagoda; Jayakumar Ravathur; Otto Schultheis; G. Clark Fortune; Paul Brenner; Thomas J. Stoltz
- Inventors: Dale A. Stretch; Jeffrey C. Thompson; Mahesh Joshi; Shrikant Basurtekar; Jerry L. Carlson; Aaron H. Jagoda; Jayakumar Ravathur; Otto Schultheis; G. Clark Fortune; Paul Brenner; Thomas J. Stoltz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464754B2

## CPC

- F16K 1/123: {with stationary valve member and moving sleeve}
- F15B 13/0832: {Modular valves}
- F15B 21/00: Common features of fluid actuator systems; Fluid-pressure actuator systems or details thereof, not covered by any other group of this subclass
- F16K 1/126: {actuated by fluid}
- F16K 3/26: with fluid passages in the valve member
- F16K 3/265: {with a sleeve sliding in the direction of the flow line}
- F16K 31/1221: {one side of the piston being spring-loaded}
- F16K 31/1226: {the fluid circulating through the piston}
- F16K 31/124: servo actuated
- F16K 31/445: {with exterior sleeve}
- Y10T 137/85978: With pump
- Y10T 137/86501: Sequential distributor or collector type
- Y10T 137/86549: Selective reciprocation or rotation
- Y10T 137/86775: With internal passage
- Y10T 137/86799: With internal flow passage
- Y10T 137/86879: Reciprocating valve unit
- Y10T 137/87096: Valves with separate, correlated, actuators
- Y10T 137/87249: Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
- Y10T 137/87499: Fluid actuated or retarded
- Y10T 137/87555: Having direct response valve [e.g., check valve, etc.]
- Y10T 137/87885: Sectional block structure
- Y10T 137/87917: Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
- 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
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A valve is provided including a first valve member and a second valve member. The first valve member includes a first step and a first orifice adjacent the first step. The second valve member includes a second step and a second orifice adjacent the second step. The second valve member is movable relative to the first valve member between an open position, in which the first orifice is fluidly connected the second orifice, and a closed position, in which the first orifice is substantially fluidly disconnected from the second orifice. The first and second steps are fluidly connected to the second orifice and substantially fluidly disconnected from the first orifice when the second valve member is in the closed position, and the first and second steps are fluidly connected to the first and second orifices when the second valve member is in the open position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A valve manifold comprising:
a supply passage;
a first valve fluidly connected to the supply passage, the first valve including a first valve member having a first orifice and a second valve member having a second orifice, the first valve member movable along a path of travel relative to the second valve member between an open position, in which the first orifice is fluidly connected to the second orifice, and a closed position, in which the first orifice is fluidly disconnected from the second orifice; and
a second valve fluidly connected to the supply passage, the second valve including a third valve member having a third orifice and a fourth valve member a fourth orifice, the third valve member movable along a path of travel relative to the fourth valve member between an open position, in which the third orifice is fluidly connected to the fourth orifice, and a closed position, in which the third orifice is fluidly disconnected from the fourth orifice, wherein the path of travel of the first valve member and the third valve member lie substantially within a common plane;
wherein the first valve member further includes an inner cavity;
wherein the first orifice extends radially outwardly from the inner cavity to define an orifice having a first opening located on an outer periphery of the first valve member opposite a second opening on the outer periphery of the first valve member; and
wherein the second orifice of the second valve member is defined by a second cavity that receives the first valve member, wherein the second orifice extends radially outwardly from the second cavity to define an orifice having a first opening located on an inner periphery of the second valve member opposite a second opening located on the inner periphery of the second valve member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The valve manifold of claim 1, wherein the path of travel of the first valve member is aligned substantially parallel to the path of travel of the third valve member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The valve manifold of claim 2, wherein the first and second valves are arranged on a common side of the supply passage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The valve manifold of claim 3 further comprising a third valve fluidly connected to the supply passage, the third valve including a fifth valve member having a fifth orifice and a sixth valve member having a sixth orifice, the fifth valve member movable along a path of travel relative to the sixth valve member between an open position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly connected to the sixth orifice, and a closed position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly disconnected from the sixth orifice, a path of travel of the fifth valve member substantially coincides with the path of travel of the first and third valve members, and the third valve is arranged on an opposite side of the supply passage from the first and second valves.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The valve manifold of claim 4, wherein the paths of travel of the first, third and fifth valve members lie substantially within a common plane.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The valve manifold of claim 2, wherein the first and second valves are arranged on opposite sides of the supply passage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The valve manifold of claim 6, wherein the path of travel of the first valve member is arranged substantially parallel to the path of travel of the third valve member.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The valve manifold of claim 7 further comprising a third valve fluidly connected to the supply passage, the third valve including a fifth valve member having a fifth orifice and a sixth valve member having a sixth orifice, the fifth valve member movable along a path of travel relative to the sixth valve member between an open position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly connected to the sixth orifice, and a closed position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly disconnected from the sixth orifice, wherein the path of travel of the fifth valve member is arranged substantially parallel to the path of travel of the first and third valve members, and the path of travel of the fifth valve member does lies outside the plane defined by the path of travel of the first and third valve members.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The valve manifold of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first valve member and a longitudinal axis of the third valve member are arranged along a common axis.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The valve manifold of claim 9, further comprising a third valve fluidly connected to the supply passage, the third valve including a fifth valve member having a fifth orifice and a sixth valve member having a sixth orifice, the fifth valve member movable along a path of travel relative to the sixth valve member between an open position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly connected to the sixth orifice, and a closed position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly disconnected from the sixth orifice, wherein the path of travel of the fifth valve member is arranged substantially parallel to the path of travel of the first and third valve members, and the path of travel of the fifth valve member offset from the path of travel of the first and third valve members.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The valve manifold of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first valve member and a longitudinal axis of the second valve members substantially coincide with a longitudinal axis of the supply passage.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The valve manifold of claim 11 further comprising a third valve having an inlet port fluidly connected to the supply passage downstream of the second valve member and an exit port fluidly connected to the first valve member, the third valve operable for selectively applying a pressure to the first valve for moving the first valve member between the closed position and the open position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The valve manifold of claim 12 further comprising a check valve disposed in a fluid path between the second valve member and the third valve.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The valve manifold of claim 1, wherein the second and fourth valve members form at least a portion of the supply passage.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The valve manifold of claim 1 further comprising a third valve fluidly connected to the supply passage, the third valve including a fifth valve member having a fifth orifice and a sixth valve member having a sixth orifice, the fifth valve member movable along a path of travel relative to the sixth valve member between an open position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly connected to the sixth orifice, and a closed position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly disconnected from the sixth orifice, wherein the path of travel of the fifth valve member is arranged substantially parallel to the path of travel of the first and third valve members.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The valve manifold of claim 1 further comprising a third valve fluidly connected to the supply passage, the third valve including a fifth valve member having a fourth orifice and a fifth valve member having a sixth orifice, the fifth valve member movable along a path of travel relative to the sixth valve member between an open position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly connected to the sixth orifice, and a closed position, in which the fifth orifice is fluidly disconnected from the sixth orifice, wherein the first valve, the second valve and the third valve are arranged around a longitudinal axis of the supply passage in a generally circular pattern.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The valve manifold of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of supply passages extending radially outward from a common fluid node, wherein each supply passage is fluidly connected to one of the first valve, the second valve and the third valve.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The valve manifold of claim 17, wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the first valve, the second valve and the third valve extends radially outwardly from the common fluid node.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The valve manifold of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third and fourth orifices are arranged to be not aligned with the path of travel of the first and third valve member.