Multi-way directional fluid flow control valve arrangement
AssigneeFluid Devices Limited
InventorDonald Alexander Larner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In order to provide a multi-way directional fluid flow control valve arrangement which provides good control while being relatively cheap to manufacture, I use simple main valves all of which have parallel axes and all lie in a common plane, enabling me to form the main valves in a cheap manufacturing operation; the pilot valve however is more complex and has at least four connections, but because the pilot valve is smaller, this extra complexity does not make the whole valve arrangement more expensive.
Claims38
[1. A multi-way directional fluid flow control valve arrangement for the directional control of a fluid power actuator, the arrangement comprising:
- a single, pressure-balanced spool-type pilot valve having at least a supply connection, an exhaust connection and two control connections and having two opposite end positions;
- a housing containing at least four pilot-controlled open/shut main valves, each main valve having an inlet, an outlet, a pilot connection, a valve port and an axially movable valve member which seats on the valve port to close the valve at one end of the travel of the movable valve member, the movable valve members of all the main valves having parallel axes of movement and all main valves lying in a common plane;
- at least one pressure inlet for connection to a source of pressure fluid, at least one exhaust outlet and at least two working connections for connection to the fluid power actuator;
- main duct means connecting the at least one pressure inlet to the inlets of a first and a second of the main valves, connecting the at least one exhaust outlet to the outlets of a third and a fourth of the main valves, and connecting the at least two working connections respectively to the outlet of the first main valve and the inlet of the third main valve and to the outlet of the second main valve and the inlet of the fourth main valve;
- and
- pilot duct means connecting said control connections of the pilot valve to respective said pilot connections of the main valves, whereby the first and fourth main valves are open and the second and third main valves are shut at one end position of the pilot valve and the first and fourth main valves are shut and the second and third main valves are open at the other end position of the pilot valve.]
[2. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pilot valve is a "hard spool, hard sleeve" spool valve.]
[3. A multi-way directional fluid flow control valve arrangement comprising a pilot spool valve having at least a supply connection, an exhaust connection and two control connections, a valve sleeve, an axially movable spool therein and an outer sleeve fitted over the valve sleeve, the valve sleeve defining bores therethrough extending generally parallel to the axis of the valve sleeve, the valve sleeve having flow connections on at least one axial end face thereof in communication with said bores, the valve sleeve defining radial bores in communication with the first-mentioned said bores, leading to valve ports adjacent said spool, and the outer sleeve being imperforate at least adjacent the radially outer ends of said radial bores;
- at least four pilot-controlled open-shut main valves, each main valve having a pilot connection, a valve port and an axially movable valve member which seats on the valve port to close the valve at one end of the travel of the movable valve member, the movable valve members of all the main valves having parallel axes of movement and all main valves lying in a common plane;
- and
- duct means connecting said control connection of the pilot valve to respective said pilot connections of the main valves.]
[4. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein the outer sleeve closes the radially outer ends of said radial bores.]
[5. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pilot valve comprises a valve body and a movable valve member therein, the movable valve member having said two opposite end positions, the pilot valve moving through an intermediate position as it moves from one end position to the other end position, in which said intermediate position all said main valves are closed.]
[6. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, and comprising pilot exhaust duct means communicating said pilot valve exhaust connection with a said exhaust outlet.]
[7. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said main valves is a diaphragm valve comprising an axially movable diaphragm and said housing comprises at least two parts which are joined generally in a plane normal to the axes of the main valves, said arrangement further comprising a sheet of resilient material secured between said parts to provide the diaphragms of the main valves.]
[8. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said main valve is a diaphragm valve comprising a valve chamber, a valve seat, and an axially movable valve member in the valve chamber and seatable on said valve seat, said movable valve member comprising a diaphragm, the valve chamber being substantially longer than it is wide, as seen in section normal to the axis of movement of said movable valve member, and said main valves being in line with the shorter dimensions of the valve chambers extending along the axis of said line.]
[9. A multi-way directional fluid flow control valve arrangement comprising:
- a pilot spool valve having at least a supply connection, an exhaust connection and two control connections;
- at least four pilot-controlled open/shut main diaphragm valves, each of said main diaphragm valves comprising a valve chamber, a pilot connection, a valve seat and an axially movable valve member in the valve chamber and seatable on said valve seat to close the valve at one end of the travel of the movable valve member;
- said movable valve member comprising a diaphragm and the movable valve members of all the main valves having parallel axes of movement and all main valves lying in a common plane;
- said valve chamber being substantially longer than it is wide, as seen in section normal to the axis of movement of said movable valve member;
- wherein each said valve seat is in the form of a closed loop, the valve chamber having an inside wall of rectangular shape with semi-circular ends, as seen in section normal to the axis of movement of said movable valve member, and the spacing between the closed loop valve seat and said inside wall of the valve chamber, as soon in section normal to the axis of movement of said movable valve member, being constant all the way around the valve seat;
- and
- duct means connecting said control connections of the pilot valve to respective said pilot connections of the main valves.]
[10. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said four main valves and said pilot valve having parallel axes, the axes of said four main valves being at the corners of a square and said pilot valve having its axis at the intersection of the diagonals of said square.]
[11. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable valve member of each said main valve comprises a diaphragm, said arrangement defining a backing surface and said diaphragm being adjacent said backing surface
- when said main valve is open.] 12. A multi-way directional fluid flow control valve arrangement comprising:
- a pilot spool valve having at least a supply connection, an exhaust connection and two control connections;
- at least four pilot-controlled open/shut main valves, each main valve having a pilot connection, a valve port and an axially movable valve member which seats on the valve port to close the valve at one end of the travel of the movable valve member, the movable valve members of all the main valves having parallel axes of movement and all main valves lying in a common plane;
- duct means connecting said control connections of the pilot valve to respective said pilot connections of the main valves;
- said control valve arrangement controlling a double acting ram comprising two pressure chambers, in which arrangement said four main valves provide a supply valve and an exhaust valve for each ram chamber, and wherein said pilot valve has a midposition in which said pilot valve supply connection is in communication with said pilot valve control connections, to apply fluid pressure to all four main valves to close them, the valve arrangement comprising an inlet for connection to a supply of pressure fluid, an exhaust and a working connection for each ram chamber, and said arrangement further comprising a check valve associated with said inlet for preventing back flow of fluid out of said inlet, direct connections between each said working connection and said inlet, and respective check valves in said direct connections preventing direct flow of fluid from said inlet to said working connections.
[13. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising an electromagnetic moving-armature actuator including means defining a space and an armature movable in said space, said pilot valve including a valve body defining a space and a movable valve member movable in said space, the former said space being sealed to the latter said space.]
[14. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, and having a single said pressure inlet, a single said exhaust outlet and two said working connections.]
[15. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein in each main valve, the valve port forms the outlet of the valve, a valve seat surrounds the outlet and the inlet is outside the valve seat.]
[16. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pilot valve comprises a radially thick sleeve defining therein a small diameter, cylindrical bore with no lands, and defining radial ducts leading into the bore and providing pilot valve ports for said pilot valve supply, exhaust and control connections.]
[17. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing also houses the pilot valve, wherein the pilot valve is a separable unit comprising a valve body and a valve spool therein, wherein the axis of movement of the valve spool is parallel to the axes of movements of the main valves, and wherein the pilot valve body has one axial end face sealed to said housing, all said pilot duct means passing through said end face.]
[18. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pilot valve is a separable unit comprising a valve body and a valve spool therein, and wherein the valve body has one face sealed to said housing, all said pilot duct means passing through said one face.]
[19. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the axis of movement of the pilot valve spool is parallel to the axes of movement of the main valves, said one face of the pilot valve body being an axis end face.]
[20. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said housing parts is moulded in plastics material, said main duct means being moulded into at least one said part on that side of the resilient sheet which is remote from the pilot valve and respectively portions of said pilot duct means being moulded into a said part on the other side of the resilient sheet.]
[21. A control valve arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein an outer sleeve is fitted over said radially thick sleeve, said radially thick sleeve defines longitudinal ducts therethrough extending generally parallel to the axis of the pilot valve, said radially thick sleeve has flow connections on at least one axial end face thereof in communication with said longitudinal ducts, said radial ducts are in communication with said longitudinal ducts, and the other sleeve is imperforate at least adjacent the radially outer ends of said radial ducts.]
[22. A multi-way directional fluid flow control valve arrangement comprising:
- a "hard spool, hard sleeve" pilot valve having at least a supply connection, an exhaust connection and two control connections, the pilot valve comprising a radially thick sleeve defining therein a small diameter, cylindrical bore with no lands, and defining radial ducts leading into the bore and providing pilot valve ports for said supply, exhaust and control connections;
- at least four pilot-controlled open/shut main valves, each main valve having a pilot connection, a valve port and an axially movable valve member which seats on the valve port to close the valve at one end of the travel of the movable valve member, the movable valve members of all the main valves having parallel axes of movement and all main valves lying in a common plane;
- and
- duct means connecting said control connections of the pilot valve to respective said pilot connections of the main valves.]
A multi-way directional fluid flow control valve assembly for the directional control of a fluid power actuator which comprises:
- a first molded housing formed with a pilot valve cavity and with four cavities, each cavity constituting a first diaphragm valve portion, said housing having an end wall defining said diaphragm valve cavity and including a plurality of orifices formed therein, said orifices including a supply orifice, an exhaust orifice and control diaphragm valve orifice in fluid flow communication with said first diaphragm valve portion;
- a second molded housing formed with four cavities, each cavity constituting a second diaphragm valve portion, said housing being formed with fluid supply conduit means in fluid communication with two of said second diaphragm valve portions, said housing being formed with fluid exhaust conduit means in fluid communication with the remaining two of said second diaphragm valve portions, said housing being formed with fluid control conduit means in fluid communication with said fluid supply conduit means and said fluid exhaust conduit means;
- valve seating means positioned between said first diaphragm valve portion and said second diaphragm valve portion thereby forming a diaphragm valve;
- a pressure balanced spool-type valve disposed in said pilot valve cavity of said first molded housing and comprised of a spool of hard metal and a sleeve of hard metal, said spool being formed with a supply conduit means, an exhaust conduit means, and a plurality of conduit means in fluid flow communication with said diaphragm valve control orifices, said conduit means being in alignment with the respective orifices formed in said end wall of said first housing;
- and
- means for mounting said first housing to said second housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.