A switching unit may be provided for connecting a first pneumatic unit and a second pneumatic unit of a pneumatic system together. The switching unit comprises a main body having: a channel structure which extends through the main body; a first and a second inlet for introducing a pressure into the channel structure; a first and a second outlet for discharging at least some of the pressure from the channel structure; and a first and a second valve; wherein the first inlet can be brought into a pressure-exchange connection to the first outlet via a first channel by setting a first switch position of the first valve or to the second outlet via a second channel by setting a second switch position of the first valve, and wherein the second inlet can be brought into a pressure-exchange connection to the first outlet via a third channel by setting a first switch position of the second valve or to the second outlet via a fourth channel by setting a second switch position of the second valve.

An end of a first land has a step difference recessing inward of a radial direction of the first land from the edge portion. The step difference has an end point opposite to the edge portion. A throttle portion protrudes from the start point in an axial direction, and includes an outer-peripheral corner (protrusion round portion) having a curved surface protruding in the axial direction and in the radial direction. When an inlet opening starts to be slightly opened, since a hydraulic fluid is throttled when flowing through a second gate opened between a corner of a sleeve and the protrusion round portion, a rapid increasing of a flow quantity of the hydraulic fluid and an instability of a control of the hydraulic fluid can be suppressed.

For the purpose of providing a valve arrangement for controlling pneumatic drives with protection against a sudden automatic change in the initial switching position without an input signal in the event of a fault in a resetting device of a pilot stage and, for this situation, effective fault identification by purely pneumatic means, said valve arrangement comprises a first and a second working connection (1; 2), which can be connected to a drive, and a first and a second electropneumatically pilot-controlled directional valve, in which valve arrangement one or both directional valves is or are arranged upstream of the working connections (1; 2) for the purpose of influencing and venting said working connections, wherein the pilot stages of both directional valves are of automatically resetting design and the second directional valve is designed for alternately assuming an inoperative position and a switching position and the pilot stage of the first directional valve has an external control connection (8; 8′) which can be influenced by means of the second directional valve in its switching position and can be vented by means of said second directional valve in its inoperative position, wherein the second directional valve has, as a resetting device for the main stage (14), an air spring (19) which can be influenced and can be vented externally by means of the first directional valve, and a change in state between influencing or venting of the air spring (19) after the first directional valve assumes a switching position takes place only depending on the change in the switching state of the first directional valve, and a change in state between influencing or venting at one working connection (1; 2) after previous influencing or venting which took place with the second directional valve assuming the switching position takes place only depending on the second directional valve assuming the inoperative position.

In the case of an incorrect polarity of connectors in hydraulic networks, a switching device is provided, and formed with a connector part, a valve body, a switching part displaced axially in the valve body within limits, a base part and a top part. Wherein cooperating annular chambers for the conducting of a working fluid are formed in the region of an inner surface of the valve body and an outer surface of the switching part. Annular surfaces (A2, A3, A5, A7) are acted upon with pressurized fluid on the switching part towards the top part and annular surfaces (A1, A4, A6) of the switching part are acted upon towards the base part have a following size relations when there is a permanent fluidic connection of the annular chambers:

A2=A3>0.5×A1;

A4>A5+A7;

A3+A7>A4+A6;

A1=2A2−A4+A5−A6+A7

A logic valve for management of a hydraulic actuator comprising: a valve body with a hollow seat which extends along a work direction and communicates with a first port adapted for receiving a pressurized working fluid, a second port adapted for fluidly coupling with an operating chamber of the hydraulic actuator, and a third port adapted for discharging the working fluid; a slider within the hollow seat movable along the work direction; and a spring between the valve body and the slider and oriented to act on the slider along the work direction in the direction away from said third port, wherein the slider is movable between a first operating configuration fluidly coupling the second and third ports and excluding fluid communication between them and the first port, and a second operating configuration fluidly coupling the first and second ports and excluding fluid communication between them and the third port.

A control unit for pneumatic actuation of a cylinder, in particular an active creel of a textile-processing machine or a cabling machine, having a compressed air inlet for connecting a compressed air supply, a working air outlet for operating the cylinder, which acts at least on one side, a valve unit arranged between the compressed air inlet and the working air outlet, and an operating element for opening the valve unit to trigger a lifting movement of the cylinder. In order to provide a control unit for pneumatic actuation of an active creel, the actuation of the creel being particularly simple by the control unit, so that an operator can use the creel more easily, quickly and safely, and in addition the creel is protected from damage by incorrect operation, the control unit for achieving a self-retaining valve function, in which the lifting movement of the cylinder is fully executed with a single and/or brief actuation of the operating element, and for the control unit is connected to an end position sensor of the cylinder such that, when the end position sensor is activated, the valve unit is closed and/or the cylinder connected to the working air outlet is automatically depressurized when or after an end position is reached.

An apparatus includes a hydraulic circuit that is configured to selectively open fluid communication between one portion of the hydraulic circuit and another portion of the hydraulic circuit, such as a reservoir, based on the flow of the hydraulic fluid in the one portion. When the flow of hydraulic fluid exceeds a selected threshold in the one portion of the hydraulic circuit, the flow of fluid urges the opening of a hydraulic component of the hydraulic circuit to allow fluid communication between the one portion and the reservoir to discharge fluid from the one portion.

A valve arrangement has two main valves which are each preloaded by a spring device into a first switching position, and which can each be switched into a second switching position by means of an assigned pilot valve. The pilot medium required for switching is provided with a pilot pressure at a pilot connection of each pilot valve. The main valves are each equipped with a working valve section each of which are fluidically connected to one another. In addition, each main valve contains a monitoring valve section. The monitoring valve sections are designed to provide the venting of at least one pilot connection when the two main valves are in different switching positions. This allows a fluid-actuated actuator to be controlled in accordance with high safety standards.

A pneumatic trip valve that may include a valve structure, a switch plate air path and an internal check valve. In various aspects, the pneumatic trip valve may be connected to a valve positioner, an actuator, or a combination thereof to control the operation of a fluid process control valve. In operation, the Pneumatic trip valve acts to put the actuator in a preset fail-safe position when the actuator loses sufficient pressure or communication from a main air supply, stored pressurized air from an actuator air reservoir, and/or an external air reservoir.

A bistable hydraulic solenoid valve has a valve spool that transitions between two positions, remaining in one of the two positions under an attractive magnetic force when the solenoids are not energized. The valve spool has a first permanent magnet attached to one end and a second permanent magnet attached to the other end, so that the first permanent magnet faces a first solenoid, and the second permanent magnet faces a second solenoid. The first solenoid is energized to have a first polarity, and the second solenoid is energized to have an opposite polarity to concurrently push and pull the valve spool within the valve body between a first position and a second position, the first position establishing a first flow path and the second position establishing a second flow path through the valve body and valve spool so as to enable flow of hydraulic fluid.