VALVE DEVICE

Abstract

Valve device consisting of at least one valve piston (1) which is arranged in a valve housing (3) in such a way as to be longitudinally movable along a movement axis (5) by an electric motor (23) and which at least partially connects or disconnects fluid connection points (P, A, B) in the valve housing (3) to or from each other, said valve device being characterized in that the drive axis (25) of the electric motor (23) intersects the movement axis (5) of the valve piston (1), runs through the top face (6) and/or the bottom face (8) of the valve housing (3), and is arranged in the valve housing (3) in such a way as to extend (10) parallel or at an angle to the fluid connection points (P, A, B).

Claims

1. A valve device consisting of at least one valve piston (1) which is arranged in a valve housing (3) in such a way as to be longitudinally movable along a movement axis (5) by an electric motor (23) and which at least partially connects or disconnects fluid connection points (P, A, B) in the valve housing (3) to or from each other, characterized in that the drive axis (25) of the electric motor (23) intersects the movement axis (5) of the valve piston (1).

2. The valve device consisting of at least one valve piston (1) which is arranged in a valve housing (3) in such a way as to be longitudinally movable along a movement axis (5) by an electric motor (23) and which at least partially connects or disconnects fluid connection points (P, A, B) in the valve housing (3) to or from each other, wherein the valve housing (3) is formed from paired opposite longitudinal sides (2) and face sides (4) and a top side (6) and a bottom side (8), characterized in that the drive axis (25) of the electric motor (23) passes through the top side (6) and/or bottom side (8) of the valve housing (3) or its respective notional extension.

3. The valve device consisting of at least one valve piston (1) which is arranged in a valve housing (3) in such a way as to be longitudinally movable along a movement axis (5) by an electric motor (23) and which at least partially connects or disconnects fluid connection points (P, A, B) in the valve housing (3) to or from each other, wherein the valve housing (3) is formed from paired opposite longitudinal sides (2) and face sides (4) and a top side (6) and a bottom side (8), characterized in that the drive axis (25) of the electric motor (23) is arranged extending parallel or obliquely to the longitudinal axes (10) of the fluid connection points (P, A, B) in the valve housing (3), when these emerge from the valve housing (3) on its top side (6) and/or bottom side (8).

4. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric motor (23) has a rotor and a stator and in that the ratio of D to H of an average diameter D of a notional circle through the center point of the stator coils, divided by a total height H of the coils in a direction parallel to the drive axis (25) of the rotor, is less than 1.5, preferably less than 1.

5. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that in a segmental construction a determinable number of valve housings (3) is provided along its longitudinal sides in a side-by-side arrangement with electric motors (23) mounted thereon and in that the electric motors (23) are arranged in the direction of the side-by-side arrangement inside the longitudinal sides of the respective assignable valve housing (3).

6. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective electric motor (23) used is a permanently excited internal rotor synchronous motor.

7. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve piston (1) has at its one free end a gear rack (29), which engages with a drive pinion (27) of the electric motor (23) or a gear connected to the electric motor (23).

8. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gear is a spur gear (27, 29) or a single-stage or multi-stage, in particular a two-stage planetary gear.

9. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that in the region of the gear rack (29) a preferably manually activatable emergency activation (19) is connected to the valve piston (1).

10. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the gear rack (29) of the valve piston (1) and the drive pinion (27) of the electric motor (23) or any gear connected to this motor (23) immersed in oil can be operated in a chamber (13) connected to the valve housing (3) and which is sealed relative to this housing (3).

11. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that on the other end (7) facing away from the gear rack (29) the valve piston (1) is returned to a neutral position in the case of an unactivated electric motor (23) by means of a reset device, preferably using a compression spring (9).

12. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that in the neutral position a pressure supply connection (P) is separated from two service connections (A, B) and in that in opposite movement positions, realized by the activated electric motor (23), the valve piston (1) connects in one case the one service connection (A) and in one case the other service connection (B) to the pressure supply connection (P).

Description

[0020] The invention is explained in detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment depicted in the drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a broken off longitudinal section, which shows the valve housing arrangement only in part, of an exemplary embodiment of the valve device according to the invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a partial longitudinal section, depicted on a larger scale compared with FIG. 1, of only the activation part of the exemplary embodiment and

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a sectional depiction along the cutting line III-III of FIG. 2.

[0024] With reference to the drawings the valve device according to the invention is explained using the example of an LS directional valve in the form of a slide valve. The construction of the valve housing with the associated sliding piston corresponds, in the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, to the known valve device, as disclosed in document DE 10 2013 021 317 15 A1, to which reference will be made. The difference of the invention compared with same is that an electric motor actuator is provided, the construction of which permits a particularly advantageous use of the valve device according to the invention for series applications in valve blocks with valve devices arranged closely next to one another. When the patent application uses the terms top side and bottom side, these specifications refer to a normal installation situation, as depicted in the figures.

[0025] In accordance with the solution disclosed in the cited document, a sliding piston 1 can be moved in a valve housing 3 along an axis 5. The valve housing 3 has paired opposite longitudinal sides 2 and face sides 4. The valve housing 3 additionally has a top side 6 and a bottom side 8. According to the depiction of FIG. 1 these housing walls are depicted in dashed lines showing only their respective outlines. It shall be understood that in a respective notional extension these sides extending in planes plane-parallel can project in all directions. On the valve housing 3 there are additionally, as is the norm for such valve devices, housing connections such as a pressure supply connection P and two service connections A and B. The connections P, A, B which are introduced in a regular manner in the form of bores in the valve housing 3 each have longitudinal axes 10 which are depicted with dashed lines. Additional connections, such as tank return connections or connections e.g. for a pressure maintenance valve, are not numbered in FIG. 1.

[0026] A spring arrangement 9 located in the housing end region 7 defines, in a manner which is standard for such directional valves, a neutral or central position for the sliding piston 1, as occupied by the sliding piston 1 in FIG. 1. At the end opposite the housing end region 7 which is situated on the right side in FIG. 1 a housing end part 11 is connected to the valve housing 3, which contains an inner chamber 13 extending coaxial to the axis 5, which is sealed relative to the valve housing 3 by means of a seal 15, but which is to be considered to be a component of the valve housing 3. In accordance with the valve device known from the cited document DE 10 2013 021 317 A1, the sliding piston 1 extends with an end section 17 into the chamber 13. In a manner also corresponding to the known solution, the slide end section 17 inside the chamber 13 cooperates with an activation part 19 of an emergency activation and a stroke length limitation of the sliding piston 1. Because this likewise corresponds to the solution known from the cited document with setscrews 20 and 21, a more detailed description of this aspect is not required.

[0027] The electric motor 23 serving as an actuator is arranged on the housing end part 11 in such a way that its drive axis 25 vertically intersects the movement axis 5 of the sliding piston 1 and a pinion 27 located at the end of the motor shaft is located inside the chamber 13. As can be seen most clearly from FIG. 3, a gear rack 29 is fastened on the end section 17 of the sliding piston 1, which engages with the pinion 27. As in the cited known solution, the sliding piston 1 is guided in a non-rotatable manner in the chamber 13, so that the gear rack 29 remains, during axial movements brought about by the pinion 27 in contact with a guiding sliding element 31 which, cf. FIG. 3, is fastened on the wall of the chamber 13. The chamber 13 which is sealed towards the outside is oil-immersed from the valve housing 3, so that the gear arrangement formed by the pinion 27, gear rack 29 and sliding element 31 functions in an oil-immersed manner. The seal relative to the motor housing 33 of the electric motor 23 is formed by a rotary seal 35 which is radial to the drive axis 25. Instead of the depicted sliding element 31 a roller bearing or a roller could also be used.

[0028] In the depicted exemplary embodiment, an electric motor 23 in the form of a permanently excited internal rotor synchronous motor is provided. With a dimensional ratio of D to H of significantly less than 1.5 and preferably of less than 1, a permanently excited synchronous motor provides a torque permitting a rapid and reliable valve activation with a slim construction, which permits a tight side-by-side arrangement of valve devices in valve blocks. The drive can be realized via a direct drive by means of the pinion 27 and gear rack 29. In addition to such a spur gear, a multi-stage and in particular a two-stage planetary gear or an eccentric spur gear could be provided. The little or absent self-locking of the drive with a permanently excited synchronous motor permits a simple construction of an emergency manual activation.

[0029] As is shown in particular in FIG. 2, a planetary gear 30 is used for driving the pinion 27. The individual planetary gears 32 engage around a central sun gear which is not depicted in detail, which planetary gears are engaged on their external circumference side or output side with a central wheel 34 inside the motor housing 33, which is in turn connected via a rod connection drive 36 to the pinion 27 to be driven. The sun gear of the planetary gear 30 which is not depicted in detail is in turn activated or driven by the electric motor 23 along its drive axis 25 (cf. FIG. 1). As FIG. 1 additionally shows, this drive axis 25 or the motor housing 33 passes through the notional extension of the top side 6 of the valve housing 3. Furthermore, this drive axis 25 of the electric motor 23 is orientated parallel to the longitudinal axes 10 of the fluid connections P, A, B. If the rack-and-pinion drive 29 were to be exchanged for a screw drive part which is not depicted or described in detail, an oblique position of the drive axis 25 of the electric motor 23 would also be possible, i.e. the motor axis 25 would intersect at an oblique angle the top side 6 of the valve housing 3 itself or its notional extension (not depicted).

[0030] For the control of the motor 23 an electronics housing 37 is cast on the motor housing 33 and forms a cavity 39 which is sealed relative to the motor housing, in which an electronics board 41 is accommodated. Both the cavity 39 of the electronic housing 37 and the motor housing 33 are encapsulated independently of one another and sealed against moisture from the outside. The board 41 can have a digital controller, which recognizes the rotational position of the motor 23, for example by means of a sensor-free position measurement (rotor location determination by means of the motor winding). The activation can take place by means of a CAN BUS or a similar input signal.

[0031] As FIG. 3 shows, the pinion 27 is centrally arranged in the chamber 13, so that the drive axis 25 of the electric motor 23 vertically intersects the movement axis 5. For the diameter of the round motor housing 23 in the direction of the side-by-side arrangement in a valve block, the entire width of the respective valve device is thus available. With a correspondingly small diameter of the electric engine 23 and of the motor housing 33 it would also be possible to realize a lateral displacement of the drive axis 25 from the movement axis 5, for example in the direction of the axis 40 shown in FIG. 3, which extends vertically on the movement axis 5, and the drive axis 25, would still vertically intersect the plane containing the movement axis 5.