Distributor block for air distribution in pneumatic systems of commercial vehicles

Abstract

An air distributor block in pneumatic systems of utility vehicles has at least two modules with a body joined together, at least one mounting hole, at least one through-hole, at least one fastening element and seals placed between the modules is characterized by the fact that it comprises two outer modules: the upper module and the lower module equipped with a central coaxial blind hole with the identical hole in the other modules, and each outer module has at least two mounting through-holes parallel to the central axis of the module, in which bolts are mounted, which protrude above the outer modules, terminated on each side with a threaded tip for connecting to the vehicle frame, where in two opposite side walls of each outer module sockets are made with embedded connector elements or sockets equipped with blinding plugs.

Claims

1. An air distributor for pneumatic systems of utility vehicles comprising at least two modules with a body joined together, at least one mounting hole, at least one through hole, at least one fastening element and seals placed between the modules with two external modules: a top module and a bottom module equipped with a central coaxial blind hole with an identically sized hole in other modules, wherein each external module has at least two mounting through-holes parallel to a central axis of the external module, in which bolts are mounted which protrude above the external modules, terminated on each side with a threaded end adapted for connecting to the vehicle frame, and wherein in two opposite side walls of each external module sockets are made with embedded connectors or blinding plugs in an upper wall of the external bottom module and the lower wall of the external top module where there are two recesses equipped with three through holes with sockets made along an edge of each side wall, engaging with a locking element equipped with a crossbeam with embedded three vertical bottom projecting pins and three vertical top projecting pins, and wherein the external module is made of a plastic material containing at least 30% glass fibre.

2. The systems of claim 1, wherein the distributor block additionally comprises at least one internal module embedded between the external modules by way of being equipt with a central through hole coaxial with the identical hole in the other modules, equipt with at least two mounting through holes parallel to central axis of the module, in which the bolts are fixed, and in two opposite facing side walls of the inner module there are sockets with the embedded connecting elements or the sockets equipt with blinding plugs, where in the upper and lower wall of each internal module there are two recesses equipt with the three through holes with the sockets made along the edges of each side wall, engaging with a locking element equipt with a crossbeam with the embedded three vertical bottom projecting pins and three vertical top projecting pins, and the internal module made of a plastic material containing at least 30% glass fibre.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a distributor block with an O-ring seal seated in a groove made on the upper wall of the lower external module, the bottom wall of the upper external module and the upper wall and bottom wall of each internal module.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the distributor block further comprises a socket permanently embedded with the following connection elements: a sleeve, a locking sleeve, and/or an o-ring.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the distributor block comprises the lower projecting pins of the locking element which engage with the sleeve in the lower external module or the inner module; and the upper projecting pins of the locking element engage with the holes in a top-mounted upper external module or an inner module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the distributor block is equipped with at least three sockets in at least one of the modules.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0014] FIG. 1a shows the upper outer module in a bottom view;

[0015] FIG. 1b shows the upper outer module in a side view;

[0016] FIG. 1c shows the upper outer module in a top view;

[0017] FIG. 1d shows the upper outer module in a perspective view;

[0018] FIG. 2a shows the lower outer module in a bottom view;

[0019] FIG. 2b shows the lower outer module in a side view;

[0020] FIG. 2c shows the lower outer module in a top view;

[0021] FIG. 2d shows the upper outer module in a perspective view;

[0022] FIG. 3a shows the inner module in a bottom view;

[0023] FIG. 3b shows the inner module in a side view;

[0024] FIG. 3c shows the inner module in a top view;

[0025] FIG. 3d shows the inner module in A-A section;

[0026] FIG. 3e shows the upper outer module in a perspective view;

[0027] FIG. 4a shows an exploded view of distributor block consisting of an upper outer module and a lower outer module with a bolt;

[0028] FIG. 4b shows an assembled distributor block comprising an upper outer module and a lower outer module; FIG. 5a shows an exploded view of distributor block consisting of an upper outer module, one module and a lower outer module with a bolt;

[0029] FIG. 5b shows an assembled distributor block comprising an upper outer module, one inner module and a lower outer module;

[0030] FIG. 6 shows an assembled distributor block comprising an upper outer module, two inner modules and a lower outer module with conduits in the sockets, fixed to the vehicle frame;

[0031] FIG. 7a shows the construction of a socket with connector elements in a perspective partial section;

[0032] FIG. 7b shows the construction of a socket with connector elements in B-B section; FIG. 8a shows an exploded view of locking element and the inner module; FIG. 8b shows the locking element fixed to the inner module.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] The upper outer module 1 shown in FIGS. 1a-1d is provided with a central blind hole 2, coaxial with the identical hole 2 in the other modules, and two mounting through-holes 3 parallel to the central axis of the module 1. In two opposite side walls 4 two sockets 5 are provided with permanently embedded connector elements not shown in the drawing, in the lower wall 6 of the upper outer module 1, two recesses 7 are made along the edge of each side wall 4 with sockets 5 equipped with three square through-holes 8. Module 1 is made of polyamide with the addition of 30% glass fibre.

[0034] The lower outer module 9 shown in FIGS. 2a-2d is provided with a central blind hole 2, coaxial with the identical hole in the other modules, and two mounting through-holes 3 parallel to the central axis of the module 9. In two opposite side walls 4, three sockets 5 are provided, two with permanently embedded connector elements not shown in the drawing and one with a plug not shown in the drawing, in the upper wall 10 the lower outer module, two recesses 7 are made along the edge of each side wall 4 with sockets 5 equipped with three square through-holes 8. Module 9 is made of polyamide with the addition of 30% glass fibre.

[0035] The inner module 11 shown in FIGS. 3a-3e is provided with a central through-hole 2, coaxial with the identical hole 2 in the other modules, and two mounting through-holes 3 parallel to the central axis. In one side wall 4, two sockets 5 are provided with permanently fixed connector elements not shown in the drawing, in the opposite side wall 4 there are two sockets 5: one with permanently embedded connector elements not shown in the drawing, the second with a plug. In the upper wall 10 and the lower wall 6 of the inner module 11, two recesses 7 with three square through-holes 8, are provided along the edge of each side wall 4 with the sockets 5. Module 11 is made of polyamide with the addition of 30% glass fibre.

[0036] Tightness of the block between its individual modules 1, 9, 11 is ensured by the O-ring seal 12 shown in FIGS. 4a and 5a , seated in a groove 13 made on the upper wall 10 of the lower outer module 9, the lower wall 6 of the upper outer module 1 and the upper wall 10 and the lower wall 6 of each inner module 11.

[0037] In FIGS. 4a and 4b, an exploded and assembled view of the distributor block is shown comprising an upper outer module 1 and a lower outer module 9. Two mounting bolts 14 that fix the modules 1, 9 pass through the two mounting through-holes 3 of each module 1, 9, parallel to the central axis of the modules 1, 9. The bolts 14 protrude above the outer modules 1, 9 and terminate on each side with a threaded tip 15 for connection to the vehicle frame. The block modules 1, 9 are secured by nuts 16 and spring washers 17.

[0038] In FIGS. 5a and 5b, an exploded and assembled view of the distributor block is shown comprising an upper outer module 1, one inner module 11 and a lower outer module 9. Two mounting bolts 14 that fix the modules 1, 9, 11 pass through the two mounting through-holes 3 of each module 1, 9, 11 parallel to the central axis of the modules 1, 9 and 11. The bolts 14 protrude above the outer modules 1, 9 and terminate on each side with a threaded tip 15 for connection to the vehicle frame. The block modules 1, 9 and 11 are secured by nuts 16 and spring washers 17.

[0039] In FIG. 6, an assembled view of the distributor block is shown comprising an upper outer module 1, two inner modules 11 and a lower outer module 9. Two mounting bolts 14 that fix the modules 1, 9, 11 pass through the two mounting through-holes 3 of each module 1, 9, 11 parallel to the central axis of the modules 1, 9 and 11. The bolts 14 protrude above the outer modules 1, 9 and terminate on each side with a threaded tip 15. Conduits 18 are fixed in the sockets 5 of modules 1, 9, 11. The block modules 1, 9 and 11 are secured by nuts 16 and spring washers 17. The entire distributor block is attached to the vehicle carrier frame 19 by means of the bolts 14, terminated with a threaded tip 15, onto which the mounting nuts 16 are screwed together with spring washers 17.

[0040] The known technical solutions feature sockets, mostly threaded, into which connectors for connecting pneumatic conduits are screwed. As shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, the block according to the invention does not have the connectors embedded in the socket 5, which can be independent elements. In each of the block modules 1, 9 and 11, sockets 5 are made in which permanently fixed are the connector elements: sleeve 20, locking sleeve 21, and O-ring 22.

[0041] Elements embedded in individual sockets 5 are secured against falling out. The locking sleeve 21, due to its constructiona cone with longitudinal notches that expand when pressed into the sleeve 20, after being embedded in the sleeve 20, is automatically secured against falling out. The O-ring 21 is clamped in socket 5 by means of the sleeve 20. The sleeve 20 is prevented from falling out of the socket 5 by means of the locking element 23 shown in FIGS. 4a, 5a, 8a and 8b, provided with a crossbeam 24 with embedded three vertical lower protruding pins 25 and three vertical upper protruding pins 25. The lower protruding pins 25 of the locking element 23 engage with the sleeve 20 shown in FIG. 7b in the lower outer module 9 or the inner module 11, and the upper protruding pins 25 of the locking element 23 engage with holes 8 in a top-mounted upper outer module 1 or inner module 11. As shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, the sleeve 20 features a special circumferential groove 26. After seating the sleeve 20 in the sockets 5, the protruding pins 25 of the locking element 23 are pressed into the square holes 8. The protruding pins 25 engage with the grooves 26 in the sleeve 20, securely preventing the sleeve 20 from falling out of the socket 5.