Valve Module, Valve Assembly and Method for Operating a Valve Assembly

Abstract

A valve module for mounting to a fluid distribution device, including a main body, which has two mutually opposed interface surfaces, which are designed for connection to a valve module or to a fluid distribution device wherein a distribution device connection for fluid coupling to a distribution device connection of the fluid distribution device or to a distribution device connection of another valve module and a working connection for fluidic coupling to a working connection of the fluid distribution device or a working connection of another valve module, is formed on each of the interface surfaces, wherein the main body is permeated by a fluid channel which extends between the two distribution device connections and the two working connections and to which a valve device is assigned to influence an open fluid channel cross-section.

Claims

1. A method for operating a valve assembly, having a parallel fluid connection of a plurality of valve modules, comprising the steps of: determining a fluid flow requirement by means of a control unit with reference to a predeterminable discharge or an external requirement signal; generating a control signal group in the control unit according to the fluid flow requirement; and providing the control signal group from the control unit to control circuits of the valve devices assigned in each case, wherein the control signal group for each valve device has an individual control signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the individual control signals are determined according to predeterminable threshold values for the respective valve device, the threshold values being linked to the fluid flow requirement.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, according to the threshold values, in each case, activation ranges for the respective valve devices are determined within the fluid flow requirement, which ranges are selected in such a way that, in the case of a low fluid flow requirement, some of the valve devices are activated, and, in the case of a high fluid flow requirement, all the valve devices are activated.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, in the case of a change in the fluid flow requirement, an overall change of the individual control signals is determined, and the individual control signals are optimised to achieve a minimal overall change.

5. A valve module for mounting to a fluid distribution device, comprising a main body, which has two mutually opposed interface surfaces which are designed for connection to a valve module or to a fluid distribution device, wherein a distribution device connection for fluid coupling to a distribution device connection of the fluid distribution device or to a distribution device connection of another valve module and a working connection for fluidic coupling to a working connection of the fluid distribution device or a working connection of another valve module, is formed on each of the interface surfaces, the main body being permeated by a fluid channel which extends between the two distribution device connections and the two working connections and to which a valve device is assigned to influence an open fluid channel cross-section.

6. The valve module according to claim 5, wherein the valve device comprises a valve seat formed in the fluid channel and a valve member which is movably arranged in the fluid channel for temporarily sealing abutment against the valve seat, and an adjusting means which is designed for introducing an adjusting movement onto the valve member.

7. The valve module according to claim 5, wherein, in the main body, a plurality of fluid channels having valve devices assigned thereto in each case are formed, each of the fluid channels being extended between an individually assigned distribution device connection pair and the shared working connections.

8. The valve module according to claim 5, wherein, in the main body, a control circuit is arranged for electrical control of the at least one valve device, in each case one connection means being assigned to the control circuit on both interface surfaces, which connection means is designed for electrical coupling to an electrical lead assembly arranged in the fluid distribution device or to a control circuit of another valve module.

9. A valve assembly, comprising a fluid distribution device which has a coupling face for connecting a valve module according to claim 5, wherein at least one distribution device connection for fluidically communicating connection to the distribution device connection of the valve module and at least one working connection for fluidically communicating connection to the working connection of the valve module are formed on the coupling face, wherein the fluid distribution device is permeated by at least one distribution channel which is connected to the distribution device connection for fluidic communication, and wherein the fluid distribution device has at least one working channel which opens out into a consumer connection on the connection face and which is connected to the working connection for fluidic communication, and comprising a valve module according to claim 5.

10. The valve assembly according to claim 9, wherein the fluid distribution device is permeated by a plurality of fluidically separately formed distribution channels which open out onto different distribution device connections which are formed on the coupling face.

11. The valve assembly according to claim 9, wherein, in the fluid distribution device, an electrical lead assembly is formed, which is connected in an electrically conductive manner to a connection means, which is assigned to the coupling face.

12. The valve assembly according to claim 9, wherein at least one sensor means from the group comprising: pressure sensor, flow rate sensor and temperature sensor is assigned to the working channel.

13. The valve assembly according to claim 9, wherein the at least one distribution channel and the lead assembly of the fluid distribution device each open out onto mutually opposed connection faces, and wherein mutually facing connection faces of a plurality of fluid distribution devices are aligned to form a distribution device body.

14. The valve assembly according to claim 9, wherein, in the fluid distribution device a control unit is arranged, which is designed to provide actuating energy, to at least one adjusting means of at least one valve module, the control unit comprising at least one control interface which is arranged on a connection face and is designed for connection of the control unit to at least one adjacently arranged control unit or to a superordinate controller.

Description

[0025] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a valve assembly which comprises a fluid distribution device and a valve module,

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a front view of a valve assembly comprising aligned fluid distribution devices and aligned valve modules,

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a variant of the valve assembly according to FIG. 2, in which a plurality of valve modules are assigned to a plurality of fluid distribution devices respectively, and

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration for a control signal group for controlling a plurality of valve modules.

[0030] A valve assembly 1 shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises, purely by way of example, a plurality of fluid distribution devices 2 and valve modules 3 assigned to the respective fluid distribution devices 2 and is designed to provide and discharge a working fluid, in particular compressed air, to fluid consumers (not shown) which can be in particular pneumatic actuators.

[0031] Whereas FIG. 1 shows precisely one fluid distribution device 2 and precisely one valve module 3, FIG. 2 shows a plurality of fluid distribution devices 2 having, purely by way of example, two valve modules 3 aligned therewith in each case.

[0032] As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, both the fluid distribution device 2 and the valve module 3 can have, purely by way of example, a cuboid-shaped design in each case, as a result of which, when the fluid distribution device 2 and the valve modules 3 are aligned, a planar abutment of opposing contact faces 4, 5 of the fluid distribution devices 2 and the valve modules 3, and thus a particularly compact arrangement of said components, can be achieved.

[0033] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the fluid distribution device 2 comprises a main body 6, which can be produced for example from plastics material. In the main body 6, for example two distribution channels 7, 8 are formed, the for example circular cross-section of which extends through the main body 6 perpendicularly to the illustration plane of FIG. 1. When a plurality of fluid distribution devices 2 are each aligned along a direction of alignment 9, as shown by way of example in FIG. 2, the distribution channels 7, 8 form continuous fluid channels.

[0034] Starting from the distribution channel 7, a connection channel 10 extends in the main body 6 to a distribution connection 11. Furthermore, in the main body 6, starting from the distribution channel 8, a connection channel 12 extends to a distribution connection 15. Furthermore, the main body 6 is permeated by a working channel 16 which extends from a working connection 17 to a consumer connection 18, a flow rate sensor 19 and a pressure sensor 20 being assigned to the working channel 16. Both the flow rate sensor 19 and the pressure sensor 20 are electrically connected via signal leads 21, 22 to a printed circuit board 23 in the form of a lead assembly, on which electrical and electronic components, in particular a microcontroller, can also be mounted, in a manner not shown in greater detail.

[0035] To the printed circuit board 23, an electrical connection line 24 is mounted, which line is provided with a plug-in connector 25, which is used as a connection means, on the end face thereof. Furthermore, contacting means which are not shown on both sides, formed on the respective contact faces 4, are assigned to the printed circuit board 23, said contacting means being used for electrical connection of the printed circuit board 23 to fluid distribution devices 2 which are arranged adjacently to printed circuit boards, in order to ensure electrical connection of the fluid distribution devices 2 shown schematically in FIG. 2.

[0036] The consumer connection 18 opens out onto a connection face 28 and can be configured for example in such a way that it can be used for connection of a fluid hose (not shown), in particular a compressed air hose.

[0037] The distribution connections 11 and 15, the working connection 17 and the connection means 25 are assigned to a coupling face 27 of the fluid distribution device 2, which, purely by way of example, has a planar design and is used to mount a correspondingly formed, for example planar, interface surface 33 of the valve module 3. The valve module 3 comprises a main body 34, which can be produced preferably from plastics material and in which, purely by way of example, two valve devices 35 and 36 are received. For example, the valve devices 35, 36 are 2/2-way valves comprising a piezoelectric drive, which valves are each electrically connected to a control circuit 39 via a control line 37, 38. The control circuit 39 is for example equipped with a microcontroller (not shown in greater detail) which, together with driver stages (also not shown in greater detail) allows electrical control of the two valve devices 35, 36 and can additionally communicate with the fluid distribution device 2. For this purpose, the control circuit 39 comprises in each case two connection means which are formed on end faces as plug-in connectors 40, 41, the plug-in connector 40 being assigned to the interface surface 33, whereas the plug-in connector 41 is assigned to an interface surface 43.

[0038] The valve device 35 is fluidically coupled via a fluid channel portion 44 which extends between a distribution connection 45 on the interface surface 33 and a distribution connection 46 on the interface surface 43 and which is connected to a fluid channel branch 47, which in turn is connected to the valve device 35. Furthermore, the valve device 35 is connected via a fluid channel branch 48 to a working channel 49 which extends between a working connection 50 on the interface surface 33 and a working connection 51 on the interface surface 43. The fluid channel portion 44, the fluid channels 47 and 48, and the working channel 49 thus form the fluid channel 52 for the valve device 35.

[0039] The valve device 36 is fluidically coupled via a fluid channel portion 54 which extends between a distribution connection 55 on the interface surface 33 and a distribution connection 56 on the interface surface 43 and which is connected to a fluid channel branch 57, which in turn is connected to the valve device 35. Furthermore, the valve device 35 is connected via a fluid channel branch 58 to the working channel 49, which is thus shared by the two valve devices 35, 36. The fluid channel portion 54, the fluid channels 57 and 58, and the working channel 49 thus form the fluid channel 53 for the valve device 36.

[0040] Since both the fluid channel portion 44 and the working channel 49 as well as the fluid channel portion 54 permeate the main body 34 between the two interface surfaces 33 and 43, purely by way of example, another valve module 3 can be mounted to the interface surface 43, as shown by way of example in FIG. 2. For proper operation of an individual valve module 3 or a group of a plurality of valve modules 3, it is necessary for the distribution connections 46 and 56 and the working connection 51 on the interface surface 43, to which no additional valve module 3 is mounted, to be closed by blocking means (not shown), for example blind plugs.

[0041] By aligning a plurality of valve modules 3 in a direction of alignment 60, which is oriented transversely to the direction of alignment 9, a fluid flow rate at the consumer connection 18 can be adapted according to requirements, each additional valve module 3 leading to an increase in the fluid flow rate at the consumer connection 18 provided that the capacity of the respective distribution channel 7 or 8 in the main body 6 of the fluid distribution device 3 is not exceeded.

[0042] For example, using two valve modules 3, as assigned to each of the fluid distribution devices 2 according to FIG. 2, leads to the fluid flow rate at the respective consumer connection 18 being doubled provided that in each case one of the two valve devices 35 and 36 in the two valve modules 3 is in a maximum open position.

[0043] In the case of a suitable configuration of the printed circuit board 23 and the control circuit 39, the valve assembly 1 shown in FIG. 2 can be provided for independent operation.

[0044] Preferably, the valve assembly 1 is provided for coupling to a bus node (not shown), via which bus communication with a superordinate control unit (also not shown), in particular a programmable logic controller (PLC), can be provided.

[0045] A valve system 110 shown schematically in FIG. 3 comprises, purely by way of example, a plurality of valve assemblies 101, 102 and 103 and a bus node 104 which is designed to couple the valve system 110 to a bus system (not shown) for connection to a superordinate controller (also not shown). For example, it can be provided that the bus node 104 receives control information from the superordinate controller via the bus system (not shown) and forwards said information to the assigned valve assemblies 101, 102 and 103 so that, in the valve assemblies 101, 102 and 103, in each case a fluid flow requirement for the respective consumer connection 18 can be determined from the control information, and corresponding control of the assigned valve modules 3 takes place. Additionally or alternatively, it can be provided that the control information is transmitted wirelessly, in this case the bus node comprises a transceiver unit for wirelessly transmittable control information or is in the form of a transceiver unit for wirelessly transmittable control information.

[0046] Each of the valve assemblies 101, 102 and 103 comprises in each case one fluid distribution device 2, to which at least one valve module 3 is mounted. Purely by way of example, in the case of the valve assembly 101, precisely one valve module 3 is mounted to the corresponding fluid distribution device 2, whereas in the case of the valve assembly 102, two valve modules 3 are mounted to the corresponding fluid distribution device 2, and the valve assembly 103 comprising three valve modules 3 mounted to the corresponding fluid distribution device 2. A maximum flow rate or volume flow can thus be provided at the consumer connection 18 of the valve assembly 101, such as can be provided by the valve device 35, 36 formed for example in the valve module 3. In contrast, at the consumer connection 18 of the valve assembly 102, compared with the valve assembly 101, double the maximum flow rate or volume flow, and, at the consumer connection 18 of the valve assembly 103, compared with the valve assembly 101, three times the maximum flow rate or volume flow can be provided.

[0047] The fluid distribution devices 2 of the valve assemblies 101, 102 and 103 each have the same structure as the fluid distribution device 2 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the fluid distribution devices 2 comprises a control unit 105, which is formed as a combination of a control interface which is arranged in a control board 106, in each case on an end face, and a microcontroller 108, which is arranged on the control board 106. Based on the illustration in FIG. 1, the control unit 105 is connected, via a connection line 24 and a connection means 25, so as to electrically transmit signals, to the at least one assigned valve module 3 and allows control of the at least one valve device 35, 36 provided in the valve module 3.

[0048] For example, the following mode of operation can be provided for the valve system 110: firstly, purely by way of example, control information is transmitted from the superordinate controller (not shown) via the bus system (also not shown) to the bus node 104. In the bus node 104, the incoming bus signals are for example converted into communication signals of a communication system (not shown in greater detail), which can be for example in the form of a multiconductor assembly (multipole) or an internal bus system. After the conversion in the bus node 104, the control information is thus forwarded to the control devices 105 in the respective fluid distribution devices 2 and there is processed in the respective microcontroller 108.

[0049] It is provided for example that the valve assembly 103 contains control information according to which a linearly increasing fluid flow is to be provided at the consumer connection 18, as represented by the straight line in FIG. 4. In order to be able to meet this fluid flow requirement according to the control information, it could be provided to control for example the total of three valve devices 35 in each case synchronously with a control signal group, which has in each case an identical control signal for each valve device 35. In this case, however, in the case of small flow rates/volume flows, a summation of the tolerances of all three valve devices 35 would have to be accepted, as a result of which an undesirably high influence of error would have to be accepted for the flow rate or volume flow at the consumer connection 18.

[0050] In practice, it is therefore provided to put into operation or stop as few of the valve devices 35 as possible in order to meet the respective fluid flow requirement, as shown in FIG. 4 by the summation of the individual fluid volume flows 116, 117 and 118, which can be provided by the individual valve modules 3 of the valve assembly 103.

[0051] The control signals 119, 120 and 121 for the individual valve modules 3 of the valve assembly 103 can be found in FIG. 5. From this, it can be seen that in the case of a linearly increasing fluid flow requirement, starting from a time to, initially only one of the valve modules 3 provides a fluid volume flow 116 by means of a corresponding control signal 119. At a time t1, a maximum flow rate or volume flow for the one valve module 3 is achieved, and therefore it is necessary to connect the second valve module 3 of the valve assembly 103 by means of the control signal 120. The connection of said second valve module 3 is carried out whilst simultaneously maintaining the control signal 119 and the fluid volume flow 116, which is linked thereto, for the first valve module 3. In the same way, at the time t2, the connection of the third valve module 3 by the control signal 121 is carried out whilst maintaining the control signals 119 and 120 and the fluid volume flows 116 and 117, which are linked thereto, for the two other valve modules 3.

[0052] On the basis of the maximum flow rate or volume flow for the respective valve module 3, in accordance with the illustration in FIG. 4, the threshold values 122, 123 for the connection or disconnection of the respective valve modules 3 can be determined, said threshold values 122 and 123 can be stored in particular in the microcontroller 108 of the control unit 105.

[0053] For example, it is thus provided that, for a flow rate or volume flow between the value 0 and the value Q1, only control of a single valve module 3 is carried out by a suitable control signal 119, whereas for a flow rate or volume flow between the value Q1 and the value Q2, the control signal 119 is kept at a maximum value, and an additional control signal 120 is set according to the fluid flow requirement in order to achieve the desired volume flow or flow rate. For a volume flow above the value Q2, both the control signal 119 and the control signals 120 are kept at a maximum value, whereas the additional control signal 121 is set according to the fluid flow requirement in order to achieve the desired volume flow or flow rate.