VALVE ISLAND

Abstract

A valve island has at least one valve module and an adapter module, wherein the adapter module includes a first data line and a first voltage supply line, which each extend continuously from an interface on a first front side forming an outer side of the adapter module to an interface on a second side of the adapter module pointing into the valve island. In the adapter module a circuit unit is provided, which within the adapter module is connected to the first data line and/or the first voltage supply line and from which within the adapter module an internal data line and/or an internal voltage supply line proceeds or proceed, which each extends or extend to an interface on the second side of the adapter module.

Claims

1. A valve island with at least one valve module and an adapter module, wherein the adapter module includes a first data line and a first voltage supply line, which each continuously extend from an interface on a first front side forming an outer side of the adapter module to an interface on a second side of the adapter module pointing into the valve island, and wherein in the adapter module a circuit unit is provided, which within the adapter module is connected to the first data line and/or the first voltage supply line and from which within the adapter module an internal data line and/or an internal voltage supply line proceeds or proceed, which each extends or extend to an interface on the second side of the adapter module.

2. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the interface of the internal data line and/or of the internal voltage supply line on the adapter module is directly connected to an interface of an adjacent module.

3. The valve island according to claim 2, wherein the adjacent module is a valve module.

4. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the internal data line and the internal voltage supply line are combined to form an internal bus that ends in a single interface on the second side.

5. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the circuit unit comprises a voltage converter coupled to the first voltage supply line, which provides a voltage for the internal voltage supply line that is different from the voltage on the first voltage supply line.

6. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the circuit unit comprises a voltage testing device coupled to the first voltage supply line, which measures the voltage on the first voltage supply line and provides a signal on the first data line and/or on the internal data line.

7. The valve island according to claim 6, wherein, voltage testing device provides a signal on the first data line and/or on the internal data line in dependence on the measurement result.

8. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein in the adapter module an electromagnetic protection device is provided, which acts on the first voltage supply line, the first data line, the internal data line and/or the internal voltage supply line.

9. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the valve island comprises a fastening device.

10. The valve island according to claim 9, wherein in the adapter module a ground contact is provided, which is arranged in the region of the fastening device.

11. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the adapter module includes at least one fluid port and at least one internal fluid channel that ends in a fluidic interface on the second side.

12. The valve island according to claim 11, wherein the fluid port serves for feeding a fluid into the valve island.

13. The valve island according to claim 11, wherein the fluid port is directed parallel to the first front side and perpendicularly to a line-up direction.

14. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the first front side is free from fluid ports and fluidic interfaces.

15. The valve island according to claim 11, wherein in the adapter module a pressure measuring device is provided, which measures a pressure in the fluid channel and provides the measured pressure value and/or an alarm signal on the first data line and/or on the internal data line.

16. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein in the adapter module a display device is provided.

17. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the number of the interfaces on the first front side and on the second side of the adapter module is different.

18. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the adapter module on the first front side is configured such that a further module can be attached, which by plugging in is coupled to the first voltage supply line and the first data line.

19. The valve island according to claim 1, wherein the adapter module on the second side is configured such that the valve module can be attached, which by plugging in is directly connected to the first data line, the first voltage supply line, the internal data line, the internal voltage supply line and/or the internal fluid channel.

20. The valve island according to claim 18, wherein on the first front side of the adapter module a latching device is provided for connection to the further module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective representation of a valve island according to the invention;

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a schematic circuit diagram of the valve island of FIG. 1; and

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the first front side of the adapter module of the valve island of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The Figures show a valve island 10 that consists of individual modules lined up along a line-up direction A. The valve island 10 here is an electrofluidic valve island that has both fluid-controlled valves and electronic control units.

[0045] The individual modules can be selected from a modular system depending on the kind of the desired application. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, by way of example, two valve modules 12 and at a longitudinal end an adapter module 14 are assembled to form a valve island 10.

[0046] Each of the two valve modules 12 here is configured as an electrofluidic module and has a base body on which a plurality of valve units 16 can releasably be plugged in. In addition, each of the valve modules 12 here also is provided with an electronic unit 18 that performs the control of the individual valve units 16 and possibly also includes a function display.

[0047] In the case of components occurring repeatedly, not all of them are provided with a reference numeral in the drawings for reasons of clarity.

[0048] The valve units 16 shown here each comprise a main valve and a pilot valve that fluidically controls the main valve. In the circuit diagram of FIG. 2, the two valve types are symbolically combined to a single valve for reasons of representation and here designated with the reference numeral 16 of the valve unit.

[0049] The valve units 16 for example control externally connected actuators (not shown) via their main valves, such as for example external pneumatic valves or pneumatic cylinders. The main valves mostly are configured as gate valves. As a pilot valve, an electropneumatic valve usually is employed.

[0050] In general, compressed air is used here as control fluid, and the entire valve units are designed for a pneumatic control. In principle, the valve island might however also be designed for the use of a hydraulic fluid.

[0051] In addition, feed modules (not shown here) might be provided, via which arbitrary fluids can be fed into the valve island or be discharged from the same. Via such modules a supply for example with process or rinsing fluids can be effected.

[0052] In addition, pure electronic modules (not shown) might be provided, which for example are configured as diagnosis modules.

[0053] Each of the modules of the valve island 10 includes a fastening device 20 that here is configured in the form of a continuous groove 22 on a rear side 24 of the respective module. With respect to the vertical direction V, the fastening device 20 is located approximately in the middle of the rear side 24. The groove 22 is configured such that all modules of the valve island 10 can be fastened on a mounting rail 26, here a top-hat rail, along the line-up direction A, by pushing on or hooking into the mounting rail 26.

[0054] The adapter module 14 has a first front side 28 directed substantially perpendicularly to the line-up direction A, which forms an outer side of the adapter module 14 and which here also represents an outer surface of the valve island 10 and limits the same to the outside, as long as the adapter module 14 is the outermost module of the valve island 10 on this side of the valve island 10 in the line-up direction A. In addition, the adapter module has a second side 30 that is directed into the valve island 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the second side 30 forms the front side of the adapter module 14 (not shown freely in the Figures) facing the valve modules 12. It should be noted here that the arrangement of the front sides 28, 30 of course is mirror-symmetrical when the adapter module 14 is mounted at the other longitudinal end of the valve island 10.

[0055] On the free first front side 28 a further module 31 can be attached to the adapter module 14, which likewise includes a fastening device for plugging in on the mounting rail 26 and which with its front side is pushed against the first front side 28 of the adapter module 14 (indicated in FIG. 2). The further module 31 for example includes controllers, bus interfaces and/or electric or electronic inputs and outputs and can be e.g. a so-called I/O module. After plugging in the further module 31, the first front side 28 delimiting the adapter module 14 of course is located between the adapter module 14 and the further module 31.

[0056] To firmly connect the further module 31 to the valve island 10, a latching device 32 is provided, which here comprises a latching hook 34 in the region of the fastening device 20, which can snap into a complementary counterpart on the further module 31. For releasing the further module 31 an actuating device 36 is part of the latching device 32, which here is provided on an underside 38 of the adapter module 14.

[0057] Such latching device 32 can of course also be provided between the individual modules of the valve island 10.

[0058] For the central energy supply, the valve island 10 includes a first externally connected energy supply in the form of a first voltage supply line 40 (e.g. with 24 V), which in this example forms a supply bus with a plurality of line strands.

[0059] In the adapter module 14, the first voltage supply line 40 extends continuously in the interior of the adapter module 14 from an interface 42 on the first front side 28 to an interface 44 on the second side 30.

[0060] At the interface 44, a transition directly is made here to an interface 42 of an adjacent valve module 12. In the interior of the valve modules 12, a portion of the first voltage supply line 40 each likewise extends, so that a continuous supply bus is obtained up to the last module of the valve island 10 that requires electric energy. Each of the valve modules 12 can access this first voltage supply line 40 and obtain energy therefrom.

[0061] In addition, a first data bus is provided, which includes a first, here multipole, data line 48 and which ends in an interface 50 in the first front side 28 of the adapter module 14 and from there extends in the interior of the adapter module 14 up to the second side 30 and a further interface 52. The same here is contacted by an adjoining interface 50 of the adjacent valve module 12, wherein within each of the valve modules 12 a continuous data line extends to their opposite front side. In this way, a continuous first data line 48 is obtained, which allows to transmit control commands to all modules of the valve island 10 that are meant to receive the same. Via the first data line 48 various data can be transmitted or processes can be controlled.

[0062] In the example shown here, the interfaces 42, 50 of the first voltage supply line 40 and of the first data line 48 on the first front side 28 of the adapter module 14 are spatially separate from each other, wherein the fastening device 20 is located between the two interfaces 42, 50 as seen in the vertical direction V. In the interior of the adapter module 14, too, the first voltage supply lines 40 and the first data line 48 in this example extend in a manner spatially separate from each other.

[0063] All interfaces 42, 44, 50, 52 can be contacted by plugging the modules together in the line-up direction A, without further interconnections being necessary.

[0064] Each of the interfaces 42, 50 (and correspondingly also the complementary interfaces 44, 52) here comprises a plurality of individual contacts.

[0065] In this example, the interface 42 each is configured as a plug, while the interface 50 each is designed as a socket. The complementary interfaces 44, 52 correspondingly are complementarily configured as socket and plug, so that all interfaces are connectable to each other by simply pushing the individual modules together.

[0066] In the interior of the adapter module 14 a circuit unit 56 is provided, in which here for reasons of the description all electronic components of the adapter module 14 are combined. In the real implementation, these components can of course be arranged in the adapter module 14 in a spatially distributed manner.

[0067] The circuit unit 56 is connected both to the first voltage supply line 40 and to the first data line 48.

[0068] In this example, the circuit unit 56 comprises a voltage converter 58 coupled to the first voltage supply line 40, which provides a second supply voltage that is different from the first supply voltage on the first voltage supply line 40 (for example 5 V as compared to 24 V). The voltage converter 58 feeds the second supply voltage into an internal voltage supply line 60.

[0069] In addition, the circuit unit 56 here comprises a voltage testing device 62 coupled to the first voltage supply line 40, which is connected to an optionally multipole internal data line 64.

[0070] The internal voltage supply line 60 and the internal data line 64 are guided to the second side 30 of the adapter module 14, where they end in a common interface 66. The interface 66 is in direct contact with an interface 67 of the adjacent valve module 12. In this example, the internal voltage supply line 60 and the internal data line 64 are combined to form an internal bus.

[0071] In this example, the internal bus only is available within the valve island 10 and is not looped through to the outside, i.e. the internal data line 64 and the internal voltage supply line 60 only are connected to the respectively adjoining modules of the valve island 10, but not to ports of these modules leading to the outside, so that the internal bus is not directly accessible from outside. At the adapter module 14, the internal bus only exits to the outside at the interface 66 on the second side 30 and cannot be contacted on the first front side 28.

[0072] It would be conceivable to combine the interface 66 of the internal data line 64 and the internal voltage supply line 60 with the interface 52 of the first data line 48 on the second side 30.

[0073] The voltage testing device 62 checks the supply voltage present on the first voltage supply line 40 for over- and undervoltages. For example, a threshold switch can be used here. When the measured voltage leaves a specified range, a signal is output via the internal data line 64. This signal is evaluated in particular by the electronic units 18 of the valve modules 12 and for example can be used to go to certain valve positions in the case of a malfunction, before the valves no longer are controllable due to over- or undervoltages. Thus, systems can timely be moved into safe positions.

[0074] The adapter module 14 also comprises at least one fluid port 68, which here is arranged on the underside 38 of the adapter module 14. The fluid port 68 here extends perpendicularly to the line-up direction A. Via the fluid port 68 a fluid, for example compressed air as control fluid, is fed into the valve island 10. When a plurality of fluid ports 68 are provided, different fluids or fluids with different pressures possibly can be fed into the valve island 10.

[0075] The fluid port 68 is fluidically connected to a fluid channel 70 extending in the interior of the adapter module 14, which ends in a fluid interface 72 on the second side 30, which here points in the line-up direction A and can be plugged together with a corresponding complementary fluid interface 74 in the adjacent valve module 12. In this way, the fluid fed in via the fluid port 68 gets to the individual valve units 16 of the valve modules 12.

[0076] Of course, a plurality of fluid ports 68 can be provided in the adapter module 14, which are connected to a plurality of separate fluid channels 70. The respective fluid interfaces 72 here are combined in a single interface in a spatially adjacent manner.

[0077] In the example shown here, each of the modules of the valve island 10 includes fluid channels that can be plugged together with the fluid channels 70, so that continuous fluid lines are obtained through all valve modules 12 of the valve island 10.

[0078] The adapter module 14, however, includes one or more fluid interfaces 72 only on its second side 30, not on the first front side 28 terminating the valve island 10 to the outside. The front side 28 of the adapter module 14 is free from any fluid ports and fluid interfaces.

[0079] The circuit unit 56 here also comprises a pressure measuring device 76 that measures a fluid pressure in at least one of the fluid channels 70 in the adapter module 14. Possibly, the result is provided on the internal data line 64. It is also possible, however, to output an alarm signal on the internal data line 64 and/or the first data line 48 only upon shortfall or exceedance of a specified threshold value. Of course, other data and further information can also be provided on the internal data line 64 for the remaining modules of the valve island 10.

[0080] In the example shown here, the pressure measuring device 76 is connected to a display device 78 in the adapter module 14, on which the current pressure values and/or the presence of an alarm condition can be output. The display device can also comprise a general status indication, which can indicate an operating condition of the valve island 10 and which for example is designed as a multicolored light-emitting diode and/or as a graphic display.

[0081] In this embodiment, an electromagnetic protection device 80 also is provided in the adapter module 14, which here cooperates both with the first voltage supply line 40, the first data line 48, the internal voltage supply line 60 and the internal data line 64 and offers protection for example against high-frequency voltage peaks, high-energy overvoltages and line-bound high-frequency interferences. The electromagnetic protection device 80 for example can comprise various capacitors, protective diodes and a ground contact 82. The ground contact 82 is arranged on the rear side 24 in the region of the fastening device 20 such that it automatically gets in contact with the mounting rail 26 when the adapter module 14 is fastened to the same.

[0082] Furthermore, inductors and/or resistors also might be built in, for example for protection against common-mode interferences on the first voltage supply line 40. In addition, an overcurrent protection with a fuse or a self-resetting fuse as well as a reverse polarity protection with a diode or another semiconductor solution can be provided as further protection devices in the adapter module 14.

[0083] The further module(s) 31 connected to the front side 28 of the adapter module 14 pass through the first voltage supply line 40 and the first data line 48, so that the same remain contactable externally from outside the valve island 10. For this purpose, all further coupled modules 31 have interfaces corresponding to the interfaces 42, 50 and 44, 52, respectively.