VALVE MODULE SYSTEM
20250198431 ยท 2025-06-19
Inventors
Cpc classification
F15B13/086
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F15B2013/004
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F15B13/0821
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F15B13/0835
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F15B13/044
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F15B13/08
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
Valve module system for supplying compressed air to a compressed air consumer, in which valve modules can be provided with differently configured channel plates in order to enter into fluid communication with fluid channels of a carrier plate, with several connecting channels are formed, which are designed to connect a first valve connection and a second valve connection of a valve assembly to a channel opening of a fluid channel.
Claims
1-17. (canceled)
18. A valve module system for supplying compressed air to a compressed-air consumer, comprising: a carrier plate with an interface surface which is provided with at least one interface having a connection area which is provided with a plurality of channel openings for the attachment of a valve module, wherein each channel opening being connected to a fluid channel formed in the carrier plate, further comprising at least one valve module having a valve housing which rests with a interface surface at least partially on the respective interface and which has a plurality of shafts, which shafts are aligned parallel to one another and whose shaft openings are arranged on a valve housing end face in a common shaft opening plane which is aligned transversely to the interface surface, further comprising at least one valve assembly which is accommodated in one of the shafts, wherein a first valve connection and a second valve connection being formed on an end face of the valve assembly, which end face is arranged in the region of the shaft opening, and wherein a valve seat and an electrically actuatable valve member, which is movable between a closed position for the valve seat and an open position for the valve seat are arranged in a first control channel associated with the first valve connection and/or are arranged in a second control channel associated with the second valve connection, wherein the valve housing is provided with a channel plate which is connected in a sealing manner to the valve housing end face or to the valve assembly by means of a first coupling surface and which bears in a sealing manner against the connection area by means of a second coupling surface, wherein a plurality of connecting channels being formed in the channel plate for connecting the first valve connection and the second valve connection to a respective channel opening of the at least one interface.
19. The valve module system according to claim 18, wherein the channel plate rests in a sealing manner against the valve housing end face and bounds a pressure space with the shaft in which the valve assembly is accommodated.
20. The valve module system according to claim 18, wherein the valve assembly rests in a sealing manner, by means of a peripheral seal, against an inner surface of the shaft and delimits a pressure space with the shaft, and wherein a supply connection is formed on the end face of the valve assembly which supply connection is connected to the pressure space and to a connecting channel in the channel plate.
21. The valve module system according to claim 18, wherein the carrier plate has a connecting surface which is provided with fluid couplings which are assigned to mouth openings of fluid channels opening out at the coupling surface.
22. The valve module system according to claim 21, wherein the connection area has a first mouth opening of a first fluid channel and a first working coupling is assigned to the first fluid channel, wherein the connection area has a second mouth opening of a second fluid channel and a second working coupling is assigned to the fluid channel, wherein the connection area has a third mouth opening of a third fluid channel and a first fluid coupling is assigned to the third fluid channel, wherein the connection area has a fourth mouth opening of a fourth fluid channel and a second fluid coupling is assigned to the fourth fluid channel.
23. The valve module system according to claim 18, wherein a seal is arranged between the second coupling surface of the channel plate and the connection area for individual sealing between the shaft openings and the respectively associated connecting channels.
24. The valve module system according to claim 18, wherein the channel plate provides for each valve assembly received in the valve housing an individual fluidic connection of the first valve connection, the second valve connection and the supply connection to a respectively associated connecting channel.
25. The valve module system according to claim 18, wherein a valve seat and an electrically actuatable valve member which can be moved between a closing position for the valve seat and an opening position for the valve seat are arranged in the first control channel and wherein a valve seat and an electrically actuatable valve member that can be moved between a closed position for the valve seat and an open position for the valve seat are arranged in the second control channel.
26. The valve module system according to claim 25, wherein the channel plate has a first connecting channel which is connected to a first valve connection of a first valve assembly and to a first valve connection of a second valve assembly, and has a second connecting channel which is connected to a second valve connection of the first valve assembly, and to a second valve connection of the second valve assembly and has a third connecting channel which is connected to the supply connection of the first valve assembly, and has a fourth connecting channel which is connected to the supply connection of the second valve assembly.
27. The valve module system according to claim 25, wherein a first valve assembly and a second valve assembly are located in the valve housing and wherein the channel plate has a first connecting channel which is connected to a first valve connection and a second valve connection of the first valve assembly and to a first valve connection and a second valve connection of the second valve assembly, and has a second connecting channel, which is connected to a supply connection of the first valve assembly, and has a third connecting channel, which is connected to a supply connection of the second valve assembly.
28. The valve module system according to claim 25, wherein a first valve assembly and a second valve assembly are located in the valve housing and wherein the channel plate has a first connecting channel which is connected to a first valve connection of the first valve assembly and to a first valve connection of the second valve assembly, and has a second connecting channel which is connected to a second valve connection of the first valve assembly and to a second valve connection of the second valve assembly, and has a third connecting channel which is connected to a supply connection of the first valve assembly and to a supply connection of the second valve assembly.
29. The valve module system according to claim 25, wherein a first valve assembly and a second valve assembly are located in the valve housing and wherein the channel plate has a first connecting channel which is connected to a first valve connection and a second valve connection of the first valve assembly and to a first valve connection and a second valve connection of the second valve assembly, and has a second connecting channel which is connected to a supply connection of the first valve assembly and to a supply connection of the second valve assembly.
30. The valve module system according to claim 18, wherein the valve member is connected to a piezoelectric drive and wherein the piezoelectric drive is coupled to a voltage supply which is electrically connected to a controller, wherein the controller provides drive signals for driving the piezoelectric drive to the voltage supply.
31. The valve module system according to claim 30, wherein a sensor from the group: pressure sensor, temperature sensor, flow sensor, humidity sensor, is electrically connected to the controller and provides an electrical sensor signal to the controller.
32. The valve module system according to claim 31, wherein the sensor is connected to a sensor channel which branches off from the fluid channel.
33. The valve module system according to claim 30, wherein a fluid channel formed in the carrier plate has a throttle section and wherein a first pressure sensor is assigned to a first end region of the throttle section and provides a first pressure-dependent electrical sensor signal and wherein a second pressure sensor is assigned to a second end region of the throttle section and provides a second pressure-dependent electrical sensor signal, and wherein the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor are electrically connected to the controller.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings. Here shows:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0039] A valve module system 1 shown in
[0040] Each of the valve modules 4 comprises a valve housing 6, in which four shafts 7 are formed purely by way of example, which are provided to receive valve assemblies 18 in the form of cartridges or similar. In this case, a profiling of the respective valve assembly 18 is adapted to a profiling of the shaft 7 shown in
[0041] A first valve connection 20, a second valve connection 21 and a supply connection 31 are formed on an end face 19 of the valve assembly 18, which are shown in more detail in the detailed representation of
[0042] The valve housings 6, which are designed purely exemplarily in the shape of a cuboid, rest with a interface surface (a narrow side) 8 aligned at a right angle to the shaft opening plane 10 flat on the purely exemplarily flat interface surface 11. The valve housings 6 are fixed to the carrier plate 2 by means of fasteners, with a defined position being provided on the carrier plate 2 for each valve housing 6, which is also referred to as interface 12. This interface 12 also includes a connection area 13, which is of a purely exemplary rectangular configuration, is not covered by the valve housing 6 and at which a plurality of channel openings 14 open out. Each of the channel openings 14 is connected to a fluid channel 33 to 36 formed in the carrier plate 2, as shown in more detail in
[0043] The channel plate 5 is secured in a manner not shown in more detail to the respective valve housing 6 and to the interface 12 of the carrier plate 2 and ensures a fluid-tight connection between the first valve connection 20, the second valve connection 21, the supply connection 31 of the respective valve assembly 18 and the respectively associated channel opening 14.
[0044] In an alternative variant of a valve module 84, as provided at the top of the row of valve modules 4, 84 in
[0045] The fluid channels 33 to 36 formed in the carrier plate 2 end at an end face of the carrier plate 2, which is also referred to as the connecting surface, as is also shown schematically in
[0046]
[0047] The surface of the channel plate 5, which is preferably flat and provided with the valve interfaces 37, is also referred to as the first coupling surface 41. A second coupling surface 42, which is oriented at a right angle to the first coupling surface 41 purely by way of example and has a plane surface, serves to rest on the connection area 13 of the interface 12. A first connecting channel 43, a second connecting channel 44, a third connecting channel 45 and a fourth connecting channel 46 open out at the second coupling surface 42. Each of these connecting channels 43 to 46 can be in fluid communication with one of the two receiving bores 38, 39 or with the supply shaft 40 in a manner described in more detail below.
[0048] As a purely exemplary arrangement, a sealing plate 47 is provided between the second coupling surface 42 and the connection area 13, which, as a purely exemplary arrangement, is made of an elastomeric material. This sealing plate 47 is penetrated by holes 48 corresponding to the arrangement of the connecting channels 43 to 46 in the channel plate 5, which thus ensure a fluidically communicating connection between the channel openings 14 and the connecting channels 43 to 46 in the channel plate 5.
[0049] As can be seen from the schematic representation in
[0050] When the first piezoelectric element 59 is energized with an electrical voltage, a curvature of the first piezoelectric element 59 is caused, by which the first valve member 57 is lifted off from the first valve seat 55, so that a fluidically communicating connection between the pressure space 30 and the first valve connection 20 is released. The same applies in the same way to the second piezoelectric element 60, which can assume a curved position as a result of an electrical voltage, in which the second valve member 58 is lifted off from the second valve seat 56 in order to release a fluidically communicating connection between the pressure space 30 and the second valve connection 21. To provide these electrical voltages for the first piezoelectric element 59 and the second piezoelectric element 60, only schematically represented electrical connecting lines 61 are provided, which are electrically connected to a control board 62. A controller 63 is arranged on the control board 62, which comprises a microprocessor and a voltage generator in a manner not shown in more detail, and which is designed to control the voltage supply as a function of a control program running in the microprocessor and in dependence on sensor signals, which are described in more detail below, for controlling the voltage supply, in order to bring about the desired curvature of the first piezoelectric element 59 and/or of the second piezoelectric element 60.
[0051] In an alternative embodiment for the piezoelectric elements, which is not shown, it is envisaged that these assume a curved position in a neutral position without the application of voltage, so that the respectively associated valve members or sealing elements are lifted from the respective valve seats and, when an electrical voltage is applied, undergo a deformation by means of which the respectively associated valve member or sealing elements are pressed onto the respective valve seat in a sealing manner.
[0052] As can be further seen from the representation in
[0053] For example, a muffler 78 is arranged at the first fluid interface 73, so that the associated first fluid channel 33 can also be designated as an exhaust air channel. A compressed air source 79 is attached to the second fluid interface 74, so that the second fluid channel 34 can also be designated as a supply channel. A first working line 80 of a compressed air consumer 82 is attached to the third fluid interface 75, so that the associated third fluid channel 35 can also be referred to as the first working channel. A second working line 81 of the compressed air consumer 82 is attached to the third fluid interface 76, so that the associated fourth fluid channel 36 can also be referred to as the second working channel. As an example, the compressed air consumer 82 is designed as a double-acting pneumatic cylinder and is intended to provide a bidirectional linear movement.
[0054] As shown in
[0055] Thus, the fluidic interconnection of the four valve assemblies is designed in such a way that both the ventilation function and the venting function for each of the two working lines 80, 81 can be redundantly effected by two of the valve assemblies 18, so that the respective ventilation or venting function is maintained even if one of the valve assemblies 18 fails, although a reduced flow rate must be accepted in this case.
[0056] In order to enable a metrological recording of the flow processes for the compressed air consumer 82, a throttle 65 is arranged in the third fluid channel 35, which has a defined flow resistance. A first pressure sensor 66 and a second pressure sensor 67 are arranged at each end of the throttle 65 and are electrically connected to the controller 63 via associated sensor lines 86, 87. Each of the two pressure sensors 66, 67 provides an electrical sensor signal to the controller 63 via the associated sensor lines 86, 87, from which the controller 63 can determine a pressure difference between the first pressure sensor 66 and the second pressure sensor 67 and can determine a flow rate through the third fluid channel 35 on the basis of the known flow resistance of the throttle 65.
[0057] A third pressure sensor 68 and a flow meter 69 are arranged in the fourth fluid channel, which are connected to the controller 63 via sensor lines 88, 89 and which are also designed to provide sensor signals to the controller 63. For example, the use of the combination of the third pressure sensor 68 with the flow meter 69 enables a direct flow measurement in the fourth fluid channel 36.
[0058] As shown in
[0059] In addition, the controller 63 is assigned a sensor line 90, which is provided with a plug connector 91 at the end. As shown in
[0060] In the different variants of channel plates 24 to 27, as shown in
[0061] Alternatively, it could also be provided to attach different compressed air sources or other sources of pressurized gases to both the first fluid interface 73 and the second fluid interface 74. This allows the valve module system to be used, for example, to dispense gas mixtures with variably adjustable proportions of compressed air and a pressurized gas.
[0062] The channel plates 24 to 27 are intended purely as examples for coupling two valve assemblies 18. Depending on the application, a redundant coupling of four valve assemblies 18 can also be provided in the same way as in
[0063] In the first variant of a channel plate 24 according to
[0064] In the second variant of a channel plate 25 according to
[0065] In the third variant of a channel plate 27 according to
[0066] In the fourth variant of a channel plate 27 according to
[0067] In the case of the equipment variant shown in
[0068] In the case of the assembly variant shown in
[0069] It is understood that different sensors can be assigned to each of the stub lines 93 to 96 as required, these being assembly variants for the sensor board 97, while no other changes, in particular to the carrier plate 2, are required.