Abstract
The invention relates to a changeover valve comprising a spherical valve body, which lies against a first valve seat in a first position and lies against a second valve seat in a second position, wherein an opening is provided in a region between the first valve seat and the second valve seat, which opening is adjoined by a further line, which ends at an outlet connection of the changeover valve, wherein the valve body has a diameter d.sub.Kugel, and wherein at most a circle having a diameter d.sub.einschreib can be inscribed in a projected area defined by an orthogonal projection of the opening onto a selected projection plane, wherein d.sub.einschreib<d.sub.Kugel, and wherein the projected area is noncircular when the diameter d.sub.einschreib of the inscribed circle reaches a maximum in dependence on the selected projection plane.
Claims
1. A changeover valve having a first input connection and a second input connection which are connected to each other by means of a tubular line inside a housing of the changeover valve, wherein there is arranged in the line a first valve seat which is associated with the first input connection, wherein there is arranged in the line a second valve seat which is associated with the second input connection, wherein there is arranged between the first valve seat and the second valve seat a valve body which can be moved in the line so that the valve body in a first position closes the line at the first valve seat and in a second position closes the line at the second valve seat, wherein in a wall of the line in a region between the first valve seat and the second valve seat there is provided an opening which is adjoined by an additional line which terminates at an output connection of the changeover valve, wherein the valve body is spherical with a diameter d.sub.Kugel, and wherein, in a projected face which is defined by means of an orthogonal projection of the opening onto a selected projection plane, at a maximum a circle having a diameter d.sub.einschreib can be inscribed, wherein d.sub.einschreib<d.sub.Kugel, and wherein the projected face is non-round when the diameter d.sub.einschreib of the circle which can be inscribed is at a maximum in accordance with the selected projection plane.
2. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first valve seat and the second valve seat are arranged in alignment with each other in the line.
3. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first valve seat and the second valve seat are arranged apart from each other with a spacing d.sub.dist which is greater than double the diameter d.sub.Kugel of the valve body.
4. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spacing d.sub.dist is greater than three times the diameter d.sub.Kugel of the valve body.
5. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface content of the projected face is greater than the surface content of the circular face with the diameter d.sub.Kugel.
6. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projected face is non-coherent.
7. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing which has the line and the additional line is a T-shaped pipe and wherein the opening is resiliently expandable.
8. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 7, wherein the housing is resiliently bendable, and wherein the diameter d.sub.einschreib of the maximum circle which can be inscribed in the projected face becomes greater than the diameter d.sub.Kugel of the valve body during the bending of the housing.
9. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are provided a plurality of webs which at least partially bridge the opening.
10. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first valve seat and the second valve seat-are arranged apart from each other with a spacing d.sub.dist which is greater than double the diameter d.sub.Kugel of the valve body.
11. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the surface content of the projected face is greater than the surface content of the circular face with the diameter d.sub.Kugel.
12. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the projected face is non-coherent.
13. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing which has the line and the additional line is a T-shaped pipe and wherein the opening is resiliently expandable.
14. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein there are provided a plurality of webs which at least partially bridge the opening.
15. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the surface content of the projected face is greater than the surface content of the circular face with the diameter d.sub.Kugel.
16. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the projected face is non-coherent.
17. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the housing which has the line and the additional line is a T-shaped pipe and wherein the opening is resiliently expandable.
18. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein there are provided a plurality of webs which at least partially bridge the opening.
19. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 4, wherein the surface content of the projected face is greater than the surface content of the circular face with the diameter d.sub.Kugel.
20. The changeover valve as claimed in claim 4, wherein the projected face is non-coherent.
Description
[0016] The invention will now be explained by way of example with reference to the appended drawings and with reference to preferred embodiments. In the drawings:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a changeover valve;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a lateral sectioned view of a changeover valve;
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a projected face with an inscribed circle and a projection of the valve body;
[0020] FIG. 4a shows an additional projected face with an inscribed circle;
[0021] FIG. 4b shows an additional projected face with an inscribed circle;
[0022] FIG. 5a shows an additional projected face with an inscribed circle;
[0023] FIG. 5b shows an additional projected face;
[0024] FIG. 6a shows an additional projected face;
[0025] FIG. 6b shows an additional projected face with an inscribed circle; and
[0026] FIG. 7 shows an additional projected face with an inscribed circle.
[0027] In the following description of the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to components which are the same or similar.
[0028] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a changeover valve 10. It is possible to see in particular a first input connection 12 and a second input connection 14 which are arranged at different ends of a housing 18. The housing 18 has a region 28 which is located between the first input connection 12 and the second input connection 14. An opening 30 is arranged in the region 28. In the region 30 it is possible to see a web 44 which completely bridges the opening 30. The web 44 divides the opening into two part-faces which are separated from each other. Furthermore, a valve body 24 can be partially seen through the opening 30. The web 44 may be mountable after the assembly of the valve body 24 through the opening 30 in order to reduce the opening 30. The valve body 24 is movably arranged inside the housing 18 which will be described in greater detail below in connection with FIG. 2.
[0029] The opening 30 has in the plan view illustrated in FIG. 1 the form of an ellipse with a first ellipse diameter d.sub.A 52 and a second ellipse diameter d.sub.B 54, wherein the ellipse formed by the opening 30 is divided by the web 44 into two halves of equal size. The opening 30 which can be seen in FIG. 1 is accordingly non-coherent since the two halves of the ellipse are separated from each other by the web 44. The plan view selected in FIG. 1 may be considered to be an orthogonal projection, or orthogonal projection. The projection plane is located in this instance in the plane of the page. The opening 30 which can be seen in FIG. 1 can accordingly be identified with the face of the opening 30 projected in the plane of the page. The illustration selected in FIG. 1 shows an output connection 34 of the changeover valve 10 from “above” so that there can be seen from the output connection 34 only concentric circles which surround the ellipsoid opening 30. Between the output connection 34 which can be identified as concentric circles and the ellipsoid opening 30, it is possible to see lid-like faces which can be associated with the housing 18. If the housing 18 can be resiliently deformed, at least in the region of the opening, these lid-like faces can be temporarily resiliently deformed by means of an assembly force acting on the valve member 24 in order to press the valve body through the opening 30. If the housing 18 is on the whole bendable, it is also or additionally possible to resiliently bend the line for assembly of the valve body in order to temporarily increase the opening. The housing 18 may to this end be produced at least partially from an elastomer material with suitable resilience/strength. Depending on how the dimensions of the valve body 24 are in relation to the opening 30, the web can optionally be omitted. The web 44 may comprise a guide for the valve body 24 in order to facilitate a movement of the valve body 24 in the housing 18. In FIG. 1, it is further possible to see a plane of section 56 in the form of a line. The plane of section is thus perpendicular to the plane of the page.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a lateral sectioned view of a changeover valve. FIG. 2 shows in particular a lateral sectioned view in the plane of section 56. Inside the housing 18 of the changeover valve 10, the valve body 24 is arranged in a tubular line 16. The cross section of the tubular line 16 may in particular be circular. The valve body 24 is movably arranged between a first valve seat 20 and a second valve seat 22. The first valve seat 20 is associated with the first input connection 12. The second valve seat 22 is associated with the second input connection 14. The association may in particular require spatial proximity. The changeover valve 10 further comprises the output connection 34 which branches via an additional line 32 from the line in the region 28. At the transition between the additional line 32 and the line 16, the optional web 44 which completely bridges the opening 30 is arranged. The changeover valve 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 has two defined switching positions. In the first switching position of the changeover valve 10, the valve body 24 is in abutment with the first valve seat so that the second input connection 14 is connected in a fluid-directing manner to the output connection 34 and the first input connection 12 is sealed with respect to the second input connection 14 and the output connection 34. The second defined switching state of the changeover valve 10 is characterized by the abutment of the valve body 24 against the second valve seat 22 so that the first input connection 12 is connected in a fluid-directing manner to the output connection 34 and the second input connection 14 is sealed with respect to the first input connection 12 and the output connection 34. The valve body 24 may in particular be spherical with a diameter d.sub.Kugel. The diameter d.sub.Kugel of the valve body 24 may be slightly smaller than the diameter of the line 16 in order to ensure easy movability of the valve body 24 between the first valve seat 20 and the second valve seat 22. Depending on the preferred assembly direction of the changeover valve 10, there may be provided on the inner side of the line for the valve body 24 guides which are not illustrated and which enable, for example, a low-friction rolling of the valve body 24 between the first valve seat 20 and the second valve seat 22 during the transition between the first defined switching position of the changeover valve 10 and the second defined switching position of the changeover valve 10. There may be provision for the web 44 to be a component of a corresponding guide. The spacing between the first valve seat 20 and the second valve seat 22 may in particular be at least twice as large as the diameter of the valve body 24 in order in both defined switching positions of the changeover valve 10 to prevent a partial coverage of the opening region of the additional line 32, that is to say, the opening 30, by the valve body 24. A projection plane 38 which maximizes the circle which can be inscribed in the projected face in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is perpendicular to the plane of the page of FIG. 2 and parallel with the plane of the page of FIG. 1.
[0031] FIG. 3 shows a projected face with an inscribed circle and a projection of the valve body. A projected face 40 which is illustrated in FIG. 3 may, for example, be in the form of an ellipse. An inscribed circle 36 having the diameter d.sub.einschreib can be inscribed in the projected face 40. The inscribed circle 36 which is illustrated in FIG. 3 has the maximum diameter d.sub.einschreib. A circular face 42 which is illustrated for comparison and which has the diameter d.sub.Kugel which corresponds to the orthogonal projection of the valve body 24 shows that the inscribed circle 36 has a smaller diameter than the circular face 42. This ultimately means that the valve body 24 does not fit through the opening 30 since the orthogonal projection of the valve body 24 cannot be arranged within the projected face 40. It is possible to select as a projection plane 38, onto which the opening 30 is projected orthogonally in order to produce the projected face 40, for example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the plane of the page of FIG. 1 in order to maximize the surface content of the projected face 40 and the diameter of the circle 36 which can be inscribed.
[0032] FIGS. 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b and 7 show additional projected faces with or without resulting inscribed circles of a maximum diameter. FIG. 4a shows a projected face 40, wherein webs 46, 48 and 50 protrude from the lateral edge of the projected face 40 partially into the projected face 40 and in this manner reduce the diameter of the maximum circle 36 which can be inscribed. The webs 46, 48 and 50 may, for example, in the form of studs from the edge of the opening 30, that is to say, starting from the wall 26 of the line 16, at least partially bridge the opening 30. The arrangement of the webs 46, 48, 50 may, for example, be carried out in a uniform manner around the edge of the opening 30. The webs 46, 48, 50 may, for example, be assembled after the valve body 24 has been positioned in the line 16, wherein only by assembling the webs 46, 48, 50 does the diameter of the circle 36 which can be inscribed become smaller than the diameter of the valve body 24.
[0033] FIG. 4b shows another projected face with the web 44 which completely bridges the projected face 40 and the resulting circle 36 which can be inscribed, as optionally provided in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2. The web 44 divides the projected face 40 into a first part-face 58 and a second part-face 60 which are separated from each other by means of the web 44. The resulting maximum circle 36 which can be inscribed is accordingly arranged completely in one of the two part-faces 58, 60, in this instance, by way of example, in the first part-face 58. The projected face is non-coherent since it comprises two part-faces which are separated by the web 44. The edge which delimits the projected face 40 comprises in the present example paths/edges/ways which are separated from each other and which are enclosed and which extend round the respective part-faces 58, 60. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned at this point that a circle with an identical diameter can be inscribed in the second part-face 60 since the first part-face 58 and the second part-face 60 have a particular similarity, the same surface content with the same shape.
[0034] FIG. 5a shows a projected face 40 which is similar to FIG. 4b. In a similar manner to FIG. 4b, in the projected face which is illustrated in FIG. 5a a web 44 which divides the projected face 40 is also provided. The first part-face 58 which is formed and the second part-face 60 which is formed together form a face which is similar to a circle, wherein the portion of the circle covered by the web 44 is missing so that the projected face 40 does not represent a complete circular face. The projected face 40 illustrated in FIG. 5a may also therefore be considered to be non-round.
[0035] FIG. 5b shows another projected face 40 which can be considered to be non-round. The projected face 40 which is illustrated in FIG. 5b comprises a first part-face 58, a second part-face 60 and a third part-face 64. Each of the part-faces 58, 60, 64 is circular per se. However, the projected face 40 formed by the part-faces 58, 60, 64 may be considered to be non-round. The resulting maximum circle which can be inscribed in this instance has in this example a diameter which corresponds to the maximum diameter of the part-faces 58, 60, 64 which together form the projected face 40.
[0036] FIG. 6a shows in a similar manner to FIG. 5b a projected face 40 which comprises circular part-faces 58, 60. However, the projected face formed is not intended to be considered to be round. With a changeover valve which comprises such a projected face 40, it is possible for the valve body with the same input pressures at the two input connections to come to a stop between the two openings in the wall which lead to the output connection. A parallel operation of the changeover valve with particularly low pressure loss is therefore possible, wherein both input connections are connected together with the output connection. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that a corresponding positioning of the valve body for a parallel operation with low pressure loss is also possible with other projected faces 40.
[0037] FIG. 6b shows another example of a non-coherent projected face 40. The projected face 40 comprises a circular first part-face 58 and a non-round second part-face 60 which is elliptical. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6b, the maximum circle 36 which can be inscribed is drawn in the second part-face 60. As a result of the dimensions selected, however, the maximum circle 36 which can be inscribed corresponds to the first part-face 58 and could alternatively also be drawn at that location.
[0038] FIG. 7 shows another projected face 40. The projected face 40 is divided by means of a web structure 62 into a large number of part-faces which are not shown individually. The web structure 62 is in the example illustrated in FIG. 7 a grid structure. The resulting maximum circle 36 which can be inscribed is drawn in one of the part-faces delimited by the web structure 62.
[0039] The features of the invention which are disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims may be significant for the implementation of the invention both individually and in any combination.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0040] 10 Changeover valve [0041] 12 First input connection [0042] 14 Second input connection [0043] 16 Line [0044] 18 Housing [0045] 20 First valve seat [0046] 22 Second valve seat [0047] 24 Valve body [0048] 26 Wall [0049] 28 Region [0050] 30 Opening [0051] 32 Additional line [0052] 34 Output connection [0053] 36 Circle which can be inscribed [0054] 38 Projection plane [0055] 40 Projected face [0056] 42 Circular face [0057] 44 Web [0058] 46 Web [0059] 48 Web [0060] 50 Web [0061] 52 First ellipse diameter d.sub.A [0062] 54 Second ellipse diameter d.sub.B [0063] 56 Plane of section [0064] 58 First part-face [0065] 60 Second part-face [0066] 62 Web structure [0067] 64 Third part-face
