Three-way control valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10215304-B2
Application number	US-201615289461-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2016
Priority date	Oct 8, 2015
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A 3-way high-speed valve including a housing, first and second spools, and an actuator mechanism. The spools are slidably disposed in bores of the housing. The housing further defines an inlet, first and second intermediate ports, and first and second outlets. The inlet is fluidly open to the first bore. The intermediate ports each fluidly connect the first and second bores. The first and second outlets are fluidly open to the second bore. The actuator mechanism articulates the spool bodies to generate differing flow conditions of the valve, including a first flow condition in which the inlet is fluidly connected to the first outlet, and a second flow condition in which the inlet is fluidly connected to the second outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve comprising:
a housing assembly defining:
a first bore,
a second bore defining a central axis,
an inlet fluidly open to the first bore,
first and second intermediate ports each fluidly open to the first and second bores,
first and second outlets each fluidly open to the second bore,
first and second outlet ports fluidly open to the second bore and fluidly connected to the first outlet,
a third outlet port fluidly open to the second bore and fluidly connected to the second outlet,
wherein the first intermediate port is offset from each of the first, second and third outlet ports in a direction of the central axis,
and further wherein the second intermediate port is offset from the each of the first, second and third outlet ports in the direction of the central axis;

a first spool body slidaby disposed within the first bore for selectively establishing:
an open fluid path between the inlet and the first intermediate port,
an open fluid path between the inlet and the second intermediate port;

a second spool body slidably disposed within the second bore for selectively establishing:
an open fluid path between the first intermediate port and the first outlet,
an open fluid path between the first intermediate port and the second outlet,
an open fluid path between the second intermediate port and the first outlet,
an open fluid path between the second intermediate port and the second outlet; and

an actuator mechanism linked to the first and second spool bodies;
wherein the actuator mechanism operates to repeatedly switch the valve between:
a first condition in which the inlet is fluidly connected to the first outlet,
a second condition in which the inlet is fluidly connected to the second outlet.

2. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the actuator mechanism incorporates a crank slider driven architecture, including a crank shaft linked to the first spool body, and further wherein the actuator mechanism is configured such that with continuous driven rotation of the crank shaft in a single rotational direction, the first spool body is caused to move back-and-forth within the first bore.

3. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the actuator mechanism includes a crank shaft linked to the first and second spool bodies.

4. The valve of claim 3 , wherein the actuator mechanism is configured such that rotation of the crank shaft drives the first and second spool bodies to translate back-and-forth within the corresponding first and second bore.

5. The valve of claim 3 , wherein the actuator mechanism further includes a phase shift mechanism configured to selectively effect a phase shift between motion cycles of the first and second spool bodies.

6. The valve of claim 5 , wherein the actuator mechanism operates to drive the first spool body between first spool minimum and maximum displacement positions, and to drive the second spool body between second spool minimum and maximum displacement positions, the first spool minimum and maximum displacement positions being aligned with the second spool minimum and maximum displacement positions, respectively, and further wherein a normal, non-phase shift mode of operation of the actuator mechanism includes the first spool body at the first spool minimum displacement position and the second spool body at the second spool maximum displacement position at a single point in time.

7. The valve of claim 6 , wherein the phase shift effected by the phase shift mechanism provides a phase mode of operation in which the first spool body is not at the first spool minimum displacement position when the second spool body is at the second spool maximum displacement position.

8. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the first condition includes the spool bodies establishing at least one first condition flow pathway open between the inlet and the first outlet, and the second condition includes the spool bodies establishing at least one second condition flow pathway open between the inlet and the second outlet, and further wherein the second condition flow pathway is closed in the first condition and the first condition flow pathway is closed in the second condition.

9. The valve of claim 8 , wherein the valve is configured to provide:
a first arrangement in which the first spool body is positioned to establish an open fluid path between the inlet and the first intermediate port, and the second spool body is positioned to establish an open fluid path between the first intermediate port and the first outlet;
a second arrangement in which the first spool body is positioned to establish an open fluid path between the inlet and the second intermediate port, and the second spool body is positioned to establish an open fluid path between the second intermediate port and the first outlet;
a third arrangement in which the first spool body is positioned to establish an open fluid path between the inlet and the first intermediate port, and the second spool body is positioned to establish an open fluid path between the first intermediate port and the second outlet; and
a fourth arrangement in which the first spool body is positioned to establish an open fluid path between the inlet and the second intermediate port, and the second spool body is positioned to establish an open fluid path between the second intermediate port and the second outlet.

10. The valve of claim 9 , wherein the first and second arrangement correspond with the first condition, and the third and fourth arrangements correspond with the second condition.

11. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the housing assembly includes a sleeve forming the second bore, the sleeve defining the first, second and third outlet ports.

12. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the actuator mechanism includes a first crank link connected to a first coupler link, and a second crank link connected to a second coupler link, and further wherein the first coupler link is connected to the first spool body and the second coupler link is connected to the second spool body.

13. The valve of claim 12 , wherein the actuator mechanism further includes a crankshaft connected to the first and second crank links.

14. The valve of claim 13 , wherein the actuator mechanism is configured such that rotation of the crankshaft effectuates sliding movement of the first and second spool bodies relative to the housing via translation of the crank links.

15. The valve of claim 14 , wherein the actuator mechanism is configured to provide a selectively alterable phase shift in movements of the first and second spool bodies.

16. The valve of claim 15 , wherein a rotational position of the first and second crank links relative to each other on the crankshaft is selectively alterable.

17. The valve of claim 1 , wherein a central axis of the first bore is substantially parallel with the central axis of the second bore.

18. The valve of claim 17 , wherein the first spool body is coaxially arranged with the central axis of the first bore, and the second spool body is coaxially arranged with the central axis of the second bore.

19. A switch-mode hydraulic circuit comprising the valve of claim 1 .

20. A valve comprising:
a housing assembly defining:
a first bore,
a second bore,
an inlet fluidly open to the first bore,
first and second intermediate ports each fluidly open to the first and second bores,
first and second outlets each fluidly open to the second bore;

a first spool body slidaby disposed within the first bore for selectively establishing:
an open fluid

Assignees

• Univ Minnesota

Inventors

• Van De Ven James D
• Yudell Alexander C
• Koktavy Shaun E

Classifications

• F15B2211/327

  electrically or electronically · CPC title

• F15B13/0402

  for linearly sliding valves, e.g. spool valves · CPC title

• F15B2211/30565

  having multiple valves for a single output member, e.g. for creating higher valve function by use of multiple valves like two 2/2-valves replacing a 5/3-valve · CPC title

• F15B13/0444

  with rotary electric motor · CPC title

• F16K27/041

  cylindrical slide valves · CPC title