Open center control valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10323659-B2
Application number	US-201815897412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2018
Priority date	May 16, 2017
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

An example valve section includes: a housing having: (i) a longitudinal bore, (ii) a first and second workport passages configured to be fluidly coupled to an actuator, (iii) a first and second return passages, (iv) an open-center passage configured to be fluidly coupled to a source of fluid, and (v) a supply passage disposed between the first and second workport passages. The valve section also includes a spool movable in the longitudinal bore to shift between: (i) a neutral position that allows the open-center passage to permit fluid flow therethrough, and (ii) a shifted position that allows fluid to be diverted from the open-center passage to the supply passage, and connects the supply passage to either the first or second workport passage while connecting the other workport passage to a corresponding return passage of the first and second return passages.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve section comprising:
a housing having: (i) a longitudinal bore, (ii) a first and second workport passages intercepting the longitudinal bore and configured to be fluidly coupled to an actuator, (iii) a first and second return passages intercepting the longitudinal bore, wherein the first and second workport passages are disposed between the first and second return passages, (iv) an open-center passage intercepting the longitudinal bore and configured to be fluidly coupled to a source of fluid, and (v) a supply passage intercepting the longitudinal bore and disposed between the first and second workport passages, wherein the supply passage, the first and second workport passages, and the first and second return passages are disposed on one side of the open-center passage; and
a spool movable in the longitudinal bore to shift between: (i) a neutral position that allows the open-center passage to permit fluid flow therethrough, and (ii) a shifted position that allows fluid to be diverted from the open-center passage to the supply passage, and connects the supply passage to either the first or second workport passage while connecting the other workport passage to a corresponding return passage of the first and second return passages.

2. The valve section of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises:
a first port connected to the first workport passage, wherein the first port is configured to be fluidly coupled to a first chamber of the actuator; and
a second port connected to the second workport passage, wherein the second port is configured to be fluidly coupled to a second chamber of the actuator, and wherein the first port and the second port are disposed on a given side of the housing and oriented in same direction.

3. The valve section of claim 2 , wherein the actuator is a first actuator, and wherein the housing further comprises:
a third port connected to the first workport passage, wherein the third port is configured to be fluidly coupled to a respective first chamber of a second actuator; and
a fourth port connected to the second workport passage, wherein the fourth port is configured to be fluidly coupled to a respective second chamber of the second actuator, and wherein the third and fourth ports are disposed on the given side of the housing and oriented in the same direction as the first and second ports.

4. The valve section of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shuttle valve disposed in the housing and comprising: (i) a shuttle valve body defining a first inlet connected to the first workport passage, a second inlet connected to the second workport passage, and an outlet, wherein the second inlet is coaxial with, and mounted opposite to, the first inlet, and wherein the outlet is disposed transverse to the first and second inlets, and (ii) a movable member that is movable within the shuttle valve body to shift between: (a) a first position adjacent to the first inlet, wherein at the first position the movable member blocks the first inlet while connecting the second workport passage to the outlet through the second inlet, and (b) a second position adjacent to the second inlet, wherein at the second position the movable member blocks the second inlet while connecting the first workport passage to the outlet through the first inlet; and
a relief valve disposed in the housing and connected to the outlet of the shuttle valve.

5. The valve section of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a substantially planar surface, wherein the planar surface includes a first opening connected to the open-center passage, a second opening connected to the first return passage, a third opening connected to the supply passage, and a fourth opening connected to the second return passage, and wherein respective centers of the second, third, and fourth openings are longitudinally aligned relative to each other, whereas a center of the first opening is transversely offset on the planar surface relative to the respective centers of the second, third, and fourth openings.

6. The valve section of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a substantially planar surface, the valve section further comprising:
a first guide pin coupled to and protruding from the substantially planar surface; and
a second guide pin coupled to and protruding from the substantially planar surface, wherein the first and second guide pins are inserted into corresponding holes disposed in a respective housing of an adjacent valve section to align the valve section with the adjacent valve section while attaching the valve section to the adjacent valve section.

7. A valve assembly comprising:
a first end section having: (i) an inlet port configured to be fluidly coupled to a source of fluid, and (ii) a first outlet port configured to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir;
a second end section having a second outlet port configured to be fluidly coupled to the reservoir; and
a plurality of valve sections positioned between the first end section and the second end section, wherein each valve section of the plurality of valve sections comprises:
a housing having: (i) a longitudinal bore, (ii) a first and second workport passages intercepting the longitudinal bore and configured to be fluidly coupled to an actuator, (iii) a first and second return passages intercepting the longitudinal bore and connected to the first outlet port and the second outlet port, wherein the first and second workport passages are disposed between the first and second return passages, (iv) an open-center passage intercepting the longitudinal bore and configured to be connected to the inlet port of the first end section, and (v) a supply passage intercepting the longitudinal bore and disposed between the first and second workport passages, wherein the supply passage, the first and second workport passages, and the first and second return passages are disposed on one side of the open-center passage, and
a spool movable in the longitudinal bore to shift between: (i) a neutral position that allows the open-center passage to permit fluid flow from the inlet port through the open-center passage, and (ii) a shifted position that allows fluid to be diverted from the open-center passage to the supply passage, and connects the supply passage to either the first or second workport passage while connecting the other workport passage to a corresponding return passage of the first and second return passages.

8. The valve assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
a plurality of tie-bolts traversing the plurality of valve section to couple the plurality of valve section to each other, wherein the tie-bolt are made of a material different from a respective material of the housing; and
a mounting plate coupled to a valve section of the plurality of valve sections, wherein at least one tie-bolt of the plurality of tie-bolts interfaces with the mounting plate via a compliant washer.

9. The valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein respective first return passages of the plurality of valve sections form a first return path, wherein respective second return passages of the plurality of valve sections form a second return path parallel to the first return path, wherein the first return path and the second return path are connected to each other and to the first outlet port via the first end section, and wherein the first return path and the second return path are connected to each other and to the second outlet port via the second end section.

10. The valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first end section comprises a fluid diversion passage connecting the inlet port to the supply passage, wherein the shifted position allows fluid to be diverted from the open-center passage to the supply passa

Assignees

• Parker Hannifin Corp

Inventors

• Slattery Brian
• Webber Christopher J
• Kashid Bipin

Classifications

• F15B13/0871

  Channels for fluid · CPC title

• F15B13/0842 Primary

  Monoblock type valves, e.g. with multiple valve spools in a common housing · CPC title

• F15B13/0814

  Monoblock manifolds · CPC title

• F15B13/0821

  Attachment or sealing of modular units to each other · CPC title

• F15B13/0402

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