Compressed air supply installation and method for operating a pneumatic installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10865813-B2
Application number	US-201113994248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2011
Priority date	Dec 16, 2010
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A compressed air supply installation for operating a pneumatic installation, especially an air suspension installation of a vehicle, includes a compressed air supply unit, a compressed air port towards the pneumatic installation, a venting port towards the surroundings, a first pneumatic connection between the compressed air supply and the compressed air port, the first pneumatic connection having an air drier and a shut-off valve, and a second pneumatic connection between the compressed air port and the venting port. The shut-off valve is a pneumatically pilot-controlled check valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A compressed air supply system for operating a pneumatic system of a vehicle, the compressed air supply system comprising:
a compressed air feed;
a compressed air port leading to the pneumatic system;
a vent port to the environment;
a vent line between the compressed air port and the vent port;
a main pneumatic line between the compressed air feed and the compressed air port, the main pneumatic line including:
an air dryer, and
a pilot-operated non-return valve including:
a control chamber divided into a control space and a venting space by a control piston and/or a seal on the control piston, and
a venting chamber pneumatically connected to the vent line,

wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve is configured to open automatically in a filling direction from the compressed air feed to the compressed air port and is further configured to be released to allow flow in a venting direction from the compressed air port to the compressed air feed, and
wherein the venting chamber forms a portion of a vent valve formed as a unit of the pilot-operated non-return valve.

2. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve is releasable at least one of pneumatically and mechanically.

3. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main pneumatic line and the vent line are connected as separate lines to a common compressed air feed port.

4. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve is disposed in the main pneumatic line between the air dryer and the compressed air port.

5. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main pneumatic line includes a restrictor and the pilot-operated non-return valve in a pneumatic series circuit.

6. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a control valve; and
a pneumatic control line between the main pneumatic line and the control valve;
wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve is releasable by the control valve using a pressure derived from the main pneumatic line via the pneumatic control line.

7. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve is releasable by pressurizing a pneumatic pilot operation line between the control valve and the pilot operated non-return valve.

8. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , the pilot-operated non-return valve further including:
a shutoff chamber pneumatically connected to the main pneumatic line,
a through flow chamber pneumatically connected to the main pneumatic line,
a shutoff valve seat between the shutoff chamber and the through flow chamber, and
a shutoff valve element configured to shut off the shutoff valve seat in shutoff mode and to open the shutoff valve seat in release mode,
wherein the control chamber is pneumatically connected to a control line via a pneumatic pilot operation line and is isolated from the through flow chamber, and
wherein the control chamber is configured to actuate a control piston acting on the shutoff valve element.

9. A pneumatic system, comprising:
the compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 ; and
an air spring system including:
a gallery,
at least one branch line connected pneumatically to the gallery,
at least one of a bellows and a reservoir, and
a directional control valve ahead of at least one of the bellows and the reservoir.

10. A method for operating a pneumatic system by the compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , the method comprising:
filling the pneumatic system by compressed air flow routed via a main pneumatic line from the compressed air supply system, wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve in the main pneumatic line opens automatically;
holding pressure in the pneumatic installation, wherein the main pneumatic line is shut off against compressed air flow from the pneumatic system by the pilot-operated non-return valve; and
venting the pneumatic system by releasing the pilot-operated non-return valve in the main pneumatic line to allow compressed air flow from the pneumatic system through the main pneumatic line.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein releasing the pilot-operated non-return valve is caused by a pressure derived from the main pneumatic line.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising pneumatically activating a vent valve in the vent line by the pressure derived from the main pneumatic line that causes releasing of the pilot-operated non-return valve.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the pneumatic system is a vehicle air spring system.

14. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve has a port configured to remain connected to the vent port in shut-off and release modes of the valve.

15. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve in the main pneumatic line between the compressed air feed and the compressed air port is configured as a releasable throttle check valve.

16. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a control valve configured to simultaneously cause opening of the vent valve and release of the pilot-operated non-return valve to allow flow in the venting direction from the compressed air port to the compressed air feed.

17. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve is configured to be released to allow flow in a venting direction from the compressed air port through the air dryer to the compressed air feed so as to regenerate the air dryer.

18. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control space is pneumatically connected to a control line via a pneumatic pilot operation line, and
wherein the venting space is pneumatically connected to the vent line via a vent branch line.

19. A compressed air supply system for operating a pneumatic system of a vehicle, the compressed air supply system comprising:
a compressed air feed;
a compressed air port leading to the pneumatic system;
a vent port to the environment;
a main pneumatic line between the compressed air feed and the compressed air port, the main pneumatic line including an air dryer and a pilot-operated non-return valve;
a vent line between the compressed air port and the vent port; and
a double relay piston that is pressurizable such that the pilot-operated non-return valve is releasable and a vent valve is actuatable substantially simultaneously.

20. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the pilot-operated non-return valve includes a control chamber divided by a dividing seal on a control piston into (i) a control space connected pneumatically to a control line via a pneumatic pilot operation line, and (ii) a venting space.

21. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the control piston has an annular bead configured to carry the dividing seal, the annular bead having a second side facing the venting space and a first side facing the control space, a surface of the second side being smaller than a surface of the first side.

22. The compressed air supply system as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the venting space of the control chamber is pneumatically, adjustably connectable by at least one of

Assignees

• Frank Dieter
• Meissner Frank
• Stabenow Uwe
• Wabco Gmbh

Inventors

• Frank Dieter
• Meissner Frank
• Stabenow Uwe

Classifications

• F15B21/044 Primary

  Removal or measurement of undissolved gas, e.g. de-aeration, venting or bleeding · CPC title

• F15B2211/31564

  having multiple output members · CPC title

• F15B2211/30505

  Non-return valves, i.e. check valves · CPC title

• F15B21/048

  Arrangements for compressed air preparation, e.g. comprising air driers, air condensers, filters, lubricators or pressure regulators · CPC title

• F15B2211/3059

  having multiple valves for multiple output members · CPC title