Valve assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11215291-B2
Application number	US-201816645381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2018
Priority date	Sep 7, 2017
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A valve assembly for regulating the flow of working fluid between a working chamber of a fluid working machine and a working fluid gallery comprises: a valve comprising a valve member and one or more cooperating valve seats; an actuator actuatable to apply a force to urge the valve member away from or towards the one or more valve seats; and a coupling between the actuator and the valve member. The coupling comprises a connector located at least partially within a tube. A connector void provided between at least a portion of the connector and the tube is in fluid communication with a working fluid gallery outlet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve assembly for regulating the flow of working fluid between a working chamber of a fluid working machine and a working fluid gallery, the valve assembly comprising:
a valve comprising a valve member and one or more cooperating valve seats;
an actuator actuatable to apply a force to urge the valve member away from or towards the one or more valve seats; and
a coupling between the actuator and the valve member comprising a connector located at least partially within a tube,
wherein a connector void provided between at least a portion of the connector and the tube is in fluid communication with a working fluid gallery outlet, and
wherein the connector void is in fluid communication with the valve only by way of one or more leakage paths defined by clearances between valve assembly components, which clearances are smaller than or equal to close running or sliding fits.

2. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connector void is in fluid communication with the working fluid gallery outlet throughout a valve actuation cycle.

3. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least part of the connector located within the tube, extends in an axial direction of the valve assembly.

4. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connector void is in fluid communication with the working fluid gallery outlet, where said outlet comprises one or more generally radially extending fluid passages.

5. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling further comprises an armature located within an armature void which is in fluid communication with the connector void such that the armature void is in fluid communication with the working fluid gallery outlet by way of the connector void.

6. The valve assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the tube comprises at least one tube void located within one or more walls of the tube, the at least one tube void providing a fluid flow path between the working fluid gallery outlet and the armature void and/or the connector void.

7. The valve assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the armature and the valve member are coupled to each other by the connector.

8. The valve assembly according to claim 5 , wherein a clearance of the clearances is provided between a first connector guide, located adjacent to the valve such that it is exposed at one side to fluid pressure around the valve, and the connector.

9. The valve assembly according to claim 8 further comprising a second connector guide which provides radial guidance for the connector.

10. The valve assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the tube extends through a fluid gallery and at least part of an outer wall of the tube forms part of a wall of the fluid gallery.

11. The valve assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the tube is fixedly attached to or integrally formed with a base component and configured to form a hermetic seal for the fluid gallery.

12. The valve assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the valve is a low pressure valve, the working fluid gallery is a low pressure fluid gallery, and the fluid gallery is a high pressure fluid gallery.

13. The valve assembly according to claim 11 , wherein a portion of the connector void and/or one or more of the generally radially extending fluid passages, extend completely through the base component.

14. A fluid working machine comprising a working chamber, a working fluid gallery and a valve assembly, the valve assembly being arranged to regulate a flow of working fluid between the working chamber and the working fluid gallery, the valve assembly comprising:
a valve comprising a valve member and one or more cooperating valve seats;
an actuator actuatable to apply a force to urge the valve member away from or towards the one or more valve seats; and
a coupling between the actuator and the valve member comprising a connector located at least partially within a tube,
wherein a connector void provided between at least a portion of the connector and the tube is in fluid communication with a working fluid gallery outlet, and
wherein the connector void is in fluid communication with the valve only by way of one or more leakage paths defined by clearances between valve assembly components, which clearances are smaller than or equal to close running or sliding fits.

15. The fluid working machine according to claim 14 , wherein the fluid working machine comprises a plurality of working chambers each associated with a respective valve which is selectively connected to the working fluid gallery by said respective valve.

16. The fluid working machine according to claim 14 , wherein the tube extends completely through a fluid gallery, thereby forming part of the wall of the fluid gallery and/or is fixedly attached to or integrally formed with a base component configured to form a hermetic seal for the fluid gallery.

17. The fluid working machine according to claim 16 , wherein the valve is a low pressure valve, the working fluid gallery is a low pressure fluid gallery, and the fluid gallery is a high pressure fluid gallery.

18. A valve assembly for regulating the flow of working fluid between a working chamber of a fluid working machine and a working fluid gallery, the valve assembly comprising:
a valve comprising a valve member and one or more cooperating valve seats;

an actuator actuatable to apply a force to urge the valve member away from or towards the one or more valve seats; and
a coupling between the actuator and the valve member comprising a connector located at least partially within a tube,
wherein a connector void provided between at least a portion of the connector and the tube is in fluid communication with a working fluid gallery outlet,
wherein the coupling further comprises an armature located within an armature void which is in fluid communication with the connector void such that the armature void is in fluid communication with the working fluid gallery outlet by way of the connector void, and
wherein the connector void is in fluid communication with the valve by way of a leakage path through a clearance provided between a first connector guide, located adjacent to the valve such that it is exposed at one side to fluid pressure around the valve, and the connector.

Assignees

• Artemis Intelligent Power Ltd
• Artemis Inielligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Chang Mun Keong
• Dodson Henry
• Eilers Jens

Classifications

• F04B7/0076

  the members being actuated by electro-magnetic means · CPC title

• F16K31/0655 Primary

  Lift valves · CPC title

• F03C1/0444

  to plate-like distribution members · CPC title

• F04B53/10

  Valves; Arrangement of valves · CPC title

• F03C1/053

  the pistons co-operating with an actuated element at the inner ends of the cylinders · CPC title