Modular fluid manifold assembly with anti-rotation elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11320058-B2
Application number	US-201916673023-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2019
Priority date	Nov 12, 2018
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A fluid manifold assembly for a valve bank is provided, in which the manifold assembly includes a plurality of modular fluid manifolds that are operatively coupled together, and each modular manifold includes one or more anti-rotation elements that cooperate with each other to minimize rotation of the modular manifolds relative to each other, such as during assembly. The anti-rotation elements may include anti-rotation protrusion(s) that extend outwardly from a mating face of a first modular manifold body, and anti-rotation recess(es) that extend inwardly from a corresponding mating face of a second modular manifold body, in which the anti-rotation protrusion(s) of the first body are configured to be received by the anti-rotation recess(es) of the second body. The anti-rotation elements may be configured to interface with each other with particular tolerances that facilitate ease of assembly of the fluid manifold assembly, while minimizing tolerance stack-up.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid manifold assembly for a valve bank, the manifold assembly comprising:
a first modular fluid manifold having a first manifold body, the first manifold body having a first mating face that faces in a first direction, and an anti-rotation protrusion extending outwardly in the first direction from the first mating face;
a second modular fluid manifold having a second manifold body, the second manifold body having a second mating face facing in a second direction opposite the first direction, and an anti-rotation recess extending inwardly in the first direction from the second mating face;
wherein the first manifold body is operatively coupled to the second manifold body such that the first mating face is adjacent to and faces the second mating face, and such that the anti-rotation protrusion of the first manifold body is received by the anti-rotation recess of the second manifold body;
wherein the anti-rotation protrusion and the anti-rotation recess are configured to cooperate with each other to minimize rotation of the first manifold body relative to the second manifold body;
wherein the first manifold body is operatively coupled to the second manifold body with at least one fastener;
wherein the second manifold body has an opening in a recessed back surface of the anti-rotation recess of the second manifold body, the recessed back surface facing in the second direction toward the anti-rotation protrusion, and a first part of the at least one fastener extending in the first direction into the opening in the recessed back surface; and
wherein the first manifold body has an opening in a forward surface of the anti-rotation protrusion, the forward surface facing in the first direction toward the anti-rotation recess, and a second part of the at least one fastener extending in the second direction into the opening in the anti-rotation protrusion to operatively couple the first manifold body and second manifold body.

2. The fluid manifold assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first mating face has a first fluid port, and the second mating face has a second fluid port, and
wherein, when the first manifold body is operatively coupled to the second manifold body, the first fluid port is fluidly coupled to the second fluid port, and
optionally, wherein a gasket is interposed between first and second mating faces.

3. The fluid manifold assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the anti-rotation protrusion is a first anti-rotation protrusion, the first manifold body having a second anti-rotation protrusion extending outwardly from the first mating face;
wherein the anti-rotation recess is a first anti-rotation recess, the second manifold body having a second anti-rotation recess extending inwardly from the second mating face; and
wherein, when the first manifold body is operatively coupled to the second manifold body, the first anti-rotation protrusion is received by the first anti-rotation recess with a slip-fit, and the second anti-rotation protrusion is received by the second anti-rotation recess with a slip-fit.

4. The fluid manifold assembly according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first manifold body has a third anti-rotation protrusion and a fourth anti-rotation protrusion, in which each of the third and fourth anti-rotation protrusions extend outwardly from the first mating face;
wherein the second manifold body has a third anti-rotation recess and a fourth anti-rotation recess, in which each of the third and fourth anti-rotation recesses extend inwardly from the second mating face; and
wherein, when the first manifold body is operatively coupled to the second manifold body, the third anti-rotation protrusion is received by the third anti-rotation recess with a clearance that is greater than a slip-fit, and the fourth anti-rotation protrusion is received by the fourth anti-rotation recess with a clearance that is greater than a slip-fit.

5. The fluid manifold assembly according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first anti-rotation protrusion is diagonal from the second anti-rotation protrusion across the first mating face, and wherein the third anti-rotation protrusion is diagonal from the fourth anti-rotation protrusion across the first mating face; and
wherein the first anti-rotation recess is diagonal from the second anti-rotation recess across the second mating face, and wherein the third anti-rotation recess is diagonal from the fourth anti-rotation recess across the second mating face.

6. The fluid manifold assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the anti-rotation protrusion is a first anti-rotation protrusion, the first manifold body having a second anti-rotation protrusion extending outwardly from the first mating face, wherein the first anti-rotation protrusion is located toward a front side of the first manifold body, and the second anti-rotation protrusion is located toward an opposite rear side of the first manifold body; and
wherein the anti-rotation recess is a first anti-rotation recess, the second manifold body having a second anti-rotation recess extending inwardly from the second mating face, wherein the first anti-rotation recess is located toward a front side of the second manifold body, and the second anti-rotation recess is located toward an opposite rear side of the second manifold body; and
wherein, when the first manifold body is operatively coupled to the second manifold body, the first anti-rotation protrusion is received by the first anti-rotation recess, and the second anti-rotation protrusion is received by the second anti-rotation recess.

7. The fluid manifold assembly according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first manifold body has a third anti-rotation protrusion and a fourth anti-rotation protrusion, in which each of the third and fourth anti-rotation protrusions extend outwardly from the first mating face;
wherein the second manifold body has a third anti-rotation recess and a fourth anti-rotation recess, in which each of the third and fourth anti-rotation recesses extend inwardly from the second mating face;
wherein, when the first manifold body is operatively coupled to the second manifold body, the third anti-rotation protrusion is received by the third anti-rotation recess, and the fourth anti-rotation protrusion is received by the fourth anti-rotation recess;
wherein the first anti-rotation protrusion is located toward a top-front of the first manifold body, the second anti-rotation protrusion is located toward a bottom-rear of the first manifold body, the third anti-rotation protrusion is located toward a bottom-front of the first manifold body, and the fourth anti-rotation protrusion is located toward a top-rear of the first manifold body; and
wherein the first anti-rotation recess is located toward a top-front of the second manifold body, the second anti-rotation recess is located toward a bottom-rear of the second manifold body, the third anti-rotation recess is located toward a bottom-front of the second manifold body, and the fourth anti-rotation recess is located toward a top-rear of the second manifold body.

8. The fluid manifold assembly according to claim 7 ,
wherein the first, second, third and fourth anti-rotation protrusions are located at respective peripheral corners of the first mating face; and
wherein the first, second, third and fourth anti-rotation recesses are located at respective peripheral corners of the second mating face.

9. The fluid manifold assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the anti-rotation protrusion and the anti-rotation recess each has a flat surface that engage with each other to restrict rotation of the first manifold body relative to the second manifold body;
wherein the anti-rotation protrusion and the anti-rotati

Assignees

• Parker Hannifin Corp

Inventors

• Kidder Joshua D
• Qi Yufeng

Classifications

• F16K27/003 Primary

  Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements · CPC title

• F16K31/12

  actuated by fluid ({fluid-actuated lift valves F16K1/126} ; fluid-actuated check valves F16K15/00; fluid-actuated safety valves F16K17/00) · CPC title

• F16K11/22

  with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves · CPC title

• F15B13/0817

  Multiblock manifolds · CPC title

• F16K27/048

  Electromagnetically actuated valves · CPC title