Rotary valve assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11624447-B2
Application number	US-201916410579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2019
Priority date	May 13, 2019
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure provides: at least one component of a rotary valve subassembly; a rotary valve assembly including the rotary valve subassembly; a hydraulic circuit including the rotary valve assembly; an assembly including a robot that incorporates the hydraulic circuit; and a method of operating the rotary valve assembly. The at least one component of the rotary valve subassembly includes a spool. The at least one component of the rotary valve subassembly includes a sleeve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary valve subassembly comprising:
a spool having a tube-shaped body including an outer side surface and an inner side surface disposed on an opposite side of the tube-shaped body than the outer side surface, the inner side surface defining an axial chamber that axially extends through the tube-shaped body along a longitudinal axis of the tube-shaped body, the tube-shaped body comprising:
a plurality of return pressure ports that radially extend through a thickness of the tube-shaped body, each return pressure port in fluid communication with the axial chamber; and
a plurality of scalloped recesses formed on the outer side surface of the tube-shaped body, each scalloped recess extending radially into but not through the thickness of the tube-shaped body, wherein each scalloped recess of the plurality of scalloped recesses comprises:
a first scalloped portion having a first scalloped width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a first depth relative to the outer side surface of the tube-shaped body, and
a second scalloped portion having a second scalloped width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second depth relative to the outer side surface of the tub-shaped body,
wherein the first scalloped width greater than the second scalloped width, and
wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth; and

a sleeve having a tube-shaped body including an outer side surface and an inner side surface disposed on an opposite side of the tube-shaped body than the outer side surface, the inner side surface defining an axial chamber that axially extends through the tube-shaped body, the tube-shaped body comprising:
a plurality of inlet ports that extend radially through a thickness of the tube-shaped body, each inlet port in fluid communication with the axial chamber; and
a plurality of control ports that extend radially through the thickness of the tube-shaped body, each control port in fluid communication with the axial chamber,
wherein the spool is positioned within the axial chamber of the sleeve and configured to rotate relative to the sleeve.

2. The rotary valve subassembly of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the inner side surface of the tube-shaped body of the sleeve defines an inner circumferential recess, wherein at least a portion of at least one scalloped recess and at least a portion of the inner circumferential recess formed by the portion of the inner side surface defines at least one cavity.

3. The rotary valve subassembly of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of scalloped recesses include:
at least one upper scalloped recess, the at least one upper scalloped recess and the inner circumferential recess defining an upper cavity of the at least one cavity; and
at least one lower scalloped recess, the at least one lower scalloped recess and the inner circumferential recess defining a lower cavity of the at least one cavity.

4. The rotary valve subassembly of claim 2 , wherein:
the plurality of return pressure ports include:
a first upper return pressure port;
a second upper return pressure port circumferentially arranged around an upper portion/row of the tube-shaped body with the first upper return pressure port;
a first lower return pressure port; and
a second lower return pressure port circumferentially arranged around an upper portion/row of the tube-shaped body with the first lower return pressure port, wherein an orientation of each of the first and second lower return pressure ports is horizontally flipped in comparison to an orientation of each of the first and second upper return pressure ports, and wherein the first and second lower return pressure ports are axially spaced from the first and second upper return pressure ports; and

the plurality of scalloped recesses include:
a first upper scalloped recess;
a second upper scalloped recess circumferentially spaced from the first upper scalloped recess;
a first lower scalloped recess; and
a second lower scalloped recess circumferentially spaced from the first lower scalloped recess, wherein an orientation of each of the first and second lower scalloped recesses is vertically flipped in comparison to an orientation of each of the first and second upper scalloped recesses, and wherein the first and second lower scalloped recesses are axially spaced from the first and second upper scalloped recesses.

5. The rotary valve subassembly of claim 4 , wherein:
the first upper scalloped recess and the second upper scalloped recess cooperate with the inner circumferential recess to define an upper cavity of the at least one cavity; and
the first lower scalloped recess and the second lower scalloped recess cooperate with the inner circumferential recess to define a lower cavity of the at least one cavity.

6. A rotary valve assembly comprising:
a sleeve having a tube-shaped body including an outer side surface and an inner side surface that defines an axial chamber, wherein the sleeve comprises a plurality of inlet ports and a plurality of control ports that radially extend through a thickness of the tube-shaped body, the thickness extending radially between the outer side surface and the inner side surface of the tube-shaped body;
a spool disposed within the axial chamber of the sleeve, the spool coaxial to the sleeve and configured to rotate relative to the sleeve about a longitudinal axis defined by the sleeve, the spool having a tube-shaped body including an outer side surface and an inner side surface that defines an axial chamber, the tube-shaped body comprising:
a plurality of return pressure ports that radially extend through a thickness of the tube-shaped body, each return pressure port in fluid communication with the axial chamber; and
a plurality of scalloped recesses formed on the outer side surface of the tube-shaped body, each scalloped recess extending radially into but not through the thickness of the tube-shaped body, wherein each scalloped recess of the plurality of scalloped recesses comprises:
a first scalloped portion having a first scalloped width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a first depth relative to the outer side surface of the tube-shaped body, and
a second scalloped portion having a second scalloped width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second depth relative to the outer side surface of the tube-shaped body,
wherein the first scalloped width greater than the second scalloped width, and
wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth; and

a spool-rotating portion disposed within the axial chamber of the sleeve, wherein the spool-rotating portion is coupled for common rotation with the spool about the longitudinal axis defined by the sleeve.

7. The rotary valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein a portion of the inner side surface of the tube-shaped body of the sleeve defines an inner circumferential recess, wherein the tube-shaped body of the sleeve includes a stem portion and a cap portion, wherein the stem portion defines a first axial chamber portion of the axial chamber that is sized for rotatably-containing a first portion of a length of the spool, wherein the cap portion defines a second axial chamber portion of the axial chamber that is sized for containing the spool-rotating portion and a second portion of the length of the spool that is coupled to the spool-rotating portion, wherein at least a portion of at least one scalloped recess of the plurality of scalloped recesses of the spool and at least a portion of the inner circumferential recess formed by the portion of the inner side surface of the tube-shaped body of the sleeve defines at least one cavity.

8. The rotary valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of scalloped recesses include:
at least one upp

Assignees

• Boston Dynamics Inc

Inventors

• Potter Steven D
• Thorne Christopher Everett
• Saunders John Aaron

Classifications

• G05D1/20

  Control system inputs · CPC title

• F16K27/065

  with cylindrical plugs · CPC title

• F16K11/085 Primary

  with cylindrical plug · CPC title

• B25J15/0683

  Details of suction cup structure, e.g. grooves or ridges · CPC title

• B25J5/007

  mounted on wheels · CPC title