Rotary valve system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9476512-B2
Application number	US-201213602712-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2012
Priority date	Sep 4, 2012
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

The disclosed and claimed compresses gas system provides for the use of a rotary valve assembly in association with a cupper. A compressed gas system that utilizes a rotary valve assembly uses less gas than a constant flow compressed gas system and is quieter than a compressed gas system that uses valves. The rotary valve is a disk-like body having an opening therethrough. The rotary valve body is disposed within a housing assembly wherein gas may only flow through the housing when the rotary valve body is properly aligned with a space on one side of the rotary valve body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressurized gas system for a cupper, said cupper having at least one ram and at least one die structured to form a metal blank into a cup, wherein, after forming, the cup is disposed over the distal end of said at least one ram, said at least one ram having an ejection conduit extending therethrough, said ram ejection conduit having an inlet, said pressurized gas system comprising:
a surge tank structured to contain a pressurized gas, said surge tank having an outlet;
a motor having at least one drive shaft;
a rotary valve assembly having a housing assembly and a rotary valve, said housing assembly having at least one inlet passage, at least one outlet passage, said rotary valve assembly at least one inlet passage coupled to, and in fluid communication with, said tank having an outlet, said rotary valve disposed within said housing assembly and coupled to said motor, wherein said rotary valve assembly is structured to selectively provide fluid communication therethrough;
at least one downstream pressure conduit, each downstream pressure conduit having an inlet and an outlet, said at least one downstream pressure conduit inlet coupled to, and in fluid communication with, said rotary valve assembly at least one outlet passage, said at least one downstream pressure conduit outlet coupled to, and in fluid communication with, at least one ram ejection conduit;
said surge tank includes a controlled valve and a control unit;
said controlled valve coupled to, and in fluid communication with, said surge tank outlet and said rotary valve assembly at least one inlet passage, said controlled valve structured to be selectively configured electronically;
said control unit structured to provide an electronic valve configuration command, said control unit coupled to, and in electronic communication with, said controlled valve;
whereby said control unit is structured to configure said controlled valve;
said control unit structured to provide an electronic motor command;
said rotary valve assembly motor structured to adjust its speed in response to an electronic motor command;
said control unit coupled to, and in electronic communication with, rotary valve assembly motor;
whereby said control unit is structured to control the speed of said rotary valve assembly motor;
said rotary valve assembly includes a rotary valve body assembly;
said rotary valve body assembly includes a first planar body and a second planar body;
each of said rotary valve body assembly first and second planar bodies having at least one axial opening therethrough, each said rotary valve body assembly first and second planar body at least one axial opening being disposed at a radius so as to at least partially overlap when said rotary valve body assembly first and second planar bodies are disposed on a common axis;
said rotary valve body assembly first and second planar bodies being rotatably disposed on a common axis; and
wherein said rotary valve body assembly first planar body at least one axial opening may move relative to said rotary valve body assembly second planar body at least one axial opening between a first position, wherein said rotary valve body assembly first and second planar body at least one axial openings are substantially aligned, and a second position wherein said rotary valve body assembly first and second planar body at least one axial openings are partially aligned.

2. The pressurized gas system of claim 1 wherein said rotary valve body assembly first and second planar body at least one axial openings are arcuate openings.

3. The pressurized gas system of claim 1 wherein there is one each of said rotary valve body assembly first and second planar body at least one axial openings.

4. The pressurized gas system of claim 1 wherein said at least one ram and at least one die includes multiple rams and multiple dies acting in cooperation, and wherein:
said housing assembly at least one outlet passage includes multiple housing assembly outlet passages, each housing assembly outlet passage coupled to and in fluid communication with one of said multiple rams;
wherein said rotary valve body assembly first and second planar body at least one axial openings includes a plurality of axial openings; and
each of said multiple rotary valve body assembly axial openings structured to provide selective fluid communication between said upstream enclosed space and one of said multiple housing assembly outlet passages.

5. The pressurized gas system of claim 1 wherein:
said rotary valve body assembly at least one axial opening includes a plurality of axial openings; and
said rotary valve body assembly axial openings are radially staggered about said rotary valve body.

6. A pressurized gas system for a cupper, said cupper having at least one ram and at least one die structured to form a metal blank into a cup, wherein, after forming, the cup is disposed over the distal end of said at least one ram, said at least one ram having an ejection conduit extending therethrough, said ram ejection conduit having an inlet, wherein said at least one ram and at least one die includes multiple rams and multiple dies acting in cooperation, said cupper further including a manifold having an inlet and multiple outlets, each manifold outlet coupled to and in fluid communication with one of said multiple rams, said pressurized gas system comprising:
a surge tank structured to contain a pressurized gas, said surge tank having an outlet;
a motor having at least one drive shaft;
a rotary valve assembly having a housing assembly and a rotary valve, said housing assembly having at least one inlet passage, at least one outlet passage, said rotary valve assembly at least one inlet passage coupled to, and in fluid communication with, said tank having an outlet, said rotary valve disposed within said housing assembly and coupled to said motor, wherein said rotary valve assembly is structured to selectively provide fluid communication therethrough;
at least one downstream pressure conduit, each downstream pressure conduit having an inlet and an outlet, said at least one downstream pressure conduit inlet coupled to, and in fluid communication with, said rotary valve assembly at least one outlet passage, said at least one downstream pressure conduit outlet coupled to, and in fluid communication with, at least one ram ejection conduit;
said surge tank includes a controlled valve and a control unit;
said controlled valve coupled to, and in fluid communication with, said surge tank outlet and said rotary valve assembly at least one inlet passage, said controlled valve structured to be selectively configured electronically;
said control unit structured to provide an electronic valve configuration command, said control unit coupled to, and in electronic communication with, said controlled valve;
whereby said control unit is structured to configure said controlled valve;
said control unit structured to provide an electronic motor command;
said rotary valve assembly motor structured to adjust its speed in response to an electronic motor command;
said control unit coupled to, and in electronic communication with, rotary valve assembly motor;
whereby said control unit is structured to control the speed of said rotary valve assembly motor; and
said housing assembly at least one outlet passage includes one housing assembly outlet passage, said housing assembly outlet passage coupled to, and in fluid communication with, said manifold inlet.

7. A pressurized gas system for a cupper, said cupper having at least one ram and at least one die structured to form a metal blank into a cup, wherein, after forming, the cup is disposed over the distal end of said at least one ram, said at least one ram having an e

Assignees

• Butcher Gregory H
• Turnbull Robert D
• Zumberger Neil A
• Ripple Stephen P
• Stolle Machinery Co Llc

Inventors

• Butcher Gregory H
• Turnbull Robert D
• Zumberger Neil A
• Ripple Stephen P

Classifications

• F16K11/074 Primary

  with flat sealing faces · CPC title

• B21D45/02 Primary

  Ejecting devices · CPC title

• B21D45/04

  interrelated with motion of tool · CPC title

• F16K3/085 Primary

  the axis of supply passage and the axis of discharge passage being coaxial and parallel to the axis of rotation of the plates · CPC title

• B21D22/28

  of cylindrical articles using consecutive dies · CPC title