Piezoelectric actuated fluid valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9528617-B2
Application number	US-201214122485-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2012
Priority date	Jul 22, 2011
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A valve device for influencing a fluid supply of fluid-operated loads, includes a valve module with a valve housing in which valve shafts are formed to accommodate valve cartridges, and further includes valve cartridges located in the valve shafts, wherein each of the valve shafts together with the valve cartridges accommodated therein bounds a pressure chamber connected to an assigned inlet port in a fluidically communicating manner, and wherein each of the valve cartridges includes two electrically selectable valve means which are designed to influence a free flow cross-section between the pressure chamber and an outlet port assigned to the respective valve means.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve device for influencing a fluid supply of fluid-operated loads, the valve device including a valve module comprising:
a valve housing in which valve shafts are formed, each valve shaft being bounded by an end plate of the valve housing and an inner surface of the valve housing extending from the end plate; and
a plurality of valve cartridges located in the valve shafts, wherein each valve cartridge comprises at least one port formed at a first end of the cartridge and an annular seal provided at a second end of the cartridge opposite the first end, the at least one port being in sealing engagement with the end plate of a respective valve shaft and the annular seal being in sealing engagement with the inner surface of the respective valve shaft to form a pressure chamber connected to an assigned inlet port in a fluidically communicating manner, and wherein each of the valve cartridges comprises two electrically selectable valve means which are designed to influence a free flow cross-section between the pressure chamber and an outlet port assigned to the respective valve means, and
wherein each valve shaft has a geometry substantially corresponding to an external geometry of each of the valve cartridges for fully receiving one valve cartridge therein such that each valve cartridge is substantially enclosed within a respective valve shaft.

2. A valve device according to claim 1 , wherein the two electrically selectable valve means in each of the valve cartridges are movable in a common movement plane between a blocking position and a release position for influencing the respective free flow cross-section to the associated outlet port.

3. A valve device according to claim 1 , wherein an operating port, which is formed on the valve housing and which is designed for a fluidically communicating connection to a fluid-operated load, is connected in a fluidically communicating manner to an outlet port of a first valve cartridge and to an outlet port of a second valve cartridge for optionally establishing at the operating port a fluidically communicating connection to the pressure chamber of the first or the second valve cartridge.

4. A valve device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the two electrically selectable valve means has a first end region located on the valve cartridge and a second end region which is freely movable and which is designed for a sealing contact with a valve seat in the blocking position and for releasing the valve seat in the release position, wherein the valve seat is designed as a terminating orifice of an outlet passage which terminates into the pressure chamber and is connected to an outlet port.

5. A valve device according to claim 4 , wherein the two electrically selectable valve means are designed as piezoelectric bending transducers.

6. A valve device according to claim 5 , wherein the bending transducer lies, at a distance from the first end region, on an adjusting means which is supported on each of the valve cartridges and which is designed for setting a preferred position of the freely movable end region of the bending transducer in the movement plane.

7. A valve device according to claim 6 , wherein the adjusting means has in the movement plane a curvature which can be adjusted for adjusting the preferred position of the freely movable end region of the bending transducer by local energy supply by means of an energy beam.

8. A valve device according to claim 5 , wherein a spring means for providing a pressing force acting on the adjusting means in the movement plane is assigned to the bending transducer.

9. A valve device according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet ports are located on a front end face of each of the valve cartridges and/or wherein, adjacent to a rear end face of each of the valve cartridges, a continuous sealing element is formed for the sealed accommodation of each valve cartridge in each valve shaft.

10. A valve device according to claim 1 , wherein a contact device, which is designed for an electric connection with the electrically selectable valve means is located on a rear end face of the valve cartridge.

11. A valve device according to claim 1 , wherein two each of the valve cartridges are fluidically connected to form two 3/3-way valves.

12. A valve device according to claim 1 , wherein a main valve module has at least one fluidically selectable main valve which comprises a valve member movably accommodated in a valve chamber and an actuator coupled to the valve member and movably accommodated in a pilot chamber, wherein the pilot chamber is connected to an operating port of the valve module and a position of the actuator and the valve member coupled thereto is adjustable as a function of a pressure applied to the pilot chamber, in order to adjust a free flow cross-section in the valve chamber by means of the valve member.

13. A valve device according to claim 12 , wherein a spring device is assigned to the valve member and/or to the actuator in order to provide a spring force for determining a preferred position of the valve member in the valve chamber.

14. A valve device according to claim 12 , wherein one valve module and one main valve module each form a valve unit which can be lined up along a line-up axis with an adjacent valve unit with its largest outer surface, wherein at least one recess extending along the line-up axis passes through the valve unit to form a fluid passage.

15. A valve device according to claim 14 , wherein at least one contact means designed for an electric connection of the valve module and/or the main valve module to an electronic selection circuit and/or to an electronic control unit projects at a narrow side of the valve unit.

16. A valve device for influencing a fluid supply of fluid-operated loads, comprising a valve module with a valve housing in which valve shafts are formed to accommodate valve cartridges, and further comprises valve cartridges located in the valve shafts, wherein each of the valve shafts together with the valve cartridges accommodated therein bounds a pressure chamber connected to an assigned inlet port in a fluidically communicating manner, and wherein each of the valve cartridges comprises:
a housing;
a first outlet formed at a proximal end of the housing;
a first electrically selectable valve means having a fixed end fixed at a distal end of the housing opposite the proximal end and further having a deflectable end opposite the fixed end for sealing engagement with said first outlet, said first electrically selectable valve means being configured for electrical and mechanical actuation to alternatively seal and open said first outlet;
a second outlet formed adjacent to said first outlet at said proximal end of the housing; and
a second electrically selectable valve means having a fixed end fixed at the distal end of the housing opposite the proximal end and further having a deflectable end opposite the fixed end for sealing engagement with said second outlet, said second electrically selectable valve means being configured for electrical and mechanical actuation to alternatively seal and open said second outlet.

17. A valve device according to claim 16 , wherein each of the first and second electrically selectable valve means is a piezoelectric bending transducer.

Assignees

• Maichl Martin
• Wirtl Hannes
• Dickhoff Andreas
• Festo Ag & Co Kg

Inventors

• Maichl Martin
• Wirtl Hannes
• Dickhoff Andreas

Classifications

• F16K27/003

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

• F15B2013/004

  Cartridge valves · CPC title

• F15B13/0803 Primary

  Modular units · CPC title

• Y10T137/87048

  With preselecting means for plural valve actuator · CPC title

• F15B11/006

  Hydraulic "Wheatstone bridge" circuits, i.e. with four nodes, P-A-T-B, and on-off or proportional valves in each link · CPC title