Valve assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903396-B2
Application number	US-201615063658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 8, 2016
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A valve assembly is disclosed. The valve assembly includes a valve housing defining a bore, a first valve, and a second valve. The first valve and the second valve are disposed within the bore and each of the first valve and the second valve include a first end and a second end. Further, the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve are configured to contact each other. The valve assembly further includes a pilot chamber defined within the bore. The pilot chamber is configured to receive a pilot fluid. Further, a pressure of the pilot fluid inside the pilot chamber is controlled to permit independent movement of the first valve and the second valve within the bore.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve assembly comprising:
a valve housing defining a bore;
a first valve disposed within the bore, the first valve including a first end and a second end, the second end of the first valve configured to be acted upon by a pilot fluid from a pilot circuit;
a second valve disposed within the bore, the second valve including a first end and a second end, the second end of the second valve configured to be acted upon by the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit; and
a pilot chamber defined within the bore between the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve and configured to receive the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit, wherein a pressure of the pilot fluid inside the pilot chamber acting on the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve, a pressure of the pilot fluid acting on the second end of the first valve, and a pressure of the pilot fluid acting on the second end of the second valve are controlled
such that the first valve and the second valve move together within the bore in a first mode of operation of the valve assembly, and
such that the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve are spaced from each other to permit independent movement of the first valve and the second valve within the bore in at least a second mode of operation of the valve assembly.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a first spring coupled to the second end of the first valve; and
a second spring coupled to the second end of the second valve, wherein the first spring and the second spring are configured to bias the first valve and the second valve such that the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve contact each other in a neutral position, respectively.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first outlet port and a second outlet port to facilitate discharge of a fluid from the valve assembly.

4. The valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first valve and the second valve are configured to control flow of the fluid through the first outlet port and the second outlet port, respectively.

5. A fluid system comprising the valve assembly as recited in claim 1 .

6. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein in a neutral position of the valve assembly, each of the pressure of the pilot fluid inside the pilot chamber acting on the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve, the pressure of the pilot fluid acting on the second end of the first valve, and the pressure of the pilot fluid acting on the second end of the second valve is a maximum pressure of the pilot fluid such that each of a first spring coupled to the second end of the first valve and a second spring coupled to the second end of the second valve force the first end of the first valve into contact with the first end of the second valve.

7. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein in the neutral position of the valve assembly, the first valve is positioned within the bore such that the first valve closes a first inlet port defined in the valve housing, and the second valve is positioned within the bore such that the second valve closes a second inlet port defined in the valve housing.

8. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein in the first mode of operation of the valve assembly, the pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on one of the second end of the first valve and the second end of the second valve is reduced in comparison to the pressure of the pilot fluid inside the pilot chamber acting on the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve such that the first valve and the second valve move together within the bore.

9. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein in the second mode of operation of the valve assembly, the pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on one of the second end of the first valve and the second end of the second valve is reduced in comparison to the pressure of the pilot fluid inside the pilot chamber acting on the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve, and the pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on the other of the second end of the first valve and the second end of the second valve is reduced in comparison to the pressure of the pilot fluid inside the pilot chamber acting on the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve such that one of the first valve and the second valve is positioned within the bore to reduce an opening of one of a first inlet port and a second inlet port defined within the valve housing such that the reduced opening of the one of the first inlet port and the second inlet port is partially opened.

10. The valve assembly of claim 9 , wherein in the second mode of operation of the valve assembly, the pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on one of the second end of the first valve and the second end of the second valve and the pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on the other of the second end of the first valve and the second end of the second valve are sequentially reduced such that the pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on the one of the second end of the first valve and the second end of the second valve is reduced prior to reducing the pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on the other of the second end of the first valve and the second end of the second valve.

11. A valve assembly comprising:
a valve housing defining a bore, a first outlet port, a second outlet port, a first inlet port, a second inlet port, a first drain port, and a second drain port;
a first valve disposed within the bore between the first outlet port, the first inlet port, and the first drain port, the first valve including a first end and a second end;
a second valve disposed within the bore between the second outlet port, the second inlet port, and the second drain port, the second valve including a first end and a second end;
a pilot chamber defined within the bore between the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve and configured to receive a pilot fluid from a pilot circuit;
the first end and the second end of the first valve configured to be acted upon by the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit for moving the first valve within the bore to control a flow of fluid between the first outlet port, the first inlet port, and the first drain port;
the first end and the second end of the second valve configured to be acted upon by the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit for moving the second valve within the bore to control a flow of fluid between the second outlet port, the second inlet port, and the second drain port;
the first end of the first valve and the first end of the second valve are configured to contact each other in a neutral position;
wherein the valve assembly is configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, wherein
in the first mode, a pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on one of the second end of the first valve and the second end of the second valve is reduced in comparison to the pressure of the pilot fluid in the pilot chamber such that the first valve and the second valve move together within the bore, and
in the second mode, the pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on one of the second end of the first valve and the second end of the second valve is reduced in comparison to the pressure of the pilot fluid in the pilot chamber, and the pressure of the pilot fluid from the pilot circuit acting on the other of the second end of the first valve and the seco

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Brinkman Jason Lee

Classifications

• F15B13/0832 Primary

  Modular valves · CPC title

• F15B13/0426

  with fluid-operated pilot valves, i.e. multiple stage valves · CPC title

• F15B13/0402 Primary

  for linearly sliding valves, e.g. spool valves · CPC title

• F15B2211/3127

  Floating position connecting the working ports and the return line · CPC title

• F15B13/0433

  the pilot valves being pressure control valves (F15B13/0435, F15B13/0436, F15B13/0438 take precedence) · CPC title