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EP-4737777-A1 - SELECTOR VALVE BLOCK ASSEMBLY AND AIR SUPPLY/EXHAUST BLOCK USED FOR SAME

EP4737777A1EP 4737777 A1EP4737777 A1EP 4737777A1EP-4737777-A1

Abstract

[Object] To provide a selector valve block assembly allowing mixed mounting of various types of selector valve blocks onto an air supply/exhaust block and to provide an air supply/exhaust block. [Solution] In a selector valve block assembly 1, first and second selector valve blocks 60A and 60B having output ports 64a and 64b and a first air supply/exhaust block 10 having air supply and air exhaust ports 12 and 13 are coupled to one another. The first air supply/exhaust block has first air supply and first air exhaust openings in one side surface and has second air supply and second air exhaust openings in the other side surface. The first and second air supply openings and the air supply port are communicated, and the first and second air exhaust openings and the air exhaust port are communicated. The centers of the openings are disposed on different axial lines. When the first selector valve block is coupled to one side surface of the first air supply/exhaust block, air supply and air exhaust flow passages are coupled to the first air supply and second air exhaust openings, and, when the second selector valve block is coupled to the other side surface of the first air supply/exhaust block, air supply and air exhaust flow passages are coupled to the second air supply and second air exhaust openings.

Inventors

  • MURAKAMI TAKASHI

Assignees

  • SMC Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240620

Claims (6)

  1. A selector valve block assembly in which multiple selector valve blocks having an output port and an air supply/exhaust block having an air supply port and an air exhaust port are coupled to one another in a row along a width direction with side surfaces abutting on each other, the selector valve block assembly including a first end and a second end at both ends in the width direction, wherein the air supply/exhaust block includes a body having a first air supply opening for discharging air and a first air exhaust opening for exhausting air in a side surface, on the first end side, of a pair of side surfaces facing away from each other in the width direction, and having a second air supply opening and a second air exhaust opening in a side surface of the pair of the side surfaces on the second end side, the first air supply opening, the second air supply opening, and the air supply port are communicated with one another through an air supply communication flow passage, the first air exhaust opening, the second air exhaust opening, and the air exhaust port are communicated with one another through an air exhaust communication flow passage, the first and second air supply openings have respective centers disposed on axial lines that extend along the width direction and are mutually different, the first and second air exhaust openings have respective centers disposed on axial lines that extend along the width direction and are mutually different, the multiple selector valve blocks are constituted by multiple selector valve blocks selected from first and second selector valve blocks including an air supply flow passage and an air exhaust flow passage that pass through between both side surfaces facing away from each other in the width direction, and allowing the air supply flow passage and the air exhaust flow passage to be selectively communicated with the output port, when the first selector valve block is coupled to the side surface of the air supply/exhaust block on the first end side, the air supply flow passage and the air exhaust flow passage of the first selector valve block are capable of being coupled to the first air supply opening and the first air exhaust opening of the air supply/exhaust block, and, when the second selector valve block is coupled to the side surface of the air supply/exhaust block on the second end side, the air supply flow passage and the air exhaust flow passage of the second selector valve block are capable of being coupled to the second air supply opening and the second air exhaust opening of the air supply/exhaust block.
  2. The selector valve block assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first air supply opening and the first air exhaust opening of the air supply/exhaust block are spaced from each other by a first distance in the side surface on the first end side, the second air supply opening and the second air exhaust opening are spaced from each other, in the side surface on the second end side, by a second distance that is different from the first distance, an opening area of the first air supply opening differs from an opening area of the second air supply opening, and an opening area of the first air exhaust opening differs from an opening area of the second air exhaust opening.
  3. The selector valve block assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first and second selector valve blocks are pilot type selector valves, the air supply/exhaust block is selectively switchable between an external mode of supplying externally introduced pilot air to the first and/or second selector valve block and an internal mode of supplying, as pilot air, a portion of air introduced from the air supply port, to the first and/or second selector valve block, the air supply/exhaust block includes a first selection member mounted on the body in the external mode, a second selection member mounted on the body in the internal mode, and an attachment surface formed in the body and selectively mounted with the selection members, the pair of the side surfaces of the body have first and second pilot supply openings for supplying pilot air to the first and/or second selector valve block and first and second pilot air exhaust openings for introducing pilot air exhausted from the first and/or second selector valve block, the attachment surface has an air supply communication port communicated with the air supply port, a pilot supply communication port communicated with the first and second pilot supply openings, and a pilot air exhaust communication port communicated with the first and second pilot air exhaust openings, the first selection member has a pilot supply inlet for supplying pilot air and a pilot exhaust outlet for exhausting pilot air and is configured so as to allow the pilot supply inlet to communicate with the pilot supply communication port, allow the pilot exhaust outlet to communicate with the pilot air exhaust communication port, and further close the air supply communication port when mounted on the attachment surface, the second selection member is configured so as to allow the air supply communication port to communicate with the pilot supply communication port and further close the pilot air exhaust communication port when mounted on the attachment surface, by configuring the first selection member and the second selection member as above, in the external mode, pilot air supplied from the pilot supply inlet is supplied to the first and/or second selector valve block, and pilot air that is exhausted from the selector valve block supplied with the pilot air is exhausted from the pilot exhaust outlet, and, in the internal mode, pilot air from the air supply port is supplied to the first and/or second selector valve block, and pilot air that is exhausted from the first and/or second selector valve block supplied with the pilot air is exhausted through the air exhaust flow passage of the selector valve block.
  4. The selector valve block assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first and second pilot supply openings have respective centers disposed on axial lines that extend along the width direction and are mutually different, the first and second pilot air exhaust openings have respective centers disposed on axial lines that extend along the width direction and are mutually different, the first pilot supply opening and the first pilot air exhaust opening are spaced from each other by a third distance in the side surface on the first end side, and the second pilot supply opening and the second pilot air exhaust opening are spaced from each other, in the side surface on the second end side, by a fourth distance that is different from the third distance.
  5. The selector valve block assembly according to claim 4, wherein the first and second selector valve blocks each include a selector valve-pilot supply flow passage and a selector valve-pilot air exhaust flow passage that pass through between both the side surfaces facing away from each other in the width direction, when the first selector valve block is coupled to the side surface of the air supply/exhaust block on the first end side, the selector valve-pilot supply flow passage and the selector valve-pilot air exhaust flow passage of the first selector valve block are coupled to the first pilot supply opening and the first pilot air exhaust opening of the air supply/exhaust block, and, when the second selector valve block is coupled to the side surface of the air supply/exhaust block on the second end side, the selector valve-pilot supply flow passage and the selector valve-pilot air exhaust flow passage of the second selector valve block are coupled to the second pilot supply opening and the second pilot air exhaust opening of the air supply/exhaust block.
  6. The air supply/exhaust block used for the selector valve block assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to a selector valve block assembly configured by coupling, in a row in a width direction, multiple selector valve blocks and an air supply/exhaust block configured to supply and exhaust air for and from the blocks and relates to the air supply/exhaust block used for the selector valve block assembly. Background Art For example, PTL 1 discloses a selector valve block assembly configured by coupling multiple selector valve blocks and an air supply/exhaust block in a row in a width direction. In the selector valve block assembly, the multiple selector valve blocks and the air supply/exhaust block are coupled to one another in a row in the width direction with side surfaces abutting on each other. A pair of side surfaces of the air supply/exhaust block facing away from each other in the width direction have an air supply opening for supplying air to the selector valve block and an air exhaust opening for introducing the air exhausted from the multiple selector valve blocks. The air supply openings have respective centers disposed on the same axial line extending along the width direction and have the same shape. In addition, the air exhaust openings have respective centers disposed on the same axial line extending along the width direction and have the same shape. When the selector valve block varies in, for example, capacity (flow-quantity size), the sizes and/or the positions of an air supply opening for the air supplied from the air supply/exhaust block and an air exhaust opening for the air exhausted into the air supply/exhaust block vary. Thus, mixed mounting of various types of selector valve blocks onto one air supply/exhaust block is difficult. Citation List Patent Literature PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-355755 Summary of Invention Technical Problem Thus, a technical challenge of the present invention is to provide a selector valve block assembly allowing mixed mounting of various types of selector valve blocks onto one air supply/exhaust block and to provide an air supply/exhaust block used for the selector valve block assembly. Solution to Problem In order to address the above-described challenge, a selector valve block assembly according to the present invention is a selector valve block assembly in which multiple selector valve blocks having an output port and an air supply/exhaust block having an air supply port and an air exhaust port are coupled to one another in a row along a width direction with side surfaces abutting on each other, the selector valve block assembly including a first end and a second end at both ends in the width direction, wherein the air supply/exhaust block includes a body having a first air supply opening for discharging air and a first air exhaust opening for exhausting air in a side surface, on the first end side, of a pair of side surfaces facing away from each other in the width direction, and having a second air supply opening and a second air exhaust opening in a side surface of the pair of the side surfaces on the second end side, the first air supply opening, the second air supply opening, and the air supply port are communicated with one another through an air supply communication flow passage, the first air exhaust opening, the second air exhaust opening, and the air exhaust port are communicated with one another through an air exhaust communication flow passage, the first and second air supply openings have respective centers disposed on axial lines that extend along the width direction and are mutually different, the first and second air exhaust openings have respective centers disposed on axial lines that extend along the width direction and are mutually different, the multiple selector valve blocks are constituted by multiple selector valve blocks selected from first and second selector valve blocks including an air supply flow passage and an air exhaust flow passage that pass through between both side surfaces facing away from each other in the width direction, and allowing the air supply flow passage and the air exhaust flow passage to be selectively communicated with the output port, when the first selector valve block is coupled to the side surface of the air supply/exhaust block on the first end side, the air supply flow passage and the air exhaust flow passage of the first selector valve block are capable of being coupled to the first air supply opening and the first air exhaust opening of the air supply/exhaust block, and, when the second selector valve block is coupled to the side surface of the air supply/exhaust block on the second end side, the air supply flow passage and the air exhaust flow passage of the second selector valve block are capable of being coupled to the second air supply opening and the second air exhaust opening of the air supply/exhaust block. In this case, it is preferable that the first air supply opening and the first air exhaust opening of the