US-12624712-B2 - Valve module system

US12624712B2US 12624712 B2US12624712 B2US 12624712B2US-12624712-B2

Abstract

Valve module system for supplying compressed air to a compressed air consumer, in which valve modules can be provided with differently configured channel plates in order to enter into fluid communication with fluid channels of a carrier plate, with several connecting channels are formed, which are designed to connect a first valve connection and a second valve connection of a valve assembly to a channel opening of a fluid channel.

Inventors

Martin Maichl

Assignees

FESTO SE & CO. KG

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230306
Priority Date: 20220317

Claims (16)

1 . A valve module system for supplying compressed air to a compressed-air consumer, comprising: a carrier plate with an interface surface which is provided with at least one interface having a connection area which is provided with a plurality of channel openings for the attachment of a valve module, wherein each channel opening being connected to a fluid channel formed in the carrier plate, further comprising at least one valve module having a valve housing which rests with a interface surface at least partially on the respective interface and which has a plurality of shafts, which shafts are aligned parallel to one another and whose shaft openings are arranged on a valve housing end face in a common shaft opening plane which is aligned transversely to the interface surface, further comprising at least one valve assembly which is accommodated in one of the shafts, wherein a first valve connection and a second valve connection being formed on an end face of the valve assembly, which end face is arranged in the region of the shaft opening, and wherein a valve seat and an electrically actuatable valve member, which is movable between a closed position for the valve seat and an open position for the valve seat are arranged in a first control channel associated with the first valve connection and/or are arranged in a second control channel associated with the second valve connection, wherein the valve housing is provided with a channel plate which is connected in a sealing manner to the valve housing end face or to the valve assembly by means of a first coupling surface and which bears in a sealing manner against the connection area by means of a second coupling surface, wherein a plurality of connecting channels being formed in the channel plate for connecting the first valve connection and the second valve connection to a respective channel opening of the at least one interface.
2 . The valve module system according to claim 1 , wherein the channel plate rests in a sealing manner against the valve housing end face and bounds a pressure space with the shaft in which the valve assembly is accommodated.
3 . The valve module system according to claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly rests in a sealing manner, by means of a peripheral seal, against an inner surface of the shaft and delimits a pressure space with the shaft, and wherein a supply connection is formed on the end face of the valve assembly which supply connection is connected to the pressure space and to a connecting channel in the channel plate.
4 . The valve module system according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier plate has a connecting surface which is provided with fluid couplings which are assigned to mouth openings of fluid channels opening out at the coupling surface.
5 . The valve module system according to claim 4 , wherein the connection area has a first mouth opening of a first fluid channel and a first working coupling is assigned to the first fluid channel, wherein the connection area has a second mouth opening of a second fluid channel and a second working coupling is assigned to the fluid channel, wherein the connection area has a third mouth opening of a third fluid channel and a first fluid coupling is assigned to the third fluid channel, wherein the connection area has a fourth mouth opening of a fourth fluid channel and a second fluid coupling is assigned to the fourth fluid channel.
6 . The valve module system according to claim 1 , wherein a seal is arranged between the second coupling surface of the channel plate and the connection area for individual sealing between the shaft openings and the respectively associated connecting channels.
7 . The valve module system according to claim 1 , wherein the channel plate provides for each valve assembly received in the valve housing an individual fluidic connection of the first valve connection, the second valve connection and the supply connection to a respectively associated connecting channel.
8 . The valve module system according to claim 1 , wherein a valve seat and an electrically actuatable valve member which can be moved between a closing position for the valve seat and an opening position for the valve seat are arranged in the first control channel and wherein a valve seat and an electrically actuatable valve member that can be moved between a closed position for the valve seat and an open position for the valve seat are arranged in the second control channel.
9 . The valve module system according to claim 8 , wherein the channel plate has a first connecting channel which is connected to a first valve connection of a first valve assembly and to a first valve connection of a second valve assembly, and has a second connecting channel which is connected to a second valve connection of the first valve assembly, and to a second valve connection of the second valve assembly and has a third connecting channel which is connected to the supply connection of the first valve assembly, and has a fourth connecting channel which is connected to the supply connection of the second valve assembly.
10 . The valve module system according to claim 8 , wherein a first valve assembly and a second valve assembly are located in the valve housing and wherein the channel plate has a first connecting channel which is connected to a first valve connection and a second valve connection of the first valve assembly and to a first valve connection and a second valve connection of the second valve assembly, and has a second connecting channel, which is connected to a supply connection of the first valve assembly, and has a third connecting channel, which is connected to a supply connection of the second valve assembly.
11 . The valve module system according to claim 8 , wherein a first valve assembly and a second valve assembly are located in the valve housing and wherein the channel plate has a first connecting channel which is connected to a first valve connection of the first valve assembly and to a first valve connection of the second valve assembly, and has a second connecting channel which is connected to a second valve connection of the first valve assembly and to a second valve connection of the second valve assembly, and has a third connecting channel which is connected to a supply connection of the first valve assembly and to a supply connection of the second valve assembly.
12 . The valve module system according to claim 8 , wherein a first valve assembly and a second valve assembly are located in the valve housing and wherein the channel plate has a first connecting channel which is connected to a first valve connection and a second valve connection of the first valve assembly and to a first valve connection and a second valve connection of the second valve assembly, and has a second connecting channel which is connected to a supply connection of the first valve assembly and to a supply connection of the second valve assembly.
13 . The valve module system according to claim 1 , wherein the valve member is connected to a piezoelectric drive and wherein the piezoelectric drive is coupled to a voltage supply which is electrically connected to a controller, wherein the controller provides drive signals for driving the piezoelectric drive to the voltage supply.
14 . The valve module system according to claim 13 , wherein a sensor from the group: pressure sensor, temperature sensor, flow sensor, humidity sensor, is electrically connected to the controller and provides an electrical sensor signal to the controller.
15 . The valve module system according to claim 14 , wherein the sensor is connected to a sensor channel which branches off from the fluid channel.
16 . The valve module system according to claim 13 , wherein a fluid channel formed in the carrier plate has a throttle section and wherein a first pressure sensor is assigned to a first end region of the throttle section and provides a first pressure-dependent electrical sensor signal and wherein a second pressure sensor is assigned to a second end region of the throttle section and provides a second pressure-dependent electrical sensor signal, and wherein the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor are electrically connected to the controller.

Description

The invention relates to a valve module system for supplying compressed air to a compressed air consumer. Such a valve module system is sold by the applicant, for example, under the product name valve island CPV and is intended for use in automation technology to supply compressed air in a targeted manner to one or more compressed air consumers, which may be pneumatic cylinders or other pneumatic actuators, or to vent them. SUMMARY The object of the invention is to provide a valve module system that can be flexibly adapted to different requirements with regard to the compressed air consumer to be supplied. This task is solved for a valve module system by the valve module system comprising a carrier plate which is provided with a plurality of interfaces on an interface surface, each interface being designed for the attachment of a valve module and having a connection area which is provided with a plurality of channel openings, each channel opening being connected to a fluid channel formed in the carrier plate. Furthermore, the valve module system includes one or more valve modules, each of the valve modules having a valve housing in which one or more valve assemblies are received and which rests with a interface surface (a narrow side) at least partially on the respective interface. A channel plate is connected in a sealing manner to the valve housing by means of a first coupling surface and which rests in a sealing manner on the connection area with a second coupling surface, in particular aligned parallel to the interface surface (the narrow side), wherein a plurality of connecting channels being formed in the channel plate, which connecting channels are each designed for a connection between one of the valve assemblies and one of the channel openings. In particular, it is provided that the valve module system comprises one or more valve modules, each of the valve modules having a valve housing which rests with an interface surface (a narrow side) at least partially on the respective interface and in which one or more shafts are formed which are aligned parallel to one another and whose shaft openings are arranged on a valve housing end face in a common shaft opening plane aligned transversely to the interface surface (the narrow side). Furthermore, the valve module system comprises at least one valve assembly which is received in one of the shafts of the valve housing, a first valve connection and a second valve connection being formed on an end face of the valve assembly which is arranged in the region of the shaft opening. A valve seat and an electrically actuatable valve member that can be moved between a closed position for the valve seat and an open position for the valve seat are arranged in a first control channel associated with the first valve connection and/or in a second control channel associated with the second valve connection. In this case, it is envisaged that the valve housing is provided with a channel plate which is connected in a sealing manner to the valve housing end face or the valve assembly by means of a first coupling surface, in particular rests in a sealing manner on the end face of the valve assembly, and which a second coupling surface, in particular one that is aligned parallel to the interface surface (the narrow side) of the valve housing, sealingly engages the connection area, wherein a plurality of connecting channels are formed in the channel plate, which connecting channels are configured to connect the first valve connection and the second valve connection to a respective channel opening. The function of the carrier plate is first of all to mechanically fix the at least one valve module, in particular a plurality of valve modules, the plurality of valve modules preferably being arranged in a row with opposing side faces adjoining one another. It is preferably provided that the valve housings of the valve modules have two side surfaces aligned parallel to one another, these side surfaces being connected to one another by narrow sides, one of these narrow sides being designed to rest on the interface of the carrier plate and is the interface surface. It is preferably provided that this interface surface is flat and that the corresponding interface on the carrier plate is also flat. A plurality of fluid channels extend in the carrier plate, which are configured for a supply of fluid or a discharge of fluid to the channel openings provided in the connection area of the interface. It is preferably provided that the valve housing is dimensioned in such a way that it does not cover the connection area with the channel openings realized there, so that when the valve housing is attached to the carrier plate, free access to the channel openings is ensured. The valve housing can, for example, be designed to be cuboid and has, on an end face that is aligned at a right angle to the interface surface (the narrow side) intended for the support on the carrier plate, several shafts th