CN115875322A - Fluid instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid device (1) is proposed, which has a valve chamber (13) in a device housing (4), in which a valve collar (34) is arranged, which can be switched between an open position and a closed position. The inlet chamber section (14) of the valve chamber (13) is delimited by a partition wall (42) which has an axial through-opening (46) through which a closing section (52) of the valve element (34) protrudes, said closing section having an annular closing surface (56) within the inlet chamber section (14) which faces a valve seat (47) which surrounds the through-opening (46). A flow channel (61) passes through the valve element (34) and opens out on the rear side into an outlet chamber section (15) of the valve chamber (13) which is connected to the outlet channel (3).

Description

Fluid instrument

Technical Field

The invention relates to a fluidic device having a valve chamber, which is formed in a device housing and extends along a device main axis, in which a valve element is arranged, which can be switched by controlled fluid application between a closed position and an open position when a switching movement is carried out relative to the device housing, said switching movement being oriented in the axial direction of the device main axis, wherein the valve chamber has an inlet chamber section at a front side, which communicates with an inlet channel provided for conveying a compressed medium of a fluid, and an outlet chamber section at a rear side, which is axially opposite in relation thereto, which communicates with an outlet channel provided for discharging the compressed medium of the fluid.

Background

A fluidic device of the type known from US 4 549 854 is configured as a jet device suitable for generating a vacuum. It has a valve element arranged in the device housing and selectively positionable in an open position or a closed position by controlled fluid application. The valve ring is located in a valve chamber into which a compressed medium in the form of compressed air can be fed at the front side via an inlet channel into an inlet chamber section, said compressed medium passing through the valve ring in the open position of the valve ring into an outlet chamber section of the valve chamber, an outlet channel to the atmosphere opening into said outlet chamber section. The outlet channel delimits a thrust nozzle of the vacuum suction nozzle mechanism, so that the compressed air flowing through can generate a negative pressure at the suction channel communicating with the thrust nozzle. The valve ring has a closing section which delimits the outlet chamber section and is provided at the end with a seal which, in the closed position of the valve ring, rests against a valve seat surrounding the opening of the outlet channel and, in the open position, is lifted off from said valve seat. In this way, compressed air passing through the valve element can flow out into the outlet channel in the open position, while it is prevented from flowing out of the outlet chamber section in the closed position. The switching valve is responsible for the actuation of the fluid of the valve member, by means of which the valve member can be selectively acted upon with a control pressure in the direction of the open or closed position. If the control pressure fails in the closed position of the valve ring due to disturbances, the closed position is no longer reliably ensured, so that a malfunction can possibly occur.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a fluidic device which ensures a functionally reliable control of the flow of a compressed medium of a fluid in a compact construction.

In connection with the initially mentioned features, the inlet chamber section of the valve chamber is limited at its rear side facing the outlet chamber section by a partition wall in which an axial through-opening into the inlet chamber section and surrounded by a valve seat at its front side facing the inlet chamber section is formed, which through-opening is penetrated by a closing section of the valve element projecting into the inlet chamber section, which closing section has an annular closing surface facing axially toward the valve seat within the inlet chamber section, which in the closed position of the valve element in the closing position of the through-opening abuts sealingly against the valve seat and in the open position of the valve element is lifted off the valve seat, an axially extending flow channel is formed in the valve ring, which opens out into the outlet chamber section at a limiting section of the outlet chamber section of the valve ring, which limits the valve chamber, on the one hand with at least one rearward channel opening, so that it communicates with the outlet channel independently of the position of the valve ring and on the other hand axially adjacent to an annular closing face of the closing section opens out at an outer face of the valve ring with at least one forward channel opening, which is separated in the closed position of the valve ring from the inlet chamber section in a fluid-tight manner and which is in fluid connection with the inlet chamber section in the open position of the valve ring, in order to enable a fluid flow from the inlet chamber section into the outlet chamber section through the flow channel.

The fluid device according to the invention allows a control of the fluid flow, in particular the compressed air flow, between the inlet chamber section connected to the inlet channel and the outlet chamber section of the valve chamber connected to the outlet channel. The compressed medium to be controlled in terms of its flow can be fed through an inlet channel into an inlet chamber section which is bounded on the rear side by a partition wall fixed to the housing and which is penetrated by a through-opening through which the valve ring protrudes with a closed section arranged on the front side thereof. The closing section has an axially oriented annular closing surface which, in the closed position of the valve ring, rests against a valve seat of the partition wall surrounding the through-opening and, in the open position of the valve ring, is lifted off from said valve seat. The flow channel through the valve member exits at a limiting section of the valve ring section that limits the outlet chamber section in such a way that it is in fluid connection with the outlet chamber section independently of the position of the valve member, which is also referred to below as the switching position. At least one front channel opening of the flow channel is arranged in the region of the closed section in such a way that it is located behind the annular closing surface, i.e. on the side of the closing surface facing the outlet chamber section. In this way, the at least one front passage opening is isolated in a fluid-tight manner by the inlet chamber section in the closed position of the valve element. In contrast, in the open position of the valve ring section (in which the closing surface is spaced apart from the valve ring section), an open fluid connection exists between the inlet chamber section and the at least one front channel opening, which allows for the compressed medium to be fed in, the flow channel through the valve ring section overflowing from the inlet chamber section into the outlet chamber section and finally exiting from the valve chamber through the outlet channel. The valve element is axially acted upon by a compressed medium in the inlet chamber section continuously in the rearward direction and is thereby fluidically preloaded in the direction of the closed position, so that the valve element is acted upon in the opposite direction with a more or less high fluidic drive pressure sufficient to preset or change the switching position. In the event of an undesired failure of the drive pressure, the compressed medium of the fluid to be controlled can hold the valve ring fixedly in a secure closed position. The fluidic device can be realized in a slim design, since the inflow and outflow of the compressed medium to be controlled can take place in the axial direction of the main axis of the device, so that reference can be made to an in-line fluidic device.

Advantageous developments of the invention result from the dependent claims.

Opens up a plurality of application possibilities for the fluid instrument. For general use, a design with a 2/2-way valve function is recommended as a valve device. For the controlled fluid application of the valve member, an electrically actuable pilot valve can additionally be provided, which provides the advantageous possibility of operating the valve device as a booster or "pressure booster". Furthermore, it is considered advantageous to design the fluidic device as a jet device, which can be used to generate a vacuum. In this case, the fluid device has, in addition to the installation features already described, a vacuum suction nozzle arrangement with a thrust nozzle formed by an outlet channel, a receiving nozzle (fangduise) which is opposite the thrust nozzle in the suction region in the axial direction of the main axis of the device and which opens out into the atmosphere, and a suction channel which is connected to the suction region. In the open position, a compressed medium, in particular compressed air, of the fluid fed into the inlet chamber section can pass through the flow channel of the valve element and subsequently through the motive nozzle formed by the outlet channel, wherein a negative pressure is generated in the suction region between the motive nozzle and the receiving nozzle, which negative pressure causes a suction effect in the connected suction channel and sucks in ambient air, which is then blown out together with the compressed medium of the fluid through the receiving nozzle into the atmosphere. Suction grippers can be coupled, for example, to the suction channel, which perform an operation on the object by means of negative pressure.

The flow channel of the valve element can open at its front side to the outer face of the valve element with only one single or several front channel openings. Advantageously, each forward channel opening is formed radially on the outside at the closing section of the valve ring. In the open position of the valve ring, the compressed medium located in the inlet chamber section can therefore flow axially through the front region of the closing section and then pass radially inwardly through the at least one front passage opening into the flow passage. Preferably, the flow channel opens out to the outside of the valve member in a plurality of, and in particular in three or four, front channel openings distributed in the circumferential direction of the closing section.

In particular, each front passage opening is arranged at the closed section in such a way that it is positioned at least partially within the inlet chamber section of the valve chamber before the axial through-opening of the partition in the open position of the valve element. In this way, at least a part of the opening cross section of each channel opening is located within the inlet chamber section in the open position of the valve element. A configuration is possible in which at least one and preferably each front passage opening is located with its entire opening cross section within the inlet chamber section in the open position of the valve ring. However, a design is preferred in which the opening cross section of each front channel opening is arranged only partially within the inlet chamber section and in the remaining case within the axial through-opening of the partition wall, wherein a radial distance, which is expediently present between each channel opening and the inner circumferential surface of the through-opening, facilitates the inflow of the compression medium despite an axial overlap between the respective channel opening and the partition wall.

The inlet channel is preferably formed in the device housing in such a way that it opens with an internal inlet channel opening into the inlet chamber section of the valve chamber in a region opposite the axial through-opening of the partition wall in the axial direction of the device main axis. Preferably, the inlet channel opening and the through-opening of the axial partition wall are arranged coaxially to one another. The outer inlet channel opening of the inlet channel opposite the inner inlet channel opening is preferably arranged at the outer face of the instrument housing in a coaxial orientation with respect to the inner inlet channel opening. It can be designed in particular such that a fluid line, for example a compressed medium hose, leading a compressed medium of the fluid can be coupled.

In order to realize an annular sealing surface, it is advantageous if the sealing section has a rubber-elastic sealing ring which is located in the inlet chamber section independently of the switching position of the valve member and has an annular axial end face which faces the valve seat and forms the sealing surface. For better differentiation, the sealing ring is also referred to as a sealing ring. The valve ring expediently has an elongated, rigid base body extending in the axial direction of the main axis of the instrument, wherein the sealing ring is expediently fastened in a radially outwardly open annular groove at an axial projection of the base body of the valve ring projecting into the inlet chamber section. The sealing surface is formed by an annular section of the sealing ring projecting radially above the base body.

The outlet channel is preferably designed such that it opens with an internal outlet channel opening into the outlet chamber section of the valve chamber in a region opposite the limiting section of the valve ring in the axial direction of the main axis of the device. Preferably, the inner outlet channel opening is arranged coaxially to the inner inlet channel opening further mentioned above. Preferably, the flow channel of the valve ring section likewise extends coaxially with the inlet channel opening and the outlet channel opening.

The limiting section of the valve member preferably relates to an end section of the valve member on the rear side axially opposite the closing section. The rear channel opening of the flow channel is expediently formed at an axial end face of the limiting section facing axially away from the partition wall. Advantageously, the rear channel opening of the flow channel is oriented coaxially with the aforementioned inner outlet channel opening, so that the compressed medium exiting from the flow channel on the rear side can advantageously enter the outlet channel in a straight line and corresponding to this flow.

The limiting section of the valve member expediently has a rubber-elastic sealing ring, which is referred to as a limiting sealing ring for better differentiation, which bears in a sealing manner in a sliding displaceable manner against the inner circumferential surface of the valve chamber wall radially outside the device housing-fixed periphery of the limiting valve chamber. In this way, the flow of the compressed medium in the inlet chamber section around the valve element in the region of the valve chamber between the inlet chamber section and the outlet chamber section can be effectively prevented. When the valve collar has a rigid base body, it is expedient for the limiting sealing ring to be fastened in a radially outwardly open annular groove of the rigid base body.

The controlled fluid application through the valve member can influence which of the two possible switching positions the valve member assumes, either the open position or the closed position. For this actuation (which can also be referred to as pilot control), the valve ring has, at its radial outer circumference, an annular drive surface which is directed toward the rear side of the valve chamber and which can be acted upon in a controlled manner by a drive fluid, which can also be referred to as pilot control fluid. The annular drive surface is located at an intermediate section of the valve element, which intermediate section extends between the closing section and the limiting section on the side of the partition wall axially opposite the inlet chamber section. The drive surfaces together perform the switching movement of the valve element and act as movable axial limiting walls which enclose an annular space of the valve element, which is referred to as an annular drive space and which communicates with a fluid channel, referred to as a drive channel, which is formed in the device housing. Through the drive channel, a drive fluid can optionally be introduced or can be withdrawn in order to load or unload the drive surface with or with respect to the drive pressure. When the drive pressure is applied, the valve ring moves into the open position and remains there as long as the drive pressure is present. As soon as the drive pressure is removed as a result of the ventilation of the drive space, the valve element can be moved into the closed position by the operating pressure of the fluid compression medium present in the inlet chamber section and remains there permanently for so long until the pressure loading of the drive space is resumed.

Preferably, an electrically actuable pilot valve with a 3/2-way valve function is coupled to the drive channel. The pilot valve is expediently designed as a component of the fluidic device.

At the back side axially opposite the partition wall, the annular drive space is expediently separated in a fluid-tight manner from the outlet chamber section of the valve chamber by an optional rubber-elastic limiting sealing ring. In this way, pressure-related interactions between the drive space and the outlet chamber section can be avoided in a simple manner.

Preferably, the annular drive surface is formed at least partially on a rubber-elastic sealing ring, referred to as an actuator sealing ring, of the middle section of the valve member for better differentiation. The actuator sealing ring together performs a switching movement of the valve element, wherein it can slide along an inner circumferential surface of a valve chamber wall radially outside the fixed outer periphery of the instrument housing bounding the valve chamber, against which it bears in a sealing manner.

Preferably, the valve ring has a rigid base body, which has been further referred to above. In this connection, it is expedient for the drive seal ring to be fastened in a radially outwardly open annular groove of the rigid base body. The actuator sealing ring is expediently accommodated with a large part of its radial thickness in the associated annular groove, so that it can be supported for transmitting the drive force at the groove side of the annular groove when it is acted upon by the drive fluid at its annular end face, which acts as the drive face, facing the rear side of the valve chamber.

Preferably, the intermediate section of the valve element has a rubber-elastic sealing ring, referred to as a restoring sealing ring, in the length section between the partition wall and the drive sealing ring. It has a sealing function in sliding displaceable contact against the inner peripheral surface of the valve chamber wall radially outside the fixed periphery of the instrument housing bounding the valve chamber. The return sealing ring, together with the peripheral valve chamber wall and the partition wall, delimits a section of the valve chamber, which is referred to as a return chamber section, which is coupled to the partition wall on the rear side and is in fluid connection with the inlet chamber section in the open position of the valve member via the through-opening of the partition wall. Such a design has the effect that in the open position of the valve ring, the compressed medium of the fluid conveyed through the inlet channel is also present in the reset chamber section and acts on the annular end face, referred to as the reset face, of the reset sealing ring facing the partition wall, thereby supporting and accelerating the closing operation when the annular drive space is vented.

For cost-effective production, it is advantageous if the valve chamber is bounded radially on the outside by a peripheral valve chamber wall, which is formed by a sleeve assembly, which is separate from the device housing and is inserted into the device housing. The sleeve assembly also has a dividing wall. Between the sleeve assembly and the valve chamber, a sealing assembly is expediently arranged, which preferably is fastened to the sleeve assembly, which sealing assembly serves as a static seal. The sleeve arrangement makes possible a cost-effective realization of the compact geometry of the valve chamber and can be produced, for example, by injection molding. In the instrument housing, a receiving recess of simple design can be formed, into which the cannula assembly can be axially inserted when it is assembled. The sleeve assembly can have only one single sleeve or preferably a plurality of coaxially arranged sleeve elements in succession. In the design as a jet instrument, the sleeve element can be designed in particular as a propelling nozzle.

In a fluidic device, which is designed as a spray device, the sleeve assembly can be combined simply and cost-effectively with a suction nozzle sleeve, which at least partially delimits the vacuum suction nozzle arrangement and can be inserted into the device housing.

Preferably, the dividing wall is disk-shaped. In this case, a simple and short wall perforation can delimit the axial through-opening. Particularly advantageously, such a partition wall design can be realized as an integral component of a sleeve assembly, for example produced by injection molding.

Drawings

The invention is subsequently explained in more detail on the basis of the attached drawings. Wherein:

fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a fluid device according to the invention in a longitudinal section through a valve member positioned in a closed position, wherein the part enclosed in dashed lines is also shown in a single enlarged manner, and

fig. 2 again shows the same fluid device in longitudinal section as in fig. 1, the valve member being shown in the open position and the part enclosed by the dashed line being illustrated in a still separate enlarged manner.

Detailed Description

From the figures, a fluid device 1 can be seen, which is configured for controlling the flow of a compressed medium of a fluid between an inlet channel 2 and an outlet channel 3. The fluid compression medium is in particular compressed air.

The fluid device 1 has a device housing 4, for example in the form of a block, in which an inlet channel 2 and an outlet channel 3 are formed, respectively, at least in sections.

The two aforementioned channels 2, 3 are preferably situated coaxially at an axial distance from one another on a main instrument axis 5 of the instrument housing 4, which is indicated by a dashed line. The axial direction of the instrument main axis 5 is also referred to below for the sake of simplicity as the instrument main direction 5a.

During operation of the fluidic device 1, the inlet channel 2 is connected to a pressure source P which supplies a fluid, pressurized medium. The coupling means 8 assigned to the inlet channel 2 exemplarily allow a coupling of a schematically indicated fluid line 6 to the pressure source P. The inlet channel 2 opens out with an external inlet channel opening 2a to an external face 12 of the device housing 4.

The outlet channel 3 is connected to the pressure reduction R, in particular to the atmosphere, during operation of the fluid device 1. This can be done by the outlet channel 3 being vented directly to the atmosphere with an outer outlet channel opening 3a or preferably through a muffler 7, which is only shown and which can be fastened in the region of the outer outlet channel opening 3a at a coupling means 9 assigned to the outlet channel 3. Alternatively, the outflowing compressed medium can also be led out to the pressure drop R via a fluid line collection point (gefasst).

The coupling means 8, 9 are, for example, female threads or plug-in coupling devices which are inserted into the respective channel 2, 3.

Inside the instrument housing 4, a valve chamber 13 is constructed which extends in the instrument main direction 5a. The valve chamber 13 has an inlet chamber section 14 and an outlet chamber section 15 spaced apart in relation thereto along the instrument main direction 5a. The inlet chamber section 14 is assigned to the front side 16 and the outlet chamber section 15 is assigned to the rear side 17 of the valve chamber 13.

The inlet chamber section 14 is in continuous fluid connection with the inlet channel 2. Exemplarily, the inlet channel 2 opens into the inlet chamber section 14 at the front in an arrangement coaxial to the main axis 5 of the device in an inner inlet channel opening 2b spaced apart from the outer inlet channel opening 2 a.

The outlet channel 3 opens with an inner outlet channel opening 3b, preferably likewise coaxial to the instrument main axis 5, into the outlet chamber section 15 on the rear side.

In the figures, a fluidic device 1 is illustrated, which is designed as a spray device 1a and which relates to a preferred embodiment of the fluidic device 1. In this embodiment, a vacuum suction nozzle device 18 is arranged in the device housing 2 in the axial extension of the valve chamber 13, said device being traversed by a length section of the outlet channel 3, so that the internal outlet channel opening 3b can be a component of the vacuum suction nozzle device 18.

The vacuum suction nozzle arrangement 18 has a thrust nozzle 22, which is formed by the length section of the outlet channel 3 that is connected to the outlet chamber section 15 and which opens out with a widened channel cross section to a suction region 23, to which a receiving nozzle 24 of the vacuum suction nozzle arrangement 18, which is formed by a further length section of the outlet channel 3, is connected. The receiving nozzle opens into an outer end section 25 of the outlet channel 3, which ends in an outer outlet channel opening 3a, which opens out to the outer face 12 of the device housing 4. A suction channel 26, which is expediently formed in the device housing 4 and which communicates on the one hand with the suction region 23 and on the other hand has a suction connection 27, which likewise opens, by way of example, to the outer surface 12, also belongs to the vacuum suction nozzle arrangement 18.

During operation of the injection device 1a, the compressed medium flowing between the outer inlet channel opening 2a and the outer outlet channel opening 3a according to the dashed flow line 30 causes a suction effect 31 in the suction region 23 according to the jet nozzle principle, as a result of which a negative pressure V is generated in the suction channel 26. The negative pressure V can be used, for example, to operate a suction gripper 29 connected to the suction channel 26, by means of which the object can be gripped and held stationary for its operation on the basis of the negative pressure.

Preferably, the vacuum suction nozzle mechanism 18 comprises an assembly, referred to as suction nozzle sleeve 28, which defines the advancing nozzle, the suction area and the receiving nozzle 24 and which is inserted and in particular inserted into a receiving recess 32 constructed in the instrument housing 4. The suction channel 26 opens into the receiving recess 32 adjacent to the suction region 23.

The outlet chamber section 15 is expediently delimited axially by a closing wall 33, which has an internal outlet channel opening 3b and is fixed in position with respect to the device housing 4. The closing wall 33 is penetrated by the thrust nozzle 22 in the jet apparatus 1 a.

In a further embodiment, which is only indicated in fig. 1 by dashed lines, the fluidic device is designed as a valve device 1b, which does not have a vacuum suction nozzle arrangement 18. In this case, the outlet channel 3 can be completely formed in the device housing 4, wherein the closure wall 33 is a component of the device housing 4. In the embodiment as a valve device 1b, however, the closure wall 33 delimiting the internal outlet channel opening 3b can also be arranged as a separate component in the device housing 4.

In the valve chamber 13, a valve ring 34, preferably having a longitudinal profile, of the fluid instrument 1 is accommodated. The valve element 34 can execute a switching movement 35, which is oriented in the instrument main direction 5a, travels linearly back and forth and is indicated by a double arrow, relative to the instrument housing 4. Within the scope of the switching movement 35, it can be positioned in different axial switching positions, wherein it relates on the one hand to the closed position, which can be seen from fig. 1, and on the other hand to the open position, which can be seen from fig. 2. In the open position, the valve ring 34 is axially further close to the inlet channel 2 than in the closed position. During the opening switching movement 35, the valve ring 34 is moved in the direction of the inlet channel 2 and, with the subsequent switching movement 35, in the direction of the outlet channel 3.

The switching movement 35 can be caused by a controlled fluid application of the valve element 34 by means of a compressed fluid, which is referred to as the drive fluid for better differentiation. In the region of its radial outer circumference, the valve element 34 has an annular drive surface 36, which is coaxial to the main axis 5 of the device and faces the rear side 17 of the valve chamber 13, and which can be acted upon by a drive fluid in order to apply a drive force directed toward the front side 16, by means of which the valve element 34 can be displaced into the open position and remains fixed there. The removal of the fluid loading of the drive fluid enables the driving force to be removed, which exemplarily results in the valve element 34 being displaced into the closed position as a result of the operating pressure of the compressed medium of the fluid conveyed through the inlet channel 2 acting on it in the region of the inlet chamber section 14 continuously in the direction of the rear side 17 and remaining fixed there for so long until the driving pressure is applied again.

For controlled fluid application of the drive fluid, an annular drive space 37 surrounding the valve member 34 is formed between the device housing 4 and the radially outer circumference of the valve member 34, said drive space being bounded on its front side by the drive surface 36. The drive space 37 communicates with a drive channel 38 formed in the device housing 4, which is expediently in fluid connection with an electrically actuable pilot valve 39. By means of the pilot valve 39, the drive space 37 can be selectively charged with drive fluid from the pressure source P or vented to the atmosphere below the drive pressure. For this purpose, the pilot valve 39 can connect the drive channel 38 alternatively to the drive fluid source PA or to the atmosphere R, depending on the switching position.

The pilot valve 39, which is only schematically illustrated in the figures, is expediently a component of the fluid device 1. In this case, it is combined in particular with the instrument housing 4 as a combination.

The valve chamber 13 is divided in its longitudinal direction by a partition wall 42 into a valve chamber section 43 assigned to the front of the front side 16 and a valve chamber section 44 assigned to the rear of the rear side 17. The forward valve chamber section 43 forms or contains the inlet chamber section 14. The axial end section of the rear valve chamber section 44 associated with the rear side 17 forms the outlet chamber section 15. Toward the front side 16, the outlet chamber section 15 is limited by an end section of the valve ring 34 on the rear side, which is referred to as a limiting section 45 on account of its limiting effect.

The partition wall 42 is penetrated by an axial through-opening 46 which opens on the one hand into the inlet chamber section 14 and on the other hand opens into the rear valve chamber section 44. At its front side facing the inlet chamber section 14, the partition wall is surrounded by an axially oriented annular valve seat 47, which is formed at the partition wall 42 and is preferably oriented coaxially to the housing main axis 5. Preferably, the valve seat 47 projects in a flange-like manner with respect to the partition wall 42 in the direction of the inlet chamber section 14.

The through-opening 46, which preferably has a circular cross section, is surrounded radially on the outside by an inner circumferential surface 48 which is expediently of cylindrical design and is formed by the partition wall 42.

In addition to the closing section 52 formed on its front side, the valve ring 34 expediently extends only in the rear valve chamber section 44. The closing section 52, as a projection which ends freely with a front end face 53, extends from the rear valve chamber section 44 through the axial through-opening 46 and projects with the front end face 53 into the inlet chamber section 14. There is sufficient radial play between the closing portion 52 and the inner circumferential surface 48 of the through-opening 46 in order to realize the switching movement 35 of the valve ring 34 as a relative movement with respect to the partition wall 42.

Preferably, the valve ring 34 has an intermediate section 54 extending between the closing section 52 and the restricting section 45. The outer diameter of the closed section 52 is smaller than the outer diameter of the intermediate section 54. Thus, the preferably rod-shaped closed section 52 is coupled within the annular step to the intermediate section 54. The intermediate section 54 has, on its front side, an annular end face, which surrounds the closing section 52 and faces axially toward the partition wall 42 and which, due to its function to be fulfilled in this exemplary embodiment, is referred to as an annular stop face 55.

The closing section 52 has an annular closing surface 56, which is arranged within the inlet chamber section 14 independently of the switching position of the valve element 34, faces the partition wall 42 and is axially opposite the valve seat 47. Preferably, the closing surface 56 is formed by one of the two axial end faces of the rubber-elastic sealing ring 57 of the closing section 52, which is also referred to below as the closing sealing ring 57 for better differentiation.

In the closed position of the valve collar 34, the closing sealing ring 57 with its closing surface 56 bears sealingly against the valve seat 47, so that the inlet chamber section 14 is sealingly separated from the region of the valve chamber 13 which is coupled to the valve seat 47 toward the rear side 17. In other words, the axial through-opening 46 is then closed. The closed position is illustrated in fig. 1.

In contrast, the annular sealing surface 56 is lifted or removed from the valve seat 47 in the open position of the valve element 34, which can be seen in fig. 2, toward the front side 16. Thereby, the fluid connection between the inlet chamber section 14 and the axial through-opening 46 is released. Expediently, the inlet chamber section 14 also communicates here through the through-opening 46 with a sub-region of the rear valve chamber section 44, which is designated as a reset chamber section 58 for the function to be fulfilled in this embodiment, between the partition wall 42 and the intermediate section 54.

The open position of the valve member 34 is expediently set mechanically in that the valve member 34 rests with an annular stop surface 55 against the rear side of the partition wall 42 facing away from the valve seat 47.

In the valve ring 34, an axially extending flow channel 61 is configured. The flow channel 61 has a rear end section 62 extending in the limiting section 45 and a front end section 63 extending in the closing section 52.

The flow channel 61 opens with its rear end section 62 into the outlet chamber section 15 via a rear channel opening 64. The connection is open at all times, so that the flow channel 61 communicates with the outlet chamber section 15 independently of the switching position of the valve element 34.

The rearward channel opening 64 is preferably located at an axial end face 65 of the limiting section 45 facing axially away from the partition wall 42. Preferably, the rear channel opening 64 is arranged coaxially to the inner outlet channel opening 3b, so that it lies opposite the inner outlet channel opening in the main instrument direction 5a.

During the switching movement 35, the axial distance between the axial end face 65 and the internal outlet channel mouth 3b or the closing wall 33 changes. The axial length of the outlet chamber section 15 therefore changes depending on the switching position of the valve ring 34.

The rear end section 62 of the flow channel 61 can also be branched off, so that the flow channel 61 opens into the outlet chamber section 15 with a plurality of rear channel openings 64.

The flow channel 61 branches off at its front end section 63 within the valve element 34 and exits with front channel openings 66 at an outer face 67 of the closing section 52 oriented radially with respect to the main axis 5 of the device. The entire front channel opening 66 is arranged axially behind the annular sealing surface 56, i.e. on the side of the annular sealing surface 56 facing the limiting section 45. This ensures that the front passage opening 66 is separated in the closed position of the valve collar 34 in a fluid-tight manner from the inlet chamber section 14 by the sealing surface 56 abutting against the valve seat 47.

On the other hand, the front channel openings 66 are designed and arranged in such a way that at least one and preferably each front channel opening 66 is in fluid connection with the inlet chamber section 14 in the open position of the valve ring 34, so that the compressed medium in the inlet chamber section 14 can flow through the front channel openings 66 into the flow channel 61 in order to pass through the flow channel 61 into the outlet chamber section 15.

The basic principle of the arrangement and design of the front tunnel mouth 66 applies independently of the number of front tunnel mouths 66. For example, the flow channel 61 can have a single front channel opening 66. However, the plurality of front channel openings 66 achieve a particularly high flow rate.

When the radial spacing between the inner circumferential surface 48 of the through-opening 46 and the outer peripheral outer surface 67 of the closing section 52 is dimensioned sufficiently large, it is irrelevant whether the front channel opening 66 in the open position of the valve ring 34 is completely or partially within the inlet chamber section 14. However, in favor of a high flow rate in the open position, it is advantageous if at least one forward channel opening 66 is arranged radially outside in the region of an outer face 67 of the closing section 52 such that it is positioned at least partially within the inlet chamber section 14 in the open position of the valve ring 34, that is to say at least a part of the opening cross section is located forward of the partition wall 42 and the valve seat 47 formed there, toward the front side 16. Such concepts are implemented in the illustrated embodiments.

The front passage opening 66 is designed and arranged such that it is correspondingly situated with only a part of its opening cross section within the inlet chamber section 14 and with the remaining part of the opening cross section within the axial through-opening 46. This can be clearly seen in fig. 2. Due to the preferably cylindrical profile of the closing portion 52 in the region of the front channel opening 66, the compressed medium of the fluid is still provided with a large opening cross section in order to be able to enter the flow channel 61 according to the flow arrow 68.

The valve element 34 is expediently constructed in multiple parts, wherein separate sealing rings are preferably used to fulfill the different sealing functions.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the valve member 34 expediently has a rigid base body 72, which is preferably made of a plastic material or of a light metal. At the base body 72, both the axial end face 65 of the limiting section 45 on the rear side and the end face 53 in front of the closing section 52 are formed. The flow channel 61 extends only within the rigid base body 72.

The rigid base body 72 has a base body main section 73 which is accommodated in the rear valve chamber section 44 and a base body projection 74 which is smaller in diameter in this respect and projects axially in the direction of the front side 16. The base projection 74 belongs to the closing section 22. In the base projection 74, an annular groove 75 which is radially open on the outside is formed on the outer periphery and which is also referred to below for better differentiation as a first annular groove 75 and in which the sealing ring 57 is seated and held. The sealing ring 57 projects radially over the base projection 74 with an annular outer section, wherein the sealing surface 56 formed thereon is pressed against the valve seat 47 in the closed position of the valve collar 34.

The annular stop surface 55 is expediently formed by an axial end face of the main body main section 73 facing the partition wall 42.

The annular drive surface 36 is expediently formed at least partially and in particular completely on a rubber-elastic sealing ring, referred to as an actuator sealing ring 76, of the intermediate portion 54. In an exemplary manner, the driver sealing ring 76 is seated in an annular groove 77 formed in the main body portion 73 and opening radially to the outside, which is also referred to below as a second annular groove 77 for better differentiation.

The valve chamber 13 is bounded radially on the outside by a peripheral valve chamber wall 78 extending around the main axis 5 of the instrument, said wall being fixed in position with respect to the instrument housing 4. The peripheral valve chamber wall 78 has, at least in the region of the rear valve chamber section 44, an inner circumferential surface 82 which is comparable to the inner circumferential surface of the hollow cylinder, but which can be stepped several times in the main direction of the device 5a. The actuator sealing ring 76 bears in a sealing manner in a sliding displaceable manner against the inner circumferential surface 82 and in this way seals off the drive space 37 bounded by the drive surface 36 in a fluid-tight manner from the region of the valve chamber 13 upstream of the actuator sealing ring 76.

In order not to have an interaction between the compressed fluid in the drive space 37 and in the outlet chamber section 15, the two regions are expediently separated from one another in a fluid-tight manner independently of the switching position of the valve element 34. This is preferably achieved in that the limiting section 45 has a rubber-elastic sealing ring, referred to for better distinction as a limiting sealing ring 83, which together perform the switching movement 35 and in this case bears in a sealing manner in a sliding displaceable manner against the inner circumferential surface 82 of the peripheral valve chamber wall 78.

For example, the limiting sealing ring 83 is held in an annular groove, referred to for better differentiation as a third annular groove 84, which is formed radially on the outside in a component of the main body section 73 belonging to the limiting section 45.

The annular drive space 37 is thus always closed in a fluid-tight manner on the rear side, independently of the switching position of the valve element 34, by a limiting sealing ring 84 which cooperates with the peripheral valve chamber wall 78.

In order to prevent fluid interaction between the return chamber section 58 and the drive space 37, the intermediate section 54 of the valve collar 34 is expediently equipped with a rubber-elastic sealing ring, referred to as a return sealing ring 85 for better distinction, i.e. in the region between the partition wall 42 and the driver sealing ring 76. As described for the other sealing rings 57, 76, 83, the restoring sealing ring 85 is fixed in a static sealing manner at the base body 72 and bears in a sealing manner in a sliding displaceable manner against the inner circumferential surface 82 of the peripheral valve chamber wall 78. Expediently, the return sealing ring 85 is held in an annular groove 86 formed peripherally in the base body main section 73, which for better differentiation is also referred to as fourth annular groove 86.

The axial end face of the reset sealing ring 85 facing the reset chamber section 58 forms a reset face 87 which is acted on by the compressed medium of the fluid located in the reset chamber section 58. When the drive space 37 is vented in the open position of the valve ring 34, the valve ring 34 is displaced by pressure into the closed position, which is caused by the operating pressure of the compressed medium of the fluid to be controlled which is present in the inlet chamber section 14, which can also be referred to as the inlet pressure. The inlet pressure acts not only on the front end face 53 of the closing section 52, but also on the restoring surface 87, so that the surface acted on by the pressure is greater than the oppositely oriented surface of the valve element 34 which is subjected to the outlet pressure prevailing in the outlet chamber section 15. This results in a resulting switching force into the closed position without additional active fluid application via the pilot valve 39. Thus, the manipulation of the fluid can be achieved with very low expenditure. Once positioned in the closed position, the valve collar 34 is held securely in the illustrated embodiment by the inlet pressure acting on the front end face 53, since the outlet chamber section 15 is pressureless due to its connection to the atmosphere.

It can be seen that in the illustrated embodiment the actuation of the single-acting fluid by means of the pilot valve 39 is sufficient to actuate the valve member 34. However, it is understood that a dual-action manipulation is also feasible without problems. In this case, the annular space 88 between the driver sealing ring 76 and the return sealing ring 35 can be used as a further drive space, which is connected to the pilot valve 39 via an optional further drive channel 79. In this case, the actuator seal ring 76 can be loaded from both sides with the driving force of the fluid.

The 2/2 valve function can be realized by way of example by means of the valve device 1 b. Such a valve function is also used in the injection device 1a, for example.

The peripheral valve chamber wall 78 can be formed directly by the instrument housing 4. Preferably, however, it is not formed directly by the instrument housing 4, but by a sleeve assembly 89 which is inserted into the receiving recess 32. Such a form of construction is realized in the illustrated embodiment. Exemplarily, the cannula assembly 89 is inserted through the inlet channel 2 into the receiving recess 32 and is axially immovably fixed therein by a fixing ring 92. The sleeve assembly 89 expediently also comprises a partition wall 42, which in all embodiments is expediently configured in the form of a ring disk.

In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve assembly 89 comprises two separate first and second sleeve elements 93, 94 coaxially disposed one after the other in the receiving recess 32. The partition wall 42 is integrated into the first sleeve element 93. The driver seal ring 76 and the reset seal ring 85 cooperate with the first sleeve member. The second sleeve element 94 surrounds the confinement section 45 and cooperates with the confinement seal ring 83. Preferably, the closing wall 33 is an integral part of the second sleeve member 94. Correspondingly, in the illustrated injection device 1a, the motive nozzle 22 is a component of the second sleeve element 94.

The sleeve assembly 89 is sealed as required with respect to the instrument housing 4 which encloses it by an annular sealing assembly 95 which radially surrounds it on the outside.

Claims (16)

1. Fluid device, comprising a valve chamber (13) which is formed in a device housing (4) and extends along a device main axis (5), in which valve chamber a valve element (34) is arranged, which can be switched by controlled fluid application between a closed position and an open position relative to the device housing (4) when a switching movement (35) is carried out, said switching movement being oriented in the axial direction of the device main axis (5), wherein the valve chamber (13) has an inlet chamber section (14) at a front side (16) which communicates with an inlet channel (2) provided for conveying a compressed medium of a fluid, and an outlet chamber section (15) at a rear side (17) axially opposite thereto which communicates with an outlet channel (3) provided for discharging the compressed medium of the fluid,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the inlet chamber section (14) of the valve chamber (13) is bounded on its rear side facing the outlet chamber section (15) by a partition wall (42) in which an axial through-opening (46) opening into the inlet chamber section (14) and surrounded on its front side facing the inlet chamber section (14) by a valve seat (47) is formed, said through-opening being penetrated by a closing section (52) of the valve member (34) projecting into the inlet chamber section (14), said closing section having within the inlet chamber section (14) an annular closing face (56) facing axially toward the valve seat (47), said closing face bearing sealingly against the valve seat (47) in the closed position of the valve member (34) with the through-opening (46) closed and rising from the valve seat (47) in the open position of the valve member (34), wherein an axially extending flow channel (61) is formed in the valve member (34), and the flow channel (23) opens into the outlet chamber section (15) independently of the valve member (34) and bounds the outlet chamber section (15) to the outlet chamber section (15) and restricts the passage section (23) of the valve member (34) independently of the outlet chamber section (23), and the outlet chamber section (23) opens into the position of the outlet chamber section (14) and the flow channel (23) and the outlet chamber section (23) restricts the flow channel (13) independently of the valve member (34) and the flow channel (23) and the passage section (64) and restricts the outlet chamber section (23) to the outlet chamber section (15) and the outlet chamber section (23) of the passage An annular sealing surface (56) axially adjacent to the sealing section (52) on the one hand opens out at the outer face of the valve element (34) with at least one forward passage opening (66) which is separated from the inlet chamber section (14) in a fluid-tight manner in the closed position of the valve element (34) and which is in fluid connection with the inlet chamber section (14) in the open position of the valve element (34) in order to enable a fluid flow from the inlet chamber section (14) into the outlet chamber section (15) through the flow channel (61).

2. Fluid device according to claim 1, characterised in that it is configured as a valve device (1 b) suitable for controlling a fluid flow, suitably with a 2/2-way valve function.

3. Fluidic device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is configured as a spray device (1 a) suitable for generating a vacuum, wherein the spray device has a vacuum suction nozzle mechanism (18) with a thrust nozzle (33) formed by the outlet channel (3), a receiving nozzle (24) which is open to the atmosphere (R) opposite the thrust nozzle (22) in a suction region (23) in the axial direction of the device main axis (5), and a suction channel (26) which is connected to the suction region (23), wherein a suction gripper (29) is expediently or can be coupled to the suction channel (26).

4. Fluid device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the at least one front channel opening (66) is formed radially on the outside at the closing section (52) of the valve element (34).

5. Fluid device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the at least one front channel opening (66) is arranged at the closing section (52) in such a way that it is positioned within the inlet chamber section (14) of the valve chamber (13) at least partially and expediently only partially in front of the axial through-opening (46) of the partition wall (42) in the open position of the valve element (34).

6. A fluid device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the inlet channel (2) opens with an internal inlet channel opening (2 b) into the inlet chamber section (14) of the valve chamber (34) in a region which is opposite to the axial through-opening (46) of the partition wall (42) in the axial direction of the device main axis (5).

7. The fluid device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the annular sealing surface (56) of the sealing section (52) is formed on a rubber-elastic sealing ring (57) of the sealing section (52) of the valve element (34), which is expediently fastened in a radially outwardly open annular groove (75) of an axial base projection (74) of a rigid base body (72) of the valve element (34).

8. A fluidic device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the outlet channel (4) opens with an internal outlet channel opening (3 b) into the outlet chamber section (15) of the valve chamber (13) in a region opposite to the limiting section (45) of the valve element (34) in the axial direction of the device main axis (5).

9. The fluidic device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the limiting section (45) is a rear end section of the valve element (34), wherein a channel opening (64) behind the flow channel (61) is formed at an axial end face (65) of the limiting section (45) facing axially away from the partition wall (42).

10. Fluid device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the limiting section (45) of the valve member (34) has a rubber-elastic limiting sealing ring (83) which, in a sealed manner, bears in a sliding manner against an inner circumferential surface (82) of a valve chamber wall (78) radially outwardly bounding the device housing-fixed outer circumference of the valve chamber (13) and which is expediently fixed in a radially outwardly open annular groove (84) of a rigid base body (72) of the valve member (34).

11. Fluid device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the valve element (34) has, in the region of its radial outer circumference, an intermediate section (54) extending between the closing section (52) and the limiting section (45) on the side of the partition wall (42) axially opposite the inlet chamber section (14), an annular drive surface (36) which is directed towards the rear side (17) of the valve chamber (13) and which limits an annular drive space (37) surrounding the valve element (34) and which communicates for controlled fluid loading with a drive channel (38) formed in the device housing (4).

12. Fluidic device according to claim 11 in combination with claim 10, characterized in that the annular drive space (37) is separated in a fluid-tight manner on the rear side from the outlet chamber section (15) of the valve chamber (13) by a rubber-elastic limiting sealing ring (83) of the limiting section (45).

13. Fluid device according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the annular drive surface (36) is formed at least in part on a rubber-elastic drive sealing ring (76) of the intermediate section (54) of the valve element (34), which, when sealed, bears in a sliding-displaceable manner against an inner circumferential surface (82) of a valve chamber wall (78) radially bounding the device housing-fixed outer periphery of the valve chamber (13).

14. Fluid device according to claim 13, characterized in that the intermediate section (54) of the valve member (34) has a rubber-elastic return sealing ring (85) in the region between the partition wall (42) and the drive sealing ring (76), which return sealing ring bears in a sealing manner in a sliding-displaceable manner against an inner circumferential surface (82) of a valve chamber wall (78) radially outwardly bounding the device housing-fixed periphery of the valve chamber (13), and which return sealing ring delimits, in the open position of the valve member (34), a return chamber section (58) of the valve chamber (13) which communicates with the inlet chamber section (14) of the valve chamber (13) through the through-opening (46) of the partition wall (42) with an annular return surface (87).

15. Fluid instrument according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that the valve chamber (13) is radially bounded externally by a peripheral valve chamber wall (78) which is formed by a sleeve assembly (89) which is inserted into the instrument housing (4) and which at the same time also forms the partition wall (42).

16. Fluidic device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the partition wall (42) is configured annularly disc-shaped.

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