IP Library Granted Patent US 12663025
Granted Patent B2
US 12663025 · App. 18/292,452 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Safety valve, pneumatic actuator, and vehicle

Inventors: Rafal Gora (Wroclaw, PL); Damian Kaszuba (Wroclaw, PL); Waldemar Kisielewski (Wroclaw, PL)
Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
F15B13/024F16K17/28F15B2211/50518F15B2211/8855
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12663025
App. No.
18/292,452
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A safety valve ( 100 ) for a pneumatic conduit ( 798 ) includes: a valve body ( 120 ) with a pressure port ( 122 ) pneumatically connected to a pressure side ( 840 ) of the pneumatic conduit ( 798 ) and a release port ( 124 ) pneumatically connected to a release side ( 860 ) of the pneumatic conduit ( 798 ), a valve piston ( 140 ) axially movable along a valve axis (AV) relative to the valve body ( 120 ) between a release-side end position (SP 1 ) and a pressure-side end position (SP 2 ), and a valve piston spring ( 160 ) to push the valve piston ( 140 ) into the pressure-side end position (SP 2 ). A bypass conduit ( 150 ) extends through the valve body ( 120 ) or the valve piston ( 140 ) and, depending on the position of the valve body, permits a release airflow (AF) to flow through the bypass conduit between the pressure port ( 122 ) and the release port ( 124 ).

Claims (31)

1 . A safety valve for a pneumatic conduit ( 798 ), the safety valve comprising:

a valve body ( 120 ), arranged in the pneumatic conduit ( 798 ), the valve body including a pressure port ( 122 ) pneumatically connected to a pressure side ( 840 ) of the pneumatic conduit ( 798 ) and a release port ( 124 ) pneumatically connected to a release side ( 860 ) of the pneumatic conduit ( 798 ),

a valve piston ( 140 ), arranged in the valve body ( 120 ) and axially movable along a valve axis (AV) relative to the valve body ( 120 ) between a release-side end position (SP 1 ) on an axial side facing the release port ( 124 ) and a pressure-side end position (SP 2 ) on another axial side facing the pressure port ( 122 ), and

a valve piston spring ( 160 ) that pushes the valve piston ( 140 ) toward the pressure-side end position (SP 2 ), and

a bypass conduit ( 150 ) that extends through the valve body ( 120 ) or the valve piston ( 140 ) and that permits a release airflow (AF) to flow between the pressure port ( 122 ) and the release port ( 124 ),

further comprising a pressure-side gasket ( 130 , 130 ′, 130 ″), which inhibits the release airflow (AF) between the pressure port ( 122 ) and the release port ( 124 ) in an annular gap ( 146 ) when the valve piston ( 140 ) is in the pressure-side end position (SP 2 ),

wherein the annular gap ( 146 ) is between a circumferential surface ( 145 ) of the valve piston ( 140 ) and an inner surface ( 126 ) of the valve body ( 120 ),

further comprising a release-side gasket ( 134 ), which inhibits the release airflow (AF) between the pressure port ( 122 ) and the release port ( 124 ) when the valve piston ( 140 ) is in the release-side end position (SP 1 ) wherein, when the valve piston ( 140 ) is in the release side end position (SP 1 ), the release-side gasket ( 134 ) is arranged between a release-side end face ( 144 ) of the valve piston ( 140 ) and a release-side stop ( 129 ) of the valve body ( 120 ), and extends within an axial extent of the valve body ( 120 ) defined axially between the release side end face ( 144 ) and the release-side stop ( 129 ) in the direction of the valve axis (AV) when the valve piston ( 140 ) is in the release-side end position (SP 1 ),

wherein the release-side end face ( 144 ) is defined by a terminal end of the valve piston ( 140 ),

wherein, when the valve piston ( 140 ) is in the release-side end position (SP 1 ), the release side gasket ( 134 ) directly contacts the release side stop ( 129 ),

wherein, when the valve piston ( 140 ) is in the release-side end position (SP 1 ), the release-side end face ( 144 ) is axially spaced from the release-side stop ( 129 ) toward the pressure port;

wherein the release port ( 124 ) is a first release port ( 124 . 1 ) and the valve body ( 140 ) includes a second release port ( 124 . 2 ), wherein the safety valve includes a further release-side gasket, where the release-side gasket and the further release-side gasket combine to seal the first release port and the second release port when the valve piston is in the release-side end position.

2 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , wherein the release-side gasket ( 134 ) is disposed at the release-side end face ( 144 ) and is attached to the valve piston ( 140 ) and moves with valve piston ( 140 ).

3 . The safety valve according to claim 1

wherein the valve body ( 120 ) includes a valve body lid ( 125 , 125 ′), wherein the valve body lid includes a pressure-side stop ( 128 ) and/or the pressure port ( 122 ).

4 . The safety valve according to claim 3 ,

wherein the valve body lid ( 125 ) is releasably connected to the valve body ( 120 ), and includes a lid thread ( 131 ) that engages a corresponding body thread ( 132 ) of the valve body ( 120 ).

5 . The safety valve according to claim 3 ,

wherein the valve body lid ( 125 ′) is mounted to the valve body ( 120 ) in a positively locking manner in a lid recess ( 135 ) by a body rim ( 133 ), wherein

the body rim ( 133 ) is created by a bordering process after inserting the valve body lid ( 125 ′) into the lid recess ( 135 ).

6 . The safety valve according to claim 1

wherein the bypass conduit ( 150 ) has a circumferentially closed cross section ( 152 ), wherein the bypass conduit is a generally cylindrical channel ( 153 ), and extends in a substantially axial direction.

7 . The safety valve according to claim 1 ,

wherein the pressure-side gasket ( 130 ) is arranged on the pressure-side end face ( 142 ) of the valve piston ( 140 ), or

wherein the pressure-side gasket ( 130 ) is arranged on a pressure-side stop ( 128 ) of the valve body ( 120 ).

8 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , wherein the release-side gasket blocks the release port relative to the pressure port when the valve piston is at its release-side end position.

9 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , wherein the bypass conduit permits the release airflow (AF) to flow from the pressure port ( 122 ) to the release port ( 124 ) depending on the position of the valve piston, wherein the release airflow (AF) is blocked from flowing through the release port when the valve piston is in the release-side end position.

10 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , wherein the pneumatic conduit and the safety valve are part of a pneumatic actuator.

11 . A pneumatic actuator ( 800 ) comprising:

a pneumatic conduit ( 798 ) extending through an actuator piston ( 840 ) disposed within an actuator body ( 830 ), the pneumatic conduit having a pressure side ( 840 ) and a release side ( 860 ), and

the safety valve according to claim 4 , wherein the safety valve is disposed in the pneumatic conduit ( 798 ).