Leveling valve for discharging and supplying fluid
A leveling valve ( 101 ) for discharging and supplying air from and to a plurality of utilization elements ( 205 a,b ), in particular pneumatic suspension bellows, includes a valve arrangement ( 103 ) for directing air between a source ( 207 ) of pressurized air, an exhaust port ( 3 ) and the utilization elements ( 205 a,b ), and a supply port ( 1 ) in fluid communication with the valve arrangement ( 103 ) and the source ( 207 ) of pressurized air. A check valve ( 5 ) is mounted upstream of the valve arrangement ( 103 ) and is configured to allow fluid flow from the supply port ( 1 ) towards the valve arrangement ( 103 ) and to block fluid flow from the valve arrangement ( 103 ) through the supply port ( 1 ).
1. A leveling valve ( 101 ) for discharging and supplying air from and to a plurality of utilization elements ( 205 a, b ), the leveling valve ( 101 ) comprising:
a valve arrangement ( 103 ) for directing air between a source ( 207 ) of pressurized air, an exhaust port ( 3 ) and the utilization elements;
a supply port ( 1 ) connecting the valve arrangement ( 103 ) to the source ( 207 ) of pressurized air; and
a check valve ( 5 ) mounted upstream of the valve arrangement ( 103 ), the check valve ( 5 ) being configured to allow fluid flow from the supply port ( 1 ) towards the valve arrangement ( 103 ) and to block fluid flow from the valve arrangement ( 103 ) through the supply port ( 1 ), the check valve comprising a base body ( 15 ) having
an inlet side ( 4 ),
an outlet side ( 6 ),
an outer periphery ( 20 ),
a flow path ( 8 ) extending through the base body ( 15 ) from the inlet side ( 4 ) to the outlet side ( 6 ); and
a lip seal ( 7 ) with a sealing lip ( 17 ) configured to abut against a wall ( 13 ) of the supply port ( 1 ) when mounted, to flex away from the wall ( 13 ) in response to air flowing from the inlet side ( 4 ) towards the sealing lip ( 17 ), and to sealingly lie against the wall ( 13 ) in response to air flowing from the outlet side ( 6 ) towards the sealing lip ( 17 ).
2. The leveling valve of claim 1 , wherein the check valve ( 5 ) is installed in the supply port ( 1 ).
3. The leveling valve of claim 1 , wherein the supply port ( 1 ) comprises a first elongate section ( 9 ) holding the check valve ( 5 ), and a second elongate section ( 11 ) adjacent the first elongate section ( 9 ) holding a connector ( 142 c ), the connector ( 142 c ) being configured for sealingly connecting a fluid conduit to the supply port ( 1 ).
4. The leveling valve of claim 3 , wherein the connector ( 142 c ) has an inner dimension such that when in the mounted state, the fluid conduit abuts against the check valve ( 5 ).
5. The leveling valve of claim 1 , wherein the utilization elements are a plurality of suspension bellows.
6. The leveling valve of claim 1 , wherein the base body ( 15 ) has a recess ( 24 ) on the outer periphery ( 20 ), and the lip seal ( 7 ) is in mating engagement with the recess ( 24 ).
7. The leveling valve of claim 1 , wherein the check valve ( 5 ) consists of the base body ( 15 ) and the lip seal ( 7 ).
8. The leveling valve of claim 1 , wherein the base body ( 15 ) comprises:
a first lateral passage ( 29 ) configured to guide the flow path ( 8 ) toward the periphery ( 20 ) of the base body ( 15 ), and
a second lateral recess ( 31 ) configured to guide the flow path ( 8 ) away from the periphery ( 20 ) of the base body ( 15 ),
the lip seal ( 7 ) being arranged in between the first and second lateral passages ( 29 , 31 ).
9. The leveling valve of claim 1 , wherein the base body ( 15 ) comprises at least one first positioning element ( 25 ) configured to radially define a mounting position of the check valve ( 5 ).
10. The leveling valve of claim 1 , wherein the base body ( 5 ) comprises at least one second positioning element ( 23 ) configured to define, at least axially or radially, a mounting position of the check valve ( 5 ).
11. An air suspension system ( 200 ) for use in a vehicle, comprising
a plurality of suspension bellows,
a leveling valve ( 101 ) for discharging and supplying air from and to the utilization elements ( 205 a,b ) according to claim 1 , and
a source ( 207 ) of pressurized air connected to a fluid supply port ( 1 ) of the leveling valve ( 101 ).
12. A check valve arrangement for use in a leveling valve ( 101 ) for discharging and supplying air from and to a plurality of utilization elements ( 205 a, b ), the check valve arrangement comprising:
a check valve ( 5 ) having a base body ( 15 ) with an inlet side ( 4 ), an outlet side ( 6 ), an outer periphery ( 20 ) and a flow path ( 8 ) extending through the base body ( 15 ) from the inlet side ( 4 ) to the outlet side ( 6 ), and a lip seal ( 7 ); and
a supply port ( 1 ) having a first elongate section ( 9 ) holding the check valve ( 5 ), and a second elongate section ( 11 ) adjacent the first elongate section ( 9 ) holding a connector ( 142 c ), the connector ( 142 c ) being configured for sealingly connecting a fluid conduit from a source of pressurized air to the supply port ( 1 ),
wherein the lip seal comprises a sealing lip ( 17 ) configured to abut against a wall ( 13 ) of the supply port ( 1 ) when mounted, to flex away from the wall ( 13 ) in response to air flowing from the inlet side ( 4 ) towards the sealing lip ( 17 ), and to sealingly lie against the wall ( 13 ) in response to air flowing from the outlet side ( 6 ) towards the sealing lip ( 17 ).
13. The check valve arrangement of claim 12 , wherein the check valve consists of the base body ( 15 ) and the lip seal ( 7 ), and wherein the base body ( 15 ) has a recess ( 24 ) on the outer periphery ( 20 ), and the lip seal ( 7 ) is in mating engagement with the recess ( 24 ).
14. A vehicle ( 300 ) comprising
a plurality of tires ( 303 ) mounted on a vehicle axle ( 301 ),
a superstructure ( 305 ), and
an air suspension system ( 200 ) according to claim 13 coupling the axle ( 301 ) to the superstructure ( 305 ).