Granted Patent B2

US 12,345,354 · App. 18/010,296 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Inventors: Stefan Disch (Schonach, DE); Armin Scholz (Susel, DE); Jan Derjong (Kiel, DE)

Assignee: KENDRION (VILLINGEN) GMBH

F16K37/0041B60S1/48B60S1/54F16K27/003

Abstract

Claims (16)

1. A valve block ( 10 ) for use in supplying cleaning medium to a plurality of consumers, comprising:

at least one cleaning medium supply connection ( 22 );

a plurality of switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) connected to the at least one cleaning medium supply connection ( 22 );

a control unit ( 14 ) which is configured to actuate the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) in an alternating manner individually and/or a plurality of the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) simultaneously; and

a position detection unit which is configured to determine the switching position of at least one switching valve ( 24 , 26 ) without a sensor,

wherein a side of a valve manifold housing ( 20 ) of the valve block ( 10 ) has valve connections ( 28 ) arranged thereon, the side of the valve manifold housing ( 20 ) having an orientation-giving structuring ( 52 ) which is mirror-image and rotationally asymmetrical.

2. The valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the position detection unit is configured as part of the control unit ( 14 ).

3. The valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one of the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) is configured as a switchable overpressure valve ( 24 ).

4. The valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , characterized in that the at least one switchable overpressure valve ( 24 ) is fed axially and the other switching valves ( 26 ) are fed radially with a cleaning medium.

5. The valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , characterized in that the switching valves ( 26 ) are kept closed with a first spring force and the at least one switchable overpressure valve ( 24 ) is kept closed with a second spring force, which is greater than the first spring force, and has a different coil body ( 36 ) than the switching valves ( 26 ).

6. The valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the position detection unit is configured, by means of an LED driver unit, to feed into at least one current measurement circuit comprising one or a plurality of the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ), one measuring signal ( 2 ) comprising a pulse-width modulated signal, with a plurality of pulses, which is dimensioned such that the position of the switching valve or switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) is not influenced, and to measure the course of the current intensity ( 4 , 6 ) and to compare it with one or more expected values which form a measure of whether and how many of the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) in the current measurement circuit are in an open position.

7. The valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , characterized in that a separate current measurement circuit is present for each switching valve ( 24 , 26 ), wherein the measurement in each current measurement circuit is carried out individually in cyclical sequence via the switching valves, or with respect to a sum signal from all current measurement circuits, wherein a separate current measurement circuit is present for at least one switchable overpressure valve ( 24 ), which current measurement circuit is evaluated with respect to the position of the at least one switchable overpressure valve ( 24 ).

8. The valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the connection of the at least one cleaning medium supply connection ( 22 ) to the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) occurs via at least one central supply channel ( 32 ), which central supply channel, on two opposite sides, respectively has connections comprising wall openings ( 34 ), to the individual switching valves ( 24 , 26 ), which switching valves are arranged in two rows on both sides of the at least one central supply channel ( 32 ), wherein a plurality of cleaning medium supply connections ( 22 ) and supply channels ( 32 ) for different cleaning media comprising a washing liquid and compressed air are provided, which are connected to different switching valves ( 26 ).

9. The valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the valve armatures ( 40 ) of the switching valves ( 26 ) are each mounted with an interspace ( 42 ) in the switching valve ( 26 ), which switching valve is in fluid connection with the cleaning medium supply connection ( 22 ) and is sealed off from an axially rear part, which is arranged opposite the respective cleaning medium outlet of the switching valve ( 26 ), wherein the fluid also acts on the rear side of the valve armature ( 40 ), and/or the valve armatures ( 40 ) of the switching valves ( 26 ) each have a sealing cone ( 41 ).

10. The valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the switching valves ( 26 ) are provided or can be provided with individually weldable valve connections ( 28 ).

11. A method for supplying cleaning medium with a valve block ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit ( 14 ) of the valve block ( 10 ) controls one or a plurality of the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) of the valve block ( 10 ) in order to open or close them, wherein the position detection unit determines the switching position of at least one switching valve ( 24 , 26 ) in a manner without sensors, wherein the position detection unit feeds into at least one current measuring circuit comprising one or more of the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ), a measuring signal ( 2 ) comprising a pulse width modulated measuring signal ( 2 ), with a plurality of pulses, which is dimensioned such that the position of the switching valve or switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) is determined, which comprises one or a plurality of the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ), a measuring signal ( 2 ) comprising a pulse-width-modulated measuring signal ( 2 ), with a plurality of pulses, which is dimensioned such that the position of the switching valve or the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) is not influenced, measures the course of the current intensity and compares it with one or more expected values, which form a measure of how many of the switching valves ( 24 , 26 ) in the current measuring circuit are in an open position.

Assignments (3)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (28)