Stacked valve assembly
An apparatus and method of stacked valves that selectively move the stacked valves into various switched positions using a single actuator. A first valve of the valve stack is movable into one or more switched positions by an actuator that drives the first valve in a first or a second direction for a first or a second distance. Second and third valves of the valve stack are selectively movable into one or more switched positions by motion transfer stages. The motion transfer stages selectively transfer the first or second direction and the first or second distance movements of the first valve to the second and third valves that place the second and third valves into one of the switched positions.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a first valve having at least one input port and at least one output port the first valve movable into at least one of a plurality of switched positions;
a drive section coupled to the first valve arranged to move the first valve into at least one of the plurality of switched positions;
a second valve fluidically isolated from the first valve having at least one input port and at least one output port the second valve movable into at least one of a plurality of switched positions;
a first tab coupled to the first valve;
a second tab coupled to the second valve, wherein the moving of the first valve by the drive section engages the first tab with the second tab causing movement of the second valve into one of the plurality of switched positions and;
a first spindle coupled to the drive section attached to the first valve and to a first disc and the first tab is attached to the first disc, wherein the drive section moves the first valve into at least one of the plurality switched positions that transfers the movement of the first valve to the first disc that moves the first tab to a position that corresponds to the at least one switched position of the first valve.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second valve is attached to a second spindle and to a second disc and the second tab is attached to the second disc, wherein the movement of the first valve by the drive section into at least one of the plurality switched positions transfers the movement of the first tab of the first disc to the second tab of the second disc placing the second valve into one of the plurality of switched positions.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the drive section is arranged to move the first valve and the first spindle into a first or second direction for a first or a second distance.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the movement of the first valve in the first direction for the first distance causes the first tab of the first disc to move and engage the second tab on the second disc and place the first and the second valve into one of the plurality of switched positions.
5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein movement of the first valve in the second direction for the second distance causes the first tab of the first disc not to engage the second tab of the second disc.
6 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the movement of the first valve in the second direction for the second distance places the first valve in one of the plurality of switched positions different from the one of the plurality of switched positions of the second valve.
7 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction and the movement is a rotational motion, wherein the first distance is equal to or greater than a 360 degree rotational motion around an axis and the second distance is less than a 360 degrees rotational motion around the axis.
8 . A stacked valve system comprising:
a first valve having at least one input port and at least one output port movable into at least one of a plurality of switched positions;
a drive section having an actuator coupled to the first valve, the actuator arranged to move the drive section and the first valve into at least one of the plurality of switched positions;
a first spindle coupled to the drive section and to the first valve;
a second valve fluidically isolated from the first valve having at least one input port and at least one output port movable into at least one of a plurality of switched positions;
a second spindle coupled to the second valve;
a motion transfer stage located between the first valve and the second valve;
a third valve fluidically isolated from the first and the second valve having at least one input port and at least one output port movable into at least one of a plurality of switched positions;
one other motion transfer stage located between the second valve and the third valve the other motion transfer stage coupling the movement of the second valve to the third valve, wherein the moving of the first valve by the actuator causes movement of the third valve into one of the plurality of switched positions;
a first driving part contained in the motion transfer stage coupled to the first spindle, wherein the drive section moves the first valve into at least one of the plurality of switched positions that transfers the movement of the first valve to the first spindle and to the first driving part; and
a second driving part contained in the other motion transfer stage and a first driven part contained in the motion transfer stage coupled to the second spindle,
wherein the movement of the first valve by the drive section into at least one of the plurality of switched positions transfers the movement of the first valve to the first driven part by the first driving part and to the second spindle that moves the second driving part and the second valve into one of the plurality of switched positions.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the system further comprises:
a third spindle coupled to the third valve; and
a second driven part contained in the one other motion transfer stage coupled to the third spindle,
wherein the movement of the second valve transfers the movement of the second valve to the second driven part by the second driving part and to the third spindle that moves the third valve into one of the plurality of switched positions.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the actuator moves the drive section, the first valve, and the first spindle into a first or a second direction for a first or a second distance.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the first and second driving parts engage and move the first and second driven parts and place the first the second and third valves into one of the plurality of switched positions when the first valve is moved by the actuator in the first direction for the first distance;
the first and second driving parts do not engage the first and second driven parts for movement of the first valve by the actuator in the second direction for the second distance; and
movement by the actuator in the second direction for the second distance places the first valve in one of the plurality of switched positions different from the at least one of the plurality of switched position of the second and third valves.
12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction and the movement is a rotational motion, wherein the first distance is equal to or greater than a 360 degrees rotational motion around an axis and the second distance is less than a 360 degree rotational motion around the axis.