Abstract:
A manifold is provided. The manifold includes a first body having an outer curved surface; a second body having an inner curved surface corresponding to the outer curved surface of the first body; and a groove formed in one or both of the outer and inner curved surfaces, wherein the first body is dimensioned to fit within the second body so that the outer curved surface contacts the inner curved surface and the groove forms a fluid passage located in between the first and second bodies, the fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet. A method for assembling a manifold may also be provided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a manifold. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multipart, concentric, compact manifold. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Manifolds are traditionally used to assist in the routing of various fluids. Often a single housing or block will have various pathways formed or machined in it in order to provide conduits for the fluid. Commonly, the housings or blocks are angular or rectangular shape. In many instances, the pathways are machined along horizontal or vertical surfaces. Or, in other words, generally in a straight line along a straight surface. However, there may be instances where a rectangular shaped manifold housing is not best suited. Furthermore, other manifold housing shapes may allow for a more compact design than conventional shapes. 
         [0003]    Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a manifold and or a method for making a manifold that may have a geometric shape other than rectangular. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided that in some embodiments a manifold may have a non-rectangular shape and may be more compact. 
         [0005]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a manifold is provided. The manifold includes a first body having an outer curved surface; a second body having an inner curved surface corresponding to the outer curved surface of the first body; and a groove formed in one or both of the outer and inner curved surfaces, wherein the first body is dimensioned to fit within the second body so that the outer curved surface contacts the inner curved surface and the groove forms a fluid passage located in between the first and second bodies, the fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of assembling a manifold is provided. The method may include: forming a first body having an outer curved surface; forming a second body having an inner curved surface corresponding to the outer curved surface of the first body; and forming a groove in one or both of the outer and inner curved surfaces, wherein the first body is dimensioned to fit within the second body so that the outer curved surface contacts the inner curved surface and the groove forms a fluid passage located in between the first and second bodies, the fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet. 
         [0007]    In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a manifold is provided. The manifold may include: a first body having an outer curved surface; a second body having an inner curved surface corresponding to the outer curved surface of the first body; and means for defining a pathway formed in one or both of the outer and inner curved surfaces, wherein the first body is dimensioned to fit within the second body and the means for forming a pathway is located in between the first and second bodies, the pathway having an inlet and an outlet. 
         [0008]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0009]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0010]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a manifold in accordance with an embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a manifold in accordance with an embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a manifold in accordance with another embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a manifold in accordance with an embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    According to some embodiments, a generally circular shaped manifold  10  is provided. The manifold  10  may include an inner body  12 . The inner body  12  may have an outer surface  14  of the inner body  12 . Optionally, the inner body  12  may have a void or hole  16  in its center portion. In other embodiments, the inner body  12  may be solid at the center portion. 
         [0016]    Grooves or pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  may be formed on the outer surface  14  of the inner body  12 . The grooves  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  are pathways which allow a fluid to flow within the manifold  10 . For example, in some embodiments, various axial pathways  26  may be fluidly connected to each other via the grooves or pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24 . 
         [0017]    When the inner body  12  is tightly fit within the outer body  30 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , the grooves or pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  are fluidly isolated from each other. The fluid flows through the pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  to provide fluid communication within the manifold  10  to various axial pathways  26 . In some embodiments, the fluid may be hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic fluid may be at relatively high pressure so the fitting of the inner body  12  to the outer body  30  must the tightly fit or sealed to maintain fluid isolation between pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24 . One of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing this disclosure will understand that the pressure of any fluids formed through the pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24 , will need to be at a pressure less than a pressure required to separate the inner body  12  from the outer body  30  in order to maintain fluid isolation between the various pathways. 
         [0018]    In some embodiments, the inner body  12  is press fit within the outer body  30 . In other words, an initial dimension of the inner surface  32  of the outer body  30  may be smaller than the initial outer surface  14  of the inner body  12 . In other embodiments of the invention, an adhesive may be used to fasten or seal the inner body  12  with in the outer body  30 . In other embodiments, fasteners may be used. 
         [0019]    In some embodiments, the outer body  30  may be heated so that the inner surface  32  expands. The inner body  12  may be then inserted into the outer body  30 . When the outer body  30  cools it shrinks and tightly engages the inner body  14 . In other embodiments, other methods of connecting the inner  14  and outer body  30  may be used. 
         [0020]    On the outer surface  34  of the outer member  30 , hydraulic ports  36  are located about various positions. The positions of the hydraulic ports  36  coincide so that they align with one of the grooves or pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  allowing fluid communication between the hydraulic ports  36  and one of the grooves or pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24 . In some embodiments, the hydraulic ports  36  may be located on blocks  38  located on the outer surface  34  of the outer member  30  as illustrated in the FIGs. As configured in the FIGs, hydraulic fluid may flow either in or out of the hydraulic ports  36  through the grooves or pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  and through the axial pathways  26 . In some embodiments of the invention, the hydraulic ports  36  may be in fluid communication with one or more of the axial pathways  26 . 
         [0021]    The grooves  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  may also have turns  25 . The turns  25  provide a radial opening to fluidly connect the grooves  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  to one or more axial pathways  26 . 
         [0022]    A hydraulic port  36  may be part of the specific pathway  27 . As a result, hydraulic fluid may flow to or from a hydraulic port  36  to a specific axial pathway  27 . 
         [0023]    The turns  25  may terminate at the groove,  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  and be a through hole that fluidly connects the groove  22  to the axial pathways  26 . However, the turns  25  are not limited to ends or terminations of the grooves  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24  but may also occur at an intermediate point along the fluid pathway as illustrated by referenced numeral  27  in  FIG. 1  along the pathway  22 . Furthermore, the hydraulic ports  36  may be located over the turns  25  and the pathways  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  as illustrated in  FIG. 2  or they may be located at intermediate positions on pathways as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         [0024]    As an example, a specific hydraulic pathway indicated as referenced in numeral  28  may include specific axial pathway  27  and the groove indicated by reference numeral  22 . The groove  22  is terminated with a turn  25  which provides fluid communication between the groove  22  and the axial pathways  26 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view and  FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the manifold  10 . In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the manifold  10  includes and inner body  12  an intermediate body  42  and an outer body  30 . The inner body  12  includes axial pathways  26 , the axial pathways  26  are in fluid communication with the grooves  48 , radial pathways  50  and the hydraulic ports  36 . 
         [0026]    The axial pathways  26  are connected via the radial pathway  50  to the turns  25 . The turns  25  are fluidly connected to the groove  48  on the intermediate body  42  which is, in turn, fluidly connected to the hydraulic ports  36  in the blocks  38  on the outer body  30 . Alternatively, the axial pathways  26  may be fluidly connected via the radial pathways  50  the groove  18  on the innerbody  12 . The groove  18  on the innerbody  12  may be fluidly connected to one of the hydraulic ports  36  on the outerbody,  30  via a second radial pathway  56  located on the intermediate body  42 . 
         [0027]    One of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing this disclosure will understand how to connect or isolate varies axial pathways  26  from various grooves  48 , turns  25 , a radial pathways  50  and hydraulic ports  36 . 
         [0028]    As a result, anyone of the axial pathways  26  may be connected to one of the hydraulic ports  36  through either a groove  18 ,  20 ,  22 , or  24  on the innerbody  12  or a groove  48  on the intermediate body  42  via the turns  25  or radial pathways  50 . Thus, the fluid connections may be routed along the manifold  10  without being fluidly connected with each other. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the pathways defined by the grooves  18  or  48  may even cross over each other (one pathway being on the inner body  12  and the other on the intermediate body  42 ) but are not fluidly connected. 
         [0029]    While only a certain number of axial pathways  26 , grooves  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24 , turns  25  being, radial pathways  50  and hydraulic ports  36  are shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that more of fewer may be used to achieve a desired result. 
         [0030]    Similar to that described above, the innerbody  12  may fit within the intermediate body  42 . The intermediate body  42  may fit within the outer body  30 . It may be desirable in some embodiments for the connections  52  between the innerbody  12  and the intermediate body  42  to be fluid tight so that fluid does not leak out from the groove  18  or the radial pathways  50 . This may be accomplished in several ways. For example, the innerbody  12  may be press fit with the intermediate body  42 . In other embodiments, the intermediate body  42  is heated as to expand. Once the intermediate body  42  has expanded, the innerbody  12  can be inserted into the intermediate body  42 . As the intermediate body  42  cools, it will shrink, thereby tightening and making fluid tight the connection  52  between the innerbody  12  and the intermediate body  42 . 
         [0031]    Similarly, it may be desirable for the connection between the intermediate body  42  and the outer body  30  to also be fluid tight. Similar to that described above, the intermediate body  42  may be press fit with the outerbody  30 . In some embodiments, the outerbody  30  heated thereby expanding allowing the intermediate body  42  to be inserted into the outerbody  30 . As the outerbody  30  cools, it will shrink and thereby form a fluid tight connection to the intermediate body  42 . 
         [0032]    In other embodiments the connection  52  between the intermediate body  42  and the innerbody  12  and/or the connection  54  between the intermediate body  42  and the outerbody  30  may also be accomplished using adhesives, sealants, and or fasteners in order to help the connections  52 ,  54  to be fluid tight. In other embodiments, other ways of fastening the bodies  14 ,  30  and  42  may be used. 
         [0033]    It is anticipated that some embodiments that the fluid that will be flowing through the manifold will be hydraulic fluid under pressure. However, in other embodiments, other fluids may be used. Fluids may be in liquid or gas form. Hydraulic fluid is mentioned here only as an example and is in no way limiting the invention to hydraulic manifolds. 
         [0034]    The grooves  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  and  48  are shown and described to be on the outer surfaces  14  and  44  of the inner or intermediate bodies  12  and  42 . After reviewing this disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the grooves  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  and  48  could also be located on the inner surfaces  32  and  46  of the intermediate  42  or outer  30  bodies or both. The outer surfaces  14  and  42  of the inner and intermediate bodies  12  and  24  and the inner surfaces  32  and  46  of the intermediate  42  and outer bodies  30 . 
         [0035]    The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.