Patent Publication Number: US-2023151901-A1

Title: Solenoid valve manifold

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a solenoid valve manifold including a solenoid valve aggregate formed by aggregating a plurality of solenoid valves. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A solenoid valve of such a type that a plurality of solenoid valves are aggregated on and attached to a support member is referred to as a solenoid valve manifold or a manifold solenoid valve. Each solenoid valve is formed by: a main valve block that is provided with a main valve shaft for switching flow paths; and a solenoid block installed on the main valve block. The solenoid valve manifold includes an integrated type or a separate type. The integrated type is such a type that the aggregated solenoid valves are mounted on a single manifold block. The separate type is such a type that each solenoid valve is mounted on a manifold block having the same thickness as that of the solenoid valve. In the separate type, the plurality of manifold blocks are aggregated, and the plurality of solenoid valves are aggregated. In the integrated type, the manifold block constitutes a support member. In the separate type, the main valve block and the solenoid block are attached to the manifold block provided with an output port, and the manifold block is attached to a DIN rail as a support member. Also in any type, the plurality of solenoid valves are aggregated to form the solenoid valve aggregate. 
     The main valve shaft is driven by a drive signal supplied to the solenoid in each solenoid block, and the flow path of fluid discharged to the output port is switched by the main valve shaft. A lead wire connected to the solenoid is connected to a connector provided on a wiring block. The wiring block is disposed adjacent to the solenoid valve aggregate composed of the plurality of solenoid valves. 
     In such a solenoid valve manifold, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, there is a solenoid valve manifold switching to, according to an installation location or the like, any of an upward posture in which the connector is directed in an upper direction of the solenoid valve and a lateral posture in which the connector is directed in a lateral direction thereof. 
     Related Art Documents 
     Patent Documents 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-301961 
     Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2016-98914 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to Be Solved by the Invention 
     In the solenoid valve manifold of Patent Document 1, a connector is installed on a housing, and the housing is attached to a block cover of a wiring block so as to movably switch to an upward posture and a lateral posture. A support shaft protrudes from both end surfaces of the housing, and the support shaft becomes movable in a guide groove formed in the block cover. Flexure portions are provided on both side surfaces of the housing, and a locking protrusion is provided on each of the flexure portions. A first locking hole and a second locking hole with which the locking protrusions are engaged are formed on the block cover. 
     In order to switch the connector, that is, the housing from the lateral posture to the upward posture, the flexure portion is deformed to release engagement between the locking protrusion and the first locking hole, and the support shaft is moved along a horizontal direction portion of the guide groove to move the housing in the lateral direction. Next, after rotating the connector to the upward posture, the support shaft is moved along an upward and downward direction portion of the guide groove, and the locking protrusion is engaged with the second locking hole. When the connector is switched from the upward posture to the lateral posture, the locking protrusion is engaged with the first locking hole by a reverse procedure. 
     In this way, the solenoid manifold disclosed in Patent Document 1 needs to perform 4-stage operations of an operation of deforming the flexure portion to release the engagement between the locking protrusion and the locking hole, an operation of rotating the connector, an operation of sliding the support shaft, and an operation of engaging the locking protrusion with another locking hole, and thus a switching operation of the connector is complicated. 
     In the solenoid valve manifold of Patent Document 2, a connector is installed on a connector housing, and the connector housing is attached to a support stand so as to movably switch to an upward posture and a lateral posture. A first support shaft and a second support shaft protrude from both end walls of the connector housing, the first support shaft being provided in a flexure piece constituting an end wall part of the connector housing, and the second support shaft being supported by a standing portion provided on the support stand. The flexure piece is provided with a convex part at a position separating from the first support shaft, and a first fitting hole and a second fitting hole are formed on the end wall part of the support stand, the first fitting hole holding the connector in the lateral posture by engagement with the convex part, and the convex part being engaged with the second fitting hole when the connector is held in the upward posture. 
     In this solenoid valve manifold, the convex part is provided in the flexure piece provided with the first support shaft, and a protrusion amount of convex part is set shorter than a protrusion amount of first support shaft. By pushing the first support shaft to deform the flexure piece, fitting of the convex part and the fitting hole is released and a posture of the connector is switched. In order to release the fitting of the convex part and the fitting hole by deflecting the flexure piece provided with the first support shaft in this way, the first support shaft having a small diameter must be pushed into, and operability is poor. Moreover, one side of the flexure piece which constitutes one end wall of the connector housing is bent, the first support shaft needs to be pushed largely by a fingertip, and further the first support shaft needs to be pushed by one hand and the connector needs to rotate by the other hand, so that when the connector is rotated, the operation of bending the flexure piece to release the fitting of the convex part and the fitting hole is not good in operability. 
     An object of the present invention is to improve operability of a posture switching operation of the connector of a solenoid valve manifold. 
     Means for Solving the Problems 
     A solenoid valve manifold of the present invention having a solenoid valve aggregate formed by aggregating a plurality of solenoid valves, the solenoid valve manifold including: a wiring block including a connector electrically connected to the solenoid valves; a pedestal block disposed on the solenoid valve aggregate, an accommodation space in which the wiring block is accommodated being formed in the pedestal block; fixed fitting parts provided on a support wall of the pedestal block so as to oppose each other via the accommodation space; rotation fitting parts provided on end wall portions of both ends of the wiring block, and rotatably supporting the wiring block between an upper holding position and a lateral holding position where the rotation fitting parts are fitted into the fixed fitting parts and the connector becomes an upper state and a lateral state, respectively; operation parts provided on tip parts of elastically deformable leg portions provided on end wall portions of both ends of the wiring block, the operation parts being displaceable in directions of approaching and separating from each other; an operation engaging part provided on the operation parts; and an upward engaging part provided on the pedestal block and engaged with the operation engaging part when the connector is held at the upward position, and a lateral engaging part engaged with the operation engaging part when the connector is held at the lateral position, and engagement with and disengagement from the operation engaging part and rotation of the wiring block are able to be performed by making the operation parts approach each other. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     When the wiring block is switched from the upward posture to the lateral posture or from the lateral posture to the upward posture, the operator grips both the operation parts with the fingers of one hand, thereby disengaging the operation engaging part from the upward engaging part or the lateral engaging part. The engagement with and the disengagement from the operation engaging part and the rotation of the wiring block can be performed while the operation part is grasped, so that the posture switching operation of the connector can be easily performed and the switching operability can be improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view showing a solenoid valve manifold according to one embodiment; 
         FIG.  2    is a view in which (A) is a perspective view showing a wiring block and a pedestal block in a state where a connector is held at an upward position and (B) is a perspective view showing the wiring block and the pedestal block in a state where the connector is held at a lateral position; 
         FIG.  3    is an exploded perspective view showing a state of separating the wiring block and the pedestal block; 
         FIG.  4    is a view in which (A) is an arrow view along line  4 A- 4 A in  FIG.  3    and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 B- 4 B in  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a view in which (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 A- 5 A in (A) of  FIG.  4    and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 B- 5 B in (A) of  FIG.  4   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a view in which (A) is a front view of (A) of  FIG.  2    and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 B- 6 B in (A); and 
         FIG.  7    is a view in which (A) is a front view of (B) of  FIG.  2    and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 B- 7 B in (A). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. A solenoid valve manifold  10  shown in  FIG.  1    has a solenoid valve aggregate  12  composed of six solenoid valves  11 , and each solenoid valve  11  has a main valve block  13  and a solenoid block  14  installed on it. The main valve block  13  is attached to a manifold block  15 , and each manifold block  15  is installed on a support member  16  also referred to as a DIN rail. The main valve block  13  and the solenoid block  14  constitute a solenoid valve, and the solenoid valve aggregate  12  formed by aggregating the six solenoid valves  11  is installed on a support rail by the manifold block  15 . An aggregate of the manifold blocks  15  is formed by six manifold blocks  15  which have the same number as the number of solenoid valves  11 . Incidentally, the number of solenoid valves  11  constituting the solenoid valve aggregate  12  in  FIG.  1    is one example, and the solenoid valve manifold  10  can be assembled by the arbitrary number of solenoid valves  11  as long as the number of solenoid valves is two or more. 
     Piping blocks  17   a ,  17   b  are stricken against both end portions of the solenoid valve aggregate  12 , and the piping blocks  17   a ,  17   b  are installed on the support member  16  by end blocks  18   a ,  18   b . A supply port  21  and a discharge port  22 , each of which is formed of a joint member, are provided in the piping blocks  17   a ,  17   b . A piping connected to an air supply source not shown is connected to the supply port  21 , and a discharge pipe is connected to the discharge port  22 . Two output ports  23 ,  24 , each of which is composed of a joint member, are provided on a front side of the manifold block  15 , and each of the output ports  23 ,  24  is connected to a pneumatic actuated device by the piping. 
     Formed in the manifold block  15  are a supply hole and a discharge hole that are not shown. A unshown main valve shaft is incorporated in the main valve block  13 . The main valve shaft switches a flow path at a position where the supply hole formed in the manifold block  15  communicates with one output port  23  to supply compressed air to the output port  23  and a position where the supply hole communicates with the other output port  24  to supply compressed air to the output port  24 . When the supply hole and the output port  23  are in communication with each other, the output port  24  communicates with the discharge hole. When the supply hole and the output port  24  are in communication with each other, the output port  23  communicates with the discharge hole. 
     Since the two piping blocks  17   a ,  17   b  are provided, compressed air can be supplied from the two supply ports  21  to the supply holes, but only one of the two piping blocks  17   a ,  17   b  may be provided. 
     A unshown solenoid, that is, coil is incorporated in the solenoid block  14 . The compressed air is supplied from the supply hole to the main valve shaft by a drive signal supplied to the solenoid, and the main valve shaft is driven in an axial direction. In this way, the solenoid valve  11  is of an indirect actuated type having a pilot solenoid valve. 
     The coil and the connector  25  are electrically connected to each other by lead wires or a substrate that are not shown. Consequently, the solenoid valve  11  and the connector  25  are electrically connected to each other. When a cable connector connected to a unshown controller is installed in the connector  25 , a connection terminal of the cable connector is connected to a connection terminal provided in the connector  25 , and the solenoid valve  11  and the controller are electrically connected via the connector  25 . 
     A wiring block  26  is attached to a pedestal block  27  installed on an end block  18   a . The pedestal block  27  is installed on the end block  18   a  and is disposed at one end portion of the solenoid valve aggregate  12  via the end block  18   a . In order to install the pedestal block  27  on the end block  18   a , the pedestal block  27  is provided with an installing hole  28 , and a screw member is installed in the installing hole  28 . The screw member is inserted from an outer side surface of the pedestal block  27 , protrudes from an inner side surface, and is screwed to the end block  18   a . 
     The wiring block  26  is attached to the pedestal block  27  so as to be rotatable between an upward holding position where the connector  25  becomes an upward state and a lateral holding position where the connector  25  becomes a lateral state. As shown in  FIG.  1   , the upward position of the connector  25  is a position where the connector  25  protrudes from a surface opposite to a bottom surface of the solenoid valve  11  installed on the support member  16 . The lateral position of the connector  25  is a position where the connector  25  protrudes on an extension of an end portion of the solenoid valve aggregate  12 . 
     As described above, a member provided with the connector  25  is the wiring block  26 , and a member rotatably supporting the wiring block  26  and attached to the solenoid valve aggregate  12  via the end block  18   a  and the like is the pedestal block  27 . 
     (A) of  FIG.  2    is a perspective view showing the wiring block  26  and the pedestal block  27  in the state where the connector  25  is held at the upward position and (B) of  FIG.  2    is a perspective view showing the wiring block  26  and the pedestal block  27  in the state where the connector  25  is held at the lateral position.  FIG.  3    is a perspective view showing a state in which the wiring block  26  and the pedestal block  27  are separated from each other. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the pedestal block  27  has a base portion  27   a  extending in a longitudinal direction, and end portions  27   b ,  27   c  and is shaped by a resin. As shown in  FIG.  3   , an accommodation space  29  is provided between the end portions  27   b  and  27   c . A support wall  31  is provided at the end portion  27   b  of the pedestal block  27 , and a support wall  31  is also provided at the other end portion  27   c , as shown in (B) of  FIG.  6    and (B) of  FIG.  7   . The both support walls  31  oppose each other via the accommodation space  29 . A support pin  32  as a fixed fitting portion is provided on each support wall  31 , and the support pin  32  protrudes from the support wall  31  toward the accommodation space  29 . 
     The wiring block  26  has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is shaped by a resin. The connector  25  attached to the wiring block  26  protrudes from a connector arrangement face  26   a  of the wiring block  26 . The support holes  33  into which the support pins  32  are fitted are provided as rotation fitting portions in end wall portions  34  of both ends of the wiring block  26 . The support pins  32  of the pedestal block  27  are respectively fitted, that is, mated into the support holes  33 , and thus the wiring block  26  is rotatably supported by the pedestal block  27 . Consequently, the wiring block  26  rotates by approximately  90  degrees between the upward holding position where the connector  25  becomes the upward state as shown in (A) of  FIG.  2    and the lateral holding position where the connector  25  becomes the lateral state as shown in (B) of  FIG.  2   . 
     (A) of  FIG.  4    is an enlarged arrow view along line  4 A- 4 A in  FIG.  3   , and (B) of  FIG.  4    is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line  4 B- 4 B in  FIG.  3   . (A) of  FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 A- 5 A in (A) of  FIG.  4   , and (B) of  FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 B- 5 B in (A) of  FIG.  4   . 
     As shown in (B) of  FIG.  4   , an engaging claw  30  is provided so as to protrude from the inner side surface of the pedestal block  27 , and the engaging claw  30  is engaged with an unshown engaging hole provided in the end block  18   a . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , two slits  35  are provided in the two mutually opposed support walls  31  of the pedestal block  27  so as to open on the inner side surface of the pedestal block  27 . An elastic deformation portion  36  is formed by a portion between the slits  35 , and the support pin  32  serving as a fixed fitting portion is provided on the elastic deformation portion  36 . A tip side of the elastic deformation portion  36  is displaced on the outer side surface of the pedestal block  27  which serves as a base end, and thus an interval between the two support pins  32  changes. 
     Meanwhile, support holes  33  as rotation fitting portions are provided on end wall portions  34  of both end portions of the wiring block  26 . As shown in (A) of  FIG.  5   , the end wall portion  34  provided with the support hole  33  is shaped continuously with the connector arrangement face  26   a , so that it is not elastically deformed. 
     In this way, the support pin  32  is provided on the elastic deformation portion  36  and the support hole  33  is provided in the end wall portion  34 , so that when the wiring block  26  is inserted into the accommodation space  29  of the pedestal block  27 , the elastic deformation portion  36  deforms and the support pin  32  is fitted into the support hole  33 . This makes it possible to easily assemble the wiring block  26  to the pedestal block  27 . In addition, since the elastic deformation portion  36  is not deformed in a state where the pedestal block  27  is assembled to the end block  18   a , the wiring block  26  and the pedestal block  27  can be prevented from being erroneously separated. 
     The support hole  33  may be provided as a fixed fitting portion in the elastic deformation portion  36  of the pedestal block  27  instead of the support pin  32 , and the support pin  32  may be provided as a rotation fitting portion on the end wall portion  34  of the wiring block  26  instead of the support hole  33 . In this way, the wiring block  26  is also rotatably supported by the pedestal block  27 . 
     As shown in (A) of  FIG.  4   , the two slits  37  are provided on the end wall portion  34 , and slits  41  are provided outside the slits  37  along the respective slits  37 . A portion between both slits  37  and  41  is an elastically deformable leg portion  42 , and two leg portions  42  are provided on the end wall portion  34  and are separated from the connector arrangement face  26   a  as shown in (B) of  FIG.  5   . A leg portion  42  is also provided on the end wall portion  34  on an opposite side of (A) of  FIG.  4   . The operation part  43  is provided on tip parts of the leg portions  42  so as to couple the two leg portions  42 , and the operation part  43  protrudes to an outside of the pedestal block  27  as shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     Since the operation parts  43  provided at the both end portions of the wiring block  26  are provided at the tip part of the elastically deformable leg portion  42  so as to protrude from the connector arrangement face  26   a  of the wiring block  26 , an operator can grasp 2 the two operation parts  43  with a finger(s). The two operation parts  43  are displaceable in directions of approaching and separating from each other, and can be displaced in a direction of approaching each other with the finger, so that when the finger is separated from the operation parts  43 , the operation parts  43  are displaced in a direction of separating from each other. 
     An engaging convex part  44  as an operation engaging part is provided on the operation part  43 . As shown in (A) of  FIG.  4   , the engaging convex part  44  protrudes from a bottom surface  43   a  of the operation part  43  in a bottom surface direction of the wiring block  26  and, as shown in (A) of  FIG.  5   , protrudes further longitudinally outward to the wiring block  26  than the end wall portion  34 . The engaging convex part  44  has a first convex part  44   a  and a second convex part  44   b . The first convex part  44   a  protrudes from the operation part  43  in the bottom surface direction of the wiring block  26 . The second convex part  44   b  protrudes from a bottom surface  44   c  of the first convex part  44   a  in the bottom surface direction of the wiring block  26 . A width of the first convex part  44   a  is larger than that of the second convex part  44   b . Meanwhile, as an upward engaging part to be engaged with, that is, caught at the engaging convex part  44 , engaging concave parts  45  are provided at upper end portions of both the support wall  31  of the pedestal block  27  by notching the support wall  31  and the upper surface of the pedestal block  27 . Further, as a lateral engaging part to be engaged with the engaging convex part  44 , an engaging concave part  46  is provided on an outer side surface of the support wall  31  by notching the support wall  31  and the outer side surface of the pedestal block  27 . 
     If it is assumed that: D1 is a distance from a center of the support hole  33 , that is, a rotation axis to the bottom surface  43   a  of the operation part  43 ; D2 is a distance from the center of the support hole  33  to the bottom surface  44   c  of the first convex part  44   a ; L1 is a distance from a center of the support pin  32  to an upper surface on which the first engaging concave part  45  opens; and L2 is a distance from the center of the support pin  32  to the outer side surface on which the first engaging concave part opens, L2 &lt; D2 &lt; L1 &lt; D1 is satisfied. As a result, as shown in  FIG.  6   , the first engaging concave part  45  as an upward engaging part is engaged with the first convex part  44   a  when the connector  25  is held at the upward position. As shown in  FIG.  7   , the second engaging concave part  46  as a lateral engaging part is engaged with the second convex part  44   b  when the connector  25  is held at the lateral position. 
     When a posture is switched from a state where the connector  25  becomes an upward posture and the wiring block  26  is held by the pedestal block  27  as shown in (A) of  FIG.  2    and (A) of  FIG.  6    to a state where the connector  25  becomes a lateral posture and the wiring block  26  is held by the pedestal block  27  as shown in (B) of  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  7   , the operator grips the two operation parts  43  with one hand and displaces the operation parts  43  in a direction in which they approach each other. Consequently, the first convex part  44   a  is separate from the engaging concave part  45 , and the wiring block  26  becomes a state of being able to rotate about the support pin  32 . Under this state, the wiring block  26  can be rotated from the upward posture to the lateral posture while the operation parts  43  are grasped. 
     When the finger holding the operation parts  43  is released from the operation parts  43  under a state where the wiring block  26  is rotated to the lateral posture, the second convex part  44   b  is engaged with the engaging concave part  46  as a lateral engaging part by an elastic force of the leg portion  42 . Consequently, the wiring block  26  is held at the lateral posture. Meanwhile, even when the wiring block  26  is switched from the lateral posture to the upward posture, the operation parts  43  are gripped by the finger of one hand and the operation parts  43  are displaced in the direction of approaching each other. Consequently, the engagement of the second convex part  44   b  and the engaging concave part  46  is released. Next, the posture can be changed by rotating the wiring block  26  while the operation parts  43  are grasped. 
     In this way, in the above-mentioned solenoid valve manifold  10 , the operator can perform the engagement with and the disengagement from the operation engaging part and the rotation of the wiring block while holding the two operation parts  43  with the finger(s), and the operability of the posture switching operation of the connector  25  can be improved. 
     The engaging convex part may be provided as a connector engaging part instead of the engaging convex part  44  provided at the tip part of the leg portion  42  of the wiring block  26 , and the engaging concave parts  45 ,  46  provided on the support wall  31  of the pedestal block  27  may be respectively used as an upward engaging part and a lateral engaging part that serve as the engaging convex parts. Also in this way, the wiring block  26  is held in both the upward posture and the lateral posture. 
     The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can variously be modified without a range not departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the solenoid valve manifold according to one embodiment is a separate type in which the manifold block is installed on each solenoid valve, and the manifold blocks also become an aggregate. However, the above-mentioned wiring blocks can be applied also to such an integrated type of solenoid valve manifold that the plurality of solenoid valves are mounted on a single manifold block. In addition, the mounted solenoid valve can also be a directly actuated type. 
     Industrial Applicability 
     The solenoid valve manifold is used, in the technical field of using a pneumatic actuated device, to control the supply of compressed air to the pneumatic actuated device.