Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6494432?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-12-20 11:32:59
Document Index: 172075578

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 321', 'art 322', 'art 322', 'art 321', 'art 322', 'arts 321', 'art 321', 'arts 321', 'art 322', 'art 321', 'art 321', 'art 321', 'art 321', 'art 322', 'art 322', 'art 322', 'arts 321']

Patent US6494432 - Control element, especially a pneumatic valve - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThe invention relates to a control element for media, for instance, a pneumatic valve or a hydraulic valve, comprising a valve body in which one or several channels are arranged, at least one moving element arranged in a channel and means for carrying out a relative movement of and/or deforming the moving...http://www.google.com/patents/US6494432?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6494432 - Control element, especially a pneumatic valveAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6494432 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/601,752PCT numberPCT/AT1999/000030Publication dateDec 17, 2002Filing dateFeb 4, 1999Priority dateFeb 6, 1998Fee statusLapsedAlso published asDE59911554D1, DE59914874D1, EP1053426A1, EP1053426B1, EP1400738A2, EP1400738A3, EP1400738B1, US6676107, US6986501, US20030025095, US20040144946, WO1999040352A1Publication number09601752, 601752, PCT/1999/30, PCT/AT/1999/000030, PCT/AT/1999/00030, PCT/AT/99/000030, PCT/AT/99/00030, PCT/AT1999/000030, PCT/AT1999/00030, PCT/AT1999000030, PCT/AT199900030, PCT/AT99/000030, PCT/AT99/00030, PCT/AT99000030, PCT/AT9900030, US 6494432 B1, US 6494432B1, US-B1-6494432, US6494432 B1, US6494432B1InventorsWalter StichtOriginal AssigneeWalter StichtExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (11), Referenced by (1), Classifications (13), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetControl element, especially a pneumatic valveUS 6494432 B1Abstract The invention relates to a control element for media, for instance, a pneumatic valve or a hydraulic valve, comprising a valve body in which one or several channels are arranged, at least one moving element arranged in a channel and means for carrying out a relative movement of and/or deforming the moving element. The means are directly arranged on and/or directly act upon the moving element.
What is claimed is: 1. A pressure fluid control valve comprising
(a) a valve body having (1) a distribution channel and (2) at least two further channels, the further channels leading to the distribution channel, and (b) at least one elastically deformable element arranged in at least one of said channels, the element having (1) an elastically deformable bladder completely enclosing a liquid which evaporates rapidly upon heating and (2) means for heating the liquid to cause the liquid to evaporate rapidly, the element assuming a first position with the liquid filling the interior space and a second position with the evaporated liquid expanding the interior space to open and close communication between respective ones of the further channels and the distribution channel. 2. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, further comprising at least one moving element arranged in the distribution channel, the at least one elastically deformable element transmitting a sliding movement to the at least one moving element when it changes from the first to the second position whereby the at least one moving element opens and closes the communication between the further channels and the distribution channel.
3. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 2, wherein the moving element is a piston.
4. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 3, wherein the piston has at least one sealing element.
5. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 2, wherein two of said moving elements are slidable in the distribution channel in relation to each other.
6. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 2, wherein the moving element comprises a bolt extending through a bore in the moving element.
7. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 6, wherein the bolt has grooves extending concentrically about a center axis of the bolt and axially spaced from each other, and further comprising contact elements arranged in the grooves.
8. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 7, wherein the contact elements have contact bridges projecting into an inner bore of the bolt, and further comprising a flange plate closing one end of the distribution channel, a multiple plug arranged on the flange plate and line elements connecting the contact bridges to the multiple plug.
9. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 8, further comprising contact elements arranged on an inner surface of the flange plate for contacting the heating means.
10. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, wherein the heating means is a heating device arranged in the interior space.
11. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, wherein the heating means is a heating device arranged on an outer surface of the bladder of the elastically deformable element.
12. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, wherein the heating means is a heating device comprised of at least one heating resistor.
13. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, further comprising a closing element closing one end of the distribution channel and being detachably mounted in the valve body with torsional strength, the elastically deformable element being connected to the closing element.
14. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, wherein a respective one of the elastically deformable elements is arranged in the distribution channel adjacent an opening of a respective one of the further channels leading to the distribution channel, the opening being open in the first position of the elastically deformable element and being closed in the second position thereof.
15. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, wherein a respective one of the elastically deformable elements is arranged in a respective one of the further channels, and the heating means is a heating device projecting from the distribution channel into the further channels.
16. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, wherein the heating means is a source of wave energy.
17. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, wherein the elastically deformable element is arranged in a groove in the distribution channel.
18. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 17, further comprising at least one moving element having concave moldings. arranged to face the groove, the moving element being actuated by the elastically deformable element.
19. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, further comprising at least one moving element arranged in one of the channels, the moving element being actuated by the elastically deformable element, and a locking device for the moving element.
20. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 19, wherein the moving element has locking grooves engaged by locking elements of the locking device.
21. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 20, wherein the locking elements have locking pins enveloped by the bladder of the elastically deformable element and having a plate spacing the elastically deformable element from a spring element.
22. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 21, wherein the plate spaces a piezo-element from the spring element.
23. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 14, wherein the heating means is a heating device arranged on the locking device and extending concentrically around a center axis thereof, the heating device consisting of a plurality of heating elements arranged successively in a circumferential direction of an inner surface of the distribution channel, the interior space of the elastically deformable element being associated with the heating elements.
24. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, wherein the channels form a grid in the valve body, the channels having openings in a top side of the valve body, further comprising at least one collecting element covering the openings and the collecting elements having at least one connection opening.
25. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 24, wherein the connection opening reaches to a groove in the collecting element.
26. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, wherein the heating means is a heating device comprising a base plate and heating elements arranged on a top side of the base plate.
27. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 26, wherein the base plate comprises a face element having at least one coupling receptacle of a coupling device.
28. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 27, further comprising lead lines leading from the coupling receptacle to the heating elements and forming conductor paths in the top side of the base plate.
29. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, further comprising at least one moving element arranged in at least one of the channels, the moving element being a piston arranged in at least one of the further channels and actuated by the elastically deformable element, the piston having a sealing selection formed by a cone jacket and associated with a sealing seat arranged in the further channel.
30. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 29, wherein the piston has a tie rod defined by the elastically deformable element, and the tie rod projects through a spring element biasing a dish element connected to the tie rod.
31. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 30, wherein the elastically deformable element in the second position thereof exerts a pressure force on a collar connected to the piston, the pressure forced being exerted in a direction opposite to the biasing force of the spring element.
32. The pressure fluid control valve of claim 1, further comprising at least one moving element arranged in one of the channels, the moving element being a piston actuated by the elastically deformable element, and a locking element engaging a locking collar on the piston for the same, the locking element having slots arrange in the form of a star around an axis of the piston and the slots being spaced from each other by spring projections.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �119 of Austrian application No. A 220/98, filed on Feb. 6, 1998. Applicant also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �120 of PCT/AT99/00030, filed on Feb. 4, 1999. The international application under PCT article 21 (2) was not published in English.
Control elements for media are known in many varieties, in particular pneumatic valves which consist of a valve body that has a plurality of openings and bores or channels. A control element is located in at least one bore or channel, which releases or closes one or several bores or channels depending on the switching position. Such a control element is linearly and relatively movably controlled in a channel and has an armature that projects from the body of the valve into a driving device. Such a means for the relative movement of moving elements consists of a coil, to which current is admitted, and which by means of magnetic force moves the armature and thus the moving element in the bore or the channel. In addition to the drawback that such a structure comprises a multitude of individual components, which has a negative effect on the manufacture and assembly of such control elements, the high component of moving mass is an additional drawback, which in particular increases the switching time of such control elements. This in turn leads to unfavorable or uneconomical cycle times especially in connection with automated assembly installations.
Favorable, however, is also a further development of the invention, through which it is possible to prevent an undesireable relative movement of the moving element resulting from pressure admission.
FIG. 7 shows another design variation of the control element as defined by the invention, by a sectional view.
FIG. 10 shows another design variation of the control element as defined by the invention, by a sectional face view.
At least one channel 8 is designed with a center axis 9 as the guiding device for at least one moving element 11, said axis extending parallel with the top side 3 and/or bottom side 5. Said channel 8 forming the guide device 10 is preferably designed in this connection as a distribution channel 12 for the medium. The bore axes 13 extend in the centers of the cylindrical channels 8, for example at right angles in relation to the top side 3 and/or the bottom side 5. The channel 8 extending from the top side 3 up to the distribution channel 12 is connected with a cylinder not shown, for example a pneumatic cylinder, for example via a connection thread 14 and hose connections not shown. From the bottom side 5, two channels 8, for example, project up to the distribution channel 12, whereby a channel 8 is designed as a feed channel 15 and another channel 8 as an exhaust channel 16. Said channels are spaced from each other by a spacing 17, which is, for example halved by a secondary channel 18 forming a channel 8 reaching from the bore axis 13 from the top side 3 up to the distribution channel 12.
The moving element 11 has a plurality of collars 20 that are spaced from one another in the direction of the spacing 29. Each two collars 20 are spaced from one another by a distance 55, which is measured parallel with the spacing 29. The collars 20 have a collar diameter 28 that is measured concentrically around the center axis 9. The collars 20 spaced from each other by the distance 55 form a receiving groove 56 for the sealing-elements 22. Additional collars 20 are located spaced from the collars 20 of a receiving groove 56 by a spacing 57, said additional collars forming the holding grooves 58 for a holding and/or locking device that is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3. Collars 20 are located also in the end zones of the moving element 11 that are spaced from each other by the spacing 29, whereby collars may form a receiving groove 56 for a sealing element 22 as well. The outer surfaces 34 of the covers 32 of the means 30 designed as the transmitting elements 31 are spaced from each other by the spacing 52, which in the present exemplified embodiment corresponds with the spacing 29.
Now, when thermal energy is admitted to a moving element 11 by means of the heating element 36, the liquid contained in the inner space 33 evaporates and the cover 32 expands, whereby said process takes place, for example simultaneously with two moving elements 11 opposing each other diametrically. In the expanded condition, the surfaces 62 of the moving elements 11 opposing each other diametrically, said surfaces 62 facing each other, are spaced from one another by a spacing 63 that is greater than the diameter 27 of the intermediate elements 26 of the moving element 11 shown in FIG. 4, which are spaced from each other by the collars 20. However, the spacing 63 is smaller than the collar diameter 28, so that for example two moving elements 11 opposing each other diametrically as shown in FIG. 3 engage the holding groove 58 and in this way prevent the moving element 11 shown in FIG. 4 from axially moving in the direction of the center axis 9.
Since the expansion of the cover 32 takes place for just a moment, the moving elements 11 arranged over the inner circumference of the inner side 61 of the heating device 35, i.e. the heating elements 36 associated with said moving elements are successively controlled, so that for example only two covers 32 opposing each other diametrically expand for a short time. However, due to such successive control, two of the covers 32 opposing each other are always expanded, so that the piston-shaped moving element 11 shown in FIG. 4 is always locked without the risk of any thermal destruction of the moving elements 11 or their covers 32 shown in FIG. 3. The holding and/or locking devices 59 a re arranged in the distribution channel 11 with such a spacing from each other that when the piston-shaped moving element 11 is in a position in which it prevents flow connection between the feed channel 15 and the secondary channel 18, a holding and/or locking device 59 engages a holding groove 58, whereas when the piston-shaped moving element 11 is in a position in which it prevents flow connection between the exhaust channel 16 and the secondary channel 18, another holding and/or locking device engages another holding groove 58 of the piston-shaped moving element 11.
Said microwave generators have the axes 74 extending parallel with each other and preferably are arranged aligned with the bore axes 13 of the feed channel 15 and the exhaust channel 16. Now, if, for example, the exhaust channel 16 is to be blocked, i.e. if a flow passage is to be made available from the feed channel 15 to the secondary channel 18, a microwave generator 73 is acted upon, for example via a central connection line 75 and a plug 76. The moving element 11 is lifted off by the wave energy and moved in the direction of the exhaust channel 16, which is closed thereby. It is, of course, possible also to use instead of the moving element 11 a transmission element 31 as described in FIG. 1, of which the volume is changed by admitting microwave energy, and which thereby closes one of several of the channels 8.
Another design variation of the control element 1 as defined by the invention is shown in the jointly described FIGS. 8 and 9. Said control element has the distribution channel 12, which is defined by the surfaces 88 extending parallel with the top side 3 and the bottom side 5, said surfaces being spaced from each other by a channel height 87, and by the side surfaces 89 facing each other, said side surfaces extending parallel with the back side 64. An about rectangular cross section of the distribution channel 12 is formed in this way, which has a length 90 from the side surface 6 in the direction of another side surface 6 that is facing away from the former and extending parallel with the former. The pneumatic valve 2 again has a plurality of channels 8, whereby a channel 8 extending from the bottom side 5 to the distribution channel 12 and in parallel with the side surface 6 is realized as the feed channel 5, and the other channels 8 reach from the top side 3to the distribution channel 12 and are realized as the secondary channels 18. In the present exemplified embodiment, the control element 1 has the four secondary channels 18 that each are provided with a connection thread 14. Said secondary channels also extend parallel with the side surfaces 6, whereby the bore axes 13 of the, secondary channels 18 are spaced by the spacing 17.
The heating device 35 is arranged in the zone between the surface 88 and the outer surface 34 of the moving element 11 facing said surface, whereby a heating element 36 is associated with each chamber 92. Preferably, however, the moving element 12 has more chambers 92 than secondary channels 18 are present, so that a chamber 92 is arranged also in the zone located between the feed channel 15 and the secondary channel 18 arranged adjacent to said feed channel, so that a main blocking element 93 is created in this way. As shown in FIG. 9, the moving element 11, i.e. the cover 32, in the undeformed state, has a width 94 measured parallel with the top side 3 that is greater than the channel diameter 25 of the secondary channel 18 and smaller than the width 95 spacing the side surfaces 89 apart. This creates between the cover 32 and the side surface 89 an intermediate space through which the medium can flow in the expanded state, so that each individual secondary channel 18 can be blocked separately. However, the width 94 of the main blocking element 93 can be realized in such a way that it corresponds in the expanded state with the width 95 and the last-mentioned intermediate space in the zone of the main blocking element 93 thus can be avoided.
Furthermore, another design variation of the control element 1 as defined by the invention is shown in the FIGS. 10 to 12. Said control element consists of a basic body 97 and an additional body 98 that is arranged on the top side 3 of the basic body, forming a collecting element 99 for the medium. The basic body 97 has the distribution channel 12 as well as a feed channel 15 projecting from the distribution channel 12 up to the bottom side 5. Several secondary channels 18, which are spaced from each other by the spacing 17, extend from the top side 3, with their bore axes 13 extending at right angles in relation to the top side 3. The moving element 11 is located in the distribution channel 12 and again has a plurality of inner spaces 33 that are spaced apart in the direction of the length 90 of the basic body 97, said inner spaces being defined by at least one cover 32. The inner spaces 33 are filled with a readily evaporating liquid. The heating device 35 is arranged in the zone between the surface 88 of the distribution channel 12 associated with the bottom side 5, and the outer surface 34 of the moving element 11 or the cover 32 facing said surface.
Now, when a voltage or an electrical current is applied to the tongue-shaped element 159, the latter is deformed and moved in the direction of the top side 3, so that the spacing 167 corresponds with the channel height 87 and the opening 91 of the secondary channel 18 is therefore closed by the sealing element 22, in particular by the sealing layer 163. In this way, only the air conducted via the second secondary channel 18 into the distribution channel 12 is discharged via the exhaust channel 16, for example from a pneumatic driving device. In order to realize the mobility of the tongue-shaped elements 159, the base plate 160 has the release positions 168 that space the tongue-shaped elements 159 from the base plate 160. This, however, also creates in each case for one tongue-shaped element 159 a deformation zone 169, for example in the form of a bending edge 170.
A base plate thickness 171 measured parallel with the channel height 87 is not greater than the channel height 87. One or several connection lines 75 extend in or on the base plate 160 and/or the tongue-shaped elements 159, said lines serving the purpose of admitting electrical current or voltage to the tongue-shaped elements 159. Furthermore, the pneumatic valve 2 again has the receiving element 39 in which the closing element 40 is arranged, the latter preferably being connected with the base plate 160 in the form of one single piece. However, instead of being formed by a multi-layer element 158, the moving element 11 and/or the means 30 can be formed also by an element that is produced from a so-called memory metal which, when acted upon by energy, is moved into the sealing position, and which, upon termination of the admission of energy, is automatically reset to its original position because of the memory effect.
FIG. 18 shows another embodiment of the control element 1 as defined by the invention, for example in the form of a hydraulic valve 172. The latter has the feed channel 15 and the exhaust channel 16. Said channels project from the bottom side 55 into the distribution channel 12 and are spaced from one another by the spacing 17. The secondary channel 18 extends from the top side 3 to the distribution channel 12. The moving element 11 is located in the distribution channel 12 and has the two collars 20 extending at right angles in relation to the center axis 9. Each of said collars has at least one deepening 21 for the sealing elements 22. The collars are connected via the intermediate element 26 and are defined by the faces 19 facing each other, said faces being spaced from each other by an intermediate element length 173. The diameter 27 of the intermediate element 26 its smaller than the collar diameter 28 of the collars 20.
FIG. 19 shows another design variation of the control element 1 as defined by the invention. Said control element has a plurality of the moving elements 11 arranged in the distribution channel 12, whereby the distribution channel 12 is divided in the distribution sections 178, so that a sealing partition 179 is arranged between two adjacent distribution sections 178. The moving element 11 has a plurality of collars 20 concentrically extending around the center axis 9, whereby two collars 20 form a receiving groove 56 for the sealing-element 22, with additional collars 20 being spaced from said two collars in directions opposing each other.
In a zone facing the groove bottom 186, the moving element 11 has the concave moldings 205 extending at right angles in relation to the center axis 9. Said moldings project beyond a surface line 207 in the direction of the center axis 9 by a molding depth 208, said surface line defining the moving element 11 in the direction of the groove bottom 186 and being disposed in a plane of symmetry extending through the center axis 9 and being located at right angles in relation to the inner surface 187 and to the top side 3. The surface line 207 is removed from the groove bottom 186 by a spacing 209, which is smaller than a height 210 of a segment 211 of the cover 32 of the transmission element 31, whose chamber 92 is in the expanded condition. And end edge 212 of the moving element 11, said end edge being disposed adjacent to the closing element 40, is spaced from the inner surface 187 by a spacing 213, which, in a final position of the moving element 11 closing the exhaust channel 16, is greater than a spacing 214 of a surface zone of an expanded segment 211 from the inner surface 187, said surface zone being disposed closest to the center axis 9. In this connection, the end edge 212 is spaced from the surface zone of the segment 211 disposed closest to the center axis 9 by a lateral offset 215 measured parallel with the center axis 9.
Now, when the moving element 11 has to be moved in the opposite direction to the closing element 40, the segment 211 of the transmission element 31 disposed adjacent to the closing element 40 is expanded, which causes the cover 32 to apply pressure to the adjacent end edge 212 and to exert in this way on the moving element 11 a component of axial force extending parallel-with the center axis 9. This causes another end edge 216 defining the first molding 205 at the opposite end to reach a position in which said end edge also has the lateral offset 215 in relation to the surface zone of the further segment 211 of the transmission element 31 that is disposed closest to the center axis 9. Now, when said further segment 211 then expands, the moving element 11 carries out a farther-leading axial movement in accordance with the described procedure.
Now, when the locking pin 258 is to be removed from the locking groove 251, an electric voltage is applied to the piezo-element 271, which causes the volume of said piezo-element to change and the plate 263 to be moved against the spring force of the spring element 268 in the direction of the closing element 265. When the piezo-element 271 is dead, it assumes again its original volume and the locking element 258 is moved via the spring element 268 either against the surface 269 of the moving element 11 arranged in the distribution channel 12, or into the locking groove 251. When the locking pin 258 rests against the surface 269 and when the moving element 11 is moved in the distribution channel 12 along the center axis 9, the locking pin 258 is caused by the spring element 268 to engage the locking groove 251 and the moving element 11 is retained in the desired position.
Furthermore, the lifting piston 140 has a guide piston 317 extending cylindrically around the lifting piston axle 272. Said guide piston is connected with the locking collar 312 via an intermediate element 318, and said guide piston has on an outer side 319 a sliding element 320 that slides off along the inner side of the guide sleeve 286. A transmission element 31 formed by the cover 32 is again located in the distribution channel 12. Thermal energy can be admitted to said transmission element via a means 30. Now, when a flow connection has to be established between the distribution channel 12 and the secondary channel 18, the transmission element 31 arranged in the distribution channel 12 and formed by the cover 32 is thermally acted upon and expands, which causes the outer surface 34 of the cover 32 to come into contact with the projection 307, and the lifting piston 140 to be moved in the opposite direction to the distribution channel 12. In this process, the cone jacket 143 moves away from the sealing surface 277, which opens a flow channel in the zone of the surface 88, said flow channel being formed by the difference between the sealing diameter 309 and the projection diameter 308. The locking collar 312 is simultaneously pressed against the bottom side 288 of the locking element 252, which causes the spring projections 306 to be elastically pressed in the opposite direction to the distribution channel 12 until the inside diameter 301 has reached the size of the collar diameter 313 and the locking collar 312 is sliding off on about the inner face 302 of the locking element 252 in the opposite direction to the distribution channel 12 until the collar surface 314 is spaced from the ring surface 292 in the opposite direction to the distribution channel 22.
The jointly described FIGS. 35 to 37 show another embodiment of the control element 1 as defined by the invention. The control element 1 has a housing part 321 that is detachably or undetachably connected with another housing part 322 in the inner surfaces 323, 324 facing each other. In the opposite direction to the housing part 322, the housing part 321 is defined by an outer surface 325 extending parallel with the inner surface 323, said outer surface being spaced from the inner surface 323 in the opposite direction of the housing part 322 by a housing part depth 326. The housing parts 321, 322 have the center planes 327 328 that are arranged at right angles in relation to the inner surface 323 and at right angles in relation to each other. The zone of intersection of the two center planes 327, 328 forms a center axis 329. The housing part 321 has an attachment 330 extending concentrically around the center axis 329 in a zone facing away from the outer surface 325. Said attachment is defined by an attachment diameter 331 that defines on the outside an attachment surface 332 extending concentrically around the center axis 329. An inward molding 333 extends circularly around the center axis 329 extends from the attachment surface 332 in the opposite direction relative to the center axis 329. Located in a plane that is disposed at a right angle in relation to the center axis 329, said inward molding has a face 334 that is spaced from a plane surface 336 of the attachment 330 by a molding depth 337 in the direction of the outer surface 325, said plane surface defining the attachment surface 332 in the opposite direction relative to the outer surface 325 and extending parallel with said outer surface. Said inward molding 333 is defined by an inner surface 338 in the opposite direction relative to the center axis 329, said inner surface extending concentrically around the center axis 329 and facing the attachment surface 332, and extending over a molding diameter 339 concentrically around the center axis 329. The housing parts 321, 322 have a housing part height 340 and a housing part width 341. The molding diameter 339 is in this connection smaller than the housing part height 340 or the housing part width 341, which, for example, have the same dimension. A channel 8 extends along the center axis 329, whereby the center axis 329 forms the bore axis 13 of the channel 88, the latter being realized as a secondary channel 8. The latter has the connection thread 14 in the zone of the outer surface 325. A sealing element 336 is arranged in the zone of the plane surface 336, said element preferably extending concentrically around the center axis 329.
The housing part 322 has an outer surface 343 that extends from the inner surface 324 spaced by a housing part depth 342 in the opposite direction relative to the housing part 321 and parallel with the outer surface 325. Furthermore, said housing part has an inward molding 344 extending rotation-symmetrically around the center axis 329, said molding having a first face 345 extending at a right angle in relation to the center axis 329, and being spaced from the inner surface 324 by a face depth 346 in the opposite direction relative to the housing part 321. Said first face is bound by a inner surface 347 in the opposite direction in relation to the center axis 329, said inner surface extending-rotation-symmetrically around the center axis 329, said inner surface 347 extending over a first molding diameter 348 concentrically around the center axis 329. The first molding diameter 348 corresponds in this connection with the molding diameter 339 of the molding 333 located in the housing part 321. The molding 344 has a second face 349 extending parallel with the first face 345, said second face being spaced from the first face 345 in the opposite direction relative to the inner surface 324 by a face depth 350 in the direction 350 in the direction of the outer surface 343. Said second face 349 is defined by an inner surface 351 that has a second molding diameter 352 concentrically extending around the center axis 329, said second molding diameter being smaller than the first molding diameter 348, and being arranged concentrically in relation to the first molding diameter and concentrically with respect to the center axis. The channels 8 extend from the outer surface 343 up to the second face 349, and their bore axes 13 extend parallel with the center axis 329 and at right angles in relation to the outer surface 343. The bore axes 13 are disposed in a hole circle 353 extending concentrically around the center axis 329, with a hole circle radius 354 measured from the center axis 329. One channel 8 is realized in this connection as a feed channel 15 whose bore axis 13 is disposed, for example in the center plane 327. The other channel 8 is realized, for example as an exhaust channel 16 whose bore axis 13 is spaced from the bore axis 13 of the feed channel 15 by an angle 355 of, for example 60 degrees. In the zone of the outer surface 3.43, said channels 8 again have a connection thread 14.
The rotational body 362, furthermore, has a distribution channel 370 that consists of a longitudinal groove 371 arranged in the zone of the plane attachment surface 365, and a bore 372. The longitudinal groove 371 is realized in the form similar to an oblong hole and has two center axes 374, 375 that are spaced from one another by a length 373, whereby the center axis 375 forms at the same time a bore axis 376 of the bore 372, which in turn coincides with the bore axis 13 of the secondary channel 18 arranged in the housing part 321. The length 373 of the longitudinal groove 371 corresponds in this connection with the hole circle radius 354 of the channels 8 arranged in the housing part 322. The longitudinal groove 371, furthermore, is bound on the outside by a sealing element 22.
The face 385 and the inner surface 347 of the inward molding 344 of the housing part 322 define an intermediate space 388 extending circularly around the center axis 329. The means 30 and the transmission element 31 formed by the covers 32 are arranged in said intermediate space. The means 30 are preferably undetachably connected with a ring-shaped basic body 389 that concentrically extends around the center axis 329, and have the heating surfaces 390 facing the rotational body 362, said heating surfaces being overtopped by the covers 32 in the direction of the center axis 329. Six heating elements 36, for example, are combined to form a heating device group 391, whereby four of such heating device groups 391 are present in the interior space 361. A chamber 92 of the cover 32 is associated in each case with one heating element 36. One chamber 92 is offset in this connection from an adjacent chamber 92 by an angle 392, which, for example, amounts to 10 degrees. For example one cover 32 having six chambers 92 is combined in each case to form a transmission element group 393, whereby the chambers 92 of said transmission element group 393 correspond with the heating elements 36 of the heating device group 391 associated with said transmission element group.
For this purpose the rotational body 362 is put into rotation clockwise around the center axis 329. This is accomplished in that the first chamber 92 of the first transmission element group 393, i.e. the high-boiling liquid contained in said chamber is now thermally acted upon by means of the heating element 36 associated with that chamber. This causes the cover 32 defining said chamber 92 to expand and to exert a force of pressure on the flank 395 defining the projection 387. This then turns the rotational body 362 clockwise, for example by 2.5 degrees, with the effect that the projection 387 associated with the second transmission element group 393 is moved by 2.5 degrees as well, with the result that the first chamber 92 of the second transmission element group 393, i.e. a center axis of said chamber 92 has an angle of 2.5 degrees in relation to a center axis of the second projection 387.
Now, when the liquid contained in the first chamber 92 of the second transmission element group 393 expands, the projection 387 associated with said chamber is acted upon by a force of pressure that moves the rotational body 362 by 2.5 degrees, so that the third projection 387 has an angular offset of 2.5 degrees with respect to the first chamber of the third moving group. Upon expansion of the first chamber 92 of the third transmission element group 393, said angular offset is increased to 5 degrees, so that the fourth projection 387, in the non-expanded position, has an angular offset of 2.5 degrees as well in relation to the first chamber 92 of the fourth transmission element group 393, which is increased then to 5 degrees when said first chamber 92 of the fourth transmission element group 393 is expanded. This, then, in turn causes the first projection 387 to be moved by 2.5 degrees, so that said projection then has an angular offset of 2.5 degrees in relation to the second chamber 92 of the first transmission element group 393. This now makes it possible for the rotational body 362 to be rotated in each case by a fraction of the angular offset 394, whereby a pin 396, the latter overtopping the plane attachment surface 356 in the direction of the basic housing part 322, and being arranged in the deepening groove 356, is moved on in the deepening groove 356 that is forming a stop, so that when the distribution channel 370, in particular the longitudinal groove 371, is in a position coinciding with the exhaust channel 16, any further rotational motion of the rotational body 362 is prevented.
For the purpose of rotational motion of the rotational body 362, anti-clockwise, i.e. for restoring the flow connection between the secondary channel 18 and the feed channel 15, another rotational body 363 is arranged in the inner space 361. Said rotational body has a driver pin 397 that projects into the rotational body 362. Said second rotational body 363 also has the means 30 and the transmission elements 31 formed by the covers 32 as described above, which, however, function in the reverse direction. The rotational body 363 has a bore 398 arranged rotation-symmetrically in relation to the center axis 329. Said bore has a bore diameter 399 that is larger than the attachment diameter 331, whereby an intermediate space is arranged between the attachment diameter 331 and the bore diameter 399. Said intermediate space contain, for example a sliding bearing 400 that is supported both on the attachment 380 and on the attachment 330. Furthermore, the housing parts 321, 322 have the line ducts 401, via which the lines 50 lead from the multiple plug 241 to the basic body 389, in which, for example the conductor paths 134 (not shown) are arranged that lead to the individual heating elements 36 of the individual heating device groups 391. Of course, the values for the angle 392 or the angular offset 394 or for the number of the chambers 92 of the transmission element group 393 as well as for the number of the projections 387 can be selected differently.
List of Reference Numerals 1 Control element
118 Transverse side surface
274 ′ Flat coil
274 Opening
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