DIRECTIONAL OR FLOW CONTROL VALVE

Abstract

A valve selected from the group consisting of a directional valve and a flow control valve has an inlet connection, an outlet connection, a slide that controls a fluid connection between the inlet connection and the outlet connection, the slide being configured so that it controls the fluid connection in at least two adjustable opening cross-sections that are spaced axially apart from each other and allow a partial flow to pass through.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a 3-way flow control valve according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged depiction of a metering orifice shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a performance diagram of the 3-way flow control valve according to FIG. 1, in comparison to a conventional 3-way flow control valve,

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through another exemplary embodiment of a flow control valve;

FIG. 5 shows the flow control valve from FIG. 4 in an open position;

FIG. 6 shows a pilot control, embodied as a sequence control, of the flow control valve from FIG. 4, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged depiction of the flow control valve from FIG. 4, with a pressure compensator and an adjustable metering orifice;

FIG. 8 is a 2-way orifice embodied in accordance with the concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. A valve selected from the group consisting of a directional valve and a flow control valve, comprising an inlet connection; an outlet connection; a slide that controls a fluid connection between said inlet connection and said outlet connection, said slide being configured so that it controls the fluid connection in at least two adjustable opening cross-sections that are spaced axially apart from each other and allow a partial flow to pass through.

2. A valve as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a housing having a first control edge and a second control edge, said slide having a circumferential opening and a radial circumference bore, said slide being configured so that a first one of said adjustable opening cross-sections is determined by said first control edge of said housing and said circumferential opening of said slide, while a second one of said adjustable opening cross-sections is determined by said second control edge of said housing and said radial circumference bore of said slide.

3. A valve as defined in claim 1, wherein a maximum second opening cross-section is at most equal to a maximum first opening cross-section of said two adjustable opening cross-sections.

4. A valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said valve is configured as the flow control valve; and further comprising a pressure compensator influencing the fluid connection and having a pressure compensator spool acted on in an opening direction by both a regulating spring and a pressure downstream of said opening cross-sections and also acted on in a closing direction by a pressure upstream of said opening cross-sections.

5. A valve as defined in claim 4, wherein said opening cross-sections are configured so as to open a respective fluid connection to a shared annular chamber that is delimited at an end by said pressure compensator spool and is connected to said outlet connection.

6. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said second control edge is constituted by an annular conduit that is fluid-connected to an annular chamber via at least one diagonal bore.

7. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said slide is guided in a slide bushing inserted into a valve bore of said valve housing and in some regions delimits said control edges, an annular chamber, an annular conduit and at least one diagonal bore.

8. A valve as defined in claim 4, wherein said pressure compensator spool has an end section which is guided on an outer circumference of a slide bushing inserted in a valve bore of said valve housing.

9. A valve as defined in claim 4, wherein at least in some regions said pressure compensator spool is guided against a slide bushing inserted into a valve bore of said valve housing or against a section affixed to said housing; and further comprising a friction ring provided in an overlap region in order to damp said pressure compensator spool.

10. A valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said slide is configured as a hollow slide through which a pressure fluid is flowable.

11. A valve as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a hydraulic sequence control for moving said slide.

12. A valve as defined in claim 11, wherein said sequence control has a pilot control spool which is guided in said slide and is adjustable by an actuator for opening or closing an outlet throttle cross-section, wherein a pressure upstream of said outlet throttle cross-section acts on said slide in a direction toward a reduction in an opening cross-section and a pressure in said inlet connection acts on said slide in a direction toward an increase in an opening cross-section.

13. A valve as defined in claim 12, wherein said actuator is configured as a proportional magnet.

14. A valve as defined in claim 12, wherein said slide is provided with a throttle bore in a control fluid flow path upstream of said outlet throttle cross-section.

15. A valve as defined in claim 14, wherein said pilot control spool has an axial bore that conveys control fluid from said throttle bore to a control surface of said slide that acts in an opening direction.

16. A valve as defined in claim 13; and further comprising a clamping ring which prestresses said pilot control spool against a tappet of said proportional magnet.

17. A valve as defined in claim 4, wherein one end of said regulating spring of said pressure compensator rests against a shoulder of said slide bushing and the other end rests against an end surface of said pressure compensator spool oriented toward said slide.

18. A valve as defined in claim 4; and further comprising a valve housing provided with a radial tank connection openable by a tank control edge of said pressure compensator spool.

19. A valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve is configured as a valve selected from the group consisting of a switchable valve and a continuously adjustable valve, and also selected from the group consisting of 2/2-way valve and 2/2-way orifice.

20. A valve selected from the group consisting of a directional valve and a flow control valve, comprising an inlet connection; an outlet connection; a slide that controls a fluid connection between said inlet connection and said outlet connection, said slide being configured so that it controls the fluid connection in at least two adjustable opening cross-sections that are spaced axially apart from each other and allow a partial flow to pass through, wherein said valve is configured as the flow control valve; and a pressure compensator influencing the fluid connection and having a pressure compensator spool acted on in an opening direction by both a regulating spring and a pressure downstream of said opening cross-sections and also acted on in a closing direction by a pressure upstream of said opening cross-sections, wherein said slide is guided in a slide bushing which in inserted into a valve bore of said valve housing, and wherein an end section of said pressure compensator spool is guided on an outer circumference of said slide bushing.

21. A valve as defined in claim 20, wherein at least in some regions said pressure compensator spool is guided against said slide bushing inserted into said valve bore of said valve housing or against a section affixed to said housing; and further comprising a friction ring provided in an overlap region in order to damp said pressure compensator spool.