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US4744388A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Diaphragm type of pilot operated directional control valve

Assignee: Fujikura Composites Inc
•
Filing: 1987-05-15
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Granted: 1988-05-17
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Expires: 2007-05-15
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Abstract

Abstract A pilot operated directional control valve having a diaphragm held between a passage block which has a feeding port, at least one loading port and at least one discharge port, and an opposed control block which has pilot pressure passages. The ports of the passage block open into the end face of the passage block adjacent to the control block through respective fluid passages. The pilot pressure is exerted on the diaphragm by the pilot pressure passages to control the fluid connection between the ports of the passage block. The fluid passages are located in a concentric arrangement. The diaphragm has a center valve portion with an annular valve portion therearound. The two valve portions can be independently controlled by the pilot pressure acting thereon to control the fluid connection between the two adjacent fluid passages.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ryozo Ariizumi
  • 👤 Masakuni Kainuma
  • 👤 Shoji Suda
  • 👤 Toshikazu Aoki
  • 👤 Takashi Ejiri
  • 👤 Masao Kojima
  • 👤 Mitsunori Hoshi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 08:46
CPC Classifications
F; F15; F15B; F15B13/00; F15B13/02; F15B13/04; F15B13/0401; F15B13/0405; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/87169; Y10T137/87193; Y10T137/87201; Y10T137/87217; Y10T137/87225; Y10T137/877; Y10T137/87885

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 244 words
A diaphragm type of pilot operated directional control valve, comprising a pair of passage block and control block, and a diaphragm which is held between the passage block and the control block, said passage block being provided therein with at least one feeding port which is connected to a pressurized fluid source, at least one loading port, and at least one discharge port, said feeding port, said loading port and said discharge port being connected to respective fluid passages which are formed in the passage block and which open into the end face of the passage block that is located adjacent to the control block, said control block being provided therein with pilot pressure passages which are connected to a pilot pressure control device and which exert a pilot pressure on the face of the diaphragm that is located adjacent to the control block, so that the fluid connection between the feeding port, the loading port, and the discharge port can be controlled by the control of the pilot pressure acting on the diaphragm, wherein said fluid passages connected to the feeding port, loading port and discharge port are located in a concentric arrangement, and wherein said diaphragm has a center valve portion and a circumferential annular valve portion around the center valve portion, said center valve portion and said circumferential annular valve portion being independently subjected to the pilot pressure to selectively establish the fluid connection between the two adjacent concentric fluid passages.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 244 words
A diaphragm type of pilot operated directional control valve, comprising a pair of passage block and control block, and a diaphragm which is held between the passage block and the control block, said passage block being provided therein with at least one feeding port which is connected to a pressurized fluid source, at least one loading port, and at least one discharge port, said feeding port, said loading port and said discharge port being connected to respective fluid passages which are formed in the passage block and which open into the end face of the passage block that is located adjacent to the control block, said control block being provided therein with pilot pressure passages which are connected to a pilot pressure control device and which exert a pilot pressure on the face of the diaphragm that is located adjacent to the control block, so that the fluid connection between the feeding port, the loading port, and the discharge port can be controlled by the control of the pilot pressure acting on the diaphragm, wherein said fluid passages connected to the feeding port, loading port and discharge port are located in a concentric arrangement, and wherein said diaphragm has a center valve portion and a circumferential annular valve portion around the center valve portion, said center valve portion and said circumferential annular valve portion being independently subjected to the pilot pressure to selectively establish the fluid connection between the two adjacent concentric fluid passages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 56 words
A directional control valve according to claim 1, wherein said control block is provided with a center recess corresponding to the center valve portion of the diaphragm and an annular recess corresponding to the circumferential annular valve portion of the diaphragm, so that the diaphragm can be deformed in the center recess and the annular recess.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 48 words
A directional control valve according to claim 2, wherein one of the pilot pressure passages opens into the center recess of the control block, and the remaining pilot pressure passage has a plurality of pilot pressure branch passages which open into the annular recess of the control block.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 34 words
A directional control valve according to claim 3, wherein said pilot pressure branch passages are concentrically located at a predetermined angular distance in the circumferential direction of the annular recess of the control block.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 45 words
A directional control valve according to claim 4, wherein the end face of the passage block that is located adjacent to the control block defines an annular valve seat with which the diaphragm comes into contact to control the fluid connection between the fluid passages.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
A directional control valve according to claim 5, wherein said diaphragm has an annular bead which is opposed to the annular valve seat of the passage block.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 36 words
A directional control valve according to claim 1, further comprising means for preventing an excess deformation of the diaphragm at the center portion of the passage block corresponding to the center valve portion of the diaphragm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 31 words
A directional control valve according to claim 7, wherein said means for preventing the excess deformation of the diaphragm comprises a column provided on the center portion of the passage block.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 35 words
A directional control valve according to claim 8, wherein said column has an end face with which the center valve portion of the diaphragm comes into contact when the diaphragm deforms toward the passage block.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 31 words
A directional control valve according to claim 9, wherein said end face of the column is slightly recessed from the end face of the passage block adjacent to the control block.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
A directional control valve according to claim 1, wherein said pressurized fluid source is a pneumatic pump.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 15 words
A directional control valve according to claim 11, wherein said actuator is a pneumatic actuator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 25 words
A directional control valve according to claim 1, wherein said loading port is connected to an actuator which operates in response to the pressurized fluid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 16 words
A directional control valve according to claim 1, wherein said discharge port opens into the atmosphere.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 36 words
A directional control valve according to claim 1, wherein said feeding port, said loading port and said discharge port extend in different directions toward the center portion of the annular fluid passages in the same plane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 39 words
A directional control valve according to claim 1, wherein said passage block has therein a pair of loading ports and a pair of discharge ports, and a single feeding port common to the loading ports and the discharge ports.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US29481A Cited
US2427441A Cited
US3080887A Cited
USRE29481E Cited
US4046159A Cited
US4516605A Cited
US4516604A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-05-17 1991-11-16 1992-05-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-05-17 1995-11-16 1996-05-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-05-17 1999-11-16 2000-05-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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