Manifold for change-over valve

Details Manifold for change-over valve Manifold for change-over valve

1999-04-16

2001-02-13

Michalsky, Gerald A. (Department: 3753)

Fluid handling

Convertible

Units interchangeable between alternate locations

C137S625640, C137S884000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06186161

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a manifold for change-over valve to be used with the change-over valve mounted thereon.
PRIOR ART
For example, when integrally controlling a plurality of change-over valves that switch passages of a working fluid such as compressed air, conventionally, the change-over valves are mounted altogether on an integral type manifold capable of having a plurality of change-over valves mounted thereon, or each of the change-over valves is individually mounted on a separate type manifold and a plurality of such manifolds are joined together to be integrated.
Output ports are formed in the manifold, and piping in tubes in communication with actuators such as an air cylinder are connected to the output ports. However, generally, in the case of an integral type manifold, output ports corresponding to each of the change-over valves are intensively provided in the front end surface of the body. In the case of a separate type manifold, the ones of the same construction with output ports in the front end surface are joined together to be used.
However, depending on how manifolds are placed or where actuators are placed, the directions of suitable piping often differ. In such a case, the above-described conventional integral type manifold with output ports all facing in the same direction cannot be used. On the other hand, in the case of a separate type manifold, manifolds having output ports facing in required directions and also having constructions capable of joining with other manifolds with output ports facing in different directions must be selectively used, which makes an assembly operation extremely difficult. Furthermore, when altering a pipe connection during an operation, the operation gets even more difficult because the manifold has to be replaced with one having different piping directions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a technological object of the present invention to provide a manifold for a change-over valve which can correspond with given situations easily and reliably even where piping directions are different according to each of the change-over valves or when piping directions are altered during an operation.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, two port surfaces facing in different directions are formed on a manifold, output openings in communication with output passages are provided in both of the two port surfaces, and a port block having output ports and closing plates closing the output openings are allowed to be selectively mounted on the both port surfaces.
A manifold of the present invention having the above construction is capable of mounting a port block to one of port surfaces and a closing plate to the other port surface, thereby selectively allowing pipe connection to be provided in either of two directions. Therefore, the manifold can correspond with given situations easily and reliably even where piping directions are different according to each of the change-over valves or when piping directions are altered during an operation.
Also, when mounting port blocks to both of the port surfaces respectively, pipe connections can be made in two different directions at the same time.
According to a specific embodiment of a construction of the invention, one of the above two port surfaces is formed on a front end surface of a body, and the other surface is formed on the bottom of the body. In this case, it is preferable that the port surface on the bottom of the body is a recessed portion and a thickness of the closing plate is substantially as large as a depth of the recessed portion, whereby the closing plate can be mounted so as not to protrude from the bottom surface of the body.
Also, it is preferable that the above two port surfaces have the same configuration and the same construction as each other.
According to another specific embodiment of the present invention, the above manifold is a separate type comprising a plurality of manifolds joined together to be used, and has common supply and exhaust passages capable of communicating with other manifolds when joined together.


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