MULTIVALVE SYSTEM AND ROTARY PRINTER EQUIPPED WITH A MULTIVALVE SYSTEM

Abstract

Multi-valve system for fluid distribution and rotary printer provided with a multi-valve system, wherein the multi-valve system comprises a monoblock body (1) obtained by additive manufacturing and including a plurality of valve housings (11) and a plurality of internal channels (12) communicating the valve housings (11) with each other, a plurality of valve plugs (2) rotatable inside the valve housings (11) and comprising at least one passage channel (22) through the valve plug (2) itself, sealing means (3a, 3b) arranged to seal the monoblock body (1) and the valve plugs (2) with each other, retaining means (4a, 4b) arranged to rotatably and removably retain the valve plugs (2) inside the respective valve housings (11),and actuating means (5) associated with processing and control means configured to rotaryly actuate the respective valve obturators (2).

Description

MULTIVALVE SYSTEM OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention belongs to the technical field of hydraulic distribution, and specifically relates to a multi-valve system for fluid distribution intended to manage fluids autonomously, especially suitable for managing printer inks. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Fluid distribution systems, such as those used for printer ink management, are known in the state of the art. Existing systems consist of standard valves connected to each other by pipes and fittings, so the valves need some separation from each other to position the pipes and connection fittings, so the distribution system ends up occupying a considerable space. On the other hand, the function of each valve is defined at the factory and cannot be changed, so every time a different function is needed, it is necessary to disconnect all the pipes connected to the valve to be replaced, which involves a considerable amount of time during which the system is not working, and a high maintenance cost for the operator who performs the replacement. Therefore, a solution is needed that allows reducing both the space occupied by the fluid distribution system and the time required for its reconfiguration. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-valve system for fluid distribution that solves the aforementioned problems and presents the advantages that will be described below. In accordance with this objective, according to a first aspect, the present invention provides a multi-valve system for fluid distribution intended to manage fluid circulation autonomously, of a more compact size than systems known in the state of the art and whose installation and reconfiguration is simplified. The multi-valve system for fluid distribution claimed herein comprises a monoblock body obtained by additive manufacturing, wherein said monoblock body includes; - a plurality of valve housings, - a plurality of internal conduits that connect the valve housings to each other, the ends of the internal conduits defining openings in the walls of the valve housings (known as ports), - at least one inlet port connected to at least one valve housing, and - at least one outlet port connected to at least one valve housing. Unlike those known on the market, the present multi-valve system for fluid distribution is characterized by comprising: - a plurality of valve plugs rotatably mounted inside said valve housings about a longitudinal "Y" axis, wherein each of said valve plugs comprises at least two openings fluidically communicated with each other through at least one passage channel through the valve plug, - sealing means arranged to seal the monoblock body and the valve plugs with each other, - fastening means arranged to axially fix the valve obturators inside the respective valve housings, and - drive means associated with processing and control means configured to be able to rotaryly drive the respective valve obturators according to a predetermined fluid distribution pattern. Thanks to these features, the system provides a set of valves with fluid connections integrated into a single, additively manufactured monoblock body, advantageously using 3D printing. This makes its manufacturing process easily replicable and its size significantly smaller. Simultaneously, the number of steps required for system installation is reduced, and maintenance and reconfiguration are simplified, as only the monoblock body and / or certain valve obturators need to be replaced to create a new system configuration.Furthermore, the rotation of the valve obturators around their longitudinal axis is carried out without the need to remove them from the valve housings or to move them vertically, so the changes in the distribution of the fluid inside the monoblock body are immediate, while allowing the actuation means to be as simple as rotary actuators connected axially to the valve obturators. Advantageously, each of these valve housings and its respective valve plug determines a valve configured so as to define a predetermined fluid distribution function selected from a 2-way, 2-position function and a 3-way, at least 2-position function. The number of positions in which the valve plug can be placed in the housing (to align different openings of the plug with different ports in the housing depending on its rotational position), and the shape or function of the internal passage channel of the valve plug along with the respective valve housing, define a valve function of type 2 / 2, 3 / 2L, or 3 / 2T, according to the geometry of the plug inserted. The number of ports in each valve corresponds to the ports coming from the internal channels. In one possible embodiment of the multi-valve system, a portion of the valve obturators that is inserted into the valve housings comprises a rotationally symmetrical perimeter surface whose geometry defines its own longitudinal axis, the perimeter surface being complementary to the geometry of the valve housings. In this way, the valve obturators can rotate around this longitudinal axis when actuated by the drive means. For example, the portion of each valve obturator housed within a valve housing comprises a cylindrical geometry. In a preferred implementation, the valve plugs are configured to be interchangeable with each other in different valve housings. To achieve this, the outer diameter of the various valve housings is uniform. In one possible embodiment, the sealing means between the monoblock body and the valve obturators comprise at least two O-rings arranged to fluidly seal the longitudinal ends of the respective valve housings. In one possible embodiment, the peripheral surface of at least one valve obturator comprises a sealing area configured to prevent the passage of fluid from one of the monoblock body's outlets. This sealing area includes sealing means arranged to provide a tight seal between the outlet and the valve obturator. These sealing means are configured to allow the valve obturator to be rotated about its axial axis without removing it from its valve housing or displacing it vertically. For example, the sealing means for the sealing area include an O-ring disposed in a peripheral groove around the sealing area, preferably an O-ring made of Teflon or EPDM. By way of example, each of the valve housings comprises four outlets coming from respective internal channels of the monoblock body, while each of the valve obturators comprises a sealing area and two or three openings, so that, in one of the positions of the valve obturator, the sealing area closes the flow of fluid from one of the outlets, while in another position the same outlet is fluidly connected to another through the openings of the valve obturator. In one possible embodiment, the fixing means for each valve plug comprise a Seeger ring and a peripheral groove located at one end of the valve plug. The peripheral groove is configured to receive the Seeger ring, which acts as a longitudinal stop against the monoblock body, thus securing the valve plug axially while allowing rotation within the valve housing. The plug is also longitudinally removable when the Seeger ring is withdrawn. Specifically, in its normal operating condition, the Seeger ring abuts against the surface of the monoblock body at the end opposite the valve housing inlet where the valve plug is inserted. Optionally, the valve plug comprises, at the longitudinal end opposite the Seeger ring, a flange configured to abut against the monoblock body upon insertion. In one possible embodiment, the flow channels of the valve plugs and the internal conduits of the monoblock body are configured to provide substantially identical nominal fluid flow rates. Preferably, changes in direction of the conduits and / or internal channels are achieved by means of curved portions; that is, the internal channels and / or conduits lack sharp corners, thereby reducing resistance to fluid flow. One possible application of this multi-valve system is managing the cleaning of inkjet printers. For this purpose, in one possible embodiment, the monoblock body is 3D printed from polyamide, which is compatible with printer inks. The valve obturators are preferably made of stainless steel. A second aspect of the present invention relates to a rotary printer, provided with a multi-valve system for fluid distribution according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the multi-valve system for fluid distribution is configured to manage the distribution of the printer ink. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1.- This is an exploded perspective view of an example embodiment of the present multivalve system, showing the different components. Figure 2.- It is a perspective view of the realization of the system in Figure 1, where the components are connected in their condition of use. Figure 3.- It is a cross-sectional view of the monoblock body and valve obturators of the embodiment of figure 1 at the height of the internal channels of the monoblock body and the passage channels of the valve obturators. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED REALIZATIONS Figures 1 to 3 show an example of the implementation of this multi-valve system for fluid distribution with six valves. As can be seen in the figures, the represented implementation comprises: - a monoblock body (1) provided with: six valve housings (11), a plurality of internal conduits (12) that connect the valve housings (11) to each other, two inlet ports (14) connected to two of the valve housings (11) and three outlet ports (15) connected to two respective valve housings (11), - six valve obturators (2) rotatably mounted inside the corresponding valve housings (11) around their own longitudinal axes, and provided with passage channels (22) passing through them, - two O-rings (3b), shown on one of the valve plugs in Figure 1, as sealing means (3a, 3b), housed in respective grooves (3a) of each valve plug (2) and arranged to fluidly seal the longitudinal ends of the valve housings (11) and the valve plugs (2) with each other, - a Seeger ring (4a) and a peripheral groove (4b) located at one end of the valve obturator (2), as fastening means (4a, 4b) that axially retain or fix the valve obturators (2) with the possibility of rotation and in a removable manner inside the respective valve housings (11), the peripheral groove (4b) being configured to receive the Seeger ring (4a) and for this to act as a longitudinal stop against the monoblock body (1), and - actuation means (5) associated with processing and control means (not shown in the figures) configured to rotaryly actuate the valve obturators (2) according to a predetermined fluid distribution pattern. As shown in Figure 3, the internal channels (12) of the monoblock body (1) define outlets (13) located in the walls of the valve housings (11), while the flow channels (22) of the valve plugs (2) define openings (21) designed to align with these outlets (13) according to the desired fluid distribution pattern. The processing and control means command the actuating means to rotate certain valve plugs (2) so that certain openings (21) align with certain outlets (13), allowing the fluid to flow through the internal channels (12) from the inlet ports (14) to certain outlet ports (15) of the monoblock body (1). As can be seen in Figure 1, the portion of each of these valve plugs (2) that fits into the corresponding valve housing (11) has a cylindrical geometry, with all valve plugs (2) and all valve housings (11) having a uniform and compatible diameter. In this way, the valve plugs (2) are interchangeable in the different valve housings (11). As can be seen in Figure 3, the changes in direction of the internal channels (12) are achieved through curved portions rather than angled sections, thanks to the 3D printing process. This reduces the resistance to fluid flow through the internal channels (12) and allows the nominal fluid flow rate to be substantially identical through both the through-channels (22) and the internal channels (12) of the monoblock body (1). The system of the present embodiment includes different types of valves: - four valves with a 3 / 2T configuration, i.e., with valve housings (11a) having three outlets (13) and with valve plugs (2a) having an internal T-shaped configuration with two possible positions, - a valve with a 2 / 2 configuration, i.e., with a valve housing (11b) having two outlets (13) and a valve obturator (2b) having a straight passage channel defining two openings (21) and two positions enabling two possible functions (passage or blocking), and - a valve with a 3 / 3L configuration, i.e., with a valve housing (11c) having three outlets (13) and a valve plug (2c) having an L-shaped passage channel with three possible positions. One of the functions of the system valves is to block the passage of fluid from one of said outlets (13) and, for this purpose, the valve obturators (2) comprise one or two obturation areas (23) provided with an O-ring (24b) arranged in a perimeter groove (24a) located around the corresponding obturation area (23), as sealing means arranged to provide a seal between the corresponding outlet (13) and the valve obturator (2). In the described embodiment, the actuating means (5) that control the valve obturators (2) consist of pneumatic actuators controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC), not shown in the figures. The valves of the system of the present embodiment also comprise respective fixing caps (6) which serve to fix the drive means (5) to the monoblock body (1). As discussed in the description of the invention, the claimed multi-valve system is particularly useful for use in an inkjet printer where the fluid distributed by the system is printer ink. In this case, the material of the monoblock body (1) of the system can be polyamide selected to be compatible with the printer ink fluid. In summary, the proposed system is a modular and multifunctional solution of interchangeably integrated valves on a 3D-printed block (additive manufacturing), where the valves are interconnected for the supply and management of fluids, preferably viscous liquids. The system adapts to different installation needs and dimensions, guaranteeing the nominal flow rate throughout the system without the need for additional assembly. Although reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is evident to a person skilled in the art that the described system is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications, and that all the details mentioned can be substituted by technically equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1. A multi-valve system for fluid distribution comprising a monoblock body (1) obtained by additive manufacturing, wherein said monoblock body (1) includes: - a plurality of valve housings (11), - a plurality of internal channels (12) communicating the valve housings (11) with each other, the ends of the internal channels (12) defining outlets (13) in the walls of the valve housings (11), - at least one inlet port (14) communicating with at least one valve housing (11), and - at least one outlet port (15) communicating with at least one valve housing (11), characterized in that the system further comprises: - a plurality of valve obturators (2) rotatably mounted inside said valve housings (11) about a respective longitudinal axis "Y",wherein each of said valve obturators (2) comprises at least two openings (21) fluidly connected to each other through at least one flow channel (22) passing through the valve obturator (2), sealing means (3a, 3b) arranged to seal the monoblock body (1) and the respective valve obturators (2) to each other, fixing means (4a, 4b) arranged to axially fix the valve obturators (2) inside the respective valve housings (11), and actuating means (5) associated with processing and control means configured to rotaryly actuate the respective valve obturators (2) according to a predetermined fluid distribution pattern.

2. Multivalve system according to claim 1, wherein the sealing means (3a,3b) between the monoblock body (1) and the valve obturators (2) comprise at least two O-rings (3b) arranged to fluidically seal the longitudinal ends of the valve housings (11).

3. Multi-valve system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one valve obturator (2) comprises at least one sealing area (23) configured to prevent the passage of fluid from one of said outlets (13), said at least one sealing area (23) comprising sealing means (24a, 24b) arranged to provide a seal between the corresponding outlet (13) and the at least one valve obturator (2).

4. Multi-valve system according to any of claim 3, wherein the sealing means (24a,24b) of said at least one sealing area (23) comprises an O-ring (24b) disposed in a peripheral groove (24a) located around a corresponding sealing area (23).

5. Multi-valve system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of said valve housings (11) and its respective valve plug (2) determine a valve configured so as to define a predetermined fluid distribution function selected from a 2-way, 2-position function and a 3-way, 2-position function. Multi-valve system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a portion of each of said valve plugs (2) that is housed in the corresponding valve housing (11) comprises a cylindrical geometry.

6. Multi-valve system according to claim 5, wherein the valve housings (11) of the monoblock body (1) have a uniform diameter,the outer diameter of the cylindrical portions of each of said valve obturators (2) being also uniform.

7. Multivalve system according to claim 6, wherein at least one valve obturator (2) is configured to be interchangeable with another valve obturator (2) in the same valve housing (11).

8. Multivalve system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said fastening means (4a, 4b) comprise a Seeger ring (4a) and a peripheral groove (4b) located at one end of the valve obturator (2), the peripheral groove (4b) being configured to receive the Seeger ring (4a) and for the latter to act as a longitudinal stop against the monoblock body (1).

9. Multivalve system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the additively manufactured material of the monoblock body (1) is polyamide.

10. Multivalve system according to any of the preceding claims,where the valve obturators (2) are made of stainless steel.

11. Multivalve system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one flow channel (22) of each of the valve obturators (2) is configured to provide a nominal fluid flow substantially identical to that of the internal channels (12) of the monoblock body (1).

12. Rotary printer provided with a multivalve system for fluid distribution according to any of the preceding claims, configured to distribute a printer ink fluid.

13. Printer according to claim 13, wherein the material of the monoblock body (1) of the multivalve system is polyamide selected to be compatible with the printer ink fluid.

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