Drive for a valve, and application device

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention, a drive (1) for controlling a valve (25, 26) is provided. The valve (24, 26) is configured to start and / or stop the application of a fluid. The drive (1) comprises a first housing (10) and a pressure generation device (11) which is placed in the inner volume of the first housing. The drive (1) also comprises a hydraulic fluid (12) which at least partially surrounds the pressure generation device (11) and is designed to completely fill the inner volume of the first housing (10). The hydraulic fluid (12) can be displaced by the pressure generation device (11). The drive (1) also comprises a port (14) for a line (15) through which the hydraulic fluid (12) can be conducted from the first housing (10) to a piston (21) which is connected to the valve (25, 26).

Description

[0001] Atlas Copco IAS GmbH, Case: 11N2024EM1026DE

[0002] Drive for a valve and application device

[0003] The present invention relates to an actuator for a valve. The valve can be part of an application device. The present invention also relates to an application device comprising the actuator and the valve.

[0004] Technical background

[0005] Application systems are used in numerous industrial applications, for example in the automotive, construction, energy, and semiconductor industries, as well as in industrial assembly. Application systems serve to apply media, especially viscous and / or liquid media, to or into components. Examples of liquid media include adhesives, foams (especially polyurethane foams), battery foams, and insulating foams, as well as paints and cleaning fluids. In the automotive sector, application systems are used, for example, to apply battery foams and / or adhesives to the batteries of electric vehicles, and / or to apply adhesives to body parts and / or vehicle windows, such as windshields.

[0006] An application system typically comprises a dosing device, also called a dispenser, and an application device, also called an applicator. The dosing device and the application device can be designed together as a single device or together form a system. The dosing device is used for dosing, for example, by controlling the flow of fluid or material. The dosing device receives the medium from a source, such as a storage container, particularly a drum. The application device is used to apply the medium to or into a component.

[0007] Application devices typically include a valve to control the fluid application. A variety of options are available for actuating the valve to open and close it. Often, the valve is actuated or controlled by compressed air. The opening and closing times are crucial for fluid application and significantly influence the appearance of the weld start and end.

[0008] The opening strokes vary depending on the valve design. For example, an opening stroke of approximately 1 mm is sufficient for a 3 mm round-head valve pin to open the full cross-section. 5 mm or 10 mm valve pins require correspondingly more stroke. Slide valves require significantly more stroke. Rotary actuators used for switching on twin-drum pumps are not stroke- or time-critical but require considerably more supply air. Atlas Copco IAS GmbH, Case: 11N2024EM1026DE

[0009] Summary of the invention

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide an actuator for a valve that can be controlled precisely. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an actuator for a valve whose design is compact and / or simple. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an actuator for a valve that does not require a compressed air supply.

[0011] At least one of the problems, or further problems, that arise for a person skilled in the art from the present disclosure are solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims and the description.

[0012] In one aspect of the invention, an actuator for controlling a valve is provided. The valve is configured to start and / or stop the application of a fluid, in particular a liquid. The fluid application can be carried out by means of an application device. The actuator comprises a first housing. The actuator includes a pressure generating device arranged within the internal volume of the first housing. The actuator includes a hydraulic fluid that at least partially surrounds the pressure generating device. The hydraulic fluid is configured to completely fill the internal volume of the first housing. The hydraulic fluid can be displaced or pressurized by the pressure generating device, in particular because it completely fills the remaining internal volume of the first housing.The actuator also includes a connection for a line through which hydraulic fluid can be routed from the first housing to a piston. The piston is connected to the valve.

[0013] The fluid can be a viscous liquid.

[0014] The first housing can hermetically and / or pressure-tightly seal the internal volume from the environment. This allows the pressure-generating device to create an overpressure within the internal volume of the first housing compared to the ambient pressure.

[0015] The pressure generating device can have a first state and a second state. In the first state, the pressure generating device, together with the hydraulic fluid, can completely fill the internal volume of the first housing without exerting pressure on the hydraulic fluid. In the second state, the pressure generating device can... Atlas Copco IAS GmbH, Case: 11N2024EM1026DE

[0016] The volume increases relative to the initial state, thereby pressurizing the hydraulic fluid. The pressure-generating device can comprise a piezoelectric element, particularly a piezoelectric ceramic, and electrodes arranged on the piezoelectric element. A voltage can be applied to the piezoelectric element via the electrodes, causing it to expand.

[0017] According to this aspect of the invention, the drive operates without compressed air, so that an application system that uses this drive to control the outlet valve no longer requires a compressed air connection.

[0018] In one embodiment, the actuator can comprise a second housing. The piston can be arranged in the second housing. The piston can be connected to the second housing on one side by a return element and to the valve on the other. The actuator can further comprise the line, in particular configured as a hose or pressure line, through which the hydraulic fluid can be conveyed from the first housing to the second side of the piston to open and / or close the valve.

[0019] In one embodiment, the piston can divide an internal volume of the second housing into a first sub-space bounded by the first side of the piston and a second sub-space bounded by the second side of the piston.

[0020] In one embodiment, the first housing and the second housing can be arranged spatially separated from each other.

[0021] In one embodiment, the return element can be a spring. The return element can exert a restoring force, i.e., a force acting on the piston that counteracts a force exerted by the hydraulic fluid. This ensures that in the event of a failure or idling of the actuator, or without pressure generation by the pressure-generating device, the piston is moved into a position to close the valve. This function of the return element can also be described as "fail-safe." Furthermore, during actuator operation, the return element can ensure faster valve closure, thus allowing for more precise fluid application.

[0022] In one embodiment, the pressure generating device may include a piezoelectric element and / or the hydraulic fluid may include oil. Atlas Copco IAS GmbH, Case: 11N2024EM1026DE

[0023] In another aspect, an application device is provided. The application device comprises an actuator and a valve, as described above. The actuator moves the piston into a first position in which the valve is open and the fluid can be applied. The actuator moves the piston into a second position in which the valve is closed and the fluid flow is stopped.

[0024] The valve can comprise a valve pin and a valve seat. The piston can be connected to the valve pin or formed integrally with it. In the second position of the piston, the valve pin is designed to engage positively with the valve seat, thereby stopping the fluid flow.

[0025] Brief description of the characters

[0026] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to a figure.

[0027] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a drive 1 for controlling a valve 25, 26 according to one aspect of the invention.

[0028] Detailed description

[0029] Fig. 1 shows an actuator 1 for controlling a valve 25, 26. The actuator 1 can have a first housing 10 and a second housing 20. In one embodiment, the second housing 20 can be associated with the application device (not shown).

[0030] The first housing 10 has an interior with an internal volume. A pressure generating device 11 can be arranged in the first housing 10. The interior volume of the first housing 10 surrounding the pressure generating device 11 can be completely filled with a hydraulic fluid 12, in particular hydraulic oil.

[0031] The pressure generating device 10 can be configured to change its expansion or volume in order to generate pressure on the hydraulic fluid 12 or to displace the hydraulic fluid 12. The pressure generating device 11 can include a piezoelectric element that expands when an electrical voltage is applied. The advantage of a piezoelectric element is its ultra-fast response to the application of an electrical voltage and the associated rapid expansion or pressure generation. Such a pressure generating device 11 thus enables very fast opening and / or closing of the valve 25, 26. Atlas Copco IAS GmbH, Case: 11N2024EM1026DE

[0032] The displaced hydraulic fluid 12, or the pressurized hydraulic fluid 12, can displace the piston 21 in a second housing 22 by at least 1 mm. The piston 21 can be connected to the valve pin 25. This allows the valve pin 25 to overcome the required valve opening travels described above on conventional application devices via the actuator 1.

[0033] The piston 21 can divide an interior space of the second housing 20 into a first sub-space 23 and a second sub-space 24. A first side of the piston 21, in Fig. 1 the top of the piston 21, can delimit the first sub-space 23. A second side of the piston 21, in Fig. 1 the top of the piston 21, can delimit the second sub-space 24. A return element 22 can be arranged in the first sub-space 23, connecting the piston 21 to an interior surface of the second housing 20. The return element 22 is shown as a spring in Fig. 1. The displaced hydraulic fluid 12 can flow into the second sub-space 24 and thereby adjust the position of the piston 21.

[0034] A spatial separation can exist between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, which is arranged directly on the applicator. This separation is shown in Fig. 1 as a dashed-dotted line. The internal volume of the first housing 10 and the second compartment 24 can be pressure-tightly connected by means of a line 15, in particular a hose. For this purpose, the first housing 10 can have a connection 14. When the drive 1 is at rest, the hydraulic fluid 12 can fill not only the internal volume of the first housing 10, but also the line 15 and the second compartment 24. By generating pressure using the pressure generating device 11, the displaced hydraulic fluid 12 can directly transmit the generated pressure to the piston 21, thereby lifting the valve pin 25 out of the valve seat 26. This allows fluid to flow through the valve 25, 26.

Claims

Atlas Copco IAS GmbH, Case: 11N2024EM1026DE Claims 1. Actuator (1) for a valve (25, 26), wherein the valve (25, 26) is configured to start and / or stop an application of a fluid, in particular a liquid, wherein the actuator (1) comprises: a first housing (10), a pressure generating device (11) arranged in the internal volume of the first housing (10), a hydraulic fluid (12) which at least partially surrounds the pressure generating device (11) and is configured to completely fill the internal volume of the first housing (10), wherein the hydraulic fluid (12) can be pressurized by the pressure generating device (11), and a connection (14) for a line (15) through which the hydraulic fluid (12) can be directed from the first housing (10) to a piston (21), wherein the piston (21) is connected to the valve (25, 26).

2. Drive (1) according to claim 1, further comprising: a second housing (20), wherein the piston (21) is arranged in the second housing (20), which is connected on a first side to the second housing (20) by a return element (22) and on a second side to the valve (25, 26), and the line (15), in particular a hose line, through which the hydraulic fluid (12) from the first housing (10) can be directed to the second side of the piston (21) in order to open and / or close the valve (25, 26).

3. Drive (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the piston (21) divides an internal volume of the second housing (20) into a first partial space (23) which is bounded by the first side of the piston (21) and a second partial space (24) which is bounded by the second side of the piston (21), and / or wherein the first housing (10) and the second housing (20) are arranged spatially separated from each other, and / or wherein the return element (22) comprises a spring, and / or wherein the pressure generating device (11) comprises a piezoelectric element, and / or wherein the hydraulic fluid (12) comprises oil.

4. Application device comprising an actuator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, and the valve (25, 26), wherein the actuator (1) can move the piston (21) into a first position in which the valve (25, 26) is open and the fluid can be applied, and Atlas Copco IAS GmbH, Case: 11N2024EM1026DE the piston (21) can be moved into a second position in which the valve (25, 26) is closed and fluid flow is stopped.

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