Pressure regulator

Abstract

The invention relates to a pressure regulator (1). The aim of the invention is to provide a pressure regulator (1) which is structurally simple, easy to produce and avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. The problem is solved by a pressure regulator (1) comprising a housing (2) having: an axial housing bore which is open at an upper end; a cover (3) which is arranged at an upper end of the housing (2); and a regulation unit which is arranged in or at a lower end in the axial housing bore, wherein a receiving body (5) is arranged in the housing bore, which receiving body fills the housing bore over its axial extent between the regulation unit and its upper opening, wherein the receiving body (5) is formed in one piece and has an axial through-bore (9), and an actuating element for the regulation unit is accommodated in the through-bore (9) so as to be axially movable.

Description

[0001] TESCOM EUROPE GmbH & CO. KG

[0002] At the Trave 23-25

[0003] 23923 Selmsdorf

[0004] Hamburg, December 21, 2024

[0005] Pressure regulator

[0006] Technical field

[0007] The invention relates to a pressure regulator.

[0008] State of the art

[0009] Pressure regulators are known in the art that are arranged in a line between a source of pressurized fluid and a consumer to which the fluid is supplied. The function of pressure regulators is to reduce the pressure supplied to the consumer and to keep it as constant as possible, while the inlet pressure and flow rate can vary.

[0010] US Patent 2017 / 0102087 A1 discloses a pressure regulator comprising a housing with an axial bore, an inlet and an outlet, a control unit arranged within the bore, and a diaphragm actuator. The diaphragm actuator acts axially on a spring-loaded closing element of the control unit via a relatively complex, multi-part connecting structure.

[0011] Disclosure of the invention

[0012] The invention is based on the objective of avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art described above and providing a pressure regulator that is structurally simple and easy to manufacture.

[0013] The object of the invention is achieved by a pressure regulator according to claim 1 and a manufacturing method according to claim 9. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. The core of the invention comprises a pressure regulator with a housing having an axial housing bore that is open at an upper end, a cover arranged at an upper end of the housing, and a control unit arranged at a lower end of the housing bore, wherein a receiving body is arranged in the housing bore, which fills the housing bore over its axial extent between the control unit and its upper opening, and wherein the receiving body is formed in one piece and has an axial through-bore, and an actuating element for the control unit is axially movably received in the through-bore.The invention has revealed that a structurally particularly simple pressure regulator can be provided with only a few components if a one-piece receiving body, which can be inserted into the housing bore of a housing and extends completely over the axial length of the housing bore between the control unit and its upper opening, is provided. The receiving body ensures the structurally simple axial fixation of the control unit and the axially movable mounting of the actuating element. This allows several different functions to be covered by a single component, compared to the prior art with multi-part designs.

[0014] The housing bore preferably has several sections with varying inner diameters that decrease stepwise from top to bottom in the axial direction. This allows for the simple manufacturing of the housing bore, for example, using a machining process from a single opening.

[0015] Because the receiving body also has several sections with varying outer diameters that decrease incrementally from top to bottom in the axial direction, a precise fit of the receiving body in the housing bore is ensured. If the housing bore is designed as a blind bore with a single opening, the receiving body can be easily inserted from the opening.

[0016] The control unit is integrated into the pressure regulator in a space-saving and structurally simple manner by arranging a valve seat below the lower end of the receiving body in the axial housing bore. Alternatively, the valve seat can be integrally formed directly onto the lower end of the receiving body, thus saving space. To ensure a flush fit in the housing bore, the valve seat has an annular shape. With this spatial arrangement of the valve seat, the control function is achieved in a structurally simple way by arranging a valve plunger below the valve seat. This plunger engages the valve seat from below, with a pin-shaped section simultaneously passing through the valve seat and abutting the lower end of the actuating element.

[0017] To increase the closing force of the control unit by reducing the common contact areas of the sealing partners, the opening of the annular valve seat has the form of a downwardly widening inner cone. The valve stem, below the pin-shaped section, is formed with a frustoconical thickening that has a corresponding outer cone, with which it seals against the annular valve seat from below. The angles of the cones of the valve seat and valve stem are preferably selected differently, so that an annular contact is created, which results in a higher degree of sealing than a flat contact.

[0018] A structurally simple pressure regulator is manufactured by a method comprising the following steps: a. Providing a housing with an upwardly open blind bore, wherein the blind bore has several sections with at least three varying inner diameters that decrease stepwise in the axial direction from top to bottom; b.Provision of a receiving body comprising several sections with varying outer diameters that decrease stepwise in the axial direction from top to bottom, wherein the outer diameters of at least two successive lower sections correspond to the inner diameters of at least two successive upper sections of the blind bore, and wherein the receiving body is formed in one piece and has an axial through-bore, and wherein the receiving body extends axially, less the height of a valve seat, at least over the length of the two upper sections of the blind bore; c. Provision of an annular valve seat whose outer diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the second upper section of the blind bore; d. Insertion of a spring into the at least third lower section of the blind bore; e. Insertion of a valve tappet into the at least third lower section of the blind bore; f.Inserting the valve seat into the second upper section of the blind bore; g. Inserting the receiving body into the two upper sections of the blind bore; h. Inserting an actuating element into the through bore; i. Mounting a cover on the housing, with the actuating element passing through the cover at an opening.

[0019] The inventive design allows for simple assembly with only a few components, which can be easily plugged together due to their shape. The physical design of the receiving body, which extends over the entire axial length between the valve seat and at least to the upper end of the blind bore, achieves the positive locking of all components in the housing with just a single component. Since the housing is designed with a blind bore with internal diameters that decrease stepwise from top to bottom, and the receiving body has corresponding external diameters that also decrease stepwise from top to bottom, the receiving body can be easily inserted into the upwardly open blind bore of the housing from the opening of the blind bore after the valve has been installed.Further advantages of the invention are described in more detail below, together with a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figures. The figures show:

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of a pressure regulator.

[0021] Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of a housing according to Fig. 1.

[0022] Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of a receiving body according to Fig. 1,

[0023] Fig. 4 shows an isolated sectional view of the valve seat according to Fig. 1.

[0024] Fig. 5 shows a sectional view of a valve tappet according to Fig. 1.

[0025] Fig. 1 shows the pressure regulator 1 in a sectional view. Figs. 2 to 5 show isolated views of individual parts according to Fig. 1. The pressure regulator 1 comprises a housing 2 with a cover 3, which is screwed onto the housing 2. Fig. 2 is an isolated sectional view of the housing 2 according to Fig. 1. The housing 2 is formed with a blind bore 4 extending axially through the housing, which is open at the top. The blind bore 4 has four cylindrical bore sections 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d with varying inner diameters that decrease stepwise in the axial direction from top to bottom. In the area of ​​the vent channel 4e, the blind bore 4 has a circumferential vent extension 4f into which the vent channel 4e opens. At the end of the vent channel 4e, a threaded bore 4g is provided for connecting a vent line (not shown in the figures).The receiving body 5 is arranged in the blind bore 4 and has three cylindrical sections 5a, 5b, and 5c with varying outer diameters that decrease stepwise from top to bottom in the axial direction. Fig. 3 is an isolated sectional view of the receiving body 5 according to Fig. 1. The receiving body 5 covers the blind bore 4 with an upper first section forming a flange 5a, in which through holes 6 and 6' are provided. Corresponding blind holes 7 and 7' are provided in the end face of the housing 2. The through holes 6 and 6' and the blind holes 7 and 7' serve to ensure the correct rotational alignment of the housing 2 and the receiving body 5 relative to each other during the assembly of the pressure regulator 1, in order to guarantee optimal fluid flow through the pressure regulator 1.This is achieved by rotating the through holes 6 and 6' and the blind holes 7 and 7' together during assembly and inserting locking pins that extend through the through holes 6 and 6' and engage in the blind holes 7 and 7' (the locking pins are not shown in the figures). Below the flange 5a, the receiving body 5 extends with a second receiving section 5b radially and axially flush into the upper bore section 4a of the blind bore 4. With a further third receiving section 5c, the receiving body 5 engages radially flush into the second bore section 4b of the blind bore 4. The receiving body 5 has the venting transverse bore 5d, which opens into the vent extension 4f of the blind bore 4. The venting transverse bore 5d, the vent extension 4f, and the vent channel 4e provide an outlet-side emergency vent.In the event of a malfunction (seal failure), the emergency venting system vents fluid into a vent line connected to the threaded bore 4g (not shown in the figures) to prevent fluid from escaping into the environment. Below the receiving body 5, the annular valve seat 8 is radially flush with the second bore section 4b. Fig. 4 is an isolated sectional view of the valve seat 8 according to Fig. 1, with the upper and lower edges of the annular valve seat, located in front of the section plane, shown as dashed lines. The opening of the annular valve seat 8 forms a downwardly widening internal cone with the circumferential sealing surface 8a. In the axial direction, the valve seat 8 is positively locked between the lower end of the receiving section 5c and the bottom of the second bore section 4b.In an alternative embodiment, the valve seat 8 can also be directly integrally formed with the lower end of the receiving body 5. The receiving body 5 is formed with an axially extending through-bore 9, which also has several sections with varying inner diameters that decrease from top to bottom. The piston rod 10 is axially movably mounted in the through-bore 9 of the receiving body 5. The piston rod 10 is arranged axially between the cover 3 and the upper end of the valve tappet 11. Below the cover 3, the piston rod 10 is formed with the cylindrical stop 10a, which, in its axially upper position, abuts the cover 3. Above the stop 10a, the piston rod 10, at its upper end, passes through a central opening in the cover 3 containing the actuating pin 10b.In the radial direction, the piston rod is gripped by the guide sleeve 12 in the region of bore section 4b and axially slidably mounted therein. The valve tappet 11 is itself axially movable in the blind bore 4 and held in the axial direction by a positive and non-positive locking action between the valve seat 8 and the spring 13. Radially, the valve tappet 11 slidably rests against the inner wall of bore section 4d. At its upper end, the valve tappet 11, with its connecting pin 11a, extends through a central opening of the valve seat 8 and engages the piston rod 10 from below with the connecting pin 11a. Below the connecting pin 11a, the valve tappet with the valve cone 11b is designed as a frustoconical thickening. In the direction of the valve size 8, the valve cone 11b forms an upwardly decreasing outer cone, with which it rests against the corresponding circumferential sealing surface 8a of the valve seat 8.The sealing surface 8a and the contact surface of the valve cone that engages it form an angle > or < 0° with each other, so that an annular contact exists between the two surfaces. The receiving body 5 is formed with circumferential grooves 14 and 14' into which O-rings (not shown in the figures) are inserted for sealing against the fluid-carrying part of the pressure regulator. The valve seat 8 has a circumferential shoulder 15 on its underside for sealing against the regulator inlet 1; this shoulder also serves to receive an O-ring (not shown in the figures). The valve tappet 11 has two circumferential grooves 14" and 14"'. The upper groove 14" serves to receive an O-ring and a backup ring (not shown in the figures) for sealing, while the lower groove 14"' serves to receive a backup ring for guidance (not shown in the figures).

[0026] Fig. 1 shows the pressure regulator in its rest position, in which the control unit formed by the valve seat 8 and the valve cone 11b is closed by the upward spring force of the spring 13. Due to the closed control unit 8 / 11b, the regulator inlet 16 is fluidically separated from the regulator outlet 17. The valve tappet 11 is pressure-balanced by connecting the channel 11c at its upper end to the regulator outlet 17 via an external bore 1 Id. The transverse bore 1 Id is visible in Fig. 5, in which the valve tappet 11 is shown rotated 90° about its longitudinal axis compared to the representation in Fig. 1. The lateral edges of the connecting pin lying in front of the section plane are shown as dashed lines in Fig. 5. The transverse bore 1 Id connects the channel 11c and the spring chamber 14a with the outlet connection chamber 9a formed as part of the through bore 9 in the receiving body 5, which opens into the regulator outlet 17.At the transition from the outlet connection chamber 9a to the regulator outlet 17, optimal fluid flow is ensured due to the fixed rotational orientation of the receiving body 5 relative to the housing 3. The regulator outlet 17 is also in fluid communication with the closing chamber 18, whereby the piston 10c of the piston rod 10 in the closing chamber 18 is subjected to the outlet pressure present at the regulator outlet 17. In this way, the fluid force acting on the surface of the piston 10c facing the closing chamber 18, due to the respective pressure regulator outlet pressure, together with the spring force of the spring 13, forms the closing force that must be overcome to open the valve 8 / 11a. The closing force can be changed by using a spring 13 with the desired spring characteristic.For use, the pressure regulator 1 is equipped with a suitable loading mechanism (not shown in the figures) that exerts a definable axial load on the actuating pin 10b of the piston rod 10. A conventional loading mechanism, generally known in the prior art for pressure regulators, can be selected for this purpose, such as a spring load, a dome control, or a pneumatic actuator. As long as the defined loading force exerted on the actuating pin 10b of the piston rod 10 is less than or equal to the closing force, the regulator unit 8 / 1 la remains in its closed rest position.As soon as the load force exceeds the closing force due to a pressure drop at the regulator outlet 17, the piston rod 10 is moved axially downwards by the actuating mechanism and in turn moves the valve tappet 11 axially downwards, which releases from the valve seat 8 and opens a passage between the regulator inlet 16 and the regulator outlet 17. Consequently, high-pressure fluid flows from the regulator inlet 16 through the open valve seat 8 to the regulator outlet 17. As the outlet pressure at the regulator outlet 15 increases, the pressure acting on the piston 10c in the closing chamber 18 also begins to rise again.As soon as the closing force formed from the fluid force acting on the surface of the piston 10c facing the closing chamber 18 and the spring force of the spring 13 exceeds the load force, the valve tappet 11 and the piston rod 11 move upwards again until the valve tappet 11 again engages the sealing surface 8a with the valve cone 11b and closes the valve 8 / 1 laa.

[0027] For mounting the pressure regulator 1, the housing 2 with the blind bore 4 and the four cylindrical bore sections 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d, whose inner diameters decrease axially from top to bottom, is provided. Furthermore, the receiving body 5 with the three cylindrical sections 5a, 5b, and 5c, whose outer diameters also decrease axially from top to bottom, is provided, the outer diameters of sections 5b and 5c corresponding to the inner diameters 4a and 4b of the blind bore 4, is provided. Additionally, the annular valve seat 8 is provided, its outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of bore section 4b. To assemble the pressure regulator 1, the spring 13 is first inserted into bore section 4d of the housing 2. Then, the valve tappet 11 is inserted with its lower section into bore section 4d.The valve seat 8 is then inserted into bore section 4b. Next, the receiving body 5 is inserted into the blind bore 4, with its sections 5b and 5c engaging radially flush with bore sections 4a and 4b. The receiving body 5 is rotated relative to the housing 2 until the through holes 6 and 6' align with the blind holes 7 and 7'. To secure the rotational alignment of the receiving body 5 with the housing 2, locking pins are inserted that extend through the through holes 6 and 6' and engage in the blind holes 7 and 7' (the locking pins are not shown in the figures). The guide sleeve 12 can be pre-assembled, that is, inserted into the second section of the through bore 9 before the receiving body 5 is inserted into the housing 2. Alternatively, the guide sleeve 12 is inserted into the through-hole 9 after the receiving body 5 has been inserted into the housing 2.The piston rod 10 is then inserted into the through-hole 9. Finally, the hood-like cover 3 is screwed onto the housing 2, compressing the spring 13 and creating a defined preload. The design of the pressure regulator 1 allows for easy assembly with only a few components, which can be easily plugged together due to their shape. In particular, the physical design of the receptacle, which extends over the entire axial length between the valve seat 8 and the cover 3, ensures that all components are positively locked in the housing with just a single component.By having the housing designed with a blind bore that tapers stepwise from top to bottom and the receptacle designed with corresponding sections that also taper stepwise from top to bottom, the receptacle body 5 can simply be inserted into the upwardly open blind bore 4 of the housing.

[0028] Reference symbol list

[0029] 1 pressure regulator

[0030] 2 cases

[0031] 3 lids

[0032] 4. Blind hole

[0033] 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d Borehole section

[0034] 4e Vent duct

[0035] 4f Vent extension

[0036] 4g threaded hole

[0037] 5 recording bodies

[0038] 5a flange

[0039] 5b, 5c Recording section

[0040] 5d Venting cross-drilling

[0041] 6.6' through hole

[0042] 7, T blind hole

[0043] 8 valve seat

[0044] 8a Sealing surface

[0045] 9 through holes

[0046] 9a Outlet connection room

[0047] 10 Piston rod

[0048] 10a stop

[0049] 10b Actuating pin

[0050] 10c piston

[0051] 11 Valve Tappet

[0052] I la connecting pin

[0053] 11b Valve cone

[0054] 11c Channel l id Cross bore

[0055] 12 Guide sleeve

[0056] 13 spring

[0057] 14, 14', 14", 14"' Groove Heel Regulator Inlet Regulator Outlet Locking Chamber

Claims

Patent claims 1. Pressure regulator (1) comprising a housing (2) with an axial housing bore which is open at an upper end, a cover (3) arranged at an upper end of the housing (2) and a control unit arranged at a lower end in the housing bore, characterized in that a receiving body (5) is arranged in the housing bore which fills the housing bore over its axial extent between the control unit and its upper opening, wherein the receiving body (5) is formed in one piece and has an axial through-bore (9) and an actuating element for the control unit is axially movably received in the through-bore (9).

2. Pressure regulator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing bore has several sections with varying inner diameters that decrease stepwise in the axial direction from top to bottom.

3. Pressure regulator according to claim 2, characterized in that the receiving body (5) has several sections with varying outer diameters that decrease stepwise in the axial direction from top to bottom.

4. Pressure regulator (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a valve seat (8) is arranged below a lower end of the receiving body (5) in the axial housing bore.

5. Pressure regulator (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a valve seat (8) is formed on the lower end of the receiving body (5).

6. Pressure regulator (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the valve seat 8) is annular.

7. Pressure regulator (1) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that a valve plunger (11) is arranged below the valve seat (8), which engages the valve seat (8) from below, wherein the valve plunger (11) simultaneously with a pin-shaped section with which it abuts the lower end of the actuating element.

8. Pressure regulator (1) with the features of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the opening of the annular valve seat (8) has the form of a downwardly widening inner cone and the valve plunger (11) is formed below the pin-shaped section with a thickening which has an outer cone corresponding to the inner cone, with which it seals against the annular valve seat (8) from below.

9. Method for manufacturing a pressure regulator (1), characterized by the steps a. providing a housing (2) with an upwardly open blind bore (4), wherein the blind bore (4) has several sections with at least three varying inner diameters that decrease stepwise in the axial direction from top to bottom; b.a. Provision of a receiving body (5) which has several sections with varying outer diameters that decrease stepwise in the axial direction from top to bottom, wherein the outer diameters of at least two successive lower sections correspond to the inner diameters of at least two successive upper sections of the blind bore (4), and wherein the receiving body (5) is formed in one piece and has an axial through-bore (9), and wherein the receiving body extends axially, less the height of a valve seat (8), at least over the length of the two upper sections of the blind bore (4); c. Provision of an annular valve seat (11) whose outer diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the second upper section of the blind bore (4); d. Insertion of a spring (13) into the at least third lower section of the blind bore (4). e. Inserting a valve tappet (11) into at least the third lower section of the blind bore (4); f. Inserting the valve seat (8) into the second upper section of the blind bore; g. Inserting the receiving body (5) into the two upper sections of the blind bore (4); h. Inserting an actuating element into the through bore (9); i. Mounting a cover (3) on the housing (2), wherein the actuating element extends through the cover (3) at an opening.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the cover (3) has a hood shape and is screwed onto an upper external thread section of the housing (2) with an internal thread section.

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