Solenoid Valve Assembly for Controlling the Flow Of
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(19) TZZ __T (11) EP 2 475 919 B1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION (45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.: (2006.01) of the grant of the patent: F16K 31/40 31.07.2013 Bulletin 2013/31 (86) International application number: PCT/IB2010/054009 (21) Application number: 10760050.4 (87) International publication number: (22) Date of filing: 07.09.2010 WO 2011/030279 (17.03.2011 Gazette 2011/11) (54) SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FLUID, PARTICULARLY FOR WASHING MACHINES MAGNETVENTILANORDNUNG ZUR STEUERUNG DES FLUSSES EINER FLÜSSIGKEIT, IM BESONDEREN FÜR WASCHMASCHINEN ENSEMBLE ELECTROVANNE POUR REGLER UN ECOULEMENT DE FLUIDE, EN PARTICULIER DANS DES MACHINES A LAVER (84) Designated Contracting States: • RAVEDATI, Paolo AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB I-10024 MONCALIERI (Torino) (IT) GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO • RENDESI, Maurizio PL PT RO SE SI SK SM TR I-10090 VILLARBASSE (Torino) (IT) • BOSIO, Roberto (30) Priority: 09.09.2009 IT TO20090691 I-10141 Torino (IT) • DAVI, Massimo (43) Date of publication of application: I-10053 BUSSOLENO (Torino) (IT) 18.07.2012 Bulletin 2012/29 • PARIS, Fabrizio I-10040 DRUENTO (Torino) (IT) (73) Proprietor: ELBI International S.p.A. 10129 Torino (IT) (74) Representative: Quinterno, Giuseppe et al Jacobacci & Partners S.p.A. (72) Inventors: Corso Emilia 8 • DA PONT, Paolo 10152 Torino (IT) I-10123 Torino (IT) • CAPIZZI, Giosué (56) References cited: I-10090 BUTTIGLIERA ALTA (Torino) (IT) EP-A1- 0 345 382 DE-A1- 3 540 997 DE-U1- 29 607 737 Note: Within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent Bulletin, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). EP 2 475 919 B1 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 2 475 919 B1 2 Description denoted2 as a whole, which inthe embodiment illustrated by way of example comprises a main body 3, a reaction [0001] The present invention relates to a valve assem- body 4, and a shaped intermediate barrier 5. These com- bly for controlling a flow of fluid, particularly for washing ponents of the valve body 2 may for example be plastic machines. 5 mouldings. [0002] More specifically the subject of the invention is [0008] The main body 3 forms a tubular inlet port 6 and a valve assembly of the type comprising a tubular outlet port 7. In the example depicted in the drawing these ports are in line on an axis marked 8-8, a valve body with an inlet port and an outlet port for but this arrangement is not obligatory because the ports the fluid, between which there is defined a main valve 10 6 and 7 could extend in directions forming an angle with seat intended to cooperate with an associated main each other. obturator, said main obturator defining together with [0009] In the intermediate part of the main body 3 a the valve body, a (first) variable volume control main valve seat 9 is formed, with which a main obturator chamber which is in permanent communication with 10 is associated. In the embodiment illustrated, this ob- theinlet port through at leastone firstpassage having 15 turator comprises a radially more outward annular part a reduced cross- section; said control chamber being 10a that is gripped between the main body 3, the reaction adapted to be brought into communication with the body 4, and the intermediate barrier 5. The portion 10a outlet port through a second passage having an in- of the obturator 10 is joined to an essentially rigid central creased cross-section; and portion 10b by a flexible intermediate annular portion 10c. a solenoid pilot valve including a control coil and a 20 [0010] The central portion 10b of the obturator 10 co- movable core associated with an auxiliary obturator operates with the valve seat 9, and in the embodiment which is adapted to open and close said second pas- illustrated has an axial through hole 11 with a small trans- sage. verse cross-section. [0011] An annular chamber marked 12 is defined be- [0003] A valve assembly of this kind is disclosed for 25 tween the main obturator 10 and the portion of the body example in British patent GB- 2 296 075 by the same ap- 3 that surrounds the main valve seat 9. plicant; DE 296 07 737 U1 discloses a valve assembly [0012] A first or variable- volume control chamber 13 is according to the preamble of the independent claim. defined between the main obturator 10 and the interme- [0004] One object of the present invention is to provide diate barrier 5. a valve assembly of this kind in which the control coil of 30 [0013] The inlet port 6 of the valve assembly 1 is in the solenoid pilot valve can also be positioned at a certain permanent communication with the control chamber 13, distance from the valve body, and in which more than through the passage 11 provided in the obturator 10. one moveable core, and therefore more than one valve, [0014] Inside the control chamber 13, between the in- can if desired be controlled by an electromagnetic circuit termediate barrier 5 and the obturator 10, is a helical controlled by means of a single coil. 35 spring14 thattends to keep this obturator normally closed [0005] This object and others are achieved according on the valve seat 9. to the invention with a valve assembly of the kind spec- [0015] Mounted rigidly on the main obturator 10 is an ified above, characterized in that in the valve body be- opposing ring 30 capable of containing the thrust of the tween the abovementioned second passage and the out- pressure of the fluid acting from the control chamber 13 let port there is defined a second variable volume control 40 towards the annular chamber 12, when the valve assem- chamber, which is delimited in part by the auxiliary obtu- bly 1 is in the rest condition. rator, and in that the movable core associated with said [0016] The annular chamber 12, which is fluidically auxiliary obturator is mounted out of the flow- path of said downstream of the main valve comprising the seat 9 and fluid. Other features and advantages of the invention will the associated obturator 10, is in permanent communi- bemade clear by thefollowing detailed description, which 45 cation with the outlet port 7 through at least one passage is given purely by way of non-restrictive example, with marked 16. reference to the appended drawings, in which: [0017] Associated with said main valve 9, 10 is a so- lenoid pilot valve bearing the general reference 17. This Figure 1 is a partial view in section of a valve assem- solenoid pilot valve comprises a control coil 18, which bly according to the invention; 50 includes an essentially tubular spool-like support 18a, Figure 2 is a cross-section through another valve around which a winding 18b is formed and inside which assembly according to the invention; and a stationary ferromagnetic core 18c is arranged. Figure 3 is a cross- section on plane III- III as marked [0018] The solenoid pilot valve 17 also comprises a in Figure 2. ferromagnetic core 19 mounted movably in a cavity 20 55 defined between the stationary core 18c, the reaction [0006] In Figure 1, reference 1 denotes as a whole a body 4, and the intermediate barrier 5. valve assembly according to the invention. [0019] In the cavity 20, underneath the movable core [0007] This assembly 1 comprises a rigid valve body, 19, is an auxiliary diaphragm obturator 21 with its periph- 2 3 EP 2 475 919 B1 4 ery gripped fluid-tightly between the barrier 5 and the of the passage 11 formed in the obturator 10. Conse- body 4. quently, once the auxiliary obturator 21 has opened the [0020] The auxiliary obturator 21 may conveniently be seat 25, the flow of fluid entering into the control chamber made for example as a diaphragm of two separate su- 13 is unable to compensate for the flow escaping through perimposed layers, one of which may be made of an elas- 5 the chamber 22 and through the passage 23. tomer or the like, and the other of metal or other rigid [0031] The control chamber 13 now gradually empties, material, in order to provide dual security of pressure and as a result the pressure of the fluid in its interior integrity to the outside. gradually diminishes. [0021] Between the auxiliary obturator 21 and the bar- [0032] The main obturator 10 is now subjected to a rier 5 a second variable volume control chamber 22 is 10 pressure of about zero on its surface facing towards the defined. The latter is in permanent communication with control chamber 13, and to the pressure of the fluid ar- the outlet port 7 of the valve assembly 1 through a pas- riving from the inlet port 6 which causes an upward move- sage 23 which in the example illustrated lies partly inside ment of this main obturator 10. The latter then compress- the barrier 5, partly inside the body 4 and the portion 10a es the spring 14 and opens the main valve seat 9. of the obturator 10, and lastly partly in the main body 3.