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D E S C R I P T I O N

The present invention is directed to cartridges for hydraulic valves of a type comprising a shutter integral with a sliding rod.

The present invention refers to a cartridge ad- justing assembly with a collar-stem shutter with a pre-adjusting sleeve, usable in simple hydraulic valves provided with a manual command, which can be motorized or made thermostatic, and which can inte- grate a system for dynamically balanc- ing/compensating a flow rate.

STATE OF THE ART

Fluidic valves for adjusting the flow rate of a fluid adapted also for the static pre-adjustment are known and widely used in the field of hydraulic plants and thermotechnical and hydronic plants in the heating-plumbing field. Said hydraulic valves are generally also provided with means for balanc- ing and compensating the inlet pressures and are typically indicated by the acronym PICV (Pressure Independent Control Valve) .

These fluidic valves are hydraulic devices typ- ically used in thermotechnical applications in which it is sought the availability at the inlet of a constant flow rate of a liquid fluid, generally water, independently from the pressure variations of the fluid which could occur upstream and down- stream.

These known types of valves for dynamically ad- justing and balancing the flow rate, enable a more versatile and simplified design and manufacture of hydronic plants in which the flow rate of a fluid thermal carrier to the ends of one or more users, such as heat exchangers, radiators, fan coil units, is required to be held constant. Moreover, the

PICVs enable to adjust the flow rate independently from the upstream and downstream pressure condi- tions of the fluid, by keeping constant a preset flow rate.

More particularly, the adjusting/balancing valves or PICVs typically comprise three adjusting assemblies: a flow rate pre-adjusting assembly adapted to pre-select a maximum nominal inlet flow rate entering a user, a feedback adjusting assem- bly, typically a shutter, adapted to adjust or choke the flow rate of a required fluid thermal carrier as a function, for example, of the environ- ment temperature and a balancing or compensating assembly adapted to keep constant the flow rate in- dependently from the upstream and downstream pres- sure conditions of the valve.

The adjusting PICVs generally comprise a ther- moelectric head-type actuator provided with a push- er capable of linearly actuating the stem (known also as rod) closing the collar shutter in the valve body, obstructing and closing the fluid pas- sage. Such actuator is typically connected to an electronic unit and is adapted to close the stem shutter of the valve, for example, as a function of the environment temperature. With reference to the flow rate pre-adjustment, such valves are further provided with an adjusting sleeve provided with an opening which, when rotating with the sleeve, ena- bles to set a required maximum value of the fluid flow rate corresponding, for example, to the amount of maximum thermal energy to be transmitted.

Examples of flow rate dynamic balancing assem- blies are described in documents WO-A-2018051150 and EP-A-3067772. Another example of fluid flow rate dynamic adjusting balancing valves is de- scribed in the European patent EP 3 201 500 (B1) in the name of the same Applicant and regarding a valve comprising means for statically adjusting the flow rate of the fluid and adapted to vary the cross-section of a passage hole between the inlet and outlet of the valve and flow rate dynamic bal- ancing means adapted to adjust the flow rate of the fluid exiting the valve, as a function of the vari- ation of the inlet fluid flow rate. The dynamic balancing means comprise a perforated element in- terposed between the inlet opening and an interme- diate chamber in order to enable a fluid to flow only through at least one opening of the perforated element. Moreover, an elastic element is disposed at a face of the perforated element facing the flu- id inlet opening in the valve body, so that, an in- crease of the pressure difference between the valve inlet and outlet is matched by an expansion of the elastic element reducing the passage area of the opening of the perforated element and ensuring a constant flow rate.

A serious drawback of the valves of the known type is the presence of high hydraulic pressures acting on the closing shutter. The models of valves of greater size and flow rates require a higher force for overcoming the force of the fluid pres- sure on the shutter . Consequently, as the valve size increases, larger shutters will be required and capable of generating on the shutter increas- ingly higher forces, in order to ensure the closure thereof. Such types of actuators, having a size proportional to the high involved forces, are also more expensive and consume more power .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention consists of overcoming and obviating, at least partially, the drawbacks and operative limits of the above dis- cussed prior art. Specifically, an object of the present invention consists of providing a cartridge adjusting assembly and an associated hydraulic valve (of the PICV type, for example) which are ca- pable of operating with small-size low-priced actu- ators, in comparison with the known types, for the same force required to cause the valve to close.

More particularly, according to a preferred era- bodiment, an object of the present invention con- sists of providing a cartridge adjusting assembly and an associated hydraulic valve (of a PICV type, for example) capable of being configured and adapt- able to operate with different flow rate ranges: a range of greater flow rate levels and a range of smaller flow rate levels.

A further particular object of the present in- vention consists of providing a cartridge adjusting group and an associated hydraulic valve (of the

PICV type, for example) having a high reliability and a long-term resistance and such to be easily and economically manufactured .

It is an object of the present invention a car- tridge adjusting assembly as defined in claim 1 and particular embodiments thereof described in depend- ent claims from 2 to 10. According to a further as- pect, it is an object of the invention a hydraulic valve described in claim 11 and a preferred embodi- ment thereof defined in claim 12.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structural and operative characteristics of the invention could be better understood from the following detailed description, which refers to the attached drawings representing some preferred non- limiting embodiments, wherein:

-igure 1 is a schematic illustration of an axonometric view of a hydraulic PICV comprising a cartridge adjusting assembly object of the present invention; -igure 2 is a schematic illustration of an exploded axonometric view of a hydraulic PICV com- prising a cartridge adjusting assembly object of the present invention;

-igure 3 is a schematic illustration of an exploded axonometric view of a cartridge adjusting assembly of a hydraulic valve object of the present invention;

-igure 4 is an axonometric schematic illus- tration from another point of view of the cartridge adjusting assembly of a hydraulic valve object of the present invention;

-igure 5 is a schematic illustration of a plan view of the hydraulic PICV comprising a car- tridge adjusting assembly object of the present in- vention;

-igure 6 is a schematic illustration of a cross-section view according to the plane VI of

-igure 5 of the hydraulic PICV comprising the car- tridge adjusting assembly object of the present in- vention;

-igure 7 is a schematic illustration of a cross-section view according to the plane VII of

Figure 5 of the hydraulic PICV comprising the car- tridge adjusting assembly object of the present in- vention;

-igure 8 is a schematic illustration of a plan view of the cartridge adjusting assembly ob- ject of the present invention;

-igure 9 is a schematic illustration of a cross-section view according to the plane IX of

Figure 8 of the cartridge adjusting assembly object of the present invention;

-igure 10 is a schematic illustration of a longitudinal cross-section showing the operation of the valve 100 and the distribution of pressures PI and P2 in the valve members .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring particularly to the attached figures

(particularly to Figures 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 9) , a preferred embodiment of a hydraulic valve 100 of the PICV type (Pressure Independent Control Valve) according to the present invention is shown.

The valve 100 comprises a valve body 102 having an inlet opening 104, and outlet opening 105 and a handling opening 106. An opening 108, made in the valve body 102 of a valve, particularly of the PICV type, houses a dynamic pressure balancing or com- pensating assembly 200, known in the art. The bal- ancing or compensating assembly 200 is configured to maintain constant the flow rate independently from upstream and downstream pressure conditions of the valve.

Such balancing assembly 200 generally comprises a tubular element 202 slidingly actuated by a flex- ible diaphragm 204 (made of an elastomeric materi- al, for example) susceptible to a fluid pressure in the inlet opening 104 on a face thereof and to a fluid pressure at the outlet opening 105, on an op- posite face thereof in order to lead the tubular element 202 to increase or limit the fluid flow in- to the valve 100, as a function of the pressure difference Dr between the inlet opening 104 and outlet opening 105. In addition, the balancing as- sembly 200 typically comprises also an elastic ele- ment 206 adapted to hold the tubular element 202 in a monostable position (in an opening position, for example) .

The valve body 102 typically comprises also one or more servicing openings 110 adapted to service and control the valve 100 when is put in service; said servicing openings 110 are normally closed by plugs 110' .

The valve 100 is provided with an inner wall

112 with a passage opening 114 on which a cartridge adjusting assembly 10 and said balancing assembly

200 act.

Normally, the valve 100 can be also provided with conventional connecting connectors 300 placed at the inlet and outlet openings 104 and 105.

The attached Figures, particularly Figures 3,

4, 8 and 9, show a cartridge adjusting assembly 10, according to a particular embodiment, comprising a generally cylindrical cartridge body 12 slidingly receiving a rod 14. Said cartridge adjusting assem- bly is inserted into the valve body 102 at the han- dling opening 106.

A shutter 16 (a collar, for example) is at- tached to a first end 14' of the rod 14, inside the valve 100, the shutter is adapted to slide against the passage opening 114 of the valve 100 in order to adjust the fluid flow through the same, from a maximum amount to a complete closure of the open- ing. A second end 14" of the rod 14 is exposed out- side the valve body 100 and is adapted to come in contact with a conventional mechanical or electro- mechanical actuator (not shown) destined to linear- ly move the rod 14 in order to close or open the passage opening 114 by the shutter 16.

Said rod 14 is also provided with a further elastic element 18 (a coil spring, for example) co- axially arranged around the rod 14 and in the car- tridge body 12 in order to hold the rod 14 with the shutter 16 in a monostable position, normally open with respect to the opening 114 of the body 102.

Such rod 14 and elastic element 18 are held in po- sition in the cartridge body 12 by a first ferrule

19.

According to a particular embodiment, the car- tridge adjusting assembly 10 (in the following just cartridge 10) further comprises a sleeve 20, sub- stantially of a cylindrical tubular shape, attached to an inner end of the cartridge body 12.

Said sleeve 20 is adapted to adjust and limit the fluid flow exiting the passage opening 114 in the valve body 102 and directed towards the output opening 105 by means of at least one first shaped opening 22 and at least one second shaped opening

22' made on the outer cylindrical wall 24 of the sleeve 20 itself. The first opening 22 is shaped so that it enables to adjust the maximum flow rate of the valve inside a first range of fluid flow rate values according to a first scale. The second open- ing 22' is shaped so that it enables to adjust the maximum flow rate of the valve inside a second range of fluid flow rate values according to a sec- ond scale.

A first resolution is associated to said first scale and a distinct second resolution is associat- ed to said second scale. The term "resolution" means the flow rate range obtainable as a function of the sleeve 20 rotation of a predetermined angu- lar value.

Said first and second openings 22 and 22' of the sleeve 20 enable to preset the fluid maximum flow rate exiting the valve by a rotation of the sleeve 20 itself, by varying the passage cross- section towards the output opening 105.

The first and second openings 22 and 22' can have a shape open at the free end of the sleeve 20

(as shown in the figures) or can be integrally en- closed in the cylindrical wall 24. The first and second openings 22 and 22' are formed on portions of the cylindrical part 24 of the sleeve 20 which are separated by solid portions of said cylindrical wall 24 in order to selectively operate (in other words not simultaneously) in adjusting the fluid flow. Preferably, the first shaped opening 22 and second shaped opening 22' are made on portions in diametrally opposite positions of the cylindrical wall 24.

Moreover, both first and second shaped openings

22 and 22' have a cross-section facing a passage meatus 116 of the valve body 102, varying as a function of the sleeve 20 rotation. When the first shaped opening 22 faces said passage meatus 116, the second opening 22' is inactive, distally from the passage meatus 116 (and viceversa) . Both said first and second openings 22 and 22' can comprise, in turn, more than one opening formed on the cylin- drical wall 24, having reciprocally equal or dif- ferent cross-sections, adapted to simultaneously or continuously face the passage meatus 116.

According to the example in the figures, the size of the first opening 22 is the greatest and the size of the second opening 22' is the smallest, in order to be capable of presetting two operative configurations of the valve 100, alternative to each other, in two different fluid flow or flow rate ranges: a range with greater flow rate levels and one with smaller flow rate levels.

Advantageously, said sleeve 20 can be made of a plastic, polymeric or thermoplastic, metal material or of other syntherized materials or made with ad- ditive manufacturing techniques. Advantageously, the sleeve 20 is attached to the cartridge body 12 by pressure interlocking means 25 formed on the in- ner diametral surface of the sleeve and on the end diametral surface of the cartridge 12.

The sleeve 20 can be put in rotation with the shutter body 12, but can also be put in rotation by the collar or washer 55 of the shutter 16 integral with the rod 14 by connecting means 56 with the same rod 14, as for example by flat portions made on the first end 14' of the rod 14 matched by a non-circular shaped opening of the same collar or washer 55, as shown in Figure 3.

Still referring particularly to Figure 3, act- ing on the rod 14, by a conventional wrench, at the second end 14", puts in rotation the rod with the collar 55 which in turn rotates the sleeve 20 by at least one protrusion 57 matched by a respective groove 57' formed on the inner surface of the sleeve 20. Said cartridge 10 further comprises graduated reference means 30 made on the cartridge

10 itself (for example, a disk) or directly formed on the same. The reference means 30 are adapted to graphically show from the outside of said valve

100, said first and second scales and are disposed on the cartridge body 12. The reference means 30 are divided in at least two parts and comprise a first graduated scale 32 corresponding to the opening positions of the first shaped opening 22 and a second graduated scale 33 corresponding to the opening positions of the sec- ond shaped opening 22' .

The cartridge 10 can be fixedly or rotatively held in the valve body 12 by means of a second fer- rule 118 (Figure 2) attached to the handling open- ing 106. According to another embodiment, the car- tridge 10 is integral with the valve body 12.

By specifically referring to Figure 1, in the preferred embodiment of the figures, the cartridge

10 can be adjusted by a wrench acting on the second end 14" of the rod 14 and adapted to rotate said rod 14 and consequently the sleeve 20 with respect to the cartridge body 12, in order to perform a pre-adjustment of the flow rate of the valve 100.

Once the pre-adjustment is performed, it is possi- ble to install an electromechanical actuator (not shown) having a linear operation or an electrother- mal head, disposed at the handling opening 106 of the valve 100 and adapted to be cooperatively con- nected to the rod 14 of the cartridge 10.

Referring particularly to Figures 6, 7 and 9, in a preferred embodiment, the rod 14 of the car- tridge assembly 10 can also comprise a compensating conduit 15 (Figure 9) extending at least partially along the rod 14 axis and having an opening 15' at the first end 14' and at least a further opening

15" at said outer diametral surface of the rod 14 itself. The further opening 15", on the outer diam- etral surface of the rod 14, is in fluid communica- tion with a chamber 13 made in the cartridge 12. The compensating conduit 15 can also have a curved shape .

Said chamber 13 receives, through a central hole 52, a piston 50 integral with the rod 14 in order to slide with the rod itself inside said chamber 13. The piston 50 is attached to the rod 14 by fixing means 54 comprising, for example, elas- tically deformable interlocking means. Specifical- ly, the fixing means 54 comprise one or more diame- tral rings formed on the inner surface of the cen- tral body 52 and cooperating with further lateral rings 17 formed on the outer lateral surface of the rod 14. Moreover, the piston 50 is prevented from axially translating towards the first end 14' of the shutter 16 attached at the end of the rod 14. For example, said shutter 16 can be advantageously disposed on the rod 14 with a collar or washer 55 adapted to cause the shutter 16 to abut the car- tridge body 12.

Advantageously, the piston 50 can be made of a plastic, thermoplastic, polymeric, or thermopo- limeric or metal material, or other syntherized ma- terials or is made by additive manufacturing tech- niques .

The opening 15" of the compensating conduit 15 can comprise a transversal hole or conduit (for ex- ample, radial) which can be through, in other words, it extends along all the cross-section of the rod 14 or partially extends in the rod 14 in order to be always in fluid communication both with the compensating conduit 15 and chamber 13. The piston 50 is also provided with fluidic sealing el- ements 90 (for example, lip seals or O-rings of elastomeric material) disposed between the inner diametral surface of the central hole 52 and the outer diametral surface of the rod 14, and between the outer diameter surface of the piston 50 and the inner diametral surface of the chamber 13.

Particularly, the further opening 15" is in fluid communication with a portion 13' of the cham- ber 13 interposed between the piston 50 and second end 14" of the rod 14. More particularly, such por- tion 13' of the chamber 13 on which the further opening 15" opens, is interposed between the piston

50 and elastic element 18. It is observed the por- tion 13' is always fluid tightly isolated from the passage opening 114.

Advantageously, said sealing elements 90 can be received inside suitable annular housings or re- cesses formed on the outer surface of the piston 50 and rod 14.

Advantageously, the cartridge 10 can be provid- ed with a sealing element 95 in order to ensure a fluid tightness between the cartridge 10 itself and valve body 12.

From the above given description of the valve

100 it is inferred the operation of the same de- scribed in the following.

The cartridge 10 inserted in the valve 100 of the present description has the advantageous char- acteristic of a sleeve 20 capable of enabling the valve 100 to operate with different flow rate scales, different dimensions or very different from each other. For example, it is possible to operate according to a configuration adapted to high fluid flow applications and according to a low fluid flow configuration with the same valve and inner compo- nents .

More particularly, an operator, when installing a valve, can configure it according to a preselect- ed configuration by a wheel 400 by putting in rota- tion the cartridge 10 and the sleeve 20 integral with the former. For example, the operator selects the operative range with reference to a configura- tion by rotating the wheel 400 and cartridge 10 ac- cording to the first graduated scale 32 with dif- ferent opening degrees corresponding to different positions of the first shaped opening 22 facing the passage meatus 116. In such configuration, the sec- ond shaped opening 22' remains inactive distally positioned from the passage meatus. Analogously, the operator can configure the valve 100 by rotat- ing the wheel 400 on the second graduated scale 33, in order to operate with the second shaped opening

22' facing the passage meatus 116.

Different positions of the cartridge 10 indi- cated by each of the first and second graduated scales 32 and 33 correspond to different selected flow rates from a minimum flow rate to a maximum one associated to two different operative configu- rations. According to a particular example, when the configurations are switched, the sleeve 20 is in a non-operative intermediate position clearly dis- tinct from the two operative configurations. The term "non-operative position" means a position in which the outer cylindrical part 24 faces the pas- sage meatus 116 without an adjusting configuration belonging to the first or second openings 22, 22' , in which neither a fluid flow nor a limited fluid flow is available. Generally, by setting a minimum value of the configuration ranges on one of the graduated scales 32 and 33, the fluid flow rate is never completely blocked.

Referring to Figures 1, 6 and 7, if it is re- quired to close the valve 100 by the shutter 16, the electromechanical actuator (not shown) acts on the second end 14' of the rod 14 by downwardly thrusting it, by overcoming the force of the fur- ther elastic element 18, in order to take the shut- ter 16 in contact with the edge of the passage opening 114, blocking the fluid flow between the inlet opening 104 and outlet opening 105.

Referring particularly to Figure 10, being the chamber 13 in fluid communication with the passage opening 114 by the compensating conduit 15, the pressure P1 of the fluid flowing through and at the passage opening 114, is equal to the pressure P2 in the portion 13' of the chamber 13, during the step of closing the shutter 16. Therefore, it is gener- ated a force F2 acting on the piston surface 50 facing the portion 13' of the chamber 13, which counters the force F1 exerted by the pressure P1 of the flowing fluid, compensating the same. This makes the shutter 16 actuatable by the associated rod 14 by a reduced force of the electromechanical actuator and mainly generated by the further elas- tic element 18, which remains generally constant as the pressure PI increases.

The opening 15' of the compensating hole 15 is in a position near the closure of the shutter 16 at the passage opening 114, so that the same pressure countering the closure of the shutter 16 is trans- ferred to the portion 13' of the chamber 13. This characteristic enables an accurate compensation which tends to eliminate the forces acting on the shutter 16 by a force of an equal modulus exerted on the piston 50 surface facing the portion 13' of the chamber 13.

The cartridge assembly and associated hydraulic valve 100 are particularly advantageous. The de- scribed solution, providing the compensation of the force acting on the shutter during the closing step, enables the use of smaller and less expensive actuators having a reduced power consumption with respect to the ones of the prior art. It is ob- served that the use of a small-sized actuator is convenient also from the point of view of the size, enabling to install the valve in confined spaces and cassettes. Moreover, using a conduit linearly extending inside a rod does not limit the stroke of the rod itself. A further advantage of the de- scribed structure is that the compensating pressure in the chamber 13 is exactly the same pressure act- ing on the shutter 16 at the passage opening 114 of the valve 100. The fluid flow pressure at said pas- sage opening 114 is indeed slightly less than the pressure in other parts of the valve due to the

Venturi effect. The fluid connection between the passage opening 114 and chamber 13, through the conduit 15, ensures a perfect balance of the forces generated by the pressures on the piston 50, and an accuracy of the closure, for example, also by a feedback with electromechanical actuators, for ex- ample, electrothermal heads. The particular solu- tion with the sleeve provided with plural openings associated to different flow rate pre-adjustment scales enables to use a single device or valve with a single model for each standardized dimension. In this way, it is eliminated the requirement of providing two types of the same valve differing on- ly for the flow rate pre-adjustment range performed by the sleeve 20, by consequently reducing the man- ufacturing, storage, and marketing costs due to a single type of valve having a standard dimension of the connections. A further advantage refers to a particular solution which enables to provide a valve adjustable according to two different flow rate ranges, which partially overlap each other or are also completely separated from each other, and to balance the flow rate in a range of Dr values on both the ranges.

While the invention has been hereinbefore de- scribed by particularly referring to some preferred embodiments, given in an exemplifying non-limiting way, many modifications and variants will be appar- ent to a person skilled in the art from the above given description.

For example, the present invention can also be applied to hydraulic valves different from the

PICVs and therefore not provided with the balancing assembly 200. Further, the teachings of the present invention can be also applied to valves exhibiting a pre-adjustment performed in a conventional way, and in other words, for example, by a sleeve ena- bling to pre-adjust the flow rate inside only one range of values. Moreover, it is possible to apply the present invention to hydraulic valves without any pre-adjustment.