DESCRIPTION

The present invention regards a shutter device, preferably for multi-way valves. Furthermore, the invention regards a multi-way valve comprising one or more of the aforementioned shutter devices.

In the hydraulic industry, the use of multi-way valves for alternatingly connecting one or more inflow branches of the hydraulic circuit with one or more outflow branches of the hydraulic circuit, is known.

Such valves usually have a central valve body on which there are obtained the inflow port or ports and the outflow port or ports, each one of which is connected to the aforementioned branches of the hydraulic circuit.

In order to shut-off and divert the flow of the fluid circulating in the hydraulic circuit, the multi-way valves further comprise shutter devices which have the purpose of placing the inflow port or ports alternatingly in communication with the outflow port or ports.

Furthermore, it is not ruled out that shutter devices can be used in hydraulic devices different from a multi-way valve, such as for example in pumps, more precisely in membrane pumps.

It is equally known that though the aforementioned shutter devices of the prior art come in various types, they all share the common trait of comprising several components obtained separately and then assembled together so as to enable each of such shutter devices to operate as a shutter element in a multi-way valve or in a device of another type.

However, such characteristic, that the shutter devices of the prior art have in common, determines a first important drawback lying in the fact that the assembly of the various components requires using special fixing means, screws for example.

Furthermore, a further drawback of the prior art shutter devices lies in the fact that the contact sections between the various components that constitute the devices could serve, disadvantageously, as stagnation points of deposits of the fluid flowing through the multi-way valve or impurities present in the fluid.

Furthermore, still disadvantageously, in such contact sections between the components that define the shutter device, there may not be guaranteed a perfect sealing and, thus, there could be fissures through which the fluid could seep through and flow out in areas of the valve where the presence thereof had not been provided for.

Furthermore, the fact that the shutter device consists of several components assembled to each other could determine, disadvantageously, assembly defects that could in turn cause the presence of the aforementioned fissures or the occurrence of malfunctioning of the same shutter device.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome all the aforementioned drawbacks.

In particular, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a shutter device capable of avoiding the presence of fissures that could enable the leakage of the fluid that flows in the hydraulic circuit and the presence of impurities stagnation points and deposits of the same fluid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shutter device that does not require the use of fixing means and avoids possible assembly errors.

Last but not least, an object of the invention is to provide a shutter device that provides for an implementation process that is less complex and thus more economic with respect to shutter devices of the prior art.

The aforementioned objects are attained by providing a shutter device according to the main claim.

Further characteristics of the shutter device of the invention are outlined in the dependent claims.

The multi-way valve comprising one or more of the aforementioned shutter devices of the invention is also part of the invention.

The aforementioned objects, alongside the advantages described hereinafter, shall be outlined in the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, provided solely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the following attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 shows the shutter device of the invention represented in plan view;

- fig. 2 shows the shutter device of the invention in sectional lateral view;

- fig. 3 shows the shutter device of the invention in axonometric view;

- fig. 4 shows an axonometric view of the multi-way valve of the invention;

- fig. 5 shows - in sectional view according to the line of section V-V - the multi-way valve of the invention of fig. 4;

- fig. 6 shows - in sectional view according to the line of section VI-VI - the multi-way valve of the invention of fig. 4.

The shutter device of the invention, preferably for multi-way valves, is represented in an isolated manner in figs. 1 to 3 and applied to one of such multi-way valves in figs. 5 and 6, where it is indicated in its entirety with 1.

As observable in figs. 2 and 3, the shutter device 1 of the invention comprises a central shutter body 2 configured to shut the communication duct between two ways of one of the aforementioned valves 100, as schematically represented in figs. 5 and 6.

Furthermore, the shutter device 1 of the invention also comprises an actuator element 3 present around the central shutter body 2 starting from a first surface 2a thereof. The actuator element 3 is defined elastically yieldable so as to be deformed when subjected to an external thrust.

Such external thrust may preferably be promoted by the compressed air directly directed towards the first surface 2a of the shutter device 1 of the invention. Such compressed air may flow into the possible valve in which the shutter device 1 of the invention is arranged through special ducts obtained in the valve body.

Furthermore, the actuator element 3 has a smaller thickness w1 than the thickness w2 of the central shutter body 2, as observable from fig. 2.

The central shutter body 2 and the actuator element 3 preferably have a circular-shaped base in plan view, as represented in fig. 1.

According to the invention, the shutter device 1 of the invention is characterised in that the central shutter body 2 and the actuator element 3 are obtained as a single body.

Such latter characteristic enables the shutter device of the invention 1 to attain the aforementioned objects of the invention.

In particular, the fact that such shutter device 1 , in particular the two elements it is made up of, the central shutter body 2 and the actuator element 3, are obtained as a single body enables avoiding defining fissures which could allow leakage from the valve or from devices of another type of the fluid which flows in the hydraulic circuit. Furthermore, such configuration also enables avoiding defining stagnation points of impurities and deposits of the same fluid.

Such characteristic of the invention also enables avoiding using fixing means, in that the shutter device 1 is not defined by the assembly of single components obtained separated from each other. Preferably, the shutter device 1 is obtained by means of a turning operation starting from a solid body.

However, in an alternative embodiment, it cannot be ruled out that it can be obtained by means of moulding or other known manufacturing methods.

In particular, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuator element 3 and the central shutter body 2 are made of polymeric material. Even more specifically, such polymeric material is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or one of the compounds thereof which comprise - besides such polymer - even other stabilising and fluidifying components for improving the application range thereof. Such compounds are commercially known by the name of Teflon, Fluon, Algoflon or Hostaflon.

However, according to different embodiments, it cannot be ruled out that such shutter device 1 can be made of a different material with respect to polytetrafluoroethylene, for example made of metal material.

As observable in fig. 3, the preferred embodiment of the shutter device 1 of the invention provides for that the second surface 2b of the central shutter body 2, opposite to the first surface 2a, peripherally comprises a circular projection 4 suitable to serve as a sealing element when the shutter device 1 is coupled and comes into contact with the valve body 101 of said multi-way valves 100, as observable hereinafter.

As regards the actuator element 3, the preferred embodiment of the invention provides for that it comprises a substantially plate-like outer circular crown 31 and an inner circular crown 32 shaped to form a membrane that is yieldably elastically deformable so as to be deformed when subjected to an external thrust. As observable in fig. 2, the inner circular crown 32 elastically joins the outer circular crown 31 to the first surface 2a of the shutter body 2, so that the positions mutually taken by such last two elements can vary depending on the external conditions, for example depending on the application of the aforementioned external thrust.

Furthermore, when the shutter device 1 of the invention is in the inoperative position, the outer circular crown 31 and the first surface of the shutter body 2a lie substantially on a same first plane TT1 , as represented still in fig. 2. Furthermore, still in the inoperative position of the shutter device 1 of the invention, the second surface 2b and the maximum vertical point 32a of the membrane-shaped inner circular crown 32 lie on a same second plane p2, the first plane TT1 and the second plane p2 being substantially parallel to each other.

However, according to different embodiments of the invention, it cannot be ruled out that the second surface 2b and the maximum vertical point 32a do not lie on the same aforementioned second plane p2.

Furthermore, preferably but not necessarily, the shutter device 1 of the invention could provide for means for fixing to external elements, such as for example an outer mechanical plunger, arranged, solely and exclusively, at the aforementioned first surface 2a.

Besides such characteristic advantageously enabling to associate the shutter device 1 of the invention to the aforementioned external elements, for example for the displacement thereof from a closing position to an opening position and vice versa, it also enables to keep the distinctive characteristics of the shutter device 1 of the invention intact with the relative advantages described above. Furthermore, the shutter device 1 of the invention, according to a particular embodiment thereof, could comprise a proximity sensor or an abutment element for such proximity sensor, not represented in the figures, with the aim of determining the position of the shutter device 1 with respect to the valve body 101 of a multi-way valve 100 when the former is installed into the latter. In particular, such sensors could comprise, for example, magnetic or ultrasonic proximity sensors.

As mentioned previously, the multi-way valve 100, represented in figs. 4 to 6, which can be used for treating corrosive and/or highly viscous fluids such as for example rotary printing ink, is also part of the invention. However, it cannot be ruled out that the multi-way valve 100, according to the invention, can be used for diverting the flow of any fluid, whether corrosive or non-corrosive, as well as more or less viscous.

The multi-way valve 100 of the invention comprises a valve body 101 , for example cylindrical-shaped, with an inflow port 102, a first outflow port 103 and at least a second outflow port 104 for the fluid.

In particular, the preferred embodiment of the invention provides for that the multi-way valve 100 exclusively comprises two outflow ports 103 and 104, a central chamber 105 connected with a first duct 106 to the inflow port 102 and two openings 107 and 108 connecting each of the two outflow ports 103 and 104 with the aforementioned central chamber 105. Operatively, each of these ports 102, 103 and 104 is suitable to be coupled to respective portions of a hydraulic circuit, not represented in the figures, which may comprise a pump for the circulation of the fluid therein.

However, according to different embodiments of the invention, it cannot be ruled out that the multi-way valve 100 of the invention comprises more than two outflow ports or more than one inflow port.

Now back to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the multi-way valve 100 of the invention further comprises a shutter device arranged at each of the two openings 107 and 108 for selectively and alternatively placing the inflow port 102 in fluid communication with the first outflow port 103 or the second outflow port 104.

According to the invention, the multi-way valve 100 of the invention is characterised in that each of the aforementioned two shutter devices is a shutter device 1 of the invention described above.

Furthermore, the multi-way valve 100 of the invention is provided with special ducts defined on the valve body 101 so as to provide, at the first surface 2a of each of the shutter devices 1 installed on the valve 100, an external thrust by means of compressed air. Thus, such external thrust enables the shutter device 1 to deform and alternatively place the port to which such shutter device is associated in fluid communication or occlude it.

Lastly, it should be clarified that it cannot be ruled out that the shutter device 1 of the invention can be used in hydraulic devices different from a multi-way valve.

Thus, in light of the above, the shutter device and the multi-way valve subject of the invention attain all pre-set objects.

In particular, the object of providing a shutter device capable of avoiding the presence of fissures that could enable the leakage of the fluid that flows in the hydraulic circuit and the presence of impurities stagnation points and deposits of the same fluid, is attained.

Another object attained by the invention is to provide a shutter device that does not require the use of fixing means and avoids possible assembly errors. Last but not least, the object of providing a shutter device that provides for an implementation process that is less complex and thus more economic with respect to shutter devices of the prior art, is attained.