Modular Dash Control Valve Manifold

This invention relates to a modular control valve assembly for a vehicle air brake system.

Vehicle air brake systems have recently became more sophisticated than prior art systems and require additional valves to control communication between the various parts of the braking system. These valves have traditionally been mounted separately in the vehicle dashboard, and the entire valve assembly heretofore had to be disconnected from the air brake system and removed for periodic maintenance. Furthermore, each of the control valves mounted in the vehicle dashboard has their own inlet, outlet, and exhaust ports. Consequently, many difficult connections to the air brake system had to be made within the vehicle dashboard, thereby complicating installation and servicing problems.

A modular control valve assembly includes a base which carries a plurality of bosses extending therefrom. Each of the bosses receives a removable valve assembly, consisting of a valve spool carrying valve seats and a movable valve element. The valve assembly is held within the boss by a retaining ring, so that the entire valve assembly may be easily removed from the boss when it requires servicing. Parallel passages extend through the base, and circumferentially spaced passages associated with each of the bosses communicate with a corresponding one of the passages in the base, so that a single inlet communication is provided to communicate air pressure to each of the valves in the assembly, a single exhaust exhausts air from all of the valves of the manifold assembly, and one or more outlet ports may be provided which communicate with one or more of the valves in the assembly and which are connected with the various air brake system components.

Therefore, an important object of my invention is to facilitate assembly of a vehicle air brake control system by providing a modular control valve manifold in which only a single inlet and exhaust connection need be made to service an indefinite number of control valves.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a modular control valve manifold which houses an indefinite number of valves, and to facilitate servicing of these valves by enabling their removal through the front of the dashboard by the release of a single retaining ring associated with each of the valves.

Another important object of my invention is to eliminate leak points in the air brake system by providing a modular valve manifold which requires only a single inlet and a single exhaust connection.

Still another important object of my invention is to enable the air brake control valves used in an air brake vehicle to be serviced without disconnecting the air lines communicating with the valves.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, top plan view of a modular control valve assembly made pursuant to the teachings of my present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, taken substantially along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, plan view of the bottom of the assembly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 4--4 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, a modular control valve assembly generally indicated by the numeral 10 includes a base 12 having bosses 14, 16 extending therefrom. Although two bosses are illustrated in the drawings, the invention anticipates that the base 12 may be made of an indefinite length, and that any desired number of bosses, depending upon the functional requirements of the air brake system, may be provided. Elongated, substantially parallel passages 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 extend axially through the base 12. The bosses 14 and 16 includes circumferentially extending walls 30, 32. The walls 30 and 32 define passages which extend parallel to the axis of the boss and which communicate with the passages 18-28 which extend through the base 12. For example, the passage 34 on the boss 14 and the passage 36 on the boss 16 each communicate with the passage 28. Similarly, passages 38 and 40 communicate with the passage 26; passages 42 and 44 communicate with the passage 24; passages 46, 48 communicate with the passage 22; passages 50, 52 communicate with the passage 20; and passages 54, 56 communicate with the passage 18. Of course, additional bosses may be included as part of the manifold assembly and would be provided with circumferentially spaced passages extending through the wall thereof which would communicate with each of the passages 18-28. The bottom of the assembly 10 is provided with ports 58, 60, 62, 64, 66 and 68 which communicate with the passages 18-28 respectively.

The inner circumferential surface of the wall 30 of the boss 14 is stepped to define a larger diameter portion 70, a smaller diameter portion 72, and a portion 74 of intermedite diameter. As discussed hereinabove, the boss 14 receives a valve assembly, generally indicated by the numeral 76, which includes a spool 78 and a movable valve element 80. The valve spool 78 defines a pair of valve seats 82, 84. The valve element 80 includes a member 86 which is urged into sealing engagement with the valve seat 82 by a spring 88. However, the valve member 86 may be moved into sealing engagement with the valve seat 84 by operation of the handle 90 by the vehicle operator. The valve spool 78 includes a larger diameter portion 92 carrying an O-ring seal which seals with the larger diameter portion 70 of the boss 14, a smaller diameter portion 96 carrying an O-ring seal which seals against the smaller diameter portion 72 of the boss 14, and a portion 98 of intermediate diameter carrying an O-ring seal that sealingly engages the portion 74 of the bore 14. A retaining ring 100 of conventional construction is located in a groove 102 in the wall 30 of the boss 14, and retains the valve assembly 76 in the position illustrated in the drawing. Consequently, the valve assembly 76 may be removed by removal of the retaining ring 100, so that the valve assembly 76 may be serviced.

The inner circumferential surface of the wall 30 is drilled to define a conduit 104 which communicates the passage 50 with a compartment 106 defined above the valve seat 82 in the valve spool 78. Similarly, the inner circumferential surface of the wall 30 is also drilled to define a conduit 108 which communicates the passage 46 with the compartment 110 which is defined between the valve seat 82 and the valve seat 84. As discussed hereinabove, the passage 42 communicates with the passage 24 which in turn communicates with the port 64, so that the port 64 serves as the exhaust port and is communicated to the ambient atmosphere. Similarly, the passage 50 communicates with the passage 20 which in turn communicates with the port 60, so this port serves as the supply port and is connected to a fluid pressure source. The passage 46 communicates with the passage 22 which in turn is communicated with the port 62, so the port 62 serves as the delivery port and is connected to the air brake system component which is controlled by the valve assembly 76. As explained hereinabove, the conduit drilled in the wall 32 of the boss 16 corresponding to the conduit 108 in the boss 14 is communicated to one of the passages 56, 40 or 36. Assuming that this conduit would communicate to the passage 36 which in turn is communicated to the port 68, the valve assembly generally indicated by the numeral 114 which is received in the boss 16 may be used to control communication to the delivery port 68, which is connected to still another component in the air brake system. A removable cover member 116 sealingly engages the end 118 of the modular assembly 10, and seals the ends of the passages 18-28. A similar cover member (not shown) may be used to cover the right-hand end 120 viewing FIG. 2 of the assembly 10, or an additional module generally indicated by the numeral 122 may be attached to the end 120, to provide additional valving capability.

Referring now to the valve assembly 76, in the condition illustrated in the drawing, the valve element 80 is sealingly engaged with the valve seat 82, thereby trapping supply pressure communicated through the supply port 60 and the passages 50 and 20. Since the valve element 80 is disposed out of engagement with the valve seat 84, substantially uninhibited communication is permitted between the chambers 110 and 111, thereby communicating the delivery port 62 with the exhaust port 64. When fluid pressure is to be communicated to the aforementioned component connected to the delivery port 62, the vehicle operator manipulates the handle 90 to bring the valve element 80 into sealing engagement with the valve seat 84, thereby terminating communication through the exhaust port 64 and initiating communication between the chambers 110 and 106 so that communication is initiated between the supply port 60 and the delivery port 62. The valve assembly 114 operates in an analagous fashion, except that it controls communication between the supply port 60 and the delivery port 68. As discussed hereinabove, the valve assemblies 76 and 114 may be serviced by removing the retaining ring 100 in the case of the valve assembly 76 and the corresponding retaining ring in the case of the valve assembly 114, whereupon the valve assemblies, consisting of the spool of the movable valve element, may be removed through the open end of their corresponding bosses. Since the appropriate O-ring seals are carried by the valve spool, these seals are removed simultaneously with the removal of the valve assemblies so that the seals may be replaced, and the various valve assemblies may be otherwise serviced when this is required.