METHOD FOR PRODUCING SERVO VALVE MANIFOLDS AND MANIFOLD WITH CURVILINEAR FLOW GALLERY OF SINGLE PIECE CONSTRUCTION

• US 20160131165A1
• Filed: 06/11/2014
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Domin Fluid Power Limited
• Original Assignee: Blagdon Actuation Research Limited
• Inventors: COLLINS, Andrew John
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/20 Direct sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/385 Overhang structures
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/10 of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7506 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 13/0807 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 13/0814 Monoblock manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 13/0871 Channels for fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F15D 1/00 Influencing flow of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/07 with cylindrical slides
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/041 cylindrical slide valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6065 Assembling or disassembling reciprocating valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87885 Sectional block structure

Abstract

A method for producing a manifold is disclosed, wherein an additive manufacturing process is used to produce the manifold.

Claims

1. A method for producing a servo valve manifold, wherein the manifold is formed using an additive manufacturing process.

2. A method for producing a manifold in accordance with claim 1, wherein the method includes the step of:

forming at least one curvilinear flow gallery within the single piece manifold during the additive manufacturing process.

3. A method for producing a manifold according to claim 1, wherein the method includes the step of:

forming at least one flow control feature as part of the single piece manifold during the additive manufacturing process.

4. A method for producing a manifold according to claim 3, wherein a spool is mounted concentrically within a portion of the manifold such that an annular cavity is formed between the spool and the manifold and the at least one flow control feature is a sleeve which divides the annular cavity into at least two concentric annular zones along a portion of the length of the spool.

5. A method for producing a manifold according to claim 3, wherein the at least one flow control feature is a fluid filter.

6. A method for producing a manifold according to claim 3, wherein the at least one flow control feature is a flow restrictor.

7. A method for producing a manifold according to claim 1, wherein the method includes the following steps:

forming a cavity within the manifold during the additive manufacturing process, the cavity being defined by an inner surface of the manifold, the cavity having a valve locating portion and a valve opening, and

providing a valve member located within the cavity, the valve member being elastically deformable, and wherein the valve member is located within the cavity by the valve locating portion such that the valve opening is blocked by the valve member.

8. A method of producing a manifold according to claim 7, wherein the valve locating portion is an area of reduced diameter and the valve member is located within the cavity such that the valve member is compressed between the valve opening and the area of reduced diameter.

9. A servo valve manifold including at least one curvilinear flow gallery, wherein the manifold is of a single piece construction.

10. A manifold according to claim 9, wherein the at least one flow gallery has a variable cross-section.

11. A manifold according to claim 9, in which the at least one gallery branches into two sub-galleries.

12. A manifold according to claim 9, in which the single piece manifold incorporates a flow control feature.

13. A manifold according to claim 12, wherein a spool is mounted concentrically within a portion of the manifold such that an annular cavity is formed between the spool and the manifold, and the flow control feature is a sleeve which divides the annular cavity into at least two concentric annular zones along a portion of the length of the spool.

14. A manifold according to claim 12, wherein the flow control feature is a fluid filter.

15. A manifold according to claim 14, wherein the fluid filter is a grate, comprising a plurality of intersecting filter walls and the length of a filter wall is more than twice its thickness.

16. A manifold according to claim 12, wherein the flow control feature is a flow restrictor.

17. A manifold according to claim 9, in which the manifold includes a cavity and a valve member located within the cavity.

18. A manifold according to claim 17, in which the cavity includes a valve locating portion and a valve opening, and the valve member is elastically deformable and wherein the valve member is located within the cavity by the valve locating portion such that the valve opening is blocked by the valve member.

19. A manifold according to claim 18, wherein the valve locating portion is an area of reduced diameter and the valve member is located within the cavity such that the valve member is compressed between the valve opening and the area of reduced diameter.

20. A manifold according to claim 19, wherein the elastically deformable valve member includes at least one compression spring.