US 12,404,882 B2
Valve arrangement and method for installing a valve arrangement
Boris Saric, Esslingen (DE); Eduard Wenske, Kornwestheim (DE); and Ralf Starzmann, Reichenbach (DE)
Assigned to Festo SE & Co. KG, Esslingen (DE)
Filed by Festo SE & Co. KG, Esslingen (DE)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/613,781.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2023 107 648.5 (DE), filed on Mar. 27, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0328438 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
Int. Cl. F15B 13/08 (2006.01); F15B 13/02 (2006.01); F16K 11/22 (2006.01); F16K 31/02 (2006.01)
CPC F15B 13/0825 (2013.01) [F15B 13/0817 (2013.01); F15B 13/0857 (2013.01); F15B 13/02 (2013.01); F15B 13/0814 (2013.01); F15B 13/0839 (2013.01); F15B 13/0853 (2013.01); F15B 13/086 (2013.01); F15B 13/0875 (2013.01); F15B 2211/6336 (2013.01); F16K 11/22 (2013.01); F16K 31/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A valve arrangement comprising:
a valve unit extending in a principal direction along a principal axis, which has a valve section with at least one electrically actuable directional valve and an input section arranged adjacent to the valve section, in this respect in the principal direction, with a plurality of electrical inputs designed for the reception of electrical sensor signals,
wherein each electrical input has an electromechanical plug-in connector for releasably connecting a sensor plug arranged on a sensor cable connected to a sensor,
wherein the valve unit has a communication structure electrically connected to the at least one directional valve and the electrical inputs, which is designed for the electrical transmission of valve control signals determined for the directional valve and of electrical sensor signals received via the electrical inputs,
wherein the input section has a connector carrier attached to the valve section carrying the electromechanical plug-in connectors of the electrical inputs, and
wherein the at least one directional valve is assigned a pair of inputs comprising two adjacent electrical inputs,
wherein the two electromechanical plug-in connectors of the input pair are arranged on an input module of the input section separate from the connector carrier, which also has two electromechanical module connectors each electromechanically connected to one of the two electromechanical plug-in connectors,
wherein the input module, in the connected state to the plug-in connectors of the sensor plugs, can be or is releasably mounted on a module assembly point designed on the connector carrier on adopting a use position, in which it firstly engages in a centred position with its two module connectors in centring structures of the connector carrier and, secondly is in electrical contact with the electrical carrier contacts of the connector carrier arranged on the module assembly point and electrically connected to the communication structure,
wherein an attachment device is assigned to the input module, with which, in the connected state to the plug-in connectors of the sensor plugs, it can be releasably attached in its use position to the connector carrier.