Leveling valve for discharging and supplying fluid

摘要

A leveling valve for discharging and supplying air from and to a plurality of utilization elements comprises a valve disc arrangement configured to direct air between a source of pressurized air, an exhaust port, and the utilization elements. The valve disc arrangement comprises a first and a second valve disc, which are rotatable with respect to each other such that the valve is switchable between multiple switching positions, and, in some switching positions, either the source of pressurized air or the exhaust port are in fluid communication with the utilization elements. The valve discs provide a stepped increase in flow cross-section in a respective flow path to or from the utilization elements. The stepped increase is dependent on the angle of rotation between the valve discs.

主权项

1. A leveling valve for discharging air from and supplying air to utilization elements, the leveling valve comprising:
a valve disc arrangement configured to direct air between a source of pressurized air, an exhaust port, and the utilization elements, the valve disc arrangement including:
a first valve disc having a contact surface and at least one flow portion being a recess in the contact surface of the first valve disc; anda second valve discs having a contact surface and at least one inlet/outlet flow portion being a recess in the contact surface of the second valve disc, wherein the contact surface of the first valve disc contacts the contact surface of the second valve disc, wherein the first valve disc and the second valve disc are rotatable relative to one another such that the valve disc arrangement is switchable between multiple switching positions, wherein the multiple switching positions include a neutral position in which fluid communication between the utilization elements and both the source of pressurized air and the exhaust port is blocked, a discharge position in which a discharge flow path is provided allowing fluid communication between the utilization elements and the exhaust port, and a supply position in which a supply flow path is provided allowing fluid communication between the utilization elements and the source of pressurized air is provided, and wherein the first and second valve discs, when rotated relative to one another to switch the valve disc arrangement from the neutral position to one of the discharge position or the supply position, are configured to provide, respectively, the discharge flow path and the supply flow path, wherein rotation of the first and second valve disc relative to one another provides, between the neutral position and one of full opening of the discharge flow path and full opening of the supply flow path, a flow path cross-section that increases by varying rates of increase, the varying rates of increase being dependent on an angle of rotation between the valve discs.