Rotary disc valve

Abstract

A multi-port rotary disc valve comprising a stator with a plurality of fluid flow ports and a rotary distributor with a plurality of channels arranged in a channel pattern. The channels are adapted to connect the ports between them and/or to the environment in a plurality of predetermined combinations, each combination being associated with an angular position of the rotary distributor with respect to the stator. The succession of combinations performed during a full or partial unidirectional turn of the rotary distributor consitute a predetermined sequence. The rotary distributor comprises a rotor and a mask mounted movably thereon, the rotor and the mask accommodating the plurality of channels. The mask is adapted to change the channel pattern by changing its position with respect to the rotor, thereby enabling the rotary disc valve to perform different predetermined sequences corresponding to different positions of the mask.

1. A multi-port rotary disc valve comprising a stator with a plurality of fluid flow ports and a rotary distributor with a plurality of channels arranged in a channel pattern, said rotary distributor comprising a rotor and a mask mounted movably thereon, said mask being, on the one hand, movable with respect to the rotor and, on the other hand, being adapted for rotation together with the rotor as a single body, the rotor and the mask accommodating said plurality of channels; said channels being adapted to connect said ports between them and/or to the environment in a plurality of predetermined combinations, each combination being associated with an angular position of the rotary distributor with respect to the stator, a succession of such combinations being performed during a full or partial unidirectional turn of said rotary distributor  single body constituting a predetermined sequence; said rotary distributor comprising a rotor and a mask mounted movably thereon, the rotor and the mask accommodating said plurality of channels, and , said mask being adapted to change said channel pattern by changing its position with respect to said rotor, thereby enabling said disc valve to perform different predetermined sequences corresponding to different positions of the mask. 
     
     
       2. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 1 , wherein said mask is movable with respect to said rotor by way of rotation. 
     
     
       3. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 2 , wherein the rotation of said rotary distributor and the rotation of said mask are performed around the same axis. 
     
     
       4. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 3 , wherein said rotor and said mask are coaxial and co-rotatable discs. 
     
     
       5. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 1 , wherein said rotary distributor is rotatable by means of an electric drive. 
     
     
       6. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 1 , wherein said mask is movable by means of an electric drive. 
     
     
       7. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 4 , wherein said rotary distributor is rotatable relative to said stator in a first direction only. 
     
     
       8. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 7 , wherein said mask disc is rotatable relative to said rotor disc in a second direction only, contrary to said first direction. 
     
     
       9. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 8 , wherein the rotation of said mask disc in said second direction only is provided by a ratchet and pawl mechanism. 
     
     
       10. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 8 , further comprising a single reversible electric drive whereby said rot distributor rotates only when said drive rotates in said first direction and said mask disc rotates relative to said rotor disc only when said drive rotates in said second direction. 
     
     
       11. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 4 , wherein said rotor disc has a first face sealingly contacting with a face of said stator, and the connections between said stator ports and said rotary distributor channels are performed via said first face. 
     
     
       12. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 11 , wherein said rotor disc has a second face sealingly contacting with a face of said mask disc, at least part of said plurality of channels exit at said second face, and said mask disc changes said channel pattern by switching connections between said part of channels exiting at the second face. 
     
     
       13. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 12 , wherein said plurality of fluid flow ports comprises a central inlet port and N outlet ports disposed around said central port. 
     
     
       14. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 13 , wherein said rotor disc has a feed channel so configured that, during one turn of the rotary distributor, said feed channel successively connects said central inlet port to each one of said N outlet ports. 
     
     
       15. A rotary disc valve according to,  claim 14 , wherein said rotor disc has N through windows connecting said first face to said second face, so configured that, in a predetermined angular position A of the rotary distributor with respect to said stator, said N through windows match said N outlet ports. 
     
     
       16. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 15 , wherein said mask disc has a group exhaust channel so configured that, in a predetermined angular position B of said mask disc with respect to said rotor disc, said group exhaust channel is connected to all said N through windows of the rotor disc and is connectable to a source of vacuum, thereby enabling a group evacuation of any volumes connected to said N outlet ports of the stator, provided the positions A and B are attained. 
     
     
       17. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 16 , wherein said source of vacuum is an entry port of a compressor or pump. 
     
     
       18. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 16 , wherein said stator has a vacuum port connectable to said source of vacuum, and said rotor disc has an exhaust port so configured that, in said position B of the mask disc, it is connected to said group exhaust channel, and in said position A of the rotary distributor, it matches said vacuum port. 
     
     
       19. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of fluid flow ports further comprises a number of exhaust ports connected to the ambient atmosphere and disposed at least in part intermediate to said N outlet ports so that said feed channel, during a turn of said rotary distributor, can communicate with one of said exhaust ports while not communicating with any of said N outlet ports. 
     
     
       20. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 14 , wherein said stator has N through pressure openings each disposed adjacent to one of said N outlet ports, and a pressure channel connecting said pressure openings to a pressure outlet connectable to a pressure sensor, said rotor disc has a bypass channel so configured as to be able to connect, when rotated, anyone of said N outlet ports to the corresponding adjacent pressure opening while keeping the rest pressure openings stopped, thereby enabling measurement of pressure P C  in a volume connected to said anyone outlet port by means of said sensor. 
     
     
       21. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 20 , wherein said bypass channel is disposed behind said feed channel with respect to said first direction of rotation so that said bypass channel is connected to outlet port No. n when said feed channel is between outlet port No. n+1 and outlet port No. n+2 where n is an ordinal number of one of said N outlet ports, n increasing in said first direction. 
     
     
       22. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 21 , constituting a part of a computerized system for inflating and deflating in cycles N cells connected to said N outlet ports, by rotating said rotary distributor, said system further comprising a sensor to measure the pressure P 0  in said central inlet port and said pressure sensor to measure the pressure P C  in said pressure outlet, said system being programmable to terminate the inflation of one of said N cells at a predetermined instant value of the pressure P 0  in order to obtain a target established pressure P E  in said one cell, and said system being adapted to correct said instant value in a next cycle if the measured pressure P C  in a current cycle is different from the target pressure P E . 
     
     
       23. A rotary disc valve according to  claim 1 , wherein said stator comprises two plates, each plate accommodating part of said fluid flow ports, with said rotary distributor sandwiched between said two plates. 
     
     
       24. A multi- port rotary disc valve comprising a stator with a plurality of fluid flow ports and a rotary distributor with a plurality of channels arranged in a channel pattern, said channels being adapted to connect said ports between them and/or to the environment in a plurality of predetermined combinations, each combination being associated with an angular position of the rotary distributor with respect to the stator, a succession of such combinations performed during a full or partial turn of said rotary distributor constituting a predetermined sequence; said rotary distributor comprising a rotor and a mask, the rotor and the mask accommodating said plurality of channels, and said mask being mounted movably on the rotor to move between positions with respect thereto, in which the mask covers at least a part of the channels accommodated by the rotor, to connect at least a part of said ports therebetween, and positions in which the mask allows at least a part of the channels to communicate with the environment, thereby enabling said disc valve to perform different predetermined sequences corresponding to different positions of the mask.