WO2015155627A1

WO2015155627A1 - Multipath fluidic rotary distributor

Info

Publication number: WO2015155627A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/052301
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paolo ZUIN
Original assignee: Ala Officine SpA
Current assignee: Ala Officine SpA
Priority date: 2014-04-10
Filing date: 2015-03-28
Publication date: 2015-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-10

Abstract

A multipath fluidic rotary distributor (D) comprises a rotor stem (1) provided with axial channelling means (2,3) adapted to define at least one line (L1, L2) for the circulation of pressurised fluid, said channelling means (2,3) being in communication with chamber means (4,5) formed on said rotor stem (1), a stator body (6) adapted to support and enclose coaxially therein rotatably the said rotor stem (1) and provided with conduits means (7,8) in communication externally with reservoir means for said fluid; sealing means (K, G) mounted on said rotor stem (1) for fluid tight in said chamber means (4, 5); closure means (P) for the said distributor (D); and drainage means (S) for said fluid possibly leaking from said sealing means (K, G), the said drainage means (S) being connected to said chamber means (4,5).

Description

MULTIPATH FLUIDIC ROTARY DISTRIBUTOR

Applicant: ALA OFFICINE S.p.A.

The present invention relates to a multipath fluidic rotary distributor.

The present invention finds use in machineries or operating equipment, such as earth moving machines, cranes, platforms, machine tools and the like, provided with parts that rotate or oscillate about an axis with movement at will.

In particular, the present invention is expected to be advantageously applied in machineries for the dismantlement and demolition of industrial structures or buildings, scraps and the like, to which the following description makes explicit reference without losing generality thereby.

In the field of the industrial dismantlement and demolition, an operating machine is generally provided with fluidic rotary distributors or joints that are able to allow the transmission of motion between the operating parts, such as between an arm of the machine and a rotary tool, in particular a gripper/shear for cutting or crushing the scraps, whose functionality is in addition assured by double-acting cylinders connected by pipes to the distributors themselves, and which activate the opening and closing of the gripper or shear by the control of the operator seated in the cabin of the operating machine.

In general, such fluidic rotary distributors in the field of industrial demolition have more lines, in particular two circulation lines, one for the delivery and the other one for the return of a fluid, specifically an oil under pressure, to convey the oil itself, in a continuous and independent manner, from a static part to a rotary part, and are normally of the type comprising a body or rotor stem usually made from chromed carbon steel provided with two longitudinal axial cylindrical tubular channels, each adapted to define a respective said circulation oil line in communication with a respective transverse tubular circular chamber obtained on the rotor stem itself, and an outer body or stator, generally made from phosphated steel (S355J0 UNI EN 10025) or high-strength spheroidal cast iron, which is adapted to support and enclose the rotor stem rotatably, and is provided with tubular conduits, each of which is in direct communication with the reservoir means located externally and with a respective tubular circular chamber of the rotor stem.

The aforementioned circular tubular chambers are separated from each other by a series of gaskets that ensure an oil tight seal between the chambers themselves, and also allow for the slipping between the rotor stem and stator body with the minimum possible friction.

A closure element defined by an end caps/plate made from phosphated steel or a Seeger ring is adapted to realise the closure of the rotary distributor, which may also be also provided with other additional components, such as anti-seize and/or protection rings, driving ranges, and ball or roller bearings.

The fluidic rotary distributors of the type described above and applied in operating machines for industrial demolition are subject to several problems, such as in particular the high operating pressures of the fluid/oil circulating inside of said tubular channels and chambers, the high-pressure and temperature overloads generated by said cylinder during the cutting or grinding steps (over 600 bars), the water hammers caused by the length of the pipes, and by the abrupt openings/closings of the tool, with also overloads due to jamming of the tool itself, and by the hostile and extreme environmental processing conditions, such as the high temperatures and extremely high concentration of dust and debris in the work environment. Currently, the combined action of these problems results in the quick wear of the gaskets in the rotary distributor with the resulting frequent oil spill in the environment, and thereby the quick drop of performance and effectiveness of the operating machine.

This causes unwanted and frequent operating stops of the machines in order to perform costly maintenance and replacement operations of the gaskets and the oil refilling in the circulation lines of the fluidic rotary distributor.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the considerable technical disadvantages highlighted above.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a fluidic rotary distributor which allows a drastic reduction of leakage or spills of pressurised fluid discharged into the environment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary distributor with a high operating life and without significant modifications of its structural dimensions.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a rotary distributor which allows obtaining a high yield and service life of the operating machines on which it is mounted, in particular operating machines of the demolition industry.

The structural and functional characteristics of the present invention and its advantages over the known art will be clearer and more evident from the claims below, and in particular by an examination of the description that follows, referring to the accompanying drawings, which show schemes of a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of a multipath fluidic rotary distributor, in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic cross-section vertical side view and with parts removed for the sake of clarity, of a preferred embodiment of a fluidic rotary distributor according to the present invention and in a first operating position; - Figure 1A is a front and vertical cross-section view A of the rotary distributor of Figure 1 ; and

- Figure 2 is a view in enlarged scale of a second operating position of the fluidic rotary distributor of the present invention.

With reference to the attached figures, globally indicated with D is a multipath fluidic rotary distributor adapted to be, preferably but not limited to, advantageously used in operating machines and equipment (that are known and not illustrated) of the area of the dismantling and demolition of structures, buildings, industrial scraps, and the like.

The distributor rotor 1 D comprises a stem provided with two tubular channels cylindrical 2:03 axial inner longitudinal sealed (Figure 1A) adapted to define two lines L1 and L2 (Figures 1 and 2) for the circulation of oil under pressure placed in communication, in use, with a respective chamber 4,5 circular transverse tubular substantially semicylindrical obtained on the stem 1 the rotor itself, and an outer body or stator 6.

The stator body 6 is adapted to support and coaxially enclose therein rotatably the rotor stem 1 and is provided with two tubular conduits 7 and 8, each of which conduits 7,8 is in communication with external oil reservoir (known and not shown) located externally (for example, on the frame of the operating machine), and is also in communication with a respective circular chamber 4,5 of the rotor stem 1 itself.

The tubular circular chambers 4 and 5 of the stem 1 are separated each other by K series of ring gaskets G mounted on the stem 1 itself, which guarantee the oil tight seal between the rooms 4 and 5 themselves, and also allow the slipping between the rotor stem 1 and outer stator body 6.

As shown in Figure 2, specifically the K series comprises two pairs 9 and 10 of outer ring gaskets G1 , G2, and G3, G4 disposed each other by opposite band and on both sides of the aforementioned chambers 4 and 5, and an inner intermediate ring gasket G5 disposed between the chamber 4 and the chamber 5.

A closure element defined by a plate P with a lip sealing gasket 1 1 fixed to the stem 1 by means of screws or Seeger is adapted to realise the closure of the rotary distributor D.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, along a conduit C adapted to define a further circulation oil line L3, four different transverse manifolds 12, 13,14, and 15 are arranged: specifically, the manifold 12 opens into the space between the aforementioned side gaskets G1 and G2, the manifold 15 opens into the space between the aforementioned side gaskets G3 and G4, the manifold 13 is in communication with the chamber 4 via a check valve or a non-return valve V1 , and the manifold 14 is in communication with the chamber 5 via a check valve or a nonreturn valve V2.

The transverse manifolds 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the conduit C, along with the line L3 and the valves V1 and V2 define a drain system S of the pressurised oil possibly seeped from the series K gaskets.

In fact, in use, with reference to the working position of Figure 2, in the event of a leak from the gaskets G2 and G3 of the pressurised oil present in the conduit 7 and in the chamber 4, said seeped oil is intercepted by the manifold 12, flows back into the line L3, in which now an oil is present at a lower pressure than the pressure in the conduit 7, passes over the manifold 13, whose valve V1 does not allow the passage, being closed by the oil at higher pressure, and is directed towards the manifold 14 and then discharged in the tank chamber 5 passing through the valve V2 that is openable instead. According possible evolutionary variants not shown, the line L3 is performed through a conduit realised on the stator 6, or by means of external conductors to the distributor D.

According to further possible evolutionary variants not shown, the drained oil is conveyed towards an external recovery device or to an accumulator assembly for the pressure stabilisation.

Thus, thanks to the drainage system S defined above, which will come into operation only in case of leaks or spills of oil, the sealing gaskets G1 and G4 series K will operate consistently and effectively at lower pressure than the pressure peaks occurred in the rotary fluid distributor D, and will, therefore, be able to significantly increase their durability and their efficiency in time.

The distributor D thus described will ensure a high yield and duration of the operating machines on which it is mounted, especially of the machines used in the industrial demolitions.

Note, finally, that in case of shutdown or malfunction of one of the check valves, the system S will be able to operate equally using the other valve present.

Claims

1. Multipath fluidic rotary distributor (D), comprising a rotor stem (1) provided with axial channel means (2,3) and at least one line (L1 , L2) for the circulation of fluid under pressure, said channel means (2,3) being placed in communication with chamber means (4,5) formed on said rotor stem (1), a stator body (6) adapted to revolving support inside and coaxially enclosed said rotor stem (1) and provided with duct means (7,8) placed in communication externally with tank means for said fluid; seal means (K, G) mounted on said rotor stem (1) for fluid-tighting said fluid in said chamber means (4,5); and closing means (P) for closing said distributor (D); characterized in that it comprises drain means (S) for draining fluid eventually leaking from said seal means (K, G), said drain means (S) being connected to said chamber means (4,5).

2. Distributor according to claim 1 , characterized in that the said drain means (S) comprise a conduit (C) defining a further line (L3) for the circulation of fluid, collettor means (12, 13, 14, 15) located along said conduit (C) and valve means (V1 , V2) adapted to be interposed between said conduit (C) and said chamber means (4,5).

3. Distributor according to claim 2, characterized in that the said valve means (V1 , V2) are connected to said collettor means (12, 13,14, 15).

4. Distributor according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said seal means (K, G) comprise two pairs (9, 10) of external lateral ring seals

(G1 , G2, G3, G4) arranged in correspondence of said chamber means (4,5) and intermediate ring seal (G5) arranged between said two pairs (9, 10) of external ring seals.

5. Distributor according to the preceding claims 2 and 4 or 2 and 3, characterized in that said valve means (V1 , V2) are arranged between said external lateral ring seals (G1 , G2, G3, G4) and said intermediate ring seal (G5).

6. Distributor according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises a device for recovery said fluid connected to said drain means (S).

7. Distributor according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises a stabilization accumulating unit for the pressure of said fluid.

8. Operating machine, in particular a machine for dismantling and demolition of structures or industrial buildings, scrap and the like, comprising a rotating fluidic distributor according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 7.