Numatics Gmbh

Dennis L Bonacorsi

Donald E McGeachy

William S Smith

Bradly Joe Atkin

Jeffrey H Welker

Alan L Smith

Charles W Chill

A fluid control system that includes a fluid manifold having a plurality of manifold bodies fastened to each other end-to-end so as to form at least first and second passages extending continuously through the manifold and each of the bodies. A plurality of solenoid valves are each mounted on a side of an associated body with valve ports opening into the body to the fluid passage(s) that extend through the manifold. An electrical connection arrangement is mounted at one end of the manifold for receiving control signals from an external source. A plurality of circuitboards are disposed one within the second passage of each body, with each of the circuitboards including male and female connectors at opposed ends for connecting the circuitboards in series with each other to the electrical connection arrangement at the end of the manifold. A third connector on each circuitboard extends laterally from the circuitboard for connection to the solenoid valve mounted on the side of the associated manifold body.

Solenoid valve control system

A plurality of solenoid control valves each mounted on a module of a manifold with a terminal block for each valve removably received in the manifold and having at least three terminals. A printed circuit board with a microprocessor and a coil driver mounted on the board has three spaced apart electric connectors releasably secured to separate terminals of the same terminal block and each having a shank received in a hole through the circuit board and electrically connected to a printed circuit on the board by solder to both mount and support the circuit board on the terminal block and provide output of the coil driver to the coils of two solenoids for controlling the application of electric power to them. An auxiliary circuit board with another coil driver and electric connectors mounted on another terminal block is daisy chained with the microprocessor for controlling the application of electric power to additional solenoid coils. Additional solenoid coils may also be connected to the outputs of the coil drivers for controlling through the microprocessor the application of electric power to them.

A lock-out valve is designed to direct pressure fluid to an operational port and system, and to exhaust such pressure for purposes of repair or reconstruction of a valve controlled system. The valve may be quickly moved to the exhaust phase by a manual stroke overriding threads between two concentric parts. However, reverse motion of the valve to re-establish pressure to the operational port can only be accomplished by a turning action on the manual actuator. This insures a slow return of pressure to the system and a slow start up so that the controlled system can be safely and properly reset. The thread design is such that the motion in one direction will override the threads but prevent reverse action except by turning.

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Howell, MI, United States of America

Dennis L Bonacorsi