Process and device for the control of a membrane channel-valve

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 in which the first and second pressures are derived by closing and opening a control medium line to give it a first condition in which the medium in the line is static and a second condition in which the medium flows as a current.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 in which the current of the medium is used to create the pressure of opposite sense.

Claim 5

Control apparatus, comprising: a. at least a first membrane channel-valve (10) for pressure medium, having a housing carrying at least one switching membrane (11), said housing having a pressure medium supply connection (13) with a membrane resting point (12) and a pressure medium outflow connection (14) located on one side of said membrane, and having a switching chamber (15) located on the other side of said membrane; b. a conversion valve (30) for controlling said channel-valve (10), said conversion valve having a control medium inlet (33), a control medium outlet (34), and control means (31) for preventing and permitting flow between said inlet and said outlet; c. a control medium line (20) leading to the control medium inlet (33) of said conversion valve; and d. a jet pump (40) having an exit opening (41) connected in the control medium line (20) and an entrance opening (47) located in said switching chamber (15) of the membrane channel-valve (10), whereby a static pressure is created in said switching chamber (15) when said control medium is prevented from flowing to said control medium outlet (34), and a low pressure is created in said switching chamber (15) by said jet pump (40) when said control medium is permitted to flow to said control medium outlet (34).

Claim 6

Control apparatus, comprising: a. at least a first membrane channel-valve (10) for pressure medium, having a housing carrying at least one switching membrane (11), said housing having a pressure medium supply connection (13) with a membrane resting point (12) and a pressure medium outflow connection (14) located on one side of said membrane, and having a switching chamber (15) located on the other side of said membrane; b. a conversion valve (30) for controlling said channel-valve (10), said conversion valve having a control medium inlet (33), a control medium outlet (34), and control means (31) for preventing and permitting flow between said inlet and said outlet; c. a control medium line (20) leading to the control medium inlet (33) of said conversion valve; and d. a jet pump (40) having an exit opening (41) connected in the control medium line (20) and an entrance opening (47) located in said switching chamber (15) of the membrane channel-valve (10), whereby a static pressure is created in said switching chamber (15) when said control medium is prevented from flowing to said control medium outlet (34), and a low pressure is created in said switching chamber (15) by said jet pump (40) when said control medium is permitted to flow to said control medium outlet (34).

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 4 comprising a plurality of membrane channel-valves, and a plurality of jet pumps having exit openings connected in the control medium line, and entrance openings located in switching chambers of the membrane channel-valves.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein additional switching chambers of additional membrane channel-valves are connected via pressure medium lines (143) to the switching chamber (115) of the first membrane channel-valve (110) and with the entrance opening of the jet pump (40'').

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein a membrane conversion valve is used as the conVersion valve, said membrane conversion valve having a housing carrying at least one conversion membrane (31), said housing having a control medium inlet (33) with a membrane resting point (32) and a control medium oulet (34) located on one side of said membrane and having a control pressure chamber (35) located on the other side of said membrane which has a control pressure line (38) opening into it.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the membrane conversion valve (130) directly surmounts the membrane channel-valve (110) and delimits the switching chamber (115) opposite the switching membrane (111), wherein the control medium line (20'') is formed in a dividing wall (140'') between the two valves (110, 130) and wherein the jet pump (40'') leads from the control medium line (20'') through the dividing wall (140'') into the switching chamber (115).

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein a conversion device (50) is provided in the control pressure line (38).

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the conversion device is a 3/2 channel-valve providing two switchable flow channels.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein means (53, 54) are provided for limiting the two switchable flow channels through the 3/2 channel-valve to a single direction of flow.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein a second conversion membrane (131) in the membrane conversion valve (130) is provided, one side of which faces a control seat (132) between the control pressure chamber (35'') and an outflow opening (134) and the other side of which faces a control space (135) with an entering control line (148).

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein an impulse generator (150, 150'') is provided in both the control pressure line (138) and in the control line (148).

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein an additional entrance opening (45) connected with the jet pump (40) opens into the control pressure chamber (35) of the membrane conversion valve (30) associated with the membrane channel-valve (10).

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the control pressure chamber (35) of the membrane conversion valve (30) is connected with the switching chamber (15) in the membrane channel-valve (10).