JP2004332790A - Valve unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a valve unit capable of preventing fuel leakage when filling high-pressure fuel. <P>SOLUTION: This valve unit, which is provided with a solenoid valve for controlling fuel flow rate of a fuel storage vessel for storing the high-pressure fuel, is provided with a first member 15 provided outside the fuel storage vessel and a second member 16 provided in the valve unit, which is provided in the fuel storage vessel, to face to the inside of the fuel storage vessel. The first and the second members 15 and 16 are separately provided through the valve unit 1, and electro-magnetically connected to each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a valve unit, and particularly to a valve unit attached to a fuel storage container that stores high-pressure fuel.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A valve unit harness provided in a fuel storage container filled with a fuel such as hydrogen gas at a high pressure is installed in a through-hole formed in the unit main body and communicating between the inside and the outside of the fuel storage container, and a through-hole in which the harness is installed is provided. Is sealed with a sealing material to ensure the sealing performance (see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP, 2002-349709, A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the harness through hole of the conventional valve unit, the sealing material is not sufficiently sealed when filled at a high pressure of, for example, 20 MPa or more, and it is particularly difficult to seal the harness through hole with a fuel having a small molecular weight such as hydrogen gas. There is a problem.
[0005]
Therefore, in the present invention, in view of the technical problems described above, there is provided a valve unit that prevents fuel leakage during high-pressure charging.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a valve unit provided in a fuel storage container, wherein a first member provided on an outer side of the fuel storage container, and a valve unit provided in the fuel storage container having a surface facing the inside of the fuel storage container. The first member and the second member are provided separately from each other and electromagnetically connected via the valve unit.
[0007]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the sealing property of a valve unit can be improved, without providing a harness for passing an electric current inside a valve unit through a valve unit.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
1 and 2 are views for explaining an example of a valve unit to which the present invention is applied.
[0009]
FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the valve unit 1. The valve unit 1 includes a head portion 1a on the near side in the drawing, a central portion 1b formed with a male screw that is screwed into a female screw formed in a hole penetrating the wall of the fuel storage container, and a coil located in the fuel storage container. 1c.
[0010]
The head portion 1a is provided with a supply port P1 for filling the fuel storage container with fuel and a relief port P2 for supplying the fuel inside the fuel storage container to the outside. As shown in FIG. 2, an outlet port P3 through which fuel flows into the fuel storage container is provided on the lower surface, and the supply port P1, the relief port P2, and the outlet port P3 communicate with each other. Further, a manual opening / closing valve 30 for shutting off communication between the outlet port P3 and the supply port P1 and the relief port P2 is provided in the head 1a. Further, a relief valve V1 for releasing the fuel in the container to the outside when the inside of the fuel storage container is abnormally heated is provided.
[0011]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a detailed configuration of the valve unit 1. As described above, the valve unit 1 is formed integrally with the head portion 1a and the central portion 1b disposed below the head portion 1a (hereinafter, the head portion 1a and the central portion 1b are collectively referred to as a unit main body 1d). A coil portion 1c is connected to a lower portion of the central portion 1b.
[0012]
The valve unit 1 is fixed to the fuel storage container by screwing a male screw 1g formed on the outer diameter portion of the central portion 1b with a female screw 50a formed in a hole passing through the wall 50 of the fuel storage container. Note that an O-ring 51 is provided between the female screw 50a of the fuel storage container and the central portion 1b of the valve unit 1 to ensure sealing. The fuel stored in the fuel storage container is a high-pressure gas such as hydrogen.
[0013]
In the unit body 1d, a through hole 2 penetrating the body 1d in the up-down direction in the figure is formed, and a flow path hole 3 having a predetermined depth parallel to the through hole 2 is formed from the lower surface 1e of the central portion 1b. Then, the through hole 2 and the flow path hole 3 communicate with each other through a forming hole 4 formed in the left-right direction. In addition, the flow path hole 3 and the forming hole 4 form an outlet port P3.
[0014]
A manual opening / closing valve 30 is provided at an opening of the through-hole 2 on the head 1a side, and a valve 5 for controlling the flow of fuel in the through-hole 2, a piston 6, and a valve at an opening of the center 1b. 5 and a piston cap 7 accommodating the piston 6 are provided.
[0015]
FIG. 3 shows a detailed configuration diagram around the valve element 5. A recess 7 a is formed in the upper end surface of the piston cap 7, and the piston 6 and an O-ring 8 are installed in the outer periphery of the recess 6 a, and the valve element 5 is located on the O-ring 8.
[0016]
On the other hand, an annular convex portion 9 is formed on the unit body 1d facing the valve element 5, and when the valve element 5 comes into contact with the convex element 9, the flow of fuel in the through hole 2 is shut off. Here, the outer diameter of the projection 9 is set smaller than the diameter of the valve element 5.
[0017]
Returning to FIG. 2, the coil portion 1 c is provided with a coil portion main body 10 and an axial body 11 coaxially with the through hole 2 therein. A drive coil 12 is provided on the outer periphery of the body 11. The head 11 a side end 11 a of the body 11 is in contact with the piston cap 7. When the drive coil 12 is energized from a harness (not shown), the body 11 is displaced downward in the figure. Further, a spring 13 is provided between the lower end of the body 11 and the coil body 10, and the spring 13 biases the body 11 toward the head 1a (upward in the figure). Therefore, when the drive coil 12 is not energized, the body 11, the piston cap 7, and the valve body 5 move upward in the drawing due to the urging force of the spring 13.
[0018]
With this configuration, when the drive coil 12 is not energized, the urging force of the spring 13 causes the body 11, the piston cap 7 in contact with the body 11, and the valve element 5 housed in the piston cap 7 to move to the head 1 a side , The valve body 5 comes into contact with the convex portion 9 to close the through hole 2, and the flow of fuel between the inside and the outside of the fuel storage container is prohibited.
[0019]
On the other hand, when the drive coil 12 is energized, the body 11 moves downward in the drawing against the urging force of the spring 13 due to the magnetic force of the coil. As the body 11 moves downward, the force for urging the piston cap 7, the piston 6, and the valve body 5 toward the head 1a is reduced. In this state, the pressure P in the fuel storage container acts on the end 5a of the valve body 5 (the portion larger than the convex portion 9 with which the valve body 5 contacts) and the step 7b of the piston cap 7, and this pressure P The body 5 and the piston cap 7 are pushed down in the figure. In this way, the valve element 5 moves downward and separates from the projection 9, and the inside of the fuel storage container communicates with the through-hole 2, so that the fuel flows between the inside and the outside of the container.
[0020]
However, in this embodiment, a harness for energizing the drive coil 12 is required. If a through-hole penetrating through the valve unit is formed to pass the harness to the outside of the fuel storage container, the harness through-hole is required. It is difficult to ensure the sealing performance of the slab.
[0021]
The configuration of the valve unit of the present invention that solves this problem will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows a configuration for supplying power to the drive coil 12 of the present invention, and shows a cross section different from the cross section showing the configuration of the valve element 5, the manual opening / closing valve 30, and the like. For convenience, only the coil section 1c shows the same cross section as that of FIG. The present invention provides an annular first core 14 in the unit main body 1d, a first coil 15 formed coaxially with the center of the cross section of the first core 14 and installed on the head 1a side, A second coil 16 formed coaxially with the center of the cross section and installed on the coil portion 1c side.
[0022]
The first coil 15 is installed in a first blind hole 2a formed from the upper end face 1f of the head portion 1a, and is connected to a connector 17 installed on an upper portion thereof. The first coil 15 is connected to an AC power supply via a connector 17. A part of the first core 14 is divided and integrated with the first coil 15 (core piece 18 in FIG. 4), and when the first coil 15 is energized, the first coil 15 becomes a primary coil. And is magnetically connected to the first core 14.
[0023]
The second coil 16 is installed in the second blind hole 3a formed from the lower end surface 1e of the central portion 1b of the unit main body 1d, and is connected via a harness to the drive coil 12 housed in the coil portion 1c. . A part of the first core 14 is divided and integrated with the second coil 16 (core piece 19 in FIG. 4), and when the first coil 15 is energized, the second coil 16 becomes a secondary coil. And is magnetically connected to the first core 14. The first blind hole 2a and the second blind hole 3a are formed so as not to communicate with each other. In addition, although the blind holes for installing the coil are used, any shape such as a groove in which the coil can be installed may be used.
[0024]
The first core 14 is integrally molded, for example, when the unit main body 1d is die-cast, so that fuel does not leak outside through a gap between the unit main body 1d and the first core 14. Further, the electromotive force generated by the second coil 16 is supplied to the drive coil 12, and the body 11 moves downward by energizing the drive coil 12, and the valve body 5 separates from the convex portion 9 as described above, and the fuel Distribution is allowed.
[0025]
As described above, in the present invention, when the first core 14 and the first and second coils 15 and 16 are formed in the unit main body 1d and the first coil 15 is energized, the first coil 15 functions as a primary coil, and As a result, an electromotive force is generated in the second coil 16 functioning as a secondary coil. Since this electromotive force can be supplied to the drive coil 12 that opens the valve element 5, it is not necessary to use a harness to supply power to the member (drive coil 12) installed in the fuel storage container, Power can be supplied to the valve unit, thereby eliminating the need to provide a harness hole that penetrates through the valve unit, eliminating the need for a seal to ensure the sealability of this through-hole, and improving the sealability of the valve unit. And no fuel leaks even at high pressure.
[0026]
The second embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is characterized in that a DC converter 20 is provided between the second coil 16 and the drive coil 12 with respect to the configuration of the first embodiment. Thus, the drive coil 12 can be driven by the DC current.
[0027]
The third embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is different from the second embodiment in that the DC converter 20 is connected to a temperature sensor 21 newly installed in the valve unit, and the third blind hole 31 is made similar to the first coil 15. , A fourth coil 24 integrally provided in the unit main body 1d, and an annular second core 22 common to the third and fourth coils 23 and 24 similar to the first core 14. Is newly set as the transmission path of the output signal of the temperature sensor 21. That is, a coil set of the first core 14, the first coil 15, and the second coil 16 as a power supply path to the drive coil 12 and the temperature sensor 21 for opening and closing the valve, and a path of an output signal from the temperature sensor 21 Of the second core 22, the third coil 23, and the fourth coil 24 are provided.
[0028]
Furthermore, a shield 25 (indicated by a cross in FIG. 6) is provided between the unit body 1d and the first core 14, and on the wall surface of the first blind hole 2a where the first coil 15 is installed. . The shield 25 between the unit body 1d and the first core 14 is formed by coating a shield film on the outer periphery of the first core 14 and integrally molding the shield film when the unit body is formed.
[0029]
With such a configuration, the output signal (current) of the temperature sensor 21 is supplied to the fourth coil 24, and is generated in the third coil 23 by electromagnetic induction between the third coil 23 and the fourth coil 24. The induced current is passed to the external controller 30, and there is no need to form a hole for passing a harness that passes through the valve unit 1 necessary for transmitting the output signal of the temperature sensor 21, thereby ensuring the sealing performance of the fuel storage container. can do. Further, since the shields 25 are formed in the respective parts as described above at the time of signal output, noise is suppressed from being output to the output signal, and transmission accuracy is improved.
[0030]
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the fourth embodiment. This embodiment is different from the third embodiment in that the output signal of the temperature sensor 21 is transmitted wirelessly and received by the external controller 30. Since the wireless transmitter 26 is provided, the temperature sensor 21 The second core 22, the third and fourth coils 23 and 24 for transmitting the output signal of the second embodiment can be eliminated. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining the circuit configuration of the present embodiment. By installing the controller 30 on the meter panel of the vehicle, the harness from the controller 30 to the temperature sensor 21 can be eliminated, and the cost and weight can be reduced.
[0031]
With this configuration, even if a configuration that outputs an output signal such as the temperature sensor 21 is installed in the fuel storage container, the configuration only needs to provide a coil set for supplying power to the drive coil 12, and a coil set for signal transmission is provided. , The weight of the valve unit can be reduced, the configuration can be simplified, and the sealing performance can be improved.
[0032]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is apparent that various changes can be made within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a fuel storage container to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the fuel storage container.
FIG. 3 is a detailed view around the valve body of the fuel storage container.
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a fuel storage container of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a fuel storage container according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a fuel storage container according to a third embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a fuel storage container according to a fourth embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of a fuel storage container according to a fourth embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Valve unit 1a Head part 1b Central part 1c Coil part 1d Unit main body 1e Central part lower end face 1f Head part upper end face 2 Through hole 2a First blind hole 3 Flow path hole 3a Second blind hole 4 Molding hole 5 Valve body 6 Piston 7 Piston cap 7a Recess 8 O-ring 9 Convex 10 Coil body 11 Body 11a Head end 12 of body Drive coil 13 Spring 14 First core 15 First coil 16 Second coil 17 Connector 18 Core piece 19 Core piece 20 DC Converter 21 Temperature sensor 22 Second core 23 Third coil 24 Fourth coil 25 Shield 26 Wireless transmitter 30 Controller

Claims (11)

In a valve unit including an electromagnetic valve that controls a fuel flow rate of a fuel storage container that stores high-pressure fuel,
A first member provided outside the fuel storage container,
A second member provided to face the inside of the fuel storage container to the valve unit installed in the fuel storage container,
The said 1st member and the 2nd member are mutually separated via the said valve unit, and are electromagnetically connected, The valve unit characterized by the above-mentioned. The electromagnetic induction generated between the first member and the second member causes an induced electromotive force to be generated in the second member, and power is supplied to the valve unit by the induced electromotive force generated in the second member. The valve unit according to claim 1. The valve unit, provided with a detecting means for detecting a state in the fuel storage container,
Induction current is generated in the first member by electromagnetic induction generated between the first member and the second member, and an output signal of the detection unit is transmitted to the first member via the second member. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein: The valve unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an output signal of the detection unit is transmitted from the second member to the first member using wireless communication. A first coil that can be connected to the outside of the fuel storage container as the first member, and a second coil that can be connected to the inside of the fuel storage container as the second member are provided in the valve unit; A first core common to the second coil is integrally formed inside the valve unit;
The valve unit according to claim 2, wherein an induced electromotive force is generated in the second coil by electromagnetic induction between the first and second coils. The electromagnetic valve, a valve element for blocking a fuel flow path,
A drive coil for displacing the valve body,
The electromotive force generated in the second coil is supplied to the drive coil by electromagnetic induction between the first coil and the second coil when the first coil is energized. Valve unit. A first coil set including the first coil, the second coil, and the first core;
A third coil provided in the valve unit main body that can be connected to the outside of the fuel storage container as the first member, and a fourth coil provided in the valve unit main body that can be connected to the inside of the fuel storage container as the second member A second coil set comprising: a second core common to the third coil and the fourth coil and integrally formed inside the valve unit body;
Detecting means for detecting a state in the fuel storage container,
The first coil set energizes the first coil, and supplies an induced electromotive force generated in the second coil by electromagnetic induction between the first coil and the second coil to the drive coil and the detection unit. ,
The second coil set outputs an output signal of the detection unit from the third coil to the outside by an induced current generated in the third coil by electromagnetic induction between the third coil and the fourth coil. The valve unit according to claim 3. The valve unit according to claim 7, wherein the detection unit is attached to a valve unit main body. 8. The valve unit according to claim 7, wherein a shield unit for suppressing noise in an output signal of the detection unit is provided between the two coil sets. A receiving unit that receives the output signal separately from the valve unit as the first member;
5. The valve unit according to claim 4, further comprising a wireless output unit that wirelessly outputs the output signal to the outside as the second member. 6. The said receiving means displays the state of a fuel storage container based on the received output signal, and is installed in the position which the driver | operator of the vehicle mounted with the said fuel storage container can see. Valve unit.

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