JP2004353623A - Liquid discharging device and method of setting its clearance size - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid discharging device capable of preventing its components from abrasion, being made simple in structure to be miniaturized and also responding to the case of high liquid pressure. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid discharging device comprises an inlet port 21, a discharging port 22, a port member having a port surface 33 with openings each communicating with each of the ports, a valve member having a valve surface 41 placed opposite to the port surface 33 and three plunger insertion holes 42 therein, a rotating means for rotating the valve member, three plungers 80 axially and slidably inserted into the plunger insertion holes 42, and a forward/backward plunger driving means for axially driving the plungers forward and backward. The device further comprises a clearance size adjusting means 90 for adjusting the relative position of the valve member with respect to the port member to adjust the clearance size between them, and sealing members 48 arranged between the surfaces 33 and 41 around the outer peripheries of the openings therein. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a plunger pump that sucks and discharges a liquid using reciprocating motion of a plunger, and in particular, moves a liquid in proportion to the amount of rotation by a reciprocating motion of three revolving plungers and a surface valve that switches a flow of the liquid. The present invention relates to a plunger pump type liquid ejection device for performing the above and a method for setting a gap size of the liquid ejection device.
[0002]
[Background Art]
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a plunger pump type liquid discharge device (dispenser) that can discharge a very small amount of liquid with high accuracy and is used for discharging an adhesive in a semiconductor manufacturing process (for example, Patent Document 1).
The liquid discharge device includes a valve block having a sliding contact surface having a communicating hole communicating with a suction port and a discharge port, and a body having a sliding contact surface at one end contacting the sliding contact surface of the valve block. A pump block having three plunger insertion holes drilled in the axial direction while being rotatably supported by the valve block and capable of communicating with the opening of the communication hole of the valve block. While rotating to bias the block side, the plunger insertion holes are sequentially communicated with the communication holes, and the plungers in the respective plunger insertion holes are each driven in the axial direction to sequentially repeat the suction and discharge of the liquid. Thereby, it has an excellent characteristic that a very small amount of liquid can be discharged without pulsation and at a constant rate.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-129345
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, since the liquid discharge device employs a surface valve system in which the sliding surfaces of the valve block and the pump block are slid in contact with each other to seal, the case where the discharged liquid is pressure-fed like a high-viscosity liquid, When a liquid is sent to a remote position via a tube or the like so that the liquid discharge port can be moved at a high speed by a robot, it is necessary to handle a case where a high pressure (for example, a liquid pressure of about 100 atm) is applied to the surface valve portion. There was a problem.
That is, the pump block is pressed against the valve block by the spring, but when a high pressure is applied to the surface valve portion and exceeds the biasing force of the spring, the sliding surface of the pump block separates from the sliding surface of the valve block. This causes a problem that the liquid leaks.
On the other hand, if the pressing force (biasing force) is increased to near the permissible PV value and permissible load of each material of the valve block and the pump block in order to be able to cope with the high pressure, wear of each sliding contact surface increases, and However, the torque required to rotate the pump block increases due to the increase in the frictional force at the surface valve, the efficiency decreases, and the motor must be increased. There is a problem that must be done.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid ejecting apparatus which can prevent abrasion of members, can have a simple structure, can be easily miniaturized, and can cope with a high hydraulic pressure.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A liquid ejection device of the present invention has a port member having a suction port to which a liquid is supplied and a discharge port to which a liquid is discharged, and having a port surface formed with openings respectively communicating with the suction port and the discharge port. A valve surface facing the port surface of the port member, and rotatably disposed with a gap formed between the valve surface and the port surface of the port member; A valve member having three plunger insertion holes that are bored along an axis, are opened in the valve surface, and are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis; and A rotary driving means for driving to rotate, three plunger members respectively slidably inserted in three plunger insertion holes of the valve member in the axial direction, and each of the plunger members in the axial direction. A plunger advancing / retracting driving means for advancing / retracting; a gap dimension adjusting means for adjusting a relative position of the valve member with respect to the port member to adjust the gap dimension; and a valve face of the valve member and the port member. A sealing material interposed between the port faces and disposed at an outer peripheral position of each of the openings on the port face and the valve face so as to surround each of the openings.
[0007]
Here, the gap dimension between the valve surface and the port surface is mainly set based on the viscosity and the liquid pressure of the liquid, and furthermore, is the liquid including the accuracy, discharge speed, and particles required for the discharge liquid? What is necessary is just to set according to conditions, such as. For example, even if the liquid is supplied at a pressure of about 10 atm when the pump is stopped, the gap may be set to a small gap such that the liquid hardly moves. More specifically, usually, the gap size may be set in a range of about 2 μm to 50 μm. If the gap size is less than 2 μm, it is difficult to prevent contact between the surfaces, and if it is larger than 50 μm, depending on the type of liquid, the liquid can easily move through the gap, and the liquid may flow between the discharge port and the suction port. This is because there is a high possibility that the ink will move and the accuracy of the ejection amount will decrease. Accordingly, in practice, the thickness is preferably about 5 μm to 10 μm in that the contact between the surfaces can be reliably prevented and the movement of the liquid can be almost eliminated. In addition, when a granular material is contained in the liquid, such as a silver paste, the gap size is preferably larger than the diameter of the granular material in order not to crush the granular material.
[0008]
In the present invention, the port surface of the port member and the valve surface of the valve member are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other. However, since the sealing material is interposed between the surfaces, the surface is partitioned by these surfaces and the sealing material. The volume of the space is constant.
Then, the liquid supplied to the suction port is sucked into the plunger insertion hole facing the suction port as the plunger disposed in the insertion hole moves away from the suction port. At this time, since the gap is set to a small gap size such that almost no liquid can move, almost no liquid moves from the suction port to the discharge port via the gap, and the gap between the suction port and the discharge port is small. Is substantially sealed even if the gap is formed.
When the plunger insertion hole into which the liquid is sucked from the suction port moves to the discharge port, and the plunger moves toward the discharge port, liquid is discharged from the discharge port, which changes with the movement of the plunger. At this time, even if the gap is formed between the suction port and the discharge port, it is substantially sealed, so that the liquid pushed out by the plunger is discharged from the discharge port and hardly returns to the suction port. Therefore, the accuracy of the discharge amount can be maintained.
[0009]
At this time, since the port surface of the port member and the valve surface of the valve member are arranged at a predetermined interval, each surface is not worn as compared with the conventional case where each surface is slid, and Since no frictional force is generated between the surfaces, the torque required to drive the valve member can be reduced, and the motor used can be downsized. For this reason, the structure of the liquid ejection device can be simplified and the weight can be reduced.
Further, even if a gap is generated between the surfaces, the sealing material is interposed between the surfaces, and the valve position adjusting means keeps the sealing material in contact with each surface and maintained in a sealable state. Liquid leakage can also be prevented.
Further, since the gap size is adjusted by adjusting the relative position of the valve member with respect to the port member, even when a high pressure is applied to the surface valve portion, the valve member is pressed by a spring. In addition, liquid leakage can be prevented without moving the valve member. At this time, when the hydraulic pressure applied to the discharge port portion increases, a part of the liquid returns to the suction port side through the gap, but the return amount is proportional to the hydraulic pressure. Is also constant, the discharge amount is also constant. Therefore, the accuracy of the ejection amount can be maintained even when the liquid pressure increases.
[0010]
Here, the gap dimension adjusting means sets a contact position where the valve surface of the valve member contacts the port surface as a reference position, and moves one of the valve member or the port member from the reference position in a direction away from each other. It is preferable to set the gap size by the following method.
If the valve member or the port member is moved so that the valve surface is separated from the port surface from a state where the valve surface is once brought into contact with the port surface, the port surface of the port member and the valve surface of the valve member Even when the gap is very small, the gap can be reliably formed.
[0011]
Further, a ball bearing fixed to one of the valve member or the gap size adjusting means is interposed between the valve member and the gap size adjusting means, and the other of the valve member or the gap size adjusting means is connected to the ball bearing. A position adjusting surface having a tapered shape in contact therewith, wherein the gap dimension adjusting means is arranged movably in the axial direction with respect to the port member and the valve member, and is also capable of adjusting the position in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction. Preferably, the arrangement is such that the ball bearing is brought into contact with a position adjustment surface to restrict the movement of the valve member in the direction away from the port member.
[0012]
In such a configuration, since the gap between the valve surface and the port surface is small, the port member is constantly urged away from the valve surface by the elastic force of the sealing material interposed in the gap or the pressure of the supplied liquid. ing. Therefore, the ball bearing fixed to one of the valve member and the gap size adjusting means always contacts the tapered position adjusting surface formed on the other side, and if this contact position, that is, the position of the gap size adjusting means, is determined. The positioning of the valve member can be performed. Therefore, the configuration of the gap size adjusting means can be extremely simplified.
Furthermore, since the position adjusting surface is a tapered surface, even if there is an assembly accuracy error or the like in the gap size adjusting means or the like, the error can be easily adjusted by moving the gap size adjusting means according to the tapered surface. Since it can be absorbed, the position of the valve member can be set accurately.
[0013]
Further, a seal holding groove for restricting the movement of the sealing material in the in-plane direction of the valve surface is formed on the valve surface of the valve member, and the seal holding groove is formed in a substantially triangular groove shape in a plane. Is preferred.
When the seal member such as an O-ring is disposed concentrically with respect to the rotation center of the valve member, the seal member is disposed at the same position on the port surface as the valve member rotates. (Concentric position). In this case, the portion of the port surface in contact with the sealing material dries because the liquid is continuously removed by the sealing material. If the sealing material such as an O-ring is in contact with the port surface via a small amount of liquid, the liquid functions as a lubricating oil, and damage to the sealing material can be suppressed. On the other hand, if the liquid runs out and dries, the state becomes like an oil film breakage, and the sealing material is severely damaged, and the life of the sealing material is shortened.
On the other hand, if the seal holding groove is formed in a substantially triangular groove shape in a plane, the distance from the rotation center position of the valve surface to each seal holding groove, that is, the sealing material is not constant, and thus most of the port surface is a valve member. With the rotation of, the state facing the seal holding groove, that is, the state in which the seal material is in contact, and the state facing the plane other than the seal holding groove, that is, the state in which the seal material does not contact and the liquid is supplied are repeated. As a result, the portion in contact with the sealing material does not dry out, damage to the sealing material is suppressed, and the life thereof can be extended.
[0014]
Here, on the port surface of the port member, an arc groove communicating with each of the openings is formed, and the length and position of this arc groove are determined by adjusting one of the three plunger insertion holes. A state in which the other two plunger insertion holes are not communicated with the respective arc grooves and the other two plunger insertion holes are respectively communicated with the respective arc grooves, and a state in which two of the three plunger insertion holes are communicated with the suction port. The other one of the plunger insertion holes is in communication with the arc groove communicating with the discharge port, and the other of the three plunger insertion holes is in the arc groove communicating with the suction port. A state in which the other two plunger insertion holes are communicated with an arc groove that is communicated with the discharge port, in accordance with the rotation of the valve member. When only one plunger insertion hole communicates with the arc groove communicating with the suction port, the plunger member inserted into the plunger insertion hole is moved so that the amount of movement with respect to the rotation angle of the valve member is constant. When the plunger member is moved away from the suction port and only one plunger insertion hole is communicated with the arc groove communicated with the discharge port, the plunger member inserted into the plunger insertion hole is moved with respect to the rotation angle of the valve member. When the plunger member is moved in the direction approaching the discharge port so that the amount of movement is constant, and two plunger insertion holes are communicated with the arc groove communicated with the suction port, the plunger member inserted into each plunger insertion hole In the direction away from the suction port, and the total amount of movement of each plunger member with respect to the rotation angle of the valve member. The amount of movement of the plunger member when only one plunger insertion hole communicates with the arc groove communicated with the suction port is set to be the same as that of the two plungers in the arc groove communicated with the discharge port. When the insertion holes are communicated, the plunger members inserted into the respective plunger insertion holes are moved in a direction approaching the discharge port, and the total amount of movement of each plunger member with respect to the rotation angle of the valve member is equal to the aforementioned 1 It is preferable that the movement amount of the plunger member is set to be the same as when only one of the plunger insertion holes is communicated with the circular arc groove communicated with the discharge port.
[0015]
In the present invention, three plunger members are provided, arc grooves are formed on the port surface, and two plunger insertion holes are set so as to communicate with each arc groove at the same time, and the plunger advance / retreat driving means is used. By setting the movement of the plunger to a predetermined operation, the amount of movement of the plunger member when one plunger insertion hole communicates with each arc groove, and the amount of movement of the two plunger insertion holes communicating with each arc groove Is set so that the total amount of movement of the two plunger members always coincides with each other, so that the discharge amount and the suction amount of the liquid when each plunger member is operated are proportional to the rotation angle of the valve member. Can be done. For this reason, if the valve member is rotated at a constant speed, the liquid can be continuously discharged at a constant discharge amount, and a continuous pump without pulsation can be configured. Further, by controlling the rotation speed, the discharge amount for a certain period can be increased or decreased, and the discharge amount can be easily controlled.
[0016]
The port member has a case body having a suction port to which liquid is supplied and a discharge port to discharge liquid, and a communication hole disposed in the case body and communicating with the suction port and the discharge port, respectively. And a seal disk having a port surface in which the communication hole is opened, wherein the valve member has a valve surface disposed opposite to the port surface of the seal disk, and The seal disk is rotatably disposed in the case body with a gap formed between the seal disk and the port surface, and is bored along the rotation axis, and is located in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis. And a valve disc having three plunger insertion holes arranged at equal intervals, and provided so as to be rotatable integrally with the valve disc. A plunger guide block having three plunger insertion holes formed coaxially with the valve body, and a plunger guide block disposed in the case so as to be rotatable integrally with the valve disk and the plunger guide block, and drilled along the rotation axis. And a cam follower guide block having three guide holes whose circumferential positions around the rotation axis are arranged at equal intervals, and wherein the plunger member includes the valve disc and the plunger guide block. And three cam followers inserted in the three guide holes of the cam follower guide block so as to be slidable in the axial direction, respectively. And each of the cam followers has one end contacting the three plungers. An end cam having a cam surface with which a roller of the cam follower abuts, and a plunger member biasing the plunger member toward the cam surface. Biasing means for bringing the cam follower into contact with the cam surface is provided, and when the cam follower guide block, the plunger guide block and the seal disk are rotationally driven, the roller contacts the cam surface and rolls along the cam surface. It is preferable that each of the cam followers advance and retreat in the axial direction according to the shape of the cam surface, and that each of the plungers is driven to advance and retreat according to the advance and retreat of each cam follower.
[0017]
With this configuration, the valve member can be separated into a valve disk that is in contact with the discharge liquid, and a plunger guide block and a cam follower guide block that are not in contact with the discharge liquid. The plunger guide block and the cam follower guide block can be made of a synthetic resin that can be manufactured at low cost, while using excellent materials. Therefore, it is possible to increase the types of transfer fluids that can be handled while suppressing an increase in cost, and it can be used for discharging various liquids such as adhesives and various solvents.
Further, since the plunger member is composed of the plunger and a cam follower separate from the plunger, the material of the plunger having the liquid contact portion can be selected in consideration of chemical resistance of a predetermined metal or the like, and the cam follower can be selected. Can select the material without considering the liquid contact, and can select the optimum material according to each characteristic.
Further, since the plunger guide block into which the plunger is inserted and the cam follower guide block into which the cam follower is inserted are formed separately, the workability of parts and the workability of assembly can be improved.
[0018]
The gap size setting method according to the present invention is a gap size setting method for setting a gap size between the port member and the valve member in the liquid ejection device, wherein the gap size adjusting means sets a valve surface of the valve member to a port. After contact with the surface, the valve member is moved in a direction away from the port member by a dimension set based on the viscosity and the liquid pressure of the liquid to be discharged, to set the gap size. is there.
According to such a gap dimension setting method, if the valve member is moved so that the valve surface is separated from the port surface from the state where the valve surface is once in contact with the port surface, the port surface of the port member can be moved. Even when the gap between the valve member and the valve surface is very small, for example, about 5 to 50 μm, the gap can be reliably formed.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a liquid ejection device (dispenser, pump) 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
The liquid ejection device 1 includes a body 10 that is a case body, an end cam 5, and a motor 2. The body 10 is connected to a main cylinder 11, a first connection cylinder 12 connected to one end of the main cylinder 11, a second connection cylinder 13 connected to the first connection cylinder 12, and a second connection cylinder 13. And a port block 20.
The motor 2 is attached to the other end of the main cylinder 11 of the body 10 via an end cam 5 and a motor connecting cylinder 3.
Here, the motor 2 is a stepping motor in the present embodiment, but various motors such as a geared motor or a servo motor having a built-in reduction gear can be used.
[0020]
The port block 20, the main cylinder 11, the first connection cylinder 12, the second connection cylinder 13, the end cam 5, and the motor connection cylinder 3 are integrally connected by a fixing screw (not shown). Here, the motor connecting tube 3 and the main tube 11 are made of, for example, aluminum, and the connecting tubes 12 and 13 are made of, for example, stainless steel. . The port block 20 is also made of, for example, stainless steel. The end face cam 5 is formed of a synthetic resin such as oil-impregnated POM (polyacetal), and has a through-hole having a circular cross section at the center shaft portion.
[0021]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the seal disk 30, the valve disk 40, the plunger guide block 50, and the cam follower guide block are provided in the main cylinder 11 and the connection cylinders 12 and 13 from the port block 20 toward the end face cam 5. 60 are arranged respectively. The valve disc, the plunger guide block 50, and the cam follower guide block 60 constitute a valve member of the present invention.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 2, the port block 20 has a suction port 21 and a discharge port 22 formed therein. A liquid supply member 23 is attached to the suction port 21 via a seal material 23A using an attachment screw hole or the like formed on a side surface of the port block 20. The liquid supply member 23 can be directly attached with a container in which a discharge liquid such as an adhesive is stored, or a pipe from a tank in which the discharge liquid is stored, so that the discharge liquid can be supplied to the suction port 21. Have been.
On the other hand, a female screw is formed in the discharge port 22 so that a discharge nozzle and a discharge tube (not shown) can be detachably attached. Thereby, the liquid discharged from the discharge port 22 is discharged through the discharge nozzle or the tube.
[0023]
The seal disk 30 is formed of a hard material such as polyamide imide or alumina ceramic. The seal disk 30 is prevented from rotating with respect to the port block 20 by inserting a pin (not shown) implanted in the port block 20 into a hole 38 opened only on the surface on the port block 20 side. Are located. The seal disk 30 is formed with a suction-side communication hole 31 and a discharge-side communication hole 32 that are communicated with the suction port 21 and the discharge port 22 of the port block 20, and these communication holes 31 and 32 are formed in the port block of the seal disk 30. The opening is formed on a smooth port surface 33 formed on the side opposite to the end face abutting on 20.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the openings of the communication holes 31 and 32 in the port surface 33 are arc-shaped grooves 34 and 35, respectively.
Therefore, the opening formed in the port surface 33 and communicated with the suction port 21 and the discharge port 22 is communicated with the arc-shaped grooves 34 and 35, and the port block 20 in which the suction port 21 and the discharge port 22 are formed and The port member of the present invention is constituted by the seal disk 30 on which the port surface 33 is formed.
[0024]
The valve disc 40 is disposed adjacent to the seal disc 30. The valve disk 40 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape from a hard material such as alumina ceramic. At one end of the valve disc 40, a valve face 41 facing the port face 33 of the seal disc 30 is formed.
In addition, three plunger insertion holes 42 are formed in the valve disk 40 so as to penetrate the valve disk 40. As shown in FIG. , A large-diameter portion 42 </ b> B formed on the opposite side to the valve surface 41.
[0025]
The plunger guide block 50 is formed of a metal such as stainless steel or a synthetic resin such as oil-impregnated POM (polyacetal), and is disposed adjacent to the valve disk 40. As shown in FIG. 6, the plunger guide block 50 is formed in a stepped and substantially cylindrical shape having a small diameter portion 50A and a large diameter portion 50B. And, it has three plunger guide holes 52 that penetrate the small diameter portion 50A and the large diameter portion 50B and are formed at positions corresponding to the plunger insertion holes 42 of the valve disc 40, that is, coaxial positions. ing.
[0026]
The valve disc 40 and the plunger guide block 50 are provided with connecting pins 49 in the three grooves 45 and the holes 55 formed at equal intervals of 120 degrees on the contact surfaces of the discs 40 and the block 50 that contact each other. By being inserted, it can be integrally rotated.
The surface of the large diameter portion 50B of the plunger guide block 50 on the motor 2 side, that is, the surface facing the opposite side to the valve surface 41, extends from the center of the plunger guide block (valve member) 50 to the outer periphery as shown in FIG. The taper surface is inclined so as to approach the seal disk (port member) 30 side as it moves, and the position adjusting surface 56 is formed by this taper surface.
[0027]
The end face of the plunger guide block 50 on the cam follower guide block 60 side, that is, the portion of the small-diameter portion 50A, as shown in FIGS. Three connection holes 57 are formed at positions shifted by 60 degrees from the plunger guide holes 52 at intervals of 120 degrees with respect to the axis center.
[0028]
The cam follower guide block 60 is disposed adjacent to the plunger guide block 50, and is rotatably supported by the main cylinder 11 via a ball bearing 69. The cam follower guide block 60 is made of synthetic resin such as oil-impregnated POM (polyacetal) or the like, and is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom 60A and a side wall 60B.
In the bottom 60A, three guide holes 61 formed at intervals of 120 degrees with respect to the central axis and at positions corresponding to the plunger guide holes 52, that is, at coaxial positions, and at intervals of 120 degrees with respect to the central axis. Three connection holes 62 are formed at positions corresponding to the connection holes 57, that is, at coaxial positions.
Rods 63 each serving as a cam follower are inserted into the guide holes 61 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. The plunger guide block 50 and the cam follower guide block 60 are integrally rotatable by the pins 64 inserted into the connection holes 62 and the connection holes 57.
At this time, since the plunger guide block 50 is inserted into the concave portion formed on the end face of the cam follower guide block 60 on the seal disk 30 side, the plunger guide block 50 can move in the axial direction with respect to the cam follower guide block 60. It is also configured.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 1, pins 65 are inserted into the side wall portion 60 </ b> B of the cam follower guide block 60 at predetermined intervals, and the pins 65 are connected to the coupling 4, which is an Oldham coupling attached to the output shaft of the motor 2. It is inserted. Thus, the rotation of the motor 2 is transmitted to the cam follower guide block 60 via the coupling 4, and the cam follower guide block 60, the plunger guide block 50, and the valve disk 40 are configured to rotate integrally.
The coupling 4 is rotatably supported by the motor connecting cylinder 3 and the end cam 5 via a ball bearing 6.
Further, the other end of the rod 63 is also slidably supported by the coupling 4 in the axial direction.
[0030]
The end cam 5 has a through hole in which the coupling 4 is arranged. Further, a cam surface 5A is formed on the end face of the end cam 5, and a three-dimensional cam is formed. The cam surface 5A is formed so as to have a predetermined cam diagram.
[0031]
Grooves are formed in the side wall portion 60B of the cam follower guide block 60 at intervals of 120 degrees, and a follower holder 66 fixed in the middle of each rod 63 is movable in the axial direction but not in the rotational direction. You are being guided.
A cam follower 67 composed of a roller is rotatably attached to the shaft of each follower holder 66.
[0032]
A plunger 80 made of stainless steel or the like is arranged in each plunger guide hole 52 of the plunger guide block 50. One end of the plunger 80 is in contact with each of the rods 63, and the other end is disposed in the plunger insertion hole 42 of the valve disc 40.
A spring receiving cap 81 is fitted on one end of the plunger 80 (on the cam follower guide block 60 side). The spring receiving cap 81 has an outer diameter that is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the plunger guide hole 52, and is guided in the axial direction along the plunger guide hole 52.
[0033]
A sealing member 82, a seal pressing member 83, and a ring-shaped spring pressing member 84 are fitted into the distal end side of the plunger 80 in this order from the distal end side. A coil spring 85 as urging means is interposed between the spring holding member 84 and the spring receiving cap 81 of the plunger 80.
Here, the spring receiving cap 81 is made of a resin such as PEEK resin (polyetheretherketone), and is pressed into the plunger 80 and fixed. The sealing material 82 is made of an O-ring made of fluoro rubber having excellent chemical resistance and the like, and its material may be selected according to the type of liquid used.
The seal pressing member 83 is made of a synthetic resin such as polyamideimide. The seal holding member 83 has a flange formed between the valve disk 40 and the plunger guide block 50. Accordingly, even if the spring pressing member 84 and the seal pressing member 83 are urged toward the seal disk 30 by the coil spring 85, the space in which the seal member 82 is disposed, that is, the end face of the seal pressing member 83 and the plunger insertion hole. The dimension between the step portions 42 is maintained at a predetermined dimension so that the sealing material 82 is not crushed.
Therefore, the urging force of the coil spring 85 acts in the direction of urging the spring receiving cap 81 toward each of the rods 63, the spring receiving cap 81 always abuts on the rod 63, and the cam follower 67 always contacts the cam surface 5A. Have been abutted.
[0034]
The spring holding member 83 is formed of stainless steel or the like, and is provided with a stop ring fitted in an intermediate portion of the plunger 80 before the plunger 80 is incorporated into the plunger guide block 50 by the coil spring 85 before the other end of the plunger 80. It is arranged so that it does not fall out.
[0035]
With the above configuration, when the coupling 4, the cam follower guide block 60, the plunger guide block 50, and the valve disc 40 are rotated by the driving of the motor 2, the cam followers 67, The follower holder 66 and the rod 63 advance and retreat in the axial direction, and the advance and retreat of the rod 63 is transmitted to the plunger 80.
Accordingly, the plunger member of the present invention is constituted by the rod 63, the follower holder 66, the cam follower 67, the plunger 80, and the spring receiving cap 81, and the plunger is constituted by the coil spring 85, the motor 2, the coupling 4, the cam follower guide block 60, and the plunger guide block 50. Forward / backward drive means is configured. ,
[0036]
As shown in FIG. 3, the main cylinder 11 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a screw 111 is formed on the peripheral surface up to an axially intermediate portion. In the screw 111, six grooves 112 are formed, which are open toward the connection tube 12 side.
As shown in FIG. 2, a valve member position as a gap size adjusting means is formed in the main cylinder 11 in a substantially ring shape and formed on its outer periphery with six pins 91 arranged in the groove 112. An adjusting member 90 is provided. The valve member position adjusting member 90 is arranged movably in the axial direction with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the main cylinder 11 by the movement of the pin 91 along the groove 112. Further, the diameter of the valve member position adjusting member 90 is made smaller than the inner peripheral surface of the main cylinder 11, and a gap is formed between the valve member position adjusting member 90 and the inner peripheral surface of the main cylinder 11. Therefore, the position of the valve member position adjusting member 90 can be adjusted in the direction orthogonal to the axial direction by the gap dimension. The width of the groove 112 is made larger than the diameter of the pin 91 so that the position of the valve member position adjusting member 90 in the direction perpendicular to the axis can be adjusted.
Two nuts 95 and 96 are screwed into the screw 111. The nuts 95 and 96 are formed with grooves in which the pins 91 can be engaged. The nuts 95 and 96 are rotated in the axial direction with respect to the main cylinder 11 by rotating the nuts 95 to thereby adjust the valve of the valve member position adjusting member 90. The movement in the direction away from the disk 40 is restricted.
The nuts 95 and 96 are so-called double nuts, and are configured so that the nut 95, that is, the valve member position adjusting member 90 can be positioned at any position.
[0037]
A ball bearing 92 is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the valve member position adjusting member 90, and an inner ring 92 </ b> A of the ball bearing 92 is disposed so as to contact the position adjusting surface 56.
[0038]
On the other hand, the opening of each plunger insertion hole 42 of the valve disk 40 on the valve surface 41 side is formed at a position capable of facing the two grooves 34 and 35 of the seal disk 30. When the plunger 80 inserted into each plunger insertion hole 42 is performing suction or discharge operation, that is, when the plunger 80 is sliding in the axial direction, the plunger insertion hole 42 into which the plunger 80 is inserted. Is connected to one of the grooves 34, 35, and when the plunger 80 is not moving in the axial direction, each plunger insertion hole is positioned so that the plunger insertion hole 42 can be located at a position not communicating with either of the grooves 34, 35. The size and position of the groove 42 and the grooves 34 and 35 are designed.
[0039]
Further, in the central axis portion of the valve surface 41 of the valve disk 40, a planar three-pronged concave portion 43 is formed as shown in FIGS. The dimension L1 from the central axis to the tip of the concave portion 43 is equal to or greater than the dimension L2 from the portion of each of the plunger insertion holes 42 closest to the central axis.
The valve face 41 has a seal groove 44 formed in a substantially triangular groove shape in a plane. The dimension L3 from the central axis of the valve surface 41 to the part farthest from the central axis of each of the plunger insertion holes 42 is greater than or equal to the dimension L4 from the central axis to the part of the seal groove 44 closest to the central axis. .
The flat portion facing the inside of the seal groove 44 on the port surface 33 is not only the flat portion of the valve surface 41 but also the concave portion 43 and the plunger insertion as the valve surface 41 rotates with respect to the port surface 33. Since one of the hole 42 and the seal groove 44 is arranged to face each other, even if the port surface 33 and the valve surface 41 are driven in contact with each other, the respective surfaces 33 and 41 continue to be in contact with each other. There is no portion, and linking is unlikely to occur on each surface 33, 41. That is, in the present embodiment, the axial position of the valve disk 40 can be adjusted and can be set to a state in which the valve disk 40 is in contact with the seal disk 30, so that the user can form a gap between the surfaces 33 and 41. There is a possibility that it will be used without being used. In such a case, linking is likely to occur when the planes are in close contact with each other, but linking is unlikely to occur by providing the concave portion 43 and the like.
[0040]
The seal groove 44 is provided with a sealing material 48 having excellent liquid resistance, such as fluorine rubber, and the sealing material 48 comes into contact with each of the port surfaces 33 and the valve surface 41 so that the sealing disk 30 is formed. In addition, the liquid is prevented from leaking outside from between the valve discs 40.
Since the sealing member 48 has a predetermined elastic force, when the valve member position adjusting member 90 is moved, the valve disk 40 and the plunger guide block 50 are moved toward the valve member position adjusting member 90 by the elastic force of the sealing member 48. The position adjustment surface 56 is urged and abuts on a ball bearing 92 fixed to the valve member position adjustment member 90, and the pin 91 is positioned at a position where the pin 91 abuts on the nut 95. For this reason, a gap is formed between each port surface 33 and the valve surface 41 so that the dimension can be adjusted by the valve member position adjusting member 90.
[0041]
Here, a rotation drive unit that drives the cam follower guide block 60 to rotate by the motor 2 is configured. The rotation transmitted to the cam follower guide block 60 by the connecting pins 49, 65, and 69 is transmitted to the valve disk 40 via the plunger guide block 50, and the rotation of the motor 2 is smoothly transmitted to the valve disk 40. It has become so.
[0042]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
Prior to operating the liquid ejection device 1 of the present embodiment, a container containing a liquid is attached to the liquid supply member 23. Note that a tube connected to the liquid tank may be attached to the liquid supply member 23.
Further, a discharge nozzle and a liquid supply tube are attached to the discharge port 22. When a liquid is ejected from the tip of a robot arm in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or the like, it is preferable that a portion supported by the robot arm be lightweight. Therefore, a tube may be attached to the ejection port 22, an ejection nozzle may be attached to the tip of the tube, and the ejection nozzle portion may be supported by the robot arm.
[0043]
Next, a gap size between the port surface 33 of the seal disk 30 and the valve surface 41 of the valve disk 40 is set.
First, the nut 95 is turned to move to the port block 20 side, and the valve surface 41 of the valve disk 40 is brought into contact with the port surface 33. When the valve surface 41 comes into contact with the port surface 33, the valve disk 40 and the plunger guide block 50 cannot move any further, so that the nut 95 cannot be turned. Therefore, the worker can easily grasp the contact between the port surface 33 and the valve surface 41 because the nut 95 cannot be turned.
[0044]
Next, the nut 95 is turned in the opposite direction to move in a direction away from the seal disk 30. The amount of axial movement of the nut 95 is set by the pitch of the screws. Therefore, the amount of axial movement according to the rotation angle of the nut 95 is calculated in advance, and the nut 95 is rotated by the gap size to be set. Then, the nut 96 is turned to a position where it contacts the nut 95, and the position of the nut 95 is fixed by the function of the double nut.
In this state, the valve disc 40 is urged toward the motor 2 by the elastic force of the seal member 48, the position adjusting surface 56 abuts on the ball bearing 92 of the valve member position adjusting member 90, and the pin 91 is The valve disc 40 is positioned at a position where the valve disc 40 comes into contact. Thereby, a gap having a predetermined size is formed between the valve surface 41 and the port surface 33. The size of the gap is set depending on conditions such as the viscosity of the liquid to be discharged, the liquid pressure, the discharge accuracy, the discharge speed, and whether or not the liquid contains particles, and can be adjusted in the range of 5 μm to 50 μm, for example.
[0045]
When the motor 2 is driven in such a state, the rotation of the motor is transmitted to the valve disk 40 via rotation driving means including the cam follower guide block 60, the plunger guide block 50, and the like. Rotate with a predetermined distance.
[0046]
With this rotation, the follower holder 66 interposed in the cam follower guide block 60 rotates together with the cam follower guide block 60, so that the roller-shaped cam follower 67 abuts on the cam surface 5A by the action of the coil spring 85. As it is, it moves forward and backward along the axial displacement of the cam surface 5A.
[0047]
The reciprocation of the cam follower 67 is transmitted to the plunger 80 via the follower holder 66 and the rod 63, and the plunger 80 reciprocates in the plunger insertion hole 42 of the valve disc 40 in the axial direction.
The plunger 80 is moved forward and backward by setting the shape of the cam surface 5A to an appropriate shape so that, when the plunger 80 is opposed to the suction port 21, the plunger 80 moves away from the suction port 21 side, that is, toward the motor 2 side. Be moved. Due to the movement of the plunger 80, a negative pressure is generated in the space formed in the plunger insertion hole 42, and the liquid to be transferred via the suction port 21, the communication hole 31, and the groove 34 is sucked into the space by the negative pressure. .
[0048]
At the point where the movement to the rear end side of the plunger 80 is completed, the plunger insertion hole 42 is displaced from the position of the groove 34 communicated with the communication hole 32 and faces the groove 35 side of the communication hole 32 of the discharge port 22. Will move. During this movement, since the cam surface 5A has a flat shape with no displacement in the axial direction, the plunger 80 does not advance or retreat in the axial direction and moves toward the groove 35 while maintaining the same position. Moving.
[0049]
When the plunger insertion hole 42 comes to a position communicating with the groove 35 on the discharge port 22 side, the plunger 80 is moved to the seal disk 30 side by the action of the cam surface 5A, and the sucked liquid is inserted into the plunger according to the amount of movement. It is extruded from the hole 42 and discharged into the discharge port 22 through the communication hole 32.
[0050]
The discharge operation of the liquid by the plunger 80 is performed while the plunger insertion hole 42 communicates with the arc-shaped groove 35, and is completed before the plunger insertion hole 42 comes off from the groove 35, and the plunger insertion hole 42 is When the plunger 80 comes to a position outside the groove 35, the axial movement of the plunger 80 is stopped. The stopped state of the plunger 80 is held until the plunger insertion hole 42 comes to the position of the groove 34 on the suction port 21 side again by the action of the cam surface 5A.
[0051]
When the plunger insertion hole 42 comes to the groove 34 side of the suction port 21 in this manner, the plunger 80 is again moved to the motor 2 side by the action of the cam surface 5A, and the liquid is sucked from the suction port 21. The operation is repeated, and the same operation is repeated thereafter. With each rotation of the plunger insertion hole 42 associated with the rotation of the valve disc 40, the liquid suction and discharge operations are performed one cycle at a time.
At this time, with the rotation of the valve disc 40, the plunger insertion hole 42 sequentially repeats a state of communicating with the groove 34, a state of communicating with the groove 35, and a state of not communicating with either of the grooves 34, 35, in order of the valve. Switching is performed.
[0052]
The suction and discharge operations accompanying the advance and retreat of the plunger 80 are similarly performed for each plunger insertion hole 42. As can be seen from FIG. 5, the two adjacent plunger insertion holes 42 are in the middle of the suction or discharge operation. Since two can be communicated with the groove 34 and the groove 35 at the same time, the liquid sucked into each plunger insertion hole 42 or discharged from the plunger insertion hole 42 is continuously sucked or discharged and has a constant flow rate. It is designed to hold.
In addition, by appropriately setting the shape of the cam surface 5A, the total flow rate of the liquid sucked or discharged into each plunger insertion hole 42 is always kept constant, so that pulsation-free suction and discharge can be achieved. Discharge can be performed.
[0053]
According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) Since the port surface 33 of the seal disk 30 and the valve surface 41 of the valve disk 40 are arranged at a predetermined interval, each surface is not worn as compared with a case where each surface is slid. In addition, since no frictional force is generated between the surfaces, the torque required to drive the valve disk 40 can be reduced, and the motor 2 used can be reduced in size.
For this reason, it is not necessary to use a large-sized motor or a strong structure as in the case where a large torque is applied to each member, so that the structure of the liquid ejection device 1 can be simplified and the device 1 can be reduced in weight. be able to.
[0054]
(2) Even if a gap is formed between the port surface 33 and the valve surface 41, since the sealing material 48 is interposed between the surfaces 33 and 41, liquid leakage to the outer peripheral side of the port surface 33 and the valve surface 41 is prevented. Can be prevented.
[0055]
(3) The valve member position adjusting member 90 moves the valve disc 40 and the plunger guide block 50 so that the valve surface 41 is separated from the port surface 33 from a state where the valve surface 41 is once in contact with the port surface 33. Since the gap size can be set, even when the gap between the port surface 33 and the valve surface 41 is very small, the gap can be easily and reliably formed with accurate dimensions.
[0056]
(4) The gap is formed by utilizing the elastic force of the seal member 48, and the valve member position adjusting member 90 may be configured to restrict the movement of the valve disc 40 and the plunger guide block 50 on the motor 2 side. Therefore, the structure can be simplified. In particular, when the elastic force of the sealing member 48 is used, the sealing member 48 can be always brought into contact with each of the surfaces 33 and 41, and the sealing performance can be reliably ensured.
Further, since the position of the valve member position adjusting member 90 is set using the nuts 95 and 96, it can be realized with a very simple configuration, and fine dimensional adjustment can be easily performed.
[0057]
(5) Further, the position adjusting surface 56 of the valve member position adjusting member 90 with which the ball bearing 92 abuts is a tapered surface, and the valve member position adjusting member 90 is formed to have a diameter smaller than the inner peripheral surface of the main cylinder 11. Since the position can be adjusted in the orthogonal direction, even if the valve member position adjusting member 90 is slightly displaced in the axis orthogonal direction, the error can be absorbed by the position adjusting surface 56, and the position of the valve member can be accurately set. be able to.
[0058]
(6) Further, since the plunger 80 is uniquely set by the shape of the cam surface 5A of the cam 5, the movement of the three plungers 80 can be set by appropriately setting the shape of the cam surface 5A. Can be controlled accurately, and accurate discharge without pulsation can be performed.
[0059]
(7) Further, in the above-described embodiment, since the concave portion 43 is formed in the central axis portion of the valve surface 41 of the valve disk 40, the flat portion that keeps in close contact with the liquid on the valve surface 41 is eliminated. Even when driven in a state where the surfaces 33 and 41 are in close contact with each other, linking or the like does not occur and sliding can be performed smoothly.
Further, since the seal groove 44 has a substantially triangular planar shape and the seal member 48 is not arranged concentrically with respect to the rotation center of the valve disk 40, the contact position of the seal member 48 with the port surface 33 is determined by the valve disk 40. , And the seal member 48 can be brought into contact with the remaining portion of the liquid to suppress damage to the seal member 48.
[0060]
(8) Further, since the seal disk 30 and the valve disk 40 are each made of a hard material such as alumina ceramic or polyamideimide, they are not deformed as in the case of using an elastic resin, and the discharge amount is reduced. It can be controlled with extremely high precision.
Also, since the liquid comes into contact with each of the discs 30 and 40, the plunger 80, the seals 48 and 82, and the port block 20, the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 having excellent chemical resistance can be obtained by appropriately selecting the material of these parts. It can be realized at relatively low cost. Therefore, the transfer fluid that can be handled is not limited, and can be used for discharging various liquids such as a chemical solution, an adhesive, and various solvents.
[0061]
(9) Since the valve disc 40 is rotated with a predetermined distance from the seal disc 30 to switch between the discharge opening and the suction opening formed in the port surface 33, a flat valve plunger pump system is adopted. The plunger 80 only needs to move in the plunger insertion hole 42. Therefore, unlike the D-cut plunger pump, there is no need to perform switching by its own rotation, and the diameter of the plunger 80 can be made very small. For this reason, the discharge amount of the liquid set by the diameter of the plunger 80 and its stroke can be made very small, and the discharge of a very small amount of liquid such as several microliters or several nanoliters can be easily realized.
[0062]
(10) When a discharge nozzle is attached to the discharge port 22 via a tube, the liquid pressure applied to the discharge port 22 increases because the discharge port 22 is separated from the nozzle. In this case, if the port surface 33 and the valve surface 41 are sealed only by sliding against each other using a spring, there is a possibility that the liquid leaks from the sliding surface to the outer peripheral side due to the hydraulic pressure. In the embodiment, since the respective members are positioned in contact with each other using the valve member position adjusting member 90, the gap size between the seal disk 30 and the valve disk 40 can be maintained constant even when the hydraulic pressure increases. . For this reason, the sealing state by the sealing material 48 can be maintained, and since a gap is formed between the surfaces 33 and 41, the liquid can be returned to the suction port 21 even if the liquid pressure in the gap becomes high. Therefore, liquid leaking to the outer peripheral side beyond the seal member 48 can be almost eliminated.
In addition, since the amount of liquid returning to the suction port 21 side is determined according to the liquid pressure, the discharge amount can be maintained constant if the liquid pressure is constant, and highly accurate discharge can be performed even when the liquid pressure is high.
[0063]
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes modifications and improvements as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved.
For example, the seal disk 30 and the valve disk 40 are not limited to being made of alumina ceramic as in the above embodiments, but may be made of ceramic of another material such as silicon nitride, or may be made of metal such as cemented carbide.
[0064]
The shape of the cam surface 5A of the end cam 5 may be set as appropriate. For example, when two plunger insertion holes 42 communicate with the same grooves 34 and 35, the cam surface portion where each plunger 80 makes uniform acceleration motion may be a sine curve cam surface or the like. The respective cam surfaces may be designed so that the sum of the movement amounts of 80 is constant.
Further, in the case of the liquid discharge device 1 which does not need to continuously discharge a fixed amount of liquid without pulsation, the cam surface 5A may be designed according to the discharge operation. In short, the shape of the cam surface 5A may be designed according to the liquid discharging operation required for the liquid discharging apparatus.
[0065]
The configuration of the valve member position adjusting member 90 is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the position of the valve member position adjusting member 90 is adjusted using the pins 91 and the nuts 95 and 96. However, the valve member position adjusting member is adjusted using a number of small screws arranged in a circle. The positioning of 90 may be performed.
Further, in the above embodiment, the valve member position adjusting member 90 is brought into contact with the position adjusting surface 56 of the plunger guide block 50 via the ball bearing 92, but the plunger guide block 50 is rotatably and axially moved. It is also possible to use a gap dimension adjusting means for holding the gap. In short, the gap size adjusting means may be any as long as it can position the valve disc 40 in the axial direction and adjust the gap size between the surfaces 33 and 41.
[0066]
Further, the gap size adjusting means in the above embodiment is adjusted by moving the valve member side, but may be adjusted by moving the seal disk (port member) 30 side. For example, the seal block 30 may be configured to be movable in the axial direction with respect to the valve disk 40 by setting the port block 20 to be movable in the axial direction with respect to the connection cylinder 13.
Further, in the above embodiment, the ball bearing 92 is fixed to the valve member position adjusting member 90 side. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the ball bearing 92 is fixed to the plunger guide block 50 side, and the ball member 92 is fixed to the valve member position adjusting member 90. A tapered position adjusting surface 93 that contacts the outer ring of the bearing 92 may be formed.
Further, the position adjusting surfaces 56, 92 with which the ball bearings 92 abut are not limited to the tapered ones, but may be planar ones. However, if it is formed in a tapered shape or a curved surface shape, the position of the valve member position adjusting member 90 can be easily adjusted, and therefore, there is an advantage that the processing accuracy of the valve member position adjusting member 90 and the like does not need to be so high. is there.
Further, each member may be directly contacted without providing the ball bearing 92 between the plunger guide block 50 and the valve member position adjusting member 90. However, the plunger guide block 50 is rotated with respect to the valve member position adjusting member 90. Therefore, in order to reduce the frictional force and the like, it is preferable to support with a ball bearing 92.
[0067]
The grooves 34 and 35 formed on the port surface 33 of the seal disk 30 are not limited to the arc-shaped grooves as in the above-described embodiment, but may be in communication with the plunger insertion hole 42 having an elliptical shape or the like. Any shape that can be realized may be used.
Similarly, the shape of the seal groove 44 in the valve surface 41 of the valve disk 40 may be, for example, a shape such as a plane circumference. In addition, the shape of the concave portion 43 of the valve surface 41, and the presence or absence of the concave portion 43 may be appropriately set in implementation.
[0068]
The valve disc 40, the plunger guide block 50, and the cam follower guide block 60 that constitute the valve member may be integrally formed. In particular, the valve disc 40, the plunger guide block 50, and the cam follower guide block 60 are formed separately. This has the advantage that the valve disc 40 serving as the liquid contact portion can be reduced in size, and the cost can be reduced when manufacturing the valve disc 40 with an expensive material having excellent chemical resistance.
Further, the plunger guide block 50 and the cam follower guide block 60 may be integrally formed.
[0069]
In the above-described embodiment, the port member is configured by the port block 20 and the seal disk 30. However, the port surface is formed in the port block 20, and the valve member is disposed on the port block 20 so as to face the port member. The member may be formed only by the port block 20. That is, the port member may be constituted by a case portion of the liquid ejection device. In this case, there is an advantage that maintenance such as cleaning can be easily performed since the seal disk 30 can be eliminated and the number of parts can be reduced. On the other hand, if the seal disk 30 is used, only the seal disk 30 needs to be DLC-coated, so that the coating cost can be reduced as compared with the case where the entire port block 20 is coated.
[0070]
As the motor 2, various motors such as a stepping motor, a servo motor, a synchronous motor, a DC motor, an induction motor, a reversible motor, and an air motor can be used.
Further, the shape, structure, and the like of the other parts are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible.
[0071]
The liquid ejecting apparatus 1 of the present invention is used not only for a constant flow rate that keeps a constant flow rate flowing for a predetermined time, but also for example, by appropriately controlling the motor 2 to discharge the liquid in a predetermined pattern, It can be used when a small amount of liquid is discharged into the line and mixed according to the flow rate measurement value or the like of the line, or when sampling is performed from the line.
[0072]
Further, the plunger pump is interposed in the line in which the predetermined liquid is flowing, and the motor 2 is operated so that the pressure and the like of the lines before and after the pump are in an equilibrium state. The flow rate may be measured from. In particular, the plunger pump of the present invention is suitable for sucking and discharging a very small amount of liquid, and thus can be used as a very small amount flowmeter.
[0073]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to prevent abrasion of the members, simplify the structure, facilitate downsizing, and cope with high hydraulic pressure.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a main part of the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a seal disk and a valve disk.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing sliding surfaces of a seal disk and a valve disk.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a plunger guide block.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a main part of a modification of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Liquid ejection device
2 motor
5 End face cam
10 Body
11 main cylinder
20 port block
21 Suction port
22 Discharge port
30 Seal disk
33 Port side
40 valve disc
41 Valve surface
42 Plunger insertion hole
48 Sealing material
50 Plunger guide block
52 Plunger guide hole
56,93 Position adjustment surface
60 Cam Follower Guide Block
63 rod
66 Follower holder
67 Cam Follower
80 plunger
82 Sealing material
85 coil spring
90 Valve member position adjusting member
91 pin
92 Ball bearing
92A inner ring
95,96 nuts
111 screw
112 grooves

Claims (7)

A port member having a suction port to which a liquid is supplied and a discharge port from which the liquid is discharged, and having a port surface formed with an opening communicating with the suction port and the discharge port,
It has a valve surface that is disposed opposite to the port surface of the port member, and is rotatably disposed with a gap formed between the valve surface and the port surface of the port member. A valve member having three plunger insertion holes that are bored along and open to the valve surface, and are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis;
Rotation driving means for driving the valve member to rotate,
Three plunger members respectively slidably inserted in three plunger insertion holes of the valve member in the axial direction;
Plunger advance / retreat drive means for driving the plunger members to advance / retreat in the axial direction,
Gap size adjusting means for adjusting the relative position of the valve member with respect to the port member to adjust the gap size,
A seal member interposed between the valve surface of the valve member and the port surface of the port member, and disposed so as to surround each of the openings at an outer peripheral position of each of the openings of the port surface and the valve surface;
A liquid ejection device comprising: The liquid ejection device according to claim 1,
The gap dimension adjusting means sets a contact position where a valve surface of the valve member contacts a port surface as a reference position, and moves one of the valve member or the port member from the reference position in a direction away from each other to form the gap. A liquid ejection device characterized by setting dimensions. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 or 2,
A ball bearing fixed to one of the valve member or the gap size adjusting means is interposed between the valve member and the gap size adjusting means,
The other of the valve member or the gap size adjusting means includes a tapered position adjusting surface that contacts the ball bearing,
The clearance dimension adjusting means is disposed movably in the axial direction with respect to the port member and the valve member, and is disposed so as to be position adjustable also in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, and the ball bearing is disposed on a position adjusting surface. A liquid ejecting apparatus characterized in that movement of the valve member in a direction away from the port member is restricted by being brought into contact with the port member. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1,
On the valve surface of the valve member, a seal holding groove for restricting the movement of the sealing material in the in-plane direction of the valve surface is formed, and the seal holding groove is formed in a substantially triangular groove shape in a plane. Characteristic liquid discharge device. The liquid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An arc groove communicating with each of the openings is formed on a port surface of the port member,
The length and position of this arc groove
A state in which one of the three plunger insertion holes does not communicate with each arc groove, and the other two plunger insertion holes communicate with each arc groove,
A state in which two of the three plunger insertion holes communicate with an arc groove communicating with a suction port, and another one of the three plunger insertion holes communicates with an arc groove communicating with a discharge port;
A state in which one of the three plunger insertion holes communicates with an arc groove that communicates with a suction port, and the other two plunger insertion holes communicate with an arc groove that communicates with a discharge port. With the rotation of the valve member, is formed to be switchable,
When only one plunger insertion hole communicates with the arc groove communicated with the suction port, the plunger advance / retreat driving means moves the plunger member inserted through the plunger insertion hole with respect to the rotation angle of the valve member. Is moved away from the suction port so that
When only one plunger insertion hole is communicated with the arc groove communicated with the discharge port, the plunger member inserted through the plunger insertion hole is discharged so that the amount of movement with respect to the rotation angle of the valve member is constant. Move in the direction approaching the port,
When two plunger insertion holes are connected to the arc groove connected to the suction port, the plunger members inserted into the respective plunger insertion holes are moved in a direction away from the suction port, and the rotation angle of the valve member is changed. The total amount of movement of each plunger member is set to be the same as the amount of movement of the plunger member when only the one plunger insertion hole is connected to the arc groove connected to the suction port,
When two plunger insertion holes are connected to the arc groove connected to the discharge port, the plunger members inserted into the respective plunger insertion holes are moved in a direction approaching the discharge port, and the rotation angle of the valve member is changed. The total amount of movement of each plunger member is set so as to be the same as the amount of movement of the plunger member when only the one plunger insertion hole communicates with the arc groove communicating with the discharge port. Characteristic liquid discharge device. The liquid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The port member,
A case body having a suction port to which the liquid is supplied and a discharge port to which the liquid is discharged,
A seal disk disposed in the case body, having a communication hole communicating with the suction port and the discharge port, and having a port surface in which the communication hole is opened,
The valve member,
A valve surface facing the port surface of the seal disk, and rotatably disposed in the case body with a gap formed between the valve surface and the port surface of the seal disk; A valve disc having three plunger insertion holes that are bored along the rotation axis and that are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis;
A plunger guide block provided rotatably with the valve disc and having three plunger insertion holes formed coaxially with the three plunger insertion holes;
The valve body and the plunger guide block are integrally rotatably arranged in the case body, and are bored along the rotation axis, and are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis. And a cam follower guide block having three guide holes.
The plunger member,
Three plungers inserted into the three plunger insertion holes of the valve disc and the plunger guide block, respectively, so as to be slidable in the axial direction;
Three cam followers inserted into the three guide holes of the cam follower guide block so as to be slidable in the axial direction, respectively.
Each of the cam followers has a cam follower body whose one end side is arranged to be able to contact the three plungers, and a roller rotatably attached to the cam follower body,
An end face cam having a cam surface with which the roller of the cam follower abuts, and an urging means for urging the plunger member toward the cam surface side to abut the cam follower against the cam surface are provided,
When the cam follower guide block, the plunger guide block, and the seal disk are driven to rotate, the rollers follow the cam surface and roll along the cam surface, whereby each cam follower advances and retreats in the axial direction according to the shape of the cam surface. The plunger is driven to advance and retreat in accordance with the advance and retreat of each cam follower. 7. A gap size setting method for setting a gap size between the port member and the valve member in the liquid ejection device according to claim 1.
After the valve surface of the valve member is brought into contact with the port surface by the gap size adjusting means, the valve member is moved away from the port member by a size set based on the viscosity and liquid pressure of the liquid to be discharged. And setting the gap size.

Images