JP2006009944A - Quantitative ball valve provided with bias housing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a quantitative ball valve, capable of restricting clogging due to attachment of granular matter to the surface of a ball to prohibit rotation of the ball when the granular matter is distributed by means of a quantitative ball valve. <P>SOLUTION: This quantitative ball valve 10 comprises a valve body and the ball 20. The valve body comprises an inlet passage 32 passing an upper half member 14 and an outlet passage 34 passing a lower half member 16. The ball 20 is journalled to cylindrical seal surfaces 28 and 30 passing the half members 14 and 16 to rotate around a shaft 11. An upper and a lower O-rings 46 and 48 are coaxially disposed with a shaft 40 to seal between an outer spherical surface 50 of the ball 20 and an inner spherical surface 52 of a cavity 18. In a case where the granular matter 44 is attached to the surface of the ball 20, since the valve body containing the ball 20 comprises the half members 14 and 16 which can be elastically tilted, they are separated from each other to their tilt. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a metered ball valve that dispenses a unit volume, and more particularly to such a ball valve when housed in an elastic split housing.

A metered ball valve is known to allow a blind hole in the ball to move from a location that receives the material to be dispensed to another location where the received material can be dispensed by rotation of the ball valve in the housing. Yes.

The conventionally known ball valves have the disadvantage that, when used to dispense particulate material, if there is a substance that adheres to the surface of the ball, the rotation of the ball is hindered and a clogged state may occur. It was. Such a situation can occur particularly when the substance to be dispensed contains a granular substance that is sticky to the ball or can be fused, or a granular substance that absorbs moisture under humidified conditions.

In order to overcome, at least in part, these deficiencies of previously known devices, the present invention is arranged so that the housing is two complementary halves that are elastically tilted together and separate from each other. Distributing ball valves are provided.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing ball valve.

Another object of the present invention is that the housing housing the ball is composed of two complementary half members that are elastically tilted together and adjusted to separate from each other with respect to the tilt. It is to provide a ball valve for dispensing.

In one aspect, the present invention provides:
The housing has an internal spherical cavity, the first port opens from the first side of the housing to the cavity, and the second port opens from the second opposite side of the housing to the cavity;
A ball is concentrically housed in the housing within the cavity such that the ball rotates about a first axis through the center of the spherical cavity;
The ball has a spherical outer surface for hermetic connection within the cavity,
The ball has a blind hole with a known volume,
The ball rotates about the first axis between a first position where the blind hole is associated with the first port and a second position where the blind hole is associated with the second port. Has been adjusted so that
The hermetic connection between the spherical outer surface of the ball and the cavity is maintained during rotation of the ball between the first position and the second position, whereby the first The rotation of the ball between a position and the second position is adjusted to move a predetermined volume from an association with the first port to an association with the second port;
The housing comprises two complementary half members, the first half member having the first port, the second half member having the second port, and each half member having approximately half of the cavity. And
The first and second half members are combined together to form the cavity therebetween, and a generally horizontal first mating surface in the first half member is generally horizontal in the second half member. It is adjusted to connect with the second mating surface in a rotatable and sealable state,
A biasing mechanism elastically tilts both the first and second half members to hermetically connect the generally horizontal first mating surface with the generally horizontal second mating surface;
The first and second half members provide a ball valve that is adjusted to separate from each other at their horizontal mating surfaces against the tilt of the bias mechanism.

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 to 4 showing a first embodiment of the metering ball valve 10. The ball valve 10 is shown as having a valve body 12 composed of an upper half member 14 and a lower half member 16 and a ball 20. The valve body 12 has a spherical cavity 18 in its center, in which a ball 20 is journaled rotatably about the shaft 11 by cylindrical stub axles 22 and 24 extending coaxially with the shaft 11 from the ball. The The shaft 11 passes through the center 26 of the spherical cavity 18. The stub axles 22 and 24 are journaled rotatably on cylindrical axle seating surfaces 28 and 30 that are coaxial with the shaft 11. Half of each of the seating surfaces 28 and 30 are formed in the half members 14 and 16 respectively.

The valve body 12 has an inlet passage 32 through the upper half member 14 at the top and an outlet passage 34 through the lower half member 16 at the bottom. The ball 20 is disposed inside the spherical cavity 18 in the valve body 12. The ball 20 has a cylindrical blind hole 36 formed perpendicular to the axis 11 around an axis 40 that passes through the center 26 of the spherical cavity 18. The blind hole 36 is closed at one dead end 38 and is open at the other dead end 40. Ball 20 is journaled between half members 14 and 16 for cylindrical stub axles 22 and 24 on the opposite side of ball 20 being journaled to cylindrical seating surfaces 28 and 30 through half members 14 and 16. It is arranged so as to rotate around the shaft 11. One of the cylindrical stub members 14 has a keyhole that is adjusted to receive the shaft 44 and rotate the ball 20.

The ball 20 is rotatable from the filling or receiving position as shown in FIG. Here, the hole 36 in the ball 20 is opened toward the hopper 43, and the substance 44 in the hopper 43, such as the solid substance 44, falls by gravity through the inlet passage 32, and the hole inside the ball 20. 36 can be filled. From this position, the ball 20 can be rotated along the axis 11 to the supply or dispensing position as shown in FIG. Here, the ball 20 closes the association with the hopper 43, and the hole 36 in the ball 20 opens toward the outlet passage 34 outside the valve body 12, thereby being received in the hole 36 of the ball 20. 44 is distributed under gravity. Thus, it should be understood that the ball 20 receives the substance 44 from the hopper 43 and then dispenses it by rotating the ball through the shaft 44, such as by a motor or manually.

In order to seal between the ball 20 and the valve body 12, the upper and lower O-rings 46 and 48 are arranged coaxially with the shaft 40 for each of the inlet passage 32 and the outlet passage 34 to which the O-ring connects. A seal is formed between the outer spherical surface 50 of the ball 20 and the inner spherical surface 52 of the cavity 18. O-rings 46 and 48 are received in grooves formed in the inner spherical surface 52 of the cavity 18.

The valve body 12 has two external projections 54 and 56, one on each side of the housing. Each protrusion 54 and 56 is arranged coaxially with an axis 58 perpendicular to the axis 11 and the axis 40, respectively. The upper halves 54 a and 56 a of each protrusion are formed from a part of the upper half member 14, and the lower halves 54 b and 56 b of each protrusion are formed from a part of the lower half member 16. As shown in the figure, the protrusions 54 and 56 are both made of cylindrical members arranged coaxially with the shaft 58, and the upper halves 54a and 56a of the protrusions are generally made of members having a semicircular cross section. Meshes with the lower half 54b and 56b of each projection which is semicircular. Protrusions 54 and 56 each provide circular shoulder surfaces 55 and 57 oriented perpendicular to the radius from axis 58, respectively. In this regard, an annular groove is provided around each protrusion 54 and 56 in the circular shoulder surface oriented perpendicular to the axis 58.

Two elastic O-rings 60 and 62 are mounted in the annular groove with respect to the projections 54 and 56, respectively, so that each O-ring is connected to the circular shoulder surface and under compression the first and second half members 14 and 16 will be tilted together.

In the preferred embodiment shown, O-rings 60 and 62 that are housed around protrusions 54 and 56 to move half members 14 and 16 together are O-rings 46 and 48 disposed between ball 20 and cavity 18. Are of the same size.

The size of the O-rings 60 and 62 disposed around the protrusions 54 and 56 is such that the circumference of the upper half member 14 is fixed firmly and the first and second half members 14 and 16 are tilted together. It is such that the generally horizontal first mating surface 64 on top is in substantially hermetic connection with the generally horizontal second mating surface 66 on the lower half 16.

The fact that the upper and lower half members 14 and 16 are elastically tilted together may be, for example, particulate matter 44 rather than damage caused to the ball 20 or half members 14 and 16 as may occur in a potential jam. When the ball 20 is attached to the outer spherical surface 50 of the ball 20 when the ball 20 is rotated, the rotation of the ball 20 having a radius substantially extended by the attached substance causes two There is an advantage that the half members 14 and 16 spread apart with respect to the inclination of the elastic O-rings 60 and 62.

The dispensing ball valve of the present invention is particularly directed to use when dispensing particulate material from the hopper 43. The shaft 44 is preferably rotated continuously or more typically periodically whenever it is desired to dispense a unit volume of material 44 by some rotational mechanical mechanism. . A preferred rotary motor may be, for example, an electromechanical device such as a precisely controlled step electric motor. Alternatively, the preferred motor may consist of a pneumatic motor driven by air pressure, which has the advantage of stalling when the force against the rotation of the ball is too great.

Although the dispensing ball valve of the present invention is specifically tailored for use in dispensing particulate solid materials and powders, the apparatus is also useful for dispensing liquids and slurries.

Although not required, it is preferred that the stub axles 22 and 24 have different diameters to help ensure that the ball 20 is oriented correctly in the valve body 12.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 showing a second embodiment of the dispensing ball valve 10 of the present invention when adjusted to form various components as in injection molding.

In FIG. 6, O-rings 60 and 62 are not shown for the sake of simplicity. FIG. 6 shows O-rings 60 and 62 secured around protrusions 54 and 56 on valve half members 14 and 16.

The stub axle 22 is shown at its end with an arrow 70 pointing to the relative position of the ball 20. On the outer side of the valve body 12 around the end of the stub axle 22, the ball valve is in the receiving “FILL” position, or in the dispensing “FEED” position, or between the two Is marked as being in a “REST” position where no distribution can occur. The second embodiment keeps the ball 20 in the normal REST position, but when the supply is desired to be dispensed, the ball is first moved to the FILL position for filling and then moved to the FEED position for dispensing. And may be adjusted for use by simply rotating 180 degrees between the FEED position. After dispensing, move the material to the REST position until re-use of the valve is desired.

Although the present invention has been disclosed with reference to preferred embodiments, many modifications and variations will occur to those skilled in the art. For the definition of the invention, reference is made to the appended claims.

Schematic perspective view showing the first embodiment of the ball valve for distribution Sectional view along section line 2-2 'in FIG. 1, showing the ball valve in the receiving position, connected to the hopper Sectional view similar to FIG. 2, with the ball valve in the dispensing position Sectional view along section line 4-4 'in FIG. Bird's-eye view showing the second embodiment of the ball valve of the present invention, excluding the bias O-ring Front view of the ball valve of FIG. 5 with the bias O-ring in place. The figure which shows a ball | bowl from the ball valve of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10, metering ball valve 11, shaft 12, valve body 14, upper half member 16, lower half member 18, spherical cavity 20, balls 22 and 24, cylindrical stub axle 26, centers 28 and 30 of spherical cavity 18, cylindrical Axle seat surface 32, inlet passage 34, outlet passage 36, cylindrical blind hole 38, blind end 40, other dead end 40, shaft 43 through center 26, hopper 44, shaft 44, materials 46 and 48, O-ring 50 The outer spherical surface 52 of the ball 20, the inner spherical surfaces 54 and 56 of the cavity 18, the outer protrusions 54a and 56a, the upper halves 54b and 56b of each protrusion, the lower halves 55 and 57 of each protrusion, the circular shoulder surface 58, and the shafts 60 and 62. , O-ring 64, generally horizontal first mating surface 66, generally horizontal second mating surface 70, arrow

Claims (14)

The housing has an internal spherical cavity, the first port opens from the first side of the housing to the cavity, and the second port opens from the second opposite side of the housing to the cavity;
A ball is concentrically housed in the housing within the cavity for rotation about a first axis through the center of the spherical cavity;
The ball has a spherical outer surface for hermetic connection within the cavity;
The ball has a blind hole of known volume;
The ball rotates about the first axis between a first position where the blind hole is associated with the first port and a second position where the blind hole is associated with the second port. Has been adjusted so that
The hermetic connection between the spherical outer surface of the ball and the cavity is maintained during rotation of the ball between the first position and the second position, whereby the first The rotation of the ball between a position and the second position is adjusted to move a predetermined volume from an association with the first port to an association with the second port;
The housing comprises two complementary half members, the first half member having the first port, the second half member having the second port, and each half member having approximately half of the cavity. And
The first and second half members are combined together to form the cavity therebetween, and a generally horizontal first mating surface in the first half member is generally horizontal in the second half member. It is adjusted to connect with the second mating surface in a rotatable and sealable state,
A biasing mechanism comprises elastically tilting the first and second half members together to hermetically connect the generally horizontal first mating surface with the generally horizontal second mating surface. And ball valve. The housing has two external protrusions, one on each side of the housing, each protrusion arranged coaxially with a second axis passing through the center of the spherical cavity, and a circular shoulder oriented perpendicular to the radius from the axis. Giving a surface,
Each projection consists of two half projections, the first half projection of each projection consists of a part of the first half member, the second half projection of each projection consists of a part of the second half member,
The biasing mechanism consists of two elastic annular rings, one ring being mounted on each of the projections connecting the circular shoulder portions in both the first and second half projections of each projection, 2. The ball valve according to claim 1, wherein the two half members are moved together by moving the second half projection. 2. The ball valve according to claim 1, wherein an opening is formed in the cavity coaxially with the first shaft, and through this, the ball and an external mechanism of the ball valve for rotating the ball about the shaft are connected. . 4. The ball valve according to claim 3, wherein the opening has a journal surface coaxially with an axis for journaling the ball for rotation about the first axis. The ball has a spherical nucleus and two stub axles, one on each side of the nucleus, extending outward from the nucleus coaxially with the first axis,
Each stub axle has an external journal surface coaxial with the first axis,
The housing has two axle bearings, one on one side of the housing, coaxial with the first axis, which provide a journal surface coaxial with the first axis, complementary to the external journal surface on the stub axle, Connected to journal the ball in the housing for rotation about the first axis,
Each axle bearing has two half bearings, wherein the first half bearing of each axle bearing consists of a part of the first half member and the second half bearing of each axle bearing consists of a part of the second half member Item 1. A ball valve according to Item 1. The ball has a spherical nucleus and two stub axles, one on each side of the nucleus, extending outward from the nucleus coaxially with the first axis,
Each stub axle has an external journal surface coaxial with the first axis,
Each protrusion has an opening in the cavity coaxially with the above-mentioned axis, and gives a journal surface coaxially with the first axis, complementary to the external journal surface on the stub axle, and is centered on the first axis. 3. A ball valve according to claim 2, wherein the ball valve is coupled to journal the ball within the housing for rotation. The ball valve according to claim 6, wherein the first stub axle has an outer journal surface having a radius different from a radius of the outer journal surface of the second stub axle. The ball valve according to claim 7, wherein the surface of each protrusion has a circular cross section with the second axis as the center. The cavity has a spherical inner surface, and the two elastic O-rings are respectively disposed on the side surfaces of the first port and the second port, in the respective recesses of the spherical inner surface around the first axis,
2. The ball valve of claim 1, wherein the balls are connected to form a seal when the balls are rotated about the axis. The cavity has a spherical inner surface, and the two elastic O-rings are respectively disposed on the side surfaces of the first port and the second port, in the respective recesses of the spherical inner surface around the first axis,
Connect the balls and form a seal with it when the ball rotates around its axis,
The ball valve according to claim 2, wherein the two elastic O-rings and the two sealing rings are interchangeable. The ball valve according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for rotating the ball between the first position and the second position. The ball valve according to claim 11, wherein a mechanism for rotating the ball includes a score on the ball adjusted to be coupled by a shaft. The first end is associated with a first container containing a flowable substance, the second end is associated with an outlet,
The ball valve according to claim 1, wherein the rotation of the ball from the first position to the second position thereby moves a predetermined amount of the substance from the first container to the outlet. The first end is associated with a first container containing a first flowable substance, the second end is associated with a second container,
2. The ball valve according to claim 1, wherein the rotation of the ball from the first position to the second position moves a predetermined amount of material equal to the volume of the blind hole from the first container to the second container. .

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