JP2020159536A - Automatic switch adjuster - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an automatic switch adjuster which enables a user to grasp a state of a gas residual quantity of a gas vessel easily.SOLUTION: An automatic switch adjuster 1 includes: a rack 41 provided at a switch shaft 31 which is displaced according to a gas pressure of a gas vessel during supply; a pinion 42 which engages with the rack 41 and is rotated by movement of the switch shaft 31; a rotating body 43 which rotates with the pinion 42 and in which three different display parts 45a, 45b, 45c are formed along a rotation direction; and display means 40 which displays a state of a gas residual quantity of the gas vessel connected to the automatic switch adjuster 1 with these display parts 45a, 45b, 45c.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic switching regulator.

A plurality of gas containers are connected, the gas from these gas containers is reduced to a predetermined pressure and supplied to the combustor, and when the gas pressure of the gas container being supplied falls below the switching set value, the gas is supplied to another gas container. An automatic switching adjuster that automatically switches the destination has been conventionally proposed (see Patent Document 1).

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the conventional automatic switching regulator 50 includes a housing 51, a medium pressure decompression unit 60, a low pressure decompression unit 70, a gas container switching means 80, and a display means 90.

The housing 51 is provided with two gas inlets 53a and 53b and one gas outlet 54. Gas containers (not shown) are connected to the gas inlets 53a and 53b, respectively. A combustor (not shown) such as a gas range is connected to the gas outlet 54 via a gas meter (not shown).

The medium pressure decompression unit 60 includes a medium pressure diaphragm 63 that separates the first atmospheric pressure chamber 61 and the medium pressure decompression chamber 62, and a medium pressure spring 64. The medium pressure decompression chamber 62 communicates with the two gas inlets 53a and 53b via the first passage 55 and the second passage 56, respectively. Medium pressure regulating valves 65A and 65B are arranged in the communication passages 55 and 56, respectively. Each of the medium pressure adjusting valves 65A and 65B has valve seat portions 66a and 66b, valve bodies 67a and 67b, and valve rods 68a and 68b connected to the valve bodies 67a and 67b, respectively. The medium pressure adjusting valves 65A and 65B open and close the communication passages 55 and 56 according to the displacement state of the medium pressure diaphragm 63.

The low-pressure decompression unit 70 has a low-pressure diaphragm 73 that separates the second atmospheric pressure chamber 71 and the low-pressure decompression chamber 72, and a low-pressure spring 74. The low-pressure decompression chamber 72 communicates with the medium-pressure decompression chamber 12 and communicates with the gas outlet 54 via the third communication passage 77. A low pressure regulating valve 75 is arranged in the third connecting passage 77. The low pressure regulating valve 75 opens and closes the third connecting passage 77 according to the displacement state of the central portion of the low pressure diaphragm 73 transmitted via the link rod 78. As a result, the low pressure pressure reducing unit 70 further reduces the gas pressure in the medium pressure pressure reducing chamber 62 and sends it out to the gas outlet 54.

The gas container switching means 80 has a switching shaft 81 penetrating the central portion of the medium pressure diaphragm 63. The switching shaft 81 moves in the axial direction due to the displacement of the central portion of the medium pressure diaphragm 63. A pressing portion 82 is fixed to the lowermost end portion of the switching shaft 81. On the lower surface of the pressing portion 82, the convex surface 82a and the concave surface 82b are arranged at 180-degree facing positions. The valve rods 68a and 68b of the two medium pressure adjusting valves 65A and 65B are arranged at the lower positions of the convex surface 82a and the concave surface 82b, respectively. An axial direction is supported by an upper bearing portion 84 on the upper end side of the switching shaft 81. A switching lever 85 is integrally fixed to the upper bearing portion 84. The switching lever 85 and the upper bearing portion 84 are rotatably supported by the housing 51.

As shown in detail in FIG. 7, the display means 90 includes a rod 91 locked to the upper end of the switching shaft 81, display portions 92a and 92b fixed to the upper end of the rod 91, and the rod 91 in FIG. ), A torsion coil spring 93 for urging clockwise in FIG. 7, and a display window 94 provided on the switching lever 85. The rod 91 is rotatably supported by a support wall 84a of the upper bearing portion 84 via a rotation shaft 91a. The display units 92a and 92b have a white display unit 92a and a red display unit 93b. The display means 90 itself rotates integrally by the rotation of the switching lever 85.

In the above configuration, when the gas pressure of one gas container (the gas container connected to the gas inlet 53a on the right side in FIG. 5) is higher than the switching set value, the switching shaft 81 is displaced downward together with the medium pressure diaphragm 63. The medium pressure regulating valve 65A opens to supply gas to the medium pressure pressure reducing chamber 62. When the gas pressure of one gas container (the gas container connected to the gas inflow port 53a on the right side in FIG. 5) falls below the switching set value, the switching shaft 81 is displaced downward together with the medium pressure diaphragm 63 and the medium pressure adjusting valve. Even if 65A is opened, gas is not supplied to the medium pressure decompression chamber 62 because there is no gas in one of the gas containers. Then, the medium pressure diaphragm 63 and the switching shaft 81 are further displaced downward, the concave surface 82b of the pressing portion 82 presses the other valve rod 68b, and the other medium pressure adjusting valve 65B is set to the open position. As a result, gas is supplied to the medium pressure decompression chamber 62 from the other gas container (in FIG. 5, the gas container connected to the gas inflow port 53b on the left side). That is, the gas container to be used is automatically switched.

On the other hand, due to the large downward movement of the switching shaft 81, the rod 91 rotates against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 93, and the red display unit 92b is located at a position facing the display window 94. That is, the white display unit 92a is switched to the red display unit 92b. As a result, the operator can recognize that the gas container has been automatically switched. The operator refills one gas container with gas or replaces a new gas container.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-46371

However, in the conventional automatic switching adjuster 50, there are only two types of display information indicating the remaining amount of gas in the gas container, "there is a remaining amount of gas" displayed in white and "there is no remaining amount of gas" displayed in red. There was a problem that it was difficult to grasp the status of the remaining amount of gas in the gas container. That is, the operator can recognize the gas replenishment of the gas container and the replacement time of the gas container only after the gas container is switched.

As another conventional example, there is a case where "with gas remaining" is not displayed and only when "gas remaining is not" is displayed in red, but in this case as well, since there are only two types of display information, the same applies. There is a problem.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic switching regulator that makes it easy to grasp the status of the remaining amount of gas in the gas container.

The present invention is an automatic switching adjuster provided with display means for displaying the state of the remaining amount of gas in the connected gas container with at least three different display contents.

According to the present invention, since the state of the remaining amount of gas in the gas container is indicated by the display contents of at least three modes, it is easy to grasp the state of the remaining amount of gas in the gas container.

An embodiment of the present invention is shown, and is a plan view of an automatic switching adjuster. An embodiment of the present invention is shown, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. An embodiment of the present invention is shown, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. An embodiment of the present invention is shown, and is an enlarged view of part D1 of FIG. A conventional example is shown, and it is sectional drawing of an automatic switching regulator. A conventional example is shown, and it is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. A conventional example is shown, and it is an enlarged view of D2 part of FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention. The automatic switching adjuster 1 includes a housing 2, a medium pressure decompression unit 10, a low pressure decompression unit 20, a gas container switching means 30, and a display means 40.

The housing 2 has a lower housing portion 2a and an upper housing portion 2b, and the lower housing portion 2a and the upper housing portion 2b are assembled. The lower housing portion 2a is provided with two gas inlets 3a and 3b and one gas outlet 4. Gas containers (not shown) are connected to the gas inlets 3a and 3b, respectively. The gas container is filled with propane gas (LP gas). A combustor (not shown) such as a gas range is connected to the gas outlet 4 via a gas meter (not shown).

The medium-pressure decompression unit 10 includes a medium-pressure diaphragm 13 that partitions between the first atmospheric pressure chamber 11 and the medium-pressure decompression chamber 12, and two medium-pressure adjusting valves 15A and 15B that are operated by displacement of the medium-pressure diaphragm 13. ing. The medium pressure diaphragm 13 is supported by the housing 2 by its outer peripheral edge being sandwiched between the lower housing portion 2a and the upper housing portion 2b. The spring pressure of the medium pressure spring 14 is urged toward the medium pressure decompression chamber 12 side of the medium pressure diaphragm 13. The medium pressure diaphragm 13 is displaced to a position where the gas pressure in the medium pressure decompression chamber 12 is in equilibrium with the total pressure of the atmospheric pressure and the spring pressure of the medium pressure spring 14.

The first atmospheric pressure chamber 11 communicates with the outside. The medium pressure decompression chamber 12 communicates with the two gas inlets 3a and 3b via the first passage 5 and the second passage 6, respectively.

The two medium pressure regulating valves 15A and 15B are arranged in the first passage 5 and the second passage 6, respectively. Each medium pressure adjusting valve 15A, 15B has a valve seat portion 16a, 16b and a valve body 17a, 17b that is in contact with the valve seat portions 16a, 16b. Valve rods 18a and 18b are projected from the valve bodies 17a and 17b, respectively.

In each of the medium pressure adjusting valves 15A and 15B, when the valve rods 18a and 18b are pressed, the valve bodies 17a and 17b are separated from the valve seat portions 16a and 16b, and the medium pressure pressure reducing chamber 12 is separated from the gas inflow ports 3a and 3b. Gas is supplied to. When the valve rods 18a and 18b are not pressed, the valve bodies 17a and 17b come into contact with the valve seats 16a and 16b, and gas is not supplied from the gas inflow ports 3a and 3b to the medium pressure decompression chamber 12. That is, the medium pressure adjusting valves 15A and 15B open and close the communication passages 5 and 6 according to the displacement state of the medium pressure diaphragm 13.

The low-pressure pressure reducing unit 20 has a low-pressure diaphragm 23 that separates the second atmospheric pressure chamber 21 and the low-pressure pressure reducing chamber 22, and one low-pressure regulating valve 25 that operates by the displacement of the low-pressure diaphragm 23. The low-pressure diaphragm 23 is supported by the housing 2 by its outer peripheral edge being sandwiched between the lower housing portion 2a and the upper housing portion 2b. The low pressure diaphragm 23 is urged by the spring pressure of the low pressure spring 24 toward the low pressure pressure reducing chamber 22 side. The low pressure diaphragm 23 is displaced to a position where the gas pressure in the low pressure pressure reducing chamber 22 is in equilibrium with the total pressure of the atmospheric pressure and the spring pressure of the low pressure spring 24. One end of the link rod 28 is engaged with the central portion of the low pressure diaphragm 23. The link rod 28 is rotatably supported with the rotation shaft 28a as a fulcrum.

The second atmospheric pressure chamber 21 communicates with the outside. The low-pressure decompression chamber 22 communicates with the medium-pressure decompression chamber 12 via the third connecting passage 7. The low pressure decompression chamber 22 communicates with the gas outlet 4.

The low pressure regulating valve 25 is arranged in the third connecting passage 7. The low pressure regulating valve 25 has a valve seat portion 26 and a valve body 27 that is in contact with the valve seat portion 26. The other end of the link rod 28 is engaged with the valve body 27. When the other end of the link rod 28 is pressed, the valve body 27 is separated from the valve seat portion 26, and gas is supplied from the medium pressure decompression chamber 12 to the low pressure decompression chamber 2. When the link rod 28 is not pressed, the valve body 27 comes into contact with the valve seat portion 26, and gas is not supplied from the medium pressure decompression chamber 12 to the low pressure decompression chamber 22. That is, the low pressure regulating valve 25 opens and closes the third continuous passage 7 according to the displacement state of the low pressure diaphragm 23.

The gas container switching means 30 supports a switching shaft (shaft) 31 penetrating the center of the medium pressure diaphragm 13, a pressing portion 32 integrally provided at the lowermost end of the switching shaft 31, and a lower end portion of the switching shaft 31. It includes a lower bearing portion 33, an upper bearing portion 34 that supports the upper end portion of the switching shaft 31, and a switching lever 35 fixed to the upper bearing portion 34.

The pressing portion 32 has a convex surface 32a and a concave surface 32b on its bottom surface. The convex surface 32a and the concave surface 32b of the pressing portion 32 are located at 180-degree facing positions, and the valve rods 18a and 18b of the two medium pressure adjusting valves 15A and 15B described above are located below the respective facing positions, respectively.

The lower bearing portion 33 is fixed to the medium pressure diaphragm 13. The lower bearing portion 33 rotatably supports the switching shaft 31 and moves integrally with the movement of the switching shaft 31 in the axial direction. The upper bearing portion 34 supports the switching shaft 31 so as to be movable in the axial direction, and rotates integrally with the rotation of the switching shaft 31. The upper bearing portion 34 is rotatably supported by the upper housing portion 2b.

The switching lever 35 is fixed to the upper bearing portion 34. The switching lever 35 is rotatably supported by the upper housing portion 2b by 180 degrees. When the switching lever 35 is rotated, the upper bearing portion 34, the switching shaft 31, and the pressing portion 32 are all rotated. By rotating the switching lever 35 by 180 degrees, the positions of the convex surface 32a and the concave surface 32b of the pressing portion 32 are switched by 180 degrees, and the valve rods 18a and 18b of the medium pressure adjusting valves 15A and 15B facing the convex surface 32a and the concave surface 32b are opposed to each other. The valve rods 18a and 18b of the medium pressure adjusting valves 15A and 15B are switched.

The display means 40 includes a rack 41 provided at the upper end of the switching shaft 31, a pinion 42 that meshes with the rack 41 and rotates by moving the switching shaft 31 in the axial direction, and a rotating body 43 that rotates together with the pinion 42. It is provided with three different display units 45a, 45b, 45c provided on the outer peripheral surface of the body 43 along the rotation direction, and a display window 47 provided on the switching lever 35.

The pinion 42 is rotatably supported by a support wall 34a of the upper bearing portion 34 via a rotation shaft 42a. The three different display units 45a, 45b, 45c indicate that the gas container (not shown) has a sufficient amount of gas remaining and that the switching time to another gas container (not shown) is still ahead. The first display unit 45a, the second display unit 45b indicating that the remaining amount of gas in the gas container (not shown) is low and the time to switch to another gas container (not shown) is near, and the gas container (not shown). The third display unit 45c indicates that the remaining amount of gas has been exhausted (the gas pressure has fallen below the switching set value) and the gas has been switched to another gas container (not shown). The first to third display units 45a, 45b, and 45c have different display contents that can be visually recognized. In this embodiment, the first display unit 45a is colored white. The second display unit 45b is colored yellow. The third display unit 45c is colored red.

Among the three different display units 45a, 45b, 45c, the display window 47 makes the locations of the display units 45a, 45b, 45c indicating the state of gas pressure of the gas container (not shown) visible from the outside. The display means 40 itself rotates integrally by the rotation of the switching lever 35.

Next, the operation of the automatic switching regulator 1 will be described. It is assumed that one gas container (not shown) (connected to the gas inlet 3a on the right side of FIG. 2) is set as the current gas supply destination by the switching lever 35.

When gas is used on the combustor side, the gas pressure in the low pressure decompression chamber 22 decreases. Then, the low-pressure diaphragm 23 is displaced toward the low-pressure pressure reducing chamber 22, and this displacement causes the link rod 28 to rotate to open the low-pressure adjusting valve 25. As a result, gas is supplied from the medium pressure decompression chamber 12 to the low pressure decompression chamber 22. Then, the gas pressure in the low pressure pressure reducing chamber 22 rises, the low pressure diaphragm 23 returns to the original position, and the low pressure regulating valve 25 is closed. In the low pressure pressure reducing chamber 22, a predetermined low pressure gas is supplied to the combustor by repeating such an operation.

In the medium pressure decompression chamber 12, the gas pressure is reduced by supplying gas to the low pressure decompression chamber 22. Then, the medium pressure diaphragm 13 is displaced toward the medium pressure decompression chamber 12, and the convex surface 32a of the pressing portion 32 presses one valve rod 18a by this displacement, and the one medium pressure adjusting valve 15A (right side in FIG. 2) is pressed. The open position. As a result, gas is supplied to the medium pressure decompression chamber 12 from one gas container (not shown) (connected to the gas inflow port 3a on the right side of FIG. 2). Then, the gas pressure in the medium pressure pressure reducing chamber 12 rises, the medium pressure diaphragm 13 returns to the original position, and the medium pressure adjusting valve 15A is closed. In the medium pressure decompression chamber 12, gas is supplied from one gas container (not shown) by repeating such an operation.

When the gas in one of the gas containers (not shown) runs out (when the gas pressure falls below the switching set value), the gas pressure supplied to the medium pressure decompression chamber 12 decreases, so that the medium pressure diaphragm The central portion of 13 is largely displaced toward the medium pressure decompression chamber 12, but gas is not supplied from one of the gas containers (not shown). Then, the concave surface 32b of the pressing portion 32 presses the other valve rod 18b, and the other medium pressure adjusting valve 15B (left side in FIG. 2) is set as the open position. As a result, gas is supplied to the medium pressure decompression chamber 12 from the other gas container (not shown) (connected to the gas inflow port 3b on the left side of FIG. 2). That is, the gas container (not shown) to be used is automatically switched.

In the above operation process, when the remaining amount of gas in one of the gas containers (not shown) is sufficient, the central portion of the medium pressure diaphragm 13 and the position of the switching shaft 31 are maintained at high positions, so that they are displayed. The white first display unit 45a is visually recognized from the display window 47 of the means 40. The operator can recognize that the gas container (not shown) is replenished with gas or the gas container (not shown) is replaced.

When the remaining amount of gas in one of the gas containers (not shown) becomes low, the central portion of the medium pressure diaphragm 13 and the position of the switching shaft 31 are displaced to lower positions, so that the display window 47 of the display means 40 is used. The yellow second display unit 45b is visually recognized. The operator can recognize that the gas container (not shown) is being refilled with gas or the gas container (not shown) is about to be replaced.

When the remaining amount of gas in one of the gas containers (not shown) is exhausted, the central portion of the medium pressure diaphragm 13 and the position of the switching shaft 31 are displaced to lower positions, so that the display window 47 of the display means 40 is used. The red third display unit 45c is visually recognized.

As a result, the operator can recognize that the gas container (not shown) is automatically switched and the remaining amount of gas in one of the gas containers (not shown) is exhausted. The operator rotates the switching lever 35 by 180 degrees. As a result, the other gas container (not shown) (connected to the gas inlet 3b on the left side of FIG. 2) is reset as the future gas supply destination. Then, the operator replenishes one gas container (not shown) with gas or replaces a new gas container (not shown). By repeating such work, gas can be supplied without causing gas shortage.

As described above, the automatic switching adjuster 1 includes display means 40 for displaying the state of the remaining amount of gas in the connected gas container (not shown) with three different display units 45a, 45b, 45c. .. Therefore, it is easy to grasp the status of the remaining amount of gas in the gas container (not shown). In this embodiment, the three different display contents are three colors, but visual contents other than the colors (for example, numbers) may be used. In this embodiment, there are three different display contents, but four or more display contents may be used. It may be displayed by the color change due to the gradation. A state in which none of the display units can be visually recognized may be one display content (for example, a state in which the remaining amount of gas is sufficient).

The display means 40 includes a rack 41 provided on the switching shaft 31 that is displaced according to the gas pressure of the gas container (not shown) being supplied, and a pinion 42 that meshes with the rack 41 and rotates by the movement of the switching shaft 31. , A rotating body 43 that rotates together with the pinion 42 and has three different display portions 45a, 45b, 45c formed along the rotation direction. Since the rack 41 and the pinion 42 convert the axial displacement of the switching shaft 31 into the rotation angle of the rotating body 43, a larger rotation angle (movement range in the rotation direction) can be obtained as compared with the conventional example. Therefore, as in this embodiment, a large display area can be secured along the rotation direction of the rotating body 43 without increasing the distance from the rotation center to the first to third display units 45a, 45b, 45c. Three different display units 45a, 45b, 45c can be sufficiently arranged. It is also possible to arrange more than three display units. That is, the automatic switching adjuster 1 that displays the state of the remaining amount of gas with three or more different display contents can be made compact.

In this embodiment, it is applied to the automatic switching regulator 1 in which two gas containers (not shown) are connected. That is, in the automatic switching regulator 1, when two gas containers are connected (not shown) and the gas pressure of the gas container (not shown) being supplied falls below the switching set value, another gas container (not shown) ) Is provided with a gas container switching means 30 that automatically switches the gas supply destination, and a display means 40 that displays the state of the remaining amount of gas in the gas container (not shown) being supplied with three different display contents. .. Therefore, in the automatic switching regulator 1 in which two gas containers (not shown) are connected, it is easy to grasp the status of the remaining amount of gas in the gas container (not shown).

In this embodiment, the automatic switching regulator 1 decompresses the gas to a predetermined pressure in two stages of the medium pressure decompression unit 10 and the low pressure decompression unit 20, but the present invention has nothing to do with the number of decompression stages (including one stage). Applicable without.

In this embodiment, the automatic switching regulator 1 is configured to be connected to two gas containers (not shown), but even if it is connected to only one gas container, it is connected to three or more gas containers. The present invention is also applicable to the above.

1 Automatic switching regulator 31 Switching shaft (axis)
40 Display means 41 Rack 42 Pinion 43 Rotating body 45a, 45b, 45c Display unit

Claims (3)

An automatic switching adjuster characterized by having a display means for displaying the state of the remaining amount of gas in the connected gas container with at least three different display contents. The automatic switching adjuster according to claim 1.
The three different display contents are the first display unit indicating that the remaining amount of gas in the gas container is sufficient and the time to switch to the other gas container is still ahead, and the remaining amount of gas in the gas container. The second display unit indicates that the time for switching to the other gas container is near, and the third display unit indicates that the remaining amount of gas in the gas container is exhausted and the gas container has been switched to another gas container. An automatic switching adjuster featuring. The automatic switching adjuster according to claim 1 or 2.
The display means includes a rack provided on a shaft that is displaced according to the gas pressure from the gas container during gas supply, and a rack.
A pinion that meshes with the rack and rotates by moving the shaft,
An automatic switching adjuster comprising a rotating body that rotates together with the pinion and has at least three different display contents formed along the direction of rotation.

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