JP2811317B2 - Flow control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of the Invention] The present invention operates a diaphragm by a pressure change of a fluid passage by opening and closing a use side faucet, and controls opening and closing of one or a plurality of flow paths by a valve member interlocked with the diaphragm. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flow control device suitable for use in a fluid passage in which calcium is easily precipitated, such as an electrolytic water discharge passage of an electrolytic ionic water generation device.

[Technical Background of the Invention]

The inventor has previously provided at least one-stage valve casing partitioned into a fluid introduction portion and a discharge portion via a flow control portion, and a control chamber partitioned by a diaphragm on the fluid introduction portion side of one of the valve casings. And one end of a valve stem provided with a valve body for controlling the opening and closing of the passage of the flow control unit is supported by the diaphragm, and the valve stem is provided with a fluid outlet of one of the valve casings and We have developed a flow control device that has a fluid passage that connects the control chamber.

In this type of flow control device, particularly, a type in which a valve casing is connected in two stages and two fluid circuits are controlled to be opened and closed by a common valve member is mainly installed in an electrolyzed water discharge passage of an electrolyzed water generation device. The alkaline ionized water discharge path is connected to the flow path of the valve casing communicating with the fluid passage of the valve stem, and the acidic water discharge path is connected to the flow path of the other valve casing. The opening and closing of both the water and acid water discharge paths are controlled simultaneously.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in this type of apparatus, deposits such as calcium adhere to the fluid control unit and the valve member of the valve casing through which the alkaline water flows, which often hinders the operation of the valve member, and maintenance is not easy. Further, when the faucet for using the alkaline ionized water is closed, the valve element closes the passage of the fluid control unit. At this time, the pressure of the fluid introduction unit rapidly increases, so that the diaphragm may be damaged by a hammer shock.

Further, a two-stage flow in which a valve casing for acidic water is continuously connected to a lower stage of the valve casing for alkaline water, and a flexible diaphragm is stretched on a partition opening edge between a valve member penetrating the upper and lower valve casings and the casing. In the control device, when the fluid control section of the lower valve casing is closed, the pressure of the fluid introduction section of the lower valve casing increases,
A pressure difference with the fluid outlet of the alkaline water side valve casing occurs. Therefore, an undesirable phenomenon that the valve member vibrates up and down due to the relationship between the force for pushing up the valve member by the flexible diaphragm and the reaction force of the diaphragm is added.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a flow control device in which a trouble due to calcium precipitation does not occur in a fluid control unit and a valve member.

A second object of the present invention, in addition to the first object, is to provide a flow control device capable of preventing damage to a diaphragm and vibration of a valve member due to a fluid pressure difference.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the first object, the present invention has at least a one-stage valve casing having an interior divided into a fluid introduction part and a discharge part via a flow control part, and one of the valve casings has a fluid introduction part side. A control chamber partitioned by a diaphragm is connected to one end, and one end of a valve member provided with a valve body for controlling opening and closing of a passage of the flow control unit is supported by the diaphragm, and any one of the valves is provided to the valve member. In a flow control device having a fluid passage for communicating a fluid outlet of a casing and a control chamber, a valve body of a valve casing communicating with a fluid passage of a valve member, and a valve provided in a flow control unit opened and closed by the valve body. One or both of the seats is made of an elastic body that is deformed by a fluctuation in fluid pressure between the fluid introduction part and the fluid outlet part.

Even when the valve seat and the valve body are configured as described above, if the precipitated calcium adheres to the valve rod surface, the swing gap of the valve body skirt portion may be closed, and a sufficient sweeping action may not work.
In order to solve this problem, as described above, another aspect of the present invention is to provide a valve body of a valve casing that communicates with a fluid passage of a valve member, and a valve seat provided in a flow control unit that is opened and closed by the valve body. One or both are made of a flexible elastic body that is deformed by the fluid pressure fluctuation between the fluid introduction part and the fluid discharge part, and a sleeve made of a flexible material is externally fitted to the valve rod of the valve member, The sleeve extends downwardly or laterally below the valve stem and integrally has a contact element that abuts on the periphery of the valve stem in the casing when the valve body reciprocates. In any case, the elastic body and the valve seat are preferably formed in the shape of a skirt that hangs downward, and a gap is formed inside the skirt to allow the skirt to swing.

Further, when a flexible sleeve is fitted to the valve stem, a hollow gap is preferably provided inside the sleeve.

Further, in order to achieve the second object, the present invention provides, in addition to the above-described means, a valve body having a valve seat provided between a fluid introduction portion and a fluid outlet portion of a valve casing communicating with a fluid passage of a valve member. That is, a minute passage which is still connected even when fitted is formed.

[Function of the invention]

In the present invention, as described above, since the valve body, the valve seat, and the like are formed of a flexible elastic body that is deformed by the pressure fluctuation between the fluid introduction part and the discharge part, the water pressure changes or presses when the fluid control part is opened and closed. , Rocking, expansion and contraction, etc., and precipitates such as calcium are separated by the physical action. In particular, when the valve body or the valve seat is formed in a skirt shape and a gap is formed inside the skirt portion, the skirt portion swings due to a slight change in water flow in addition to the elasticity of the material.

In addition, when the flexible sleeve is fitted to the valve rod in addition to the elastic valve element and the valve seat, the sleeve projects downward or laterally of the valve rod when the valve member reciprocates up and down. Contact the peripheral member of the valve stem in the casing, whereby vibration, bending, torsion, etc. act on the entire sleeve. Therefore, the deposits such as calcium adhered to the valve stem are efficiently shaken off, so that the swing gap inside the valve body is secured. If a hollow gap is formed inside the sleeve, the sleeve will be more susceptible to vibration and bending.

Further, a single casing or a plurality of casings can be opened and closed by forming a small hole passage between the fluid introduction portion and the fluid outlet portion of the valve casing, which is still in communication even when the valve body is fitted to the valve seat. Even if an abrupt pressure difference occurs between the inlet portion and the outlet portion, one pressure escapes to the other through the small hole passage, and the shock is attenuated.

(Example of the invention)

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

The flow control device of the present invention comprises one or two or more valve casing units having a fluid introduction part and a discharge part in one or two stages. FIG. 1 shows an example in which there is one valve casing. FIG. 2 illustrates a case where the valve casings are connected in two stages and two fluid circuits are controlled by a common valve member.

The flow control device of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has a fluid inlet 1a and a fluid outlet 1b, and a valve casing 1 having a flow controller 1c therein for partitioning the inlet 1a and the outlet 1b. Is provided.

Above the fluid introduction part 1a of the valve casing 1, a control chamber 3 partitioned by a diaphragm 2 made of a flexible material such as rubber is connected. This diaphragm 2
Is elastically supported by a spring 4 stretched in the control chamber 3, and one end of a valve member 5 for controlling the flow path of the flow control unit 1c is connected to substantially the center thereof.

The flow control unit 1c has a valve seat 7 attached to a port member 6 communicating the fluid introduction unit 1a and the outlet unit 1b, and the valve member 5 is provided on the outer periphery of the valve rod 5a at the port of the valve seat 7. A corresponding valve element 5b is provided, and thus the valve element 5b is moved up and down by the valve member 5 interlocking with the diaphragm 2 so that the flow control section 1c
Of the valve seat 7 to control the flow.

A fluid passage 8 communicating with the control chamber 3 above the diaphragm 2 and the fluid outlet portion 1b of the valve casing 1 is formed in the valve rod 5a shaft body of the valve member 5, and the fluid of the chamber 3 and the outlet portion 1b is respectively formed. They flow mutually due to the pressure difference.

Further, the flow control device is provided with a switch mechanism 9 for detecting a flow control state of the valve member 5 and transmitting an ON-OFF signal, and in this embodiment, a movable member such as the diaphragm 2 or the valve body 5 is provided. The switch mechanism 9 is composed of the mounted magnet 9a and a switch member 9b such as a lead switch or a micro switch that is fixed to the valve casing and that is turned on and off when the magnet 9a approaches and separates. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the switch member 9b is detachably screwed so as to project into the control chamber 3,
The ON-OFF control can be adjusted by adjusting the protrusion length with a knob operation.

Thus, when the faucet (not shown) of the fluid circuit communicating with the outlet portion 1b is closed, the pressure of the outlet portion 1b of the valve casing 1 rises, and the fluid in the outlet portion 1b flows from the passage 8 through the control chamber 3.
As a result, the diaphragm 2 is pushed downward in the figure, and the valve element 5a interlocked with the diaphragm 2 is fitted into the opening of the valve seat 7 as shown in FIG. In this state, it is detected that the flow of the fluid has stopped, and the signal is obtained.

On the other hand, when the faucet is opened, the pressure of the outlet 1b and the control chamber 3 decreases, and the valve body 5a moves upward together with the diaphragm 2 to open the opening of the valve seat 7, so that the fluid flows from the inlet 1a to the outlet 1b. , And a signal of the distribution state is taken.

The embodiment of FIG. 2 has a fluid introduction part 10a and a discharge part 10b,
A fluid control unit that partitions these introduction unit 10a and outlet unit 10b inside
Another valve casing 10 provided with 10c is connected to the lower stage of the valve casing 1 in FIG. 1, and the valve member 5 penetrated into the lower valve casing opens and closes a flow control unit 10c of the lower valve casing 10. A valve element 11 is provided to control opening and closing of two fluid circuits in conjunction with one valve member 5.

In this case, the control chamber 3 is controlled via the fluid passage 8 of the valve stem 5.
And the other valve casing 10 is on the driven side, and the positional relationship is not limited to the case where the upper stage is on the driven side as shown in the figure. The fluid passage 8 may be communicated with the lead-out portion 10b of the lower valve casing 10 so that the lower valve casing 10 may be the driving side.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, an opening 13 having a larger diameter than the valve stem is provided in the partition wall 12 between the valve casings 1 and 10 through which the valve member 5 passes, and a gap between the periphery of the opening 13 and the outer periphery of the valve stem 5a is provided. And the valve member 5
The opening 13 is sealed by stretching a flexible diaphragm 14 that follows the vertical movement of the diaphragm. This is to eliminate the sliding portion of the valve stem 5a and to prevent work defects due to adhesion of deposits such as calcium.

In a flow control device (with or without a switch mechanism) having a single-stage or multi-stage valve casing structured as described above, the first feature of the present invention is that the valve member 5
5b of the valve casing 1 communicating with the fluid passage 8 and the valve seat 7 of the flow control unit 1c opened and closed by the valve 5b.
One or both of them are made of a flexible material such as rubber which is deformed by pressure fluctuation between the fluid introducing portion 1a and the fluid outlet portion 1b of the valve casing 1, particularly, the flow pressure of the fluid flowing between the valve element 5b and the valve seat 7. In that it is made of an elastic body made of a conductive material.

Preferably, as shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. 3, the valve element 5b has a skirt portion 15 in which a portion to be fitted into the opening of the valve seat 7 hangs downward, and the inside of the skirt portion 15, for example, It is desirable to provide a gap 16 between the outer periphery of the valve rod 5a and the valve body skirt portion 15 to allow the movement (sway) of the valve body skirt portion 15.

Similarly, the valve seat 7 also has a downwardly extending skirt portion 17 at a portion covering the opening, and the skirt portion 17 moves (sways) inside the skirt portion 17, for example, between the skirt portion 17 and the opening member 6.
It is desirable to provide a gap 18 that allows the above.

It is preferable that the lower portions of the gaps 16 and 18 between the valve element 5b and the valve seat sheet 7 be opened so that the deposits separated from the gaps flow downward.

The valve 5b may be formed integrally with the diaphragm 2 or may be formed separately. Also, the valve body skirt 15
When the tip of the skirt portion is partially exposed to the opening of the fluid passage 8 of the valve stem 5b, the skirt portion 15 is shaken by the fluid flowing in and out of the passage 8, which is convenient for preventing the adhesion of the precipitate.

It is most preferable that both the valve element 5b and the valve seat 7 are made of the above-described material and structure, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and includes a case where either one has the above-described structure.

More preferably, the skirt portion 17 of the valve seat 7 is
As shown in the figure, the inner diameter of the lower portion is enlarged so as to expand, and several projections 17 'are formed on the inner wall of the enlarged portion, preferably in a state slightly inclined with respect to the flow direction of the fluid. The reason for this is that the projections 17 'are distorted or vibrated by the fluid resistance to prevent deposits from adhering to the skirt portion 17 and to more effectively remove the precipitates.

Another important feature of the present invention is that the valve element 5b fits into the opening of the valve seat 7 between the fluid inlet 1a and the fluid outlet 1b of the valve casing 1 communicating with the fluid passage 8 of the valve member 5. Even so, the small passage 19 that allows the fluid to move between the introduction portion 1a and the outlet portion 1b is still formed.

Here, the "micro passage" means a passage that does not hinder the operation of the diaphragm 2 when the use side faucet (not shown) communicating with the outlet portion 1b is closed.

FIGS. 4 to 5b show an embodiment in which the minute passage is formed by a space or a groove formed between ribs formed on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the valve element 5b or the valve seat 7. FIG. The figure shows a case in which a rib 20 is formed on the valve seat 7 side, and a space 21 between the ribs 20 is used as a passage.
In each figure, a rib 22 is formed on the valve body 5b side, and a space 23 between the 22 and 22 is formed.
Is a passage 19 as an example.

The minute passage between the introduction part 1a and the derivation part 1b is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and as shown in FIGS.
Small holes 24 formed in the partition wall 1b may be used, or both may be used in combination. In the case of a multistage type as shown in FIG. 2, it is desirable that the valve body 11 and the valve seat 25 of the driven side valve casing 10 are also preferably made of an elastic body such as rubber or an elastic sheet to ensure the closing. In this case, if the valve element 11 is formed integrally with the flexible diaphragm 14 of the opening 13 as shown in the figure, manufacture and assembly are easy and economical.

7 to 9 show another embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the configuration of FIGS. 1 to 6, the outer periphery of the valve stem 5a
A flexible sleeve 27 made of rubber, synthetic rubber or the like integrally formed with a contact element 26 extending downwardly or laterally below the valve stem 5a is fitted. When the valve member 5 is reciprocated (up and down), the contact element 26 becomes a casing. Resiliently abuts the valve stem peripheral frame in 1
Vibration, bending, torsion, and the like are transmitted and imparted to the entire sleeve 27.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the valve casing has one stage, that is, when the fluid circuit is a single system, the contact element 26 of the sleeve 27 extends below the valve stem 27, and when the valve stem 27 moves downward in the figure. The contact element 26 resiliently comes into contact with the bottom 28 of the casing 1 before the valve body, thereby imparting vibration, bending, and the like to the entire flexible sleeve 27. In this case, the contact element 26 has a cutout or a through hole 29 for communicating the fluid passage 8 with the casing fluid outlet 1b so as not to block the fluid passage 8 of the valve stem 5a.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the bottom of the lower contact element 26 of the sleeve 27 is opened and a cutout 29 is formed in the side face as shown in an enlarged manner in FIGS. 8a and 8b. As shown in the figure, a structure in which the lower end of the contact element 26 is closed by the bottom member 30 and the through hole 29 is formed in the lower side surface may be used.

When the valve casing has multiple stages as shown in FIG. 9, that is, when the valve rod 5a is made to penetrate the lower stage through the casing 10, the sleeve 27 is enlarged as shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b.
One or a plurality of tentacle-shaped contact elements 26 formed integrally therewith are projected outward in the lateral direction of the sleeve 27, and when the valve stem 5a moves up and down, these contact elements 26 become members around the valve stem (up and down in the figure). The inner wall of the opening 13 provided in the partition 12 of the valve casing is resiliently contacted. In this case, preferably, in order to give the contact element 26 a resilient force, the tip of the contact element 26 contacting the peripheral member is formed to be spherical or thick, and is contacted to the peripheral member with the vertical movement of the valve body. Somewhat longer so that the contact element 26 flexes up and down.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the contact element 26 is provided above the outlet side opening member of the fluid passage 8 as shown in FIG. 9, for example, so as not to close the fluid passage 8 of the valve rod 5a.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, a gap 31 is preferably formed inside the shaft of the flexible sleeve 27. The formation of the gap 31 can be obtained, for example, by forming the intermediate portion 27a of the inner peripheral wall of the shaft of the sleeve 27 to be relatively thin as shown in FIGS. 8a, 8b and 10a.

It is desirable that the sleeve 27 be provided integrally with a horizontal cover piece 27 ′ that covers the upper surface of the through hole of the fluid passage 8 in order to prevent the upper surface of the through hole of the fluid passage 8 from adhering calcium.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the valve element or the valve seat of the valve casing communicating with the fluid passage of the valve member is deformed by the fluid pressure passing therethrough, and expands, contracts, distorts, vibrates, etc. It is difficult to separate, and even if it adheres, it is separated before it grows. Therefore, particularly when used in an alkaline water circuit of an electrolytic ionized water generator in which a precipitate is likely to be generated, the reliability of the flow control device is guaranteed for a long time, and the cost of maintenance can be significantly reduced.

Further, when the flexible sleeve is externally fitted to the valve rod together with the elastic valve body and the elastic valve seat, the adhesion of calcium to the valve rod is reliably prevented. In particular, since calcium no longer adheres between the elastic valve body and the valve stem, a vibration space for the valve body is always ensured, and the calcium swinging function of the valve body is guaranteed forever.

Further, when a minute passage is provided between the inlet and outlet of the valve casing, the hammer shock due to a sudden pressure difference is attenuated, so that the diaphragm can be prevented from being damaged, and in particular, a multi-stage flow control device. With regard to the above, the vibration of the valve member caused by the pressure difference between the upper outlet section and the lower inlet section is rationally eliminated, and the flexible film between the upper and lower valve casings is also protected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a flow control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 according to another embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a main part of FIGS. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a valve seat according to another embodiment, FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a valve body according to another embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8a is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 7, FIG. 8b is an end view taken along the line bb of FIG. 7, and FIG. FIG. 8a is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 8a of another embodiment, FIG. 9 is a diagram corresponding to FIG.
Fig. a is a partially enlarged view of Fig. 9, and Fig. 10b is an end view taken along the line bb of Fig. 10a. 1, 10 ... valve casing, 2 ... diaphragm, 5
... valve member, 5a ... valve stem, 5b ... valve body, 7 ... valve seat sheet, 8 ... fluid passage, 9 ... switch mechanism, 11 ... valve body, 13 ... opening, 14 ... ... flexible diaphragm, 15, 17 ... skirt, 16, 18 ... gap, 17 '... projection, 20, 22, ... rib,
24 ... Small hole, 26 ... Contact element, 27 ... Flexible sleeve, 29
... Notch (or through hole) 31 ... gap.

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] An at least one-stage valve casing having an interior divided into a fluid introduction portion and a discharge portion via a flow control portion, and a control chamber partitioned by a diaphragm is connected to a fluid introduction portion of one of the valve casings. And one end of a valve member provided with a valve body for opening and closing the passage of the flow control unit is supported by the diaphragm,
In a flow control device in which a fluid passage for communicating a fluid outlet of any valve casing and a control chamber is formed in the valve member, a valve body of a valve casing communicating with a fluid passage of the valve member, A flow control device, wherein one or both of the valve seats provided in a flow control unit that is opened and closed is formed of an elastic body that is deformed by a fluid pressure fluctuation between a fluid introduction unit and a fluid outlet unit. And a control chamber having at least one stage divided into a fluid introduction portion and a discharge portion through a flow control portion. A control chamber partitioned by a diaphragm is connected to a fluid introduction portion of one of the valve casings. And one end of a valve member provided with a valve body for opening and closing the passage of the flow control unit is supported by the diaphragm,
In a flow control device in which a fluid passage for communicating a fluid outlet of any valve casing and a control chamber is formed in the valve member, a valve body of a valve casing communicating with a fluid passage of the valve member, One or both of the valve seats provided in the opened / closed flow control unit are made of an elastic body that is deformed by a fluctuation in fluid pressure between the fluid introduction unit and the fluid outlet unit, and the valve stem of the valve member is a flexible sleeve. The sleeve has an integral contact element at its lower part which extends downward or laterally of the valve stem and which abuts on the periphery of the valve stem in the casing during reciprocating operation of the valve body. A flow control device characterized by the following. 3. The flow according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the valve body and the valve seat have a skirt portion that hangs downward, and a gap is provided inside the skirt portion. Control device. 4. The flow control device according to claim 3, wherein a projection is formed on an inner surface of a lower portion of the skirt portion of the valve seat. 5. A minute passage which is formed between a fluid introduction portion and a fluid outlet portion of a valve casing which communicates with a fluid passage of a valve member. Claim (1), (2), (3) or (4)
The flow control device as described. 6. The flow control device according to claim 5, wherein the minute passage is formed by a space between ribs formed on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the valve body and the valve seat. 7. The flow control device according to claim 5, wherein the minute passage comprises a small hole formed in an internal partition member between the fluid introduction part and the fluid discharge part. 8. The flow control device according to claim 2, wherein a hollow gap is provided inside the flexible sleeve.