JP2844228B2 - Channel opening / closing device at piping connection - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a flow path opening / closing device suitable for connecting a pipe on a moving side to a pipe of a fixed facility, for example, in a moving tank type batch production system.

[Conventional technology and problems]

In the conventional low-mix high-volume production system, the equipment is generally large and fixed, and piping fixed between each device and tank is arranged in a nest like a nest.
There were various problems in terms of cleaning of pipes, maintenance of facilities, and effective use of land.

Recently, with the diversification of demand, the trend of the era has been changing to a high-mix low-volume production system. As a result, various production systems have been researched and developed. Have been.

In the moving tank type batch production method described above, the most important matter is how to solve the problem of liquid dripping after opening and closing of the flow path and closing of the flow path in the pipe connection between the moving side equipment and the fixed side equipment. .

Conventionally, pipe connection has been generally performed by correcting or absorbing misalignment with a flexible tube or the like and fixing the misalignment.

The present applicant has been working on various researches and developments concerning automatic connection of pipes, and has proposed an automatic pipeline connection device using a magnetic material [Japanese Patent Application No. 63-112488 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-283496)]. Although a sealing device for pipe ends [Japanese Utility Model Application No. 63-161266 (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 2-81993)] has been proposed, there are still no problems to be solved with regard to the sealing properties of pipe connections and liquid dripping. Many are left.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a flow path opening / closing device in a pipe connection section which solves the above-mentioned problems and has a simple structure for opening / closing a flow path and preventing dripping.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the flow passage opening / closing device in the pipe connection portion according to the present invention expands and contracts a flange portion of a valve body holding member that holds a valve body that can be freely moved toward and away from a valve seat by sucking and discharging fluid. A valve device that is supported from both front and back surfaces by a flexible tube and moves the valve body holding member by opening and closing the flexible tube to open and close the flow path is provided at the moving-side pipe connection portion and the fixed-side pipe connection portion, respectively. The moving-side piping connection portion and the fixed-side piping connection portion are disposed so as to face each other so that the valve seats of both connection portions communicate with each other, and gas is provided near the valve seat. It is characterized by having an inlet.

[Operation] The flow passage opening / closing device in the pipe connection portion according to the present invention is a flexible pipe that expands and contracts a flange-shaped valve element holding member that holds a valve element that can be freely attached to and detached from a valve seat by sucking and discharging fluid. Since supported from the front and back, a valve device in which the valve body holding member is moved by the expansion and contraction of the flexible tube so as to move the valve body toward and away from the valve seat,
The moving-side pipe connection and the fixed-side pipe connection are disposed at the moving-side pipe connection and the fixed-side pipe connection, and the moving-side pipe connection and the fixed-side pipe connection are disposed so as to face each other so that the valve seats of the two connections communicate with each other. Therefore, after completely connecting the two pipe connection parts by pressing the moving side pipe connection part to the fixed side pipe connection part, opening and closing the flow path by expansion and contraction of the flexible pipe of both the pipe connection parts. In addition, since the gas injection port faces the vicinity of the valve seat described above, it is possible to detect a leak or the like at the connection portion at the time of piping connection by injecting gas from the gas injection port, and further,
When the flow path is closed after the inflow of the fluid is completed, the residual liquid adhering to the connection part by injecting gas from the gas injection port into the other pipe can be prevented from dripping. is there.

〔Example〕

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the figure, reference numeral A denotes a moving side connecting portion, and a valve body 3 which can freely contact and separate from the valve seat 1 is provided in a flow passage 2 in which a valve seat 1 is formed.
And a pipe connection part 6 having a flow path 2 ′ communicating with the flow path 2 and connected to a pipe 5. Is held so as to be movable up and down by means described later. The valve body holding member 7 includes a bottomed cylindrical body 9 having a circular flange 8 provided on an upper peripheral edge, and a side wall 10 of the bottomed cylindrical body 9 is provided with a fluid communication port 11 reaching the bottom. It is set up.

Then, the valve element 3 is fixedly provided on the back side of the bottom of the bottomed cylindrical body 9 of the valve element holding member 7.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a donut-shaped upper hollow elastic body housed and disposed in the pipe connection portion 6 on the upper surface side of the circular flange portion 8 of the valve body holding member 7, and 13 denotes the valve described above. A donut-shaped lower hollow elastic body accommodated and disposed in the joint portion 4 on the lower surface side of the circular flange-shaped portion 8 of the body holding member 7, the upper hollow elastic body 12 and the lower hollow elastic body 13 is the circular flange 8 of the valve body holding member 7 as described above.
Are respectively opposed to the circular flange 8 with a slight gap therebetween. Fluid supply ports 14 and 15 connected to a fluid supply device (not shown) are independently opened in the upper hollow elastic body 12 and the lower hollow elastic body 13, respectively. When more fluid is supplied, the upper hollow elastic body 12 and the lower hollow elastic body
13 expands and contracts when the fluid is sucked.

Therefore, a fluid is supplied from the upper fluid supply port 14 to the upper hollow elastic body 12, and the upper hollow elastic body 12 is expanded to press the circular flange 8 of the valve body holding member 7. When the fluid in the hollow elastic body 13 below the fluid supply port 15 is sucked and the hollow elastic body 13 is contracted, the valve body holding member 7 moves down, and at the same time, the bottom of the valve body holding member 7 is closed. Cylindrical body 9
The valve body 3 fixed to the bottom rear surface also moves down, and can contact the valve seat 1 formed in the flow path 2 to close the flow path 2 (see FIG. 1).

Reference numeral 16 denotes an inert gas injection hole opened near the valve seat 1 described above.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a connecting member such as a bolt for connecting the connecting portion 4 and the pipe connecting portion 6.

The fixed-side connection portion joined to the moving-side connection portion A is a joining portion 24 in which a valve body 23 which can be freely contacted and separated from the valve seat 21 is accommodated in a flow path 22 in which a valve seat 21 is formed. And the flow path 22
And a pipe connecting portion 26 to which a pipe 25 is connected.
The valve body holding member 27 for holding the valve body is vertically movably accommodated by means described later. The valve body holding member 27 includes a bottomed cylindrical body 29 having a circular flange portion 28 provided on an upper peripheral edge, and a side wall 30 of the bottomed cylindrical body 29 is provided with a fluid communication port 31 reaching the bottom. It is set up. The valve body holding member 27 is connected to the bottomed cylindrical body 29 with the bottomed portion at the top.
Housed in 24.

The valve element 23 is fixed on the bottomed upper surface of the bottomed cylindrical body 29 of the valve element holding member 27. Reference numeral 32 denotes a donut-shaped upper hollow elastic body housed and disposed in the joint portion 24 on the upper surface side of the circular flange portion 28 of the valve body holding member 27, and 33 denotes the valve body holding member 27. Circular collar
28 is a donut-shaped lower hollow elastic body accommodated and disposed in the pipe connection portion 26 on the lower surface side, and the upper hollow elastic body 32 and the lower hollow elastic body 33 are the valve element as described above. Each of the holding members 27 is opposed to the circular flange 28 with a slight gap so as to sandwich the circular flange 28.

The upper hollow elastic body 32 and the lower hollow elastic body 33 are independently provided with fluid supply ports 34 and 35 connected to a fluid supply device (not shown). By supplying and sucking a fluid from and, the hollow elastic bodies 32 and 33 are expanded and contracted.

Reference numeral 36 denotes a connecting member such as a bolt for connecting the above-described connecting portion 24 and the pipe connecting portion 26.

As is clear from the above description, the moving side connection portion A and the fixed side connection portion B have the same configuration except for the inert gas inlet 16 provided at the joint 4 of the moving side connection portion A. Body 3,23
Are arranged facing each other in a state of facing each other.

Since the present embodiment is configured as described above, for example, the moving-side connection portion A having the pipe 5 having one end connected to the moving tank (not shown) is connected to the fixed-side equipment by a control device (not shown). For example, by aligning the fixed side connection portion B with the fixed side connection portion B by using a guide plate or the like and pressing the movement side connection portion A against the fixed side connection portion B, the connection portion 4 of the movement side connection portion A
And the connection portion 24 of the fixed side connection portion B are completely connected.

At the time of the above connection, the fluid is supplied from the fluid supply port 14 to the hollow elastic body 12 on the upper side of the circular flange 8 of the valve body holding member 7 of the moving side part A and expands, and the hollow elastic body on the lower side is expanded. body
Since the fluid 13 is contracted by the suction of the fluid, the valve body holding member 7 moves down, the valve body 3 comes into contact with the valve seat 1, and the flow path 2 is closed (see FIG. 1).

On the other hand, in the fixed side connection portion B, the fluid is supplied from the fluid supply port 35 to the hollow elastic body 33 on the lower side of the circular flange 28 of the valve body holding member 27 so that the hollow elastic body 33 is expanded. Since the fluid is sucked and contracted, the valve element holding member 27
Moves upward, the valve element 23 contacts the valve seat 21, and the flow path 22 is closed.

In the above state, gas is injected from the inert gas injection port 16 and, after confirming that there is no gas leakage, that is, that the piping is completely connected, first, the upper side fluid supply port of the fixed side connection portion B The fluid is supplied from 34 to expand the hollow elastic body 32 on the upper side, and at the same time, sucks the fluid in the hollow elastic body 33 on the lower side from the lower fluid supply port 35 and contracts the hollow elastic body 33 on the lower side. By moving the circular flange 28 of the valve body holding member 27 downward, the valve body 23 fixed to the valve body holding member 27 is separated from the valve seat 21 and the flow path 22 is opened (see FIG. 1). Similarly, at the moving side connection portion A, a fluid is supplied to the lower hollow elastic body 13 from the lower fluid supply port 15 and the lower hollow elastic body 13 is expanded, and at the same time, the upper side of the upper fluid supply port 14 is expanded. The fluid in the hollow elastic body 12 on the side is sucked, the hollow elastic body 12 on the upper side is contracted, the valve body holding member 7 is moved upward, the valve body 3 is separated from the valve seat 1, and the flow path 2 is closed. Open.

As described above, the valve body holding member 7 on the moving side connection part A side and the valve body holding member 27 on the fixed side connection part B side move upward and downward, respectively, so that the valve body 3 fixedly mounted on them. 23 move upward and downward, respectively, and the flow paths 2 and 22 of the pipes 5 and 25 communicate with each other, so that the fluid flows from the upper part to the lower part in the pipes.

In order to cut off the flow of the fluid, the above-described operation may be performed in the reverse order. First, the valve body 3 of the moving-side connection portion A is lowered to release the valve seat 1.
To a closed state, gas is injected from the inert gas inlet 16 and residual liquid adhering or remaining at the connection portion flows into the pipe of the fixed side connection portion B to prevent dripping, Next, the fixed connection portion is closed, and a control device (not shown) or the like is operated to disconnect the movable connection portion A from the fixed connection portion B.

A series of operations according to the present embodiment are as described above. Alignment, supply / discharge of fluid, supply / blow of gas, etc. are all managed by a central control room (not shown), and are automatically performed according to the instructions. Things.

In this embodiment, the state in which the fluid flows in the pipe from the upper part to the lower part and from the moving side to the fixed side has been described, but the reverse is also possible, and the horizontal direction is also possible.

The above-mentioned valve bodies 3 and 23 are formed in a substantially conical shape, and the material thereof is preferably a rubber-like material having excellent elasticity and excellent chemical resistance and abrasion resistance. As long as it is excellent in properties, it is sufficient to use various metals or synthetic resins. For example, as shown in FIG.
A member 40 having a semi-cylindrical portion 42 integrally formed from the circular portion 41 and a semi-circular flange 43 provided on an upper edge of the semi-cylindrical portion 42; When integrally connected to the flange portion 43, it may be constituted by a semicircular member 44 adapted to form a circular flange portion.
Is fixed. In this embodiment, the fluid passage is a semi-cylindrical part.
Since the cutout side is 42, the flow path can be made large and the liquid does not stay.

The fluid flowing through the pipes 5, 25 may be in the form of powder, granules, pellets or liquid, the hollow elastic body may be a flexible tube, and the fluid supplied to the flexible tube may be air. The gas discharged from the inert gas supply port 16 is preferably, but not limited to, nitrogen gas.

In addition, when the flow path is opened and the fluid is circulated, it is preferable that a gas is introduced in order to prevent the fluid from flowing back to the gas supply port.

〔The invention's effect〕

The flow path opening / closing device in the pipe connection portion according to the present invention supports the flange-shaped valve body holding member that holds the valve body that can be freely attached to and detached from the valve seat from the front and back by a flexible tube that expands and contracts by sucking and discharging fluid. Therefore, a valve device in which the valve body holding member is moved by the expansion and contraction of the flexible tube so that the valve body comes into contact with and separates from the valve seat is provided at the moving-side pipe connection portion and the fixed-side pipe connection portion. Set up
Since the moving-side pipe connecting portion and the fixed-side pipe connecting portion are disposed so as to face each other so that the valve seats of the two connecting portions communicate with each other, the moving-side pipe connecting portion is connected to the fixed-side pipe connecting portion. After the two pipe connection parts are completely connected by pressing, the opening and closing of the flow path is performed by moving the valve body holding member by the expansion and contraction of the flexible tube so that the valve body comes into contact with and separates from the valve seat. Since the flow path can be opened and closed by controlling the suction and discharge of the fluid for expanding and contracting the flexible tube, the control is extremely simple. Since the gas inlet is exposed, when connecting the connection part on the moving side and the fixed side in connecting the pipe, it is possible to detect the connection state by injecting gas from the gas inlet, and At the end of injection, the flow path is closed, and gas is injected from the above-described gas injection port to form a joint. The residual liquid that has adhered or Zantamari in which the pouring liquid dripping can be prevented in the other pipes.

[Brief description of the drawings]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a movable side connection part and a fixed side connection part are connected, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a valve body holding member, and FIG. It is a perspective view of other examples of a holding member. A: Moving side connection, B: Fixed side connection 1,21: Valve seat, 2,22: Flow path 4, 24: Joint, 5, 25: Piping 7, 27: Valve holding member 12, 32, 13,33: Flexible tube 16: Inert gas inlet 14, 15, 34, 35: Fluid supply port

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A flexible tube which expands and contracts by sucking and discharging a fluid, supports a flange portion of a valve body holding member which holds a valve body which can be freely contacted to and separated from a valve seat from both front and back sides, and expands and contracts the flexible tube. A valve device that opens and closes the flow path by moving the valve body holding member is disposed at the moving-side pipe connection and the fixed-side pipe connection, respectively.
The moving-side pipe connection and the fixed-side pipe connection are opposed to and separated from each other so that the valve seats of both connection portions communicate with each other, and a gas inlet is provided near the valve seat. A flow path opening / closing device in a pipe connection part, which is not provided.