JP5002543B2 - Gas meter shut-off valve open / return structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gas meter, and more particularly to opening a shut-off valve provided to reopen a gas flow from a state where a gas flow path through the gas meter is shut off by a shut-off valve when an abnormality occurs. Regarding the return structure.

  Conventionally, when the shut-off valve is activated when an abnormality occurs, the type of abnormality that has occurred and shut off is indicated by a flashing pattern of the LED or displayed by liquid crystal. In a gas meter using a valve, when an impact is applied to the gas meter (for example, a ball hits), the controller may be shut off by a physical impact that the controller does not plan to detect.

  In this case, the gas supply is stopped only because of the mechanical structure even though the shutoff signal is not output from the controller that controls the shutoff valve, so that no indication is displayed on the LED or the liquid crystal. Or it becomes difficult for the gas company who received the notification from the gas consumer to grasp the cause of the stop of the gas supply.

  Therefore, by making the structure (open or closed) of the shut-off valve visually visible from the outside (see, for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, or Patent Document 3 below), it is shut off by a gas meter, or He introduced a method that can determine whether the gas supply has stopped due to other causes, and that makes it easier to understand the situation.

However, from the standpoint of directly taking user safety into account, avoiding the coexistence of linear movement and rotational movement, and simplifying the structure and operation at the time of valve opening / closing, a higher quality and more reliable structure There was a request to ask.
In the conventional means, the state is indicated by converting the axial displacement into the rotational displacement (for example, Patent Document 1 below), and the display body is hidden (for example, Patent Document 2 below). The structure of confirming the display body inside the gas meter through a transparent member (for example, see Patent Document 3 below) is adopted, but the valve body and the valve seat of the sealing member are hermetically sealed by rotational displacement or the like. Since there is a possibility that a problem may occur, it is extremely difficult to correspond to a structure provided with a sealing member that slides as the return shaft advances and retreats.

Japanese Utility Model Publication 2-45581 No. 6-3248 No. 6-7242

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is a gas meter that can reliably open and close the gas flow path with a simple displacement and can reliably grasp the open / closed state of the gas flow path. An object of the present invention is to provide an open / return structure for the shutoff valve.

  The open / return structure of the shutoff valve of the gas meter according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, is the return return of the shutoff valve that performs a valve closing operation for hermetically shutting off the gas flow path of the gas meter with the valve body when an abnormality occurs. A return shaft that exchanges a pressing force with the valve body of the shut-off valve during the valve closing operation and a return operation to advance and retreat in the operation direction of the valve body, and the return shaft according to the advance and retreat It comprises a cylindrical return shaft box that supports the operation portion with the shut-off display mark so as to appear and disappear, and return shaft urging means that urges the return shaft in a direction against the return operation.

  The first structure includes a ball plunger that is biased toward the side surface of the return shaft in the return shaft box, and a side surface of the return shaft that includes a recess into which the ball plunger is fitted. It is good also as a structure provided with the buffer member which can be elastically advanced / retreated to the longitudinal direction of the said return axis | shaft at the edge part by the side of the shut-off valve of a axis | shaft.

  The second structure is provided with a buffer member elastically movable back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the return shaft at the end of the return shaft on the shut-off valve side. A sealing member that is moved along with sliding, and the sealing member is continuous with the gas flow path sealed by the valve main body, and is continuously extended and retracted beyond the length of the valve main body with respect to the shut-off opening. A cylindrical hermetic partition wall, an airtight edge closely contacting the valve body at the front end opening of the airtight partition wall, a buffer box for supporting the buffer member so as to protrude from the front end opening of the confidential partition wall, and A ball plunger biased toward a side surface of the return shaft; a side surface of the return shaft having a recess into which the ball plunger is fitted; and a sliding length of the sealing member with respect to the return shaft Limit to less than Is a structure with can occur) regulating means.

  In both the first structure and the second structure, the position of the concave portion is a position where the ball plunger fits in a state where the return shaft is biased in a direction against the return operation by the return shaft biasing means. When the ball plunger is fitted in the recess of the return shaft, the shut-off display mark is hidden by the return shaft box and the shut-off valve is returned by the closing operation. When the ball plunger is released from the recess of the return shaft in response to pressing on the shaft, the blocking display mark is exposed to the outside of the return shaft box.

  According to the opening / returning structure of the shutoff valve of the gas meter according to the present invention, whether or not the valve body of the shutoff valve is operating can be reliably determined by the visibility of the shutoff indication mark, and in the axial direction. As the gas flow path is reliably opened and closed with a simple displacement of advancing and retreating, it is possible to eliminate as much as possible the factors that cause the movement of the return shaft in the axial direction when an abnormality occurs.

  In addition, the provision of the buffer member and the sealing member also significantly reduces the possibility of improperly opening the gas flow path due to an incomplete return operation or mischief, and also has the benefit of simplifying the assembly process. is there.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a gas meter shut-off valve opening / returning structure according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view in the vicinity of a shutoff valve that performs inflow (see FIG. 1 (A)) and shutoff (see FIG. 1 (B)) of gas flowing into a gas flow path through a gas inlet in a gas meter. is there.

The shut-off valve shown in the figure seals and shuts off the gas flow path of the gas meter by controlling an electromagnetic circuit or the like that elastically separates the gas flow path from the open position in the event of an abnormality such as an earthquake. And a valve opening return structure for manually returning the valve main body 6 of the shut-off valve to the open position when recovering from an abnormality.
Hereinafter, the basic structure of the opening / closing structure of the shutoff valve of the gas meter will be described.

  The valve opening return structure includes a cylindrical return shaft box 1 fixed to a housing of a gas meter, a return shaft 2 having a substantially equal cross section that advances and retreats a hollow portion of the return shaft box, and the return shaft 2 returns to the return shaft 2. The shaft box 1 includes a return spring (return shaft biasing means) 3 that biases the shaft box 1 in a direction against the return operation.

  The return shaft box 1 supports the return shaft 2 inserted through the hollow portion so that the operation portion protrudes and retracts in accordance with the advancement and retraction, while maintaining confidentiality between the gas flow path and the outside. The supported return shaft 2 transmits and receives a pressing force to and from the valve body 6 during the valve closing operation and during the return operation (the operation of pushing in to open the valve body 6). Move forward and backward in the direction of movement. The return shaft 2 needs to have a stroke for returning the valve body 6 from the state in which the operation portion protrudes most, and even when the operation shaft protrudes most, the return shaft 2 can be prevented from being detached. A retaining ring 15 is provided.

  The return shaft box 1 includes a ball plunger 9 biased toward the hollow portion (toward the side surface of the return shaft), and the return shaft 2 has a recess (with the ball plunger 9 fitted on the side surface). A concave groove 16 is formed in an annular shape so as to make a round around the side surface of the return shaft 2. The operation portion of the return shaft 2 includes a cap 4 that can serve as a push button during the return operation, and the cap 4 includes a blocking display mark 10 that is visible and hidden according to the operation.

  In this example, immediately after the valve closing operation, when the return shaft 2 and the cap 4 protrude most from the return shaft box 1, the valve body 6 that shuts off the gas flow path does not contact the return shaft 2, In addition, when the ball plunger 9 is fitted into the recess 16, the end of the return shaft 2 can receive a pressure for releasing the ball plunger 9 from the recess 16 from the valve body 6 during the valve closing operation. Is set to

  The recess 16 and the ball plunger 9 limit the protruding amount of the cap 4 with respect to the return shaft box 1 under a predetermined position condition.

  The position of the recess 16 in the return shaft 2 is determined by the opening operation of the shut-off valve so that the valve body 6 is fixed at the return position, and the return shaft 2 is separated from the valve body 6 by the return spring 3. When the ball plunger 9 is in a biased state, the amount of the return shaft 2 protruding from the return shaft box 1 by the separation of the ball plunger 9 from the recess 16 is the blocking It is necessary to be a position where the display mark 10 increases by an amount that can be seen and hidden.

  Further, the position of the shut-off display mark 10 on the operation portion is determined when the ball plunger 9 is fitted in the recess 16 of the return shaft 2 due to the satisfaction of the positional requirements of the recess 16. Is hidden in the return shaft box 1 and when the ball plunger 9 is released from the recess 16 of the return shaft 2 due to the pressure applied to the return shaft 2 by the closing operation of the shutoff valve, the shutoff indication mark 10 Needs to be a position exposed from the return axis box 1.

  In the above configuration, the positional requirements of the recess 16 and the blocking display mark 10 are satisfied, and the holding force of the return shaft 2 when the ball plunger 9 is fitted in the recess 16 of the return shaft 2 (hereinafter referred to as the ball) (The position holding force of the plunger 9) is larger than the force that the return spring 3 applies to the return shaft 2 in the normal position after the return, and the position holding force of the ball plunger 9 is the return spring during the valve closing operation. 3 and the valve spring 7 (shut-off valve biasing means: biasing means for exciting the valve closing operation with respect to the valve body of the shut-off valve) satisfy the condition that the force applied to the return shaft 2 is smaller than the shut-off indication mark With the visibility of 10, it is possible to reliably determine whether or not the valve body 6 of the shut-off valve is operating, that is, to grasp the open / close state of the gas flow path.

  In addition, the gas flow path is surely opened and closed with a simple displacement of the return shaft 2 having a substantially equal cross section in the axial direction, and the force applied to the advance and retreat is applied to each of the biasing means and the ball. By being substantially limited to the force by the plunger 9, there is an advantage that the structure becomes simple and the assembly process can be simplified.

  Since the purpose of the shut-off valve is to stop the gas supply and prevent a serious accident in advance, it is required to make sure that the gas supply is shut off.

  As described above, if the position holding force of the ball plunger 9 satisfies the condition that the return spring 3 and the valve spring 7 are less than the force applied to the return shaft 2 during the valve closing operation, the shutoff valve of the gas meter according to this example is used. The valve opening / returning structure of the valve functions without any problem. However, for example, when the ball plunger 9 has some trouble and the position holding force becomes remarkably large, there is a situation in which the valve body 6 cannot completely block the gas flow path. Can occur (see FIG. 2).

  Therefore, as one embodiment, in addition to the basic structure of the valve opening return structure, it is possible to adopt a structure in which a plunger presser (buffer member) 11 is provided at the end of the return shaft 2 on the shutoff valve side. (See FIGS. 3 and 4).

  The plunger retainer 11 is attached to the valve body 6 side of the return shaft 2 so as to be able to advance and retreat in the longitudinal direction by the elasticity of the plunger retainer spring (return shaft buffering means) 12. In this example, immediately after the valve closing operation, when the return shaft 2, the cap 4, and the plunger retainer 11 are extended to the maximum, the valve body 6 that shuts off the gas flow path does not contact the plunger retainer 11. When the plunger plunger 11 remains in the recess 16 due to a malfunction of the ball plunger, the plunger presser 11 applies pressure from the valve body 6 during the valve closing operation so as to block the gas flow path. The ball plunger 9 is set to such a length that it can receive a pressure for detaching from the recess 16.

  In this case, in the return state, the position holding force of the ball plunger 9 is greater than the force (regulatory release force) for releasing the ball plunger 9 from the recess 16 by the return spring 3, and the ball The position holding force of the plunger 9 is smaller than the regulation releasing force applied to the return shaft 2 by the return spring 3 and the plunger pressing spring 12 as a whole, and the spring force of the valve spring 7 is the spring of the plunger pressing spring 12. It is necessary to satisfy the condition of greater than force.

  According to the embodiment, even if an incomplete return operation is performed after the valve closing operation at the time of abnormality, the valve body 6 pushes the plunger retainer 11 with a force that surpasses the elasticity of the plunger retainer spring 12. As a result, even when the position holding force of the ball plunger 9 is applied, the valve main body 6 is surely brought to the valve closing position (position where it can be in close contact with the shut-off opening), and the gas flow path is incompletely shut off. It can be avoided.

  Furthermore, in order to ensure the complete stoppage of gas supply and prevention of leakage by the shutoff valve, the gas supply is restarted intentionally or negligently between the shutoff valve operation and proper opening operation. Measures to prevent this from happening are desirable.

  As a configuration that satisfies the request, in the configuration that includes a plunger presser 11 that can elastically advance and retract in the longitudinal direction of the return shaft 2 at the end of the return shaft 2 on the shut-off valve side, The structure provided with the sealing member 13 that is driven with a certain length of sliding as the return shaft advances and retreats may be mentioned.

  The sealing member 13 includes a cylindrical airtight partition wall 17, a buffer box 18 that supports the plunger retainer 11, and a ball plunger 9 that is biased toward the side surface of the return shaft 2.

  The airtight partition wall 17 is a cylindrical body that is inserted into a gas flow path that is sealed by the valve body 6 and that is continuous from the gas flow path with the rubber seal member 14 maintaining airtightness between the airtight partition wall 17 and the gas flow path. In this case, the valve body 6 is a tubular partition wall that protrudes and retracts more than the advance / retreat length of the valve body 6. The front end opening of the airtight partition wall 17 forms an airtight edge 19 that is in close contact with the valve body 6, and constitutes a blocking wall that protrudes from the blocking opening portion 14 with the valve body 6 and the airtight partition wall 17. The flow of gas through the gap between the valve body 6 and the blocking opening 8 is blocked (see FIG. 5C).

  The buffer box 18 is loaded with the plunger retainer 11 so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the return shaft 2, and the pressure receiving portion of the plunger retainer 11 protruding from the tip of the buffer box 18 is slid in the axial direction. A ball plunger 9 is provided which is supported so as to protrude and retract from the tip opening of the hermetic partition wall 17 as it moves, and is biased toward the side surface of the return shaft 2. The plunger retainer 11 loaded in the buffer box 18 is urged toward the valve body 6 by the plunger retainer spring 12 in the inner space of the buffer box 18.

  Similar to the previous example, the side surface of the return shaft 2 is provided with a recess 16 into which the ball plunger 9 is fitted, and the sliding length of the sealing member 13 with respect to the return shaft 2 is limited to less than the advance / retreat length of the valve body 6. There is a regulation means. When the sliding length is greater than or equal to the advance / retreat length, even if the return shaft 2 is returned by the return spring 3, the sealing member 13 cannot follow the gas flow path and does not return to the valve open state. This is because cases may arise.

  In this example, the restricting means includes the retaining ring 15 and the buffer box 18 and the return shaft box 1 that come in contact with each other in the front-rear direction according to the advancement and retraction thereof. That is, sliding of the return shaft 2 toward the valve body 6 with respect to the sealing member 13 is regulated in such a manner that the retaining ring 15 is applied to the buffer box 18 and is separated from the valve body 6. In such a mode that the ball plunger 9 fits into the recess 16 of the return shaft 2 (when the stop ring 15 is in contact with the end portion of the return shaft box 1). regulate. A gap that limits the sliding length of the retaining ring 15 may be provided in the sealing member 13.

  The position of the concave portion 16 is a position where the ball plunger 9 fits in a state where the return shaft 2 is biased in the direction against the return operation by the return spring 3. When the ball plunger 9 is fitted into the recess 16 of the return shaft 2, the shut-off display mark 10 is hidden by the return shaft box, and the return shaft 2 is pressed by the closing operation of the shut-off valve. In response to this, it is necessary that the ball plunger 9 is detached from the concave portion 16 of the return shaft 2 and the blocking display mark 10 is exposed to the outside of the return shaft box 1.

  Due to the above structure, in a normal state, the position holding force of the ball plunger 9 exceeds the regulation releasing force applied by the return spring 3 to the return shaft 2, so that the sealing integrated with the ball plunger 9 is integrated. The member 13 and the return shaft 2 are in a position where they abut against the end of the return shaft box 1, and the position where the blocking display mark 10 of the cap 4 attached to the return shaft 2 is hidden in the return shaft box 1 is reached. Return and fix (see FIG. 5A).

  During the valve closing operation, the position holding force of the ball plunger 9 is smaller than the regulation detachment force applied to the return shaft 2 by the return shaft spring 3 and the plunger pressing spring 12 as a whole. Then, the cap 4 protrudes from the return shaft box 1 to the side away from the valve body with respect to the sealing member 13, and the blocking display mark is exposed (see FIG. 5B).

  At the time of the return operation, the return shaft 2 slides toward the side where the valve body 6 is pushed into the sealing member 13, contacts the sealing member 13 via the retaining ring 15 of the return shaft 2, and remains as it is. The valve body 6 is returned by pushing it in. At this time, the ball plunger 9 is fitted into the recess 16 of the return shaft 2.

  The gas meter shut-off valve opening / returning structure according to the present invention has a simple structure and reliably stops the supply of gas used in various industries in the event of an abnormality so that an accurate valve opening operation is performed. Therefore, it is possible to cut off the gas flow until reaching a high level of practicality in order to prevent serious accidents in various gas supply systems.

It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the valve opening return structure of the shutoff valve of the gas meter by this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the valve opening return structure of the shutoff valve of the gas meter by this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the valve opening return structure of the shutoff valve of the gas meter by this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the valve opening return structure of the shutoff valve of the gas meter by this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the valve opening return structure of the shutoff valve of the gas meter by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 return axis box, 2 return axis, 3 return spring, 4 cap,
5 Plunger, 6 Valve body, 7 Valve spring, 8 Shut-off opening,
9 ball plunger, 10 block indication mark,
11 Plunger presser, 12 Plunger presser spring,
13 sealing member, 14 rubber seal member, 15 retaining ring,
16 recesses, 17 airtight partitions, 18 buffer boxes, 19 airtight edges,

Claims (2)

A valve opening / returning structure for a shut-off valve that performs a valve closing operation to shut off the gas flow path of the gas meter with the valve body when an abnormality occurs,
A return shaft that exchanges pressing force with the valve body of the shut-off valve at the time of valve closing operation and return operation, and advances and retreats in the operation direction of the valve body;
A cylindrical return shaft box that supports the return shaft so that the operation part with the cut-off display mark appears and disappears according to the advance and retreat thereof,
Return shaft biasing means for biasing the return shaft in a direction against the return operation;
Comprising
Provided at the end of the return shaft on the shut-off valve side is a buffer member that can elastically advance and retract in the longitudinal direction of the return shaft,
The return shaft box includes a ball plunger biased toward the side surface of the return shaft,
Provided on the side surface of the return shaft with a recess into which the ball plunger fits;
The position of the recess is a position where the ball plunger fits in a biased state in a direction in which the return shaft resists the return operation by the return shaft biasing means,
When the ball plunger is fitted in the recess of the return shaft, the shut-off display mark is hidden by the return shaft box and the shut-off valve closes to the return shaft. A gas meter shutoff valve opening return structure in which the shutoff display mark is exposed to the outside of the return shaft box when the ball plunger is released from the recess of the return shaft under pressure. A valve opening / returning structure for a shut-off valve that performs a valve closing operation to shut off the gas flow path of the gas meter with the valve body when an abnormality occurs,
A return shaft that exchanges pressing force with the valve body of the shut-off valve at the time of valve closing operation and return operation, and advances and retreats in the operation direction of the valve body;
A cylindrical return shaft box that supports the return shaft so that the operation part with the cut-off display mark appears and disappears according to the advance and retreat thereof,
Return shaft biasing means for biasing the return shaft in a direction against the return operation;
Comprising
Provided at the end of the return shaft on the shut-off valve side is a buffer member that can elastically advance and retract in the longitudinal direction of the return shaft ,
The return shaft is provided with a sealing member that moves with a certain length of sliding in advance and retreat of the return shaft,
The sealing member is a cylindrical airtight partition that keeps airtight with a gas flow path sealed by the valve main body and continuously protrudes and retracts more than the length of the valve main body with respect to the shutoff opening, and a front end opening of the airtight partition airtight edge in close contact with the valve body a part, a buffer box for supporting the cushioning member so as to rise from, earlier end opening of the airtight partition wall, and, a ball plunger which is biased toward the side of the return shaft Prepared,
Provided on the side surface of the return shaft with a recess into which the ball plunger fits;
The position of the recess is a position where the ball plunger fits in a biased state in a direction in which the return shaft resists the return operation by the return shaft biasing means,
When the ball plunger is fitted in the recess of the return shaft, the shut-off display mark is hidden by the return shaft box and the shut-off valve closes to the return shaft. When the ball plunger is released from the recess of the return shaft under pressure, the blocking display mark is exposed to the outside of the return shaft box,
A valve-opening return structure for a shut-off valve of a gas meter, comprising restriction means for limiting a sliding length of the sealing member relative to a return shaft to be less than an advance / retreat length of the valve body.

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