JP6564213B2 - Fluid control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fluid control device capable of detecting an open / closed state of a fluid passage in a fluid control device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a device that displays an open / closed state of a fluid passage so as to be able to recognize in the unlikely event that an abnormality occurs in a drive pressure in a drive pressure supply line of a fluid control device.
For example, in Patent Document 1, a closing member is provided in a valve box so that it can be opened and closed in a substantially vertical direction with respect to a valve seat, and an opening / closing moving member of an actuator is connected in series to the closing member. An indicator that displays the open / close state is configured to be supported by the housing of the actuator, and the indicator is provided in a detector that detects the amount of movement of the moving member in the linear direction, and an indicator provided in the outer space of the housing There has been proposed a valve with an open / close display function characterized by comprising a tool and a transmission means for transmitting the detection amount of the detector to the display tool.

JP-A-9-210243

However, in the valve with an open / close display function described in Patent Document 1, since an indicator, a detector, and the like for displaying the open / close state are integrated with the actuator, the existing fluid control device has an open / close display function of the fluid passage. If it is to be provided, the valve must be replaced. In addition, the valve must be replaced when a malfunction occurs in the open / close display function. However, it is preferable to avoid changing the valve as much as possible because it requires stopping and re-setting the line.
Further, the valve with an open / close display function described in Patent Document 1 is not suitable for use in a clean room where high cleanliness is required because the detector slides within the actuator.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a fluid control device capable of confirming the open / closed state of the fluid passage by adding a function capable of confirming the open / closed state of the fluid passage to the existing fluid control device in the line. It is another object of the present invention to provide a fluid control device suitable for use in a clean room where high cleanliness is required.

  In order to achieve the above object, a fluid control apparatus according to the present invention detects an air operated valve that opens and closes a fluid passage by a driving pressure introduced through an external supply passage, and an open / close state of the fluid passage of the air operated valve. A fluid control device comprising: a detection device configured to communicate with the external supply path and respond to a drive pressure being introduced into a drive pressure introduction chamber in the air operated valve. And pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure of the driving pressure inside the driving pressure introducing chamber, and opening / closing discriminating means for discriminating the open / closed state of the fluid passage based on the detected pressure. To do.

  Further, the detection device is attached by being branched from the external supply path, and the pressure detection means is branched and introduced from the external supply path and is driven at the same pressure as the drive pressure introduction chamber. The pressure may be detected.

  The pressure detecting means detects a pressure detection chamber into which a driving pressure branched and supplied from the external supply path is introduced, and a pressure change in the housing held at the same pressure as the driving pressure introducing chamber. And a conversion element that converts a detected value of a change in driving pressure by the pressure sensitive element into an electrical signal.

  Moreover, it is good also as an output means which outputs the determination result of the open / close state of the fluid passage.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a fluid control device capable of confirming the open / closed state of the fluid passage only by adding a predetermined detection device to the existing fluid control device in the line. Furthermore, this fluid control apparatus does not impair the high cleanliness required for a clean room.

It is the fragmentary sectional view showing the fluid control device concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is the fragmentary sectional view showing the fluid control device concerning this embodiment. It is the top view which showed the fluid control apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is the functional block diagram which showed the structure of the detection apparatus with which the fluid control apparatus which concerns on this embodiment is provided.

Hereinafter, a fluid control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fluid control device 1 according to the present embodiment includes an air operated valve 2 and a detection device 3.
1 shows a state before the detector 3 is placed on the air operated valve 2, and FIG. 2 shows a state where the detector 3 is placed on the air operated valve 2.

  The air operated valve 2 is a fluid controller that opens and closes the fluid passage 211 with air as driving pressure supplied via the external supply path 4. The air operated valve 2 includes a valve body 21 and a pneumatic actuator 22 that operates the valve body 21 as a fluid control mechanism.

  The valve body 21 includes a valve body provided with a fluid passage 211 including a fluid inflow passage 211a and a fluid outflow passage 211b, a seat provided in the fluid passage 211, and a fluid outflow passage from the fluid inflow passage 211a in contact with and away from the seat. It consists of a diaphragm (valve body) etc. which distribute | circulates the fluid to 211b, or interrupts | blocks distribution | circulation.

  On the other hand, the actuator 22 is integrated with a bonnet disposed on the valve body, a pressing body that presses the diaphragm, and a stem and a stem that move the diaphragm up and down to contact and separate the diaphragm from the seat through the pressing body. And the like, a biasing member such as a coil spring or a disc spring for biasing the piston downward, and a driving pressure introducing chamber provided on the lower surface of the piston.

Air is introduced into the drive pressure introduction chamber from the external supply path 4 connected to the drive pressure introduction port 2a. When air is introduced into the drive pressure introduction chamber, the piston is pushed upward against the urging force of the urging member, and the diaphragm is separated from the seat. As a result, the valve body 21 is opened, and the fluid flows.
On the other hand, when air is not introduced into the drive pressure introduction chamber, the piston is pushed downward according to the urging force of the urging member, and the diaphragm comes into contact with the seat. As a result, the valve body 21 is closed, and the fluid flow is blocked.

The detection device 3 is a device that detects the open / closed state of the fluid passage 211 of the air operated valve 2.
The detection device 3 in this example has a ring-like appearance with a through hole 3b provided therein as shown in FIG. 3 showing a state in which the detection device 3 is placed on the upper surface of the actuator 22 of the air operated valve 2. The through hole 3b prevents interference with the breathing port 2b provided on the upper surface side of the air operated valve 2. However, depending on the configuration of the air operated valve 2, the breathing port 2 b may not be formed on the upper surface of the actuator 22, and in such a case, the detection device 3 needs to have a ring shape as in this example. There is no need to provide the through hole 3b.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the detection device 3 is a pressure detection unit that detects the pressure of the air inside the driving pressure introduction chamber when air is introduced into the driving pressure introduction chamber in the air operated valve 2. 31 and an open / close discriminating unit 32 that discriminates the open / close state of the fluid passage 211 based on the detected air pressure, and an output unit 33 that outputs a discrimination result of the open / close state of the fluid passage.

  The pressure detection unit 31 is a so-called pressure sensor, and a pressure detection chamber 311 into which air is introduced from an external supply path 4 connected to the drive pressure introduction port 3a, and a pressure detection chamber held at the same pressure as the drive pressure introduction chamber. 311 includes a pressure-sensitive element 312 that detects a pressure change in 311, and a conversion element 313 that converts a detected value of air pressure change by the pressure-sensitive element 312 into an electrical signal.

  The pressure detection unit 31 can be composed of various types. Specifically, for example, it can be composed of a diaphragm gauge that detects the displacement of the diaphragm due to the pressure applied to the diaphragm. For displacement detection, a method of converting the electrical resistance change due to the piezoresistive effect into an electrical signal, a glass fixed electrode and a silicon movable pole are made to face each other, a capacitor is formed, and the movable pole is deformed by pressure. For example, a method of converting the generated capacitance change into an electric signal, a method of disposing a strain sensor on the diaphragm surface, and detecting deformation of the diaphragm by the strain sensor can be used.

The open / close discriminating unit 32 discriminates the open / closed state of the fluid passage 211 by judging whether or not a preset threshold value is exceeded based on the detected value of the pressure in the driving pressure introducing chamber provided from the pressure detecting unit 31. To do. That is, when the pressure in the drive pressure introduction chamber increases to such a degree that the detected value exceeds a preset threshold, the diaphragm interlocked with the piston is separated from the seat and the valve main body 21 is in the opened state. Determined. On the other hand, when the pressure in the drive pressure introduction chamber does not increase to such an extent that the detected value exceeds a preset threshold, the diaphragm interlocked with the piston remains in contact with the seat, and the valve body 21 Is determined to be in a closed state.
Note that the threshold value set in advance here is a detected value of air pressure detected in the drive pressure introduction chamber or the pressure detection chamber 311 when the valve body 21 opens or closes.

  The output unit 33 is a functional unit that outputs the determination result of the open / close state of the fluid passage 211 by the open / close determination unit 32 on the display 331. The display 331 in this example is a liquid crystal display, and the output unit 33 displays characters or colors such as “open” and “closed” which are properly used according to the open / close state of the fluid passage 211, and opens / closes the fluid passage 211. The state can be identified.

In addition, the display 331 in this example can be comprised with various things, if it can identify the open / close state of the fluid channel | path 211, for example, can also be comprised with lamps, such as LED and a light bulb. . The method for displaying the open / closed state in an identifiable manner is not limited to the characters or colors such as “open” and “closed” used in accordance with the open / closed state, but can also be based on lighting or blinking of a lamp. Furthermore, not only visually identifiable means, but also audibly identifiable means such as a speaker that emits different notification sounds according to the open / close state of the fluid passage 211 may be used alone or in combination.
In addition, regarding the display of the open / closed state of the fluid passage 211, when the pressure detection value by the pressure detection unit 31 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, it is displayed on the display 331 that the fluid passage 211 is open. At the same time, when the detected value is below a predetermined threshold, it is displayed on the display 331 that the fluid passage 211 is closed, but only when the open / close state of the fluid passage 211 is switched. It can also be displayed.

The external supply path 4 is a supply path for supplying driving air from an external air supply source to the air operated valve 2, and is mainly composed of a resin tube or the like.
The external supply path 4 has one end connected to an air supply source and the other end bifurcated into a basic supply path 41, a valve-side supply path 42 branched from the other end of the basic supply path 41 toward the air operated valve 2, And the detection apparatus side supply path 43 branched to the detection apparatus 3 side from the other end of the basic supply path 41 is provided.
Further, the valve side supply path 42 is connected to the driving pressure inlet 2a of the air operated valve 2 by a one-touch joint 421 attached to one end side, and the detection apparatus side supply path 43 is connected to the one-touch joint 431 attached to one end side. Is connected to the drive pressure inlet 3a of the detection device 3.

Here, a part of the air passing through the external supply path 4 from the air supply source is introduced into the driving pressure introduction chamber of the air operated valve 2 via the valve side supply path 42 and a part thereof is on the detection device side. It is introduced into the pressure detection chamber 311 of the detection device 3 through the supply path 43.
The insides of the valve side supply path 42 and the detection apparatus side supply path 43 branched from the basic supply path 41 communicate with each other at the branch point, and the pressure of the air in the drive pressure introduction chamber and the pressure detection chamber 311 is the same pressure. Is retained. As a result, the air pressure in the drive pressure introduction chamber can be detected based on the air pressure in the pressure detection chamber 311.

Next, in the fluid control device 1 having the above configuration, a mechanism in which the detection device 3 detects opening / closing of the fluid passage 211 will be described from the flow of processing.
The fluid control device 1 repeatedly opens and closes the fluid passage 211 according to a predetermined operation. Here, however, first, air is not introduced into the drive pressure introduction chamber of the air operated valve 2 and the fluid passage 211 is closed. The flow from the state of being present to the state of being released will be described.

When the operation of opening the fluid passage 211 is executed, air is introduced from the air supply source into the drive pressure introduction chamber of the air operated valve 2 through the basic supply passage 41 and the valve side supply passage 42.
At the same time, air is also introduced into the pressure detection chamber 311 of the detection device 3 from the air supply source via the basic supply path 41 and the detection apparatus side supply path 43.

  When air continues to be introduced into the drive pressure introduction chamber and reaches a predetermined pressure, the piston is pushed upward against the urging force of the urging member, and the diaphragm interlocking with the piston is separated from the seat via the stem. As a result, the valve body 21 is opened, and the fluid flows.

At this time, the detection value of the pressure in the pressure detection chamber 311 exceeds a predetermined threshold value in the detection device 3, and the open / close determination unit 32 determines that the fluid passage 211 is opened.
In response to this, the output unit 33 displays on the display 331 that the fluid passage 211 has been opened.

Next, when the operation of closing the fluid passage 211 is executed, the supply of air that has been introduced from the air supply source via the basic supply passage 41 and the valve side supply passage 42 is stopped, and the drive pressure of the air operated valve 2 is introduced. The pressure in the room decreases.
At the same time, also in the pressure detection chamber 311 of the detection device 3, the supply of air that has been introduced from the air supply source via the basic supply path 41 and the detection apparatus side supply path 43 is stopped, and the pressure is reduced.

  When air is no longer introduced into the drive pressure introduction chamber, the piston is pushed down in accordance with the urging force of the urging member, and the diaphragm interlocked with the piston contacts the seat through the stem. As a result, the valve body 21 is closed, and the fluid flow is blocked.

At this time, in the detection device 3, the detection value in the pressure detection chamber 311 falls below a predetermined threshold value, so that the open / close determination unit 32 determines that the fluid passage 211 is closed.
In response to this, the output unit 33 displays on the display 331 that the fluid passage 211 is closed.

According to the fluid control apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment described above, the fluid supply path can be obtained simply by branching the external supply path 4 to the existing fluid control apparatus in the line and connecting the detection apparatus 3 to the external supply path 4. Thus, the fluid control device 1 capable of confirming the open / closed state of 211 can be obtained, whereby the operator or the like can easily identify the open / closed state of the fluid passage 211.
Further, the fluid control device 1 detects the pressure of the air in the driving pressure introduction chamber communicating with the external supply path 4 and thereby determines the open / closed state of the fluid passage 211, thereby impairing the high cleanliness required for the clean room. Nor.

  In addition, although the fluid control apparatus 1 according to the above-described embodiment has a configuration in which the external supply path 4 is branched and air is drawn into the detection device 3, the external supply path 4 is not branched and the external supply 4 is in the middle. The detection device 3 can also be attached to. In this case, air passes from the supply source through the detection device 3 and is introduced into the driving pressure introduction chamber in the air operated valve 2, and the detection device 3 detects the air in the driving pressure introduction chamber based on the pressure of the passing air. Detect pressure. This also makes it possible to obtain the fluid control device 1 that can confirm the open / closed state of the fluid passage 211 by simply connecting the detection device 3 to the external supply path 4 with respect to the existing fluid control device in the line. Thus, an operator or the like can easily identify the open / closed state of the fluid passage 211. Further, in the above embodiment, an NC (normally closed: normally closed) diaphragm valve is used, but NO (normally open: normally open) may be used, and besides the diaphragm valve, a bellows valve or the like Also, various structures may be used for the internal structure of the valve. Furthermore, although air is used to drive the valve, the gas used is not particularly limited. Further, the output from the output unit 33 is used for display on the display 331, and can also be output to an external device by providing a communication function.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fluid control apparatus 2 Air operated valve 2a Drive pressure introduction port 2b Breathing port 21 Valve body 211 Fluid passage 211a Fluid inflow passage 211b Fluid outflow passage 22 Actuator 3 Detector 3a Drive pressure introduction port 3b Through-hole 31 Pressure detection part 311 Pressure detection Chamber 312 Pressure-sensitive element 313 Conversion element 32 Opening / closing determination part 33 Output part 331 Display 4 External supply path 41 Basic supply path 42 Valve side supply path 421 One-touch joint 43 Detector side supply path 431 One-touch joint

Claims (3)

An air operated valve that opens and closes a fluid passage by a driving pressure introduced through an external supply path;
A fluid control device comprising: a detection device that detects an open / closed state of a fluid passage of the air operated valve;
The detection device is
It is mounted on the upper surface of the actuator constituting the air operated valve and is connected to the external supply path.
Pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure of the driving pressure inside the driving pressure introducing chamber in response to the driving pressure being introduced into the driving pressure introducing chamber in the air operated valve;
On the basis of the detected pressure, it has a, and opening level determination means for determining the opening and closing states of the fluid passage,
It consists of a ring-shaped appearance with a through hole inside,
The through hole avoids interference with the breathing port provided on the upper surface of the air operated valve.
A fluid control device. The pressure detecting means includes
A pressure detection chamber into which the drive pressure branched and supplied from the external supply path is introduced;
A pressure-sensitive element that detects a pressure change in the pressure detection chamber held at the same pressure as the drive pressure introduction chamber;
A conversion element that converts a detected value of a change in driving pressure by the pressure-sensitive element into an electrical signal; and
The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 . A display that outputs a determination result of the open / closed state of the fluid passage;
The fluid control device according to claim 1 or 2.

Images