JPH0243945B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a fluid control valve device in which the operating position of a valve body can be visually confirmed from the outside.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, for example, as a means of checking the switching state of the spool of a directional control valve, a pressure detector is provided in the flow path of the valve body and the output thereof is displayed to indirectly detect the switching state. It has been known.

Further, there is also known a means for guiding a member connected to the spool to the outside of the valve body and checking the operation of the spool based on the operating position of the member.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the former case, if a predetermined pressure is detected even if the spool switching operation is insufficient, an erroneous signal may be output. The problem was that it was not possible.

On the other hand, in the latter case, there are problems with sealing between the member and the fluid passage, a mechanical structure must be added, and the structure becomes complicated, or the member may interfere with the operation of the spool. There are also problems.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional technology, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fluid control valve device in which the operating position of a valve body can be reliably visually confirmed.

[Means for solving the problems] The present invention has been made to achieve the above object,
A fluid control valve device having a valve body that is slidable in a fitting hole formed in the valve body, and in which the valve body is slid by the operation of an electric actuator to switch the flow path, wherein the valve body is provided with: a light emitting source that emits light when the electric actuator is energized; an outgoing optical fiber that guides the light from the light emitting source to the surface of the valve body; and a light reflector provided on the valve body that reflects the light from the outgoing optical fiber. and a return optical fiber that guides the reflected light to the outside of the valve body, and the light reflector is formed so that the intensity of the reflected light varies depending on the operating position of the valve body. That is.

[Function] The light emitting source emits light when the electric actuator is energized, and the light from this light emitting source is guided to the valve body surface via the outbound optical fiber and reflected by the light reflector attached to the valve body. and reaches the outside of the valve body via the return optical fiber. In this case, the light reflector is provided so that the reflectance of light varies depending on the operating position of the valve body that is slid by the operation of the electric actuator, so that the operating position of the valve body can be visually confirmed from the outside. .

[Example] An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a pneumatic directional control valve. 1 is a valve body, and inside this, an inflow path P, supply paths A, B, outflow paths R1, R2, and each path and a sleeve 2 are connected. a fitting hole 3 that communicates with the pilot pressure passages 4 and 5 that communicate with the inflow passage P;
and a discharge passage 6 are formed respectively. A spool 7 is slidably fitted into the sleeve 2, and pistons 1 are slidably fitted into bushes 8 and 9 on both sides of the spool 7.
0 and 11 are provided respectively, and each piston 10,
Action chambers 3a and 3b are formed on the sides of the piston 11, and the piston 11 on the right side is biased by a spring force from a spring 12.

A pilot valve 20 for switching and controlling the spool 7 is attached to the left end of the valve body 1 via a cushion 19. The plunger 22 has a plunger 22 and a spring 23 that applies a spring force to the plunger 22, and the pressure hole 24 communicates with the pilot pressure passage 4, the discharge hole 25 communicates with the discharge passage 6, and the action chamber 3a. The working holes 27 are provided so as to communicate with each other and cut off the communication between them.

On the other hand, a socket part 3 is provided at the upper part of the valve body 1.
A terminal box 30 having a terminal 0a is provided, and an energization confirmation lamp 31 is housed inside the terminal box 30. This lamp 31 is connected in parallel to the electromagnetic solenoid 21 as shown in FIG.
The energization state can be visually confirmed through the display window 32 (see FIG. 3). Below the lamp 31, as shown in FIG.
is provided, the other end of which reaches the surface of the spool 7, and the reflected light passes through the return optical fiber 37.
As a result, the display window 39 for confirming switching has been reached.
As shown in FIG.
A light reflector 40 consisting of a light absorbing section 40a and a light reflecting section 40b is attached, and the switching operation of the spool 7 positions the passage between the optical fibers 35 and 37 in the light absorbing section 40a and the light reflecting section 40b, respectively. It's becoming like that.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained.

In the state shown in FIG. 1, the electromagnetic solenoid 21 is de-energized, and the plunger 22 is lowered by the spring force to shut off the pressure hole 24, and at the same time
7 is communicated with the discharge hole 25 and the discharge passage 6. In this state, the pilot fluid branched from the inflow path P flows into the action chamber 3 via the pilot pressure passages 4 and 5.
b is introduced into the spool 7 via the piston 11.
is moved to the left, and the fluid in the working chamber 3a on the left side of the spool 7 is discharged through the working hole 27, the discharge hole 25, and the discharge passage 6. As a result, the inflow path P
The pressure fluid flows from the supply path B to the actuator (not shown), and the pressure fluid of the actuator flows from the supply path A to the outflow path R1. In this switching position, since the electromagnetic solenoid 21 is not energized, the energization confirmation lamp 31 is not lit, and the display windows 32 and 39 are in an extinguished state.

When the electromagnetic solenoid 21 is energized from this state, the plunger 22 resists the spring force and rises by suction.
The pressure hole 24 is communicated with the operating hole 27, and at the same time, the discharge hole 25 is blocked. Then, the pilot fluid that is branched from the inflow path P and reaches the pressure passage 4 is supplied to the action chamber 3a through the pressure hole 24 and the operation hole 27, and moves the spool 7 to the right through the piston 10 against the spring force. to activate the switching. As a result, the pressure fluid in the inflow path P flows from the supply path A to the actuator, and the pressure fluid from the actuator flows from the supply path B to the outflow path R2. In this switching position,
Since the electromagnetic solenoid 21 is energized, the energization confirmation lamp 31 is also lit at the same time, and the display window 32
You can visually check the energization status. Further, the light from the lamp 31 is transmitted through an outgoing optical fiber 35 shown in FIG. 4 and reaches the surface of the spool 7. At this time, since the spool 7 is switched to the right side, the light path is from the light absorbing section 40a to the light reflecting section 4.
Switching to the position 0b, return optical fiber 37
The light reaches the display window 39 through the display window 39. The switching operation of the spool 7 can be visually confirmed by the light from the display window 39.

Therefore, according to the above embodiment, the switching operation of the spool can be reliably visually confirmed from the outside, and malfunction of the valve can be easily discovered.

Furthermore, by using the energization confirmation lamp 31, there is no need to provide a separate light source, so the configuration becomes simple.

Furthermore, since the flexibility of the optical fiber is utilized, it is easy to lead out light to the outside of the valve, so it can be applied to valves with complex configurations.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, since the operating position of the valve body can be visually recognized from the outside, failures caused by the valve body sticking can be reliably discovered. In addition, there is no detection error unlike the means provided with a pressure detector as described in the prior art, and furthermore, a mechanical configuration is adopted in which the member connected to the spool is led out to the outside of the valve body. More than anything,
There is no problem with sealing performance, the structure is simple, and there is no problem with the operation of the valve body. In addition, it is possible to check both the energization of the electric actuator and the operating status of the valve body, making it possible to reliably check the open/closed status of the valve and easily determine which is the cause of malfunction. It has the effect of being able to do it.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a directional control valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of a directional control valve device according to the same embodiment.
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the - line in Figure 1;
The figure is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the same embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Valve body, 3... Fitting hole, 7... Spool (valve body), 31... Lamp (light emitting source), 35... Outbound optical fiber, 37... Return path optical fiber, 39... Display window, 4
0...Light reflector, 40a...Light absorber, 40b...Light reflector.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fluid control valve device that has a valve body that is slidable in a fitting hole formed in a valve body, and that switches the flow path by sliding the valve body by the operation of an electric actuator. A light emitting source provided in the valve body and emitting light when the electric actuator is energized; an outgoing optical fiber that guides light from the light emitting source to the valve body surface; and a valve that reflects light from the outgoing optical fiber. It has a light reflector provided on the valve body and a return optical fiber that guides the reflected light to the outside of the valve body. A fluid control valve device characterized in that it is formed in.