JPH1038121A - Motor-operated valve of spring return type - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a motor-operated valve which is low in noise and has a small impact force impressed to a gear mechanism owing to a simple construction. SOLUTION: The motor-operated valve comprises a reduction gear mechanism 17 between a drive shaft and an output shaft 7 to which a rotary valve element 4 is fixed and a return spring 34 which gives a return force to the output shaft 7. It is constituted such that friction coil spring 41 is wound on the periphery of the output shaft 7 in the same direction as the return spring 34, an end thereof is joined with a drive mechanism of the output shaft 7, the inside diameter of the friction coil spring 41 is enlarged to reduce the friction force when the return spring 34 rotates in the winding direction, and the inside diameter is reduced so as to make a sliding contact with the outer circumference of the output shaft 7 when the return spring 34 rotates in the return direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spring-return type electric valve in which a rotary valve urged in one direction by a return spring is driven by an electric motor to open and close.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a valve used in a cooling / heating water circuit, a refrigerant circuit, and the like in a cooling / heating device, an air conditioner, a hot water supply device, etc., a valve element urged in a valve closing direction by a return spring is rotated by an electric motor and opened. A spring return type electrically operated valve which is operated by a valve is used. In such a motor-operated valve, the output shaft is rotated by an electric motor,
A plurality of reduction gear trains are driven by the gears fixed to the drive shaft, and a valve body fixed to an output shaft end driven by the reduction gear train is configured to be rotationally driven, with one end being connected to a valve case. Fixed, the other end is fixed to the output shaft, the valve body is opened to act against the force of the return spring, which constantly urges the valve body in the closing direction, so as to further wind the return spring, For example, when the valve body is rotated by 90 degrees, the position is detected by a switch or the like, and the amount of power to the motor is reduced, and the output in the rotation direction of the motor is reduced. The fully returned state is maintained by balancing the return force of the transmitted return spring.

When closing the valve element, the power supply to the electric motor is stopped, and the valve element is rotated in the opposite direction by the force of the return spring, which has been wound up by the electric motor and has increased the return force as described above. The valve body is stopped at a predetermined fully-closed position by a projecting member of a stopper pin provided on an output shaft or the like provided with the valve abutting on the stopper. Further, as a countermeasure when power supply to the electric motor is stopped, a one-way clutch is provided between the drive shaft of the motor and the output shaft of the valve body, or a motor with a built-in electromagnetic clutch is used.

On the other hand, in a spring return type electric valve, it is necessary to manually open and close the valve manually when adjusting the entire refrigeration circuit or the valve itself. Therefore, a manual lever is protruded into the valve driving mechanism. The valve is manually operated by an operator to open and close the valve.
For the manual operation, only a tool locking portion is provided in the drive mechanism, and an operator operates the tool locking portion using a tool to manually operate the valve body.

[0005]

In the conventional spring return type electric valve, when the valve body is closed, the valve is rapidly rotated by the strong return force of the return spring wound up by the electric motor, and the valve is provided. The stopper pin provided on the output shaft or the like comes into contact with the stopper and stops suddenly. For this reason, a large impact force is generated between the output shaft that stops suddenly and the gear mechanism that rotates together with the rotor due to the inertia force of the rotor rotating in the motor, and noise is also generated.

Further, as described above, when a one-way clutch is provided between the drive shaft of the motor and the output shaft of the valve element as a countermeasure for stopping the power supply to the motor, the mechanism is expensive. In addition, the use of a motor with a built-in electromagnetic clutch is not only expensive, but also has the disadvantage that the output of the motor tends to be insufficient and cannot be applied to a large valve. Must be used, and the power consumption of the motor increases. These also have the disadvantage that the structure becomes complicated. Furthermore, as a means other than the above, a ratchet mechanism may be provided in the drive mechanism. In this case, however, there is a disadvantage that a large noise is generated when the drive mechanism is operated.

On the other hand, when a manual operation portion is provided in a drive mechanism for manual operation of a valve, and a manual lever is protruded and provided in the drive mechanism, when the manual lever is operated, the manual lever is provided with a valve. In addition to the driving force, especially when no power is supplied, a force for driving the reduction gear mechanism from the electric motor to the output shaft of the valve and a return force by the return spring are also applied, so an extremely large force is applied to the manual lever force, and the hand becomes painful. In addition, the manual lever must be large in order to apply a large force, and the manual lever protrudes greatly from the valve body. There was also a drawback that a large box and a large space were required when packing. Also,
In the one provided with a tool engagement portion in the drive mechanism, and the tool is engaged with this engagement portion at the time of manual operation,
When the valve is manually operated, it is necessary to search for a tool or the like, and this operation cannot be performed without the tool.

Therefore, the present invention provides a spring-return type electric valve which has a simple structure, has low noise and has a small impact force applied to a gear mechanism, and can be operated with a small manual lever and a small force without using a tool. The purpose is to.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a reduction gear mechanism between a drive shaft of a motor and an output shaft to which a rotary valve body is fixed, and applies a return force to the output shaft. In a return-spring motor-operated valve provided with a return spring to be applied, a friction coil spring is wound around the output shaft in the same direction as the return spring, and one end is connected to a drive mechanism of the output shaft, and the return spring is wound. When rotating in the direction, the inner diameter of the friction coil spring expands to reduce the frictional force, and when the return spring rotates in the returning direction, the inner diameter is reduced so as to make sliding contact with the outer circumference of the output shaft. Further, a reduction gear mechanism is provided between the drive shaft of the motor and the output shaft to which the rotary valve body is fixed, and a return spring is provided to apply a return force to the output shaft. In a return spring type electric valve, a friction coil spring is wound around the output shaft in the same direction as the return spring, and one end is connected to a drive mechanism of the output shaft to form a friction clutch. And the two are detachably connected by a manual lever provided on the output shaft on the valve body fixed side, and a release mechanism is provided for releasing the two by moving the manual lever. It is configured to be rotatable.

[0010] Since the present invention is constructed as described above, when the motor is energized, the rotation of the drive shaft of the motor causes the output shaft with the valve body fixed via the deceleration mechanism to oppose the return spring to the return spring. The valve rotates in the direction in which it is involved, and the valve element is rotated to a predetermined position and stopped. At this time, the inner diameter of the friction coil spring provided on the output shaft expands to reduce the frictional force, and the output shaft rotates freely.
On the other hand, when power supply to the motor is stopped, the output shaft is rotated by the return spring in the return direction of the return spring. A stopper 30 fitted and fixed to a notch 28 forming a parallel plane provided at the lower end 19 of the second output shaft 20 is formed inside the lower end 12 of the case 10 so as to face each other.
When the second output shaft 20 stops rotating when it comes into contact with the stopper surface 45, the inner diameter of the friction coil spring is reduced and the friction coil spring slides on the inner output shaft. Rapid return rotation of the shaft is prevented. Therefore, the reduction gear system and the output shaft, which are about to rotate due to the rotation of the rotor inside the motor due to the inertial force, rotate substantially synchronously, and no impulsive sound is generated between them.

In order to operate such a spring return type electric valve manually, the manual lever is moved by operating the manual lever, and when the manual lever is rotated with the output shaft divided into two, the manual lever is fixed. The valve body provided on the side also rotates integrally. Return the manual lever to its original state 2
When the divided output shafts are integrated, the valve body can be driven by the electric motor as usual.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Valve body 3 having fluid ports 1 and 2 at both ends
In the center of the flow path, a rotary valve 4 having a spherical surface is rotatably supported in a liquid-tight manner with respect to valve seats 5 and 6 at both openings. The lower end of the first output shaft 7 is fixed to the upper end of the rotary valve 4, and the first output shaft 7 is slidably supported inside a shaft guide 8 protruding from the upper center of the valve body. At the upper end of the shaft guide section 8, a case 10 of a valve drive section is provided with bolts 11.
, And is fixed at the lower end protrusion 12.

A base 13 is fixed to the upper part of the case 10, and a motor 14 is fixed to the upper part of the base 13, and its periphery is covered by a cover 15. The drive shaft of the motor 14 passes through the base 13 and has a gear 16 fixed to an end. The gear 16 is reduced through various reduction gear trains 17 as shown in the figure. The reduction gear train 17 is fixed to an upper portion of a second output shaft 20 which is coaxial with the first output shaft and normally abuts on an upper end portion 18 and a lower end portion 19 of the first output shaft 7. And the output shaft gear 21 which is engaged.

The upper end 18 of the first output shaft 7 and the second output shaft 2
The lower end 19 of 0 is in contact with the upper end of the shaft guide 8 of the valve body 3 in the space 22 formed by the lower end protrusion 12 of the case 10. At the upper end portion 18 of the first output shaft 7, a cutout portion 23 forming a parallel plane is formed,
The notch 23 is provided with a manual lever 25 having a hole 24 to be fitted therein. The manual lever 25 is constantly urged upward by a spring 29 provided on the lower surface thereof, and
3 is pressed against a stop ring 26 provided at the upper end.
The manual lever 25 is provided with an engagement hole 27. The engagement hole 27 is provided between a lower end of a stopper 30 which is fitted and fixed to a cutout 28 which is formed in a lower end 19 of the second output shaft 20 and forms a parallel plane. The mating pin 31 is fitted. The stopper 30 is capable of abutting on a first stopper surface 44 and a second stopper surface 45 formed inside the lower end protruding portion 12 of the case 10 so as to face each other. When the rotary valve is fully opened, the stopper 30 is a first stopper. When the rotary valve is fully closed, the stopper 30 comes into contact with the second stopper surface 45 and stops rotating.

Accordingly, during normal operation, the second output shaft 2
The rotation of 0 is performed via the engagement pin 31 of the stopper 30.
The manual lever 25 into which this is fitted is rotated, and the manual lever 2
5 rotates the first output shaft 7. As a result, the rotation of the second output shaft causes the rotation valve 4 fixed to the first output shaft 7 to rotate. When it is desired to rotate the rotary valve 4 manually, the distal end of the manual lever 25 is moved downward against the spring 29 as shown by the chain line in FIG. When the engagement is released and the manual lever 25 is manually rotated about the axis of the first output shaft, the first output shaft 7
Can rotate independently of the second output shaft 20 and the reduction gear train 17, and can easily rotate the rotary valve 4 at any time. After the rotation operation is completed,
When the manual lever 25 is released, the end of the lever is
9, when the manual lever 25 is rotated to engage the engagement hole 27 with the engagement pin 31, the state returns to the original state, and the rotary valve 4 is rotated by driving the motor.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, an output shaft gear 21 above the second output shaft 20 is loosely fitted with the second output shaft 20, and a first pin 32 projects downward from the lower surface thereof. Established
A hollow second pin 39 is fixed above the second output shaft 20 below the output shaft gear 21 so as to penetrate the second output shaft in a direction perpendicular to the first pin 32.
Is rotated in the opening direction of the rotary valve, the first pin 32
It is pressed against the pin 39 and rotated. This hollow second
An upper end 35 of a return spring 34 wound around the outer periphery of the second output shaft 20 is inserted into and fixed to one opening 33 of the pin 39. The lower end portion 36 of the return spring 34 is locked by a locking portion 38 at the lower end of the outer periphery of the shaft guide portion 37 at the center of the case 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second output shaft 20
Is fixed to a bearing 40 fixed to the base 13. A torsion spring clutch spring 4 is provided between the lower surface of the bearing 40 and the upper surface of the output shaft gear 21.
The lower end of the clutch spring 41 is fitted and locked on the upper surface of the output shaft gear 21, and the upper end is locked on the bearing side. Also, this clutch spring 4
The winding direction of 1 is opposite to the winding direction of the return spring 34, and in a state before the output shaft gear 21 presses the second pin 39 of the second output shaft 20 by the first pin 32 thereof, The clutch spring 41 is brought into contact with the outer periphery of the upper end of the second output shaft.
0 is given a frictional force.

In the above configuration, the output shaft gear 21 rotates, the first pin 32 of the output shaft gear 21 presses the second pin 39 of the second output shaft 20, and the second output shaft 20 is returned to the return spring 3.
When the clutch spring 41 rotates in the direction in which the return spring 34 is wound in against the return force of the clutch spring 4, the clutch spring 41
It is twisted in the direction opposite to the winding direction, and its inner diameter increases, so that the inside of the clutch spring 41 and the second output shaft 20
The friction with the outer periphery of the is eliminated. Thereby, when the output shaft gear 21 rotates via the speed reduction mechanism 17 by the drive of the motor 14, the second output shaft 20 can be freely rotated by the output shaft gear 21, and the second output shaft is connected to the stopper as described above. The rotation valve 4 is rotated in the opening direction via the 30, the manual lever 25, and the first output shaft 7, respectively. When the rotary valve 4 is released by 90 degrees, the stopper 30 contacts and holds the first stopper surface 44.

On the other hand, when the energization of the motor 14 is stopped at the time of closing the valve, the second output shaft rotates together with the first output shaft 7 in the opposite direction by the return force of the return spring 34, and the second pin 39 The first pin 32 is driven in the opposite direction, and the stopper 30 fitted and fixed to the notch 28 forming a parallel plane provided at the lower end 19 of the second output shaft 20 is opposed to each other inside the lower end 12 of the case 10. The second formed
When the second output shaft 20 comes into contact with the stopper surface 45 and stops rotating, the clutch spring 34 is rotated in the winding direction, so that the inner diameter of the clutch spring 34 is reduced, and the outer peripheral surface of the second output 20 is in a frictional state. Therefore, the rapid return rotation of the second output shaft 20 is reduced, and the motor 1
4, the rotation is substantially synchronized with the speed reduction mechanism 17 and the output shaft gear 21 that are about to rotate together with the rotor that rotates by inertia, so that an impact on the drive mechanism is avoided.

[0020]

The present invention is configured as described above.
When the motor is energized, the output shaft with the valve body fixed is rotated against the return spring by the rotation of the drive shaft of the motor in the direction in which the return spring is wound. The output shaft expands to reduce frictional force and the output shaft rotates freely. for that reason,
Even if the motor for operating the valve is small, it can be driven sufficiently. On the other hand, when the power supply to the motor is stopped, the output shaft is rotated in the return direction of the return spring by the return spring, but is fitted and fixed to the cutout portion 28 provided at the lower end portion 19 of the second output shaft 20 and forming a parallel plane. Stopper 30
When the second output shaft 20 stops rotating when the second output shaft 20 stops rotating, the frictional coil spring has an inner diameter reduced when the second output shaft 20 stops rotating. The sliding contact with the inner output shaft causes a braking action by the friction, thereby preventing the output shaft from rapidly rotating in the return direction. Therefore, the reduction gear system and the output shaft, which are about to rotate due to the rotation of the rotor inside the motor due to the inertial force, rotate substantially in synchronization, and no impulsive sound is generated between the two.

Further, when such a spring return type motor operated valve is manually operated, an existing manual lever is operated and moved without using a tool, and the output shaft is moved by two times.
Since the manual lever can be rotated in the separated state, and the force of the deceleration mechanism or the like does not act on the manual lever, the valve can be manually opened and closed lightly. Therefore, the manual unit lever may be small, and the entire valve does not become bulky. As described above, the present invention provides a spring-return type electric valve which has a low noise with a simple structure and a small impact force applied to the gear mechanism, and does not use a tool.
Can be operated with a small force with a small manual lever.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the manual lever portion in a normal operation state.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the operation state of the manual lever.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the clutch spring part.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 fluid inlet / outlet 2 fluid inlet / outlet 3 valve body 4 rotary valve 5 valve seat 7 first output shaft 8 shaft guide 10 case 11 bolt 12 lower end protrusion 13 base 14 motor 15 cover 17 reduction gear train 18 upper end 19 lower end Part 20 Second output shaft 21 Output shaft gear 22 Space 23 Notch 24 Hole 25 Manual lever 26 Stop ring 27 Engagement hole 28 Notch 29 Spring 30 Stopper 31 Engagement pin 32 First pin 33 One side opening 34 Return spring 35 Upper end Part 36 Lower end part 37 Shaft guide part 38 Locking part 39 Second pin 40 Bearing 41 Clutch spring 44 First stopper surface 45 Second stopper surface

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hideki Uematsu 1311 Aobadai, Tokorozawa-shi, Saitama Sagimiya, Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A return spring type electric valve comprising: a reduction gear mechanism provided between a drive shaft of a motor and an output shaft to which a rotary valve body is fixed, and a return spring for applying a return force to the output shaft. A friction coil spring is wound around the outer periphery of the output shaft in the same direction as the return spring, and one end is connected to a drive mechanism of the output shaft. When the return spring rotates in the winding direction, the inner diameter of the friction coil spring expands. A return spring-operated valve, wherein the inner diameter of the return spring is reduced when the return spring rotates in the return direction so as to be in sliding contact with the outer circumference of the output shaft. 2. A return-spring motor-operated valve comprising a reduction gear mechanism provided between a drive shaft of a motor and an output shaft to which a rotary valve body is fixed, and a return spring for applying a return force to the output shaft. A friction coil spring is wound around the output shaft in the same direction as the return spring, and one end is connected to a drive mechanism of the output shaft to form a friction clutch. A manual lever provided on the output shaft on the body fixed side is detachably connected to each other, a release mechanism for releasing the both by moving the manual lever is provided, and the valve body can be rotated by the manual lever at the time of the release. Characterized return spring type electric valve.