JPH11236989A - Joint device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the stay of the liquid during the time when a joint is separated in a circulating circuit switching device. SOLUTION: In this joint device, a circulating circuit for circulating the liquid of a tank with a pump is provided with a cutoff valve 17 arranged freely to be cut off, and the joint device is used at the time of closing the cutoff valve and connecting other circuit to the circulating circuit at a pump side. In this joint device having a feedign side joint 16 to be connected to a pipeline of the circulating circuit and a receiver side joint 20 provided in other circuit and to be connected through an opening and closing part of a feeding side joint, the opening and closing part is formed at a position of the inner peripheral surface of a part formed with the circulating passage of the feeding side joint. The opening and closing part is provided with a connection port 29 to be connected to other circuit and a valve element 30 for opening and closing the connection port 29. The device is also provided with a driving device 32 for opening the valve element in response to the connection of other circuit.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coupling device used for switching a liquid circulation circuit to switch a flow path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a liquid containing a substance that precipitates or separates when left standing is consumed through a pipe as required, the liquid stored in the tank is circulated through a tank and a circulation circuit by a pump to stand by, and is consumed. When the need arises, by connecting the circulation circuit to another circuit including the consuming unit, the flow path is switched, and when the consumption is stopped, the another circuit is separated and returned to the circulation circuit. I have. This is to maintain the liquid in a constantly flowing state and to prevent sedimentation or separation so that the consumption operation or the like is not affected by sedimentation or separation in the pipe. Specifically, for example, it is performed in a paint factory so that the pigment in the liquid paint does not settle or separate, and as shown in FIG. A pipe 2 leading to the portion 1a of the joint 1, a pipe 4 leading to the tank T, a pipe 5 connecting the middle of the pipes 2 and 4, an on-off valve 6 opening / closing a middle of the pipe 5,
A pipe 8 having a portion 1b connected to the portion 1a of the joint 1 at one end and a paint consuming portion 7 such as a paint spray nozzle at the other end is provided. That is, a circulation circuit is formed by the pipes 2, 5, and 4, and the connection can be switched to the flow paths of the pipes 2 and 8 by closing the on-off valve 6 after connecting the joint 1. When returning to the circulation circuit after the operation of the consuming unit 7 is completed, the on-off valve 6 is opened and the joint 1 is disconnected.

[0003]

In the conventional circuit configuration for switching the circulation circuit, when the circulation circuit is formed after switching to the flow paths of the pipes 2 and 8, the connection between the pipe 2 and the pipe 5 is established. A portion from the connection point to the joint portion 1a is a pool portion that does not substantially belong to the circulation circuit. Since the paint is stagnant in the pool, if the paint is settled and separated, or the sediment is solidified and switched to the flow path of the pipes 2 and 8 as it is, the operation of the paint (paint consuming unit 7) is started. Cause trouble. For this reason, when switching to the flow paths of the next pipes 2 and 8, there is a problem that the joint 1 cannot be connected unless the paint in the pool portion is removed by discharging. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to reduce the accumulation of liquid stagnation during separation of a joint in a joint device for switching the flow path of the circulation circuit as described above.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a circulation circuit for circulating a liquid in a tank by a pump, comprising a shut-off valve arranged so as to be shut off, closing the shut-off valve, and closing the shut-off valve. Also a coupling device used when connecting another circuit to the circulation circuit on the pump side, a sending-side joint to which the piping of the circulation circuit is connected, and opening and closing of the sending-side joint provided in the another circuit And a receiving joint connected via a portion, wherein the opening / closing portion is formed substantially at an inner peripheral surface position of a portion forming the circulation passage of the feed-side joint. 1).

In this means, the opening / closing portion is formed substantially at the inner peripheral surface of the portion forming the circulation passage of the feed-side joint.
When the circulation passage is formed, that is, when the shutoff valve is opened, the receiving joint is disconnected, and the opening / closing portion is closed, the inside of the opening / closing portion belongs to the circulation passage as a portion through which the liquid flows reliably, and There is no accumulation in the circulation passage near the joint.

Preferably, the opening / closing section includes a connection port to which the another circuit is connected, and a valve element for opening / closing the connection port.

The receiving side joint of the another circuit may have a valve opening means for opening a valve body of the sending side joint when the circulation circuit is connected to the another circuit (claim 3). .

[0008] Separately, a feed-side joint of the circulation circuit includes:
It is preferable that a driving device that opens the valve in response to the connection of the another circuit be provided (claim 4). Since this is a configuration in which the valve is opened by a drive device such as an air cylinder,
Since there is no structure that opens the valve at the receiving joint, the receiving joint becomes simpler, which facilitates cleaning. Note that a circuit for flowing a liquid such as a paint is often washed, and it is preferable that the circuit be configured to be easily washed.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment used for supplying a paint according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The coupling device 11 is a device for switching a flow path by connecting another circuit 13 to a circulation circuit 12 as shown in FIG. The circulation circuit 12 is a feed pipe 1 for sending the liquid in the tank T by the pump P.
5, a feed-side joint 16, a shut-off valve 17, and a return-side pipe 19 returning to the tank T, which are sequentially connected to the feed-side joint 16. Another circuit 13 includes a receiving joint 20 connected to and disconnected from the feeding joint 16 and a pipe 2 sequentially connected thereto.
1 and a liquid (paint) consuming unit 22.

The feed side joint 16 and the shutoff valve 17 of the circulation circuit 12 have the structure shown in FIG. Feed side joint 1
6 has a liquid passage 26 formed through the main body 25, and one of the passages 26 has a connection 27 with the feed pipe 15, and the other of the passage 26 has a connection 28 with the shutoff valve 17. doing. These two connecting portions 27 and 28 are ferrule joints which are formed in a flange shape and are connected together in a fluid-tight manner by being tightened together with a similar connecting portion on the other side with a fastener. Passage 2
Reference numeral 6 denotes a connection hole 29 formed by a circular hole formed in a straight line along the horizontal axis, an inner peripheral surface at an intermediate position thereof being slightly enlarged into a substantially spherical shape, and a lower center thereof penetrating downward. On the upper side so as to be on the same axis as the connection port 29, a support portion 31 and a drive portion 32 of the valve body 30 described below are provided. The connection port 29 has an upper portion, that is, a passage 26 side, formed in the valve seat 33, and the valve body 30 is seated on the valve seat 33 from the inside to close the valve. In this configuration, the connection port 29 is opened orthogonally to the linear passage 26 and the opening is closed by the valve 30 on the passage 26 side, so that the boundary between the opening and the valve 30 is formed on the inner surface of the passage 26. The opening / closing portion 56 which appears as is located at a peripheral surface position that is slightly distant from the axis of the passage 26 but substantially the same distance as the inner peripheral surface position of the circular hole portion of the passage 26, and between the connecting portions 27 and 28 in the valve closed state. A portion where the liquid flowing through the passage 26 stays is not formed.

The lower portion of the connection port 29 is formed in a socket portion 34 whose inner diameter increases in a stepwise manner and is further tapered downward at the lower end portion. The valve body 30 has a shaft part 35 extending upward, and the shaft part 35 penetrates the support part 31 in a fluid-tight manner, and the drive part 32 is connected to the upper end part. The drive unit 32 is an air cylinder, which moves forward and backward by supply and discharge of air, whereby the valve 30 opens and closes the connection hole 29. In the figure, 36 is a piston rod of an air cylinder, and 55 is a spring acting on the piston rod in a valve closing direction.

The shut-off valve 17 is a ball valve as shown in FIG. The ball valve main body 57 has a fluid passage 37 formed by a horizontal through-hole, and the connecting portion 28 is connected to the passage 26 of the feed-side joint 16 on both sides and the return-side pipe 19 so as to be connected. And a connection part 27 connected to the connection part 27, and a ball valve element 40 is provided so as to open and close an intermediate part of the passage 37. In the figure, reference numeral 41 denotes a rotary drive shaft engaged with a ball valve body,
2, the fluid passage 37 is opened and closed by rotating forward and backward by 90 °.

The receiving joint 20 of another circuit 13 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, a fluid passage 44 penetrating vertically is penetrated in the main body 43, a plug portion 45 is formed at the upper end just to fit into the socket portion 34, and a connecting portion 46 with the pipe 21 is formed at a lower end. It is formed, and the mounting flange 47 is
Are formed. The plug portion 45 holds an annular seal 48 on the upper end surface, and when it is moved upward from the position shown in the figure, the plug portion 45 fits into the socket portion 34, and the upper end surface is the outer peripheral portion of the valve seat 33 of the feed side joint 16. (See FIG. 2) via a seal 48, and the inside is fluid-tightly partitioned from the outside. The receiving-side joint 20 is attached to the support substrate 49 via the flange 47 at a position corresponding to the feed-side joint 16 as illustrated.

The liquid consuming unit 22 is a coating apparatus provided with a paint spray nozzle 50 that operates with compressed air, as shown in FIG. 3, when the liquid is paint.

As shown in FIG. 3, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of circulation circuits 12 each having the same configuration are provided separately for each color of paint.
, And the liquid consuming unit 2
2 is connected to switch the flow path. To this end, a plurality of circulation circuits 12, 1
2, the feed-side joints 16 are linearly arranged at the same height position with the socket portions 34 facing downward, as shown in FIG. Receiving joint 2
0 is positioned at a predetermined distance with the plug portion 45 facing upward, and as shown in FIG.
The movable body 51 is provided on the movable body 51 so as to be able to move to the lower side of the second joint 16, and is supported by the air cylinder 52 so as to be able to move up and down from the movable body 51. Moving body 51
Can be moved by a ball screw 54 driven to rotate by a motor 53 so that the receiving joint 20 can be moved below the feed joint 16 to be connected. The pipe 21 has a flexible portion for this movement.

The operation of connecting another circuit 13 to a desired circulation circuit 12 and switching the flow path is performed by, for example, an appropriate control unit, and is performed as follows. Desired circulation circuit 1
The receiving joint 20 of another circuit 13 moved to the lower side of the second feeding joint 16 rises by the operation of the air cylinder 52 and connects to the sending joint 16 of the circulation circuit 12.
That is, the plug portion 45 is fitted into the socket portion 34, the seal 48 contacts the periphery of the valve seat 33, and the passage 44 is connected to the connection port 29 closed by the valve body 30. Next, the valve body 30
Are opened by the air cylinder 32 and the passages 26 and 44
And the shut-off valve 17 is closed, that is, the ball valve element 40 is closed by the drive section 42 to switch the flow path.

When the circuit 13 is disconnected and switched to the circulation circuit 12, the shut-off valve 17 is opened, the connection port 29 is closed, and the receiving joints 20, 24 are closed, contrary to the above operation. Descend.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the configuration of the joint portion is different from the first embodiment in that an opening means 60 for opening the valve body 30a of the opening / closing section is provided in the receiving joint 20a. Different parts will be described, and equivalent parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

As shown, the feed side joint 16a penetrates the main body 25a and has the same liquid passage 2 as in the first embodiment.
6 is formed, and one of the feed pipes 15 (FIG. 3)
), And the other end of the passage 26 has a connection 28 with the shutoff valve 17. The two connecting portions 27 and 28 are the same as those in the first embodiment.
It is a ferrule joint. The passage 26 is formed by a circular hole formed in a straight line along the horizontal axis, and an inner peripheral surface at an intermediate position is slightly enlarged to a substantially spherical shape, and a connection port 29a penetrating downward through a lower center thereof. And a support portion 31a of the valve body 30a is provided on the upper side so as to be on the same axis as the connection port 29a. The connection port 29a is formed in the valve seat 33,
The valve body 30a is seated on the valve seat 33 from the inside to close the valve. In this configuration, since the connection port 29a opens orthogonally to the linear passage 26 and the opening is closed by the valve 30a, the opening / closing portion that appears on the inner surface of the passage 26 as a boundary between the opening and the valve 30a. 56a is located at a peripheral surface position that is slightly distant from the axis of the passage 26 but substantially the same distance as the inner peripheral surface position of the circular hole portion of the passage 26, and the passage 26 between the connection portions 27 and 28 is closed when the valve is closed. No portion where the flowing liquid stays is formed. This is the same as the first embodiment.

The valve body 30a has a shaft portion 35a extending upward.
The shaft portion 35 a is penetrated through the support portion 31 a in a fluid-tight manner, is slidably supported up and down, and is urged by a valve closing spring 61 so as to be seated on the valve seat 33.

The receiving joint 20a is, as shown in FIG.
An opening of a liquid passage 44a connected to the connection port 29a on the lower surface of the feed-side joint 16a is provided at an upper end, and a main body 62 is formed at an upper main body portion 62a and a lower main body portion 62b. The main body upper part 62a is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the lower part thereof is fitted to the main body lower part 62b in a fluid-tight and slidable manner up and down, and the upper end opening is slightly larger than the lower end opening of the connection port 29a. Formed, the passage 44a is expanding downward,
An annular seal 48a is held on the upper end surface. The lower surface where the connection port 29a of the main body 25a of the feed-side joint 16a is opened is formed flat, and when the main body upper part 62a is pressed with the upper end surface against the lower surface of the feed-side joint 16a, the seal 48a is connected. It abuts on the periphery of the opening 29a to block the inner passage 44a from the outside.

The main body lower part 62b has a cylindrical fitting part 63 in which the lower part of the main body upper part 62a is fitted, a rod part 64 formed as a valve opening means 60 formed inside thereof, a spring receiving part 65, and a pipe connection. It comprises a part 66 and the like. Fitting part 63
An O-ring 67 and a bearing 68 are mounted on the outer periphery of the upper body 62, and the upper main body 62a can slide up and down in a fluid-tight manner. The rod 64 of the valve opening means 60 is provided along the central axis of the main body 62, and the lower end is fixed to a support portion 69 protruding radially inward from the inner surface of the lower main body 62 b, and the upper end is formed of the upper main body 62 a. It has reached near the top. Spring receiving part 65
Is formed at the upper end of an annular member attached to the outside of the fitting portion 63, and supports the spring 70 at the upper end.
The spring 70 is a coil spring that surrounds the outer periphery of the upper body 62a, and presses the projection 71 on the outer periphery of the upper end of the upper body 62a in a compressed state so as to urge the upper body 62a to the raised position.
And the spring receiving portion 65. Upper body 62a
Is provided with a protruding edge 72 on the outer periphery of the lower end thereof. The protruding edge 72 is locked by a stopper 73 formed below the spring receiver 65, and is held so as not to come off as shown in FIG. . The pipe connection part 66 is provided at the lower end of the main body lower part 62b and is connected to the pipe 21 (23).
One of the ferrule joints. Inner holes of the main body upper part 62a and the main body lower part 62b are liquid passages 44a.

FIG. 5 shows the connection between the feed joint 16a and the receiving joint 20a. That is, when the receiving side joint 20a is pushed up by the air cylinder 52 shown in FIG. 3, for example, when the receiving side joint 20a is pushed up by the air cylinder 52 shown in FIG. The upper end surface of the main body upper portion 62a of the valve 20a is pressed through the annular seal 48a, and further pushed up, so that the tip of the rod 64 of the valve opening means 60 becomes the valve body 3.
The lower surface of Oa is pushed and released, and the pushing stops at an appropriate position to terminate the connection, and the connection state shown in FIG. 5 is obtained. The switching operation of the flow path is substantially the same as that described in the first embodiment, and therefore the description is omitted.

Although the socket and the plug are not provided in the second embodiment, they may be provided if necessary.

[0025]

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, since there is no accumulation in the circulation passage and no stagnation of the circulation liquid, the separation and sedimentation of the circulation liquid in the circulation passage does not occur. Play. According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the opening / closing unit is opened at the same time as the connection, the time from the start to the completion of the connection can be shortened. The invention described in claim 4 has an effect of facilitating cleaning because the receiving-side joint is simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a main part showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a different state of the same part as FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a circuit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional front view of a main part showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional front view showing a different state of the same portion as FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Coupling apparatus 12 Circulation circuit 13 Another circuit 16 Sending side joint 17 Shutoff valve 20 Receiving side joint 26 Passage 29 Connection port 30 Valve 31 Supporting part 32 Drive part 33 Valve seat 56 Opening and closing part T Tank P pump

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Haruki Fukui 1-16-117, Fukuyoshidai, Nishi-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo Nabco Seishin Plant Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masanori Okada 1-9-118 Minato-ku, Tokyo Nabco Tokyo Office

Claims (4)

[Claims] A circulating circuit for circulating a liquid in a tank by a pump, comprising a shutoff valve arranged so as to be shut off, closing the shutoff valve, and providing a separate circulating circuit in the circulating circuit closer to the pump than the shutoff valve. A joint device used when connecting a circuit, a feed-side joint connected to the piping of the circulation circuit,
And a receiving-side joint that is provided in the another circuit and is connected through an opening / closing portion of the sending-side joint,
The joint device, wherein the opening / closing portion is formed at a substantially inner peripheral surface position of a portion forming the circulation passage of the feed-side joint. 2. The coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing section includes a connection port to which the another circuit is connected, and a valve body that opens and closes the connection port. 3. The receiving-side joint of the another circuit has valve opening means for opening a valve body of the feed-side joint when the circulation circuit is connected to the another circuit. The coupling device as described. 4. The coupling device according to claim 2, wherein the feed-side coupling of the circulation circuit includes a driving device that opens the valve body in response to connection of the another circuit.