KR100616636B1 - Flow path switching valve for oxygen generator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flow path switching valve for an oxygen generator. In the pneumatic or pneumatic circuit using pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, it has one input port, one output port, and two input / output ports. Therefore, the flow path switching valve for the oxygen generator according to the present invention can switch between two flow paths even if one switching valve is applied, so that the pneumatic circuit can be replaced with a plurality of control valves or two or more three-port flow path switching valves. There is an advantage to configure. In addition, it is configured to pressurize between the switching valve and the valve base by using air pressure, which can significantly reduce the size of the valve compared to the conventional method, and since excessive closing pressure is not applied between the switching valve and the valve base for distributing compressed air. Frictional force between the sealing surfaces is reduced, so wear is reduced, service life is dramatically improved, and the overall valve size is reduced, which greatly reduces the cost of each part.

Drive motor, changeover valve, valve base, pressure spring, valve body

Description

Flow Swititching Valve For Oxygen Generator}

1 is a perspective view of a conventional oxygen generator,

2 is an external view of a flow path switching valve for an oxygen generator according to the present invention,

3 is an exploded perspective view of a flow path switching valve for an oxygen generator according to the present invention,

4 is a cross-sectional view of a flow path switching valve for an oxygen generator according to the present invention,

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a cross section of the flow path switching valve for the oxygen generator according to the present invention,

6 is a plan view of the main parts of the flow path switching valve for the oxygen generator according to the present invention,

Figure 7 is an illustration of an oxygen generating device applied a flow path switching valve for the oxygen generator according to the present invention,

8 is an explanatory view for explaining the operation of the flow path switching valve for the oxygen generator according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawings *

One; Inlet 2: Outlet

3a; First port 3b; 2nd port

10; Drive motor 20; Valve body

22; Drive motor support 21; Motor shaft insertion hole

23; Fluid inlet 26; Inflow through

24; Valve chamber 30; Valve shaft

40; Pressure spring 50; Changeover

51; Drive shaft matching groove 52; Spring support

53; Closed diaphragm 54; Opening

55; Central hole 56; Airtight

57; Communication grooves 58; Recovery

60; Valve base 61; Drive shaft support hole

62; Vertical apertures 63a, 63b; First and second through

64a, 64b; First and second entrance and exit holes 65; Airtight

66; Second sealing 67; Fluid outlet

70; fitting

The present invention relates to an oxygen generator, and in detail, as a switching valve for distributing and supplying compressed air to an oxygen generator, which is applied to an adsorption-type oxygen generator, to improve durability and to drastically reduce manufacturing costs.

Adsorption oxygen generator is to separate the oxygen contained in the air, it is common to use the artificial crystal ZEOLITE MOLECUIAR SIEVE. The principle of separating oxygen from the air is that the air molecules constituting the air use different adsorptive force to the geolite moricurassib. When the air is sucked into the adsorption tube filled with geolite moricurassib, it is adsorbed in layers according to the difference in affinity for the geolite moricurassib. Nitrogen molecules have higher adsorption to zeolite moricurassib than oxygen molecules, so oxygen can be separated using them.

Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a conventional adsorption oxygen generator. As shown in the related art, the switching valve for the oxygen generator has a disk-shaped disc provided at one side of the rotary valve 30 through which high-pressure air generated in the compressor 20 is introduced into the rotary valve 30. It enters into the supply port 32 of the valve housing 31. On the opposite side of the air supply port 32 of the valve housing 31 is formed a sealed surface consisting of a circular plane and a plurality of gas inlet 33 is formed at a predetermined rotation interval spaced apart from the center. In addition, the actuator 34, which is in close contact with the housing 31 and controls the distribution of the high pressure compressed air, is supported by the pressure spring 37 to rotate.

In addition, the actuator is a compressed air distribution groove (35) formed so that the compressed air supply port 32 and at least one gas inlet (33) can be opened; At least one gas outlet 33 may be opened and includes a gas discharge groove 36 formed to communicate with the outside.

As described above, the conventional switching valve for the oxygen generator discharges the nitrogen separated in the oxygen generation process into the atmosphere through the discharge groove 36 formed in the actuator 34, thereby providing a cause of increasing the nitrogen concentration in the atmosphere. Since the valve housing 31 and the auto body 34 are installed in close contact with each other, the high pressure gas introduced into the supply port 32 does not leak to the outside, and the gas outlet 33 is located along the distribution groove 35. Is moved to). However, the high pressure air drawn into the compressed air supply port 32 flows into the distribution groove 35 formed in the actuator 34 and high pressure is applied to the inner wall of the distribution groove 35. Accordingly, the compressed air inside the distribution groove is pushed by pushing the actuator 34 to the opposite side of the valve housing 31 so that the actuator 34 floats from the valve housing 31 and is spaced apart from each other. Air leaks

As described above, in the case of the conventional switching valve for oxygen generator, the actuator (37) is provided with a pressure spring (37) having a holding force larger than the air pressure in order to prevent the floating of the actuator (34) by the air pressure of the compressed air. 34) must be pressurized to the valve housing (31). Therefore, the pressure spring 37 should have a fairly large modulus of elasticity, thereby increasing its appearance.

When the distribution groove 35 formed in the actuator 34 is located at any particular gas inlet 33, the pressure of the moricure tank communicating with the gas inlet 33 is initially low or compressed air. As the pressure in the tank increases as it flows into the communicated tank, the compressed air pressure inside the distribution groove 35 also increases and decreases as the actuator 34 rotates.

The force that the actuator 34 presses and closes the valve housing 31 becomes the value obtained by subtracting the compressed air pressure inside the distribution groove 35 from the holding force of the pressure spring 37 and the distribution groove 35 as described above. Since the compressed air pressure increases and decreases internally and continuously, the force that the actuator 34 presses and closes the valve housing 31 continues to increase and decrease periodically according to the rotation of the actuator 34.

Therefore, in the conventional switching valve for oxygen generator, when the air pressure applied to the distribution groove 35 increases, the actuator 34 is in close contact with the valve housing 31 with a relatively weak force, and the compressed air leaks between the contact surfaces. On the contrary, when the air pressure applied to the distribution groove 35 decreases, the actuator 34 is in close contact with the valve housing 31 with a relatively strong force, thereby increasing the friction force between the contact surfaces, and thus the wear between the contact surfaces. This results in an excessive rotation driving torque and a large driving motor having a large driving torque, which requires a large driving motor. As described above, nitrogen molecules generated together during the oxygen generation process are discharged to the outside through a separate flow path. Instead of discharging to the atmosphere around the valve through the discharge groove 36 formed in the actuator 34 has a disadvantage of increasing the nitrogen concentration of the atmosphere.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, so that a pressure proportional to the compressed air pressure drawn into the valve is applied between the distribution and the contact surface so that unnecessary excessive friction torque is not applied between the contact surfaces and the distribution It is an object to reduce the drive torque for driving the actuator and to drive the valve even with a relatively small drive motor. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a switching valve for the oxygen generator to reduce the friction torque to reduce the wear between the contact surface to improve the life of the valve and to significantly reduce the cost.

In order to achieve the above object, the disk-shaped switching valve 50 is provided in the valve chamber 24 so as to be rotated at a predetermined angle so that the switching valve is rotated so that the switching of the flow path corresponding to each port is made. It is a feature of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3, 4, and 5 are exploded perspective views, cross-sectional views, and longitudinal cross-sectional views, respectively, of the five-port flow path switching valve according to the present invention;

A planar sealing surface 56 formed in a lower portion of a substantially disk shape, an opening 54 formed at a predetermined angle apart from a portion spaced from the center, and a recovery hole 58 formed in an arc shape on the opposite side of the opening 54. And, formed in the lower surface of the central portion 55, the communication groove 57 for connecting the recovery hole 58 and the central hole 55, and formed in the upper portion and the drive shaft 30 is formed so as to rotate The driving shaft fitting groove 51 and the closing diaphragm 53 for closing the fluid flow between the upper part of the recovery hole 58 and the valve chamber 24 are respectively formed and rotated by the rotational force of the driving motor 10. Switching valve 50 for switching the flow of the fluid to the selected flow path,

It is installed in the lower portion of the switching valve 50, the disk-shaped sealing surface 65, the drive shaft support hole 61 formed up and down in the center of the sealing surface 65 and the drive shaft support hole constant around A vertical through hole 62 formed in a width, the first and second through holes 63a and 63b vertically spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance from the driving shaft support hole 61, and the first and second holes. First and second inlet and outlet holes 64a and 64b communicating with the through holes 63a and 63b and connecting the flow path to the hose connection fitting 70, and forming a flow path at a lower portion of the vertical through hole 62 at an outlet. A valve base 60 each having a fluid outlet 67 for guiding fluid to the side (2),

In addition, the drive shaft 30 is installed in the top of the switching valve is inserted into the drive motor shaft matching groove 31 of the switching valve 50 to be rotated at the same time to move a predetermined distance in the direction of the rotation axis at the same time. )Wow,

A pressure spring 40 installed between the switching valve 50 and the drive shaft 30 to allow the switching valve 50 to be pressurized toward the valve base 60;

In communication with the valve chamber 24 for accommodating the switching valve 50, the pressure spring 40, the drive shaft 30, the inlet through-hole 26 for introducing compressed air into the valve chamber 24, The fluid inlet 23 constituting the flow path to the outside, the drive motor support 22 formed on the top to support the drive motor 10 and the drive shaft insertion hole 21 into which the drive shaft 30 is inserted are respectively. The formed valve body 20,

The compressed air introduced into the valve chamber 24 is closed by the sealing surface 65 of the upper portion of the valve base 60 installed below the valve chamber, and further, the valve chamber 24 and the valve are closed. An O-ring-shaped second seal 66 is installed between the bases 60, and an O-ring-shaped second seal 66 is formed between the motor shaft insertion hole 21 and the drive shaft 30 formed in the valve chamber 24. 1 seal 32 is installed to serve to completely block the leakage of air to the outside.

It is characterized in that the drive motor 10 is installed on the valve body 20 to provide a rotational force to the drive shaft at its source.

5 and 6 as shown in FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the flow path switching valve for the oxygen generator according to the present invention as shown in the configuration of the flow path of the oxygen generator, the compressed air generated in the air compressor 800 valve body (20) When introduced into the fluid inlet 23 formed in the) is introduced into the valve chamber 24 through the inlet through the hole (26). Compressed air flows into the valve chamber through the first through-hole (63a) or the second through-hole (63b) of the valve base 60 that is matched with the opening 54 of the switching valve 50, the first geolite moricure Nitrogen molecules are adsorbed into the tank while passing through the tank 400a or the second geolite hydric tank 400b, and the oxygen molecules of high purity are sent to the oxygen outlet 600 of the oxygen generator through the orifice 500. do. At this time, some of the compressed air flows into the opposite geolite moricure tank 400 through the orifice 500 to separate the nitrogen molecules adsorbed in the tank, and the spaced nitrogen molecules are opposite through holes formed in the valve base 60. (63) flows through the recovery hole 58 and the communication groove 57 of the switching valve 50, which flows into the opposite side through the opposite side hole in turn, and passes through the vertical through hole 62 formed perpendicular to the center of the valve base. 67).

Operation of the present invention according to the flow of the fluid will be described by taking state (B) and state (C) in FIGS. 7 and 8 as an example.

First, when the compressed air generated by the air compressor 800 is introduced into the fluid inlet 23 formed in the valve body 20, the compressed air is introduced into the valve chamber 24 through the inlet hole 26. Compressed air introduced into the valve chamber is through the second through hole 63b and the second inlet / outlet 64b of the valve base 60, which coincide with the opening 54 of the switching valve 50. Nitrogen molecules are adsorbed into the tank 400b while passing through the sieve tank 400b, and high-purity oxygen molecules are sent to the oxygen outlet 600 of the oxygen generator through the orifice 500b. At this time, some of the compressed air flows into the opposite geolite hydric tank 400a through the orifice 500a to space the nitrogen molecules adsorbed in the tank 400a, and the spaced nitrogen molecules are separated from the valve base 60. Passes through the recovery hole 58 and the communication groove 57 of the switching valve 50 intersects the first through hole (63a) and intersects with the first through hole (63a). It is discharged to the fluid outlet 67 through the vertical through-hole 62 formed perpendicular to the valve base. In the state (B), when the switch 50 rotates clockwise to shift to the state (C), the opening 54 of the switch 50 is the first through (63a) and the second through hole of the valve base It intersects a part of 63b simultaneously. Therefore, a part of the air compressed in the second tank 400b passes through the second inlet / outlet 64b and the second through-hole 63b in order to flow back to the valve chamber 24, and a part of the backflowed air is the opening of the switching valve ( It passes through the first through hole (63a) and the first entry and exit hole (64a) intersected in part through 54, and is led to the first tank (400a) side. Therefore, in the state (C), since the air pressure of the discharged air is moved toward the first tank while discharging the compressed air of the second tank, the compressed air inlet time in the first tank can be significantly reduced. In addition, the state (C) is maintained only within a very short time in time and immediately transitions to the state (D).

As described above, the magnitude of the air pressure of each flow path due to the flow of each compressed air is defined as the compressed air inlet 23, the valve chamber 24, the opening 54 of the switching valve 50, the second through hole 63b, 2nd geolite moricurve tank 400b, 2nd orifice 400b, 1st orifice 400a, 1st geolite moricurve tank 400a, 2nd entrance / exit hole 64b, 2nd through-hole ( 63b), the recovery hole 58, the communication groove 57, the center hole 55, the vertical through hole 62, the fluid outlet 67 is gradually reduced in the order. Therefore, the air pressure in the valve chamber 24 is greater than the pressure in the vertical through hole 62, and the differential pressure as much as the pressure difference is applied from the upper side to the lower side of the changeover valve to press the changeover valve 50 toward the valve base 60 to close the contact. Let's do it. Therefore, the switching valve 50 is in close contact with the sealing surface of the valve base in proportion to the applied pressure of the compressed air applied into the valve, it is possible to minimize the amount of leakage due to the compressed air pressure, unnecessary contact force and the switching valve 50 and The holding force of the pressure spring 40 applied between the valve bases may not be large. Therefore, it is possible to drastically improve the life of the valve by abrasion due to excessive pressure between the switching valve 50 and the valve base 60, and it is possible to reduce the size of the spring and the size of the driving motor, thereby providing good flow path switching characteristics. The excitation valve is made, and the size of the pressure spring 40 and the drive motor 10 is reduced, so that the size of the associated component is also reduced, resulting in a reduction in manufacturing cost.

In addition, since the nitrogen generated during the oxygen generation process is discharged through a separate fluid outlet 67, when the nitrogen outlet hose is connected to the outlet to be discharged to the outside, even if the oxygen generator is installed indoors, the concentration of nitrogen in the room increases. Since it does not have the advantage of improving the oxygen concentration maintenance characteristics of the room.

As described above, the flow path switching valve for the oxygen generator according to the present invention can not only logically improve the disadvantages of the prior art, but also substantially reduce the cost to less than half, and significantly extend the life of the valve and when oxygen is generated. As the generated nitrogen can be discharged to the outside through a separate passage, the oxygen generation efficiency is improved, and it will certainly contribute to the expansion of the oxygen generator to the home use from the existing medical use.

Claims (4)

 A valve base having a disk-shaped sealing surface 65 in which a plurality of through holes 63 are formed along an arc at a predetermined interval, and an inlet / outlet 64 communicating with the plurality of through holes 63 to guide a fluid ( 60); It is installed on the upper surface of the sealing surface 65 of the valve base 60 and rotates at a relatively constant speed to selectively pass the fluid through at least one or more of the plurality of through holes 63 formed in the valve base 60 A switch stool 50; A drive shaft 30 installed at an upper portion of the switching valve 50 to transmit rotational driving force to the switching valve; A pressure spring (40) installed between the switching valve (50) and the drive shaft (30) to pressurize the switching valve (50) to the sealing surface (65) side of the valve base (60); A drive motor 10 which provides a rotational driving force to the drive shaft 30 at its source; The valve chamber 24 accommodates the switching valve 50, the pressure spring 40, the drive shaft 30, and blocks the fluid leakage to the outside, and the drive motor 10 above the valve chamber 24. The flow switch valve for the adsorption type oxygen generator which generates oxygen by sequentially distributing the compressed air generated in the air compressor to the plurality of geolite hydric tanks by the valve body 20 having the support part 22 formed thereon. To The switching edge 50 is recessed in a predetermined depth at a plane sealing surface 56 on one side, an opening 54 formed at a predetermined angle on one side of the sealing surface, and a position opposite to the opening 54. Oxygen generator, characterized in that consisting of the formed recovery hole 58, the central hole 55 formed in the center of the sealing surface, and the communication groove 57 for communicating the recovery hole 58 and the central hole 55 Flow switching valve. The method of claim 1, A vertical through hole 62 is formed at the center of the closed surface 65 of the valve base 60, and a fluid outlet 67 for guiding fluid discharged in communication with the vertical through hole 62 has a closed surface 65. The flow path switching valve for the oxygen generator, characterized in that formed on the bottom surface.  The method of claim 1, A fluid inlet 23 which is connected to an outer wall of the valve chamber 24 and guides compressed air into the valve chamber 24, and an inflow through hole 26 formed between the fluid inlet 23 and the valve chamber 24. Flow path switching valve for the oxygen generator, characterized in that consisting of. delete

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