KR20160137204A

KR20160137204A - check valve using shape memory alloy

Info

Publication number: KR20160137204A
Application number: KR1020150071998A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 오영한; 신말순
Original assignee: 오영한; 신말순
Priority date: 2015-05-22
Filing date: 2015-05-22
Publication date: 2016-11-30

Abstract

The present invention provides a check valve using a shape memory alloy, which automatically opens and closes a flow path when the temperature of a fluid reaches a temperature demanded by a user, by opening and closing the flow path by a shape memory alloy spring expanded and contracted in accordance with the temperature of the fluid while being directly in contact with the fluid. According to the present invention, the check valve using a shape memory alloy includes: a hollow body unit wherein an inlet in which the fluid flows is formed on one side of the hollow body unit and an outlet from which the fluid is discharged is formed on the other side; a main spring being in contact with the fluid flowing into the body unit by being accommodated in a hollow of the body unit and formed of the shape memory alloy expanding when the temperature of the fluid reaches the predetermined temperature and contracting below the predetermined temperature; an opening and closing member installed between the main spring and the outlet and opening and closing the outlet while moving in the body unit by expansion and contraction movements of the main spring; and an auxiliary spring installed between the opening and closing member and the outlet and pushing the opening and closing member to the inlet so that the outlet is open when the main spring is contracted.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a check valve using a shape memory alloy,

The present invention relates to a check valve using a shape memory alloy, and more particularly to a check valve using a shape memory alloy, which can open and close a flow path by a shape memory alloy spring which is in direct contact with a fluid and expands or contracts according to a fluid temperature, To a check valve using a shape memory alloy that automatically opens and closes a flow path when the temperature reaches a predetermined temperature.

In general, an on-off valve is used for controlling inflow and outflow of various gases or liquids flowing through a pipe, and has various forms and structures depending on its function. Such an opening / closing valve is operated manually or automatically.

2. Description of the Related Art [0002] In recent years, various kinds of automatic opening / closing valves have been proposed with automation equipments being widely used. Opening / closing valves according to the related art have a shape memory member operated by a control unit and a power supply unit, And a valve member for moving the valve by a predetermined distance for opening and closing the flow passage when the flow rate exceeds the predetermined value.

Here, the operation member is connected to one end of the shape memory member, the lower end thereof is connected to the stem, and the bending portion is fixed to the second housing by a fixing shaft, and the other end of the shape memory member is fixed to the fixing boss by screws.

When the control signal is transmitted to the power supply unit in the control unit, the current is supplied from the power supply unit to the shape memory alloy, so that the shape memory alloy is heated and the deflection state So that the actuating member is pivoted to the left about the fixed axis so that the stem rises upward and the valve member rises to shut off the flow path, thereby blocking the fluid flow.

On the contrary, if the current blocking signal is transmitted to the power supply unit by the control unit, the current is cut off from the power supply unit, so that the shape memory member is returned to the elongated state in a tense state. Accordingly, the operation member is rotated clockwise about the fixed axis, Therefore, the valve member is separated from the valve seat to open the oil passage.

Such a conventional open / close valve allows the valve to be opened and closed by one shape memory member, and the flow path of the valve can be opened and closed with a low-cost minimized part.

However, the conventional open / close valve must have a separate control unit and a power supply unit so as to generate a resistance heat by sending a current to the shape memory member. As a result, an additional cost is incurred, and the structure is complicated, thereby causing a problem of hindering reduction in size and weight of the product.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0009705

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a shape memory alloy spring which is in direct contact with a fluid and varies according to a temperature of a fluid, And a check valve using a shape memory alloy spring that can be automatically opened and closed when the temperature reaches a temperature required by a user.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a fluid supply device including a hollow body portion having an inlet through which a fluid flows and a discharge port through which fluid is discharged, A main spring accommodated in a hollow portion of the main body and made of a shape memory alloy which is in contact with a fluid flowing into the body portion and which expands when the temperature of the fluid reaches a certain temperature and contracts at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature; An opening / closing member disposed in the main body to open and close the outlet while moving inside the body in accordance with the expansion and contraction operation of the main spring; and an outlet disposed between the opening and closing member and the outlet so that, when the main spring is retracted, And an auxiliary spring for pushing the opening and closing member toward the inlet port It provides a check valve using a memory alloy.

According to the present invention as described above, the flow path can be opened and closed by the shape memory alloy spring which is in direct contact with the fluid and varies in accordance with the temperature of the fluid, whereby the temperature of the fluid in the hot water supply facility reaches the temperature required by the user There is an effect that can be opened and closed automatically.

Further, an auxiliary spring for pushing the opening / closing member in the direction of the inlet port is further disposed between the opening and closing member and the discharge port, so that the opening and closing member can reliably open the discharge port when the shape memory alloy spring contracts.

Also, there is an effect that a pipe or a hose can be directly connected to an inlet and an outlet.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a check valve using a shape memory alloy according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIGS. 2 to 3 are cross-sectional views illustrating opening and closing operations of a check valve using a shape memory alloy according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 4 to 5 are sectional views showing opening and closing operations of a check valve using a shape memory alloy according to another embodiment of the present invention;
6 is a graph showing a change in load according to temperature after compressing the sample 1 of the main spring to 20 mm,
7 is a graph showing a change in load with temperature after compressing the sample 2 of the main spring to 20 mm.

The check valve using the shape memory alloy according to the present invention can open and close the flow path by the shape memory alloy spring which is in direct contact with the fluid and expands and contracts according to the temperature of the fluid, And the flow path is automatically opened and closed. An embodiment thereof is shown in Fig. 1 to Fig.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a check valve using a shape memory alloy according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 3 are sectional views showing an opening and closing operation of a check valve using a shape memory alloy according to an embodiment of the present invention to be.

The check valve using the shape memory alloy according to an embodiment of the present invention has an inlet 110 through which a fluid flows and a discharge port 120 through which fluid is discharged from the other side. A body portion 100 formed in the body portion 100 and having a hollow 130 communicating with the body 120 and a fluid accommodated in the hollow portion 130 of the body portion 100 and flowing into the body portion 100, A main spring 200 made of a shape memory alloy which contacts and expands when the temperature of the fluid reaches a certain temperature and contracts at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature while being in contact with the main spring 200 and the discharge port 120, An opening and closing member 300 for opening and closing the outlet 120 while moving inside the body 100 in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the main spring 200 and an opening and closing member 300 between the opening and closing member 300 and the outlet 120 And when the main spring 200 is contracted The opening device presented outlet 120 includes an auxiliary spring 400 that pushes the opening and closing member 300 to the inlet 110 direction.

The check valve 10 of the present invention having the above-described structure can automatically open and close the flow path without forming a separate facility by forming the main spring 200 as a shape memory alloy.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be described in more detail, focusing on each constituent element.

The body 100 includes an inlet 110 through which the fluid flows and a discharge port 120 through which the fluid exits and a hollow 130 communicating with the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 is formed in the body 100 do. The inlet 110 may be connected to a heating means such as a water heater or a boiler, and the outlet 120 may be opened and closed through an opening and closing member 300 described later.

The main spring 200 is provided in the hollow 130 of the body 100 and has one end supported by a disk-shaped inner diameter retaining ring 150 formed on the inlet 110 side and the other end supported by the opening and closing member 300 . The main spring 200 is made of a shape memory alloy which expands when it reaches a certain temperature and contracts at a temperature lower than a certain temperature. The main spring 200 is provided in the hollow 130 to directly contact the fluid passing through the hollow 130. Accordingly, the main spring 200 is expanded or contracted according to the temperature of the fluid passing through the hollow 130.

Alternatively, the main spring 200 may be made of a shape memory alloy which shrinks when it reaches a certain temperature and expands at a temperature lower than a certain temperature.

Tables 1 to 2 are tables in which spring samples 1 and 2 made of a shape memory alloy were compressed to 20 mm and recorded changes in load according to temperature. Referring to the following Tables 1 to 2, it can be seen that the load (expansion force) increases with an increase in temperature.

Temperature
(° C) Sample 1 Sample 2 Power (kgf) Power (kgf) 30 2.26 2.18 40 4 4 45 5.39 5.32 50 6.18 6.14

Temperature
(° C) Sample 1 Sample 2 Power (kgf) Power (kgf) 26 2.49 0.96 27 2.5 One 28 2.53 1.06 29 2.57 1.14 30 2.61 1.22 31 2.64 1.35 32 2.7 1.42 33 2.76 1.69 34 2.82 1.83 35 2.9 2 36 2.98 2.24 37 3.12 2.38 38 3.3 2.69 39 3.53 2.96 40 3.85 3.28 41 4.1 3.73 42 4.45 4.04 43 4.71 4.33 44 5.01 4.68 45 5.24 4.98 46 5.45 5.2 47 5.69 5.46 48 5.86 5.64 49 6.05 5.78 50 6.17 5.95 51 6.31 6.07 52 6.39 6.22 53 6.52 6.33 54 6.63 6.43 55 6.7 6.51 56 6.79 6.6 57 6.85 6.66 58 6.91 6.74 58 6.97 6.8 60 7.04 6.84

6 to 7 are graphs showing changes in load according to temperature after compression of spring samples 1 and 2 made of shape memory alloy into 20 mm. 6 to 7, it can be seen that the load (expansion force) increases with an increase in temperature.

The opening and closing member 300 is disposed between the main spring 200 and the discharge port 120 so that the opening or closing member 300 can be opened or closed from the inside of the body 100 according to the expansion and contraction of the main spring 200, And opens and closes the discharge port 120 while reciprocating in the direction of the discharge port 120. The opening and closing member 300 may have various embodiments in which the surface of the opening and closing member 300 to be fitted to the outlet 120 is curved or inclined.

The auxiliary spring 400 is disposed between the opening and closing member 300 and the discharge port 120 so that the discharge opening 120 is opened when the main spring 200 is contracted, 110).

The elastic restoring force of the auxiliary spring 400 may be smaller than the restoring force of the main spring 200.

A method for opening and closing a valve made up of the check valve of the present invention constructed as above will be described as follows.

2 is a view showing a state in which the check valve 10 is shielded.

That is, when the fluid introduced into the hollow portion 130 of the body 100 reaches a predetermined temperature, the main spring 200 made of the shape memory alloy expands and pushes the opening and closing member 300 toward the discharge port 120 The auxiliary spring 400 contracts while the tip of the opening and closing member 300 is inserted into the discharge port 120 and the discharge port 120 is shielded.

3 is a view showing a state in which the check valve 10 is opened.

The main spring 200 made of a shape memory alloy shrinks and the auxiliary spring 400 expands and flows into the opening and closing member 300 Is pushed toward the inlet 110 and the outlet 120 is opened.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the opening and closing member 300 includes a protruding and retracting portion 310 fitted into the auxiliary spring 400 and the outlet 120, A flange 320 formed on one side of the protruding and recessed portion 310 so as to be disposed between the springs 400 and a chamber groove 330 recessed on one side of the protruding and recessed portion 310, And an outlet 340 formed on a side surface of the protruding and retracting portion 310 so as to communicate with the protruding portion 310.

When the auxiliary spring 400 is retracted, the protruding and recessed portion 310 is inserted into the auxiliary spring 400. When the auxiliary spring 400 is retracted, the auxiliary spring 400 passes through the auxiliary spring 400 and the tip of the auxiliary spring 400 is inserted into the discharge port 120, Shielding.

The flange 320 is disposed between the main spring 200 and the auxiliary spring 400 and is bi-directionally transferred by the springs 200 and 400. That is, when the main spring 200 contracts, the auxiliary spring 400 expands and the flange 320 moves in the direction of the inlet 110 to open the outlet 120. When the main spring 200 expands, The flange 320 moves in the direction of the discharge port 120 and shields the discharge port 120.

The fluid introduced into the hollow 130 through the inlet 110 may flow toward the outlet 120 through the chamber groove 330 and the outlet 340.

One or more outlets 340 may be formed and the outlets 340 may be formed in the outlets 120 in a state in which the outlets 130 are shielded by the tips of the protrusions 310 inserted into the outlets 120, So that the fluid that has escaped to the outlet (340) does not escape to the outlet (120).

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the opening and closing member 300 is formed with convex portions 350 which are fitted in the discharge port 120 and are convexly formed on the other side opening and closing the discharge port 120, The protrusion 120 is formed to be smaller than the hollow 130 of the body 100 so that the protrusion 350 of the opening and closing member 300 is formed around the outlet 120 .

The convex portion 350 is fitted in the discharge port 120 and shields the discharge port 120. The inner diameter of the outlet 120 is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the protrusion 310 so that the protrusion 350 and the protrusion 310 can not completely escape from the outlet 120, The step 140 is formed to prevent the convex portion 350 from escaping.

Alternatively, instead of a step, a curved surface or a curved surface may be formed on the main surface of the discharge port 120 so that the inner diameter becomes narrower toward the outer side.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a socket 500 is formed on one side or the other side of the body part 100 to communicate with the inlet 110 or the outlet 120.

The socket 500 may include an outer socket 510 having a protrusion 511 formed on an inner circumferential surface thereof and an inner socket 520 having a protrusion 521 formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof and communicating with the outlet port on an inner circumferential surface thereof. A pipe, a hose, or the like may be inserted and connected between the outer socket 510 and the inner socket 520.

FIGS. 4 to 5 are cross-sectional views illustrating a state where a check valve using a shape memory alloy according to another embodiment of the present invention is opened and closed, respectively.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a hollow adapter 600 may be formed on one side or the other side of the body 100 so as to communicate with the inlet 110 or the outlet 120, Can be directly connected to a specific pipe, hose or the like by having various sizes of inner diameter or outer diameter.

According to the present invention as described above, the flow path can be opened and closed by the shape memory alloy spring which is in direct contact with the fluid and varies in accordance with the temperature of the fluid, whereby the temperature of the fluid in the hot water supply facility reaches the temperature required by the user There is an advantage that it can be opened and closed automatically.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Accordingly, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be determined only by the appended claims.

100: body part 110: inlet
120: Outlet 130: hollow
140: Step 200: Main spring
300: opening / closing member 310:
320: flange 330: chamber groove
340: Outlet 350: Convex part
400: auxiliary spring 500: socket
510: outer socket 511, 521: projection
520: Inner socket 600: Adapter

Claims

A hollow body having an inlet through which the fluid flows and a discharge port through which the fluid is discharged;
A main spring made of a shape memory alloy accommodated in the hollow of the body portion and contacting the fluid flowing into the body portion and expanding when the temperature of the fluid reaches a certain temperature and contracting at a temperature lower than a certain temperature;
An opening and closing member disposed between the main spring and the discharge port to open and close the discharge port while moving inside the body according to the expansion and contraction of the main spring;
And an auxiliary spring disposed between the opening and closing member and the discharge port and pushing the opening and closing member toward the inlet so that the discharge opening is opened when the main spring is contracted.

The method according to claim 1,
The opening / closing member comprises:
A protruding and retracting portion fitted into the inside of the auxiliary spring;
A flange formed on one side surface of the protrusions to be disposed between the main spring and the auxiliary spring;
A chamber groove formed concavely in one side surface of the protruding portion;
And an outlet formed on a side surface of the protruding and recessed portion in communication with the chamber groove.

The method according to claim 1,
The opening / closing member is formed with a convex portion which is fitted in the outlet and convexly formed on the other side opening / closing the outlet, and the size of the outlet is smaller than the hollow of the body portion so that the convex portion of the opening / Wherein the check valve is formed with a stepped shape.

The method according to claim 1,
And a socket is formed on one side or the other side of the body so as to communicate with the inlet or the outlet.