TWI806594B - air valve - Google Patents

Abstract

An air valve includes a casing, a valve body driving group and a valve body. The casing has a chamber, a vent hole, and at least one switching hole communicating with the chamber. The valve body driving group is arranged in the chamber, and includes a pusher, a shape memory metal wire in interlocking relationship with the pusher, and two conductive elements arranged on the housing and respectively located at both ends of the shape memory metal wire , the pusher performs a uniaxial displacement stroke due to the short-term change of the shape memory metal wire. The valve body is arranged in the chamber and faces the switching hole. When the pusher performs the uniaxial displacement stroke, the valve body will be driven to rotate a central angle relative to the switching hole to change the switching hole and the cavity. The ventilation status of the room.

Description

air valve

The invention relates to an air valve, in particular to an air valve which indirectly drives a valve body to work with a shape-memory metal wire.

Shape memory alloys (Shape Memory Alloys, referred to as SMA) are metal alloys with a shape memory effect. When the shape memory alloy is lower than the phase transition temperature (such as at room temperature), it has a martensite structure. The metallographic structure The shape memory alloy can be deformed after receiving the external force, and can continue to maintain its deformed state when the external force is removed. This phenomenon is called the shape memory effect (Shape Memory Effect, SME for short). When the shape memory alloy is heated above the phase transition temperature, the metallographic structure of the shape memory alloy changes from austenite structure to austenite structure, and the shape memory alloy changes state through the change of metallographic structure. When the shape memory alloy is lower than the phase transition temperature again, the shape memory alloy releases the stress and returns to the original state before deformation. At present, the shape memory effect of shape memory alloys is widely used in valve components, and the movement of valve components is controlled through shape memory alloys.

Also, US7,484,528B2, CN109780271, and CN109386642 all use shape memory alloy to drive the valve body, but the shape memory alloy is directly on the air flow path of the valve, so that the shape memory alloy is easily affected by the gas flowing through it. , and there is a risk that cannot be reliably controlled. In addition to the foregoing, CN111668612, CN110345304, CN109296807, and CN105121928 also use shape memory alloys to drive the valve body. Changes, as well as the air pressure encountered by the valve body during the switching process, are likely to cause excessive loss of the shape memory alloy, thereby affecting the number of times of use and the service life.

The main purpose of the present invention is to solve the problem that the direct drive design of the conventional structure easily causes excessive loss of the shape memory alloy.

To achieve the above purpose, the present invention provides an air valve, which includes a casing, a valve body driving group and a valve body. The casing has a chamber, a vent hole, and at least one switching hole communicating with the chamber. The valve body driving group is arranged in the chamber, and includes a pusher, a shape memory metal wire in interlocking relationship with the pusher, and two conductive members arranged on the housing and respectively located at both ends of the shape memory metal wire , the pusher performs a uniaxial displacement stroke due to the transient change of the shape memory metal wire. The valve body is arranged in the chamber and faces the switching hole. When the pusher performs the uniaxial displacement stroke, the valve body will be driven to rotate a central angle relative to the switching hole to change the switching hole and the cavity. The ventilation status of the room.

In one embodiment, the pushing member is provided with a pushing part, and the valve body is provided with a pushed part connected with the pushing part.

In one embodiment, the pushing part is a protruding rod, and the pushed part is a track arranged around the periphery of the valve body, and the track is composed of a plurality of first wave segments and a plurality of second wave segments, and the first wave segments Contrary to the positive and negative slopes of the second wave bands, the first wave bands and the second wave bands are sequentially arranged at intervals so that the track has multiple high points and multiple low points.

In one embodiment, the switching hole and the ventilation hole are located at the same side of the chamber.

In one embodiment, the housing has at least two switching holes, the two switching holes are arranged adjacent to each other, the two switching holes and the ventilation hole are located on the same side of the chamber, and the valve body performs the uniaxial displacement on the pusher During the stroke, it will be driven to rotate a central angle relative to the two switching holes, so as to at least change the ventilation state between one of the two switching holes and the chamber.

In one embodiment, the air valve has a first spring connected to the valve body, and the first spring provides the valve body with a force to displace to the switching hole.

In one embodiment, the valve body driving group includes a second spring connected to the pusher, and the second spring provides a return force to the pusher when the shape memory metal wire returns.

In one embodiment, the valve body driving group is arranged side by side with the valve body.

In one embodiment, the housing forms a guideway that limits the moving track of the pusher during the single-axis displacement stroke.

In one embodiment, the pushing member is shaped as a guided portion matched with the guiding channel.

In one embodiment, the guiding path is a groove-like structure, and the guided portion is a convex rib formed on the outer surface of the pushing member.

In one embodiment, the pusher includes a rod body and a buckle disposed on the rod body and used for connecting the shape memory metal wire.

In one embodiment, the casing has at least two mounting blocks disposed in the chamber for providing the valve body driving group and the valve body.

Through the aforementioned implementation of the present invention, compared with conventional ones, it has the following characteristics: the shape memory metal wire of the present invention does not directly drive the valve body to move, but is implemented by indirectly driving the valve body to avoid excessive loss of the shape memory metal wire.

The detailed description and technical content of the present invention are described as follows in conjunction with the drawings:

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5 , the present invention provides an air valve 20 , which can be used to control the inflation or deflation of at least one air bag 31 . The air valve 20 includes a casing 21 , a valve body driving group 22 and a valve body 24 . The casing 21 has a chamber 211 , a vent hole 212 , and a switching hole 213 communicating with the chamber 211 . This article is for specific description, and it is assumed that the ventilation hole 212 is connected with an air pump 30 and is the air intake end, and the switching hole 213 is connected with the air bag 31 and is the air outlet end. In one embodiment, the switching hole 213 and the ventilation hole 212 are located at the same side of the chamber 211 . Moreover, when both the switching hole 213 and the ventilation hole 212 are open, an airflow path can be defined. Furthermore, the ventilation hole 212 and the switching hole 213 of the present invention are not limited to the aforementioned example, and can be used as an air outlet or an air inlet according to design requirements.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 4 , the valve body driving group 22 is disposed in the chamber 211 , the valve body driving group 22 includes a pusher 221 , and a shape memory metal wire 222 that is interlocked with the pusher 221 , and two conductive elements 223 disposed on the casing 21 and respectively located at two ends of the shape memory wire 222 . The conductive elements 223 are respectively connected to a conductive wire 224 to form a conductive loop. On the other hand, the valve body 24 is disposed in the chamber 211 , and can be arranged side by side with the valve body driving group 22 . The valve body 24 faces the switching hole 213 , and each action of the valve body 24 can change the ventilation state between the switching hole 213 and the chamber 211 . Further, the side of the valve body 24 facing the switching hole 213 can be a concave-convex surface 241, through which at least one protruding portion 242 in the concave-convex surface 241 is pressed against the switching hole 213, so that the pressed switching hole 213 Hole 213 is closed. On the contrary, when the valve body 24 presses against the switching hole 213, the concave-convex surface 241 except a remaining portion 243 of the protruding portion 242 does not contact the switching hole 213, so that the switching hole 213 is in a released state. . Accordingly, the valve body 24 can determine the state of the switching hole 213 through the relationship between the uneven surface 241 and the switching hole 213 .

Continuing from the above, continue to illustrate the operation of the air valve 20 of the present invention. In the present invention, when the temperature rise of the shape memory metal wire 222 after electrification reaches the shape change condition, the shape change occurs. However, the present invention does not keep the shape memory metal wire 222 in a deformed state for a long time, but When deformation occurs, the shape memory metal wire 222 is immediately restored to its original shape. The pusher 221 performs a uniaxial displacement stroke 225 during the brief change of the shape memory metal wire 222 back and forth, and the uniaxial displacement stroke 225 has a straight line trajectory. At the same time, the valve body 24 will be synchronously driven during the uniaxial displacement stroke 225 of the pusher 221, and rotate by a central angle when the pusher 221 completes the uniaxial displacement stroke 225. , In one embodiment, the central angle is 120 degrees. The rotation of the valve body 24 relative to the switching hole 213 will change the ventilation state between the switching hole 213 and the chamber 211 . When the air valve 20 needs to change the air supply state again due to work, the relationship between the valve body 24 and the switching hole 213 can be made to meet the air supply requirement only by repeating the aforementioned actions. In addition, the reduced electrification time of the shape-memory metal wire 222 in the present invention can increase the use times of the shape-memory metal wire 222 and prolong the service life. Furthermore, in the present invention, the shape memory metal wire 222 does not directly drive the valve body 24 to move, but indirectly drives the valve body 24 to avoid excessive loss of the shape memory metal wire 222 . In addition to the above, although the shape-memory metal wire 222 of the present invention is arranged in the chamber 211, the shape-memory metal wire 222 is not directly located on the airflow path, and the temperature of the shape-memory metal wire 222 can be ensured. , to specifically manage and control the state of the shape memory metal wire 222 .

Referring again to FIGS. 1-4 , in one embodiment, the casing 21 has at least two switching holes 213 , and the two switching holes 213 are adjacently disposed. The valve body 24 faces the two switching holes 213 at the same time, and the valve body 24 will be driven to rotate the central angle relative to the two switching holes 213 when the pusher 221 travels the uniaxial displacement stroke 225, thereby changing at least two of the switching holes 213. One of the holes 213 is switched to communicate with the chamber 211 . For example, one of the two switching holes 213 that were previously closed turns into release, or one of the two switching holes 213 that were originally released turns into closure. Further, in one embodiment, the two switching holes 213 and the ventilation hole 212 are located at the same side of the chamber 211 .

Referring to FIG. 2 , FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 , in one embodiment, the pushing member 221 is provided with a pushing portion 226 , and the valve body 24 is provided with a pushed portion 244 connected with the pushing portion 226 . Further, the pushing part 226 can be a protruding rod, and the pushed part 244 can be a track arranged around the periphery of the valve body 24, the track is composed of a plurality of first wave segments 245 and a plurality of second wave segments 246, the The slopes of the first wave bands 245 and the second wave bands 246 are positive and negative, and the first wave bands 245 and the second wave bands 246 are more sequentially spaced, so that the trajectory is formed with a plurality of high points 247 and a plurality of low points 248. In this embodiment, the pushing part 226 is located at one of the low points 248 of the track when the pushing part 221 has not performed the single-axis displacement stroke 225 . When the pusher 221 travels the uniaxial displacement stroke 225, the pusher 226 will be displaced from one of the low points 248 at the original position to one of the adjacent high points 247, and then shifted by the same rotation The other one of the low points 248 adjacent in the direction. The pushed part 244 on the valve body 24 rotates due to the action of the pushing part 226 . Further, in one implementation, the entire path of the pushed part 244 of the track may be in a continuous triangular shape, or in a continuous wave shape.

Referring back to FIG. 5 , in one embodiment, the air valve 20 has a first spring 25 connected to the valve body 24 , and the first spring 25 provides a force 251 to the valve body 24 to displace the switching hole 213 . On the other hand, the valve body driving group 22 has a second spring 227 connected to the pusher 221 , and the second spring 227 provides a return force 228 to the pusher 221 when the shape memory metal wire 222 returns.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 to 3 , in one embodiment, the casing 21 is shaped as a guideway 214 that limits the moving track of the pusher 221 in the single-axis displacement stroke 225 . The structure of the guide track 214 can be adjusted according to the design requirements. The guide track 214 can limit the movement track of the main structure of the pusher 221 , or it can be implemented only by cooperating with the local structure of the pusher 221 . Accordingly, in one embodiment, the pushing member 221 is formed with a guided portion 229 matched with the guiding channel 214 . In the embodiment disclosed in the figures of the present invention, the guideway 214 is jointly defined by two guide walls 215 extending from the inner wall of the chamber 211 and arranged at intervals, that is, the guideway 214 is a groove-like structure . Moreover, the guided portion 229 is a rib formed on the outer surface of the pushing member 221 , and the rib is designed to move along the guiding path 214 . Furthermore, in the above-disclosed embodiments, the guide road 214 is concave and the guided portion 229 is convex for illustration. The relationship can be reversed, that is, the guiding path 214 is convex, and the guided portion 229 is concave.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3 , in one embodiment, the pushing member 221 includes a rod body 230 , and a buckle 231 disposed on the rod body 230 and used for connecting the shape memory metal wire 222 . The buckle 231 can be implemented with an integral structure, and can further have a structure for fixing the shape memory metal wire 222. In one implementation, the buckle 231 can be a metal reed. Through this embodiment of the present invention, the shape memory metal wire 222 can be more conveniently installed or disassembled on the rod body 230 .

Referring back to FIGS. 2 and 3 , in one embodiment, the casing 21 has at least two mounting blocks 216 disposed in the cavity 211 for providing the valve body driving group 22 and the valve body 24 . The two mounting blocks 216 can be arranged at intervals, and respectively provide the two ends of the valve body driving group 22 and the valve body 24 to be disposed on, so that the valve body driving group 22 and the valve body 24 can be implemented stably.

In summary, it is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and should not limit the scope of the present invention, that is, all equivalent changes and modifications made according to the patent scope of the present invention should still belong to the present invention patent coverage.

20: air valve 21: shell 211: chamber 212: ventilation hole 213: switch hole 214: Guideway 215: guide wall 216: Installation block 22: Valve body driving group 221: Pusher 222: Shape memory metal wire 223: Conductive parts 224: conductive thread 225: Single-axis displacement stroke 226: Promotion Department 227: second spring 228: Return force 229: Guided Department 230: rod body 231: Buckle 24: valve body 241: Concave-convex surface 242: protruding part 243:The rest 244: The pushed part 245: first band 246:Second band 247: high point 248: low point 25: First spring 251: force 30: air pump 31: Airbag

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structural implementation of an embodiment of the air valve of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an embodiment of the air valve of the present invention. Fig. 3 is an exploded schematic view of the three-dimensional structure of an embodiment of the air valve of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the air valve of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the gas valve of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the pushed part of an embodiment of the air valve of the present invention.

20: air valve

21: shell

211: chamber

213: switch hole

216: Installation block

22: Valve body driving group

221: Pusher

222: Shape memory metal wire

223: Conductive parts

225: Single-axis displacement stroke

226: Promotion Department

227: second spring

230: rod body

231: Buckle

24: valve body

241: Concave-convex surface

242: protruding part

243:The rest

244: The pushed part

25: First spring

30: air pump

31: Airbag

Claims (14)

An air valve, comprising: a housing with a chamber, a vent hole, and at least one switching hole communicating with the chamber; a valve body driving group, arranged in the chamber, including a pusher, a pusher connected to the pusher A shape memory metal wire that generates interlocking relationship with the shape memory metal wire, and two conductive parts that are arranged on the housing and respectively located at both ends of the shape memory metal wire. The pusher performs a uniaxial displacement stroke due to the short-term change of the shape memory metal wire and a valve body, which is arranged in the chamber and faces the switching hole, and the valve body will be driven to rotate a central angle relative to the switching hole when the pusher performs the uniaxial displacement stroke, so as to change the switching hole The ventilation status with this chamber. The gas valve according to claim 1, wherein the pushing member is provided with a pushing part, and the valve body is provided with a pushed part connected with the pushing part. The air valve according to claim 2, wherein the pushing part is a protruding rod, and the pushed part is a track arranged around the periphery of the valve body, and the track is composed of a plurality of first wave bands and a plurality of second wave bands , the slopes of the first wave bands and the second wave bands are positive and negative, and the first wave bands and the second wave bands are sequentially arranged at intervals so that the orbit has multiple high points and multiple low points. The gas valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the switch hole and the vent hole are located on the same side of the chamber. The gas valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the housing has at least two switching holes, the two switching holes are adjacently arranged, the two switching holes and the vent hole are located on the same side of the chamber, the When the pusher performs the uniaxial displacement stroke, the valve body will be driven and relatively The two switching holes are rotated by a central angle to at least change the ventilation state between one of the two switching holes and the chamber. The gas valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gas valve has a first spring connected to the valve body, and the first spring provides the valve body with a force to displace to the switching hole. The air valve according to claim 6, wherein the valve body driving group includes a second spring connected to the pusher, and the second spring provides a return force to the pusher when the shape memory metal wire returns. The gas valve according to claim 6, wherein the valve body driving group is arranged side by side with the valve body. The air valve as claimed in item 8, wherein the casing is formed as a guideway that limits the moving track of the pusher in the uniaxial displacement stroke. The air valve as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pusher is formed as a guided portion that cooperates with the guide channel. The air valve according to claim 10, wherein the guiding channel is a groove-like structure, and the guided part is a convex rib formed on the outer surface of the pushing member. The air valve according to claim 11, wherein the pusher includes a rod body and a buckle disposed on the rod body and used for connecting the shape memory metal wire. The gas valve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the housing has at least two mounting blocks disposed in the chamber to provide the valve body driving group and the valve body. The air valve according to claim 4, wherein the pusher includes a rod body and a buckle disposed on the rod body and used for connecting the shape memory metal wire.

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