Air valve based on memory alloy driving and air valve module

Abstract

The air valve based on memory alloy driving comprises a shell, an air cavity is formed in the shell, and a normally-open air opening and a normally-closed air opening are formed in the two opposite ends of the air cavity correspondingly; an actuating piece is arranged in the air cavity and comprises a movable arm, a fixed arm and an elastic part for connecting the movable arm and the fixed arm; the movable arm extends towards one side, a plug is arranged at the free end of the movable arm, the plug is located between the normally-open air opening and the normally-closed air opening and connected with one end of a memory alloy wire, and the other end of the memory alloy wire is connected to the position, close to the elastic part, of the fixed arm. The memory alloy wire deforms after being powered on to drive the plug to move, and therefore opening and sealing closing of the normally-open air opening and the normally-closed air opening are achieved. The air valve has the advantages of being simple in structure, fast in response, accurate in control, low in power consumption, small in size, long in service life and the like, and is suitable for the fields of industrial automation, medical instruments, aerospace and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of gas valves, and in particular to a gas valve and a gas valve assembly driven by a memory alloy. Background Art

[0002] In the fields of industrial automation, medical equipment, aerospace, etc., gas valves are widely used as a key control element in gas or liquid flow control, direction control and pressure regulation. Traditional gas valves are usually driven by electromagnetic, mechanical or pneumatic drive, but these drive methods have some limitations: 1. The advantages of electromagnetic driven gas valves are: fast response speed and high control accuracy, but the disadvantages are: large size, high power consumption, and easy to heat up under high-frequency operation, which affects the service life. 2. The advantages of mechanically driven gas valves are: simple structure and low cost, but the disadvantages are slow response speed, limited control accuracy, and complex mechanical transmission parts are required, which are easy to wear. 3. The advantages of pneumatically driven gas valves are: suitable for large flow and high pressure occasions; but the disadvantages are: additional gas source and pipeline system are required, the size is large, and the installation and maintenance are complicated.

[0003] Advantages of shape memory alloy drive: Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) is a smart material with shape memory effect, which can restore its preset shape at a specific temperature. Valve driven by shape memory alloy has the following advantages:

[0004] 1. Simple structure: The memory alloy wire directly drives the plug, which reduces the complex mechanical transmission components in the traditional gas valve and simplifies the structure.

[0005] 2. Fast response speed: The memory alloy wire can deform quickly after being energized, driving the gas valve to open and close quickly.

[0006] 3. Low power consumption: The memory alloy wire consumes energy only when it is powered on, and can maintain its state without continuous power supply after deformation, with significant energy-saving effect.

[0007] 4. Small size and light weight: The structure design of the memory alloy wire and the actuator is compact, the entire valve module is small in size and light in weight, and it is easy to integrate into miniaturized equipment.

[0008] 5. Long life: Memory alloy wire has excellent fatigue performance and can withstand multiple deformation cycles without being damaged, thus extending the service life of the valve.

[0009] With the development of industrial automation and intelligence, the performance requirements for gas valves are getting higher and higher, especially in terms of response speed, control accuracy, power consumption, volume and life. Gas valves driven by memory alloys can meet these requirements well, so they have been widely studied and applied in recent years, but there are still technical deficiencies, such as: the installation angle and preload of the memory alloy wire need to be precisely controlled to ensure the reliability and stability of the gas valve; the sealing performance of the gas valve needs to be further optimized to adapt to different working environments and media; the integrated and modular design of the gas valve module needs to be strengthened to facilitate mass production and maintenance.

[0010] The gas valve and gas valve module driven by memory alloy is a new gas valve technology with broad application prospects. It can effectively overcome the limitations of traditional gas valves and meet the needs of modern industry for high-performance gas valves. Through continuous optimization of design and manufacturing processes, gas valves driven by memory alloy will be more widely used in the future. Summary of the invention

[0011] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention proposes an air valve and an air valve module driven by a memory alloy.

[0012] The present invention proposes an air valve driven by a memory alloy, comprising a shell, an air cavity being arranged inside the shell, and a normally open air port and a normally closed air port being arranged at opposite ends of the air cavity respectively; an actuator is arranged in the air cavity, and the actuator comprises: a movable arm, a fixed arm and an elastic part connecting the movable arm and the fixed arm; the movable arm extends to one side, and a plug is arranged at its free end, and the plug is located between the normally open air port and the normally closed air port, and the plug is connected to one end of a memory alloy wire, and the other end of the memory alloy wire is connected to a position on the fixed arm near the elastic part; the memory alloy wire is deformed after being energized, and drives the plug to move, thereby realizing the opening and sealing closure of the normally open air port and the normally closed air port.

[0013] Preferably, the angle between the memory alloy wire and the movable arm of the actuator is in the range of 10° to 30°.

[0014] Preferably, guide grooves are provided on both side surfaces of the fixed arm of the actuator to limit the lateral displacement of the memory alloy wire.

[0015] Preferably, the plug is a bidirectional plug, including an upper plugging piece at the upper end and a lower plugging piece at the lower end, wherein the upper plugging piece cooperates with the normally open air port at the upper end of the air cavity, and the lower plugging piece cooperates with the normally closed air port at the lower end of the air cavity.

[0016] Preferably, it also includes a connecting piece, which is arranged on the plug and is used to enhance the rigid connection between the plug and the memory alloy wire.

[0017] Preferably, the connecting piece includes a U-shaped insert and a protrusion extending outward from the bottom of the U-shaped insert; the U-shaped insert cooperates with the grooves provided on both sides of the plug to achieve a fixed connection between the connecting piece and the plug, and the protrusion cooperates with the bent portion of the memory alloy wire to connect the connecting piece to the memory alloy wire.

[0018] Preferably, it also includes a circuit board, which is mounted on the fixed arm of the actuator, and is provided with an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal is used to connect to a power supply, and the output terminal is used to electrically connect to the end of the straight portion of the memory alloy wire.

[0019] Preferably, it also includes an inflation tube, which is communicated with an inflation port provided on the air cavity and is used to output airflow to realize the inflation function.

[0020] The present invention proposes a gas valve module, comprising: a fixing plate, the fixing plate is used to install a plurality of gas valves driven by memory alloy; wherein, the fixing plate is provided with an assembly hole, and the assembly hole cooperates with an assembly block provided on one side of the gas valve to realize the installation and fixation of the gas valve and the fixing plate.

[0021] Preferably, the assembly hole of the fixing plate and the assembly block of the air valve are connected in a Morse taper fit.

[0022] The technical effects of the gas valve and gas valve module driven by memory alloy provided by the present invention are as follows:

[0023] 1. Simple structure and high reliability: The gas valve uses memory alloy wire as the driving element, which has a compact structure, reduces the complex mechanical transmission components in the traditional gas valve, reduces the failure rate, and improves the reliability of the gas valve.

[0024] 2. Fast response speed: The memory alloy wire can deform quickly after being energized, driving the plug to move, realizing the rapid opening and closing of the normally open air port and the normally closed air port, which is suitable for occasions requiring high-frequency operation.

[0025] 3. Small size and light weight: Due to the compact structural design of the actuator and memory alloy wire, the entire valve module is small in size and light in weight, making it easy to integrate into miniaturized equipment.

[0026] 4. Good sealing: The plug is designed as a two-way sealing structure, which can cooperate closely with the normally open air port and the normally closed air port respectively to ensure good sealing of the air valve in the closed state.

[0027] 5. Strong adaptability: The valve structure is flexible in design, and the installation angle of the memory alloy wire, the shape of the plug and other parameters can be adjusted according to the specific application scenario to adapt to different working environments and needs.

[0028] 6. Easy to maintain: The modular design of the gas valve makes disassembly and maintenance more convenient, reducing maintenance costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0030] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a gas valve driven by a memory alloy according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the gas valve driven by the memory alloy according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the gas valve driven by the memory alloy according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the gas valve driven by the memory alloy according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention from another perspective;

[0034] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of a housing of a gas valve driven by a memory alloy according to Example 1 of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of an actuating member of a gas valve driven by a memory alloy according to Example 1 of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 It is a partial structural schematic diagram of a gas valve driven by a memory alloy according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a gas valve module according to embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0038] Fig. 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of the gas valve module of Embodiment 3 of the present invention from another perspective;

[0039] Fig.10 2 is a schematic diagram of the fixed plate structure of the gas valve module of embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0040] Reference numerals: air valve 100; housing 1; air cavity 11; housing body 12; cover plate 13; normally open air port 14; normally closed air port 15; inflation port 16; inflation tube 17; assembly block 18; actuator 2; movable arm 21; fixed arm 22; elastic portion 23; plug 24; upper plugging member 24a; lower plugging member 24b; notch 24c; memory alloy wire 3; curved portion 31; straight portion 32; connector 4; U-shaped insert 41; protrusion 42; circuit board 5; air valve module 200; fixed plate 201; assembly hole 202 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the gas valve 100 driven by the memory alloy of the present embodiment 1 is mainly assembled by a housing 1 , an actuator 2 , a memory alloy wire 3 and a connecting member 4 .

[0044] 1. Valve main structure

[0045] Shell 1: The shell 1 is composed of a shell body 12 and a cover plate 13. An air cavity 11 is provided inside the shell 1. A normally open air port 14 and a normally closed air port 15 are respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the air cavity 11, that is, the normally open air port 14 is provided on the cover plate 13, and the normally closed air port 15 is provided on the bottom wall of the shell body 12. An inflation port 16 is also provided at one end of the air cavity 11. The inflation port 16 is connected to an inflation pipe 17. The inflation pipe 17 is used to output airflow to realize the inflation function. An assembly block 18 is provided on the outer surface of the shell 1 for the combination of the air valve.

[0046] Actuator 2: arranged in the air cavity 11 of the housing 1, the actuator 2 comprises: a movable arm 21, a fixed arm 22 and an elastic part 23 connecting the movable arm 21 and the fixed arm 22. The movable arm 21 extends to one side, and a plug 24 is provided at its free end, and the plug 24 is located between the normally open air port 14 and the normally closed air port 15. The movable arm 21, the fixed arm 22 and the plug 24 are integrally injection molded.

[0047] Memory alloy wire 3: The plug 24 is connected to one end of the memory alloy wire 3, and the other end of the memory alloy wire 3 is connected to a position on the fixed arm 22 close to the elastic part 23. The memory alloy wire 3 is deformed after being energized, driving the plug 24 to move, thereby realizing the opening and sealing of the normally open air port 14 and the normally closed air port 15.

[0048] 2. Connection between the memory alloy wire 3 and the actuator 2

[0049] The included angle a between the memory alloy wire 3 and the movable arm 21 of the actuator 2 is in the range of 10° to 30°. Figure 1 As shown, the angle a is preferably 12° to ensure that the deformation of the memory alloy wire 3 can effectively drive the plug 24 to move, that is, to quickly move between the normally open air port 14 and the normally closed air port 15 to achieve the opening and sealing closure of the normally open air port 14 and the normally closed air port 15.

[0050] Guide grooves 25 are provided on both side surfaces of the fixed arm 22 of the actuator 2 to limit the lateral displacement of the memory alloy wire 3 and ensure that the deformation direction of the memory alloy wire 3 is accurate.

[0051] 3. Structure of plug 3

[0052] The plug 3 is a two-way plug, including an upper sealing piece 24a at the upper end and a lower sealing piece 24b at the lower end. The upper sealing piece 24a cooperates with the normally open air port 14 at the upper end of the air cavity 11, and the lower sealing piece 24b cooperates with the normally closed air port 15 at the lower end of the air cavity 11 to ensure good sealing of the air valve in the closed state.

[0053] 4. Connector 4 structure and assembly

[0054] The connector 4 is arranged on the plug 24 to enhance the rigid connection between the plug 24 and the memory alloy wire 3. The connector 4 is made of metal material, such as stainless steel or copper, and includes a U-shaped insert 41 and a protrusion 42 extending outward from the bottom of the U-shaped insert 41. The U-shaped insert 41 cooperates with the notches 24c arranged on both sides of the plug 24 to achieve a fixed connection between the connector 4 and the plug 24, and the protrusion 42 cooperates with the bent portion 31 of the memory alloy wire 3 to achieve the connection between the connector 4 and the memory alloy wire 3. Preferably, the bent portion 31 of the memory alloy wire 3 is sleeved on the protrusion 42 to facilitate the installation or replacement of the memory alloy wire 3.

[0055] 5. Structure of the inflation tube 17

[0056] The inflation tube 17 is communicated with the inflation port 16 provided on the air cavity 11, and is used to output airflow to realize the inflation function. The inflation tube 17, the assembly block 18 and the shell body 12 are integrally injection molded.

[0057] Working principle: When the memory alloy wire 3 is energized, the heat generated by the current passing through the memory alloy wire 3 causes the memory alloy wire 3 to deform, driving the plug 24 of the actuator 2 to move. The movement of the plug 24 causes the normally open air port 14 and the normally closed air port 15 to open or close respectively, thereby achieving rapid response and precise control of the air valve.

[0058] Technical effect: simple structure, high reliability, reducing the mechanical transmission components of the complex structure in the traditional gas valve, reducing the failure rate. Fast response speed, the memory alloy wire can quickly deform after power is turned on, driving the plug to move. Precise control, the deformation of the memory alloy wire is directly related to the power current and temperature, and can achieve precise displacement control. Small size, light weight, easy to integrate into miniaturized equipment.

[0059] Example 2

[0060] like Figure 7 As shown, the main difference between Example 2 and Example 1 is that a circuit board 5 is provided on the fixed arm 22 of the actuator 2, and an input terminal and an output terminal are provided on the circuit board 5. The input terminal passes through the shell 1 to be connected to an external power supply, and the output terminal is used to be electrically connected to the end of the straight portion 32 of the memory alloy wire 3, so as to achieve precise control of the memory alloy wire 3. In addition, the circuit board 5 is easy to install, and the operation of electrically connecting to the end of the straight portion 32 of the memory alloy wire 3 is simple, which is conducive to reducing costs.

[0061] Example 3

[0062] like Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, the gas valve module 200 includes: a fixing plate 201 for mounting a plurality of gas valves 100 driven by memory alloy. The fixing plate 201 is provided with an assembly hole 202, and the assembly hole 202 is connected to the assembly block 18 provided on one side of the housing 1 of the gas valve 100 through a Morse taper, so as to realize the installation and fixation of the gas valve 100 and the fixing plate 201.

[0063] The technical advantages of the air valve module of this embodiment are: a plurality of air valves driven by memory alloys are assembled into an air valve module, and the assembly is simple, and the module is suitable for industrial automation, medical equipment, aerospace and other fields.

[0064] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gas valve driven by a memory alloy, characterized in that: The invention comprises a shell (1), wherein an air cavity (11) is provided inside the shell (1), and a normally open air port (14) and a normally closed air port (15) are respectively provided at two opposite ends of the air cavity (11); an actuating member (2) is provided inside the air cavity (11), and the actuating member (2) comprises a movable arm (21), a fixed arm (22), and an elastic portion (23) connecting the movable arm (21) and the fixed arm (22); the movable arm (21) extends to one side, and a plug (24) is provided at its free end, and the plug (24) is located between the normally open air port (14) and the normally closed air port (15); the plug (24) is connected to one end of a memory alloy wire (3), and the other end of the memory alloy wire (3) is connected to a position on the fixed arm (22) close to the elastic portion (23); the memory alloy wire (3) is deformed after being energized, and drives the plug (24) to move, thereby realizing the opening and sealing closure of the normally open air port (14) and the normally closed air port (15).

2. The gas valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The included angle between the memory alloy wire (3) and the movable arm (21) of the actuator (2) ranges from 10° to 30°.

3. The gas valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: Guide grooves (25) are provided on both side surfaces of the fixed arm (22) of the actuator (2) for limiting the lateral displacement of the memory alloy wire (3).

4. The gas valve according to claim 3, characterized in that: The plug (24) is a bidirectional plug, comprising an upper plugging member (24a) at the upper end and a lower plugging member (24b) at the lower end; the upper plugging member (24a) cooperates with the normally open air port (14) at the upper end of the air cavity (11), and the lower plugging member (24b) cooperates with the normally closed air port (15) at the lower end of the air cavity (11).

5. The gas valve according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also comprises a connecting piece (4), which is arranged on the plug (24) and is used to enhance the rigid connection between the plug (24) and the memory alloy wire (3).

6. The gas valve according to claim 5, characterized in that The connecting piece (4) comprises a U-shaped insert (41) and a protrusion (42) extending outward from the bottom of the U-shaped insert (41); the U-shaped insert (41) cooperates with notches (24c) provided on both sides of the plug (24) to achieve fixed connection between the connecting piece (4) and the plug (24); the protrusion (42) cooperates with the bent portion (31) of the memory alloy wire (3) to connect the connecting piece (4) and the memory alloy wire (3).

7. The gas valve according to claim 6, characterized in that The invention also comprises a circuit board (5), wherein the circuit board (5) is mounted on a fixed arm (22) of the actuator (2), and an input terminal and an output terminal are arranged on the circuit board (5), wherein the input terminal is used to connect to a power supply, and the output terminal is used to electrically connect to the end of the straight portion (32) of the memory alloy wire (3).

8. The gas valve according to claim 7, characterized in that It also includes an inflation tube (17), which is in communication with an inflation port (16) provided on the air cavity (11) and is used to output airflow to realize an inflation function.

9. A gas valve module, characterized in that: include: A fixing plate (201) for mounting a plurality of gas valves (100) driven by a memory alloy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8; The fixing plate (201) is provided with an assembly hole (202), and the assembly hole (202) cooperates with an assembly block (18) provided on one side of the air valve (100) to achieve installation and fixation of the air valve (100) and the fixing plate (201).

10. The air valve module according to claim 9, characterized in that: The assembly hole (202) of the fixing plate (201) and the assembly block (18) of the air valve (100) are connected in a Morse taper fit.

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