A steam distribution valve group

Abstract

A steam distribution valve group, including valve body, valve body is provided with valve cavity, valve cavity is in communication with the import formed on the valve body, and a plurality of exports, the valve cavity is provided with the opening and closing assembly that makes the export presents open or off state at the position corresponding to the export, the opening and closing assembly includes valve rod and valve flap, each opening and closing assembly is configured with the drive assembly that is set outside the valve body and realizes control, the drive assembly includes connecting seat, gear, rack and motor, the valve body outside is provided with the first pipe joint at the position corresponding to the export, and the second pipe joint is arranged at the position corresponding to the import, and the valve flap is sealingly connected with the first pipe joint, the beneficial effects of the utility model lie in, through simplifying structure, the problem of the original system structure complexity and disorder is solved fundamentally, and the same steam distribution function as the original structure can be realized, also the sealing property brought by the valve flap is ensured, ultimately achieves the comprehensive beneficial effects of saving production cost, simplifying assembly etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of valve technology, and in particular to a steam distribution valve assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Distribution valve assemblies are used in various fields. In the field of steam cabinets, when a steam cabinet needs steam to cook, the distribution valve assembly can control the distribution of hot steam, that is, deliver hot steam only to the steaming trays containing food.

[0003] Currently, most multi-layer steam cabinets on the market use a steam distribution control system that employs an independent solenoid valve at the steam inlet of each steaming tray. The control system determines whether to supply steam to the corresponding steaming tray by controlling the opening and closing of these solenoid valves individually. While this "one valve per layer" control method achieves selective steam supply, it also has significant drawbacks.

[0004] First, this design results in a complex steam piping system. Each additional steam tray layer requires a corresponding set of solenoid valves, fittings, and electrical control wiring. This not only increases initial material costs but also makes piping installation and wiring more cumbersome, raising production costs and assembly difficulty. Second, the use of multiple solenoid valves means more potential failure points. When the equipment operates in harsh environments of high temperature and humidity for extended periods, the failure rate of solenoid valves is relatively high, increasing later maintenance costs and the risk of equipment downtime. Furthermore, when the steamer only needs to heat a few layers, most of the solenoid valves and connected piping are idle. From the perspective of overall cost, this results in wasted resources and poor economic efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a steam distribution valve assembly to solve the aforementioned problems.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is as follows: This steam distribution valve assembly includes a valve body, which has a valve cavity connected to an inlet and several outlets formed on the valve body. An opening / closing component is provided at the corresponding outlet position within the valve cavity to enable the outlet to be in an open or closed state. The opening / closing component includes a valve stem and a valve disc. Part of the valve stem is located within the valve cavity, and part extends outside the valve body through a through-hole formed in the valve body. The valve stem within the valve cavity is equipped with a valve disc, so that the valve disc may or may not act on the outlet by the movement of the valve stem. Each opening / closing component is equipped with a drive assembly located outside the valve body for control. The drive assembly includes a connecting seat, a gear, a rack, and a motor. The connecting seat is mounted on... Outside the valve body, both the gear and rack are housed within the connecting seat and mesh with each other. The rack is also mounted on the valve stem extending outside the valve body. The motor is located outside the connecting seat and drives the gear to rotate forward or backward. Outside the valve body, a first pipe connector is located at the corresponding outlet position and a second pipe connector is located at the corresponding inlet position. A slot arranged in a ring is formed on the bottom surface of the valve disc. Inside the slot, there are two sealing protrusions arranged in a ring and distributed opposite each other. There is a gap between the two sealing protrusions that allows the first pipe connector to pass through when it is inserted into the slot. When the first pipe connector passes through the gap, the sealing protrusions bend and deform and abut against the outer wall of the first pipe connector, generating a strong compressive force.

[0007] To further improve the design, the upper surface of the sealing protrusion is also provided with abutting protrusions distributed along its circumferential direction. After the sealing protrusion is bent and deformed, the abutting protrusions abut against the inner wall of the slot and undergo adaptive bending deformation after abutting.

[0008] Further improvements include a first positioning nut, a support plate, a pressure plate, and a first fastening nut at the end of the valve stem used to set the valve disc. The first positioning nut and the first fastening nut are both threadedly connected to the valve stem and form a first installation gap. When the support plate, valve disc, and pressure plate are fitted onto the valve stem, they are located within the first installation gap. A clamping gap is formed between the support plate and the pressure plate to allow the valve disc to be placed inside and clamped.

[0009] Further improvements include the insertion of a sleeve into the through hole, which is placed inside the valve cavity and allows the valve stem to pass through. Inside the sleeve is a lip-shaped sealing ring that is simultaneously fitted onto the valve stem, with one end of the lip-shaped sealing ring abutting against the connecting seat.

[0010] Further improvements include the formation of a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity located on the side of the first mounting cavity within the connecting seat. The gear rotates within the first mounting cavity, and the rack moves within the second mounting cavity. The first mounting cavity has a side notch within the connecting seat that allows part of the gear to be placed within the second mounting cavity.

[0011] Further improvements include a second positioning nut and a second fastening nut at the end of the valve stem used to set the rack. Both the second positioning nut and the second fastening nut are threaded to the valve stem and form a second installation gap. When the rack is fitted onto the valve stem, it is located within the second installation gap.

[0012] Further improvements include openings at both ends of the second mounting cavity on the connecting seat, with an expansion groove formed on the connecting seat near the valve body, and a metal gasket that abuts against the lip seal ring placed inside the expansion groove.

[0013] Further improvements include the installation of a mounting plate on the first pipe joint, which is bolted to the valve body when part of the first pipe joint is inserted into the valve cavity through the outlet.

[0014] Further improvements include the addition of sealing gaskets on the outside of the first pipe joint, which respectively abut against the valve body and the mounting plate.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: This invention fundamentally solves the problem of complex and disorganized original system structure by simplifying the structure, and can achieve the same steam distribution function as the original structure, ultimately achieving a comprehensive and beneficial effect of saving production costs, improving product reliability, and simplifying assembly and maintenance processes. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the front of the present invention; Figure 2 This utility model Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the diagram, used to show the state of the sealing protrusion when it deforms; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the opening / closing component and the driving component of this utility model; Figure 4 This utility model Figure 3 A magnified view of part B in the diagram shows the state of the sealing protrusion when it is not deformed; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings: Referring to the attached diagram: This steam distribution valve assembly includes a valve body 1, which has a valve cavity 11. The valve cavity 11 is connected to an inlet 12 formed on the valve body 1 and several outlets 13. The valve body 1 is a square tube, and the tube is hollow inside after forming. The hollow space is used as the valve cavity 11, and only one end needs to be inlet for air. Therefore, only one end of the valve body 1 is provided with an inlet 12 connected to a vacuum pump, while the other end is closed. The outlets 13 are located on the side of the valve body 1, and their number matches the number of steam trays in the steam cabinet. Steam is then delivered to the corresponding steam trays by installing air delivery pipes at the outlets 13.

[0018] A valve chamber 11 contains an opening / closing assembly 2 at the corresponding outlet 13, which enables the outlet 13 to be in an open or closed state. The opening / closing assembly 2 includes a valve stem 21 and a valve disc 22. The valve stem 21 is partially located inside the valve chamber 11 and partially extends outside the valve body 1 through a through hole 14 formed in the valve body 1. The valve stem 21 located inside the valve chamber 11 is equipped with the valve disc 22, so that the valve disc 22 can be activated or deactivated at the outlet 13 by the movement of the valve stem 21. The valve disc 22 is used to control whether steam can leave the valve chamber 11. The valve stem 21 is used to install the valve disc 22 and activates or deactivates the valve disc 22 at the outlet 13 by its movement. Moreover, the valve disc 22 is a flexible component. When the valve disc 22 is activated at the outlet 13, the steam in the valve chamber 11 can increase the sealing of the valve disc 22 at the outlet 13 by the pressure, thereby preventing the steam from flowing to the corresponding steam tray layer when it does not need to be delivered to the corresponding steam tray layer. In this embodiment, the valve stem 21, on which the valve disc 22 is installed, enters the valve chamber 11 from the outlet 13.

[0019] Each opening and closing component 2 is equipped with a drive component 3 located outside the valve body 1 and used for control. The drive component 3 includes a connecting seat 31, a gear 32, a rack 33, and a motor 34. The connecting seat 31 is installed outside the valve body 1. The gear 32 and the rack 33 are both located inside the connecting seat 31 and mesh with each other. The rack 33 is also located on the valve stem 21 extending outside the valve body 1. The motor 34 is located outside the connecting seat 31 and is used to drive the gear 32 to rotate forward or backward. Since the valve body 1 is a square tube, all its exposed surfaces are flat. Therefore, when installing the connecting seat 31, the mounting seat 31 and the valve body 1 can make full contact, thereby ensuring the installation stability of the connecting seat 31. The connecting seat 31 is a supporting mounting component that can simultaneously mount the gear 32, rack 33, and motor 34. The only difference is that the gear 32 and rack 33 are installed inside the connecting seat 31, while the motor 34 is installed outside the connecting seat 31. The motor 34 is assembled with the gear 32 through its own drive shaft to drive the gear 32 to rotate forward or backward. The rack 33 is assembled with the valve stem 21. Thus, when the gear 32 drives the rack 33 to move, it can drive the valve stem 21 to move together. When the gear 32 rotates forward, the rack 33 moves towards the outlet 13. When the gear 32 rotates backward, the rack 33 moves away from the outlet 13, thereby controlling whether the valve disc 21 acts on the outlet 13. In this embodiment, the starting of motor 34 is controlled by the control system. Automated collaborative control is usually achieved through standard control components (such as PLC, sensors, microcontrollers or industrial bus systems). The selection and programming of these control components are conventional technical means. For example, the control of the motor is based on a driver (which is a standard configuration in the field) and combined with simple digital or analog signal drive, so it will not be described in detail in the specification.

[0020] A first pipe connector 4 is provided at the position corresponding to the outlet 13 on the outside of the valve body 1, and a second pipe connector 5 is provided at the position corresponding to the inlet 12. A slot 221 arranged in a ring is formed on the bottom surface of the valve disc 22. Two sealing protrusions 2211 arranged in a ring and distributed opposite each other are provided in the slot 221. There is a gap between the two sealing protrusions 2211 that allows the first pipe connector 4 to pass through when it is inserted into the slot 221. When the first pipe connector 4 passes through the gap, the sealing protrusion 2211 bends and deforms and abuts against the outer wall of the first pipe connector 4, while generating a strong compressive force. The first pipe connector 4 is used to connect to the air supply pipe, and the second pipe connector 5 is used to connect to the air extraction pump. This is to facilitate the connection between the valve body 1 and the air supply pipe and the air extraction pump. The first pipe connector 4 is detachably connected to the valve body 1 because one or more components of the opening / closing assembly 2 or the drive assembly 3 may be damaged and need replacement. The second pipe connector 5 is welded to the valve body 1. Considering that the steamer does not always supply air to every steaming tray layer, but selectively supplies air, good sealing is necessary to prevent gas leakage into the steaming tray layers that do not require air supply. To ensure the sealing of the valve disc 22 when it acts on the first pipe connector 4, a slot 221 is provided inside the valve disc 22. The slot 221 allows the valve disc 22 to be inserted when it acts on the first pipe connector 4. This is not just a simple contact, but also includes two opposing sealing protrusions 2211 in the slot 221. When the first pipe joint 4 passes through the gap, the sealing protrusions 2211 are forced to bend and deform (the width of the gap is less than the wall thickness of the first pipe joint 4, that is, part of the sealing protrusions 2211 exist on the insertion path of the first pipe joint 4). After bending and deforming, they abut against the outer wall of the first pipe joint 4, which also generates a resistance force that forces them to return to their initial state. Since there are two sealing protrusions 2211, the two can generate a squeezing force on the first pipe joint 4 through the resistance force, thereby ensuring the sealing performance. At the same time, the valve disc 22 is formed by simultaneously obtaining the slot 221 and the sealing protrusions 2211 placed in the slot 221.

[0021] In summary, by simplifying the structure, the problems of the original system's complexity and disorganization are fundamentally solved, and the same steam distribution function as the original structure can be achieved. Ultimately, this achieves a comprehensive and beneficial effect of saving production costs, improving product reliability, and simplifying assembly and maintenance processes.

[0022] The upper surface of the sealing protrusion 2211 is also provided with abutting protrusions 22111 distributed along its circumferential direction. After the sealing protrusion 22111 is bent and deformed, the abutting protrusions 22111 abut against the inner wall of the slot 221, and undergo adaptive bending deformation after abutting. This arrangement increases the compressive force. The abutment protrusion 22111 and the sealing protrusion 2211 are arranged perpendicularly. After the sealing protrusion 2211 is bent and deformed, the abutment protrusion 22111 can abut against the inner wall of the slot 221 (in the view, one sealing protrusion 2211 is on the left and one sealing protrusion 2211 is on the right. The abutment protrusion 22111 on the left abuts against the inner wall of the large inner diameter of the slot 221, and the abutment protrusion 22111 on the right abuts against the inner wall of the small inner diameter of the slot 221). Moreover, the length of the abutment protrusion 22111 is greater than the distance between the sealing protrusion 2211 and the inner wall after bending and deformation. Therefore, the abutment protrusion 22111 will also undergo deformation to adapt. Since the amplitude is not large, only bending deformation occurs. While being forced to deform, it can also generate compressive force, thereby increasing the abutment force of the sealing protrusion 22111 against the first pipe joint 4, which further ensures the sealing performance.

[0023] The valve stem 21 is provided with a first positioning nut 211, a support plate 212, a pressure plate 213, and a first fastening nut 214 at one end for setting the valve disc 22. The first positioning nut 211 and the first fastening nut 214 are both threadedly connected to the valve stem 21 and form a first installation gap 6. When the support plate 212, the valve disc 22, and the pressure plate 213 are fitted onto the valve stem 21, they are located within the first installation gap 6. A clamping gap is formed between the support plate 212 and the pressure plate 213 to allow the valve disc 22 to be placed inside and clamped. To assemble the valve disc 22 with the valve stem 21, the first positioning nut 211 is first installed onto the threaded section of the valve stem, serving as a positioning support on one side. Then, the support plate 212, valve disc 22, and pressure plate 213 are fitted onto the valve stem 21. Finally, the first fastening nut 214 is installed onto the threaded section of the valve stem, serving as a limiting support on the other side. This ensures that all components fit tightly together, guaranteeing the stability of the valve disc 22. The support plate 212 and pressure plate 213 increase the structural strength of the valve disc 22, especially the support plate 212. Its length is the same as that of the valve disc 22, and the side of the support plate 212 that contacts the valve disc 22 does not abut against the first pipe joint 4. In this way, when the valve disc 22 acts on the first pipe joint 4 and is subjected to force, the deformation caused by the force is only on the side that abuts against the first pipe joint 4 under the support of the support plate 212. However, considering that the side that abuts against the first pipe joint 4 is only part of it, the length of the pressure plate 213 is not the same as that of the valve disc 22, but it can still provide support for the valve disc 22 of a local length. In this way, the structural strength of the valve disc 22 can be increased without hindering the valve disc 22 from undergoing local deformation under force.

[0024] A sleeve 7 is inserted into the through hole 14, which is placed inside the valve cavity 11 and allows the valve stem 21 to pass through. A lip seal 8 is provided inside the sleeve 7 and is fitted onto the valve stem 21. One end of the lip seal 8 abuts against the connecting seat 31. The purpose of setting the sleeve 7 is mainly to set the lip seal 8. The outer circumference of the sleeve 7 is stepped, so that its position can be quickly defined when it is inserted into the through hole 14. After the insertion is completed, the sleeve 7 is fixed to the valve body 1 by welding. The lip seal 8 can ensure the sealing of the valve stem 21 when it moves, that is, it will not cause steam to leak to the motor 34. This can prevent the motor 34 from absorbing moisture, thereby extending the service life of the motor 34.

[0025] The connecting seat 31 has a first mounting cavity 311 and a second mounting cavity 312 located on the side of the first mounting cavity 311. The gear 32 rotates in the first mounting cavity 311 and the rack 33 moves in the second mounting cavity 312. The first mounting cavity 311 has a side notch 3111 in the connecting seat 31, which allows part of the gear 32 to be placed in the second mounting cavity 312. The first mounting cavity 311 is used to define the mounting position of the gear 32 in the connecting seat 31, and the second mounting cavity 312 is used to define the mounting position of the rack 33 in the connecting seat 31. The first mounting cavity 311 communicates with the second mounting cavity 312 through the side notch 3111, so that part of the gear 32 is placed in the second mounting cavity 312, thereby realizing the meshing of the gear 32 and the rack 33. Then, the gear 32 can drive the rack 33 to move under the drive of the motor 34, thereby controlling the opening or closing of the valve disc 22 to the outlet 13.

[0026] The valve stem 21 has a second positioning nut 215 and a second fastening nut 216 at one end for mounting the rack 33. The second positioning nut 215 and the second fastening nut 216 are both threadedly connected to the valve stem 21 and form a second installation gap 9. When the rack 33 is mounted on the valve stem 21, it is located within the second installation gap 9. The arrangement and function of the second positioning nut 215 and the second fastening nut 216 are the same as those of the first positioning nut 211 and the first fastening nut 214. Not only will there be no gap, but the rack 33 mounted on the valve stem 21 can also be stably held on the valve stem 21. In this way, when the rack 33 moves, the valve stem 21 can follow the movement immediately.

[0027] Both ends of the second mounting cavity 312 have openings 3121 on the connecting seat 31. The opening 3121 near the valve body 1 forms an expansion groove 31211 on the connecting seat 31. A metal gasket 10 is provided in the expansion groove 31211 to abut against the lip seal 8. The metal gasket 10 can not only increase the sealing effect of the lip seal 8, that is, provide extrusion force to the lip seal 8 to make it fully deformed, and after full deformation, increase the contact tightness, but also provide rigid support for the lip seal 8 to prevent the lip seal 8 from "extruding" and failing under the movement of the valve stem 21.

[0028] The first pipe connector 4 is provided with a mounting plate 41, so that when part of the first pipe connector 4 is inserted into the valve cavity 11 through the outlet 13, the mounting plate 41 is connected to the valve body 1 by bolts. This arrangement facilitates the connection between the first pipe connector 4 and the valve body 1. Moreover, the arrangement that part of the first pipe connector 4 is inserted into the valve cavity 11 through the outlet 13 is to avoid the generation of a fitting gap. That is, the outer diameter of the first pipe connector 4 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the outlet 13. In this way, the relative movement of the first pipe connector 4 when it is inserted into the outlet 13 has frictional resistance, which can ensure the sealing of the foundation and prevent steam leakage.

[0029] The first pipe joint 4 is also fitted with sealing gaskets 20 that abut against the valve body 1 and the mounting plate 41 respectively. The sealing gaskets 20 are squeezed and deformed under the action of the mounting plate 41 to create a seal, so that the first pipe joint 4 and the outlet 13 are sealed together, thereby preventing steam leakage. At the same time, because part of the first pipe joint 4 is inserted into the valve cavity 11 through the outlet 13, the steam directly leaves the valve cavity from the first pipe joint 4 and enters the gas delivery pipe.

[0030] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes in form and detail are possible within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A steam distribution valve assembly, comprising a valve body (1), the valve body (1) having a valve cavity (11), the valve cavity (11) being connected to an inlet (12) formed on the valve body (1) and a plurality of outlets (13), characterized in that: The valve cavity (11) is provided with an opening and closing assembly (2) at the position corresponding to the outlet (13) to make the outlet (13) open or closed. The opening and closing assembly (2) includes a valve stem (21) and a valve disc (22). The valve stem (21) is partially located in the valve cavity (11) and partially extends to the outside of the valve body (1) through a through hole (14) formed in the valve body (1). The valve stem (21) located in the valve cavity (11) is provided with the valve disc (22) so that the valve disc (22) can act or not act on the outlet (13) by moving the valve stem (21). Each of the opening and closing components (2) is equipped with a drive component (3) disposed outside the valve body (1) and used for control. The drive component (3) includes a connecting seat (31), a gear (32), a rack (33), and a motor (34). The connecting seat (31) is installed outside the valve body (1). The gear (32) and the rack (33) are both disposed inside the connecting seat (31) and mesh with each other. The rack (33) is also disposed on the valve stem (21) extending outside the valve body (1). The motor (34) is disposed outside the connecting seat (31) and is used to drive the gear (32) to rotate forward or backward. The valve body (1) has a first pipe joint (4) at the position corresponding to the outlet (13) and a second pipe joint (5) at the position corresponding to the inlet (12). A slot (221) is formed in a ring on the bottom surface of the valve disc (22). The slot (221) has two sealing protrusions (2211) that are also arranged in a ring and are distributed opposite each other. There is a gap between the two sealing protrusions (2211) that allows the first pipe joint (4) to pass through when it is inserted into the slot (221). When the first pipe joint (4) passes through the gap, the sealing protrusion (2211) bends and deforms and abuts against the outer wall of the first pipe joint (4), while generating a strong squeezing force.

2. The steam distribution valve assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the sealing protrusion (2211) is also provided with abutting protrusions (22111) distributed along its circumferential direction. After the sealing protrusion (22111) is bent and deformed, the abutting protrusions (22111) abut against the inner wall of the slot (221) and undergo adaptive bending deformation after abutting.

3. The steam distribution valve assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve stem (21) is provided with a first positioning nut (211), a support plate (212), a pressure plate (213), and a first fastening nut (214) at one end for setting the valve disc (22). The first positioning nut (211) and the first fastening nut (214) are threaded to the valve stem (21) and form a first installation gap (6). When the support plate (212), the valve disc (22), and the pressure plate (213) are fitted on the valve stem (21), they are located within the first installation gap (6). A clamping gap (30) is formed between the support plate (212) and the pressure plate (213) to allow the valve disc (22) to be placed inside and clamped.

4. The steam distribution valve assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sleeve (7) is inserted into the through hole (14) and placed inside the valve cavity (11) to allow the valve stem (21) to pass through. A lip seal (8) is provided inside the sleeve (7) and is fitted onto the valve stem (21). One end of the lip seal (8) abuts against the connecting seat (31).

5. The steam distribution valve assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connecting seat (31) has a first mounting cavity (311) and a second mounting cavity (312) located on the side of the first mounting cavity (311). The gear (32) rotates in the first mounting cavity (311) and the rack (33) moves in the second mounting cavity (312). The first mounting cavity (311) has a side notch (3111) in the connecting seat (31) that allows part of the gear (32) to be placed in the second mounting cavity (312).

6. The steam distribution valve assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The valve stem (21) is provided with a second positioning nut (215) and a second fastening nut (216) at one end for setting the rack (33). The second positioning nut (215) and the second fastening nut (216) are both threaded to the valve stem (21) and form a second installation gap (9). When the rack (33) is fitted on the valve stem (21), it is located within the second installation gap (9).

7. The steam distribution valve assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: Both ends of the second mounting cavity (312) have openings (3121) on the connecting seat (31). The opening (3121) near the valve body (1) forms an expansion groove (31211) on the connecting seat (31). A metal gasket (10) that abuts against the lip seal (8) is provided in the expansion groove (31211).

8. The steam distribution valve assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first pipe joint (4) is provided with a mounting plate (41) so that when part of the first pipe joint (4) is inserted into the valve cavity (11) through the outlet (13), the mounting plate (41) is connected to the valve body (1) by bolts.

9. The steam distribution valve assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first pipe joint (4) is also fitted with sealing gaskets (20) that abut against the valve body (1) and the mounting plate (41) respectively.

Images