Flow rate regulating valve

Abstract

The invention provides a flow regulating valve with high-pressure gas as working fluid. The regulating valve can bear load caused by high pressure of the high-pressure gas, can work normally and is resistant to abrasion. A flow rate control valve (100) according to the present invention is provided with: a stem (1) in which the cross-sectional area of a flow passage and the flow rate vary according to the size of the stem (1) inserted into a flow passage (3); a cam plate (11), the surface (11A) of which is provided with an inclined surface; a drive source (20) for rotating the cam plate (11); and a cam follower (cam follower lever) (12) having a frustoconical roller (12A) pressed against a surface (11A) of the cam plate (11), the roller (12A) rolling on the surface (11A) of the cam plate (11) to move the valve stem (1) in the axial direction of the valve stem (1), in which the shape of the surface (11A) of the cam plate (11) is complementary to the shape of the roller (12A) of the cam follower (12).

Description

(19) State Intellectual Property Office (12) Invention Patent Application (10) Application Publication Number (43) Application Publication Date (21) Application Number 202511378629.4 (22) Application Date 2025.09.25 (30) Priority Data 2024-166934 2024.09.26 JP (71) Applicant: Tatsuno Co., Ltd. Address: Japan (72) Inventor: Masahiro Takezawa (74) Patent Agency: Beijing Zhongzi Law Firm 11247 Patent Attorney: Lirong Ma, Peng Wu (51) Int.Cl. F16K 17 / 20 (2006.01) F16K 31 / 04 (2006.01) F16K 37 / 00 (2006.01) (54) Invention Title: Flow Control Valve (57) Abstract: This invention provides a flow control valve that uses high-pressure gas as the working fluid. The valve can withstand the load caused by the high pressure of the high-pressure gas and operate normally and is wear-resistant. The flow control valve (100) of this invention includes: a valve stem (1) whose flow passage cross-sectional area and flow rate vary according to the size of the valve stem (1) inserted into the flow passage (3); a cam plate (11) with an inclined surface formed on its surface (11A); a drive source (20) for rotating the cam plate (11); and a cam follower (cam follower rod) (12) having a truncated conical roller (12A) pressed against the surface (11A) of the cam plate (11), the roller (12A) rolling on the surface (11A) of the cam plate (11) to move the valve stem (1) along the axial direction of the valve stem (1), wherein the shape of the surface (11A) of the cam plate (11) is complementary to the shape of the roller (12A) of the cam follower (12). Claims 1 page, Description 9 pages, Drawings 17 pages, CN 121739163 A 2026.03.27 CN 1 21 73 91 63 A 1. A flow control valve, comprising: a valve stem having a flow passage cross-sectional area and flow rate varying according to the size of the valve stem inserted into the flow passage; a cam plate having an inclined surface formed on its surface; a drive source for rotating the cam plate; and a cam follower having a frustoconical roller pressed against the surface of the cam plate, the roller rolling on the surface of the cam plate to move the valve stem along the axial direction of the valve stem, wherein the shape of the surface of the cam plate is complementary to the shape of the roller of the cam follower. 2. The flow control valve according to claim 1, wherein the cam plate rotates about the intersection of the extensions of the ridges of the frustoconical roller. Claims 1 / 1 page 2 CN 121739163 A Flow Control Valve Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a flow control valve, such as a needle valve type flow control valve for high-pressure gas. Background Art

[0002] Existing high-pressure gas flow control valves adjust the valve opening by reciprocating the valve body along the valve stem axis. In such flow control valves, some valve bodies or valve stems are operated by actuators such as stepper motors, as described in JP2021-196001, while others have a separate air valve driven by air. However, for high-pressure gas flow control valves, since the pressure of the high-pressure gas, which is the working fluid, acts on the valve body, it is necessary to operate the valve body with a large load to make the valve body reciprocate, thus increasing the size of the actuator or air valve itself. In addition, there is the problem of needing a device for controlling the large actuator or air valve itself.

[0003] Here, by using a rotating device such as a motor as a power source and using a screw mechanism to convert the rotational motion into linear motion, the valve body can be reciprocated along the valve stem axis to adjust the valve opening. If a motor is used as a power source, the valve opening can be directly controlled by controlling the motor. However, since the rotary motion is converted into linear motion using a screw mechanism, the pressure of the high-pressure gas as the working fluid acts on the thread of the screw mechanism, causing wear on the thread and thus reducing its durability.

[0004] The contents of JP2021-196001A are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and aims to provide a flow regulating valve that uses high-pressure gas as the working fluid, can withstand the load caused by the high pressure of the high-pressure gas during operation, and is not easily worn.

[0006] [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0007] The flow regulating valve 100 of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a valve stem 1, the cross-sectional area of ​​which and the flow rate vary according to the size of the valve stem 1 inserted into the flow passage 3; a cam plate 11, on which an inclined surface is formed; a drive source 20 for rotating the cam plate 11; and a cam follower 12 having a truncated conical roller 12A pressing against the surface 11A of the cam plate 11, the roller 12A rolling on the surface 11A of the cam plate 11 to move the valve stem 1 along the axial direction of the valve stem 1, wherein the shape of the surface 11A of the cam plate 11 is complementary to the shape of the roller 12A of the cam follower 12.

[0008] In the present invention, the cam plate 11 preferably rotates about the point RC(VT) where the extensions of the ridges of the truncated conical roller 12A intersect.

[0009] Furthermore, in this invention, it is preferable to provide a measuring device 22 for measuring the rotation of the output shaft of the drive source (motor) 20 or the rotation of the gear constituting the reduction mechanism 21, and to provide a control unit CU for controlling the flow rate of the flow regulating valve 100 based on the measurement results of the measuring device 22.

[0010] In the flow regulating valve 100 of this invention, it is preferable to provide a valve stem 1 having a small-diameter front end 1A and a main body 2 in which a flow passage 3 is formed; the valve stem front end 1A is arranged to be able to be inserted into the small-diameter flow passage portion formed in the flow passage 3 of the main body 2.Within 3A; a gap δ is provided between the outer periphery of the valve stem front end 1A and the inner surface of the small-diameter flow passage 3A; and the valve opening or flow rate varies according to the position of the valve stem 1 relative to the flow passage 3 in the direction of the central axis C. Specification 1 / 9 pages 3 CN 121739163 A

[0011] Effects of the Invention

[0012] The present invention employs the above configuration, utilizing a cam plate 11 that rotates using a rotating device such as a drive source 20 as a power source, and a cam follower 12 that moves along the direction of the central axis C via the cam plate 11, to convert rotational motion into linear motion, thereby adjusting the valve opening by reciprocating the valve element 1AT along the axial direction of the valve stem 1. If a motor 20 is used as a drive source, the valve opening can be directly controlled by controlling the motor 20. Furthermore, according to the present invention, rotational motion is not converted into linear motion through a screw mechanism, and the pressure of the high-pressure gas as the working fluid does not act on the thread of the screw mechanism, so the thread portion will not wear, thereby improving the durability of the flow regulating valve.

[0013] As described above, in conventional flow control valves for high-pressure gases such as high-pressure hydrogen, the pressure of the high-pressure gas acts on the valve body, requiring a large actuator or valve to reciprocate the valve body. According to the present invention, by arranging rollers, resistance can be reduced, and the cam plate 11 can be rotated to adjust the position of the central axis C of the valve stem 1 without the need for a large amount of power. Therefore, it is not necessary to install a large actuator or valve as in the prior art. Furthermore, by measuring the rotation amount of the motor 20, which serves as the drive source, or the rotation amount of a predetermined component in the reduction mechanism 21, the positions of the cam surface 11A and the cam follower 12 can be specified. And by controlling the rotation amount of the motor 20 or the rotation amount of the predetermined component in the reduction mechanism 21, the axial direction C position of the valve stem 1 can be precisely controlled, thereby precisely controlling the flow rate of the high-pressure gas according to the desired characteristics.

[0014] In this invention, the surface 11A on the cam plate 11 for the cam follower 12 to roll is an inclined surface, the portion of the cam follower roller 12A that abuts against the cam plate 11 is configured as a truncated cone, and the surface 11A of the cam plate 11 has a shape complementary to the truncated cone portion of the cam follower roller 12A, such that when the cam follower roller 12A rotates along the cam plate surface 11A in a circular trajectory, there is no inner ring difference and no slippage occurs, thereby preventing wear of the cam follower roller 12A. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Fig. 1] A cross-sectional view of a flow control valve according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] [Fig. 2] A characteristic diagram showing the ideal flow control valve opening-hydrogen flow rate characteristics when filling an FCV with hydrogen.

[0017] [Fig. 3] An enlarged cross-sectional view showing the relative position of the valve stem tip and the small-diameter flow passage portion when the flow control valve according to the illustrated embodiment is closed.

[0018] [Fig. 4] A diagram showing the valve stem tip and the small-diameter flow passage portion in the low-flow-rate region state of the flow control valve.

[0019] [Fig. 5] shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the relative position of the valve stem tip and the small-diameter flow passage portion at the boundary between the small flow region and the large flow region of the flow control valve.

[0020] [Fig. 6] shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the relative position of the valve stem tip and the small-diameter flow passage portion in the large flow region of the flow control valve.

[0021] [Fig. 7] perspective view of the flow control valve shown in Fig. 1.

[0022] [Fig. 8] shows a perspective view of the configuration of Fig. 7, where the housing is omitted.

[0023] [Fig. 9] shows a perspective view of the cam plate.

[0024] [Fig. 10] shows a perspective view of the cam plate, cam follower, cam follower roller and valve stem support assembled together.

[0025] [Fig. 11] shows an exploded cross-sectional view of the structure of the cam follower roller at the end of the cam follower.

[0026] [Fig. 12] shows an illustrative diagram of the problems when the cam follower roller has a cylindrical shape.

[0027] [Figure 13] shows an illustration of how the problem described in Figure 12 is eliminated when the cam driven roller has a conical shape.

[0028] [Figure 14] shows an illustration of the external force acting when the cam driven roller has a conical shape. Specification 2 / 9 pages 4 CN 121739163 A

[0029] [Figure 15] shows a flowchart of the opening and closing control in the illustrated embodiment.

[0030] [Figure 16] Block diagram of the control unit for performing the control in Figure 15.

[0031] [Figure 17] shows a cross-sectional view of the sealing mechanism in the illustrated embodiment.

[0032] [Figure 18] Perspective view of the hollow cylindrical-flange composite member used in the sealing mechanism of Figure 1.

[0033] [Figure 19] Perspective view of the C-ring used in the sealing mechanism of Figure 1. Detailed Description

[0034] An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the illustrated embodiment, the working fluid is, for example, high-pressure hydrogen. First, an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 16. Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a flow control valve 100 according to the illustrated embodiment. High-pressure hydrogen gas, as the working fluid, flows in from an inlet (not shown) (the direction of flow is indicated by arrow A1) and is supplied to the downstream side of the outlet 2B via a flow path regulating unit 10 (indicated by arrow A2). In Figure 1, the flow path regulating unit 10 has a valve body and a valve seat and has the function of regulating the flow rate by changing the valve opening. Details of the flow path regulating unit 10 will be described later with reference to Figures 2 to 6.

[0035] In Figure 1, the flow control valve, generally indicated by reference numeral 100, includes a body 2 (flow path regulating housing), a valve stem support 13, a cam plate 11, a cam follower (cam follower) 12, a motor (drive source) 20, and a reduction mechanism.21. A flow passage 3 is formed in the main body 2 (see Figures 3 to 6), and the flow passage 3 is part of the flow passage regulating part 10. A valve stem support 13 supports a valve stem 1, and the valve stem 1 has a valve stem front end 1A (see Figures 3 to 6). A motor 20 drives a cam plate 11 to rotate via a reduction mechanism 21. A spring 15 is provided between the abutment portion 2E on the side of the main body 2 and the abutment portion 13E near the lower end of the valve stem support 13, and the spring 15 pushes the valve stem support 13 downward as shown in Figure 1. The flow regulating valve 100 includes a cam plate side housing 14 and a valve stem support housing 16. The cam plate side housing 14 surrounds the cam follower 12 and the lower part of the cam plate 11 from a position near the lower end of the valve stem support 13. The valve stem support housing 16 surrounds the lower end of the valve stem support 13 and the spring 15 from a position near the lower end of the main body 2.

[0036] The thickness of the cam plate 11 (the thickness in the vertical direction in FIG. 1) varies smoothly in the radial and circumferential directions. The cam follower 12 is generally rod-shaped, with cam follower rollers 12A near both ends. These rollers 12A are rotatably pressed against the surface 11A (upper surface: FIG. 8 and FIG. 9) of the cam plate 11. The cam follower rollers 12A are rotatably pressed against the surface 11A of the cam plate 11 under the elastic force of the spring 15.

[0037] In FIG. 1, the two ends of the cam follower 12 are provided with elongated bore contact bearings 12B. The elongated bore contact bearings 12B are inserted into the elongated bores 14A formed in the cam plate side housing 14 (see FIG. 7) and can move in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) within the elongated bores 14A. The elongated bore contact bearings 12B are bearings capable of withstanding radial loads.

[0038] In FIG. 1, the cam follower 12 is positioned directly above the cam plate 11 and is connected via a connecting bearing 12C to the base 13A of the valve stem support 13 extending along the central axis C. The connecting bearing 12C is a bearing that bears thrust loads. The other end of the valve stem support 13 (the end away from the cam follower 12: the upper end in FIG. 1) is connected to the valve stem 1.

[0039] In FIG. 1, the reduction mechanism 21 is used to reduce and transmit the output speed of the motor 20, but its structure is not limited to that shown in the figure, and conventionally known structures can be used. However, in the illustrated embodiment, a reduction mechanism equipped with a thrust bearing or the like, capable of operating under conditions of high-pressure hydrogen gas, is used. Although not clearly shown in the figure, a thrust bearing can be mounted on the gear of the reduction mechanism 21. Among the gears constituting the reduction mechanism 21, the gear 21-1 positioned closest to the cam plate 11 is integrated with the cam plate 11 via a key 17. Although not shown in Figure 1, a control unit CU (see Figure 16) for controlling the flow rate of the flow regulating valve 100 is provided in the illustrated embodiment. Additionally, a device for measuring the flow rate of the motor 20 is provided.The measuring device 22 (rotation sensor: see specification 3 / 9 page 5 CN 121739163 A, see Figure 16) measures the rotation of the output shaft or the rotation of the gear constituting the reduction mechanism 21.

[0040] Next, the flow path regulating unit 10 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 6. In Figure 2, characteristic lines L1 (L11, L12) show the characteristics of the opening degree of the flow regulating valve 100 and the hydrogen flow rate. When the valve is opened from the closed state (origin of Figure 2), the flow rate gradually increases and moves to the upper region of Figure 2, and the flow rate moves from the small flow rate region R1 with a smaller opening degree to the large flow rate region R2 with a larger opening degree. In the small flow rate region R1, the slope θ1 of characteristic line L11 is small, and the pressure rise is also small, so damage to the fuel tank and various pipes of the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) to be filled can be reduced. On the other hand, in the large flow rate region R2, the slope θ2 of characteristic line L12 is large, so the hydrogen flow rate is large and the demand for high-speed hydrogen filling can be met. The operation of the flow regulating valve 100 in the small flow area R1 will be described below with reference to Figures 3 to 5, and the operation of the flow regulating valve 100 in the large flow area R2 will be described below with reference to Figure 6. In Figure 2, reference symbol L13 indicates the boundary between the small flow area R1 and the second flow area R2. The state at the boundary L13 will be described below with reference to Figure 5.

[0041] In Figure 3, the flow passage 3 is formed in the flow passage forming part 2C of the main body 2. The flow passage 3 has a small diameter part 3A that communicates with the outlet 2B, a large diameter part 3B that communicates with the flow passage inlet 2A, and a flow passage tapered part 3AT that connects them. Arrow 2A indicates the direction of the flow passage inlet. A valve stem front tapered part 1AT is formed on the inlet side (lower side in Figure 3) of the valve stem front end 1A, and the valve stem front tapered part 1AT is connected to the valve stem 1. In the state shown in Figure 3, the valve stem tip 1A is inserted into the small diameter portion 3A of the flow passage, and the valve stem tip tapered portion 1AT abuts against the flow passage tapered portion 3AT, thereby putting the flow regulating valve 100 in the closed state. In Figure 3, there is a small radial annular gap δ between the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem tip 1A and the inner peripheral surface of the flow passage small diameter portion 3A. When the flow regulating valve 100 is open, hydrogen flows through the annular gap δ at a small flow rate. In this case, the hydrogen flow rate depends on the flow resistance within the annular gap δ, and the flow resistance is determined by the valve stem axial length Lt (valve stem tip insertion length) of the valve stem tip 1A inserted into the flow passage small diameter portion 3A.

[0042] Figure 4 shows the state where the valve stem 1 has moved downward from the valve closed state shown in Figure 3. In Figure 4, the valve stem tip tapered portion 1AT separates from the flow passage tapered portion 3AT, and the flow regulating valve 100 is open. The valve stem tip insertion length Lt is shorter than that shown in Figure 3. In the state shown in Figure 4, the valve stem tip insertion length Lt is relatively long, so the flow passage within the annular gap δ is smaller.The flow resistance is relatively large, and the hydrogen flow rate through the gap δ is relatively small. When the valve stem 1 descends further and the insertion length Lt of the valve stem tip becomes shorter, the flow passage resistance within the gap δ decreases, and the hydrogen flow rate increases. In the flow regulating valve 100 according to the illustrated embodiment, the flow passage resistance can be changed by altering the insertion length Lt of the valve stem tip 1A into the small diameter portion 3A of the flow passage, thereby allowing for fine-tuning of the hydrogen flow rate through the annular gap δ.

[0043] In the state shown in FIG. 5, the end face 1AB of the valve stem tip 1A is aligned with the boundary 3C between the small diameter portion 3A and the tapered portion 3AT of the flow passage. In FIG. 5, the insertion length Lt of the valve stem tip (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) is zero. FIG. 5 shows the state of the boundary L13 (FIG. 2) between the small flow region R1 and the large flow region R2 in the flow regulating valve 100 shown.

[0044] Figure 6 shows the state where the valve stem 1 is further lowered from the state in Figure 5, wherein the end face 1AB of the valve stem tip 1A is located below the boundary 3C between the small diameter portion 3A of the flow passage and the conical portion 3AT of the flow passage. The flow passage through which hydrogen flows is formed by the area between the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem tip 1A and the inner peripheral surface of the conical portion 3AT of the flow passage, and its cross-sectional area is much larger than the annular gap δ, resulting in low flow passage resistance and high hydrogen flow rate (high flow rate region R2). Moreover, when the valve stem 1 is further lowered from the state in Figure 6, the cross-sectional area of ​​the hydrogen flow passage increases sharply. The flow regulating valve 100 shown in the figure can continuously and smoothly complete the transition from the closed state to the low flow rate state and then to the high flow rate state by moving the valve stem tip 1A from the small diameter portion 3A of the flow passage towards the arrow 2A side (downward). Under continuous operation, when the valve is opened immediately after being closed, the hydrogen flow rate is low, and the flow rate gradually increases (low flow rate region R1), and after the state shown in Figure 5 (L13 in Figure 2), the hydrogen flow rate increases rapidly (high flow rate region R2). Here, the configuration of the flow path regulating unit 10 shown in Figures 2 to 6 is merely an example. The flow path regulating unit 10 in the illustrated embodiment can adopt the same configuration as the flow regulating valve shown in, for example, JP2021-196001A. Specification 4 / 9 pages 6 CN 121739163 A

[0045] In Figure 7, elongated holes 14A are formed on both sides of the cam plate side housing 14, and elongated hole contact bearings 12B provided at both ends of the cam follower 12 (Figure 8) are inserted into the elongated holes 14A. Therefore, when the cam plate 11 (Figure 8) rotates due to the rotation of the motor 20 transmitted via the reduction mechanism 21, the valve stem support 13 and the valve stem 1 do not rotate around the central axis C, but move in the direction of the central axis C.

[0046] As shown in Figures 1 and 8, the valve stem support 13 is coupled around the cam follower 12, and the valve stem support 13 and the cam follower 12 are pressed against the cam plate 11 by the spring 15. When the cam plate 11 rotates via the motor 20, due to the cam plateThe tilting of the upper surface 11A of 11 causes the cam follower 12 and the valve stem support 13 to move along the central axis C of the valve stem 1.

[0047] In FIG8, when the cam plate 11 rotates, the tilting of the cam plate surface 11A causes the position of the cam plate surface 11A contacted by the two cam follower rollers 12A near the two ends of the cam follower 12 to change along the central axis C, thereby causing the cam follower 12 to move along the central axis C. When the cam follower 12 moves along the central axis C, the valve stem 1 (FIG. 1) moves via the valve stem support 13 (FIG. 1) connected to the cam follower 12, thereby adjusting the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100. In other words, by controlling the rotation angle of the cam plate 11, the position of the cam follower 12 and the valve stem 1 in the central axis C direction can be adjusted, thereby controlling the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the electric motor 20 serves as the power source, and the cam plate 11 and cam follower 12 convert the rotational motion into linear motion, thereby causing the valve body 1AT (Figures 3 to 6) to reciprocate along the axial direction C of the valve stem 1 to adjust the valve opening. Furthermore, according to the illustrated embodiment, a helical mechanism that converts rotational motion into linear motion is not used; therefore, the pressure of the high-pressure hydrogen gas, which is the working fluid, does not act on the threads of the helical mechanism, and thus the threaded portion does not experience wear or damage. This improves the durability of the flow control valve 100. Moreover, by appropriately providing bearings in the cam follower 12, the valve stem support 13, and the reduction mechanism 21 to reduce resistance, the cam plate 11 can be rotated to adjust the position of the valve stem 1 in the direction of the central axis C without requiring a large amount of power; therefore, a large actuator or gas valve is not required as in the prior art. Furthermore, by measuring the rotation amount of the motor 20 or the rotation amount at a specific position in the reduction mechanism 21, the positions of the cam plate surface 11A and the cam follower 12 can be determined. By controlling the rotation amount, the position of the valve stem 1 in the direction of the central axis C can be precisely controlled, thereby precisely controlling the flow rate of the high-pressure gas.

[0049] As shown in FIG9, the cam surface 11A is formed with inclined surfaces 11S (11S-1, 11S-2), flat surfaces 11F (11F-11, 11F-12, 11F-21, 11F-22) and a step portion 11ST corresponding to the displacement of the valve stem 1 (FIG. 1). The inclined surfaces 11S and flat surfaces 11F are formed symmetrically about the center point of the opening 11B at the center of the cam plate 11. The flat surface 11F is provided to prevent the inconvenience caused by the excessive rotation of the motor 20 (FIG. 1) and the excessive rotation of the cam plate 11, which would cause the valve opening to deviate from the predetermined range. In other words, due to the presence of the flat surface 11F, even if the motor 20 and the cam plate 11 rotate excessively, the valve stem 1 will not undergo displacement beyond the necessary range, thereby preventing the valve opening from becoming greater or less than the predetermined amount, and ensuring flow regulation.Valve 100 opens and closes within a predetermined range. This prevents damage to the valve seat 3AT and valve stem 1.

[0050] Inclined surfaces 11S-1 and 11S-2 gradually protrude from the same height as flat surfaces 11F-11 and 11F-21 in the direction of movement SU of valve stem 1 relative to flat surfaces 11F-11 and 11F-21 along the arrow SU direction in the circumferential direction CL. When inclined surfaces 11S-1 and 11S-2 pass their most protruding positions in the arrow SU direction, they reach flat surfaces 11F-12 and 11F-22. The circumferential distance of flat surfaces 11F-11 and 11F-21 is shorter than the circumferential distance of inclined surfaces 11S-1 and 11S-2. Stepped portions 11ST are formed at the boundary between flat surfaces 11F-12 and 11F-21, and at the boundary between flat surfaces 11F-22 and 11F-11. In Figure 9, the height of the step portion 11ST along the direction of arrow SU is represented by the symbol H. The height H of the step portion 11ST is equal to the distance the valve stem center axis moves when the valve at the valve stem front end 1A is quickly opened (Figure 3), or equal to the distance from the position of the valve stem front end 1A in Figure 3 (the closed position of the flow regulating valve 100) to the position of the valve stem front end 1A in Figure 6 (the large flow area of ​​the flow regulating valve 100). Specification 5 / 9 pages 7 CN 121739163 A

[0051] The flow regulating valve 100 is mainly described with reference to Figure 9 in the case of normal opening and closing and rapid opening achieved by the rotation of the cam plate 11. When the valve is normally open and closed, the cam plate 11 rotates, the cam follower rod 12 does not rotate, but the cam follower rollers 12A near both ends of the cam follower rod 12, on one side contact the inclined surfaces 11S-1, 11S-2 of the cam plate 11, and on the other side are in a point-symmetrical state with respect to the center opening 11B of the cam plate 11, and move (rotate) relative to the cam plate 11. At this time, the axial position of the valve stem 1 is determined based on the amount of protrusion of the inclined surface 11S towards the valve stem 1 at the contact position between the cam driven roller 12A and the inclined surface 11S (the amount of protrusion towards the arrow SU side), thereby adjusting the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100. For example, when the cam plate 11 moves forward in the direction of arrow CL, the protrusion increases, and the valve stem 1 moves in the direction of closing the flow regulating valve 100. Conversely, when the cam plate 11 moves in the opposite direction of arrow CL, the protrusion decreases, and the valve stem 1 moves in the direction of opening the flow regulating valve 100. When the protrusion increases and the contact position reaches the position of the adjacent flat surface 11F-12 or 11F-22, the flow regulating valve 100 is closed. Conversely, when the protrusion decreases and the contact position reaches the position of the adjacent flat surface 11F-11 or 11F-21, the flow regulating valve 100 is opened.

[0052] When the cam plate 11 rotates from the closed state of the flow regulating valve 100 in the direction of arrow CL, the cam driven roller 12A and the inclined surface 11S at the contact position of the cam driven roller 12A and the inclined surface 11S, the axial position of the valve stem 100 is determined based on the amount of protrusion of the inclined surface 11S towards the valve stem 1, thereby adjusting the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100.The contact position of the inclined surface 11S crosses the step 11ST and moves to the flat surface 11F-11 or 11F-21. At this time, the cam follower roller 12A descends in the direction of arrow SU by an amount equivalent to the height H of the step 11ST, and the valve stem 1 moves in the direction of opening the flow regulating valve 100. As a result, the flow regulating valve 100 instantly changes from the closed state to the fully open state (the valve opens rapidly).

[0053] Figure 10 shows the assembled state of the cam plate 11, the cam follower rod 12, the cam follower roller 12A and the valve stem support 13, wherein the upper end of the valve stem support 13 is connected to the valve stem 1. As shown in Figure 1, the lower end of the valve stem support 13 is connected to the cam follower rod (cam follower) 12. The portion of the cam follower roller 12A that abuts against the cam plate surface (upper surface) 11A is formed in a frustoconical shape. In the cam follower 12, a first thrust bearing 12D, a thrust bearing housing component 12E, a second thrust bearing 12F, and a fastening component 12G are provided on the radially outer side of the cam follower roller 12A. The second thrust bearing 12F and the thrust bearing housing component 12E constitute the elongated bore contact bearing 12B in Figures 1, 7, and 8.

[0054] As shown in Figure 11, which is an exploded cross-sectional view of the mounting structure of the cam follower roller 12A, a bearing 12H bearing a radial load is provided inside the cam follower roller 12A. A bearing 12I bearing a radial load is provided inside the thrust bearing housing component 12E. The first thrust bearing 12D is provided on the radially inner side of the thrust bearing housing component 12E (along the axial direction of the cam follower 12, on the left side in Figure 11), and the second thrust bearing 12F is provided on the radially outer side (along the axial direction of the cam follower 12, on the right side in Figure 11). As will be described later with reference to FIG. 14, the force indicated by symbol RA always acts radially outward on the truncated conical member of the cam follower roller 12A. However, the first thrust bearing 12D supports the radially outward force RA, thereby preventing the cam follower roller 12A from moving radially outward. In addition, the first thrust bearing 12D also has the function of absorbing the rotational difference between the rotatable cam follower roller 12A and the non-rotating thrust bearing receiving member 12E. The two cam follower rollers 12A arranged on the cam follower rod 12 rotate in opposite directions to each other, causing the rod 12 to twist. The second thrust bearing 12F has the function of absorbing the twist of the rod and preventing the fastening member 12G from loosening due to twisting.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 12, a problem arises when the cam follower roller 12A is cylindrical (prior art), unlike the embodiment shown. When the cam plate 11 rotates, the cylindrical member 12P, which is the cam follower roller, rolls along the cam plate surface 11A in a circular trajectory such as trajectory α. At this time, the distance the cam-driven roller moves on the cam plate surface 11A varies depending on the distance from the rotation center point of the cam plate 11. On the other hand, since the distance traveled by the cylindrical member 12P during one revolution is constant,This cylindrical component 12P will slide at a certain point in dimension R. To solve this problem, the ratio of the travel distance of the cam follower 12 to the travel distance of the cam follower roller 12A in one revolution needs to be equal, regardless of the distance from the rotation center of the cam plate 11.

[0056] In contrast, in the illustrated embodiment, the cam follower roller 12A is a truncated cone component. When the virtual vertex VT of the cam follower roller 12A (the vertex of the virtual cone when the cam follower roller 12A is conical) coincides with the rotation center RC of the cam plate 11, and the intersection of the extended lines of the two sides of the truncated cone coincides with the rotation center RC of the cam plate 11, the travel distance of the cam follower 12 is equal to the travel distance of the cam follower roller 12A after one revolution, thereby preventing slippage. In the illustrated embodiment, the virtual vertex VT of the truncated cone cam follower roller 12A is configured to coincide with the rotation center RC of the cam plate 11.

[0057] Figure 14 shows the cam driven roller 12A on the cam plate surface 11A when viewed from the side. Due to the high pressure of the working gas, the downward pressure F1 always acts on the cam driven roller 12A, and therefore, the radially outward force RA always acts on the cam driven roller 12A. The first thrust bearing 12D shown in Figures 10 and 11 is used to support the radially outward force RA acting on the cam driven roller 12A.

[0058] The opening and closing control of the flow regulating valve 100 described above is described below with reference to Figure 15. In Figure 15, in step S1, the rotation amount of the motor 20 (Figure 1) is measured using the rotation amount measuring device 22 (see Figure 16). When measuring the rotation amount, the rotation amount of any gear in the reduction mechanism 21 (Figure 1) can be measured, without measuring the motor 20. In step S2, the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100 is calculated and determined based on the rotation amount (rotation amount of the motor 20 or any gear in the reduction mechanism 21) measured in step S1. When calculating the valve opening of the flow control valve 100, the amount of movement of the valve stem 1 along the central axis C is calculated based on the amount of rotation measured in step S1, thereby calculating the valve opening of the flow control valve 100. Here, various parameters can be determined by calculation, but mathematical expressions or graphs representing the interrelationships can also be specified in advance, and the necessary parameters can be determined based on the mathematical expressions or graphs.

[0059] In the next step S3, the valve opening of the flow control valve 100 calculated and determined in step S2 is compared with the target value (valve opening in FIG2). The target value of the valve opening is, for example, a target value with elapsed time as a parameter, such as the characteristic shown in FIG2, but it can also be determined by parameters other than elapsed time. In step S4, in response to the comparison result of step S3, it is determined whether the valve opening of the flow control valve 100 determined in step S2 is within the predetermined range of the target value. IfIf the determination result of step S4 is that the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100 is less than a predetermined range of the target value, the process proceeds to step S5; if the valve opening is greater than the predetermined range of the target value, the process proceeds to step S6. Then, if the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100 is within the predetermined range of the target value (step S4 is "yes"), the motor 20 does not rotate and the process proceeds to step S7.

[0060] In step S5 (when the valve opening is less than the predetermined range of the target value), the motor 20 rotates a predetermined small amount in the direction of increasing the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100. In step S6 (when the valve opening is greater than the predetermined range of the target value), the motor 20 rotates a predetermined small amount in the direction of decreasing the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100. In step S7 (when the valve opening is within the predetermined range of the target value), it is determined whether the hydrogen filling using the system including the flow regulating valve 100 is complete. If it is determined in step S7 that "filling is complete" (step S7 is "Yes"), the hydrogen filling operation is completed; if it is determined that "filling is not complete" (step S7 is "No"), the process returns to step S1 (a loop where step S7 is "No"). Although not shown in FIG15, in the case of rapid valve opening, it is determined whether the flow regulating valve 100 is in the closed state, and it is determined whether rapid opening is required according to the hydrogen filling protocol. When rapid opening is required, the motor 20 rotates, causing the contact position between the cam driven roller 12A and the inclined surface 11S of the cam plate 11 to move from the flat surfaces 11F-12, 11F-22 via the step portion 11ST to the flat surfaces 11F-21, 11F-11.

[0061] The control unit CU for controlling the opening and closing of the flow regulating valve 100 described with reference to FIG15 will be described with reference to FIG16. In FIG16, the control unit CU has a valve opening determination module B1, a comparison module B2, a control signal output module B3, and a storage module B4. The valve opening determination module B1 obtains the rotational amount detection value from the motor rotational amount detection sensor (measuring device) 22, which measures the rotational amount of the motor 20, via the signal transmission line SL1. As described above, in addition to measuring the rotational amount of the motor 20, the rotational amount of any gear in the reduction mechanism 21 can also be measured. The valve opening determination module B1 obtains the "characteristic of rotational amount of motor 20 - valve opening of flow control valve 100" stored in the storage module B4 via the signal transmission line SL2. The relationship between the rotational amount of the motor 20 and the amount of protrusion along the central axis direction at the contact position between the inclined surface 11S of the cam plate and the cam driven roller 12A (the amount of movement of rod 1, valve stem tip 1A along the central axis C direction) or the valve opening of the flow control valve 100 is predetermined, and the valve opening of the flow control valve 100 can be calculated from the rotational amount of the motor 20, etc., based on this predetermined relationship.

[0062] The valve opening determination module B1 has the following function: by comparing the acquired detection values ​​such as the rotation amount of the motor 20 with the "characteristic of the rotation amount of the motor 20 - the valve opening of the flow control valve 100", it calculates and determines the valve opening of the flow control valve 100. The "valve opening of the flow control valve 100" determined by the valve opening determination module B1 is transmitted to the comparison module B2 via the signal transmission line SL3.

[0063] The comparison module B2 obtains the target value of the valve opening of the flow control valve 100 (for example, a target value with elapsed time as a parameter) from the storage module B4 via the signal transmission line SL4. The function of the comparison module B2 is to compare the valve opening of the flow control valve 100 determined in the valve opening determination module B1 with the target value of the valve opening. The comparison result of the comparison module B2 is transmitted to the control signal output module B3 via the signal transmission line SL5.

[0064] The function of the control signal output module B3 is to output a control signal to the motor 20 via the signal transmission line SL6 based on the comparison result of the comparison module B2, so that the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100 reaches the target value (or a value within a predetermined range of the target value). As described in steps S5 and S6 of FIG15, the control signal is either a "control signal that causes the motor 20 to rotate in the direction of increasing the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100" or a "control signal that causes the motor 20 to rotate in the direction of decreasing the valve opening of the flow regulating valve 100". The function of the storage module B4 is to store the information and data required for the opening and closing control of the flow regulating valve 100 and provide them to the various functional modules as needed. The information and data stored in the storage module B4 include, for example, specification data related to the components constituting the flow control valve 100 (valve stem 1, body 2, flow passage 3, cam plate 11, inclined surface 11S of cam plate 11, cam follower 12, motor 20, reduction mechanism 21), characteristics of the rotation amount of motor 20 versus the valve opening of flow control valve 100, and target values ​​for the valve opening of flow control valve 100.

[0065] Next, the sealing mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 17, 18, and 19. In order to prevent high-pressure hydrogen from leaking from the sliding part of valve stem 1, a sealing mechanism 30 is provided in the flow control valve 100 at the sliding position of valve stem support 13. To avoid complicated illustration, the sealing mechanism 30 is not shown in FIG. 1.

[0066] In FIG. 18, the hollow cylindrical-flange composite member 33 has a hollow cylindrical region (body) 33A extending along the central axis direction (vertical direction), and the hollow cylindrical-flange composite member 33 is inserted into and arranged in the hollow portion 32A (FIG. 17) at the radial center of the C-ring 32. This prevents the C-ring 32 from radially contracting inward. The body 33A of the hollow cylindrical-flange composite member 33 forms a radially outward extending flange 33B, and a support ring 34 and an O-ring 35 are disposed on the flange 33B.(Figure 17). The support ring 34 is positioned above the O-ring 35, which is sandwiched between the two support rings 34 from above and below. The sealing mechanism 30 shown in Figure 17 is composed of multi-stage stacked units C32-35, each unit C32-35 consisting of an O-ring 35, two support rings 34, 34, a hollow cylindrical-flange composite member 33, and a C-ring 32. Figure 17 shows the units C32-35 stacked in two stages.

[0067] With this configuration, an enlarged diameter portion 31A that can mate with the C-ring 32 can be formed without increasing the inner diameter of the hollow portion of the valve stem actuation valve stem 13, thereby easily arranging the sealing mechanism 30 composed of multiple stacked units C32-35 and reliably preventing high-pressure hydrogen leakage. The sealing mechanism 30 can be arranged at any axial sliding position other than the valve stem actuation valve stem 13 sliding position. Although not shown in the figure, a cup seal can be used instead of the O-ring 35. In this case, the cup-shaped seal is preferably arranged with the opening direction facing upward (towards the outlet 2B side in FIG1).

[0068] The C-shaped ring 32 shown in FIG19 is made of metal and is C-shaped. A portion of the ring is cut off circumferentially, and a plurality of slits 32B are formed circumferentially at approximately equal intervals (four in the illustrated embodiment). The formation of the slits 32B allows the C-shaped ring 32 to easily expand radially outward, and the body 33A of the hollow cylindrical-flange composite member 33 can easily be inserted into the hollow portion 32A at the radial center of the C-shaped ring 32. The slits 32B can be formed in fewer than three places, or in five or more places (e.g., two to six places). The central axial dimension TS (vertical direction in FIG1) of the C-shaped ring 32 is set to be greater than the radial dimension TR. The ratio of the radial dimension TR to the central axial dimension TS of the C-shaped ring 32 is set in the range of 1:1 to 1:10. This is because if the axial dimension TS of the C-ring 32 is thicker, the C-ring 32 is less likely to shrink in the radial direction. The central axis dimension TS of the C-ring 32 is set to a value that can resist shear forces acting in the direction of the central axis. The radial thickness of the C-ring 32 is thinner at the slit 32B. As described above, the body 33A of the hollow cylindrical / flange composite member 33 is inserted into the hollow portion 32A of the C-ring 32, and the flange 33B of the hollow cylindrical / flange composite member 33 is arranged adjacent to and above the C-ring 32, covering the C-ring 32. Therefore, even if the radial thickness is thinned due to the slit, there is no risk of impairing the function of the sealing mechanism 30.

[0069] The support ring 34, not shown separately in the figure, is made of resin and prevents a portion of the O-ring 35 from elongating under high pressure and entering the gap with the inner wall (referred to as "O-ring protrusion")—which would cause the O-ring 35 to break at the point of entry.

[0070] It should be noted that the embodiments shown are merely examples and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0071] [Symbol Explanation]

[0072] 1 Valve stem

[0073] 1A Small diameter front end

[0074] 2 Main body

[0075] 3 Flow passage

[0076] 3A Small diameter flow passage

[0077] 3B Large diameter flow passage

[0078] 11 Cam plate

[0079] 11A Cam surface (upper surface of cam plate)

[0080] 12 Cam follower (cam follower)

[0081] 12A Cam follower roller

[0082] 13 Valve stem support

[0083] 20 Motor

[0084] 21 Reduction mechanism

[0085] 22 Measuring device

[0086] 100 Flow regulating valve

[0087] C Valve stem center axis

[0088] CU Control unit

[0089] Lt Dimensions of valve stem insertion into the flow passage

[0090] RC Cam plate rotation center

[0091] δ Clearance between the outer periphery of the valve stem front end and the inner periphery of the small diameter portion of the flow passage Instruction manual 9 / 9 page 11 CN 121739163 A Figure 1 Instruction manual Figure 1 / 17 page 12 CN 121739163 A Figure 2 Instruction manual Figure 2 / 17 page 13 CN 121739163 A Figure 3 Instruction manual Figure 3 / 17 page 14 CN 121739163 A Figure 4 Instruction manual Figure 4 / 17 page 15 CN 121739163 A Figure 5 Instruction manual Figure 5 / 17 page 16 CN 121739163 A Figure 6 Instruction manual Figure 6 / 17 page 17 CN 121739163 A Figure 7 Instruction manual Figure 7 / 17 page 18 CN 121739163 A Figure 8 Instruction manual Figure 8 / 17 page 19 CN Figure 9 of the instruction manual (Figure 9 / 17, page 20) CN 121739163 A Figure 10 of the instruction manual (Figure 10 / 17, page 21) CN 121739163 A Figure 11 of the instruction manual (Figure 11 / 17, page 22) CN 121739163 A Figure 12 of the instruction manual (Figure 12 / 17, page 23) CN 121739163 A Figure 14 of the instruction manual (Figure 13 / 17, page 24) CN 121739163 A Figure 15 of the instruction manual (Figure 14 / 17, page 25) CN 121739163 A Figure 16 of the instruction manual (Figure 15 / 17, page 26) CN121739163 A FIG. 17 FIG. 18 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Page 16 / 17, Sheet 27 CN 121739163 A FIG. 19 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Page 17 / 17, Sheet 28 CN 121739163 A Abstract The present invention provides a flow rate regulating valve that handles high-pressure gas as a working fluid, which can withstand and operate under the load caused by the high pressure of the high-pressure gas, and is resistant to wear. The flow rate regulating valve (100) of the present invention includes: a valve stem (1) whose flow passage cross-sectional area and flow rate vary depending on a size of the valve stem (1) inserted into a flow passage (3); a cam plate (11) having a slope formed on its surface (11A); a drive source (20) for rotating the cam plate (11); and a cam follower (cam follower rod) (12) having a truncated cone-shaped roller (12A) pressed against the surface (11A) of the cam plate (11), the roller (12A) rolling on the surface (11A) of the cam plate (11) to move the valve stem (1) in an axial direction of the valve stem (1), wherein the surface (11A) of thecam plate (11) is complementary in shape to the roller (12A) of the cam follower (12).

Claims

1. A flow regulating valve, comprising: The valve stem, whose flow passage cross-sectional area and flow rate vary according to the dimensions of the valve stem inserted into the flow passage; A cam plate, the surface of which is formed with an inclined surface; The drive source for rotating the cam plate; and A cam follower having a truncated conical roller pressing against the surface of a cam plate, the roller rolling on the surface of the cam plate to move the valve stem along its axial direction. The shape of the surface of the cam plate is complementary to the shape of the roller of the cam follower.

2. The flow regulating valve according to claim 1, wherein, The cam plate rotates around the intersection of the extensions of the ridge line of the truncated conical roller.

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