Pinch valve and pinch valve assembly

Abstract

To provide a pinch valve and a pinch valve assembly excellent in durability, generating less foreign matters, having a relatively simple structure, and capable of being miniaturized.SOLUTION: A pinch valve 10 includes: joints 14, 14 formed on both widthwise sides of a film laminate 13 consisting of a first film 11 and a second film 12; and a flow passage forming body 16 including joint portions 14, 14 and a non-joint portion 15 formed between the joint portions; wherein by sandwiching the non-joint portion 15 between a planar pressing portion 21 of a first pressing member 20 and a linear pressing portion 41 of a second pressing member 40, a flow path 17 in the non-joint portion 15 can be blocked, and the first pressing member 20 is directly or indirectly connected to the upper surface (first film 11) of the substantially central portion of the non-joint portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16, and the second pressing member 40 is directly or indirectly connected to an underside (second film 12) of the non-joint portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16, and the opening degree of the flow path 17 can be adjusted by moving the first pressing member 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pinch valve and a pinch valve assembly that are highly durable, produce little foreign matter, and have a relatively simple structure that allows for miniaturization. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a pinch valve includes a tube made of elastomer or soft resin, and adjusts the opening of a flow path formed inside the tube by pinching the tube with pressing members arranged on both sides of the tube. In such a pinch valve, it is difficult to close the flow path with high precision, and the opening and closing of the flow path causes the tube to bend repeatedly, which makes the tube prone to breakage at the bent parts (and there is also a risk that broken pieces of the tube may become mixed into the fluid inside the flow path as foreign matter). In response to this, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 2763858) discloses a plastic valve in which a tubular contractible valve portion (28) made of plastic has a pair of flexible side walls (29, 30), a flow path (35) provided between the side walls (29, 30), and a pair of elastic side ribs (31, 32) joining the side walls (29, 30), and the flexible side walls (29, 30) are formed from a number of thin pieces (33, 34) of a flexible, corrosion-resistant plastic film. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 (JP Patent Publication No. 2002-520552) discloses a plastic valve comprising a valve element (28) having a first side portion (50) and a second side portion (51), each of which is made up of a plurality of layers, a yoke member (38) operable in a direction toward and away from the valve element (28), and a pair of link members (42, 44), the link members (42, 44) being connected to the side portions (50, 51) of the valve element (28). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 2763858 [Patent Document 2] Special table 2002-520552 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The plastic valve disclosed in Patent Document 1 is structured so that when the valve is opened (when the flow path is switched from a closed state to a flowing state), the clamping pressure on the side wall is relaxed to reopen the flow path, and it is also disclosed that when the clamping pressure is relaxed, the side wall is elastically biased by the side rib. However, such a structure is premised on utilizing the pressure (positive pressure) of the fluid inside the flow path, and there are problems with the responsiveness when the valve is opened and the accuracy of the flow path opening adjustment being insufficient. In contrast, the plastic valve disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a structure that actively expands the flow path by connecting the link members to the sides of the valve element (specifically, bosses (54, 56) are provided on the outer layers (124, 126) of the opposing sides (50, 51) of the valve element (28), respectively, and clamp portions (46, 48) are connected to the bosses (54, 56, thereby connecting the link members (42, 44) to the opposing sides (50, 51) of the valve element (28) by the clamp members (46, 48). However, such a plastic valve has a complex structure that includes a yoke member and a link member, which makes it difficult to miniaturize the valve itself, and also poses a high risk of failure due to the complex structure. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a pinch valve and a pinch valve assembly which are highly durable, produce little foreign matter, and have a relatively simple structure and can be made compact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The above objectives are achieved by the following: (1) A pinch valve comprising: a film laminate consisting of a first film made of resin and a second film made of resin arranged on a lower surface of the first film; a flow path former having opposing joints formed on both widthwise sides of the film laminate and a non-jointed portion formed between the opposing joints; a first pressing member disposed on the first film side and moved by an actuator to press the first film against and separate the second film at the non-jointed portion; and a second pressing member disposed on the second film side so as to face the first pressing member across the non-jointed portion of the flow path former, the first pressing member has a planar pressing portion capable of contacting an upper surface of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and the second pressing member faces the planar pressing portion and has a linear pressing portion extending across the non-jointed portion on a lower surface of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and is capable of blocking a flow path formed within the non-jointed portion by sandwiching the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body between the planar pressing portion and the linear pressing portion, Furthermore, the first pressing member is directly or indirectly connected to an upper surface of approximately the center of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and the second pressing member is directly or indirectly connected to a lower surface of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, so that the opening degree of the flow path formed in the non-jointed portion can be adjusted by moving the first pressing member.

[0006] (2) The pinch valve according to (1) above, wherein the first film and the second film are flexible flat films. (3) The pinch valve according to (1) above, wherein the first film and the second film are flexible flat films having substantially no elasticity. (4) The pinch valve according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the first pressing member is fixed to an upper surface of the non-joint portion of the flow passage forming body. (5) A pinch valve as described in any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the first film is formed from a thermoplastic resin, the first pressing member comprises a first pressing member main body member made of a thermoplastic resin, and a first pressing member joining member made of a thermoplastic resin that is arranged at the lower part of the first pressing member main body member and can be heat-sealed to the first pressing member main body member and the first film, the first pressing member joining member is heat-sealed to the first pressing member main body member, and an upper surface of the first film is heat-sealed to the first pressing member joining member. (6) A pinch valve as described in (5) above, wherein the first pressing member joining member is heat-sealed to the first film at two locations spaced apart along the flow path so as to sandwich the first pressing member main body member. (7) A pinch valve as described in (5) or (6) above, wherein the first pressing member joining member is a film-like member, and the first pressing member main body member is heat-sealed to the upper surface of the first pressing member joining member by laser welding, and the upper surface of the first film is heat-sealed to the lower surface of the first pressing member joining member by laser welding. (8) A pinch valve according to any one of (5) to (7) above, wherein the lower surface of the first pressing member joining member is laser welded to the upper surface of the first film from the first pressing member joining member side. (9) A pinch valve as described in any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein the second film is formed of a thermoplastic resin, the second pressing member includes a rod-shaped member forming the linear pressing portion, and a second pressing member joining member made of a thermoplastic resin that can be heat-sealed to the second film, and the second pressing member joining member is heat-sealed to the second film at two locations spaced apart along the flow path so as to sandwich the rod-shaped member. (10) The pinch valve according to (9) above, wherein the second pressing member joining member is heat-sealed to the second film by laser welding. (11) The pinch valve according to (9) or (10) above, wherein the second pressing member joining member is laser welded to the second film from the second pressing member joining member side. (12) A pinch valve described in any one of (1) to (11) above, wherein the first film and the second film are PFA or PTFE having a melt flow rate of 4 g / 10 min or less, modified PTFE, crosslinked PTFE, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of 1 million or more. (13) The pinch valve according to any one of (1) to (12) above, wherein the first film and the second film have a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.4 mm. (14) A pinch valve according to any one of (1) to (13) above, further comprising a connecting member joined to an end of the flow path for connecting to an external pipe. (15) A pinch valve as described in any of (1) to (14) above, comprising a connecting member joined to an end of the flow path for connecting to an external piping, wherein the first film, the second film, and the connecting member are conductive or antistatic.

[0007] The above objective is also achieved by the following: (16) A pinch valve assembly comprising an upper housing member that houses an actuator, a lower housing member disposed below the upper housing member, and a pinch valve having a flow passage formation disposed between the upper housing member and the lower housing member, A pinch valve assembly, wherein the pinch valve is a pinch valve as described in any one of (1) to (15) above. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The pinch valve of the present invention comprises a film laminate consisting of a first resin film and a second resin film arranged on the lower surface of the first film, a flow path forming body having opposing joints formed on both widthwise sides of the film laminate and a non-jointed portion formed between the opposing joints, a first pressing member disposed on the first film side and moved by an actuator to press the first film against the second film at the non-jointed portion and separate the first film from the second film, and a second pressing member disposed on the second film side so as to face the first pressing member across the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, The first pressing member has a planar pressing portion that can contact the upper surface of the joint, and the second pressing member faces the planar pressing portion and has a linear pressing portion that extends across the lower surface of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and the planar pressing portion and the linear pressing portion sandwich the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body to block the flow path formed within the non-jointed portion. Furthermore, the first pressing member is directly or indirectly connected to the upper surface of approximately the center of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and the second pressing member is directly or indirectly connected to the lower surface of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and the opening degree of the flow path formed within the non-jointed portion can be adjusted by moving the first pressing member. As a result, the pinch valve of the present invention is highly durable, produces little foreign matter, and has a relatively simple structure that allows for miniaturization.

[0009] The pinch valve assembly of the present invention also comprises an upper housing member that accommodates an actuator, a lower housing member that is arranged below the upper housing member, and a pinch valve having a flow path formation that is arranged between the upper housing member and the lower housing member, and the pinch valve has the configuration described above. As a result, the pinch valve assembly of the present invention is highly durable, produces little foreign matter, and has a relatively simple structure that allows for miniaturization. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a pinch valve assembly of the present invention. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a right side view of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, illustrating the upper housing member and the lower housing member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2, and is an explanatory view showing a blocked state of the flow passage. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the CC cross section of FIG. 4, and is an explanatory view showing the first pressing member, the flow path forming body, and the second pressing member. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2, and is an explanatory view showing a state in which the flow passage is opened from a closed state. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the DD cross section of FIG. 6, and is an explanatory view showing the first pressing member, the flow path forming body, and the second pressing member. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged explanatory view of a portion E in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged explanatory view of a portion F in FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a front view showing a pinch valve of the pinch valve assembly shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a left side view of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an enlarged plan view of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an enlarged bottom view of FIG. [Figure 14] 14 is an enlarged plan view showing a first pressing member of the pinch valve shown in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line G-G of FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a bottom view of FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 8 for explaining another embodiment of the pinch valve (pinch valve assembly) of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 8 for explaining another embodiment of the pinch valve (pinch valve assembly) of the present invention. [Figure 19]19 is an enlarged plan view showing a first pressing member and a flow path forming body of the pinch valve (pinch valve assembly) shown in FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 8 for explaining another embodiment of the pinch valve (pinch valve assembly) of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 9 for explaining another embodiment of the pinch valve (pinch valve assembly) of the present invention. [Figure 22] 22 is an enlarged bottom view showing a second pressing member and a flow path forming body of the pinch valve (pinch valve assembly) shown in FIG. 21. FIG. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a plan view of a flow passage forming body in another embodiment of the pinch valve (pinch valve assembly) of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The pinch valve and pinch valve assembly of the present invention will now be described with reference to the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawings.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 to 16, the pinch valve 10 of the present invention comprises a film laminate 13 consisting of a first resin film 11 and a second resin film 12 arranged on the underside of the first film 11, a flow path forming body 16 having opposing joints 14, 14 formed on both widthwise sides of the film laminate 13 and a non-jointed portion 15 formed between the opposing joints 14, 14, a first pressing member 20 arranged on the first film 11 side and moved by an actuator 60 to press and separate the first film 11 from the second film 12 at the non-jointed portion 15, and a second pressing member 40 arranged on the second film 12 side so as to face the first pressing member 20 across the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16. The first pressing member 20 has a planar pressing portion 21 that can come into contact with the upper surface of the non-bonded portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 (here, the upper surface of the first film 11), and the second pressing member 40 faces the planar pressing portion 21 and has a linear pressing portion 41 that extends across the non-bonded portion 15 on the lower surface of the non-bonded portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 (here, the lower surface of the second film 12), so that the flow path 17 formed within the non-bonded portion 15 can be blocked by sandwiching the non-bonded portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 between the planar pressing portion 21 and the linear pressing portion 41. Furthermore, the first pressing member 20 is directly or indirectly connected to the upper surface of approximately the center of the non-bonded portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 (here, the upper surface of approximately the center in the width direction of the first film 11), and the second pressing member 40 is directly or indirectly connected to the lower surface of the non-bonded portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 (here, the lower surface of the second film 12), so that the opening degree of the flow path 17 formed in the non-bonded portion 15 can be adjusted by moving the first pressing member 20.

[0013] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 16, the pinch valve assembly 1 of the present invention comprises an upper housing member 70 that accommodates the actuator 60, a lower housing member 90 arranged below the upper housing member 70, and the above-mentioned pinch valve 10 having a flow path formation body 16 arranged between the upper housing member 70 and the lower housing member 90.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the upper housing member 70 of the pinch valve assembly 1 includes a first upper housing member 71 and a second upper housing member 72 .

[0015] The first upper housing member 71 has an outer shape of a generally rectangular prism extending vertically, and has a generally circular cross section (internal space) 73 formed therein. The upper part of the first upper housing member 71 is closed. As shown in Fig. 4, the side wall part (the left side wall part in Fig. 4) of the first upper housing member 71 is provided with two air inlets (an upper air inlet 74 and a lower air inlet 75) that communicate between the outside and the inside (internal space 73) of the upper housing member 70 (the first upper housing member 71).

[0016] The second upper housing member 72 is disposed below the first upper housing member 71, and has a generally rectangular prism-like outer shape extending vertically, with a through-hole 76 having a generally circular cross section and extending vertically in the center. As shown in Fig. 3, a pair of opposing side wall portions of the second upper housing member 72 are each provided at the lower portion with a projection 77 projecting downward. Each projection 77 is capable of entering a groove 94 of the second lower housing member 92, which will be described later.

[0017] Also, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, a recess 78 is provided in the lower part of another pair of opposing side wall portions (side wall portions not provided with protrusions 77) of the second upper housing member 72 for clamping the flow path forming body 16 (the end portion of the flow path forming body 16 to which the connecting member 50 is joined) described later.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the lower housing member 90 of the pinch valve assembly 1 includes a first lower housing member 91 and a second lower housing member 92 .

[0019] The first lower housing member 91 has an outer shape of a substantially rectangular prism extending vertically. The second lower housing member 92 is disposed above the first lower housing member 91, has an outer shape of a substantially rectangular prism extending vertically, and has a through hole 93 extending vertically and having a substantially circular cross section in the center. As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of opposing side wall portions of the second lower housing member 92 are provided at the lower portions with grooves 94 that are open upward. Each groove 94 is capable of receiving each of the protrusions 77 of the second upper housing member 72 described above, and a second pressing member 40 (rod-shaped member 42) described below can be sandwiched (fixed) between the upper surface of the groove 94 and the lower surface of the protrusion 77.

[0020] 2 and 3, another pair of opposing sidewall portions (sidewall portions not provided with grooves 94) of the second lower housing member 92 are provided with recesses 95 for clamping a flow path forming body 16 (ends of the flow path forming body 16 to which the connecting member 50 is joined), which will be described later. By clamping both ends of the flow path forming body 16 (both ends of the flow path forming body 16 to which the connecting member 50 is joined) between the recesses 78, 78 of the second upper housing member 72 and the recesses 95, 95 of the second lower housing member 92, the flow path forming body 16 (the connecting member 50 joined to the flow path forming body 16) can be fixed.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 4, an actuator 60 is housed in an upper housing member 70 of the pinch valve assembly 1 (pinch valve 10). The actuator 60 is preferably an air actuator (cylinder) or an electric actuator (solenoid, motor). The actuator 60 of the pinch valve assembly 1 (pinch valve 10) of this embodiment is an air actuator.

[0022] Specifically, the actuator 60 is disposed within the internal space 73 of the upper housing member 70 (first upper housing member 71) and comprises a movable member 61 that is movable in the vertical direction, and a fixed member 62 that is fixed immovably within the upper housing member 70 (first upper housing member 71 and second upper housing member 72).

[0023] A seal member (O-ring) 63 is attached to the outer periphery of the fixed member 62, and airtightness is maintained by contact between the seal member 63 and the inner periphery of the upper housing member 70 (first upper housing member 71). The fixed member 62 is provided in the center with a through hole 64 through which the movable member 61 (rod portion 66) can enter.

[0024] The movable member 61 includes a large diameter portion 65 formed in the vertical center, and a rod portion 66 formed in the lower portion and capable of entering a through hole 64 of the fixed member 62. The tip portion of the rod portion 66 is attachable to a first pressing member 20 (first pressing member main body member 22) described below. A seal member (O-ring) 67 is attached to the outer periphery of the rod portion 66, and airtightness is maintained by contact between the seal member 67 and the inner periphery of the through hole 64, and the seal member 67 is slidable within the fixed member 62 in an airtight state.

[0025] A seal member (O-ring) 68 is attached to the outer periphery of the large diameter portion 65, and airtightness is maintained by contact between the seal member 68 and the inner periphery of the upper housing member 70 (first upper housing member 71), and the seal member 68 is capable of sliding in an airtight state within the upper housing member 70. The internal space 73 of the upper housing member 70 (first upper housing member 71) is partitioned airtightly into an upper space 79 formed above the large diameter portion 65 (seal member 68) and a lower space 80 formed between the large diameter portion 65 (seal member 68) and the fixed member 62 (seal member 63).

[0026] The operation of the actuator 60 will be described. The movable member 61 can be moved downward (see FIG. 4) by supplying compressed air from the upper air inlet / outlet 74 to the upper space 79 (and simultaneously discharging air from the lower air inlet / outlet 75 in the lower space 80). The movable member 61 can be moved upward (see FIG. 6) by supplying compressed air from the lower air inlet / outlet 75 to the lower space 80 (and simultaneously discharging air from the upper air inlet / outlet 74 in the upper space 79). The mechanism (operation) of the actuator is not limited to the above, and for example, the movable member may be moved upward (open state when air is supplied) by supplying compressed air to the lower space (discharging air from the upper space) while biasing the movable member downward (for example, normally closed state) by a biasing member such as a coil spring.

[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5, 7, and 10 to 13, the flow path forming body 16 of the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) comprises a film laminate 13 consisting of a first resin film 11 and a second resin film 12 arranged on the underside of the first film 11, opposing joints 14, 14 formed on both widthwise sides of the film laminate 13, and a non-jointed portion 15 formed between the opposing joints 14, 14.

[0028] More specifically, the first film 11 and the second film 12 are flexible flat films, and in this embodiment, the first film 11 and the second film 12 are flexible flat films that have substantially no elasticity. Note that "having substantially no elasticity" does not mean that the first film 11 and the second film 12 do not have the elasticity that is unavoidable due to being made of resin, but rather means that, in the flow path forming body 16 composed of the first film 11 and the second film 12, the shape of the flow path 17 formed inside (in the non-jointed portion 15) cannot be changed (maintained, restored, etc.) without other forces (for example, addition of a flow path shape by an external force (plastic deformation), or a force that expands or contracts the flow path 17 via a pressing member (20, 40) described later, etc.), as compared to a conventional flow path forming body made of a resin material molded into a tube shape.

[0029] The first film 11 and the second film 12 are preferably PFA (perfluoroalkoxyalkane), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), modified PTFE, crosslinked PTFE, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of 1 million or more. Furthermore, the first film 11 and the second film 12 are preferably PFA or PTFE, modified PTFE, crosslinked PTFE, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of 1 million or more, each having a melt flow rate of 4 g / 10 min or less.

[0030] Here, the melt flow rate (MFR) is used as an index showing the fluidity of a resin material, and is measured in accordance with ASTM D 1238. By using such a material for the first film 11 and the second film 12, the flex life of each film 11, 12 can be extended, and the durability of the pinch valve 10 can be improved.

[0031] The modified PTFE is a fluororesin (TFE) whose main chain or side chain has been partially modified, and in this case, it is preferable that the modified PTFE has a longer flex life when made into a film compared to normal PTFE. In addition, the modified PTFE may be a copolymer of TFE and a modified comonomer. The modified PTFE may preferably have a tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) unit content of 90% by mass or more and a modified comonomer content of 10% by mass or less, and more preferably have a modified comonomer content of 0.2% by mass or less. The modified PTFE may, for example, be a copolymer of TFE and at least one modified comonomer selected from ethylene, perfluoroalkoxyalkane, perfluoroalkylvinylether, and hexafluoropropylene.

[0032] Crosslinked PTFE is a fluororesin (PTFE) obtained by crosslinking (including partial crosslinking) uncrosslinked PTFE (including uncrosslinked modified PTFE). Crosslinking is a reaction that bridges previously independent molecules, and various crosslinking methods such as general chemical crosslinking and radiation crosslinking can be used. Compared to normal PTFE, crosslinked PTFE has a slightly shorter flex life, but has improved abrasion resistance and can further suppress particle generation. Examples of crosslinked PTFE include PTFE crosslinked by irradiating uncrosslinked PTFE with ionizing radiation. Specifically, the crosslinked PTFE is PTFE crosslinked by irradiating uncrosslinked PTFE heated at a temperature higher than the crystal melting point with ionizing radiation (e.g., gamma rays, electron beams, X-rays, neutron beams, high-energy ions, etc.) at an exposure dose of 1 KGy to 10 MGy in an oxygen-free environment. Other examples of crosslinked PTFE include PTFE crosslinked during synthesis. The crosslinking in the crosslinked PTFE may be partial crosslinking, and in the case of partial crosslinking, the degree of crosslinking is preferably 25 to 75%.

[0033] Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene refers to polyethylene whose molecular weight, normally around 20,000 to 300,000, has been increased to 1 million or more.

[0034] Such materials have excellent mechanical strength and chemical resistance, and by using such materials for the first film 11 and the second film 12, the flow path forming body 16 can withstand extremely severe environments (for example, a wide range of temperatures and environments in which it comes into contact with chemicals such as strong acids, strong alkalis, and organic solvents). Note that it is more preferable that the films (first film 11 and second film 12) constituting the flow path forming body 16 are, in particular, PFA (perfluoroalkoxyalkane) with a melt flow rate of 4 g / 10 min or less.

[0035] It is preferable that the ΔMFR of the first film 11 and the second film 12 is 10% or less. In general, when a resin material is subjected to stress due to a heat treatment or the like, the molecules are broken, that is, the molecular weight is reduced, and the MFR increases. Here, ΔMFR is the ratio of the MFR before and after a specified treatment, and can be calculated by the following formula. (MFR after treatment - MFR before treatment) / MFR before treatment x 100(%) For example, when each film 11, 12 is formed from PFA, it is preferable that the ratio (ΔMFR) of the MFR of the PFA film formed to the MFR of the PFA pellet before the film is formed is 10% or less. This can be achieved by appropriately setting the heating temperature, heating time, etc. when forming the film from the PFA pellet. By keeping ΔMFR 10% or less, the flex life of each film 11, 12 can be maintained long.

[0036] The first film 11 and the second film 12 preferably have a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.4 mm. If the thickness of each of the films 11, 12 is greater than 0.05 mm, it has sufficient strength as the flow path former 16 and can fully withstand the pressure of the fluid flowing in the flow path 17. If the thickness of each of the films 11, 12 is 0.4 mm or less, the blocking property and opening adjustment of the flow path 17 formed in the flow path former 16 (non-jointed portion 15) are good, and it is possible to function well as the pinch valve 10.

[0037] The smoothness (surface roughness) of the first film 11 and the second film 12, specifically, the surface of each film in the non-jointed portion 15, is preferably 0.1 μm or less in terms of Ra (arithmetic mean roughness). Although the Ra of both sides of each film 11, 12 may be 0.1 μm or less, it is preferable that at least the Ra of the surface of each film 11, 12 on the flow path 17 side (the inner surface of the non-jointed portion 15, in other words, the surface that comes into contact with the fluid inside the flow path 17) is 0.1 μm or less. By setting the smoothness of each film 11, 12 to such a value, the cleanliness inside the flow path 17 can be increased by surface cleaning. In addition, the generation of particles (foreign matter) due to contact (friction) between the films 11, 12 when the flow path 17 is opened and closed can be suppressed, and damage to each film 11, 12 (flow path forming body 16) can be prevented, and the durability of the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) can be increased. In other words, by forming the flow path forming body 16 using a film (here, the first film 11 and the second film 12), it becomes easy to ensure such smoothness on the inner surface of the flow path 17 formed within the flow path forming body 16 (non-joint portion 15).

[0038] The first film 11 and the second film 12 can be formed by a known method, such as extrusion molding, injection molding, transfer molding, rotational molding, blow molding, melt compression molding, or coating. It is preferable to use the extrusion molding method, which makes it easier to ensure the desired smoothness and the like in the first film 11 and the second film 12.

[0039] In this embodiment, the first film 11 and the second film 12 each have a single-layer structure made of a single resin material. The first film 11 and the second film 12 each may have a multi-layer structure made of a plurality of resin materials (resin layers). For example, a conductive layer may be provided on the outer layer (the layer on the side other than the flow path 17) of each film 11, 12.

[0040] The first film 11 and a second film 12 made of resin arranged on the lower surface of the first film 11 constitute a film laminate 13. Facing joints 14, 14 are formed on both sides of the film laminate 13 in the width direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 12).

[0041] In this embodiment, the joints 14, 14 are formed by joining the overlapping first film 11 and second film 12. A known method such as adhesion or heat fusion can be used to join the first film 11 and second film 12. In this embodiment, the joints 14 are formed by laser welding the overlapping first film 11 and second film 12.

[0042] Specifically, the overlapping first film 11 and second film 12 are laser welded to the desired shape of the flow path forming body 16 (flow path 17), thereby forming the joint 14. The flow path forming body 16 can be formed by preparing and overlapping the first film 11 and the second film 12 in a shape that matches the shape of the desired flow path forming body 16, and joining (laser welding) both sides in the width direction of the film laminate 13. Note that the flow path forming body can also be formed by preparing and overlapping two films (first film and second film) of sufficient size, forming a joint in the film laminate by a method such as laser welding to match the shape of the desired flow path forming body, and then cutting out the portion that constitutes the flow path forming body.

[0043] In this embodiment, by adjusting the laser intensity of the laser used for laser welding, it becomes possible to weld the overlapping resin members at their interface, and laser welding can be performed in a desired manner (for example, a manner in which the laser welded portion is not exposed on the surface of the resin member (film, etc.)). In other words, if a molten portion (laser welded portion) is formed at the interface at the joint between the overlapping resin members and is not exposed on the surface, it can be assumed that the joining is performed by laser welding. Laser welding in this manner does not adversely affect the surface of the resin member (film, etc.) (particularly the inner surface of the flow path).

[0044] In addition, when two overlapping resin members are laser-welded, one of the resin members on the laser irradiation side is made laser-transmissive and the other resin member on the opposite side is made laser-absorbent, thereby facilitating heat generation (welding) at the interface of the overlapping resin members. For example, the other resin member on the opposite side can be made to contain carbon black, etc., to have laser absorbency. In addition, for example, the two overlapping resin members (for example, the first film and the second film) can be made of the same material (for example, PFA) but with different laser absorption characteristics (absorption or transparency) (for example, when irradiating a laser from the first film side, the first film can be made relatively laser-transmissive and the second film can be made relatively laser-absorbent), thereby laser welding the two together without using additives such as carbon black. This can prevent the additive from flowing out into the fluid in the flow path.

[0045] It is preferable that laser welded portion 18 (shown by cross-hatching in FIG. 7) formed at the boundary between first film 11 and second film 12 by laser welding in joint 14 is not exposed to the outer surface (the upper surface of first film 11 and the lower surface of second film 12) of flow path forming body 16. This makes it possible to prevent damage at the boundary between joint 14 and non-jointed portion 15.

[0046] The flow path forming body 16 includes a non-bonded portion 15 formed between opposing bonded portions 14, 14. As shown in Fig. 7, a flow path 17 is formed in the non-bonded portion 15. That is, in the non-bonded portion 15, the space surrounded by the first film 11, the second film 12, and the bonded portions 14, 14 becomes the flow path 17.

[0047] In this embodiment, the flow path forming body 16 is formed using two films (first film 11 and second film 12), but the flow path forming body can also be formed using more films. For example, one or both of the first film and the second film may be configured by stacking multiple films, and each of the multiple films may be made of the same resin material or different resin materials.

[0048] The pinch valve 10 is disposed on the first film 11 side (here, above (above) the flow path forming body 16 in FIG. 4) and includes a first pressing member 20 that is moved by an actuator 60 to press and separate the first film 11 against the second film 12 at the non-bonded portion 15. The first pressing member 20 includes a planar pressing portion 21 that can contact the upper surface of the non-bonded portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5, 15, and 16, a longitudinal rectangular planar pressing portion 21 is formed in the center of the first pressing member 20, extending across the non-bonded portion 15 in the width direction of the film laminate 13.

[0049] The pinch valve 10 is provided with a second pressing member 40 disposed on the second film 12 side (here, on the lower side (below) of the flow path forming body 16 in FIG. 4) so ​​as to face the first pressing member 20 across the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16. The second pressing member 40 faces the planar pressing portion 21 of the first pressing member 20 and is provided with a linear pressing portion 41 (a linear pressing portion formed at a contact portion of a rod-shaped member 42 described later with the lower surface of the second film 12) extending across the non-jointed portion 15 in the width direction on the lower surface of the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16.

[0050] 4 and 5, the pinch valve 10 is capable of closing the flow passage 17 formed in the non-jointed portion 15 by sandwiching the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow passage forming body 16 between the planar pressing portion 21 of the first pressing member 20 and the linear pressing portion 41 of the second pressing member 40. This makes it possible to close the flow passage more reliably than conventional pinch valves (for example, those that close the flow passage by sandwiching the flow passage forming body between surfaces).

[0051] The first pressing member 20 is directly or indirectly connected to the upper surface of the approximate center of the non-joint portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 (here, the upper surface of the approximate center in the width direction of the first film 11).

[0052] Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig. 12 and Fig. 15, the first film 11 is formed of a thermoplastic resin, and the first pressing member 20 includes a first pressing member main body member 22 made of a thermoplastic resin, and a first pressing member joining member 23 made of a thermoplastic resin that is disposed under (here, the lower surface) the first pressing member main body member 22 and can be thermally fused to the first pressing member main body member 22 and the first film 11. The first pressing member main body member 22 is thermally fused to the upper surface of the first pressing member joining member 23, and the upper surface of the first film 11 is thermally fused to the lower surface of the first pressing member joining member 23. More specifically, the upper surface of the first pressing member joining member 23 is thermally fused to the lower surface of the first pressing member main body member 22, and the upper surface of the first film 11 is thermally fused to the lower surface of the first pressing member joining member 23.

[0053] As shown in Figs. 7, 14 and 15, the first pressing member main body member 22 has an outer shape in which the upper part is substantially cylindrical, and the lower part is shaped like a substantially cylindrical body having a larger diameter than the upper part, with both sides cut off in the direction along the flow path 17 (flow path direction). An actuator connecting hole 24 that opens upward is formed in the upper part of the first pressing member main body member 22. The tip of the rod part 66 of the movable member 61 of the actuator 60 is connected to the actuator connecting hole 24, so that the first pressing member main body member 22 (first pressing member 20) can move in conjunction with the actuator 60 (movable member 61). The lower end of the first pressing member main body member 22 has both sides chamfered in the direction in which the flow path 17 extends, and a flat part 25 that constitutes the planar pressing part 21 is formed in the center of the lower surface of the first pressing member main body member 22.

[0054] The resin material constituting the first pressing member body member 22 may be the above-mentioned PFA or PTFE, modified PTFE, cross-linked PTFE, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of 1 million or more. The resin material constituting the first pressing member body member 22 is preferably the same as the resin material constituting the first pressing member joining member 23 described below. In this embodiment, the first pressing member body member 22 is formed from the same resin material (PFA) as the resin material constituting the first pressing member joining member 23.

[0055] The first pressing member joining member 23 is a disk-shaped film member. The resin material constituting the first pressing member joining member 23 may be the above-mentioned PFA or PTFE, modified PTFE, cross-linked PTFE, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of 1 million or more. The resin material constituting the first pressing member joining member 23 is preferably the same as that of the first film 11, and more preferably the same as that of the first pressing member main body member 22. In this embodiment, the first pressing member joining member 23 is formed of the same resin material (PFA) as that of the first film 11 and the first pressing member main body member 22.

[0056] The first pressing member joint member 23 is disposed on the lower surface of the first pressing member main body member 22, and its upper surface is heat-sealed to the lower surface of the first pressing member main body member 22. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 14 to 16, the first pressing member joint member 23 is disposed concentrically with the first pressing member main body member 22, and a band-shaped heat-sealed portion 26 extending over almost the entire length in the width direction (vertical direction in Fig. 16) is formed on a flat portion 25 formed in the center of the lower surface of the first pressing member main body member 22. Here, "almost the entire length" is preferably 95% or more of the entire length, and may be 100%. In the first pressing member 20 of this embodiment, the planar pressing portion 21 is constituted by the flat portion 25 formed in the center of the lower surface of the first pressing member main body member 22 and the first pressing member joint member 23 portion overlapping therewith. In this embodiment, the portion of the planar pressing portion 21 where the heat-sealed portion 26 is formed is located above a rod-shaped member 42 described later.

[0057] In this embodiment, the first pressing member joint member 23 is heat-sealed to the lower surface of the first pressing member body member 22 by laser welding. Note that it is preferable that the laser welded portion (heat-sealed portion 26; shown by cross-hatching in Figs. 7, 8 and 15) formed at the boundary portion (contact portion) of the first pressing member body member 22 and the first pressing member joint member 23 by laser welding is not exposed to the outer surface of the first pressing member joint member 23 (here, the lower surface of the first pressing member joint member 23). This can prevent damage to the boundary portion between the heat-sealed portion 26 portion of the first pressing member joint member 23 and the other portions. Also, it can prevent adverse effects on the function of the planar pressing portion 21.

[0058] The upper surface of the first film 11 is heat-sealed to the lower surface of the first pressing member joint member 23. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 12, the first pressing member joint member 23 is heat-sealed to the first film 11 at two locations spaced apart so as to sandwich the first pressing member main body member 22 along the flow path 17 (in the flow path direction). That is, as shown in Fig. 12, heat-sealed portions 27, 27 between the first pressing member joint member 23 and the first film 11 are formed at two locations spaced apart so as to sandwich the first pressing member main body member 22 (planar pressing portion 21).

[0059] As shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 12, the heat-sealed parts 27, 27 are formed in the approximate center of the first film 11 in the width direction (approximate center of the non-jointed part 15 of the flow path forming body 16). In other words, the heat-sealed parts 27, 27 are formed at positions spaced a predetermined distance from the jointed parts 14, 14 formed on both sides of the flow path forming body 16 in the width direction. In addition, a line (band) connecting the two heat-sealed parts 27, 27 passes through the center of the non-jointed part 15 in the width direction. This can improve the accuracy of the adjustment of the opening degree of the flow path 17 formed in the non-jointed part 15, reduce stress on the jointed parts 14, 14 of the flow path forming body 16 during the adjustment of the opening degree, and improve the durability of the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1).

[0060] In this embodiment, the upper surface of the first film 11 is heat-sealed to the lower surface of the first pressing member joining member 23 by laser welding. Note that it is preferable that the laser welded portion (heat-sealed portion 27; shown by cross-hatching in FIG. 8) formed at the boundary portion between the first pressing member joining member 23 and the first film 11 by laser welding is not exposed to the outer surface of the first pressing member joining member 23 (here, the upper surface of the first pressing member joining member 23) and the outer surface of the first film 11 (here, the lower surface of the first film 11, the inner surface of the flow path 17). This makes it possible to prevent damage to the boundary portion between the heat-sealed portion 27 portion of the first pressing member joining member 23 and the first film 11 and the other portions. In addition, since the heat-sealed portion 27 is not exposed inside the flow path 17, the smoothness of the inner surface of the flow path 17 is not deteriorated, and it is possible to prevent adverse effects on the fluid flowing through the flow path 17. Furthermore, the heat fusion (laser welding) of first pressing member joining member 23 and first film 11 may be performed before or after joining first film 11 and second film 12 (forming joint 14).

[0061] The lower surface of the first pressing member joining member 23 is preferably laser welded to the upper surface of the first film 11 from the first pressing member joining member 23 side (the non-liquid-contacting side, here, the upper side of the first pressing member joining member 23). This prevents the smoothness of the inner surface of the flow channel 17 from deteriorating, and prevents the fluid flowing through the flow channel 17 from being adversely affected.

[0062] The second pressing member 40 is directly or indirectly connected to the lower surface of the non-joint portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 (here, the lower surface of the second film 12).

[0063] 7, 9 and 13, in this embodiment, second film 12 is made of a thermoplastic resin, and second pressing member 40 includes rod-shaped member 42 forming linear pressing portion 41, and second pressing member joining member 43 made of thermoplastic resin that can be heat-sealed to second film 12. Second pressing member joining member 43 is heat-sealed to second film 12 at two locations along flow path 17 that are spaced apart from each other so as to sandwich rod-shaped member 42 therebetween.

[0064] In this embodiment, the rod-shaped member 42 is a thin round rod-shaped member. As shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 13, the rod-shaped member 42 extends in the width direction of the flow path forming body 16. The upper end of the rod-shaped member 42 is capable of making linear contact with the lower surface of the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 (here, the lower surface of the second film 12) so as to extend across the non-jointed portion 15, and the linear pressing portion 41 is formed at the upper end of such rod-shaped member 42.

[0065] The rod-shaped member 42 may be made of a metal material, a hard resin material, a mineral, or the like. In particular, when the pinch valve 10 is used in applications where highly corrosive fluids (chemicals or solvents) are used, such as semiconductor manufacturing applications, the rod-shaped member 42 is preferably made of a highly corrosion-resistant hard resin material such as PEEK, PPS, or sapphire, or a mineral. The rod-shaped member may be anything other than a thin round rod, such as a rod-shaped member having a polygonal cross section or a rod-shaped member having a polygonal cross section with rounded corners.

[0066] The second pressing member joining member 43 is a thin strip-shaped film member extending in the flow path direction. The resin material constituting the second pressing member joining member 43 may be the above-mentioned PFA or PTFE, modified PTFE, cross-linked PTFE, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of 1 million or more. The resin material constituting the second pressing member joining member 43 is preferably the same as that of the above-mentioned second film 12. In this embodiment, the second pressing member joining member 43 is formed of the same resin material (PFA) as that of the second film 12.

[0067] The second pressing member joining member 43 is heat-sealed to the second film 12 at two locations spaced apart along the flow path 17 so as to sandwich the rod-shaped member 42. That is, as shown in Fig. 13, heat-sealed portions 44, 44 between the second pressing member joining member 43 and the second film 12 are formed at two locations spaced apart so as to sandwich the rod-shaped member 42 (linear pressing portion 41). The second pressing member joining member 43 is heat-sealed to the second film 12 so as to sandwich the rod-shaped member 42 between the second pressing member joining member 43 and the second film 12.

[0068] 13, the heat-sealed parts 44, 44 are each formed at approximately the center in the width direction of the second film 12 (approximately the center of the non-jointed part 15 of the flow path forming body 16). In other words, the heat-sealed parts 44, 44 are formed at positions spaced a predetermined distance from the jointed parts 14, 14 formed on both sides in the width direction of the flow path forming body 16. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the adjustment of the opening degree of the flow path 17 formed in the non-jointed part 15, reduce stress on the jointed parts 14, 14 of the flow path forming body 16 during the opening degree adjustment, and increase the durability of the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1).

[0069] In this embodiment, the second pressing member joining member 43 is heat-sealed to the second film 12 by laser welding. Note that it is preferable that the laser welded portion (heat-sealed portion 44; shown by cross-hatching in FIG. 9) formed at the boundary portion between the second pressing member joining member 43 and the second film 12 by laser welding is not exposed to the outer surface of the second pressing member joining member 43 (here, the lower surface of the second pressing member joining member 43) and the outer surface of the second film 12 (here, the upper surface of the second film 12, the inner surface of the flow path 17). This makes it possible to prevent damage to the boundary portion between the heat-sealed portion 44 portion of the second pressing member joining member 43 and the second film 12 and the other portions. In addition, since the heat-sealed portion 44 is not exposed inside the flow path 17, the smoothness of the inner surface of the flow path 17 is not deteriorated, and it is possible to prevent adverse effects on the fluid flowing through the flow path 17. Furthermore, the heat fusion (laser welding) of second pressing member joining member 43 and second film 12 may be performed before or after joining of first film 11 and second film 12 (formation of joint 14).

[0070] It is preferable that the second pressing member joining member 43 is laser welded to the second film 12 from the second pressing member joining member 43 side (non-liquid-contacting side). This prevents the smoothness of the inner surface of the flow channel 17 from deteriorating, and prevents the fluid flowing through the flow channel 17 from being adversely affected.

[0071] The pinch valve 10 includes a connection member 50 joined to an end of the flow path 17 for connecting to an external pipe. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the connection member 50 is a substantially cylindrical resin molded body. The resin material constituting the connection member 50 may be the above-mentioned PFA or PTFE, modified PTFE, crosslinked PTFE, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of 1 million or more. The resin material constituting the connection member 50 is preferably the same as that of the first film 11 and the second film 12. In this embodiment, the connection member 50 is formed of the same resin material (PFA) as that of the first film 11 and the second film 12. The connection member 50 may be provided with a joint shape (for example, a screw or a nipple shape) for connecting to an external pipe, and the connection member 50 may be made of a material that can be joined (by heat fusion or the like) to the external pipe.

[0072] In this embodiment, the two connection members 50, 50 are each inserted into an end of the flow path 17 (between the first film 11 and the second film 12 at the end of the flow path former 16) and are joined in a fluid-tight manner to the flow path former 16. The connection members 50 and the flow path former 16 are preferably joined by thermal fusion, and more preferably by laser welding.

[0073] Here, a connection member 50 for connecting to an external pipe is provided, which is joined to an end of the flow path 17, and it is preferable that the first film 11 and the second film 12, and the connection member 50 have electrical conductivity or antistatic properties. For example, the first film 11 and the second film 12, and the connection member 50 can be made electrically conductive by adding a substance that imparts electrical conductivity (e.g., conductive powder, fiber, carbon nanotubes, etc.) to the resin material constituting the first film 11 and the second film 12, and the connection member 50. Furthermore, for example, the first film 11 and the second film 12, and the connection member 50 can be made antistatic by adding a known antistatic agent to the resin material constituting the first film 11 and the second film 12, and the connection member 50.

[0074] When a highly insulating fluid (e.g., an organic solvent) is passed through the flow path 17 of the pinch valve 10, static electricity generated by friction with the fluid accumulates on the inner surface of the flow path 17 (flow path forming body 16), and the flow path forming body 16 may be damaged by a discharge phenomenon caused by a high voltage. In response to this, by making the first film 11 and the second film 12, and the connection member 50 conductive, even when a highly insulating fluid is passed through the flow path 17, it is possible to release static electricity to the outside and prevent damage to the flow path forming body 16 due to a discharge phenomenon caused by a high voltage. In addition, by making the first film 11 and the second film 12, and the connection member 50 antistatic, it is possible to prevent charging and prevent damage to the flow path forming body 16 due to a discharge phenomenon caused by a high voltage, even when a highly insulating fluid is passed through the flow path 17.

[0075] Incidentally, conductivity and antistatic properties can be classified according to the electrical resistance value (Ω) of each component. In this embodiment, it is preferable to appropriately select the electrical resistance value (Ω) of each component from a range of approximately 10 to the power of 10 to the power of 10 depending on the situation (such as the application of the pinch valve or the fluid flowing in the flow path). For conductive components, it is more preferable to set the electrical resistance value (Ω) to 10 to the power of 10 or less, and for antistatic components, it is more preferable to set the electrical resistance value (Ω) to 10 to the power of 10 or more.

[0076] The operation of the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) of this embodiment will be briefly described below. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) is capable of closing the flow passage 17 formed in the non-jointed portion 15 by sandwiching the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow passage forming body 16 between the planar pressing portion 21 of the first pressing member 20 and the linear pressing portion 41 of the second pressing member 40 by moving the first pressing member 20 downward, i.e., so as to press the first film 11 against the second film 12 at the non-jointed portion 15, using the actuator 60.

[0077] The pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) is capable of adjusting the degree of opening of the flow path 17 formed in the non-jointed portion 15 by moving the first pressing member 20. For example, when opening the flow path 17 from the closed state shown in Figs. 4 and 5 or when increasing the degree of opening of the flow path 17, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the actuator 60 moves the first pressing member 20 upward, that is, so as to separate the first film 11 from the second film 12 in the non-jointed portion 15. At this time, the second pressing member 40 (rod-shaped member 42 and second pressing member joining member 43) fixed to the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) prevents the second film 12 from moving upward following the first film 11, and the first pressing member 20 (first pressing member main body member 22 and first pressing member joining member 23) can reliably separate the first film 11 from the second film 12.

[0078] In the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) of this embodiment, the first pressing member joining member 23 of the first pressing member 20 is a flexible resin film member, and the second pressing member joining member 43 of the second pressing member 40 is a flexible resin film member. As a result, as shown in Figures 6 to 9, the first pressing member joining member 23 and the second pressing member joining member 43 can bend when adjusting the opening degree of the flow path 17, and can absorb the bending of the flow path forming body 16 accompanying the adjustment of the opening degree of the flow path 17, thereby further improving the durability of the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1).

[0079] The pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) of this embodiment is particularly suitable for use in medical analysis equipment and semiconductor manufacturing applications. In particular, in semiconductor manufacturing applications, high durability against highly corrosive chemicals and solvents used therein is required. Furthermore, in recent processes of 10 nm or less (here, the "process" in semiconductor manufacturing is an index indicating how finely a semiconductor chip is made, and is a numerical value indicating the gate length of a transistor arranged on a semiconductor chip), problems such as retention of fluid in a flow path and generation or inclusion of minute foreign matter (particles) have become problems. In response to such requirements and problems, the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) of this embodiment can exhibit suitable performance.

[0080] Next, another embodiment of the pinch valve (pinch valve assembly) of the present invention will be described using the examples shown in the drawings. In the following description, the description of the configurations that are substantially the same as those of the pinch valve 10 (pinch valve assembly 1) described above will be omitted, or the corresponding names and symbols will be used and detailed description will be omitted.

[0081] 17, the first pressing member 20a has its lower surface fixed to the upper surface (upper surface of the first film 11) of the non-joint portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16. Specifically, the first pressing member 20a (first pressing member main body member 22a) has a thin plate-like joining flange portion 28 that protrudes outward at its lower end, and the lower surface of the joining flange portion 28 is heat-sealed (shown by cross-hatching in FIG. 17) to the upper surface of the first film 11. In this embodiment, the flat portion 25a formed on the lower surface of the first pressing member 20a (first pressing member main body member 22a) serves as the planar pressing portion 21a.

[0082] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, the first pressing member 20b (first pressing member main body member 22) is fixed (thermally fused) to the upper surface (upper surface of the first film 11) of the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 at a flat portion 25 formed on the lower surface of the first pressing member 20b (first pressing member main body member 22). The heat-sealed portion 29 between the first pressing member 20b (first pressing member main body member 22) and the first film 11 is preferably formed in the approximate center in the width direction of the first film 11 (approximate center of the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16) (in other words, the heat-sealed portion 29 is preferably formed at a position separated by a predetermined distance from the joint portions 14, 14 formed on both sides in the width direction of the flow path forming body 16). In this embodiment, the flat portion 25 formed on the lower surface of the first pressing member 20b (first pressing member main body member 22) including the heat-sealed portion 29 serves as the planar pressing portion 21b.

[0083] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 20, the first pressing member 20c (first pressing member main body member 22) is connected to the upper surface of the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 (the upper surface of the first film 11) via the connecting member 30 joined to its lower portion (here, the lower side surface). Specifically, the connecting member 30 is a thin strip-shaped resin film member, and one end of the connecting member 30 is joined to the lower side surface of the first pressing member 20c (first pressing member main body member 22) (thermal fusion portion 31). Furthermore, the connecting member 30 is joined to the upper surface of the first film 11 (thermal fusion portion 32) at the other end. As a result, the first pressing member 20c (first pressing member main body member 22) is indirectly connected to the upper surface of the approximately central portion of the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16 (the upper surface of the first film 11). In this embodiment, the flat portion 25 formed on the lower surface of the first pressing member 20c (first pressing member main body member 22) serves as the planar pressing portion 21c.

[0084] 21 and 22, the second pressing member 40a (rod-shaped member 42) is fixed (thermally sealed) at a linear pressing portion 41 formed at its upper end to the lower surface (lower surface of the second film 12) of the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16. It is preferable that the heat-sealed portion 45 between the second pressing member 40a (rod-shaped member 42) and the second film 12 is formed approximately at the center in the width direction of the second film 12 (approximately at the center of the non-jointed portion 15 of the flow path forming body 16) (in other words, the heat-sealed portion 45 is formed at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the joints 14, 14 formed on both sides in the width direction of the flow path forming body 16).

[0085] Furthermore, although not shown, a support portion for the second pressing member (a portion for restricting displacement in the up-down direction (the direction toward or away from the first pressing member)) may be provided on the housing member (upper housing member and / or lower housing member). For example, a rib protruding upward from the lower housing member may be provided to restrict downward displacement of the second pressing member (the rod-shaped member and the second pressing member joint member), thereby reliably blocking the flow path. The second pressing member may also be formed integrally with the lower housing member (first lower housing member). That is, the second pressing member (second pressing member forming portion) may be formed so as to protrude upward from the first lower housing member. A linear pressing portion is formed at the upper end of such a second pressing member (second pressing member forming portion).

[0086] Although not shown, it is also possible to join (thermally seal) either the first pressing member joining member or the second pressing member joining member to the joining portion of the flow path forming body. For example, two second pressing member joining members (strip-shaped film members) are provided, and one second pressing member joining member is heat-sealed to the joining portion (second film) at two locations spaced apart in the flow path direction so as to sandwich the rod-shaped member, and the other second pressing member joining member is heat-sealed to the joining portion (second film) at two locations facing the one second pressing member joining member via a non-joining portion and spaced apart in the flow path direction so as to sandwich the rod-shaped member.

[0087] As shown in Fig. 23, the flow path 17a (flow path forming body 16a) of the pinch valve can be formed in a manifold (manifold) shape. By overlapping the first film 11 and the second film 12 and forming the joint portion 14 and the non-joined portion 15 along the desired (here, manifold-shaped) shape of the flow path 17a (flow path forming body 16a), it is possible to easily form such a manifold-shaped flow path 17a (flow path forming body 16a). Then, by arranging the pinch valve structure of the present invention at any position of such a manifold-shaped flow path 17a (flow path forming body 16a), a desired pinch valve (pinch valve assembly) can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1 Pinch valve assembly 10 Pinch Valve 11 Film 1 12 2nd Film 13 Film laminate 14 Joint 15 Non-joint part 16 Flow path formation body 17 Flow Path 20 First pressing member 21 Planar pressing part 22 First pressing member body member 23 First pressing member Joining member 26 Heat-sealing section 27 Heat-sealed part 40 Second pressing member 41 Linear pressing part 42 Rod-shaped member 43 Second pressing member Joining member 44 Heat fusion part 50 Connection member 60 Actuator 70 Upper housing member 90 Lower housing member

Claims

1. a flow path forming body having opposing joints formed on both widthwise sides of the film laminate and a non-jointed portion formed between the opposing joints; a first pressing member disposed on the first film side and moved by an actuator to press the first film against and separate the second film at the non-jointed portion; and a second pressing member disposed on the second film side so as to face the first pressing member across the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, the first pressing member has a planar pressing portion capable of contacting an upper surface of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and the second pressing member faces the planar pressing portion and has a linear pressing portion extending across the non-jointed portion on a lower surface of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and the planar pressing portion and the linear pressing portion can sandwich the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body to block a flow path formed within the non-jointed portion, The pinch valve is further characterized in that the first pressing member is directly or indirectly connected to an upper surface of approximately the center of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and the second pressing member is directly or indirectly connected to a lower surface of the non-jointed portion of the flow path forming body, and the opening degree of the flow path formed in the non-jointed portion can be adjusted by moving the first pressing member.

2. 2. The pinch valve of claim 1, wherein the first film and the second film are flexible flat films.

3. 2. The pinch valve of claim 1, wherein the first film and the second film are flexible flat films having substantially no elasticity.

4. 4. The pinch valve according to claim 1, wherein the first pressing member is fixed to an upper surface of the non-jointed portion of the flow passage forming body.

5. 4. The pinch valve according to claim 1, wherein the first film is made of a thermoplastic resin, the first pressing member comprises a first pressing member main body member made of a thermoplastic resin, and a first pressing member joining member made of a thermoplastic resin that is arranged at a lower part of the first pressing member main body member and can be heat-sealed to the first pressing member main body member and the first film, the first pressing member joining member being heat-sealed to the first pressing member main body member, and an upper surface of the first film being heat-sealed to the first pressing member joining member.

6. 6. The pinch valve according to claim 5, wherein the first pressing member joining member is heat-sealed to the first film at two locations along the flow path that are spaced apart so as to sandwich the first pressing member body member.

7. 6. The pinch valve according to claim 5, wherein the first pressing member joining member is a film-like member, the first pressing member main body member is heat-sealed to an upper surface of the first pressing member joining member by laser welding, and the upper surface of the first film is heat-sealed to a lower surface of the first pressing member joining member by laser welding.

8. 8. The pinch valve according to claim 7, wherein a lower surface of the first pressing member joining member is laser welded to an upper surface of the first film from a side of the first pressing member joining member.

9. 4. The pinch valve according to claim 1, wherein the second film is made of a thermoplastic resin, the second pressing member includes a rod-shaped member forming the linear pressing portion and a second pressing member joining member made of a thermoplastic resin that can be heat-sealed to the second film, and the second pressing member joining member is heat-sealed to the second film at two locations along the flow path that are spaced apart so as to sandwich the rod-shaped member.

10. 10. The pinch valve according to claim 9, wherein the second pressing member joining member is heat fused to the second film by laser welding.

11. The pinch valve according to claim 10 , wherein the second pressing member joining member is laser welded to the second film from a side of the second pressing member joining member.

12. 4. The pinch valve according to claim 1, wherein the first film and the second film are made of PFA or PTFE having a melt flow rate of 4 g / 10 min or less, modified PTFE, crosslinked PTFE, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of 1 million or more.

13. 4. The pinch valve according to claim 1, wherein the first film and the second film have a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.4 mm.

14. 4. The pinch valve according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting member joined to an end of the flow passage for connecting to an external pipe.

15. A pinch valve as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a connecting member joined to an end of the flow path for connecting to an external piping, wherein the first film, the second film, and the connecting member are conductive or antistatic.

16. A pinch valve assembly comprising an upper housing member that houses an actuator, a lower housing member disposed below the upper housing member, and a pinch valve having a flow passage formation disposed between the upper housing member and the lower housing member, 4. A pinch valve assembly, comprising: a pinch valve according to claim 1.

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