Concrete flow regulating valve

Abstract

To provide a concrete flow regulating valve having a valve opening detection structure which can accurately detect a valve opening and is easy to handle at a site.SOLUTION: The concrete flow regulating valve includes a valve element 23 linearly movable, a hydraulic cylinder 2 for moving the valve element 23 forward or backward in the linear direction for regulating the flow of concrete, and a laser distance sensor 3 provided on the hydraulic cylinder 2 side. A metal piece 231 provided on the valve element 23 is opposed to the laser distance sensor 3 for changing the distance of the metal piece 231 opposed to the laser distance sensor 3 along with the linear movement of the valve element 23, thus obtaining an output signal of the laser distance sensor 3 according to the opening of the valve element 23.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a concrete flow control valve, and more particularly to a valve opening detection structure thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a valve device in which an electromagnetically sensitive measurement target is integrally provided on a linearly sliding valve stem, and the coil impedance of a sensor head that generates a high-frequency magnetic field changes depending on the distance from the measurement target, thereby changing the oscillation output and detecting the valve opening degree. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4764793 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-mentioned conventional valve devices have the problem of a complicated overall configuration, such as the need to provide an electromagnetically sensitive measurement target on the valve body, or to provide a non-magnetic sensor casing or waterproof wall on the secondary side of the valve body, and further requiring a calculation means for calculating the displacement of the valve body based on the amplitude and phase of the oscillation. In particular, when used to adjust the flow rate of concrete, there is a demand for a device that can accurately detect the valve opening and is easy to handle on site.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve such problems, and aims to provide a concrete flow control valve having a valve opening detection structure that can accurately detect the valve opening and is easy to handle on site. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the concrete flow rate control valve of the first invention comprises a linearly movable valve element (23), a drive means (2) for adjusting the flow rate of concrete by linearly moving the valve element (23) forward and backward, and a distance sensor (3) provided on the drive means (2) side, and is configured so that a part (231) of the valve element (23) faces the distance sensor (3), and the part (231) changes the facing distance from the distance sensor (3) as the valve element (23) moves linearly, thereby obtaining an output signal from the distance sensor (3) corresponding to the opening degree of the valve element (23). Note that it is preferable to use a laser distance sensor as the distance sensor.

[0007] According to the first invention, the valve opening degree can be detected accurately and handling on site is easy.

[0008] In the concrete distribution device of the second invention, a pair of concrete flow control valves (FV1, FV2) are provided, and each concrete flow control valve (FV1, FV2) is interposed in concrete supply pipes (54, 55) that open into the left and right sections (S1, S2) of the concrete pouring space (S) formed around the outer periphery of the tunnel center (5), and a control device is provided that detects the concrete height in the left and right sections (S1, S2) and moves the valve bodies (23) of each concrete flow control valve (FV1, FV2) to make the concrete height equal.

[0009] According to the second invention, the concrete height on the left and right sides of the concrete pouring space can always be made uniform, preventing uneven loads from being applied to the tunnel center.

[0010] The symbols in parentheses above indicate, for reference, the correspondence with specific means described in the embodiments to be described later. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] As described above, the concrete flow control valve of the present invention allows accurate detection of the valve opening and is easy to handle on site. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an overall side view of the flow rate adjusting valve. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional overall front view of the flow rate adjusting valve. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view showing an operating state of the flow rate adjusting valve. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view showing an operating state of the flow rate adjusting valve. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view showing an operating state of the flow rate adjusting valve. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of a piping switching device equipped with a flow rate adjusting valve. [Figure 7] 1 is an overall plan view of a piping switching device equipped with a flow control valve. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing the operation of the piping switching device. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of a tunnel center equipped with a concrete distribution device. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is an overall front view of a tunnel center equipped with a concrete distribution device. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the flow rate adjusting valve. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the flow rate adjusting valve. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a right side view of the flow rate adjustment valve. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the flow rate adjusting valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The embodiments described below are merely examples, and various design improvements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0014] [Flow control valve] Fig. 1 shows an overall side view of the flow control valve FV, Fig. 2 shows a partially sectional front view, and Figs. 3 to 5 show overall perspective views. Figs. 11 to 16 show a front view, rear view, plan view, bottom view, right side view, and left side view of the flow control valve FV when fully open. The flow control valve FV has a valve housing 1, the lower half 11 of which has a flat plate portion 111 with a circular opening 112 (Fig. 3) formed in its center. Circular pipe portions 113 and 114, which communicate with the circular opening 112, are joined to both sides of the plate surface of the flat plate portion 111.

[0015] The top surface of the joining end of each of the circular pipe sections 113, 114 is notched in a rectangular shape, forming a square opening as a whole when viewed from above. A lid section 115 is joined from above to the circular pipe sections 113, 114 to close the periphery of the opening, and the top surface of the lid section 115 forms a large-diameter square plate flange section 116 with a square opening 117 (Figure 2) in its center. Meanwhile, the upper half 12 of the valve housing 1 is composed of a pair of support walls 121, 122, which are respectively joined and fixed to both side edges of the square plate flange section 116.

[0016] A square tip 21 of a hydraulic cylinder 2 serving as a driving means is axially attached between the support walls 121, 122 and faces downward, and the upper end face of a square columnar valve body 23 is fixed to the tip of a rod 22 that protrudes downward from the hydraulic cylinder 2. The valve body 23 is inserted into the circular pipe portions 113, 114 through an opening 117, and its tip face 23a (Fig. 2) is formed into an arcuate surface that follows the inner periphery of the circular pipe portions 113, 114.

[0017] With this structure, when an external signal operates the electromagnetic hydraulic selector valve (not shown) to extend or retract the rod 22 of the hydraulic cylinder 2, the valve element 23 moves up and down accordingly. When the rod 22 is fully extended and the valve element 23 is positioned at the closed position at the bottom as shown in Figure 3, it is possible to almost completely stop the flow of fluid mixed with aggregate, such as concrete. When the rod 22 is retracted from the fully extended state, the valve element 23 moves upward to the fully open position (Figure 5) via an intermediate position (Figure 4).

[0018] In this embodiment, a laser distance sensor 3 that emits a laser beam L downward is provided at the center of the side surface of the rectangular tip 21 of the hydraulic cylinder 2. Meanwhile, a metal piece 231 for reflecting laser beams is horizontally protruded from the upper end surface of the valve disc 23 so as to face the laser distance sensor 3. As a result, when the valve disc 23 moves from the closed position shown in FIG. 3 through the intermediate position shown in FIG. 5 to the fully open position shown in FIG. 6, the opposing distance between the laser distance sensor 3 and the metal piece 231 changes accordingly, and an output signal corresponding to the moving position of the valve disc 231, i.e., its opening degree, is output from the laser distance sensor 3. Note that the metal piece 231 for reflecting laser beams is provided integrally with the valve disc 23 as a part thereof, but it is also possible to directly apply the laser beam to a part of the valve disc 23 without providing a metal piece 231, which further simplifies the opening degree detection structure.

[0019] With this type of flow control valve FV, by using a laser distance meter to detect the valve opening, there is no need to provide an electromagnetically sensitive measurement object on the valve body, or to provide a non-magnetic sensor casing or waterproof wall, as was done in the past, and there is also no need to provide a calculation means for calculating the displacement of the valve body.This means that the valve structure and receiving circuit configuration can be greatly simplified, making it easy to handle on site, and the valve opening can be accurately detected using the laser distance sensor.

[0020] [Concrete distribution device] The above-mentioned flow control valve FV can be used in a concrete distribution device, one example of which will be described below. When used in a concrete distribution device, two flow control valves FV1 and FV2 are connected to the outlet side of a piping switching device 4, as shown in Figure 6. That is, as shown in Figure 7, the piping switching device 4 is equipped with an inlet flange pipe 41 connected to the upstream portion of a concrete supply pipe (described later), and a pair of outlet flange pipes 42 and 43, and each flange pipe 42 and 43 is connected to a circular pipe portion 114 of flow control valves FV1 and FV2, each of which has the same structure.

[0021] The piping switching device 4 has a structure as shown in Figure 8 (1) and has a rectangular box-shaped housing 44 equipped with the flange pipes 41 to 43. A horizontally elongated rectangular box-shaped valve element 45 is provided inside the housing 44 and penetrates it, allowing it to move linearly left and right. A hydraulic double-rod cylinder 46 (Figure 6) is provided on the outer wall of the housing 44, and rods 461 and 462 protrude from both ends of the cylinder 46 and move integrally, with the tips of these rods connected to both ends of the valve element 45. The valve element 45 is moved linearly left and right by moving the rods 461 and 462 integrally left and right.

[0022] A Y-shaped branch pipe 451 is provided in the center of the valve disc 45, and single pipes 452, 453 are provided on the left and right sides of the branch pipe 451, curving symmetrically outward along the branch pipe 451 and opening on both sides of the valve disc 45. When the valve disc 45 is in the center as shown in Figure 8(1), the branch pipe 451 connects the inlet flange pipe 41 to the outlet flange pipes 42, 43. When the valve disc 45 is moved to the right, as shown in Figure 8(2), the inlet flange pipe 41 connects only to the outlet flange pipe 42. When the valve disc 45 is moved to the left, as shown in Figure 8(3), the inlet flange pipe 41 connects only to the outlet flange pipe 43.

[0023] Fig. 9 shows a plan view of the tunnel center 5 equipped with the concrete distribution device, and Fig. 10 shows a front view of the tunnel center 5. The piping changeover device 4, which is also equipped with flow control valves FV1 and FV2, is installed on the top beam 521 of a portal cart 52 (Fig. 10) located below the formwork 51 of the tunnel center 5, at approximately the center of the formwork 51. An upstream portion 53 of a concrete supply pipe extending from a concrete pump (not shown) is connected to an inlet flange pipe 41 (Fig. 7) of the piping changeover device 4, and downstream portions 54 and 55 of the concrete supply pipe leading to left and right portions S1 and S2 of a lining concrete pouring space S (hereinafter simply referred to as pouring space) formed on the outer periphery of the tunnel center 5 are connected to the circular pipe portions 113 of the flow control valves FV1 and FV2, respectively.

[0024] A plurality of concrete sensors 56 are provided at predetermined intervals around the periphery of the longitudinal center of the tunnel center 5, and the output signal of each concrete sensor 56 is input to a control device (not shown). In addition, opening signals output from the laser distance sensors 3 of each flow control valve FV1, FV2 are also input to the control device. The double-rod cylinder 46 of the piping switching device 4 and the hydraulic cylinders 2 of each flow control valve FV1, FV2 are operated by output signals from the control device.

[0025] When supplying concrete to the left and right sections S1 and S2 of the pouring space S using a concrete distribution device with this structure, the valve element 45 of the piping switching device 4 is positioned in the center and the valve elements 23 of the flow control valves FV1 and FV2 are fully opened to supply concrete evenly to the left and right sections S1 and S2. If the output signal of the concrete sensor 56 detects that the concrete levels in the left and right sections S1 and S2 are uneven, the flow control valves FV1 and FV2 installed in the concrete outlet pipes 54 and 55 leading to the left and right sections S1 and S2 with the higher concrete level are appropriately narrowed to eliminate the uneven concrete level between the left and right sections S1 and S2. If it is desired to completely stop the supply of concrete to the left and right sections S1 and S2 with the higher concrete level, the valve element 45 of the piping switching device 4 can be moved from the center position to either the left or right.

[0026] [Other embodiments] The distance sensor may be one that uses ultrasonic waves other than laser light, or a wire-type encoder. If the flow control valve can completely shut off the concrete, there is no need for a piping switching device. In the above embodiment, the valve element of the flow rate adjusting valve is shaped like a square pillar to prevent rotation, but the shape is not limited to this and may be a circular pillar or an elliptical pillar. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1...valve housing, 11...lower half of valve housing, 12...upper half of valve housing, 2...hydraulic cylinder (driving means), 23...valve body, 231...metal piece (part), 3...laser distance sensor, 5...tunnel center, FV, FV1, FV2...flow control valves, S...concrete pouring space, S1...left part, S2...right part.

Claims

1. A concrete flow control valve is provided with a valve body that can move linearly, a drive means that moves the valve body forward and backward in a linear direction to adjust the flow rate of concrete, and a distance sensor provided on the drive means side, and is configured so that a part of the valve body faces the distance sensor and the facing distance from the distance sensor changes as the valve body moves linearly, thereby obtaining an output signal from the distance sensor that corresponds to the opening degree of the valve body.

2. 2. The flow control valve for concrete according to claim 1, wherein a laser distance sensor is used as the distance sensor.

3. A concrete distribution device comprising a pair of the concrete flow control valves according to claim 1 or 2, each of which is interposed in a concrete supply pipe that opens to the left and right sides of a concrete pouring space formed around the outer periphery of a tunnel center, and a control device that detects the concrete heights on the left and right sides and moves the valve bodies of each of the concrete flow control valves to equalize the concrete heights.

Images