Drain cock

Abstract

To provide a drain cock capable of improving reliability.SOLUTION: A drain cock 1 includes: a body 2 having a bottom part 24 and forming a space S; a rod 3 located in the space S and having a first portion 31 extending along the bottom part 24 and a second portion 32 penetrating through the bottom part 24 and extending to outside of the space S; a lever 4 provided in the second portion 32 of the rod 3 and extending in a direction intersecting with the extending direction of the second portion 32; and a coil spring disposed in the space S and locked on the body 2 and the first portion 31 to energize the first portion 31 toward the bottom part 24. A first discharge port 24b is provided in the bottom part 24, and a second discharge port 31b is provided in the first portion 31. The second discharge port 31b is provided in the first portion 31 so as to communicate with the first discharge port 24b when the first portion 31 rotates in accordance with a rotating operation of the lever 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a drain cock. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a drainage structure that includes a drain cock provided on an air tank that supplies compressed air to pneumatic equipment such as truck air brakes, air suspensions, etc. In this drainage structure, the drain cock is provided at the bottom of the air tank, and the drain in the air tank can be discharged by manually opening the drain cock. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-188243 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A known drain cock includes a body that is attached to the underside of the air tank and forms a space with a bottom, a rod that penetrates the bottom of the body, a gasket to seal the gap between the bottom and the rod, a spring to bias the gasket toward the bottom, and an operating ring attached to the tip of the rod.

[0005] When using such a drain cock, for example, the rod is tilted by gripping the operating ring and pulling it in a direction intersecting the direction in which the rod extends. This causes the tilted rod to use the principle of leverage to create a gap in the packing against the biasing force of the spring, allowing drain to be discharged from the gap between the rod and the bottom of the body.

[0006] Such drain cocks can have the following problems. Specifically, when the vehicle is used in cold climates, water or snow may get on the operating ring, causing it to freeze and form ice blocks. In this case, the ice blocks may swing around as the vehicle moves, causing the rod to tilt unintentionally, resulting in air leakage. Furthermore, when the vehicle is used on rough terrain, sand or mud kicked up by the vehicle's movement may get into the gap between the bottom of the body and the rod, causing the rod to be constantly tilted, resulting in air leakage. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce air leakage and improve the reliability of drain cocks.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a drain cock that can improve reliability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The drain cock of the present invention is a drain cock that is attached to the underside of a vehicle air tank and is used to discharge drainage from the vehicle air tank, and includes: a body that is attached to the underside, has a bottom, and forms a space; a rod that is located in the space and includes a first portion that extends along the bottom, and a second portion that extends from the first portion through the bottom to outside the space; a lever that is attached to the second portion of the rod and extends in a direction that intersects with a first direction that is the extension direction of the second portion; and an elastic member that is disposed in the space and engaged with the body and the first portion, and that biases the first portion toward the bottom, wherein the bottom is provided with a first outlet for discharging drainage, and the first portion is provided with a second outlet for discharging drainage, the second outlet being provided in the first portion so as to communicate with the first outlet when the first portion rotates around a rotation axis that is along the first direction, and the lever is attached to the second portion so that when the lever is rotated around the rotation axis, the first portion can rotate around the rotation axis via the second portion against the elastic force of the elastic member.

[0009] In this drain cock, a rod penetrates the bottom of a body provided on the underside of a vehicle air tank. The rod includes a first portion extending along the bottom of the body and a second portion extending in a first direction from the first portion so as to penetrate the bottom of the body. The first portion of the rod is biased toward the bottom of the body by an elastic member. A lever is attached to the second portion of the rod, extending in a direction intersecting the first direction, which is the extension direction of the second portion (the direction in which the rod protrudes). A first outlet is provided in the bottom of the body, and a second outlet is provided in the first portion of the rod that communicates with the first outlet when the first portion is rotated about a rotation axis that extends in the first direction.

[0010] Therefore, by rotating the lever around the rotation axis, the rod rotates against the elastic force of the elastic member, connecting the second outlet in the first portion of the rod with the first outlet in the bottom of the body, allowing drainage from the vehicle air tank to be discharged through the first and second outlets. This drain cock thus eliminates the need for an operating ring when discharging drainage, preventing ice blocks from forming on the operating ring. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to tilt the rod, there is no need to create a gap between the bottom of the body and the rod to accommodate the tilt of the rod. This prevents foreign objects such as sand and mud from entering the gap. As a result, this drain cock reduces air leakage and improves reliability.

[0011] The drain cock according to the present invention may include a packing interposed between the bottom portion and the first portion so as to surround the second portion when viewed from the first direction, the packing having a third outlet for discharging the drain, and the packing being engaged with the bottom portion with the third outlet communicating with the first outlet. In this case, the packing improves the sealing between the body and the rod, and by operating the lever as described above, the drain in the vehicle air tank can be suitably discharged via the first outlet at the bottom portion of the body, the second outlet at the first portion of the rod, and the third outlet in the packing.

[0012] In the drain cock according to the present invention, the packing may be formed in an annular shape so as to surround the second portion when viewed from the first direction, and a lip extending radially and a lip extending circumferentially of the packing may be provided on a surface of the packing facing the bottom so as to surround the third outlet. In this case, it is possible to improve the sealing performance around the third outlet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a drain cock that can improve reliability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the mounting position of a drain cock according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a view showing the drain cock shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a view showing the drain cock shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a view showing the packing shown in FIGS. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A drain cock according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of each drawing, the same or corresponding elements are given the same reference numerals, and redundant description may be omitted. Each drawing may also show a Cartesian coordinate system including a first axis defining a first direction D1 and a second axis defining a second direction D2 intersecting the first direction D1.

[0016] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the mounting position of a drain cock according to this embodiment. Fig. 1(a) is a diagram showing a side of a vehicle T, and Fig. 1(b) is an enlarged diagram showing an air tank A (vehicle air tank) of the vehicle T. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle T is provided with a plurality of air tanks A (two in this case) in a region below a battery carrier B and in front of a fuel tank F. The vehicle T is a truck in the illustrated example, and other examples include large vehicles such as buses and industrial vehicles.

[0017] The drain cock 1 is attached to the underside As of each of the multiple air tanks A. In this embodiment, multiple (here, three) drain cocks 1 are attached to one air tank. Each drain cock 1 is used to discharge drainage from the air tank A. Next, the drain cock 1 will be described in detail.

[0018] Figures 2 and 3 are diagrams showing the drain cock shown in Figure 1. Figure 2(a) is a cross-sectional perspective view of the drain cock 1, Figure 2(b) and Figure 3(a) are plan views of the drain cock 1, and Figure 3(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 3(a). As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the drain cock 1 comprises a body 2, a rod 3, a lever 4, a coil spring 5 (elastic member), and a packing 6.

[0019] The body 2 includes a cylindrical main body portion 21 and a flange portion 22 provided at the base end of the main body portion 21. In this embodiment, the main body portion 21 is cylindrical with a bottom. That is, the main body portion 21 includes a cylindrical side wall portion 23 and a bottom portion 24 that is provided inside the side wall portion 23 at the base end of the side wall portion 23 and has a circular shape in a plan view. Meanwhile, the tip of the side wall portion 23 opposite the bottom portion 24 is open. As a result, a space S that is open on one side is formed in the body 2 by the side wall portion 23 and the bottom portion 24. In this embodiment, the flange portion 22 has a hexagonal shape in a plan view.

[0020] The drain cock 1 is attached by fitting the main body 21 into an air tank boss provided on the underside As of the air tank A. At this time, the surface of the flange 22 facing the main body 21 abuts against the top surface of the air tank boss. This allows the space S in the body 2 to communicate with the interior of the air tank A.

[0021] The rod 3 includes a first portion 31 and a second portion 32. The first portion 31 is disposed within the space S of the body 2. The first portion 31 has a plate shape that is the same as the bottom portion 24 in a plan view. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first portion 31 has a circular plate shape that extends along the bottom portion 24. The second portion 32 has a columnar shape (e.g., a cylindrical shape) and is erected on the first portion 31. The second portion 32 extends from the first portion 31 through the bottom portion 24 to outside the space S. Hereinafter, the extending direction of the first portion 31 is referred to as a first direction D1. The first direction D1 is, for example, the vertical direction.

[0022] In other words, a through-hole 24a is formed in the bottom 24 of the body 2, through which the second portion 32 of the rod 3 passes. A minute gap can be formed between the outer surface of the second portion 32 and the inner surface of the through-hole 24a, allowing the second portion 32 to rotate around a rotation axis along the first direction D1. A first outlet 24b for discharging drainage is also formed through the bottom 24 of the body 2. Furthermore, a second outlet 31b for discharging drainage is formed in the first portion 31 of the rod 3.

[0023] The lever 4 is provided at a portion (here, approximately the tip) of the second portion 32 of the rod 3 that is located outside the space S. The lever 4 is rod-shaped and extends along a second direction D2 that intersects with a first direction D1, which is the extension direction of the second portion 32. The second direction D2 is, for example, a horizontal direction. With one end of the lever 4 passing through the second portion 32 of the rod 3, the lever 4 is locked to the second portion 32 by a split pin 7.

[0024] That is, the lever 4 is attached to the second portion 32 of the rod 3 so that when the lever 4 is rotated around the rotation axis along the first direction D1, the first portion 31 can be rotated around the rotation axis via the second portion 32 of the rod 3 against the elastic force of a coil spring 5 described below. The second outlet 31b provided in the first portion 31 of the rod 3 is located at a position that communicates with the first outlet 24b in the bottom 24 of the body 2 when the first portion 31 is rotated around the rotation axis along the first direction D1 in this manner.

[0025] The coil spring 5 is disposed inside the space S of the body 2. The coil spring 5 is engaged with the body 2 and the first portion 31 of the rod 3 in a state in which it is elastically deformed so as to be compressed. More specifically, the coil spring 5 has a locking claw 5a formed on one end and a locking claw 5b formed on the other end. The locking claw 5a is engaged with the inner surface of the side wall portion 23 of the body 2, and the locking claw 5b is engaged with the upper surface of the first portion 31 of the rod 3. As a result, the coil spring 5 biases (presses) the first portion 31 of the rod 3 toward the bottom portion 24 of the body 2.

[0026] The packing 6 is interposed between the bottom 24 of the body 2 and the first portion 31 of the rod 3. Therefore, the packing 6, together with the first portion 31, is pressed toward the bottom 24 by the coil spring 5. The packing 6 is formed in an annular (here, circular) shape so as to surround the second portion 32 of the rod 3 when viewed from the first direction D1.

[0027] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the packing shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 4(a) is a plan view of the packing 6, and Fig. 4(b) is a side view of the packing 6. As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the packing 6 is formed with a third outlet 6b for discharging drainage. In addition, a locking protrusion 6p that functions as a rotation stopper for the bottom 24 of the body 2 is formed on a surface 6s of the packing 6 facing the bottom 24. Meanwhile, a hole 24c into which the locking protrusion 6p is fitted is formed on the bottom 24 of the body 2.

[0028] That is, the packing 6 is locked to the bottom portion 24 of the body 2 by fitting the locking projection 6p into the hole 24c of the bottom portion 24 of the body 2. When the packing 6 is locked to the bottom portion 24 of the body 2 in this manner, the third outlet 6b of the packing 6 communicates with the first outlet 24b of the bottom portion 24.

[0029] A plurality of (here, two) lips 61 extending along the circumferential direction of the packing 6 and a plurality of (here, six) lips 62 extending along the radial direction of the packing 6 are protrudingly provided on the surface 6s of the packing 6. The lips 61, 62 have a triangular cross section. The two lips 61 have different diameters and are arranged concentrically. The inner lip 61 of the two lips 61 is arranged so as to surround the second portion 32 of the rod 3 when viewed from the first direction D1. The lips 62 extend from one lip 61 to the other lip 61. The six lips 62 are arranged radially so as to be spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the packing 6.

[0030] Therefore, the lip 61 is pressed so as to be crushed by the elastic force of the coil spring 5, thereby sealing the gap between the second portion 32 of the rod 3 and the through-hole 24a of the bottom 24 of the body 2. Furthermore, when viewed from the first direction D1, the third outlet 6b is surrounded by the pair of lips 62 that circumferentially sandwich the third outlet 6b of the packing 6 and the two lips 61. Therefore, the lips 61, 62 are pressed so as to be crushed by the elastic force of the coil spring 5, thereby sealing the periphery of the third outlet 6b.

[0031] In order to seal the area around the third discharge port 6b, it is sufficient to form only a pair of lips 62 among the multiple lips 62 that sandwich the third discharge port 6b in the circumferential direction. However, in this embodiment, in addition to the pair of lips 62, four other lips 62 are formed and distributed over the entire circumferential direction of the packing 6 in order to achieve uniform surface pressure.

[0032] In the drain cock 1 described above, when drainage is to be discharged, the lever 4 is grasped and rotated about a rotation axis along the first direction D1, thereby rotating the second portion 32 of the rod 3 in the same direction. At this time, the first portion 31 of the rod 3 is also rotated integrally with the second portion 32. As a result, the second outlet 31b of the rod 3 is connected to the first outlet 24b of the body 2 and the third outlet 6b of the packing 6, and drainage within the air tank A is discharged to the outside via the first outlet 24b, the third outlet 6b, and the second outlet 31b.

[0033] As described above, in the drain cock 1 according to this embodiment, the rod 3 penetrates the bottom 24 of the body 2, which is provided on the underside As of the air tank A. The rod 3 includes a first portion 31 extending along the bottom 24 of the body 2 and a second portion 32 extending in a first direction D1 from the first portion 31 so as to penetrate the bottom 24 of the body 2. The first portion 31 of the rod 3 is biased toward the bottom 24 of the body 2 by a coil spring 5. The lever 4 is attached to the second portion 32 of the rod 3 and extends in a second direction D2 that intersects with the first direction D1, which is the extension direction of the second portion 32 (the direction in which the rod protrudes). A first outlet 24b is provided in the bottom 24 of the body 2, and a second outlet 31b is provided in the first portion 31 of the rod 3 that communicates with the first outlet 24b when the first portion 31 is rotated about a rotation axis along the first direction D1.

[0034] Therefore, by rotating the lever 4 around the rotation axis, the rod 3 is rotated against the elastic force of the coil spring 5, and the second outlet 31b of the first portion 31 of the rod 3 is connected to the first outlet 24b of the bottom 24 of the body 2, allowing drainage from the air tank A to be discharged through the first outlet 24b and the second outlet 31b. As described above, the drain cock 1 according to this embodiment does not require an operating ring when discharging drainage, preventing ice blocks from forming on the operating ring. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to tilt the rod 3, it is not necessary to form a gap between the bottom 24 of the body 2 and the rod 3 to accommodate the tilt of the rod 3. This prevents foreign matter such as sand or mud from entering the gap. As a result, the drain cock 1 according to this embodiment suppresses air leakage and improves reliability.

[0035] Furthermore, the drain cock 1 according to this embodiment includes a packing 6 interposed between the bottom 24 of the body 2 and the first portion 31 of the rod 3 so as to surround the second portion 32 of the rod 3 when viewed from the first direction D1. The packing 6 is provided with a third outlet 6b for discharging the drainage, and the packing 6 is engaged with the bottom 24 with the third outlet 6b communicating with the first outlet 24b. Therefore, the packing 6 improves the sealing between the body 2 and the rod 3, and by operating the lever 4 as described above, the drainage in the air tank A can be suitably discharged via the first outlet 24b of the bottom 24 of the body 2, the second outlet 31b of the first portion 31 of the rod 3, and the third outlet 6b of the packing 6.

[0036] Furthermore, in the drain cock 1 according to this embodiment, the packing 6 is formed in an annular shape so as to surround the second portion 32 of the rod 3 when viewed from the first direction D1, and a lip 62 extending in the radial direction of the packing 6 and a lip 61 extending in the circumferential direction of the packing 6 protrude from a surface 6s of the packing 6 facing the bottom portion 24 so as to surround the third discharge port 6b. This improves the sealing performance of the packing 6 around the third discharge port 6b.

[0037] The above embodiment has described one aspect of the drain cock according to the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the drain cock 1 according to the above embodiment, and can be modified as desired.

[0038] For example, in the above embodiment, the coil spring 5 is given as an example of the elastic member for biasing the first portion 31 of the rod 3 and the packing 6 toward the bottom portion 24 of the body 2. However, any elastic member may be used.

[0039] Furthermore, in the drain cock 1 according to the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the lips 61, 62 are formed on the surface 6s of the packing 6 that faces the bottom 24. However, a lip different from the lips 61, 62 may be formed on the surface 6s of the packing 6, or the drain cock 1 may not be provided with the packing 6, and another sealing material may be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1...Drain cock, 2...Body, 3...Rod, 4...Lever, 5...Coil spring (elastic member), 6...Gasket, 6b...Third outlet, 6s...Surface, 24...Bottom, 24b...First outlet, 31...First part, 31b...Second outlet, 32...Second part, 61, 62...Lip, A...Air tank (vehicle air tank), As...Bottom, S...Space.

Claims

1. A drain cock attached to a bottom surface of a vehicle air tank for discharging drain from the vehicle air tank, a body attached to the lower surface, the body having a bottom and defining a space; a rod located within the space and including a first portion extending along the bottom and a second portion extending from the first portion through the bottom to outside the space; a lever provided on the second portion of the rod and extending in a direction intersecting a first direction, which is an extension direction of the second portion; an elastic member disposed in the space and engaged with the body and the first portion, biasing the first portion toward the bottom; Equipped with a first outlet for discharging the drain is provided at the bottom; The first portion is provided with a second outlet for discharging the drain, the second discharge port is provided in the first portion so as to communicate with the first discharge port when the first portion rotates around a rotation axis along the first direction, the lever is attached to the second part such that, when the lever is rotated around the rotation axis, the first part can be rotated around the rotation axis via the second part against the elastic force of the elastic member. Drain cock.

2. a packing interposed between the bottom and the first portion so as to surround the second portion when viewed from the first direction; The packing is provided with a third outlet for discharging the drain, The packing is engaged with the bottom portion in a state in which the third discharge port is in communication with the first discharge port. The drain cock according to claim 1.

3. the packing is formed in an annular shape so as to surround the second portion when viewed from the first direction, A lip extending in a radial direction of the packing and a lip extending in a circumferential direction of the packing are protruded from a surface of the packing facing the bottom so as to surround the third discharge port. The drain cock according to claim 2.

Images