Flow control device

Abstract

To provide a flow control device which can restrict movement of a flow control part to a secondary side without deteriorating sealability of a seal material when a flow control body receives a load applied by a fluid pressure from a primary side and the flow control part is pressed to the secondary side.SOLUTION: In a flow control device 1, a plug 4 serving as a flow control body to be inserted into a housing 3 has: a partition wall part 41 disposed so as to partition the inside of the housing 3; a lid part 42 disposed so as to close an opening of the housing 3 and forming, with the partition wall part 41, a substantially T shape; and packings 43, 44 extending along an end surface of the partition wall part 41. The housing 3 has a seat part 8 and a main body lid 30 which closes the opening of the housing 3 at the outer side relative to the lid part 42 of the plug 4. The outer side of the lid part 42 is provided with a liner 60 serving as restriction means which restricts movement of the lid part 42. The liner 60 is provided at a secondary side of a passage relative to at least the partition wall part 41. In at least one of the lid part 42 and the main body lid 30, a restriction part 42a, 130 is integrally formed protruding to the other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flow restrictor device comprising a housing that is sealingly attached to a fluid pipe, and a flow restrictor that is inserted into the housing at a cut point in the fluid pipe. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when carrying out construction work on a portion of an existing fluid pipe, a flow control device is provided at a predetermined location in the fluid flow path, and the flow control device comprises a cylindrical housing that is hermetically attached to the fluid pipe and a valve body, plug, or other fluid control device that is inserted into the cut point of the fluid pipe inside the housing, and the flow of the fluid is controlled by temporarily stopping the flow of fluids such as water or gas, or by changing the flow path to a branch pipe or other device connected to the fluid pipe.

[0003] One type of flow control device includes a flow control device formed in an approximately T-shape by a lid that closes the top opening of a cylindrical housing and a plate-like flow control device hanging down from the lid, with a recess formed on the end face of the flow control device that can be fitted into a protrusion (seat) that protrudes from the inner surface of the housing, and a sealing material provided within the recess so that the recess of the flow control device can be fitted into the protrusion and the sealing material can be tightly attached to both sides of the protrusion, thereby blocking the fluid (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 52-96423 (page 3, Figure 1) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the flow restrictor described in Patent Document 1, when a flow path through which a fluid flows from the primary side (upstream side) to the secondary side (downstream side) is closed, a load due to fluid pressure from the primary side is applied to the flow restrictor portion of the fluid restrictor arranged to separate the flow path. In particular, in a flow path with high pressure specifications, the load due to fluid pressure from the primary side increases, and the force pressing the flow restrictor portion toward the secondary side increases.

[0006] In the above-mentioned fluid restrictor, the upper cover is supported circumferentially on the inner wall of the housing, and the recess of the lower flow restrictor is supported by the ridge of the housing, so that when a load due to fluid pressure from the primary side is applied to the flow restrictor, the movement of the fluid to the secondary side is restricted. However, because a seal material is interposed between the recess and the ridge, when the flow restrictor is pressed toward the secondary side, the seal material deforms, and the force with which the seal material is pressed against the ridge is large on the primary side of the ridge but small on the secondary side, causing an imbalance, which reduces the sealing ability of the seal material.

[0007] The present invention has been made with an eye on such problems, and aims to provide a flow control device that can restrict the movement of the flow control portion toward the secondary side without reducing the sealing performance of the sealing material when the flow control portion is subjected to a load from fluid pressure from the primary side and pressed toward the secondary side. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the flow restrictor of the present invention comprises: A flow restrictor device comprising: a housing that is sealingly attached to a fluid pipe; and a flow restrictor that is inserted into a cut portion of the fluid pipe inside the housing, the fluid regulator includes a flow restricting portion arranged to partition the inside of the housing, a lid portion arranged to close an opening of the housing, and a sealing material extending along end surfaces of the flow restricting portion and the lid portion, the housing has a seat portion against which the sealing material abuts, a holding member that holds the lid portion inside the housing, and an outer lid that closes the opening of the housing outside the lid portion of the fluid regulator, The device is characterized in that a restricting means is provided on the outside of the lid portion to restrict movement of the lid portion toward the outer lid, and the restricting means is provided at least on the secondary side of the flow path relative to the flow restriction portion. According to this feature, when the flow restriction portion is pressed toward the secondary side due to the load of fluid pressure from the primary side of the flow path, the regulating means prevents the secondary side portion of the lid portion from moving and tilting toward the outer lid, and since no sealing material is interposed between the regulating means and the lid portion or outer lid, movement of the flow restriction portion toward the secondary side can be prevented without reducing the sealing performance provided by the sealing material.

[0009] The restricting means is characterized in that it is a liner formed separately from the lid portion and the outer lid and disposed between the lid portion and the outer lid. According to this feature, a liner having a thickness corresponding to the distance between the lid portion and the outer lid can be easily provided.

[0010] The liner is characterized in that it is fixed to the lid portion or the outer lid. This feature allows the liner to be provided together with the lid or overcap.

[0011] The liner is characterized by being disposed outside the holding member. According to this feature, even if the holding force of the holding member is reduced, the liner can hold the fluid control member inside the housing.

[0012] The liner is characterized by being formed in an annular shape. According to this feature, the entire upper surface of the lid is stably supported by the liner, thereby preventing the lid from tilting.

[0013] A shim is provided between the liner and the outer lid. According to this feature, the gap that occurs between the liner and the outer lid can be closed by the shim, so that movement of the lid portion toward the outer lid can be reliably restricted.

[0014] The liner is characterized in that it is provided at approximately the center of the outer surface of the lid portion. According to this feature, movement of the flow restricting portion toward the outer lid can be stably restricted.

[0015] The restricting means is a restricting portion integrally formed on one of the lid portion and the outer lid so as to protrude toward the other. According to this feature, the restricting portion can be formed by utilizing the lid portion or the outer lid, thereby preventing an increase in the number of parts.

[0016] The restricting means is a wall portion that stands on the lid portion toward the outer lid and against which the holding member can abut. According to this feature, by using the holding member to abut against the wall of the lid, it is possible to prevent the secondary side portion of the lid from moving and tilting toward the outer lid side. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a fluid pipe in which a flow control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is installed on the primary side of a specific area in a flow path. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the flow restrictor. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the housing. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the housing. [Figure 5] (a) is a plan view showing the plug, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a left side view. [Figure 6] 10 is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view showing a state in which a gate valve device and a cutting device are attached above a housing. FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view showing a state in which a gate valve device and a plug insertion device are attached above a housing. FIG. [Figure 8] 10(a) and 10(b) are cross-sectional views showing the process of inserting a plug, and 10(c) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing how the partition wall portion is guided by the guide surface. [Figure 9] 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a plug is inserted into the housing and then the housing is closed with a lid, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG. [Figure 10] (a) is a plan view showing the liner, (b) is a front view, (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of (a), (d) is a plan view showing the shim, and (e) is an enlarged front view of the shim of (d). [Figure 11] 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the secondary fluid is discharged to the outside from a plug installed inside the housing, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG. 1A. [Figure 12] 1(a) and 1(b) are schematic explanatory diagrams showing an example of the behavior of a plug without a liner when a load is applied from the primary side due to fluid pressure, and 1(c) and 1(d) are schematic explanatory diagrams showing an example of the behavior of a plug with a liner when a load is applied from the primary side due to fluid pressure. [Figure 13] FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view showing a liner as a modified example of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a plan view showing a plug to which the liner of FIG. 1(a) is attached. [Figure 14] 10(a) and 10(b) are partially cutaway cross-sectional views showing the upper part of a flow restrictor to which a restricting means according to a modified example of the present invention is applied. [Figure 15] 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing an upper part of a flow restrictor to which a restricting means according to a modified example of the present invention is applied. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway front view showing the internal structure of a flow restrictor to which a restricting means according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part of the flow restrictor device of FIG. 16. [Figure 18] FIG. 1(a) is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation of the plug when a load due to fluid pressure from the primary side is applied to the plug, and FIG. 1(b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing an upper part of a flow restrictor to which a restricting means according to a modified example of the present invention is applied. Example 1

[0018] A flow control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 12. In the following description, the near side of Figure 1 will be referred to as the upper side (plane) of the flow control device, the lower side as the front, and the upper side as the rear.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, for example, in a case where a bypass flow path is configured to bypass a specific area E in order to remove or repair the fluid pipe 2 in the specific area E in a flow path consisting of an existing fluid pipe 2, first, flow control devices 1, 1 (the flow control device 1 on the secondary side is not shown) according to a first embodiment of the present invention are installed in the pipe section on the primary side (upstream side) of the specific area E shown in FIG. 1 and in the pipe section on the secondary side (downstream side) of the specific area E. Next, these flow control devices 1, 1 are connected to each other by a bypass pipe 9, and then plugs 4, 4 (see FIG. 2) described below are inserted into each flow control device 1, 1 to stop the water flow. As shown by the white arrows in FIG. 1, the fluid inside the fluid pipe 2 flows from the flow control device 1 installed on the primary side of the specific area E into the bypass pipe 9, bypasses the specific area E, and then flows down from the flow control device 1 installed on the secondary side into the fluid pipe 2, thereby shutting off the water supply to the specific area E. Thereafter, the drain port (not shown) provided in the flow control device 1, 1 is opened to discharge the fluid in the fluid pipe 2 in the specific area E to the outside, thereby making it possible to remove or repair the fluid pipe 2. In this way, it is possible to cut off the water supply to only the specific area E while keeping the flow path uninterrupted.

[0020] In the first embodiment, the fluid in the fluid pipe 2 is high-pressure tap water. However, it may be, for example, industrial water, agricultural water, sewage, or other liquids other than water, or it may be gas or a gas-liquid mixture of gas and liquid. The fluid pipe 2 is a ductile cast iron pipe formed into a straight pipe with a generally circular cross section. In the first embodiment, the fluid pipe 2 is disposed in a generally horizontal direction. The fluid pipe according to the present invention may also be made of other metals, such as cast iron or steel, or concrete, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, or polyolefin. The inner surface of the fluid pipe may be coated with an epoxy resin layer, mortar, plating, or the like, or may be powder-coated with an appropriate material.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the flow control device 1 is mainly composed of a housing 3 that hermetically fits over a predetermined portion of the fluid pipe 2, and a plug 4 that acts as a fluid control device that is inserted into the housing 3 and can change the flow path by sealing off the water inside the fluid pipe 2.

[0022] [Case] 3 and 4, the housing 3 is made of steel and is mainly composed of a cylindrical main portion 5 that is open at the top, cylindrical side portions 6, 6 that protrude from the left and right sides of the peripheral wall 5a of the main portion 5 in directions perpendicular to the axis of the main portion 5 and are capable of covering the fluid pipe 2, and a bottom portion 7 that closes the lower opening of the main portion 5, and each portion is welded to each other. Note that the members that make up the housing 3 etc. are not limited to those that are welded to each other and integrated as in the first embodiment, but may also be formed integrally by casting or the like.

[0023] The housing 3 is divided into two parts, vertically along the tube axis of the side portions 6, 6: an upper housing 3a that is roughly T-shaped when viewed from the front, and a lower housing 3b that is roughly inverted T-shaped when viewed from the front, and by covering the lower part of the fluid pipe 2 with the lower housing 3b and the upper part of the fluid pipe 2 with the upper housing 3a, and by connecting the lower housing 3b and the upper housing 3a, the housing 3 is attached in a sealed manner so as to cover a predetermined part of the fluid pipe 2. The ends of the side portions 6, 6 in the tube axis direction are sealed, and the housing 3 is fixed to the fluid pipe 2 by press rings 10, 10 (see Figure 1).

[0024] Because the housing 3 of this embodiment 1 is of high-pressure specification, although not shown in detail, reinforcing ribs 47 are fixed to multiple locations on the outer surface of the housing 3 for reinforcement. The housing 3 may be divided, for example, in the front-to-rear direction, or may be divided into a predetermined number of sections, such as three or more. Furthermore, although the lower housing 3b and the upper housing 3a are joined in a sealed state by multiple fastening members (not shown) made of bolts and nuts in this embodiment 1, they may also be joined by welding or the like.

[0025] A steel seat 8 projects from the inner surface of the casing 3 and receives the plug 4 inserted from the top opening of the casing 3. Specifically, the seat 8 is composed of a horizontal seat 8a extending in the front-to-rear direction (perpendicular to the tube axis) so as to pass through approximately the center of the circular bottom 7 of the casing 3 in a plan view, and vertical seat portions 8b, 8b extending upward from the front and rear ends of the horizontal seat 8a along the inner surface of the main portion 5. The left-to-right dimension of the seat 8 is approximately the same as the plate thickness L3 (see FIG. 5) of the partition wall 41 of the plug 4, which will be described later.

[0026] Furthermore, communication holes 13a, 13b are formed on the left and right sides of the horizontal seat portion 8a at the lower front side of the peripheral wall 5a of the main portion 5, and connect the housing 3 to the bypass pipe 9. By making the vertical dimension of the horizontal seat portion 8a as large as the diameter of the communication holes 13a, 13b and bringing the abutment surface 8c, which is the upper surface of the horizontal seat portion 8a, closer to the side portions 6, 6, it is possible to avoid an increase in the vertical dimension of the plug 4.

[0027] A pair of guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b that guide the plug 4 downward is provided on the left and right sides (both sides in the tube axis direction) of the vertical seat portions 8b, 8b. The guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b protrude radially inward beyond the abutment surface 8c of the vertical seat portions 8b, 8b, and extend vertically along the vertical seat portions 8b, 8b, at positions slightly spaced to the left and right from the vertical seat portions 8b, 8b. Note that the distance L2 between the guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b is longer than the thickness L3 (see FIG. 5) of a partition wall portion 41 of the plug 4, which will be described later (L2 > L3).

[0028] In addition, guide inclined surfaces 14c, 15c that slope upward toward the left and right sides of each guide portion 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b are formed at the top of each guide portion, so that the descending plug 4 can be smoothly guided between the left and right guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b.

[0029] 3 and 4, a restricting portion 20 that restricts movement of the plug 4 toward the secondary side is provided on the bottom 7 on the secondary side (to the right in the figures) of the seat portion 8. The restricting portion 20 is made of steel and is fixed by welding W to an area on the upper surface of the bottom 7 that is on the secondary side of the horizontal seat portion 8a. More specifically, the restricting portion 20 is formed to protrude upward beyond the horizontal seat portion 8a, and is formed into a roughly T-shape in plan view by a plate-shaped main body portion 20a that extends in the front-to-rear direction along the horizontal seat portion 8a, and a plate-shaped support portion 20b that extends from the main body portion 20a toward the secondary side.

[0030] 4, the front-to-rear dimension of the main body portion 20a is shorter than the front-to-rear dimension of the horizontal seat portion 8a, and a gap is provided between the front and rear end portions of the main body portion 20a and the inner surface of the main portion 5. The support portion 20b extends from approximately the center position in the front-to-rear direction on the right side surface of the main body portion 20a to the inner surface of the main portion 5. In this Example 1, the front-to-rear dimension of the main body portion 20a is set to the minimum necessary dimension, but it may also be extended so as to abut against the inner surface of the main portion 5 without providing a gap.

[0031] 3 and 4, a base portion below the abutment surface 8c on the left side surface of the main body 20a abuts against the horizontal seat 8a and is fixed by welding W, and the right side surface of the support portion 20b abuts against the peripheral surface of the main portion 5 and is fixed by welding W. An abutment surface 21 for the plug 4, which protrudes above the abutment surface 8c on the left side surface of the main body 20a, is located a predetermined distance L1 away from the horizontal seat 8a on the secondary side. A guide inclined surface 22, which slopes upward toward the secondary side and extends in the front-to-rear direction, is provided above the abutment surface 21 so as to be able to guide the descending plug 4 toward the horizontal seat 8a.

[0032] The upper surface of the main portion 5 is open, and a flange 3e is formed around the periphery of the opening, protruding in the radially outward direction. Below the flange 3e on the inner peripheral surface, a seal seat 26 is provided that hermetically abuts along the outer peripheral surface of a lid portion 42 (described later) of the plug 4. More specifically, the seal seat 26 is made of steel and welded to the inner peripheral surface of the main portion 5, and is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the main portion 5 in an annular shape extending in the circumferential direction. The abutment surface of the seal seat 26 is an inclined surface that gradually slopes downward toward the inner diameter.

[0033] Furthermore, a plurality of cylindrical portions 27 projecting outward are formed in the circumferential direction above the seal seat 26 on the lower outer peripheral surface of the main portion 5. A threaded hole (not shown) is formed inside each cylindrical portion 27, and a fixing pin 28 is screwed into the threaded hole in a radially sealed manner. The fixing pin 28 can be rotated around its axis from the outside of the cylindrical portion 27 with a tool or the like to retract the tip of the fixing pin 28 into the cylindrical portion 27, thereby allowing the plug 4 to be inserted (see FIG. 3 ). Alternatively, the tip of the fixing pin 28 can be protruded into the main portion 5 and abutted against the upper surface of the lid portion 42, thereby fixing the plug 4 (see FIG. 9( a) ). The tip of the fixing pin 28 is tapered toward the inner diameter. A plurality of stoppers 29 project circumferentially from the inner peripheral surface of the main portion 5 near the lower seal seat 26 to prevent the lid portion 42 from falling.

[0034] [plug] 5(a) to 5(c), the plug 4 is formed in a generally trapezoidal shape in a side view and mainly comprises a plate-like partition wall portion 41 arranged to divide the inside of the main portion 5, and a disk-shaped lid portion 42 fixed generally horizontally to the upper portion of the partition wall portion 41 and closing the upper opening of the main portion 5. A gasket 43 is provided in a recessed groove 41c extending from the lower end surface 41a and the side end surfaces 41b, 41b of the partition wall portion 41 (see FIG. 9(b)), and a gasket 44 is fitted in a recessed groove 42c extending circumferentially in the peripheral end surface 42f of the lid portion 42 (see FIG. 9(a)). These gaskets 43, 44 are integrally formed so as to be continuous and extend along the end surfaces of the plug 4 (the lower end surface 41a and the side end surfaces 41b, 41b of the partition wall portion 41 and the peripheral end surface 42f of the lid portion 42).

[0035] The front-to-rear dimensions of the partition wall portion 41 and the diameter dimensions of the lid portion 42 are formed to match the inner diameter dimensions of the housing 3, so that when installed inside the housing 3, the inside of the main portion 5 is divided into left and right sections by the partition wall portion 41, and the upper opening of the housing 3 is closed by the lid portion 42.

[0036] The cover 42 is made up of an annular member 42d having a small diameter portion 42a and a large diameter portion 42b below the small diameter portion 42a, and a cover plate 42e that closes the opening of the annular member 42d. A plurality of screw holes 46 are formed in the circumferential direction on the top surface of the annular member 42d.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 5(b), a plurality of reinforcing ribs 45 extending in the vertical direction are fixed at predetermined intervals in the front-rear direction to the left and right side surfaces of the partition wall portion 41. Each rib 45 is fixed to the partition wall portion 41 and the lid portion 42 by welding. The vertical dimension of each rib 45 is shorter than the vertical dimension of the partition wall portion 41, and the lower end of each rib 45 is located slightly higher than the lower end of the partition wall portion 41, so that the rib 45 on the right side surface of the partition wall portion 41 does not come into contact with the restricting portion 20 when the partition wall portion 41 is installed inside the housing 3 (see Fig. 9(b)).

[0038] [Plug insertion process] Next, the process of inserting the plug 4 into the housing 3 in an uninterrupted flow state will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 12. Note that in Figures 9(a), (b) and 11(a), (b), multiple short horizontal lines indicating the fluid are shown in the area filled with the fluid, while in Figures 6 to 8, the short horizontal lines in the area filled with the fluid are omitted.

[0039] First, as shown in Fig. 6, after attaching the housing 3 to the fluid pipe 2, the gate valve device 50 is connected in a sealed manner to the upper end opening of the main section 5. The gate valve device 50 has a cylindrical valve box 50a that penetrates vertically, a valve cover 50b that protrudes to the right from the valve box 50a and is connected to the valve box 50a via a communication port (not shown) formed on the inner circumferential surface, a valve disc 50c that is arranged so as to be movable in a substantially horizontal direction between the valve box 50a and the valve cover 50b, and a groove 50d (see Fig. 8(a)) that serves as a valve seat for receiving the valve disc 50c. The groove 50d is designed so that the valve disc 50c can sealingly abut against it via a seal member (not shown).

[0040] Flanges 50e, 50f protruding in the outward direction are formed on the periphery of the upper and lower openings of the valve box 50a, and the lower flange 50e is fastened to the flange 3e of the main section 5 with a plurality of fastening members 91 consisting of bolts and nuts arranged circumferentially, thereby hermetically connecting the valve box 50a to the upper open end (opening) of the main section 5 via a seal member (not shown). Furthermore, the end of a valve stem 50h that is threadedly engaged with the valve disc 50c inside the valve cover 50b protrudes from the tip of the valve lid 50b, and an operating handle 50g is attached to the end of this valve stem 50h. By rotating the operating handle 50g to move the valve disc 50c between the valve box 50a and the valve cover 50b, the interior of the housing 3 can be opened and closed.

[0041] Next, a cutting device 70 is hermetically connected to the upper open end of the valve box 50a. The cutting device 70 is primarily composed of a mounting flange tube 71, a cutter 72 for cutting the fluid pipe 2, a drive motor 74 for rotating the cutter 72 within the mounting flange tube 71, and an advance / retract mechanism 73 for vertically advancing and retracting the cutter 72. The cutter 72 is cylindrical with a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the fluid pipe 2 and is composed of a hole saw 72a with a cutting blade along the circumferential direction at its lower end, and a center drill 72b arranged coaxially with a rotation axis 72c of the hole saw 72a and protruding beyond the cutting blade. The cutter 72 is arranged concentrically with the upper open end of the main section 5 of the housing 3. It is inserted into the main section 5 from the upper open end and can advance at least to a position where it penetrates the wall of the fluid pipe 2.

[0042] A flange 71a protruding in the outward direction is formed on the periphery of the lower opening of the mounting flange tube 71, and by fastening the flange 71a to the flange 50f of the check valve device 50 with a plurality of fastening members consisting of bolts and nuts (not shown) arranged circumferentially, the cutting device 70 is hermetically connected to the upper opening end of the valve box 50a via a sealing member (not shown).

[0043] Next, the cutter 72 is rotated around the rotation axis 72c by the drive motor 74 of the cutting device 70, and the cutter 72 is advanced downward by the advance / retract mechanism 73, thereby cutting the fluid pipe 2 in a state where the flow is not interrupted.

[0044] When the fluid pipe 2 is cut by the cutter 72, a cut piece (not shown) separated from between the ends 2H, 2T (see FIG. 7) of the fluid pipe 2 is held in the hole saw 72a. Thereafter, the advance / retract mechanism 73 retracts the cutter 72 together with the cut piece (not shown) into the inside of the mounting flange tube 71, and the valve body 50c of the gate valve device 50 is moved toward the recessed groove portion 50d, thereby closing the inside of the housing 3.

[0045] Some of the foreign matter such as chips generated by cutting is discharged by water pressure together with the fluid in the pipe from a drain port (not shown) provided at the bottom of the housing 3, but the remainder gradually sinks due to gravity over time, falling and remaining at the bottom 7 of the housing 3. After the mounting flange cylinder 71 is removed from the valve box 50a and the cutting device 70 is removed, the foreign matter that has accumulated at the bottom 7 of the housing 3 is discharged to the outside by a discharge device (not shown) attached to the valve box 50a.

[0046] Next, a plug installation process is carried out to install a plug 4 as a fluid regulator in the housing 3. As shown in Fig. 7, first, the upper flange 50f of the valve box 50a and the flange portion 90c of the cylindrical member 90a of the insertion device 90 are connected with bolts and nuts (not shown), thereby connecting the valve box 50a and the cylindrical member 90a in a hermetic manner.

[0047] Next, a hole (not shown) formed in the top of the housing 3 is connected to a hole 92 formed in the bottom of the cylindrical member 90a with a connecting pipe (not shown) to communicate between the inside of the housing 3 and the inside of the cylindrical member 90a, the inside of the housing 3 is filled with fluid while air is released from an air release valve (not shown) provided at the top of the cylindrical member 90a, and the presence or absence of water leakage is confirmed by applying water pressure into the cylindrical member 90a that is approximately the same as that in the fluid pipe 2, and then the air release valve (not shown) is closed after confirming that the air has been released from the cylindrical member 90a. Next, with the inside of the housing 3 and the inside of the cylindrical member 90a at approximately the same pressure, the valve body 50c is opened, and the drive mechanism 90b of the insertion device 90 is operated to lower the plug 4.

[0048] 8(a), when the lower end of the partition wall portion 41 of the plug 4 reaches the guide portions 14a and 14b after the plug 4 has entered the housing 3, the front and rear sides of the partition wall portion 41 are inserted between the guide portions 14a and 14b. Here, even if the plug 4 shifts to the left or right as it descends during insertion by the insertion device 90, or even if the partition wall portion 41 is pressed toward the secondary side (the right side in FIG. 8) by the fluid flowing inside the fluid pipe 2, the partition wall portion 41 is smoothly inserted between the guide portions 14a and 14b due to the guide inclined surfaces 14c formed on the upper parts of the guide portions 14a and 14b.

[0049] 8(b), when the packing 43 at the lower end of the partition wall portion 41 is pressed against the horizontal seat portion 8a, the front and rear packings 43, 43 are pressed against the vertical seat portions 8b, 8b, and the packing 44 of the lid portion 42 is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the seal seat portion 26. In this way, when the plug 4 is installed in a predetermined installation position, the upper opening of the housing 3 is hermetically closed by the lid portion 42, and the partition wall portion 41 separates the ends 2H, 2T of the fluid pipe 2 inside the housing 3 to stop water leaking therethrough.

[0050] Furthermore, since the distance L2 between the guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b is longer than the plate thickness L3 of the partition wall portion 41 of the plug 4 described later, as shown in FIG. 8(c), if the partition wall portion 41 descending between the guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b shifts, for example, to the secondary side (right side) for the reasons described above, the lower end portion of the partition wall portion 41 is smoothly guided downward toward the horizontal seat portion 8a by the inclined guide slope surface 22 formed on the upper part of the regulating portion 20, and therefore the downward movement is prevented from being obstructed by the regulating portion 20.

[0051] After the plug 4 is installed in a predetermined installation position, as shown in Figure 9(a), the multiple fixing pins 28 arranged in the circumferential direction of the main portion 5 are advanced toward the inner diameter side of the main portion 5 and brought into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 42a of the lid portion 42. As a result, the large diameter portion 42b below the small diameter portion 42a is engaged with the fixing pins 28, restricting upward movement of the lid portion 42 and holding it in a predetermined installation position, thereby preventing the plug 4 from coming off the housing 3.

[0052] Thereafter, the air vent valve (not shown) provided on the cylindrical member 90 a is opened, and it is confirmed that the packings 43 , 44 of the plug 4 are watertight, and the insertion device 90 and the gate valve device 50 are removed from the housing 3 .

[0053] In addition, a circular liner 60 is placed on the upper surface 42g of the lid portion 42 to fill the gap formed between the lid portion 42 and the main body lid 30, and multiple bolts 61 attached to the liner 60 are screwed into multiple screw holes 46 formed in the upper surface 42g of the lid portion 42 to fix the liner 60 to the lid portion 42.

[0054] Then, the main body lid 30 is placed on top of the housing 3 from above the lid portion 42, and the flange 3e of the main portion 5 and the main body lid 30 are fastened together with multiple fastening members 95 consisting of bolts and nuts to form a sealed connection, thereby completing the installation of the plug 4.

[0055] 10(a) to 10(c), the liner 60 is made of a steel annular member having a predetermined vertical dimension L4 and an outer diameter slightly smaller than that of the small-diameter portion 42a of the lid portion 42. A plurality of (eight in this example) mounting holes 62 are formed at predetermined intervals around the circumference, penetrating the liner 60 in the vertical direction. In addition, mounting holes 63, 63 for eyebolts (not shown) for securing a wire (not shown) for lifting the liner 60 are formed at two radially opposing locations.

[0056] 10(d) and 10(e), a disk-shaped shim plate 80 having a vertical dimension L5 that is shorter than the vertical dimension L4 of the liner 60 can be placed on the upper surface 60a of the liner 60. The vertical dimension L4 of the liner 60 is approximately 67 mm, and the vertical dimension L5 of the shim plate 80 is approximately 1 mm or less, but these dimensions can be changed as desired.

[0057] As shown in Figure 9(a), after the plug 4 is installed inside the housing 3, a liner 60 is attached to the upper surface 42g of the lid portion 42, so that the upper surface 60a of the liner 60 abuts against the lower surface 30a of the main body lid 30, thereby holding the lid portion 42 approximately parallel to the tube axis.

[0058] Furthermore, when the main body lid 30 is connected to the top of the housing 3 with the fastening member 95 to close the opening, if a gap occurs because the underside 30a of the main body lid 30 does not abut against the upper side 60a of the liner 60, the gap can be finely adjusted by inserting a shim plate 80 into the gap between the underside 30a of the main body lid 30 and the upper side 60a of the liner 60. If the gap is large, multiple shim plates 80 can be inserted one above the other.

[0059] Furthermore, in this Example 1, after the plug 4 is installed inside the housing 3, the liner 60 is attached integrally to the top of the lid portion 42, but the plug 4 may also be installed inside the housing 3 with the liner 60 already attached integrally to the upper surface 42g of the lid portion 42.

[0060] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9(a), when the partition wall portion 41 is installed in the installation position and the gasket 43 is pressed against the seat portion 8, the lower end surface 41a and side end surfaces 41b, 41b of the partition wall portion 41 face the abutment surface 8c of the seat portion 8, and as a result, as shown in Figure 9(b), the regulated portion 41d at the lower right side surface of the partition wall portion 41 is separated by a predetermined distance L1 from the abutment surface 21 of the regulating portion 20.

[0061] By installing the plug 4 so as to separate the inside of the housing 3, the fluid is separated into the primary side and secondary side of the plug 4, resulting in a water outage in the specific area E. Here, by causing the fluid on the primary side from the plug 4 inside the housing 3 to flow out from the communication port 13a to the bypass pipe 9, it is possible to perform work such as removing or repairing the fluid pipe 2 in the specific area E while keeping the flow of the fluid pipe 2 uninterrupted.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11(a), when the fluid on the secondary side of the partition wall portion 41 inside the housing 3 is discharged to the outside through a drain port (not shown), a load is applied to the plug 4 by the fluid pressure from the primary side (white arrow in the figure), and the partition wall portion 41 is pressed toward the secondary side.

[0063] The upper cover 42 is supported by a packing 44 on its outer periphery, which is pressed against the seal seat 26 of the main section 5 in the circumferential direction, but the lower end of the partition wall 41 is not supported and is a free end. The stopper 29 is disposed below and spaced apart from the cover 42.

[0064] Therefore, when the partition wall portion 41 is pressed toward the secondary side, as shown in the schematic diagrams of Figures 12(a) and (b), if a liner 60 or shim plate 80 is not placed in the gap between the main body lid 30 fixed to the housing 3 and the lid portion 42, the plug 4 may tilt slightly counterclockwise when viewed from the front, so that the primary side (left side) of the lid portion 42 supported by the main portion 5 descends and the secondary side (right side) rises, and the partition wall portion 41 may move toward the secondary side so that the lower end of the partition wall portion 41 is tilted more toward the secondary side than the upper end.

[0065] However, as shown in the schematic diagrams of Figures 12(c) and (d), when a liner 60 or a shim plate 80 is placed in the gap between the main body lid 30 fixed to the housing 3 and the lid portion 42, the main body lid 30 restricts the secondary side (right side) of the lid portion 42 from moving upward and tilting via the liner 60 or the shim plate 80, thereby preventing the plug 4 from rotating counterclockwise when viewed from the front and the lower end of the partition wall portion 41 from moving toward the secondary side.

[0066] When the lower end of the partition wall portion 41 moves to the secondary side, as shown in Figure 11(b), the regulated portion 41d of the partition wall portion 41 abuts against the abutment surface 21 of the regulating portion 20, and the lower end of the partition wall portion 41 is supported by the regulating portion 20 on the right side, thereby regulating the movement of the lower end of the partition wall portion 41 to the secondary side.

[0067] Furthermore, when the regulated portion 41d of the partition wall portion 41 abuts against the abutment surface 21 of the regulating portion 20, the gasket 43 maintains the abutting state without deviating from the horizontal seat portion 8a and the vertical seat portions 8b, 8b, thereby preventing a decrease in sealing performance.

[0068] Furthermore, since the regulated portion 41d of the partition wall portion 41 is located on the secondary side of the flow path relative to the packing 43, when the lower end of the partition wall portion 41 moves toward the secondary side or when its movement is restricted by the restricting portion 20, the packing 43 is not interposed between the regulated portion 41d of the partition wall portion 41 and the abutment surface 21 of the restricting portion 20, and the packing 43 simply slides or elastically deforms on the abutment surface 8c of the seat portion 8, and does not deform beyond its elastic limit, such as being crushed between the regulated portion 41d and the abutment surface 21, so that the sealing properties of the packing 43 are not affected by the restriction on movement.

[0069] In the first embodiment, the plug 4 as a fluid regulator is installed in the housing 3 in a state where the flow is not interrupted, but it may be installed in the housing 3 in a state where the water supply is interrupted.

[0070] [Actions and Effects] As explained above, the flow control device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises the housing 3 that is attached to the fluid pipe 2 in a sealed manner, and the plug 4 that acts as a flow control member and is inserted into the cut portion of the fluid pipe 2 inside the housing 3 (between the ends 2H and 2T). The plug 4 comprises a partition wall portion 41 that acts as a flow control member and is arranged to divide the inside of the housing 3, a lid portion 42 that is arranged to close the opening of the housing 3, and a seal portion 43 that is extended along the bottom end surface 41a and side end surfaces 41b, 41b of the partition wall portion 41. The housing 3 has a seat 8 against which the packings 43, 44 abut, a fixing pin 28 as a retaining member that holds the lid portion 42 inside the housing 3, and a main body lid 30 as an outer lid that closes the opening of the housing 3 outside the lid portion 42 of the plug 4, and is provided on the outside of the lid portion 42 with a liner 60 as a restricting means that restricts movement of the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 30, and the liner 60 is provided at least on the secondary side of the flow path relative to the partition wall portion 41.

[0071] According to this, when the partition wall portion 41 is pressed toward the secondary side (right side) due to the load of fluid pressure from the primary side (left side) of the flow path, the secondary side (right side) portion of the lid portion 42 moves toward the main body lid 30 and is prevented from tilting counterclockwise as shown in Figure 12(a) by the liner 60, and since no gaskets 43, 44 are interposed between the liner 60 and the lid portion 42 or the main body lid 30, movement of the partition wall portion 41 toward the secondary side (right side) can be prevented without reducing the sealing performance provided by the gaskets 43, 44.

[0072] In addition, the liner 60 is formed separately from the lid portion 42 and the main body lid 30, and is placed between the lid portion 42 and the main body lid 30, making it easy to provide a liner 60 with a thickness corresponding to the distance between the lid portion 42 and the main body lid 30.

[0073] Furthermore, by fixing the liner 60 to the lid portion 42, the liner 60 can be provided inside the housing 3 together with the lid portion 42. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the liner 60 is attached integrally to the lid portion 42, but it may also be attached integrally to the main body lid 30 and provided inside the housing 3 together with the main body lid 30.

[0074] Furthermore, since the liner 60 is disposed outside (above) the fixing pin 28, the liner 60 can hold the plug 4 inside the housing 3 even if the holding force of the fixing pin 28 decreases.

[0075] Furthermore, since the liner 60 is formed in an annular shape, the entire upper surface 42g of the lid portion 42 is stably supported by the liner 60, and therefore tilting of the lid portion 42 can be prevented.

[0076] Furthermore, by providing a shim plate 80 between the liner 60 and the main body lid 30, the gap that occurs between the liner 60 and the underside 30a of the main body lid 30 can be blocked by the shim plate 80, thereby reliably restricting movement of the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 30.

[0077] The housing 3 also has a seat portion 8 against which the packing 43 of the partition wall portion 41 abuts, and a regulating portion 20 that regulates the movement of the partition wall portion 41 toward the secondary side of the flow path, and the abutment surface 21 of the regulating portion 20 is arranged so as to be able to abut against the regulated portion 41d on the secondary side of the flow path further than the packing 43 at the lower end (insertion side end) of the partition wall portion 41.

[0078] According to this, when the partition wall portion 41 is pressed toward the secondary side by the load of fluid pressure from the primary side of the flow path, the regulated portion 41d on the secondary side of the packing 43 in the partition wall portion 41 abuts against the abutment surface 21 of the restricting portion 20, so that the packing 43 is not interposed between the abutment surface 21 of the restricting portion 20 and the regulated portion 41d. In other words, since the packing 43 is not affected when restricting the movement of the partition wall portion 41 toward the secondary side, the movement of the partition wall portion 41 toward the secondary side can be restricted without reducing the sealing performance of the packing 43.

[0079] Furthermore, since the regulating portion 20 is supported by abutting against a predetermined location on the inner surface of the main portion 5 of the housing 3 on the secondary side of the flow path relative to the seat portion 8 (see Figures 3 and 4), the load acting on the regulating portion 20 can be distributed to the housing 3, thereby preventing damage or displacement of the regulating portion 20.

[0080] Furthermore, the main body 20a of the regulating part 20 is located away from the seat 8 on the secondary side of the flow path (see Figure 3), thereby avoiding contact between the regulated part 41d and the regulating part 20 when inserting the plug 4, and when the partition wall part 41 is pressed to the secondary side, the regulating part 20 abuts against the regulated part 41d to regulate its movement, thereby preventing leakage due to damage to the plug 4 or the regulating part 20.

[0081] Furthermore, the main body portion 20a of the regulating portion 20 is located at a position away from the regulated portion 41d of the partition wall portion 41 on the secondary side of the flow path (see Figure 9(b)), so that the regulating portion 20 does not interfere when inserting the plug 4, and the movement of the plug 4 can be regulated when the plug 4 is subjected to a load due to fluid pressure from the primary side of the flow path.

[0082] Furthermore, the seat 8 is provided on at least the upper surface (bottom surface) of the bottom 7 of the housing 3, extending in the front-to-rear direction intersecting the pipe axis of the fluid pipe 2, and the restricting portion 20 is supported on the upper surface of the bottom 7 of the housing 3 on the secondary side of the flow path relative to the seat 8. This allows the restricting portion 20 to be provided on the upper surface of the bottom 7 that does not affect the insertion of the partition wall portion 41, thereby preventing the partition wall portion 41 and the packing 43 from coming into contact with the restricting portion 20 and being damaged. Furthermore, the partition wall portion 41 is prevented from tilting by contacting the restricting portion 20, so that damage to the seat 8 due to tilting of the partition wall portion 41 can be avoided. Furthermore, the bottom 7 is reinforced by providing the restricting portion 20 on the bottom 7, so that the number of ribs 47 and the like provided on the underside of the bottom 7 can be reduced.

[0083] Furthermore, the regulating portion 20 is composed of a main body portion 20a extending along the seat portion 8 and a support portion 20b extending from the main body portion 20a toward the secondary side of the flow path, so that the main body portion 20a can regulate the lower end portion of the partition wall portion 41 in the width direction, and the support portion 20b can increase the support force against the pressing force toward the secondary side.

[0084] In addition, the regulating portion 20 is formed with a guide inclined surface 22 that guides the partition wall portion 41 toward the seat portion 8 in the insertion direction, so that even if the partition wall portion 41 approaches the regulating portion 20 due to the water flow when the plug 4 is inserted, it can be smoothly guided toward the seat portion 8.

[0085] In addition, vertical seat portions 8b, 8b (predetermined seat portions) against which the gasket 43 abuts along the side end faces 41b, 41b of the partition wall portion 41 are provided on the inner surface of the peripheral wall 5a of the housing 3, extending in the insertion direction of the plug 4, and guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b that guide the side end faces 41b, 41b of the partition wall portion 41 in the insertion direction are provided near the vertical seat portions 8b, 8b, thereby guiding the partition wall portion 41 toward the seat portion 8.

[0086] Furthermore, when the partition wall portion 41 abuts against the regulating portion 20, the partition wall portion 41 is spaced apart from the guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b. Therefore, even if the partition wall portion 41 is pressed toward the secondary side and abuts against the regulating portion 20, it does not come into contact with the guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b, and therefore damage to the guide portions 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b can be avoided.

[0087] Although the first embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the first embodiment, and the present invention also includes modifications and additions that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0088] For example, in the first embodiment, a plug 4 (stopcock) is used as an example of a fluid control valve capable of controlling the flow of a fluid, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the fluid control valve may be a valve body such as a gate valve, a switching valve, or a butterfly valve that can open and close a flow path. Also, the gate valve may have a partition wall portion 41, or may be formed by providing a valve body in the partition wall portion 41 that can switch the flow path. Also, the partition wall portion 41 is not limited to being flat, and may be curved.

[0089] Furthermore, in the above-described Example 1, a form was exemplified in which a plug 4 is installed inside the housing 3, a liner 60 is attached to the top of the lid portion 42, and when the opening of the housing 3 is closed with the main body lid 30, the lower surface 30a of the main body lid 30 abuts against the upper surface 60a of the liner 60. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and when the opening of the housing 3 is closed with the main body lid 30, the lower surface 30a of the main body lid 30 does not abut against the upper surface 60a of the liner 60, and a load is applied to the plug 4 due to fluid pressure from the primary side, causing the secondary side portion of the lid portion 42 to move toward the main body lid 30, thereby abutting and restricting further movement.

[0090] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, in addition to the liner 60 having a plate thickness as a regulating means, if fine adjustment of the gap is required, disk-shaped shim plates 80 are provided above each bolt 61 on the upper surface 42g of the lid portion 42, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the shape and position of the shim plates 80 are arbitrary, and for example, they may be disposed at locations other than the bolts 61 on the upper surface 42g of the lid portion 42. Furthermore, the number of shim plates 80 to be disposed is also arbitrary, and a predetermined number of 9 or more shim plates 80 may be disposed, or a predetermined number of less than 8 shim plates 80 may be disposed.

[0091] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the liner 60 serving as the restricting means is formed in an annular shape and is arranged so as to be able to restrict movement of the primary side (left side) and secondary side (right side) of the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 30, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the shape of the liner is arbitrary. For example, the liner may be an arc-shaped columnar member such as liners 160a and 160b as modified examples shown in Figures 13(a) and (b). Even if these liners 160a and 160b are separately arranged on the primary side (left side) and the secondary side (right side) of the upper surface 42g of the lid portion 42, the same functions and effects as the liner 60 of the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, the shape of the liner may be linear instead of arc-shaped, and may be formed of a plate-like member instead of a columnar member.

[0092] Furthermore, in Figures 13(a) and (b), an example is shown in which liners 160a, 160b are arranged on the primary side (left side) and secondary side (right side) of the lid portion 42, and are capable of restricting movement of the primary side (left side) and secondary side (right side) portions of the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 30, but the present invention is not limited to this, and although not specifically shown, as long as liner 160b is arranged at least on the secondary side (right side) of the lid portion 42 and is capable of restricting movement of the secondary side (right side) portion of the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 30, liner 160a does not necessarily have to be arranged on the primary side (left side).

[0093] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the restricting means is configured by a liner 60 provided separately from the lid portion 42 and the lid body 30, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as in the plug 4a as a modified example shown in Figure 14(a), the small diameter portion of the lid portion 42 of the plug 4 of the first embodiment may be made to protrude toward the lid body 30, and a restricting portion 140 serving as a restricting means may be integrally formed above the small diameter portion 42a, i.e., on the outer side of the lid portion 42, at the top, to increase the vertical dimension, and an upper surface 42g of the restricting portion 140 may be made to directly abut against the lower surface 30a of the lid body 30. Note that the portion above the dashed dotted line at the top of the lid portion 42 shown in Figure 14(a) is the restricting portion 140.

[0094] Furthermore, as shown in a modified example in Figure 14(b), a regulating portion 130 as a regulating means may be integrally formed on the underside 30a of the main body lid 30 so as to protrude toward the lid portion 42, thereby increasing the vertical dimension, and the underside 130a of the regulating portion 130 may be directly abutted against the upper surface 42g of the lid portion 42.

[0095] That is, the restricting portion serving as the restricting means may be formed on one of the lid portion 42 and the main body lid 30 so as to protrude toward the other, or the restricting portion may be formed on both the lid portion 42 and the main body lid 30. In this way, the restricting portion can be formed using the lid portion 42 or the main body lid 30, thereby preventing an increase in the number of parts.

[0096] In addition, in the first embodiment, the liners 60, 160a, 160b are made of steel, but the material is arbitrary and they may be made of other materials such as stainless steel, synthetic resin, etc. In addition, it is preferable that the liners 60, 160a, 160b have a strength higher than that of the plug 4.

[0097] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned Example 1, a form in which the regulating portion 20 is protruded from the upper surface of the bottom portion 7 of the housing 3 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and if at least liners 60, 160a, 160b are provided as regulating means, the regulating portion 20 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0098] In addition, in the above-mentioned Example 1, liners 60, 160a, 160b are provided as regulating means between the lid portion 42 and the main body lid 30, and the tip surfaces of multiple fixing pins 28 as retaining members abut against the peripheral end surface 42f (wall portion) of the small diameter portion 42a of the lid portion 42, and the outer diameter portion of the large diameter portion 42b below the small diameter portion 42a is engaged with the fixing pins 28, thereby exemplified a form in which movement of the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 30 is regulated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and when movement of the lid portion toward the outer lid side is regulated by a liner as regulating means, it is not necessarily necessary to abut the retaining member against the wall portion of the lid portion.

[0099] 15, the lid portion 42A of the plug 4b as a modified example is configured with only a lid plate 42e, the vertical dimension of the liner 160c serving as the restricting means is increased, and the outer diameter portion of the upper surface 42g of the lid plate 42e is engaged with a plurality of fixing pins 28, thereby holding the plug 4b inside the housing 3. In this way, when the movement of the lid portion 42A toward the main body lid 30 is restricted by the liner 160c serving as the restricting means, it is not necessary to abut the tip surface of the fixing pin 28 against the peripheral end surface (wall portion) of the lid plate 42e. Example 2

[0100] A flow control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 16 to 18. Note that the same components and parts as those in the previous embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted, and the following will mainly focus on the components and parts that are different from those in the first embodiment.

[0101] The housing 3 of the first embodiment was configured to meet high-pressure specifications because the fluid in the fluid pipe 2 was under high pressure, but as shown in Fig. 16, the housing 103 of the flow control device 101 of the second embodiment is configured to meet general specifications, without the reinforcing ribs 47 provided on the main part 5 of the housing 3 or the restricting part 20 that restricts movement of the flow restricting part toward the secondary side, in order to accommodate the case where the fluid in the fluid pipe 2 is under normal pressure. Also, the shape of the liner 260 serving as restricting means for restricting movement of the lid part 42 toward the main body lid 230 is different.

[0102] 17 , a vertically facing steel columnar protrusion 105 is integrally fixed by welding to a substantially radially central position P on the bottom surface of a recess 42h that is circular in plan view and formed on the top surface of the lid portion 42 of the plug 104 of this second embodiment. In other words, the protrusion 105 is formed as a part of the lid portion 42. A liner 260 is provided above the protrusion 105 as a restricting means for restricting movement of the lid portion 42 toward the main lid 230. The liner 260 is made of a vertically facing steel cylindrical member and is composed of a liner main body 260a fixed to the top of the protrusion 105 and a steel liner cap 260b that closes the opening at the top end of the liner main body 260a. The diameter of the protrusion 105 and the liner main body 260a is slightly smaller than the thickness of the partition wall 41, and the diameter of the liner cap 260b is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the thickness of the partition wall 41. Meanwhile, a recess 230b that is approximately circular in bottom view and opens downward is formed in approximately the center of the lower surface 230a of the main body lid 230.

[0103] In the flow control device 101 of this embodiment 2 configured as described above, as shown in Figure 16, multiple fixing pins 28 arranged circumferentially around the main portion 5 are advanced toward the inner diameter side of the main portion 5, and as shown in Figure 17, the tip surfaces of the fixing pins 28 are brought into contact with the peripheral end surface 42f, which is the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 42a of the lid portion 42, so that the outer diameter portion of the large diameter portion 42b below the small diameter portion 42a is engaged with the fixing pins 28.

[0104] Furthermore, when the main body lid 230 is placed on top of the housing 103 and the flange 3e of the main part 5 and the main body lid 230 are fastened together with a plurality of fastening members 95 consisting of bolts and nuts to form a sealed connection, the upper surface 260c of the liner cap 260b, which is formed in an approximately circular shape in a plan view, abuts (or is close to) within the recess 230b in the lower surface 230a of the main body lid 230.

[0105] As described above, after the plug 104 is installed in a non-interrupted flow state, when the fluid on the secondary side of the partition wall 41 inside the housing 103 is discharged to the outside through a drain port (not shown), a load due to the fluid pressure from the primary side is applied to the plug 104, pressing the partition wall 41 toward the secondary side. At this time, as described above with reference to the schematic diagrams of Figures 12(a) and (b), if a liner is not placed in the gap between the main body lid 230 fixed to the housing 103 and the lid portion 42, the plug 104 may tilt slightly counterclockwise as viewed from the front so that the primary side (left side) of the lid portion 42 supported by the main portion 5 descends and the secondary side (right side) ascends, and the partition wall 41 may move toward the secondary side so that the lower end of the partition wall 41 is tilted more toward the secondary side than the upper end.

[0106] However, as shown in the schematic diagrams of Figures 18(a) and (b), the liner 260 is formed so that the upper surface 260c of the liner cap 260b extends outward from the center position P of the lid portion 42, and therefore, when the liner 260 is placed in the gap between the main body lid 230 fixed to the housing 103 and the lid portion 42, a portion of the upper surface 260c is positioned on the secondary side (right side) of the center position P, i.e., the center position in the thickness direction of the partition wall portion 41, which is the flow-restricting portion.

[0107] Therefore, when the partition wall portion 41 is pressed toward the secondary side, the secondary side (right side) portion of the upper surface 260c of the liner 260 abuts against the lower surface 230a of the main body lid 230, preventing the secondary side (right side) portion of the lid portion 42 from moving upward and tilting, thereby preventing the plug 104 from rotating counterclockwise when viewed from the front and the lower end portion of the partition wall portion 41 from moving toward the secondary side.

[0108] Furthermore, the load of the fluid pressure from the primary side on the plug 104 of the flow control device 101 of the second embodiment is smaller than the load of the fluid pressure from the primary side on the plug 4 of the flow control device 1 of the first embodiment.

[0109] Therefore, by abutting the upper surface 260c of the liner 260, which is arranged at the center position P of the lid portion 42, against the lower surface 230a of the main body lid 230, movement of the center position P of the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 230 is restricted, and by abutting the tip surfaces of the multiple fixing pins 28 arranged circumferentially on the upper part of the main portion 5 against the peripheral end surface 42f of the lid portion 42, it is possible to restrict movement of the outer peripheral edge of the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 230 while maintaining the concentricity of the plug 104 and the housing 103, so that the liner 260 can be made as small as possible and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0110] As described above, in the flow control device 101 of the second embodiment, the liner 260 is provided at approximately the center position P of the outer surface of the lid portion 42, that is, directly above the partition wall portion 41, which is the flow control portion, and therefore the lower surface 230a of the main body lid 230 abuts against the upper surface 260c of the liner 260, thereby stably restricting movement of the partition wall portion 41 toward the main body lid 230. Furthermore, because the upper surface 260c of the liner 260 is formed in a substantially circular shape in a plan view, it can cooperate with the multiple fixing pins 28 arranged in the circumferential direction to uniformly restrict movement of the outer peripheral edge of the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 230 in the circumferential direction.

[0111] In this second embodiment, the diameter of the liner main body 260a is slightly smaller than the thickness of the partition wall portion 41, and a portion of the upper surface 260c of the liner 260 is disposed on the secondary side of the center position P of the lid portion 42. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is preferable that at least a portion of the upper surface 260c of the liner 260 is disposed on the secondary side of the flow path of the side surface (right side surface) of the secondary side of the partition wall portion 41. In other words, it is preferable that the liner main body 260a has a diameter larger than the thickness of the partition wall portion 41.

[0112] In the second embodiment, the liner 260 as the restricting means is configured from the liner main body 260a and the liner cap 260b, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the liner main body 260a and the liner cap 260b may be integrated into one liner. In addition, the liner 260 is fixed to the protrusion 105 that is part of the lid 42, but the liner 260 may be fixed directly to the lower surface 230a of the lid 42 without using the protrusion 105.

[0113] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, when the main body lid 230 is placed on top of the housing 103, the upper surface 260c of the liner 260 abuts against the lower surface 230a of the main body lid 230. However, as long as the upper surface 260c abuts against the lower surface 230a at least when the plug 104 is tilted counterclockwise when viewed from the front, the upper surface 260c of the liner 260 does not necessarily have to abut against the lower surface 230a of the main body lid 230 when no load is applied to the plug 104 due to fluid pressure from the primary side.

[0114] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned Examples 1 and 2, as an example of a restricting means for restricting the movement of the lid portion toward the outer lid side, a form in which liners 60, 160a, 160b, 160c, 260 placed between the lid portion and the outer lid are applied is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the restricting means may be constituted by a peripheral end surface (wall portion) that is erected on the lid portion toward the outer lid side and against which the retaining member can abut.

[0115] For example, in cases where the fluid in the fluid pipe 2 is at a normal pressure, as in a modified flow control device 201 shown in Figure 19, the plug 204 as a lid portion may be erected in the lid portion 42 toward the main body lid 230, and may have a peripheral end surface 42f against which the tip surface 28a of the fixing pin 28 as a retaining member can abut, and an inclined surface 42i in the lid portion 42 that slopes downward in the outer diameter direction from the lower end of the peripheral end surface 42f, against which the tapered surface 28b of the fixing pin 28 can abut.

[0116] In this way, the peripheral end surface 42f as a wall portion of the lid portion 42 constitutes a restricting means for restricting movement of the lid portion 42 toward the main lid 230 side by abutting the tip surface 28a of the fixing pin 28 as a retaining member. Therefore, movement of the lid portion 42 toward the main lid 230 side can be restricted without providing the liners 60, 160a, 160b, 160c, 260, etc. described in Examples 1 and 2. Note that although the peripheral end surface 42f, which is the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 42a, serves as a wall portion against which the retaining member can abut, it may also be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 42b. Furthermore, as long as it is erected toward the outer lid, it may be slightly inclined radially toward the outer lid.

[0117] Furthermore, the inclined surface 42i of the lid portion 42 is a held portion that is held by contact with the tapered surface 28b of the fixing pin 28 serving as a holding member, but since it is also a wall portion against which the tapered surface 28b of the fixing pin 28 can contact, a restricting means may be configured to restrict movement of the lid portion toward the outer lid.

[0118] In addition, the flow control device of the present invention may be provided with only one of a liner and a wall portion of the lid portion against which the retaining member can abut, or may be provided with both a liner and a wall portion of the lid portion, as a regulating means for regulating the movement of the lid portion toward the outer lid side. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 1 Flow control device 2 Fluid tube 3. Housing 4,4a Plug (fluid control) 8 Seat area 20 Regulatory Department 28 Fixing pin (retaining member) 28a Tip surface 28b Slope 30 Main body lid (outer lid) 30a Bottom side 41 Partition wall (flow restriction section) 41a Lower end surface (end surface) 41b Side end face (end face) 41d Regulated part 42 Lid 42a Small diameter section 42b Large diameter part 42f Peripheral end face (end face, wall, regulating means) 42g top 43, 44 Packing (sealing material) 60 Liner (Regulatory Measures) 60a top 61 volts 80 Shim plate (shim, restricting means) 130 Regulatory Department (Regulatory Means) 130a Bottom side 140 Regulatory Department (Regulatory Means) 160a, 160b Liner (control means) 101,201 Flow control device 103 Case 104,204 Plug (fluid control) 230 Main body lid (outer lid) 260 Liner (Regulatory Measures) 260a liner body 260b liner cap 260c top

Claims

1. A flow restrictor device comprising: a housing that is attached to a fluid pipe in a sealing manner; and a substantially T-shaped flow restrictor that is inserted into a cut portion of the fluid pipe inside the housing, the fluid regulator includes a flow restrictor portion arranged to partition the interior of the housing, a lid portion arranged to close an opening of the housing through which the fluid regulator is inserted and forming the approximate T-shape together with the flow restrictor portion, and a sealing material extending along end surfaces of the flow restrictor portion and the lid portion, the housing has a seat portion against which the sealing material abuts, and an outer lid that closes the opening of the housing on the outer side of the lid portion of the fluid regulator, A flow control device characterized in that a regulating means for regulating the movement of the lid portion is provided on the outside of the lid portion, and the regulating means is provided at least on the secondary side of the flow path relative to the flow control portion, and is a regulating portion integrally formed on at least one of the lid portion and the outer lid so as to protrude toward the other.

2. 2. The flow restrictor according to claim 1, wherein the restricting portion is formed on both the lid portion and the outer lid.

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