On-off valve and actuator for on-off
The on-off valve design with a flow path block, multiple valve bodies, and a push rod pressing mechanism addresses the challenge of increasing gas flow rate without enlarging the valve, ensuring efficient and compact operation.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025114313
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-07-19
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-29
AI Technical Summary
The challenge in miniaturized manufacturing equipment for small electronic components is to increase gas flow rate without increasing the size of on-off valves or the number of valves, which poses difficulties in simultaneously controlling gas flow paths.
An on-off valve design with a flow path block and multiple valve bodies, a rod-shaped stem, and a push rod pressing mechanism that allows simultaneous contact and separation of multiple valve bodies with seats, using a booster mechanism to increase gas flow rate without enlarging the valve.
The design achieves increased gas flow rate without enlarging the valve, ensuring simultaneous opening and closing of gas flow paths, thus maintaining compactness.
Smart Images

Figure 2026015243000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to an on-off valve and an actuator for the on-off valve. [Background technology]
[0002] In the manufacture of small electronic components such as semiconductor integrated circuits, various types of gases are used in the manufacturing process depending on the purpose. These gases are stored in a predetermined storage unit such as a tank under high pressure, and are extracted from there through a flow path for use. The fluid flow path is equipped with an on-off valve (valve) for high-pressure gas, which opens and closes the flow path to control the flow of gas. Manufacturing equipment for small electronic components such as semiconductor integrated circuits is generally equipped with many such on-off valves, and various on-off valves suitable for controlling high-pressure gases and various on-off valve actuators that are responsible for opening and closing the flow path in such on-off valves have been known for some time (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 5). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6170635 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-281521 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 05-044864 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 01-102572 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-029183 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] In recent years, the field of miniature electronic components has become increasingly miniaturized, and correspondingly, the field of manufacturing equipment for miniature electronic components has also become increasingly miniaturized. In response to this trend, there is an increasing need for compact on-off valves that can function adequately in extremely small spaces, and actuators for on-off valves that are suitable for such compact on-off valves.
[0005] In the manufacturing process of small electronic components, situations often arise where it is necessary to increase the gas flow rate by controlling on-off valves. To increase the gas flow rate, simple methods such as increasing the diameter of the on-off valves or increasing the number of on-off valves are conceivable. However, increasing the diameter of the on-off valves or increasing the number of on-off valves tends to lead to an increase in the size of the equipment. In particular, increasing the number of on-off valves poses the problem of difficulty in simultaneously controlling the opening and closing of the gas flow paths required to increase the gas flow rate.
[0006] Further ingenuity is required to realize an on-off valve that can increase the gas flow rate without increasing the size of the valve, and an actuator for such an on-off valve.
[0007] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an on-off valve that can increase the flow rate of gas without increasing the size, and an actuator for such an on-off valve that is suitable for such an on-off valve. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides the following actuator for an on-off valve.
[0009] [1] A flow path block having a gas flow path that divides gas supplied from a gas supply port toward a plurality of valve seats arranged along a predetermined direction and merges the gas flowing through the plurality of valve seats to discharge it from a single gas discharge port; a plurality of valve bodies that are respectively disposed at positions close to the plurality of valve seats and that come into contact with and separate from the plurality of valve seats to open and close the gas flow path; a rod-shaped stem extending in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction with its tip portion directed toward the flow path block and movable in the vertical direction; an actuator body that pushes the stem toward the flow path block or releases pressure on the stem; an opening / closing valve comprising: a head portion located at the tip end of the stem, the head portion having a plurality of columnar push rods arranged at positions facing the plurality of valve seats with the plurality of valve bodies therebetween and movable in the vertical direction; and a push rod pressing mechanism that, when receiving a pressing force from the pushed-out stem, presses the plurality of push rods against the plurality of valve bodies, causing the plurality of valve bodies to abut against the plurality of valve seats simultaneously, thereby closing the gas flow path, and that, when receiving a pressing force from the stem, releases the plurality of push rods from the pressing force on the plurality of valve bodies, causing the plurality of valve bodies to move away from the plurality of valve seats simultaneously, thereby opening the gas flow path.
[0010] [2] The tip of the stem has a tapered side surface, protrudes outside the actuator body, and abuts against the push rod pressing mechanism, The push rod pressing mechanism two movable members each having a circular cross section along both the predetermined direction and the perpendicular direction, the two movable members being arranged side by side along the predetermined direction with the tip of the stem therebetween, the two movable members coming into contact with the tapered side surfaces of the tip of the stem and being pushed outward by the side surfaces away from the stem when the stem moves in the protruding direction of the stem; two abutment sections that are provided on both sides of the two movable members with the two movable members interposed therebetween in the predetermined direction, and that convert a force pushing the two movable members outward into a pressing force pushing the two movable members downward in the protruding direction by causing the two movable members to abut against each other at an angle when the two movable members are pushed outward by the side surfaces of the tip ends of the stems; The on-off valve according to [1], further comprising: a plate-shaped push rod pressing body that is arranged between the tip of the stem and the plurality of push rods in a manner that allows it to move in the vertical direction, the plate-shaped push rod pressing body supporting the two movable members on an opposing surface that faces the tip of the stem in a manner that allows the two movable members to move freely in the predetermined direction, and abutting or connecting with the plurality of columnar push rods on a non-opposing surface opposite the opposing surface.
[0011] [3] The tip of the stem has a tapered side surface, protrudes outside the actuator body, and abuts against the push rod pressing mechanism, The plurality of valve seats are two valve seats, the plurality of valve bodies are two valve bodies, and the plurality of push rods are two push rods, The push rod pressing mechanism two movable members each having a circular cross section along both the predetermined direction and the vertical direction, the two movable members being arranged side by side along the predetermined direction on two ends of the two push rods arranged along the predetermined direction opposite to the two ends facing the two valve bodies, with the tip ends of the stems therebetween, the two movable members coming into contact with the tapered side surfaces of the tip ends of the stems and being pushed outward away from the stem by the side surfaces when the stems move in the stem protruding direction; and two abutment portions that are provided on both sides of the two movable members with the two movable members interposed therebetween in the predetermined direction, and that convert the force pushing the two movable members outward into a pressing force that pushes the two movable members down in the protruding direction toward the two opposite ends of the two push rods by causing the two movable members to abut against each other at an angle when the two movable members are pushed outward by the side surfaces of the tip portions of the stems.
[0012] [4] An on-off valve as described in [2] or [3], wherein the two movable members are cylindrical members whose cross-sectional shapes along both the predetermined direction and the vertical direction are circular, whose cross-section perpendicular to the predetermined direction is rectangular, and whose cross-section perpendicular to the vertical direction is rectangular.
[0013] [5] The actuator body includes: a hollow cylinder body extending in the vertical direction with one end thereof facing the flow path block and accommodating a rear end portion of the stem; a biasing body at least partially disposed inside the cylinder body, the biasing body constantly generating a biasing force inside the cylinder body in a direction toward the one end of the cylinder body; a piston body that is provided inside the cylinder body in a manner that it is movable in the vertical direction, that receives the biasing force from the biasing body to apply the biasing force to the rear end portion of the stem, and that moves in a direction opposite to the direction of the biasing force while resisting the biasing force of the biasing body when supplied with driving fluid; a plurality of partition bodies arranged in the vertical direction inside the cylinder body, The piston body has a plurality of piston elements that form closed spaces between the plurality of partition bodies, and moves in the direction opposite to the direction of the biasing force due to the pressure of the driving fluid generated by the supply of the driving fluid to the closed spaces [2].
[0014] [6] The head portion further comprises: a plate-like first mounting member attached to a portion of the cylinder body including the one end, the first mounting member having a through hole formed therein into which the portion of the cylinder body is inserted for mounting, and a first recess formed on a non-insertion surface opposite to an insertion surface into which the portion of the cylinder body is inserted, the first recess having an opening of the through hole on a bottom surface through which the stem protruding from the one end of the cylinder body in the through hole protrudes, and two side wall surfaces facing each other across the opening in the predetermined direction, the two abutment portions being respectively arranged on the first mounting member; a plate-like second mounting member that is detachably attached to the first mounting member in a state in which the second mounting member abuts against the non-insertion surface of the first mounting member, the second mounting member having a second recess formed in an opposing surface that faces the non-insertion surface of the first mounting member at a position opposing the first recess of the first mounting member, the second recess accommodating the push rod pressing body in a state in which the push rod pressing body is movable in the vertical direction, and a plurality of through holes that are aligned in the predetermined direction and open at bottom surfaces of the second recesses and that open at positions opposing the plurality of valve seats in a non-opposing surface of the second mounting member opposite the opposing surface, and through which the plurality of push rods pass, The two movable members are accommodated in a space surrounded by the first recess of the first mounting member and the second recess of the second mounting member [5].
[0015] [7] Two or more flow path blocks each having a different number of valve seats; a set of two or more valve bodies, each having a different number of valve bodies, corresponding to the two or more flow path blocks; [6] An on-off valve according to the present invention, comprising two or more sets of the plurality of push rods and the second mounting member, each set having a different number of the plurality of push rods and a different number of the plurality of through holes, corresponding to the two or more flow path blocks.
[0016] [8] The actuator body includes: a hollow cylinder body extending in the vertical direction with one end thereof facing the flow path block and accommodating a rear end portion of the stem; a biasing body at least partially disposed inside the cylinder body, the biasing body constantly generating a biasing force inside the cylinder body in a direction toward the one end of the cylinder body; a piston body that is provided inside the cylinder body in a manner that it is movable in the vertical direction, that receives the biasing force from the biasing body to apply the biasing force to the rear end portion of the stem, and that moves in a direction opposite to the direction of the biasing force while resisting the biasing force of the biasing body when supplied with driving fluid; a plurality of partition bodies arranged in the vertical direction inside the cylinder body, The piston body has a plurality of piston elements that form closed spaces between each of the plurality of partition bodies, and moves in the direction opposite to the direction of the biasing force due to the pressure of the driving fluid generated by the supply of the driving fluid to the closed spaces [3].
[0017] [9] The head portion further includes: a plate-like first mounting member attached to a portion of the cylinder body including the one end, the first mounting member having a through hole formed therein into which the portion of the cylinder body is inserted for mounting, and a first recess formed on a non-insertion surface opposite to an insertion surface into which the portion of the cylinder body is inserted, the first recess having an opening of the through hole on a bottom surface through which the stem protruding from the one end of the cylinder body in the through hole protrudes, and two side wall surfaces facing each other across the opening in the predetermined direction, the two abutment portions being respectively arranged on the first mounting member; a plate-shaped second mounting member that is detachably attached to the first mounting member in a state in which it abuts on the non-insertion surface of the first mounting member, the second mounting member having a second recess formed in an opposing surface that faces the non-insertion surface of the first mounting member at a position opposing the first recess of the first mounting member, and two through holes that are aligned in the predetermined direction and open at bottom surfaces of the second recesses and that open at positions opposing the two valve seats, respectively, in a non-opposing surface of the second mounting member opposite the opposing surface, and through which the two push rods pass, The two movable members are accommodated in a space surrounded by the first recess of the first mounting member and the second recess of the second mounting member [8].
[0018]
[10] An actuator for an on-off valve provided in an on-off valve including: a flow path block having a gas flow path that divides gas supplied from a gas supply port toward a plurality of valve seats arranged in a predetermined direction and merges the gas flowing through the plurality of valve seats to discharge it from a single gas discharge port; and a plurality of valve bodies that are respectively arranged in positions close to the plurality of valve seats and abut against and separate from the plurality of valve seats to open and close the gas flow path, a rod-shaped stem extending in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction with its tip portion directed toward the flow path block and movable in the vertical direction; an actuator body that pushes the stem toward the flow path block or releases pressure on the stem; an actuator for an on-off valve comprising: a head portion located at the tip end of the stem, the head portion having a plurality of columnar push rods arranged at positions facing the plurality of valve seats with the plurality of valve bodies therebetween and movable in the vertical direction; and a push rod pressing mechanism that, when receiving a pressing force from the pushed-out stem, presses the plurality of push rods against the plurality of valve bodies, causing the plurality of valve bodies to abut against the plurality of valve seats simultaneously, thereby closing the gas flow path, and that, when receiving a pressing force from the stem, releases the plurality of push rods from the pressing force on the plurality of valve bodies, causing the plurality of valve bodies to move away from the plurality of valve seats simultaneously, thereby opening the gas flow path. [Effects of the Invention]
[0019] In the present invention, a gas flow path is closed or opened by a single on-off valve having multiple push rods that respectively contact and separate multiple valve bodies with multiple valve seats, and the gas flow rate is increased by the merging of the gases when the valve is opened. This eliminates the need to increase the diameter of the on-off valve or the number of on-off valves, thereby avoiding an increase in size. In particular, the push rod pressing mechanism causes multiple push rods to contact and separate multiple valve bodies with multiple valve seats simultaneously, ensuring the simultaneous opening and closing of the gas flow path, which is necessary to increase the gas flow rate. Therefore, the present invention has realized an on-off valve that can increase the gas flow rate without increasing size, and an actuator for such an on-off valve that is suitable for such an on-off valve. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the on-off valve of the present embodiment in an open state. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the on-off valve of the present embodiment in a closed state. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an actuator for the on-off valve provided in the on-off valve of FIGS. 1 and 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an actuator for an on-off valve to which a second mounting member is attached, the second mounting member having three push rods housed in three through holes. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the periphery of a head portion of an actuator for an on-off valve according to another embodiment of the present invention, which does not have a push rod pressing body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and that appropriate design changes and improvements may be made based on the ordinary knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an on-off valve 10 of this embodiment in an open state, and FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the on-off valve 10 of this embodiment in a closed state.
[0023] The on-off valve 10 includes a flow path block 13, a plurality of valve bodies 15, and an on-off valve actuator 1. Here, the on-off valve actuator 1 is one embodiment of the on-off valve actuator of the present invention.
[0024] The flow path block 13 has a gas flow path that splits gas supplied from the gas supply port 11a toward multiple valve seats 14 arranged along a predetermined direction A and merges the gas flowing through the multiple valve seats 14 to be discharged from a single gas exhaust port 12a. As such gas flow paths, the flow path block 13 has multiple gas supply flow paths 11 and one gas exhaust flow path 12. The multiple gas supply flow paths 11 branch from the gas supply port 11a and extend toward the multiple valve seats 14, respectively. The single gas exhaust flow path 12 connects to the multiple gas supply flow paths 11 via the multiple valve seats 14 and extends toward the gas exhaust port 12a. Here, the gas exhaust flow path 12 includes a gas flow path extending between two adjacent valve seats 14 among the multiple valve seats 14. In FIGS. 1 and 2, two valve seats 14 and two gas supply flow paths 11 are shown as an example of the multiple valve seats 14 and multiple gas supply flow paths 11.
[0025] In the on-off valve 10 in the open state in Fig. 1, gas is supplied from a gas supply port 11a to a flow path block 13 and flows through multiple gas supply flow paths 11, as indicated by the upward white arrows in the figure. The gas flowing through the multiple gas supply flow paths 11 (two gas supply flow paths 11 in Fig. 1) flows into a gas exhaust flow path 12 via multiple valve seats 14, respectively, and finally joins together, and is discharged from a gas exhaust port 12a, as indicated by the downward white arrow in Fig. 1. In the on-off valve 10, the gas is joined and discharged in this manner, thereby increasing the gas flow rate.
[0026] 2, the gas flow paths are closed by a plurality of valve seats 14 located at the connection points between a plurality of gas supply flow paths 11 and a gas exhaust flow path 12 (described later). At this time, even if gas is supplied from a gas supply port 11a, as shown by the upward white arrow in FIG. 2, the gas cannot flow through the gas exhaust flow path 12, and only the plurality of gas supply flow paths 11 are filled with gas, and exhaust of gas from the gas exhaust port 12a stops.
[0027] Next, the plurality of valve bodies 15 will be described.
[0028] The multiple valve elements 15 are arranged in proximity to the multiple valve seats 14, and open and close the gas flow path by coming into contact with and moving away from the multiple valve seats 14. The multiple valve elements 15 may be multiple elements that exert a restoring force when deformed, such as multiple diaphragms. Figures 1 and 2 show two valve elements 15 as an example of such multiple valve elements 15.
[0029] In the open valve state shown in FIG. 1, the valve elements 15 are curved upward in the figure, and gaps are formed between the valve elements 15 and the valve seats 14. The formation of these gaps allows communication between the gas supply flow paths 11 and the gas exhaust flow paths 12, thereby opening the gas flow paths. On the other hand, in the closed valve state shown in FIG. 2, the valve elements 15 are pressed against the valve seats 14 against the pressure of the high-pressure gas, becoming flat, and the gaps between the valve elements 15 and the valve seats 14 disappear. The disappearance of these gaps blocks the communication and closes the gas flow paths. When the pressure on the valve elements 15 is released, the valve elements 15 return to the curved upward in FIG. 1 due to the pressure of the high-pressure gas and their own restoring force.
[0030] Next, the actuator 1 for an on-off valve will be described.
[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the on-off valve actuator 1 provided in the on-off valve 10 of FIGS.
[0032] The actuator 1 for an on-off valve includes a stem 5, an actuator body 7, and a head portion 6.
[0033] 1 and 2, the stem 5 is a rod-shaped member that extends in a direction B perpendicular to the predetermined direction A. Although the stem 5 is depicted as an integrally formed member in the figures, the stem 5 may be an assembly of members in which a plurality of members are connected in the vertical direction B in a manner that allows them to move in the vertical direction B, and that extend in a rod shape as a whole.
[0034] The actuator body 7 is a part that houses the rear end portion 5b of the stem 5, pushes the stem 5 relative to the rear end portion 5b in a direction toward the flow path block 13 in FIGS. 1 and 2, and releases pressure on the stem 5 when supplied with driving fluid. The actuator body 7 includes a cylinder body 2, a piston body 3, and a biasing body 4. Below, we will explain the components of the actuator body 7, namely, the cylinder body 2, the biasing body 4, and the piston body 3.
[0035] The cylinder body 2 is a hollow member that extends in the vertical direction B with one end 2a (the lower end in Figure 3) facing the flow path block 13 (not shown in Figure 3) of Figures 1 and 2, and accommodates the rear end 5b of the stem 5.
[0036] The biasing body 4 is a member at least partially disposed inside the cylinder body 2, and constantly generates a biasing force inside the cylinder body 2 in a direction toward one end 2a of the cylinder body 2. A specific example of the biasing body 4 is a spring member that generates a spring biasing force.
[0037] The piston body 3 is a member provided inside the cylinder body 2 in a manner that allows it to move in the vertical direction B. The piston body 3 receives a biasing force from the biasing body 4 to press the rear end portion 5b of the stem 5, and when supplied with driving fluid, moves in a direction (upward in Figure 3) opposite to the direction of the biasing force (downward in Figure 3) by the biasing body 4. The specific configuration and movement mechanism of the piston body 3 will be described in detail later.
[0038] Next, the head portion 6 provided in the actuator 1 for an on-off valve will be described.
[0039] The head portion 6 is a member located at the tip portion 5a of the stem 5. In this embodiment, the head portion 6 is basically in contact with the tip portion 5a of the stem 5, but is not connected to the tip portion 5a and can be separated from the tip portion 5a. However, the present invention can also employ an embodiment in which the head portion is connected to the tip portion of the stem and integrated therewith.
[0040] The following describes the components of the head unit 6. The head unit 6 has a plurality of push rods 61 and a push rod pressing mechanism 60.
[0041] The plurality of push rods 61 are columnar members that are arranged at positions facing the plurality of valve seats 14 with the plurality of valve bodies 15 in FIGS.
[0042] The push rod pressing mechanism 60 receives a pressing force from the stem 5 pushed out by the actuator body 7, causing the multiple push rods 61 to press the multiple valve discs 15 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, causing the multiple valve discs 15 to abut simultaneously against the multiple valve seats 14, thereby closing the gas flow path (see FIG. 2). Furthermore, when the actuator body 7 releases the pressure on the stem 5, the push rod pressing mechanism 60 causes the multiple push rods 61 to release the pressure on the multiple valve discs 15, causing the multiple valve discs 15 to simultaneously separate from the multiple valve seats 14, thereby opening the gas flow path (see FIG. 1). Note that in FIGS. 1 to 3, two push rods 61 are shown as an example of the multiple push rods 61.
[0043] As described above, in this embodiment, the gas flow path is closed and opened by a single on-off valve 10 having multiple push rods 61 that respectively move multiple valve elements 15 toward and away from multiple valve seats 14, and the gas flow rate is increased by the merging of the gases when the valve is opened. This eliminates the need to increase the diameter of the on-off valve or the number of on-off valves, thereby avoiding an increase in size. In particular, the push rod pressing mechanism 60 causes multiple push rods 61 to simultaneously move multiple valve elements 15 toward and away from multiple valve seats 14, ensuring the simultaneous opening and closing of the gas flow path, which is necessary to increase the gas flow rate. Therefore, this embodiment realizes an on-off valve 10 that can increase the gas flow rate without increasing the size, and an actuator 1 for such an on-off valve that is suitable for such an on-off valve.
[0044] The configuration of the on-off valve 10 of this embodiment will be described in more detail below.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 3, the push rod pressing mechanism 60 includes two movable members 63, two abutment portions 64, and a push rod pressing body 65.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 3 , the two movable members 63 are arranged side by side along the predetermined direction A with the tip 5 a of the stem 5 between them, and are members with a circular cross-sectional shape along both the predetermined direction A and the vertical direction B. The tip 5 a of the stem 5 has a tapered side surface that protrudes outward from the actuator body 7 and abuts against the push rod pressing mechanism 60. When the stem 5 moves in the protruding direction of the stem 5, the two movable members 63 abut against the tapered side surfaces of the tip 5 a and are pushed outward away from the stem 5 by the side surfaces. In FIG. 3 , the protruding direction is the downward direction in the vertical direction B, and the outward directions are the rightward and leftward directions in the figure when the central axis of the stem 5 is taken as the starting point.
[0047] The two abutment portions 64 are members provided on both sides of the two movable members 63 with the two movable members 63 interposed therebetween in the predetermined direction A. As shown in the figure, the two abutment portions 64 face the two movable members 63, respectively, with their obliquely inclined surfaces facing the two movable members 63. As described above, when the two movable members 63 are pushed outward by the side surfaces of the tip portion 5a of the stem 5, the two movable members 63 abut obliquely against the two abutment portions 64 due to the oblique surfaces. This oblique abutment then pushes the two movable members 63 in the protruding direction of the stem 5. In other words, the two abutment portions 64 play a role in converting the force pushing the two movable members 63 outward into a pressing force pushing them down in the protruding direction.
[0048] The push rod pressing body 65 is a plate-like member extending along a predetermined direction A, and is arranged between the tip end 5a of the stem 5 and the multiple push rods 61 in a manner that allows it to move in a vertical direction B. The push rod pressing body 65 supports two movable members 63 on an opposing surface 65b that faces the tip end 5a of the stem 5 in a manner that allows the two movable members 63 to move freely. In addition, a non-opposing surface 65a on the opposite side to the opposing surface 65b abuts or is connected to the multiple columnar push rods 61.
[0049] When the piston body 3 is not supplied with driving fluid, the stem 5 receives a force from the piston body 3 in the protruding direction. At this time, the push rod pressing body 65 receives a pressing force from two abutment portions 64 via two movable members 63, causing the multiple push rods 61 to simultaneously abut against the valve seats 14 (see FIGS. 1 and 2), thereby achieving the closed valve state of FIG. 2. On the other hand, when the piston body 3 receives a supply of driving fluid, the piston body 3 moves in the direction opposite to the above-mentioned protruding direction (i.e., upward in FIG. 3), thereby releasing the force in the protruding direction that the stem 5 received from the piston body 3. As a result, the above-mentioned pressing force that the push rod pressing body 65 received is also released. At this time, the pressure of the high-pressure gas and the restoring forces of the multiple valve bodies 15 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) move the multiple valve bodies 15 away from the multiple valve seats 14, respectively, achieving the open valve state of FIG. 1.
[0050] The above-described configuration in which two movable members 63 and two abutting portions 64 are interposed between the stem 5 and the push rod pressing body 65 is a so-called booster mechanism configuration. By interposing the two movable members 63 and two abutting portions 64, the displacement of the push rod pressing body 65 is smaller than the displacement of the stem 5 (same as the displacement of the piston body 3). However, due to this smaller displacement, the output (force) of the push rod pressing body 65 is greater than the output of the stem 5 (same as the output of the piston body 3). When multiple push rods 61 are brought into contact with and separated from the valve seat 14 as in this embodiment, the output of the stem 5 is distributed among the multiple push rods 61, which tends to reduce the output of each of the multiple push rods 61. Therefore, by using a booster mechanism, the output of each of the multiple push rods 61 can be increased to a level sufficient for the push rods 61 to contact and separate from the valve seat 14. The principles and operation of the booster mechanism are the same as those of conventional ones (for example, Patent Document 2), and for further details on the principles and operation of the booster mechanism, please refer to Patent Document 2, etc., and further explanation will be omitted here.
[0051] The description of this embodiment will continue with reference to FIG.
[0052] In this embodiment, the two movable members 63 are cylindrical members having a circular cross-sectional shape along both the specified direction A and the vertical direction B, a rectangular cross-section perpendicular to the specified direction A, and a rectangular cross-section perpendicular to the vertical direction B.
[0053] In a typical booster mechanism, a plurality of rigid balls, each spherical, are pushed isotropically in the radial direction by the stem, centered near the tip of the stem, within a horizontal plane perpendicular to the stem (see Patent Document 2). In this case, the actuator for the on-off valve must be thickened to accommodate the plurality of rigid balls pushed radially, resulting in an increase in size. In contrast, in this embodiment, the two cylindrical movable members 63 and the two abutment portions 64 are spaced apart along the predetermined direction A along which the plurality of valve seats 14 are aligned. In this direction, even if the actuator for the on-off valve is somewhat thicker, the increase in size is not particularly significant. Furthermore, because the movable member 63 is cylindrical, the movement direction of the movable member 63 is limited to the predetermined direction A, resulting in improved stability compared to a spherical movable member, which has a greater degree of freedom in the direction of movement. Therefore, in this embodiment, an actuator for the on-off valve 1 that simultaneously opens and closes the gas exhaust flow path 12 is realized without increasing size.
[0054] Here, the actuator 1 for an on-off valve of this embodiment is provided with a plurality of partition bodies 51 lined up in the vertical direction B inside the cylinder body 2. The piston body 3 is provided with a plurality of first piston elements 31 and one second piston element 32, each of which forms a closed space S between itself and the plurality of partition bodies 51. The piston body 3 moves in an upward direction opposite to the downward direction of the biasing force of the biasing body 4 in FIG. 3 due to the pressure of the driving fluid generated by the driving fluid being supplied to the closed space S. Compressed air, for example, can be used as the driving fluid. In FIG. 3, four first piston elements 31 are shown as an example of the plurality of first piston elements 31, and five partition bodies 51 are shown as an example of the plurality of partition bodies 51.
[0055] The mechanism for moving the piston body 3 using the driving fluid will be explained in more detail below.
[0056] 1 and 2, the driving fluid is introduced into the inlet hole 52b of the cover 52 via the regulator 17 and the driving fluid on-off valve 18. The driving fluid introduced into the inlet hole 52b flows through the driving fluid through-holes formed in each of the first piston elements 31 and the second piston elements 32 and is supplied to each of the closed spaces S. As the driving fluid is supplied, the pressure of the driving fluid in each of the closed spaces S increases, and each of the first piston elements 31 and the second piston elements 32 receives an upward force in FIG. 3 from its corresponding closed space S. When this force exceeds the biasing force of the biasing body 4 that biases the piston body 3 downward in FIG. 3 and the frictional forces that the piston body 3 receives from all of the small-diameter O-rings 54 and the large-diameter O-rings 53, the piston body 3 moves upward in FIG. 3.
[0057] The above-described mechanism for moving the piston body 3 by supplying the driving fluid is the same as the conventional multi-stage piston body moving mechanism described in Patent Document 1, etc. Therefore, Patent Document 1, etc. should be referred to for further details about the multi-stage piston body moving mechanism, and further explanation will be omitted here.
[0058] The description of this embodiment will continue with reference to FIG.
[0059] In this embodiment, the head portion 6 includes the above-mentioned multiple push rods 61, two movable members 63, two abutment portions 64, and push rod pressing body 65, as well as a first mounting member 66 and a second mounting member 67.
[0060] The first mounting member 66 is a plate-shaped member attached to a portion of the cylinder body 2, including one end 2a of the cylinder body 2. The first mounting member 66 is formed with a through hole 66c into which a portion of the cylinder body 2 is inserted for mounting. The first mounting member 66 also has a first recess 66d formed on a non-insertion surface 66a opposite to an insertion surface 66b into which the portion of the cylinder body 2 is inserted. The first recess 66d has an opening of the through hole 66c in its bottom surface 661 through which the stem 5 protrudes from one end 2a of the cylinder body 2 in the through hole 66c. Two abutment portions 64 are supported on two side wall surfaces 662 of the first recess 66d that face each other across the opening in the predetermined direction A.
[0061] The second mounting member 67 is a plate-shaped member that is detachably attached to the first mounting member 66 while abutting against the non-insertion surface 66a of the first mounting member 66. A second recess 67d is formed on an opposing surface 67b of the second mounting member 67 that faces the non-insertion surface 66a of the first mounting member 66 at a position facing the first recess 66d of the first mounting member 66. The second recess 67d accommodates the push rod pressing body 65 in a manner that allows it to move in the vertical direction B. The second mounting member 67 also has a plurality of through holes 67c that are aligned along the predetermined direction A. These multiple through holes 67c each open at a bottom surface 671 of the second recess 67d and also open at a non-opposing surface 67a opposite the opposing surface 67b at a position facing the valve seat 14 in FIGS. 1 and 2 . A plurality of push rods 61 pass through these multiple through holes 67c.
[0062] Here, the two movable members 63 are housed in a space surrounded by the first recess 66d of the first mounting member 66 and the second recess 67d of the second mounting member 67.
[0063] Here, conventional attachment methods such as a screw-type engagement method using a screw or a ratchet type engagement method using a ratchet pawl can be used as a method for attaching the first attachment member 66 to a part of the cylinder body 2. Similarly, conventional attachment methods can be used for attaching the first attachment member 66 to the second attachment member 67. Figure 3 shows an example of a method for attaching the first attachment member 66 to the second attachment member 67, in which a screw-type engagement method using a screw 68 is used.
[0064] According to the embodiment including the first mounting member 66 and the second mounting member 67, the components of the booster mechanism, such as the two movable members 63, the two abutting portions 64, the push rod pressing body 65, and the multiple push rods 61, are housed in the first mounting member 66 and the second mounting member 67. This stabilizes the operation of the booster mechanism. Furthermore, the entire first mounting member 66 and the second mounting member 67, including these components, can also function as an attachment to be attached to the tip of a conventional on-off valve actuator that includes the cylinder body 2, the piston body 3, the biasing body 4, and the stem 5. Using such an attachment makes it possible to use a conventional single-point closing type on-off valve actuator as an actuator for a multi-point closing type on-off valve such as the present application.
[0065] As described above, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a flow path block 13 having two valve seats 14 (and two gas supply flow paths 11 corresponding to the two valve seats 14) as an example of the multiple valve seats 14. The on-off valve 10 has two or more flow path blocks including such a flow path block 13, each having a different number of valve seats (and a corresponding number of gas supply flow paths). The on-off valve 10 also has two or more sets of valve elements each having a different number of valve elements corresponding to such two or more flow path blocks. As a result, it is possible to select an appropriate flow path block and multiple valve elements from among these two or more flow path blocks and two or more sets of valve elements depending on the desired gas flow rate through the on-off valve 10.
[0066] The on-off valve 10 also includes two or more sets of push rods and second mounting members, each set having a different number of push rods and a different number of through holes, corresponding to the two or more flow path blocks (and the two or more sets of valve discs). The on-off valve actuator 1 can be fitted with a set that matches the flow path block (and the set of valve discs) selected as described above, from among these two or more sets. A case where a set different from the set shown in FIG. 3 is fitted among the two or more sets will be described below.
[0067] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the actuator 1 for an on-off valve to which a second mounting member 67' is attached, the second mounting member 67' accommodating three push rods 61' in three through holes 67c'.
[0068] The on-off valve actuator 1 in Fig. 4 differs from the on-off valve actuator 1 in Fig. 3 in that a second mounting member 67' that houses three push rods 61' in three through holes 67c' is attached to the on-off valve actuator 1 shown in Fig. 4. Other than this, the on-off valve actuator 1 in Fig. 4 has the same configuration as the on-off valve actuator 1 in Fig. 3.
[0069] The on-off valve actuator 1 of Fig. 4 is the on-off valve actuator 1 of Fig. 3, in which the second mounting member 67 accommodating two push rods 61 in two through holes 67c is replaced with a second mounting member 67' accommodating three push rods 61' in three through holes 67c'. Such replacement can be easily performed by removing the screws 68 in Figs. 3 and 4 and replacing the second mounting member 67 accommodating the two push rods 61 with the second mounting member 67' accommodating three push rods 61' as shown in Fig. 4.
[0070] In this embodiment, by such replacement, it is possible to obtain an actuator 1 for an on-off valve that is suitable for two or more flow path blocks or two or more valve bodies, which is highly convenient.
[0071] Next, another embodiment of the on-off valve and the actuator for the on-off valve of the present invention will be described, in which the push rod pressing mechanism is not provided with a push rod pressing body.
[0072] The on-off valve and actuator for the on-off valve of this other embodiment differ from the on-off valve 10 of Figures 1 and 2 and the actuator 1 for the on-off valve of Figure 3 in that a head portion having a configuration different from the head portion 6 of Figure 3 is used so that the on-off valve and actuator for the on-off valve of this other embodiment can function without the push rod pressing body 65 of Figure 3. With respect to the components other than the head portion, the on-off valve and actuator for the on-off valve of this other embodiment have the same components as the on-off valve 10 of Figures 1 and 2 and the actuator 1 for the on-off valve of Figure 3. For this reason, the description of these common components in Figures 1 to 4 will be referred to, and a duplicated description will be omitted, and the following description will focus mainly on the differences.
[0073] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the periphery of a head portion 6' in an actuator 1' for an on-off valve according to another embodiment, which does not have a push rod pressing body.
[0074] In Figure 5, the same components as in Figure 3 are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations of such same components will be omitted. The on-off valve actuator 1' in Figure 5 comprises a stem 5 and an actuator body 7, similar to the on-off valve actuator 1 in Figure 3. Furthermore, the on-off valve actuator 1' in Figure 5 comprises a head portion 6' whose configuration is different from the head portion 6 of the on-off valve actuator 1 in Figure 3. The head portion 6' in Figure 5 will be described in detail below.
[0075] The head unit 6' in Fig. 5 has two push rods 61, similar to the head unit 6 in Fig. 3. Furthermore, the head unit 6' in Fig. 5 has a push rod pressing mechanism 60' that has a different configuration from the push rod pressing mechanism 60 of the head unit 6 in Fig. 3 but performs the same function.
[0076] That is, like the push rod pressing mechanism 60 of FIG. 3, the push rod pressing mechanism 60' of FIG. 5 also receives a pressing force from the stem 5 pushed out by the actuator body 7, causing the two push rods 61 to press the two valve discs 15 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The push rod pressing mechanism 60' of FIG. 5 closes the gas flow path by simultaneously abutting the two valve discs 15 against the two valve seats 14 of FIGS. 1 and 2 using this pressing force (see FIG. 2). Also, like the push rod pressing mechanism 60 of FIG. 3, the push rod pressing mechanism 60' of FIG. 5 also releases the two push rods 61 from pressing the two valve discs 15 when the actuator body 7 releases the pressing force on the stem 5. The push rod pressing mechanism 60' of FIG. 5 opens the gas flow path by simultaneously separating the two valve discs 15 from the two valve seats 14 using this pressing force (see FIG. 1).
[0077] As described above, the on-off valve of another embodiment in which the on-off valve actuator 1 of FIG. 3 in the on-off valve 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is replaced with the on-off valve actuator 1' of FIG. 5 also exhibits the same effects as the on-off valve 10 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. That is, a single on-off valve (on-off valve of another embodiment) having two push rods 61 that respectively move two valve elements 15 toward and away from two valve seats 14 closes and opens a gas flow path, and the gas flows merge when the valve is opened, thereby increasing the gas flow rate. This eliminates the need to increase the diameter of the on-off valve or the number of on-off valves, thereby avoiding an increase in size. In particular, the push rod pressing mechanism 60' simultaneously moves the two valve elements 15 toward and away from the two valve seats 14 using the two push rods 61, ensuring simultaneous control of the opening and closing of the gas flow path, which is necessary to increase the gas flow rate. Therefore, this another embodiment provides an on-off valve that can increase the gas flow rate without increasing the size, and an on-off valve actuator 1' suitable for such an on-off valve.
[0078] The push rod pressing mechanism 60' will be described in more detail below.
[0079] The push rod pressing mechanism 60' includes two movable members 63' and two abutment portions 64'. The push rod pressing mechanism 60' does not include a member such as the push rod pressing body 65 in Fig. 3, and as will be described below, the two movable members 63' and the two abutment portions 64' also function as the push rod pressing body 65 in Fig. 3.
[0080] As shown in FIG. 5 , the two movable members 63′ are arranged side by side along the predetermined direction A with the tip 5a of the stem 5 between them, and are members having a circular cross section along both the predetermined direction A and the vertical direction B. Here, the two movable members 63′ are arranged on the two ends 61a of the two push rods 61 arranged side by side along the predetermined direction A, opposite the two ends facing the two valve bodies 15 (not shown in FIG. 5 ; see FIGS. 1 and 2 ). As described above, the tip 5a of the stem 5 has a tapered side surface that protrudes outward from the actuator body 7 and abuts against the push rod pressing mechanism 60′. When the stem 5 moves in the protruding direction of the stem 5, the two movable members 63′ abut against the tapered side surfaces of the tip 5a and are pushed outward away from the stem 5 by the side surfaces. Here, in Figure 5, the above-mentioned protruding direction is the downward direction of the figure in the vertical direction B, and the above-mentioned outward direction is the rightward and leftward directions of the figure when the central axis of the stem 5 is the starting point.
[0081] The two abutment portions 64' are members provided on both sides of the two movable members 63' with the two movable members 63' interposed therebetween in the predetermined direction A. As shown in FIG. 5 , the two abutment portions 64' face the two movable members 63', respectively, with their obliquely inclined surfaces facing the two movable members 63'. As described above, when the two movable members 63' are pushed outward by the side surfaces of the tip portion 5a of the stem 5, the two movable members 63' abut obliquely against the two abutment portions 64' due to the oblique surfaces. This oblique abutment then pushes the two movable members 63' in the protruding direction of the stem 5, and this pushing in the protruding direction presses the two ends 61a of the two push rods 61, on which the two movable members 63' are respectively disposed, in the protruding direction. In other words, the two abutment portions 64' serve to convert the force pushing the two movable members 63' outward into a pressing force that pushes the two movable members 63' downward in the protruding direction toward the two ends 61a of the two push rods 61.
[0082] In this way, in the push rod pressing mechanism 60', the two movable members 63' that abut against the two abutment portions 64', respectively, can press the two push rods 61 directly without using a member such as the push rod pressing body 65 in Fig. 3. Therefore, the on-off valve actuator 1' and on-off valve having such a push rod pressing mechanism 60' have fewer parts and can reduce manufacturing costs compared to the on-off valve actuator 1 and on-off valve 10 in Figs. 1 and 2.
[0083] 5, the two movable members 63' are preferably arranged on the end portions 61a of the two push rods 61 in such a manner that the centers of their circular cross-sectional shapes along both the predetermined direction A and the vertical direction B are located on extensions of the central axes of the two columnar push rods 61. According to this configuration, the force pushing the two movable members 63' in the protruding direction can be made to more reliably press the two end portions 61a.
[0084] 5 differ from the two movable members 63 in Fig. 3 in terms of their locations, dimensions, etc., but are members having the same shape as the two movable members 63 in Fig. 3. That is, the two movable members 63' are cylindrical members whose cross-sectional shapes along both the predetermined direction A and the vertical direction B are circular, whose cross-sections perpendicular to the predetermined direction A are rectangular, and whose cross-sections perpendicular to the vertical direction B are rectangular. By having the two movable members 63' have such shapes, it is possible to avoid an increase in size and improve stability, as described above in Fig. 3.
[0085] Other components of the head portion 6' in FIG. 5 will now be described.
[0086] The head portion 6' in FIG. 5 includes the above-mentioned multiple push rods 61, two movable members 63', and two abutment portions 64', as well as a first mounting member 66' and a second mounting member 67'.
[0087] The first mounting member 66' is a plate-shaped member attached to a portion of the cylinder body 2, including one end 2a of the cylinder body 2. The first mounting member 66' has a through hole 66c' into which a portion of the cylinder body 2 is inserted for mounting. The first mounting member 66' also has a first recess 66d' on a non-insertion surface 66a' opposite to an insertion surface 66b' into which the portion of the cylinder body 2 is inserted. The first recess 66d' has an opening of the through hole 66c' in its bottom surface 661' through which the stem 5 protrudes from one end 2a of the cylinder body 2 in the through hole 66c'. Two abutment portions 64' are supported on two side wall surfaces 662' of the first recess 66d' that face each other across the opening in the predetermined direction A.
[0088] The second mounting member 67" is a plate-like member that is detachably attached to the first mounting member 66' in a state in which it abuts against the non-insertion surface 66a' of the first mounting member 66'. A second recess 67d" is formed in an opposing surface 67b" of the second mounting member 67" that faces the non-insertion surface 66a' of the first mounting member 66' at a position opposing the first recess 66d' of the first mounting member 66'. The second mounting member 67" has two through holes 67c" that are aligned along the predetermined direction A. These two through holes 67c" each open to a bottom surface 671" of the second recess 67d" and also open to a non-opposing surface 67a" opposite the opposing surface 67b" at positions opposing the valve seats 14 in Figures 1 and 2. Two push rods 61 pass through these two through holes 67c".
[0089] Here, the two movable members 63' described above are housed in a space surrounded by the first recess 66d' of the first mounting member 66' and the second recess 67d'' of the second mounting member 67''.
[0090] Here, conventional attachment methods such as a screw threading method or a ratchet method using a ratchet pawl can be used to attach the first attachment member 66' to a part of the cylinder body 2. Similarly, conventional attachment methods can be used to attach the first attachment member 66' to the second attachment member 67". However, specific attachment methods are not shown in Figure 5.
[0091] According to the embodiment including the first mounting member 66' and the second mounting member 67", the components of the booster mechanism, such as the two movable members 63', the two abutment portions 64', and the two push rods 61, are housed in the first mounting member 66' and the second mounting member 67". This stabilizes the operation of the booster mechanism. Furthermore, the entire first mounting member 66' and the second mounting member 67" including these components can also function as an attachment that can be attached to the tip of a conventional actuator for an on-off valve that includes the cylinder body 2, the piston body 3, the biasing body 4, and the stem 5. By using such an attachment, it becomes possible to use an actuator for a conventional single-point closing type on-off valve as an actuator for a multi-point closing type on-off valve as in the present application. [Industrial Applicability]
[0092] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful for realizing an on-off valve that can increase the flow rate of gas without increasing the size, and an on-off valve actuator that is suitable for such an on-off valve. [Explanation of symbols]
[0093] 1: Actuator for opening and closing valves, 2: Cylinder body, 2a: one end, 2b: the other end, 3: Piston body, 4: biasing body, 5: Stem, 5a: tip, 5b: Rear end, 6: Head part, 7: Actuator body, 10: On-off valve, 11: gas supply flow path (plurality of gas supply flow paths), 11a: gas supply port, 12: Gas exhaust flow path (one gas exhaust flow path), 12a: gas outlet, 13: flow path block, 14: valve seat (plural valve seats), 15: Valve body (plural valve bodies), 16: driving fluid source, 17: Regulator, 18: On-off valve for driving fluid, 31: First piston element (plurality of first piston elements), 32: second piston element (one second piston element), 51: Partition body (multiple partition bodies), 52: Cover part, 52b: introduction hole, 53: Large diameter O-ring, 54: Small diameter O-ring, 60,60': Push rod pressing mechanism, 61: Push rod (plural push rods), 61': Push rod (3 push rods), 63, 63': Movable members (two movable members), 64,64': butt section (two butt sections), 65: Push rod pressing body, 65a: non-facing surface, 65b: opposing surface, 66, 66': first mounting member, 66a, 66a': non-insertion surface, 66b, 66b': insertion surface, 66c, 66c': Through hole, 66d, 66d': first recess, 67, 67', 67": second mounting member, 67a,67a”: non-facing surface, 67b,67b”: Opposite surface, 67c: through hole (plural through holes), 67c':Through holes (three through holes), 67c”: through holes (two through holes), 67d, 67d”: second recess, 68: Screw, 661,661': bottom, 662, 662': side wall surface (two side wall surfaces), 671,671”: bottom, A: Predetermined direction, B: Vertical direction; S: Closed space.
Claims
1. a flow path block having a gas flow path that divides gas supplied from a gas supply port toward a plurality of valve seats arranged along a predetermined direction and merges the gas flowing through the plurality of valve seats to discharge the gas from a single gas discharge port; a plurality of valve bodies that are respectively disposed at positions close to the plurality of valve seats and that come into contact with and separate from the plurality of valve seats to open and close the gas flow path; a rod-shaped stem extending in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction with its tip portion directed toward the flow path block and movable in the vertical direction; an actuator body that pushes the stem toward the flow path block or releases pressure on the stem; an opening / closing valve comprising: a head portion located at the tip end of the stem, the head portion having a plurality of columnar push rods arranged at positions facing the plurality of valve seats with the plurality of valve bodies therebetween and movable in the vertical direction; and a push rod pressing mechanism that, when receiving a pressing force from the pushed-out stem, presses the plurality of push rods against the plurality of valve bodies, causing the plurality of valve bodies to abut against the plurality of valve seats simultaneously, thereby closing the gas flow path, and that, when receiving a pressing force from the stem, releases the plurality of push rods from the pressing force on the plurality of valve bodies, causing the plurality of valve bodies to move away from the plurality of valve seats simultaneously, thereby opening the gas flow path.
2. the tip end of the stem has a tapered side surface, protrudes outward from the actuator body, and abuts against the push rod pressing mechanism; The push rod pressing mechanism two movable members each having a circular cross section along both the predetermined direction and the perpendicular direction, the two movable members being arranged side by side along the predetermined direction with the tip of the stem therebetween, the two movable members coming into contact with the tapered side surfaces of the tip of the stem and being pushed outward by the side surfaces away from the stem when the stem moves in the protruding direction of the stem; two abutment portions that are provided on both sides of the two movable members with the two movable members interposed therebetween in the predetermined direction, and that convert a force pushing the two movable members outward into a pressing force pushing the two movable members downward in the protruding direction by causing the two movable members to abut against each other obliquely when the two movable members are pushed outward by the side surfaces of the tip portions of the stem; 2. The on-off valve according to claim 1, further comprising: a plate-shaped push rod pressing body arranged between the tip of the stem and the plurality of push rods in a manner movable in the vertical direction, the plate-shaped push rod pressing body supporting the two movable members on an opposing surface facing the tip of the stem in a manner allowing the two movable members to move freely in the predetermined direction, and abutting or connecting with the plurality of columnar push rods on a non-opposing surface opposite the opposing surface.
3. the tip end of the stem has a tapered side surface, protrudes outward from the actuator body, and abuts against the push rod pressing mechanism; The plurality of valve seats are two valve seats, the plurality of valve bodies are two valve bodies, and the plurality of push rods are two push rods, The push rod pressing mechanism two movable members each having a circular cross section along both the predetermined direction and the vertical direction, the two movable members being arranged side by side along the predetermined direction on two ends of the two push rods that are opposite to the two ends that face the two valve bodies, with the tip ends of the stems therebetween, the two movable members coming into contact with the tapered side surfaces of the tip ends of the stems and being pushed outward away from the stems by the side surfaces when the stems move in the stem protruding direction; and two abutment portions that are provided on both sides of the two movable members with the two movable members interposed therebetween in the predetermined direction, and that convert a force pushing the two movable members outward into a pressing force that pushes the two movable members down in the protruding direction toward the two opposite ends of the two push rods by causing the two movable members to abut at an angle when the two movable members are pushed outward by the side surfaces of the tip portions of the stems.
4. 4. The on-off valve according to claim 2, wherein the two movable members are cylindrical members whose cross-sectional shapes along both the predetermined direction and the vertical direction are circular, whose cross-section perpendicular to the predetermined direction is rectangular, and whose cross-section perpendicular to the vertical direction is rectangular.
5. The actuator body includes: a hollow cylinder body extending in the vertical direction with one end thereof facing the flow path block and accommodating a rear end portion of the stem; a biasing body at least partially disposed inside the cylinder body, the biasing body constantly generating a biasing force inside the cylinder body in a direction toward the one end of the cylinder body; a piston body that is provided inside the cylinder body in a manner that it is movable in the vertical direction, that receives the biasing force from the biasing body to apply the biasing force to the rear end portion of the stem, and that moves in a direction opposite to the direction of the biasing force while resisting the biasing force of the biasing body when supplied with driving fluid; a plurality of partition bodies arranged in the vertical direction inside the cylinder body, The opening / closing valve described in claim 2, wherein the piston body has a plurality of piston elements that each form a closed space between itself and the plurality of partition bodies, and moves in a direction opposite to the direction of the spring force due to the pressure of the driving fluid generated by the supply of the driving fluid to the closed space.
6. The head portion further includes: a plate-like first mounting member attached to a portion of the cylinder body including the one end, the first mounting member having a through hole formed therein into which the portion of the cylinder body is inserted for mounting, and a first recess formed on a non-insertion surface opposite to an insertion surface into which the portion of the cylinder body is inserted, the first recess having an opening of the through hole on a bottom surface through which the stem protruding from the one end of the cylinder body in the through hole protrudes, and the two abutment portions being arranged on two side wall surfaces facing each other across the opening in the predetermined direction; a plate-shaped second mounting member that is detachably attached to the first mounting member in a state in which the second mounting member abuts against the non-insertion surface of the first mounting member, the second mounting member having a second recess formed in an opposing surface that faces the non-insertion surface of the first mounting member at a position opposing the first recess of the first mounting member, the second recess housing the push rod pressing body in a state in which the push rod pressing body is movable in the vertical direction, and a plurality of through holes that are aligned in the predetermined direction and open at bottom surfaces of the second recesses and that open at positions opposing the plurality of valve seats in a non-opposing surface of the second mounting member opposite the opposing surface, the plurality of through holes through which the plurality of push rods pass, 6. The on-off valve according to claim 5, wherein the two movable members are housed in a space surrounded by the first recess of the first mounting member and the second recess of the second mounting member.
7. two or more flow path blocks each having a different number of valve seats; two or more sets of valve bodies, each having a different number of valve bodies, corresponding to the two or more flow path blocks; 7. The on-off valve according to claim 6, comprising two or more sets of the plurality of push rods and the second mounting member, each set having a different number of the plurality of push rods and a different number of the plurality of through holes, corresponding to the two or more flow path blocks.
8. The actuator body includes: a hollow cylinder body extending in the vertical direction with one end thereof facing the flow path block and accommodating a rear end portion of the stem; a biasing body at least partially disposed inside the cylinder body, the biasing body constantly generating a biasing force inside the cylinder body in a direction toward the one end of the cylinder body; a piston body that is provided inside the cylinder body in a manner that it is movable in the vertical direction, that receives the biasing force from the biasing body to apply the biasing force to the rear end portion of the stem, and that moves in a direction opposite to the direction of the biasing force while resisting the biasing force of the biasing body when supplied with driving fluid; a plurality of partition bodies arranged in the vertical direction inside the cylinder body, The opening / closing valve described in claim 3, wherein the piston body has a plurality of piston elements that each form a closed space between itself and the plurality of partition bodies, and moves in a direction opposite to the direction of the spring force due to the pressure of the driving fluid generated by the supply of the driving fluid to the closed space.
9. The head portion further includes: a plate-like first mounting member attached to a portion of the cylinder body including the one end, the first mounting member having a through hole formed therein into which the portion of the cylinder body is inserted for mounting, and a first recess formed on a non-insertion surface opposite to an insertion surface into which the portion of the cylinder body is inserted, the first recess having an opening of the through hole on a bottom surface through which the stem protruding from the one end of the cylinder body in the through hole protrudes, and the two abutment portions being arranged on two side wall surfaces facing each other across the opening in the predetermined direction; a plate-shaped second mounting member that is detachably attached to the first mounting member in a state in which the second mounting member abuts against the non-insertion surface of the first mounting member, the second mounting member having a second recess formed in an opposing surface that faces the non-insertion surface of the first mounting member at a position opposing the first recess of the first mounting member, and two through holes that are aligned in the predetermined direction and open at bottom surfaces of the second recesses and that open at positions opposing the two valve seats, respectively, in a non-opposing surface of the second mounting member opposite the opposing surface, and through which the two push rods pass, 9. The on-off valve according to claim 8, wherein the two movable members are housed in a space surrounded by the first recess of the first mounting member and the second recess of the second mounting member.
10. an actuator for an on-off valve provided in the on-off valve, the actuator comprising: a flow path block having a gas flow path that divides gas supplied from a gas supply port toward a plurality of valve seats arranged along a predetermined direction and merges the gas flowing through the plurality of valve seats to discharge it from a single gas discharge port; and a plurality of valve bodies that are respectively disposed at positions close to the plurality of valve seats and abut against and move away from the plurality of valve seats to open and close the gas flow path, a rod-shaped stem extending in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction with its tip portion directed toward the flow path block and movable in the vertical direction; an actuator body that pushes the stem toward the flow path block or releases pressure on the stem; an actuator for an on-off valve comprising: a head portion located at the tip end of the stem, the head portion having a plurality of columnar push rods arranged at positions facing the plurality of valve seats with the plurality of valve bodies therebetween and movable in the vertical direction; and a push rod pressing mechanism that, when receiving a pressing force from the pushed-out stem, presses the plurality of push rods against the plurality of valve bodies, causing the plurality of valve bodies to abut against the plurality of valve seats simultaneously, thereby closing the gas flow path, and that, when receiving a pressing force from the stem, releases the plurality of push rods from the pressing force on the plurality of valve bodies, causing the plurality of valve bodies to move away from the plurality of valve seats simultaneously, thereby opening the gas flow path.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
The size of actuator thrust - motor - valve
JP1986029183U
Rounding controller
JP1986070635A
JP1989102572U
Metal diaphragm valve
JP1993044864A
Boosting opening-closing valve
JP2009281521A