Electric valve

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrically operated valve that suppresses abnormal noise generated by the fluid and pressure loss of the fluid. [Solution] The electric valve comprises a valve body 20 having a valve chamber, an inlet pipe 26 for introducing fluid, an outlet pipe 27 for releasing fluid, a ball valve body 30 positioned in the valve chamber and having a through hole 31 for fluid passage, with an adjustable opening from a fully closed state to a fully closed state, and a sound-absorbing member 50 having a sound-absorbing section 51 and a hollow section 52. The sound-absorbing member 50 is positioned in the flow path such that the fluid passes through the sound-absorbing section 51 when the opening of the ball valve body 30 is within a range from a fully closed state to a predetermined opening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric valve.

Background Art

[0002] An electric valve provided with a ball valve body that opens and closes a fluid flow path to control the fluid flow rate is known from Patent Document 1 and the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the electric valve disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the opening degree of the ball valve body is minute, there is a risk of abnormal noise being generated when bubbles collapse as the fluid passes through the gap between the ball valve body in the flow path. In order to suppress the abnormal noise, for example, if a soundproof member is arranged so as to block the flow path, there may be a possibility of fluid pressure loss when the ball valve body is open.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an electric valve that suppresses abnormal noise generated from the fluid and the fluid pressure loss.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The electric valve according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a valve body provided with a valve chamber, an inflow pipe for allowing fluid to flow in, an outflow pipe for allowing the fluid to flow out, a ball valve body disposed in the valve chamber, having a through-hole through which the fluid passes, and capable of adjusting the opening degree from the fully closed state to the fully open state of the fluid flow path, a soundproof member having a soundproof portion and a hollow portion, and includes The sound-absorbing member is characterized in that it is positioned within the flow path such that the fluid passes through the sound-absorbing portion when the opening of the ball valve body is within a range from a fully closed state to a predetermined opening. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide an electric valve that suppresses abnormal noise generated from the fluid and pressure loss of the fluid. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view of an electric valve according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of a ball valve body in the fully open state according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of a ball valve body in a low-open state according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of a sound-absorbing member according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of a ball valve body in the fully open state according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of a ball valve body in a low-opening state according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of a sound-absorbing member according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of a ball valve body in the fully open state according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of a ball valve body in a low-open state according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. For the sake of clarity, configurations having the same reference numerals as those already described in the description of the embodiments will be omitted from the description. Furthermore, the dimensions of the components shown in these drawings may differ from the actual dimensions of the components for the sake of clarity.

[0010] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electric valve 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electric valve 100 comprises a motor 10, a can 13, a valve shaft 14, a planetary gear mechanism 15, a drive shaft 16, a valve body 20, and a ball valve body 30.

[0011] The motor 10 is, for example, a stepping motor and has a stator 11 and a rotor 12. The stator 11 has a plurality of coils. The rotor 12 is rotatably arranged inside the stator 11. The valve stem 14 is connected to the rotor 12 and is located inside the rotor 12. The support member 17 supports the upper end of the valve stem 14. By supplying a drive current from a control board (not shown) to the stator 11, the rotor 12 is controlled to rotate around the central axis Y. The rotational force of the rotor 12 is transmitted to the planetary gear mechanism 15 via the rotor support part 18. The rotor 12, valve stem 14, support member 17, rotor support part 18, and planetary gear mechanism 15 are arranged inside the can 13.

[0012] The planetary gear mechanism 15 is a reduction mechanism that reduces the rotation of the rotor 12 and transmits rotational force to the drive shaft 16 located below the planetary gear mechanism 15. The planetary gear mechanism 15 is composed of, for example, a fixed ring gear, a sun gear, multiple planetary gears, a carrier, an output gear, and an output shaft. In this embodiment, the sun gear is integrally provided on the rotor support portion 18.

[0013] The lower end of the drive shaft 16 is fitted into the ball valve body 30. When the drive shaft 16 rotates around the central axis Y due to the rotational force transmitted from the planetary gear mechanism 15, the ball valve body 30 also rotates around the central axis Y in conjunction with it.

[0014] An internal space of the valve body 20 is provided with a valve chamber 23. Inside the valve chamber 23, a spherical ball valve body 30, a first seal member 21, and a second seal member 22 are arranged. The valve chamber 23 is connected with an inflow pipe 26 that extends in the X direction orthogonal to the central axis Y direction to allow fluid to flow into the valve chamber 23, and an outflow pipe 27 that extends in the X direction to allow fluid to flow out of the valve chamber 23. The inflow pipe 26 is fixed to the joint 40 by brazing or the like, and the joint 40 is screwed to the valve body 20 by screws or the like, so that the inflow pipe 26 is connected to the valve body 20. The first seal member 21 and the second seal member 22 each have a ring shape centered on the X direction. The first seal member 21 seals between the inflow pipe 26 and the ball valve body 30. The second seal member 22 seals between the outflow pipe 27 and the ball valve body 30.

[0015] The ball valve body 30 has a through hole 31, a first opening 32, and a second opening 33. The first opening 32 is an opening for allowing fluid to flow from the inflow pipe 26 into the through hole 31 of the ball valve body 30. The second opening 33 is an opening for allowing fluid to flow out of the through hole 31 of the ball valve body 30 into the outflow pipe 27.

[0016] Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is defined by the angle formed between the direction L2 orthogonal to the penetration direction L1 of the through hole 31 and the X direction. The ball valve body 30 can adjust the opening degree α by rotational drive. In the following description, when the opening degree α is 0°, it is called the fully closed state, and when the opening degree α is 90°, it is called the fully open state. The ball valve body 30 can adjust the opening degree α from the fully closed state to the fully open state of the fluid flow path. Specifically, when the ball valve body 30 rotates so that the penetration direction L1 is parallel to the X direction, the through hole 31 communicates with the inflow pipe 26 and the outflow pipe 27, and the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 becomes the fully open state. Therefore, the fluid flowing in from the inflow pipe 26 flows out to the outflow pipe 27 via the through hole 31. When the ball valve body 30 rotates so that the penetration direction L1 is orthogonal to the X direction, the between the through hole 31 and the inflow pipe 26 and the between the through hole 31 and the outflow pipe 27 are blocked, and the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 becomes the fully closed state. Therefore, the fluid flowing in from the inflow pipe 26 does not flow out to the outflow pipe 27.

[0017] When the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is small and within the range from fully closed to a predetermined opening degree, there is a risk of abnormal noise being generated as bubbles that have grown in the gap between the ball valve body 30 and the fluid flow path collapse as the fluid passes through. To suppress such abnormal noise, if a sound-absorbing member is placed to block the flow path, for example, there is a risk of fluid pressure loss when the ball valve body 30 is fully open.

[0018] Therefore, the inventors investigated the configuration of an electric valve 100 that suppresses abnormal noise generated from the fluid and pressure loss from the fluid.

[0019] <First Embodiment> Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ball valve body 30 in the fully open state with an opening degree α according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ball valve body 30 in the low opening state with an opening degree α according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a sound-absorbing member 50 is provided at the ball valve body side end of the inlet pipe 26. Alternatively, a sound-absorbing member 50 may be provided at the ball valve body side end of the outlet pipe 27, or at both the ball valve body side end of the inlet pipe 26 and the ball valve body side end of the outlet pipe 27, respectively.

[0020] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a sound-absorbing member 50 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The sound-absorbing member 50 has a cylindrical sound-absorbing section 51 and a hollow section 52. The hollow section 52 is located inside the sound-absorbing member 50, and no members are provided in the hollow section 52, allowing fluid to pass through it directly. A flange section 53 is provided on one end of the sound-absorbing member 50, and the flange section 53 is positioned and fixed at the connection point between the inlet pipe 26 and the valve body 20. The sound-absorbing section 51, which is the side wall of the sound-absorbing member 50, has fine flow channels inside, and when fluid passes through the sound-absorbing section 51, the bubbles in the fluid are subdivided, reducing the flow noise. That is, in the fully open state, the fluid passes directly through the hollow section 52 in the X direction, so pressure loss is less likely to occur and abnormal noise is less likely to occur. Furthermore, in the low-opening state, in the direction A intersecting the X direction, all fluid passes through the sound-dampening section 51 and not through the hollow section 52, so the bubbles are subdivided and abnormal noise is reduced. Note that when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is in the range from the fully open state to the predetermined opening degree described above (not the low-opening state), the fluid passes through the hollow section 52 and not through the sound-dampening section 51.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is fully open, the fluid flows from the inlet pipe 26 through the first opening 32 into the through hole 31 in the X direction. The fluid that has flowed into the through hole 31 flows out from the through hole 31 through the second opening 33 into the outlet pipe 27 in the X direction. In this case, since the fluid passes through the hollow portion 52 of the sound-absorbing member 50, the fluid pressure loss can be suppressed when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is fully closed.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is at a low opening, the fluid flows from the inlet pipe 26, for example in direction A, and passes through the sound-absorbing portion 51 of the sound-absorbing member 50. The fluid that has passed through the sound-absorbing portion 51 flows into the through hole 31 from the inside of the first seal member 21. The fluid that has flowed into the through hole 31 flows out into the outlet pipe 27 from the inside of the second seal member 22. In this way, since the fluid passes through the sound-absorbing portion 51 of the sound-absorbing member 50, abnormal noise is suppressed. In other words, when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is within the range from the fully closed state to a predetermined opening degree, abnormal noise generated from the fluid can be suppressed.

[0023] <Second Embodiment> Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ball valve body 30 in the fully open state with an opening degree α according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the ball valve body 30 in the low opening state with an opening degree α according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a sound-absorbing member 50A is provided at the ball valve body side end of the inlet pipe 26. Alternatively, a sound-absorbing member 50A may be provided at the ball valve body side end of the outlet pipe 27, or at both the ball valve side end of the inlet pipe 26 and the ball valve body side end of the outlet pipe 27.

[0024] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a sound-absorbing member 50A according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 7, the sound-absorbing member 50A has a cylindrical sound-absorbing portion 51A and a hollow portion 52A. The sound-absorbing member 50A also has a tapered portion T at the fluid outlet side (right side in Figure 7) end, which has a tapered shape that decreases in diameter toward the outlet side.

[0025] As shown in Figure 5, when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is fully open, the fluid flows from the inlet pipe 26 through the first opening 32 into the through hole 31 in the X direction. The fluid that has flowed into the through hole 31 flows out from the through hole 31 through the second opening 33 into the outlet pipe 27 in the X direction. Since the sound-absorbing member 50A has a hollow portion 52A inside, it can suppress fluid pressure loss when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is fully closed.

[0026] The sound-absorbing member 50A according to the second embodiment shown in Figure 6 has a smaller opening on the fluid outlet side due to the tapered portion T compared to the sound-absorbing member 50 according to the first embodiment shown in Figure 3. Therefore, as can be seen by comparing Figure 3 and Figure 6, when the ball valve body 30 is rotated from the fully closed state, the opening degree α at which fluid flow from the inlet pipe 26 to the hollow portions 52 and 52A of the sound-absorbing member 50 and 50A begins is greater in Figure 6 than in Figure 3. In other words, by providing a tapered portion T in the sound-absorbing member 50A, the range of opening degrees α of the ball valve body 30 in which abnormal noise generated from the fluid can be suppressed can be widened. In other words, the upper limit of the range of opening degrees α of the ball valve body 30 in which all the fluid passes through the sound-absorbing portion 51A of the sound-absorbing member 50A, that is, the range of opening degrees α in the low opening state of opening degree α, can be increased. Therefore, abnormal noise generated from the fluid can be suppressed over a wide range of opening degrees α of the ball valve body 30.

[0027] <Third Embodiment> Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ball valve body 30 in the fully open state with an opening degree α according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the ball valve body 30 in the low opening state with an opening degree α according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a sound-absorbing member 50B is provided on the outside of the first opening 32 of the ball valve body 30. Alternatively, the sound-absorbing member 50B may be provided on the outside of the second opening 33 of the ball valve body 30, or on the outside of the first opening 32 and the outside of the second opening 33 of the ball valve body 30, respectively. In the illustrated example, the sound-absorbing member 50B has a curved surface with the same curvature as the spherical surface of the ball valve body 30.

[0028] As shown in Figure 8, when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is fully open, the fluid flows from the inlet pipe 26 through the hollow portion 52B of the sound-absorbing member 50B, through the first opening 32, and into the through hole 31 in the X direction. The fluid that has flowed into the through hole 31 flows out from the through hole 31 through the second opening 33 into the outlet pipe in the X direction. Since the sound-absorbing member 50B has a hollow portion 52B inside, it can suppress fluid pressure loss when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is fully closed.

[0029] As shown in Figure 9, since the sound-absorbing member 50B is provided at the first opening 32 of the ball valve body 30, the fluid flowing in from the inlet pipe 26 flows into the valve chamber 23 via the sound-absorbing portion 51B, which is the side wall portion of the sound-absorbing member 50B, and when the opening degree α of the ball valve body 30 is within the range from the fully closed state to a predetermined opening degree, abnormal noise generated from the fluid can be suppressed.

[0030] While embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, it goes without saying that the technical scope of this disclosure should not be interpreted restrictively by the description of these embodiments. These embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications to the embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims. The technical scope of this disclosure should be determined based on the scope of the invention described in the claims and the scope of its equivalents.

[0031] For example, the sound-absorbing members 50, 50A, and 50B according to this embodiment may include a metal material or a resin material, and may be a mesh member, perforated metal, or a porous member. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 10: Motor 11: Status 12: Rotor 13: Can 14: Valve stem 15: Planetary gear mechanism 16: Drive shaft 17: Support member 18: Rotor support section 20: Valve body 21: First sealing member 22: Second sealing member 23: Valve chamber 26:Inflow pipe 27:Outflow pipe 30: Ball valve body 31: Through hole 32:First opening 33:Second opening 40: Fittings 50, 50A, 50B: Sound-absorbing material 51, 51A, 51B: Silencer 52, 52A, 52B: Hollow part 53: Flange section 100: Electric valve

Claims

1. A valve body having a valve chamber, An inlet pipe into which fluid is introduced, An outlet pipe for discharging the aforementioned fluid, A ball valve body is disposed in the valve chamber, has a through hole through which the fluid passes, and is capable of adjusting the opening degree of the fluid flow path from a fully closed state to a fully open state. A sound-absorbing member having a sound-absorbing section and a hollow section, Equipped with, The sound-absorbing member is arranged in the flow path such that the fluid passes through the sound-absorbing part when the opening of the ball valve body is within a range from a fully closed state to a predetermined opening, in an electrically operated valve.

2. The electric valve according to claim 1, wherein the sound-absorbing member suppresses abnormal noise of the fluid when the opening of the ball valve body is within the range from the fully closed state to the predetermined opening.

3. The electric valve according to claim 1, wherein the sound-absorbing member is provided in at least one of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

4. The electric valve according to claim 3, wherein the sound-absorbing member has a tapered shape.

5. The electric valve according to claim 1, wherein the sound-absorbing member is provided on the ball valve body.

6. The electric valve according to claim 1, wherein the sound-absorbing portion of the sound-absorbing member is a mesh member or a porous member.

7. The electric valve according to claim 1, wherein the sound-absorbing member includes a metal material or a resin material.

Images