Valve device

Abstract

To provide a valve device capable of relieving pressure inside a tank without providing a dedicated configuration for pressure relief.SOLUTION: A valve device 10 has an attachment member 38 for attaching a solenoid valve 40 to a body 20. The attachment member 38 can take an attachment position where a sleeve 41 is attached to the body 20 with regulating its position so that a valve element 51 of the solenoid valve 40 is located at a usage position at which a valve open position or a valve close position can be taken, and an attachment release position T2 where the sleeve 41 can be moved so that the valve element 51 is at a position for opening a gas flow passage 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a valve device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a valve device is attached to the nozzle of a tank that contains high-pressure gas. The valve device controls the supply and discharge of gas to and from the tank. The valve device is integrally equipped with a body having a gas flow path through which gas flows, and various valves mounted on the body. Some such valve devices are equipped with a depressurization means for releasing the pressure in the tank by discharging gas inside the tank to the outside when the valve breaks down, for example.

[0003] For example, the pressure relief valve in Patent Document 1 has an inlet passage for allowing gas to flow into a high-pressure tank serving as a tank, an outlet passage for allowing gas to flow out of the high-pressure tank, and a pressure detection passage serving as a pressure relief passage for releasing gas from the high-pressure tank to the outside.

[0004] In the inflow passage, an inlet manual valve and a check valve are arranged in that order from the gas inlet to the high-pressure tank. The inlet manual valve can be manually operated to close the inflow passage, and gas flows into the high-pressure tank while the check valve prevents gas from flowing from the high-pressure tank to the inlet.

[0005] A main stop valve and an outlet manual valve are disposed in this order in the outflow passage from the high-pressure tank toward the gas outlet. The outlet manual valve can be manually operated to close the outflow passage, and the opening and closing of the outflow passage is controlled by the main stop valve.

[0006] The pressure detection path is a passage for detecting the pressure inside the high-pressure tank. A first end of the pressure detection path is connected to the high-pressure tank, and a second end of the pressure detection path is located on a side surface of the body. A pressure sensor is attached to the second end of the pressure detection path. The pressure sensor detects the pressure inside the high-pressure tank. By moving the pressure sensor relative to the pressure detection path, the inside of the high-pressure tank is communicated with the outside via the pressure detection path.

[0007] For example, in the event of a failure of the main stop valve, such as being stuck closed, the pressure sensor can be moved so that it protrudes from the side of the body, connecting the pressure detection path to the outside of the body via the inside of the pressure sensor, allowing the gas in the high-pressure tank to be discharged to the outside via the pressure sensor, and the pressure in the high-pressure tank to be released. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-163522 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In Patent Document 1, a pressure sensor is used to configure a pressure relief valve. However, a pressure sensor is not an essential component of a valve device, and in the case of a valve device that does not include a pressure sensor, a manual pressure relief valve must be provided as a dedicated component for releasing the pressure in the high-pressure tank, resulting in increased costs and size of the valve device.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a valve device capable of depressurizing a tank without providing a dedicated structure for depressurizing the tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] A valve device for solving the above problems includes a body having a gas flow passage connecting a tank side opening that opens toward the inside of the tank and a valve side opening that opens toward the outside, a solenoid valve mounted on the body and opening the gas flow passage in a valve open position and closing the gas flow passage in a valve closed position, and an attachment member for attaching the solenoid valve to the body, wherein the solenoid valve has a sleeve, a movable iron core that slides within the sleeve along the axial direction of the sleeve, and a valve body that moves within the sleeve by the action of the movable iron core to be located at the valve open position or the valve closed position, and the attachment member attaches the solenoid valve to the body, and is capable of taking an attachment position in which the sleeve is attached by restricting its position with respect to the body so that the valve body is located at a use position where it can take the valve open position or the valve closed position, and a release position in which the sleeve can be moved so that the valve body is located at a position where it opens the gas flow passage.

[0012] According to this, when depressurizing the tank, by positioning the mounting member in the release position, it is possible to move the sleeve of the solenoid valve relative to the body. Then, by moving the sleeve away from the body, it is possible to open the gas flow path by the valve body. Then, the tank side opening and the valve side opening can be communicated via the gas flow path, and the gas in the tank can be discharged to the outside via the tank side opening, the gas flow path, and the valve side opening, and the tank can be depressurized. In other words, the tank can be depressurized by operating the mounting member for mounting the solenoid valve to the body. In addition, the gas flow path and the valve side opening of the body are used as the flow path for depressurization, and a dedicated configuration such as a pipe or a valve for depressurization is not required separately. Therefore, even if the valve device enables depressurization in the tank, it is possible to suppress an increase in cost and size, and there is no decrease in mountability due to the provision of a dedicated configuration.

[0013] Regarding the valve device, the solenoid valve may have a fixed iron core fixed inside the sleeve, and a biasing member disposed between the fixed iron core and the movable iron core in the axial direction of the sleeve and biasing the valve body to the valve closed position at the mounting position, and the release position may be a position where the biasing of the valve body by the biasing member is released.

[0014] According to this, when the mounting member is placed in the release position and the sleeve is moved away from the body, the fixed core moves away from the movable core, and the biasing force of the biasing member is released. In other words, the biasing force of the valve body in the direction to close the gas flow path is released. Therefore, when depressurizing the tank, the pressure inside the tank can move the valve body in the direction to open the gas flow path, and the tank can be depressurized through the gas flow path.

[0015] Regarding the valve device, the body has a mounting hole into which a first axial end of the sleeve is inserted, and the mounting hole is an internally threaded hole having an internal thread on a portion of its inner peripheral surface, the sleeve has a sleeve side regulating portion protruding radially from its outer peripheral surface toward the second end of the sleeve than the first end, and has a sleeve main body toward the second end than the sleeve side regulating portion, and the mounting member is annular into which the sleeve main body is inserted, and has a male thread on its outer peripheral surface that screws into the mounting hole, and a nut side regulating portion that contacts the sleeve side regulating portion at the mounting position.

[0016] According to this, when the mounting member is screwed into the mounting hole, the nut side regulating portion comes into contact with the sleeve side regulating portion, and the sleeve can be attached to the body in a state where the sleeve is restricted from coming out of the mounting member. Also, when the mounting member is screwed back from the mounting hole and positioned in the attachment release position, the nut side regulating portion is released from contact with the sleeve side regulating portion, and the valve body can be positioned at a position where it opens the gas flow path. Thus, with a mounting member of a simple configuration, the solenoid valve can be attached to the body and the tank can be depressurized.

[0017] Regarding the valve device, the gas flow path includes a first flow path that is upstream when the tank is filled with gas, and a second flow path that is downstream of the first flow path, and has an intersection where the first flow path and the second flow path intersect with each other, the solenoid valve that takes the open position when the tank is filled with gas and takes the closed position when filling of the gas is completed is disposed in the gas flow path, and a valve seat that the valve body contacts and separates may be disposed in the first flow path on the opposite side of the second flow path from the intersection.

[0018] According to this, the intersection is located closer to the inside of the tank than the valve seat among the portions of the gas flow path located between the inside of the tank and the valve seat. Therefore, the pressure acting on the intersection is always the pressure inside the tank, and the change in pressure acting on the intersection is small. Therefore, the load caused by the pressure fluctuation occurring at the intersection of the first flow path and the second flow path each time gas is filled and supplied can be kept small, and the adverse effect on the pressure fatigue life of the gas flow path is suppressed. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, the tank can be depressurized without providing a dedicated structure for depressurization. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a gas tank, a valve device, and a fuel cell of a fuel cell vehicle. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a valve chamber of a gas flow passage. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the tank side opening is closed by the manual valve. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting member in a released position. [Figure 6] 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the valve body is moved together with the sleeve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the valve device will be described with reference to Figs. As shown in Fig. 1, the valve device 10 of this embodiment is mounted on a fuel cell automobile V. The fuel cell automobile V is a vehicle that runs on electricity generated by a fuel cell 12. The fuel cell automobile V is mounted with a fuel cell 12, a gas tank 11 as a tank for storing fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell 12, and a valve device 10 attached to the gas tank 11. In this embodiment, high-pressure hydrogen gas is stored as fuel gas in a storage chamber within the gas tank 11.

[0022] The gas tank 11, fuel cell 12, and valve device 10 are mounted under a floor panel at the rear of the fuel cell vehicle V. However, the mounting locations of the gas tank 11, fuel cell 12, and valve device 10 are not limited to under the floor panel at the rear of the fuel cell vehicle V and may be changed as appropriate, and may be, for example, at the front of the fuel cell vehicle V or below the trunk room. Also, in this embodiment, the valve device 10 is mounted with the underside of the valve device 10 exposed from under the vehicle body F so that maintenance can be performed from under the vehicle body F of the fuel cell vehicle V.

[0023] 2, the valve device 10 controls the supply of fuel gas from a gas station 13 to a gas tank 11, and the supply of fuel gas from the gas tank 11 to a fuel cell 12. The valve device 10 has a body 20, and an electromagnetic valve 40 and a manual valve 70 that open and close a gas flow path 30 of the body 20. In this embodiment, a first direction of the body 20 is defined as a vehicle front-rear direction X, a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a vehicle left-right direction Y, and a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions is defined as a vehicle up-down direction Z.

[0024] The body 20 is, for example, a block made of an aluminum alloy. The body 20 has a first mounting hole 21 in a front end face 20a serving as a first end face in the first direction, and a second mounting hole 22 in a rear end face 20b serving as a second end face in the first direction. The body 20 also has a third mounting hole 23 in a bottom end face 20c.

[0025] In the valve device 10, the solenoid valve 40 is mounted on the body 20 by being attached to a first mounting hole 21 as a mounting hole. The manual valve 70 is mounted on the body 20 by being attached to a third mounting hole 23. A joint 24 is attached to the second mounting hole 22. A pipe 28 is connected to the joint 24. A filling pipe 29a and a supply pipe 29b branch off from the pipe 28. A gas station 13 can be connected to the filling pipe 29a, and a fuel cell 12 is connected to the supply pipe 29b via a pressure reducing valve 14. The body 20 has a tank side opening 33b (described later) on the right end face as the end face in the second direction, and the tank side opening 33b opens toward the gas tank 11.

[0026] 2 or 3, the first mounting hole 21 is a stepped female screw hole. The first mounting hole 21 has a large diameter hole 21b that opens to the front end surface 20a of the body 20 and a small diameter hole 21a that is located closer to the rear end surface 20b of the body 20 than the large diameter hole 21b, and the small diameter hole 21a has a smaller diameter than the large diameter hole 21b. The small diameter hole 21a and the large diameter hole 21b are located coaxially.

[0027] A first end of the first connection flow passage 31, which is closer to the small diameter hole 21a, opens as a valve hole 31a in the inner bottom surface 21c of the small diameter hole 21a. A second end of the first connection flow passage 31, which is the end opposite to the valve hole 31a, opens as a valve side opening 31b in the inner bottom surface 22a of the second mounting hole 22. The first connection flow passage 31 is a flow passage that extends linearly in the vehicle longitudinal direction X. Therefore, the central axis V1 of the first connection flow passage 31 extends linearly in the vehicle longitudinal direction X. A valve seat 26 is provided at the bottom of the small diameter hole 21a. The valve seat 26 is configured by forming the inner circumferential surface of the valve hole 31a into a shape that expands in diameter toward the inner bottom surface 21c of the small diameter hole 21a.

[0028] An internal thread is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter hole 21b. In other words, the large diameter hole 21b is an internally threaded hole, and the first mounting hole 21 having the large diameter hole 21b is an internally threaded hole having an internal thread on a part of its inner peripheral surface. An attachment member 38 for attaching the solenoid valve 40 to the body 20 is screwed into the large diameter hole 21b, and the solenoid valve 40 is attached to the body 20 by the attachment member 38.

[0029] Here, the solenoid valve 40 will be described. The solenoid valve 40 has a sleeve 41, a fixed core 47 fixed in the sleeve 41, a movable core 49 sliding in the sleeve 41, a valve body 51 attached to the movable core 49 and moving in the sleeve 41 by the movement of the sleeve 41, a solenoid 55 that drives the movable core 49, and a biasing member 50 that biases the movable core 49.

[0030] The sleeve 41 is cylindrical. The direction in which the central axis N of the sleeve 41 extends is the axial direction of the sleeve 41. The central axis N of the sleeve 41 is also the central axis of the solenoid valve 40. In this embodiment, the central axis N of the sleeve 41 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction X, and the axial direction of the sleeve 41 coincides with the vehicle longitudinal direction X. Of both ends in the axial direction of the sleeve 41, the end closer to the first mounting hole 21 is the first end 41b, and the end opposite the first end 41b is the second end 41c. The sleeve 41 opens at the first end 41b and the second end 41c in the axial direction. The sleeve 41 has a sliding hole 41a extending in the axial direction therein.

[0031] The sleeve 41 has an insertion portion 42 including a first end 41b in the axial direction, a disk-shaped sleeve-side regulating portion 43 located closer to the second end 41c than the insertion portion 42, and a cylindrical sleeve body 44 located closer to the second end 41c than the sleeve-side regulating portion 43. Thus, the sleeve 41 has the sleeve-side regulating portion 43 closer to the second end 41c than the first end 41b, and has the sleeve body 44 closer to the second end 41c than the sleeve-side regulating portion 43. The second end 41c of the sleeve 41 is formed by an annular lid portion 45. The inner diameter of the sleeve 41 is constant in the axial direction except for the lid portion 45, and the outer diameter of the sleeve 41 varies depending on the portion.

[0032] Specifically, the outer diameter of the insertion portion 42 is smaller than the outer diameter of the sleeve side restricting portion 43 and larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve main body 44. Note that in the present embodiment, the outer diameter of the insertion portion 42 is larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve main body 44, but this is not limiting, and the outer diameter of the insertion portion 42 may be the same as or smaller than the outer diameter of the sleeve main body 44.

[0033] The outer diameter of the insertion portion 42 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the small diameter hole 21a, and the insertion portion 42 is inserted into the small diameter hole 21a via the large diameter hole 21b. A seal member 46 such as an O-ring is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 42. The seal member 46 is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 42 and the inner circumferential surface of the small diameter hole 21a, and provides an air-tight seal between the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 42 and the inner circumferential surface of the small diameter hole 21a.

[0034] The first end 41b of the sleeve 41 and the inner bottom surface 21c of the small diameter hole 21a are spaced apart in the axial direction of the sleeve 41. A valve chamber S that houses a valve body 51 (described later) is defined in a space surrounded by the first end 41b of the sleeve 41, the inner circumferential surface of the small diameter hole 21a, and the inner bottom surface 21c of the small diameter hole 21a. The valve chamber S is in communication with the valve hole 31a and faces the valve seat 26.

[0035] The sleeve side restricting portion 43 is a disk shape that protrudes radially outward beyond the insertion portion 42 and the sleeve main body 44. The outer diameter of the sleeve side restricting portion 43 is larger than the inner diameter of the small diameter hole 21a and smaller than the inner diameter of the large diameter hole 21b. The sleeve side restricting portion 43 is not inserted into the small diameter hole 21a and is located within the large diameter hole 21b. A portion of the sleeve main body 44 is located within the large diameter hole 21b, and the other portion protrudes outside the body 20.

[0036] The fixed core 47 is fixed in the sleeve 41. The fixed core 47 has a cylindrical press-fit portion 47a that is press-fitted into the portion of the slide hole 41a that is located in the sleeve body 44, and a shaft portion 47b that penetrates the cover portion 45. An end face of the press-fit portion 47a close to the shaft portion 47b contacts the inner surface of the cover portion 45, and this contact prevents the fixed core 47 from slipping out of the sleeve 41.

[0037] A seal member 48 such as an O-ring is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the press-fit portion 47a. The seal member 48 is in tight contact with the outer circumferential surface of the press-fit portion 47a and the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 41, and provides an airtight seal between the outer circumferential surface of the press-fit portion 47a and the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 41. The shaft portion 47b has a male thread on its outer circumferential surface. The shaft portion 47b penetrates the cover portion 45 and protrudes outside the sleeve 41 beyond the second end 41c of the sleeve 41. A nut 63 is screwed onto the shaft portion 47b.

[0038] Here, the mounting member 38 for mounting the solenoid valve 40 to the body 20 will be described. The mounting member 38 is annular, into which the sleeve main body 44 is inserted. The mounting member 38 is a nut having a male thread on its outer circumferential surface. The sleeve 41 is mounted to the body 20 by screwing the male thread of the mounting member 38 into the female thread of the large diameter hole 21b.

[0039] The mounting member 38 has a nut side restricting portion 38a on its inner periphery. The direction in which the central axis R of the mounting member 38 extends is the axial direction of the mounting member 38. The nut side restricting portion 38a is formed to be recessed in an annular shape from an end face located in the first mounting hole 21 in the axial direction of the mounting member 38. The inner diameter of the mounting member 38 at the inner periphery of the nut side restricting portion 38a is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve side restricting portion 43. The sleeve side restricting portion 43 is disposed inside the nut side restricting portion 38a. The inner bottom surface of the nut side restricting portion 38a is an annular surface that extends flat in the radial direction of the mounting member 38. The annular surface of the sleeve side restricting portion 43 near the second end 41c contacts the inner bottom surface of the nut side restricting portion 38a.

[0040] The mounting member 38 has a flange 39 on the outside of the body 20 in the axial direction. The outer diameter of the mounting member 38 at the flange 39 is larger than the outer diameter of the mounting member 38 at the male thread and is also larger than the inner diameter of the large diameter hole 21b. The mounting member 38 is screwed into the large diameter hole 21b until the flange 39 contacts the front end surface 20a of the body 20.

[0041] The mounting member 38 is screwed into the large diameter hole 21b until the flange 39 contacts the front end face 20a of the body 20, whereby the sleeve 41 is attached to the body 20 and the solenoid valve 40 is attached to the body 20. The inner bottom surface of the nut side restricting portion 38a contacts the annular surface of the sleeve side restricting portion 43, and this contact prevents the sleeve 41 from slipping out of the mounting member 38. As described above, the state in which the mounting member 38 is screwed into the large diameter hole 21b until the flange 39 contacts the front end face 20a of the body 20 is defined as the mounting position T1 of the mounting member 38. At this mounting position T1, the sleeve 41 is attached with its position restricted relative to the body 20.

[0042] At the mounting position T1, the inner bottom surface of the nut side restricting portion 38a contacts the annular surface of the sleeve side restricting portion 43 closer to the sleeve main body 44. At the mounting position T1, the annular surface of the sleeve side restricting portion 43 closer to the insertion portion 42 is spaced apart from the inner bottom surface of the large diameter hole 21b, and the first end 41b of the sleeve 41 is spaced apart from the inner bottom surface 21c of the small diameter hole 21a. That is, at the mounting position T1, the sleeve 41 is mounted at a position that defines the valve chamber S.

[0043] 5 or 6, the mounting member 38 takes a release position T2 which is different from the mounting position T1. The release position T2 is a position which allows the sleeve 41 to move relative to the body 20. The release position T2 will be described in detail later. The following description of the solenoid valve 40 will be given with the mounting member 38 in the mounting position T1 and the sleeve 41 attached to the body 20.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, the movable core 49 is slidably accommodated in the sliding hole 41a of the sleeve 41. The movable core 49 is cylindrical. The outer diameter of the movable core 49 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the sleeve 41. The movable core 49 has an accommodating portion 49a formed so as to be recessed in a cylindrical shape from an end face facing the fixed core 47. A biasing member 50 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 49a. The biasing member 50 may be, for example, a coil spring, but may also be a leaf spring or rubber. In short, the configuration of the biasing member 50 may be changed as appropriate as long as it can bias the movable core 49 toward the valve seat 26.

[0045] A first end of the biasing member 50 contacts the inner bottom surface of the accommodation portion 49a, and a second end of the biasing member 50 contacts the press-fit portion 47a of the fixed core 47. The biasing member 50 is disposed between the movable core 49 and the fixed core 47 in a compressed state, and biases the movable core 49 toward the valve seat 26 using a return force from the compressed state as a biasing force. In this embodiment, the biasing force of the biasing member 50 is set to be smaller than the load due to the supply pressure of fuel gas from the gas station 13.

[0046] A part of a valve body 51 attached to the movable core 49 is inserted into the sliding hole 41a of the sleeve 41. The valve body 51 is attached to one of both axial ends of the movable core 49, the end opposite the end where the accommodation portion 49a is provided. The valve body 51 has a cylindrical main body portion 52 and a seal portion 53 that protrudes from the main body portion 52 toward the valve seat 26 in a conical shape.

[0047] The outer diameter of the main body 52 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the sleeve 41. A connecting portion 49b protruding from the movable core 49 toward the valve body 51 is inserted into the inside of the main body 52. ​​The connecting portion 49b and the main body 52 are connected by a support pin 64. The support pin 64 is loosely inserted into the main body 52, and the valve body 51 is attached to the movable core 49. The valve body 51 is configured to be movable by the operation of the movable core 49.

[0048] The seal portion 53 moves toward and away from the valve seat 26 due to the movement of the movable core 49. The diameter of the seal portion 53 decreases from the main body portion 52 toward the tip of the seal portion 53 along the axial direction of the sleeve 41. The outer peripheral surface of the seal portion 53 is a conical seal surface. The diameter of the tip of the seal portion 53 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the valve hole 31a, and the tip of the seal portion 53 is inserted into the valve hole 31a. When the tip of the seal portion 53 is inserted into the valve hole 31a and the seal surface comes into contact with the valve seat 26, the valve hole 31a is closed and communication between the valve side opening 31b and the valve chamber S is blocked. In the solenoid valve 40, the position where the seal portion 53 is seated on the valve seat 26 by the biasing force of the biasing member 50 and the valve hole 31a is closed by the valve body 51 is defined as the valve closed position K1.

[0049] On the other hand, when power is supplied to the solenoid 55 described below and the movable core 49 moves against the biasing force of the biasing member 50 until it contacts the fixed core 47, the valve body 51 moves away from the valve seat 26 together with the movable core 49. Then, the seal portion 53 moves away from the valve seat 26 and the valve hole 31a is opened. As shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 3, the position in the solenoid valve 40 where the seal portion 53 moves away from the valve seat 26 and the valve hole 31a is opened is the valve open position K2. In the valve open position K2, the valve side opening 31b and the valve chamber S communicate with each other.

[0050] When the mounting member 38 is in the mounting position T1, the valve element 51 of the solenoid valve 40 can take two positions, an open position K2 or a closed position K1. The position at which the valve element 51 can take either the open position K2 or the closed position K1 is defined as the usage position of the solenoid valve 40. When the mounting member 38 is in the mounting position T1, the mounting member 38 mounts the sleeve 41 by restricting its position relative to the body 20 so that the valve element 51 is in a usage position at which the valve element 51 can take either the closed position K1 or the open position K2.

[0051] 2, when power is supplied to the solenoid 55, the solenoid 55 generates power for driving the movable iron core 49. The solenoid 55 has a cylindrical bobbin 56 disposed on the outer periphery of the sleeve main body 44, and a winding 57 provided on the outer periphery of the bobbin 56.

[0052] The solenoid valve 40 has a cover 58 that covers the sleeve main body 44 including the solenoid 55. Of the two axial ends of the cover 58, the end away from the body 20 is designated as a first end, and the end closer to the body 20 is designated as a second end. The cover 58 has a cylindrical outer peripheral wall 59, a top plate 60 provided at the first end of the outer peripheral wall 59, and an inner peripheral wall 61 that forms a double cylindrical structure inside the outer peripheral wall 59 and is continuous with the second end of the outer peripheral wall 59.

[0053] The cover 58 is cylindrical and opens at a second end of an outer peripheral wall 59. The cover 58 has a through hole 60a in the center of a top plate 60. The bobbin 56 around which the winding 57 is wound is integrated with the inner peripheral surface of an inner peripheral wall 61 of the cover 58. Thus, the solenoid 55 is integrated with the cover 58.

[0054] The shaft portion 47b of the fixed core 47, which penetrates the lid portion 45 of the sleeve 41, passes through the through hole 60a of the cover 58. As described above, the nut 63 is screwed onto the male thread of the shaft portion 47b that penetrates the cover 58. By screwing the nut 63, the second end of the cover 58 is pressed against the flange 39 of the mounting member 38, and the cover 58 is attached to the solenoid valve 40. The solenoid 55 is covered by the outer peripheral wall 59 and the top plate 60 of the cover 58.

[0055] The solenoid valve 40 configured as described above is attached to the body 20 with the sleeve 41 positioned relative to the body 20 by positioning the mounting member 38 at the mounting position T1, while the sleeve 41 is made movable relative to the body 20 by positioning the mounting member 38 at the release position T2.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 5, the release position T2 is a position where the mounting member 38, which is located at the mounting position T1, is screwed back by a predetermined amount from the large diameter hole 21b. To move the mounting member 38 from the mounting position T1 to the release position T2, it is necessary to remove the cover 58 and the solenoid 55 from the sleeve 41. To remove the cover 58 and the solenoid 55 from the sleeve 41, the nut 63 screwed onto the shaft portion 47b of the fixed core 47 is screwed back from the shaft portion 47b. Next, the cover 58 is removed from the shaft portion 47b. Since the solenoid 55 is integrated with the inner peripheral wall 61 of the cover 58, the solenoid 55 is removed from the sleeve 41 together with the cover 58. As a result, the cover 58 and the solenoid 55 are removed from the sleeve 41. After that, the mounting member 38 is screwed back by a predetermined amount.

[0057] As the mounting member 38 is screwed out of the large diameter hole 21b, the inner bottom surface of the nut side restricting portion 38a separates from the annular surface of the sleeve side restricting portion 43, forming a gap M. By utilizing this gap M, it is possible to move the sleeve 41 away from the body 20 along the axial direction.

[0058] In this embodiment, the dimension of the gap M is set so that the seal member 46 does not slip out of the small diameter hole 21a when the sleeve 41 is moved. In other words, when the sleeve 41 is moved, the seal member 46 maintains an airtight seal between the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 42 and the inner circumferential surface of the small diameter hole 21a. In order to prevent the seal member 46 from slipping out of the small diameter hole 21a, it is essential that the maximum amount that the sleeve 41 can move is the distance from the seal member 46 to the inner bottom surface 21d of the large diameter hole 21b in the use position of the solenoid valve 40. Then, the screw-back amount of the mounting member 38 is set so that the dimension of the gap M formed when the mounting member 38 is screwed back is smaller than the distance, and this set screw-back amount becomes the predetermined screw-back amount.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 6, when the mounting member 38 is positioned at the attachment release position T2 and the sleeve 41 is moved away from the body 20 by the gap M, the fixed core 47 integral with the sleeve 41 moves away from the movable core 49. Then, the biasing member 50 positioned between the fixed core 47 and the movable core 49 is released from the compressed state, and the biasing of the movable core 49 by the biasing member 50 is released. The release of the biasing force by the biasing member 50 makes it easier for the valve body 51 to move to a position that opens the valve hole 31a. In this embodiment, when the biasing force by the biasing member 50 is released, the valve body 51 can move to a position that opens the valve hole 31a by the pressure in the gas tank 11. Therefore, by positioning the mounting member 38 at the attachment release position T2, it becomes possible to move the sleeve 41 so that the valve body 51 is positioned at a position that opens the gas flow path 30.

[0060] As a result, by positioning the mounting member 38 in the release position T2, it becomes possible to open the valve hole 31a by receiving the pressure inside the gas tank 11 even when the valve body 51 is in the closed valve position K1. In other words, by positioning the mounting member 38 in the release position T2, it becomes possible to position the valve body 51 in a position that communicates the gas flow path 30 with the valve side opening 31b and the tank side opening 33b. This position is defined as the gas release position K3 of the solenoid valve 40. The gas release position K3 is a position different from the closed valve position K1 and the open valve position K2.

[0061] When the mounting member 38 is located at the mounting position T1, the solenoid valve 40 is in a use position where the valve body 51 takes one of two positions, a valve closed position K1 or a valve open position K2. By positioning the mounting member 38 at the release position T2 and positioning the solenoid valve 40 at a gas release position K3 that is different from the valve closed position K1 and the valve open position K2, the solenoid valve 40 can be positioned at the gas release position K3 that allows depressurization of the gas tank 11.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, in the body 20, the second mounting hole 22 is a female threaded hole having a female thread formed on the inner circumferential surface. A joint 24 is screwed into the second mounting hole 22. The joint 24 has a connection part 24a having a male thread on the outer circumferential surface that is screwed into the second mounting hole 22, and a connector part 24b protruding from the connection part 24a toward the outside of the body 20. The joint 24 also has an inner joint flow path 24c extending along the central axis L of the joint 24. Of both ends in the axial direction of the inner joint flow path 24c, the end closer to the body 20 is defined as a first end, and the end opposite to the first end is defined as a second end. The first end of the inner joint flow path 24c communicates with the valve side opening 31b of the first connection flow path 31, and the second end of the inner joint flow path 24c opens from the end face of the connector part 24b toward the outside. Therefore, it can be said that the valve side opening 31b opens to the outside. A pipe 28 that serves both as an inlet and an outlet is connected to the connector portion 24b, and the inside of the pipe 28 communicates with the inner joint flow path 24c.

[0063] In the body 20, the third mounting hole 23 is a stepped hole. The third mounting hole 23 has a fastening hole 23b that opens to the lower end surface 20c of the body 20, and a guide hole 23a located deeper than the fastening hole 23b. The fastening hole 23b has a larger diameter than the guide hole 23a. The guide hole 23a and the fastening hole 23b are provided coaxially. The guide hole 23a is a hole for guiding the movement of the manual valve 70. A tank side opening 33b opens to a part of the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the guide hole 23a.

[0064] The fastening hole 23b is an internally threaded hole having an internal thread formed on the inner circumferential surface thereof. A fastening member 80 for attaching the manual valve 70 to the body 20 is screwed into the fastening hole 23b, and the manual valve 70 is attached to the body 20 by the fastening member 80.

[0065] 4, the manual valve 70 has a guide portion 71 inserted into the guide hole 23a, a valve portion 72 protruding from a first end of the guide portion 71 closer to the guide hole 23a, and a screw portion 73 protruding from a second end of the guide portion 71 opposite the first end. The manual valve 70 further has an operating portion 74 protruding from the screw portion 73 toward the opposite side to the guide portion 71.

[0066] The guide portion 71 is cylindrical. The guide portion 71 slides in the guide hole 23a. The valve portion 72 opens and closes the second end 32b of the second connection flow passage 32 that communicates with the valve chamber S. The second connection flow passage 32 connects the small diameter hole 21a of the first mounting hole 21 and the guide hole 23a of the third mounting hole 23. Of the two ends of the second connection flow passage 32 in the axial direction, the end closer to the small diameter hole 21a is the first end 32a, and the end closer to the guide hole 23a is the second end 32b. The first end 32a opens to the inner circumferential surface of the small diameter hole 21a, and the second end 32b opens to the inner bottom surface 23c of the third mounting hole 23. The second connection flow passage 32 is a flow passage that extends linearly in the vehicle vertical direction Z. Therefore, the center axis V2 of the second connection flow passage 32 extends linearly in the vehicle vertical direction Z.

[0067] The screw portion 73 has a male thread on its outer circumferential surface. The outer diameter of the screw portion 73 is larger than that of the guide portion 71. The operating portion 74 has a smaller diameter than the screw portion 73 and is hexagonal prism-shaped. The operating portion 74 is a portion that is manually operated with a wrench as a tool. The shape of the operating portion 74 may be changed as appropriate, and the shape of the tool that manually operates the operating portion 74 is also changed according to the shape of the operating portion 74.

[0068] The fastening member 80 is annular. The fastening member 80 is a nut having a female threaded hole on its inner circumferential surface and a male thread on its outer circumferential surface. The fastening member 80 is fastened to the fastening hole 23b. The screw portion 73 of the manual valve 70 is screwed into the inside of the fastening member 80.

[0069] Then, by manually operating the operating portion 74 to screw the screw portion 73 forward or backward relative to the fastening member 80, the guide portion 71 can be slid within the guide hole 23a to move the valve portion 72 toward or away from the second end 32b of the second connection flow path 32. Then, the second end 32b of the second connection flow path 32 can be opened and closed by the valve portion 72 to establish or block communication between the second connection flow path 32 and the gas tank 11 via the tank-side opening 33b. In other words, the tank-side opening 33b can be opened and closed by manually operating the operating portion 74.

[0070] The gas flow path 30 in the body 20 is a flow path that communicates between the valve side opening 31b and the tank side opening 33b. The gas flow path 30 has a first flow path A1 including the first connection flow path 31 and the valve chamber S, and a second flow path A2 including the valve chamber S, the second connection flow path 32, and the guide hole 23a. Since the first connection flow path 31 has the valve side opening 31b, the first flow path A1 includes the valve side opening 31b. Furthermore, since the guide hole 23a has the tank side opening 33b, the second flow path A2 includes the tank side opening 33b.

[0071] If the central axis of the first flow passage A1 is defined as the first central axis L1, the first central axis L1 coincides with the central axis V1 of the first connection flow passage 31. It can be said that a part of the valve chest S located at a position obtained by extending the first central axis L1 in the opposite direction to the valve side opening 31b is included in the first connection flow passage 31. If the central axis of the second flow passage A2 is defined as the second central axis L2, the second central axis L2 coincides with the central axis V2 of the second connection flow passage 32. It can be said that a part of the valve chest S located at a position obtained by extending the second central axis L2 in the opposite direction to the guide hole 23a is included in the second connection flow passage 32.

[0072] The gas flow passage 30 has an intersection A where a first central axis L1 of the first flow passage A1 and a second central axis L2 of the second flow passage A2 intersect with each other. In this embodiment, the intersection A is located in the valve chamber S.

[0073] Further, an extension line of the first central axis L1 of the first flow passage A1 constituting the gas flow passage 30 coincides with the central axis N of the sleeve 41 which is the central axis of the solenoid valve 40. That is, the solenoid valve 40 is located at a position where the first central axis L1 of the first flow passage A1 is extended in the vehicle longitudinal direction X. On the other hand, the second central axis L2 of the second flow passage A2 constituting the gas flow passage 30 coincides with the central axis J of the guide portion 71 which is the central axis of the manual valve 70. That is, the manual valve 70 is located at a position where the second central axis L2 of the second flow passage A2 is extended in the vehicle vertical direction Z. In the body 20, the solenoid valve 40 and the manual valve 70 are arranged in this order from the valve side opening 31b side on the gas flow passage 30.

[0074] As described above, the first flow path A1 and the second flow path A2 intersect at the valve chamber S, the solenoid valve 40 is located on the extension of the first central axis L1 of the first flow path A1, and the manual valve 70 is located on the extension of the second central axis L2 of the second flow path A2. Therefore, the solenoid valve 40 and the manual valve 70 are not located on the same surface of the body 20. In other words, the solenoid valve 40 and the manual valve 70 are located on different surfaces of the body 20. Specifically, the solenoid valve 40 is located on the front end surface 20a of the body 20, and the manual valve 70 is located on the bottom end surface 20c of the body 20. In addition, the operation portion 74 of the manual valve 70 is exposed from the bottom surface of the vehicle body F of the fuel cell vehicle V, and can be operated from below the vehicle body F with a tool.

[0075] Furthermore, the joint 24 is disposed on the rear end surface 20b of the body 20. The joint 24, the solenoid valve 40, and the manual valve 70 are not present on one surface of the body 20. In other words, the joint 24, the solenoid valve 40, and the manual valve 70 are disposed on different surfaces of the body 20.

[0076] The gas flow path 30 functions as a filling flow path when the gas tank 11 is filled with fuel gas from the gas station 13, and functions as a supply flow path when the fuel gas is supplied from the gas tank 11 to the fuel cell 12.

[0077] Here, let the pressure in the first flow path A1 be pressure P1. Also, let the pressure in the storage chamber of the gas tank 11 be tank pressure P2, and the pressure in the valve chamber S be valve chamber pressure P3. When the electromagnetic valve 40 is in the closed valve position K1 and the tank-side opening 33b and the second flow path A2 are in communication with each other through the manual valve 70, the pressure P1 is smaller than the tank pressure P2 (P1 < P2). At this time, since the valve chamber S communicates with the storage chamber of the gas tank 11 through the second connection flow path 32, the guide hole 23a, and the tank-side opening 33b, the valve chamber pressure P3 becomes equal to the tank pressure P2 (P3 = P2).

[0078] When filling the gas tank 11 with fuel gas, when fuel gas is supplied from the gas station 13 with the tank-side opening 33b in communication with the second connection flow path 32 by the manual valve 70, the pressure P1 in the first flow path A1 becomes the supply pressure of the fuel gas, and against the biasing force of the biasing member 50, the seal portion 53 of the valve body 51 separates from the valve seat 26. That is, the electromagnetic valve 40 takes the open valve position K2, and the valve hole 31a is opened.

[0079] Then, the fuel gas flows through the valve chamber S, the second connection flow path 32, the guide hole 23a, and the tank-side opening 33b and is stored in the storage chamber of the gas tank 11. Therefore, when filling the gas tank 11 with fuel gas, the first flow path A1 becomes the upstream side of the second flow path A2.

[0080] And when the filling of the fuel gas is completed and the supply of the fuel gas is stopped, the pressure P1 in the first flow path A1 decreases, and due to the biasing force of the biasing member 50, the seal portion 53 of the valve body 51 seats on the valve seat 26. That is, the electromagnetic valve 40 takes the closed valve position K1. That is, the electromagnetic valve 40 opens the gas flow path 30 when filling the gas tank 11 with fuel gas and closes the gas flow path 30 when the filling of the fuel gas is completed.

[0081] When the fuel gas in the storage chamber of the gas tank 11 is supplied to the fuel cell 12, the solenoid 55 of the solenoid valve 40 is excited with the tank-side opening 33b connected to the second connection flow path 32 by the manual valve 70. This excitation causes the movable core 49 to be attracted to the fixed core 47 against the biasing force of the biasing member 50, and the movable core 49 comes into contact with the fixed core 47. Then, the valve body 51 attached to the movable core 49 moves away from the valve seat 26, and the seal portion 53 moves away from the valve seat 26. That is, the solenoid valve 40 takes the open position K2, and the valve hole 31a is opened.

[0082] Then, the fuel gas in the storage chamber of the gas tank 11 flows through the guide hole 23a and the second connection flow path 32, and flows to the first connection flow path 31 via the valve chamber S. The fuel gas then passes through the joint inner flow path 24c, the pipe 28, and the supply pipe 29b, is reduced in pressure by the pressure reducing valve 14, and is then supplied to the fuel cell 12. When the solenoid 55 is demagnetized, the seal portion 53 of the valve body 51 is seated on the valve seat 26 due to the biasing force of the biasing member 50, etc. That is, the solenoid valve 40 takes the closed position K1.

[0083] Next, the operation of the valve device 10 will be described. When the solenoid valve 40 is in the closed position K1, at low temperatures, moisture remaining in the gap between the inner surface of the sleeve 41 and the outer surface of the valve body 51, and in the gap between the inner surface of the sleeve 41 and the outer surface of the movable core 49, may freeze, causing the valve body 51 to become stuck in the closed position K1.

[0084] If it is necessary to release the pressure in the gas tank 11 when the valve is stuck closed in this manner, first, the operating portion 74 of the manual valve 70 is accessed from below the vehicle body F, and the operating portion 74 is manually operated from below the vehicle body F to connect the second connection flow path 32 to the gas tank 11 via the tank side opening 33b.

[0085] 5, the nut 63 is unscrewed from the shaft portion 47b, and the solenoid 55 is removed from the sleeve 41 together with the cover 58. Next, the mounting member 38 is moved from the mounting position T1 to the mounting release position T2, so that the sleeve 41 can move relative to the body 20, and a gap M is formed.

[0086] Then, the sleeve 41 is moved using the gap M, and as shown in Fig. 6, the annular surface of the sleeve-side restricting portion 43 is moved away from the body 20 until it contacts the inner bottom surface of the nut-side restricting portion 38a. At the attachment release position T2, the seal member 46 does not come out of the small diameter hole 21a and is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portion 42 and the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter hole 21a. Therefore, gas in the valve chamber S does not leak out of the body 20 from the first attachment hole 21.

[0087] Then, the fixed core 47, the movable core 49, and the valve body 51 fixed to the sleeve 41 can be moved together with the sleeve 41. In other words, the solenoid valve 40 can be positioned at the gas release position K3.

[0088] As a result, gas in the gas tank 11 is discharged into the piping 28 through the tank side opening 33b, the guide hole 23a, the second connecting flow path 32, the valve chamber S, the first connecting flow path 31, the valve side opening 31b, and the fitting inner flow path 24c, thereby depressurizing the gas tank 11.

[0089] Also, when the solenoid valve 40 is in the closed position K1, for example, when depressurizing the gas tank 11 for disposal of the fuel cell vehicle V, the mounting member 38 is positioned in the release position T2 in the same manner as described above, the sleeve 41 is made movable, and a gap M is formed. Then, the sleeve 41 is moved by the dimension of the gap M. Then, the fixed core 47 moves in a direction away from the body 20 together with the sleeve 41. At this time, the biasing member 50 is displaced from a compressed state to an expanded state in accordance with the movement of the fixed core 47, and the biasing force against the valve body 51 is released. As a result, the valve body 51 can be moved in a direction away from the valve seat 26 under the pressure of the gas tank 11, and the solenoid valve 40 can be positioned in the degassing position K3. As a result, the gas in the gas tank 11 is discharged into the piping 28 through the tank side opening 33b, the guide hole 23a, the second connecting flow path 32, the valve chamber S, the first connecting flow path 31, the valve side opening 31b, and the fitting inner flow path 24c, thereby depressurizing the gas tank 11.

[0090] According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) By positioning the mounting member 38 from the mounting position T1 to the release position T2, it becomes possible to move the sleeve 41 of the solenoid valve 40 away from the body 20. By moving the sleeve 41 away from the body 20, the gas flow path 30 can be opened by the valve body 51, and the pressure inside the gas tank 11 can be released through the valve side opening 31b. Therefore, the pressure inside the gas tank 11 can be released simply by operating the mounting member 38 for mounting the solenoid valve 40 to the body 20.

[0091] In addition, the gas flow path 30 and the valve side opening 31b of the body 20 are used as a flow path for depressurization, and no dedicated components such as piping or valves for depressurization are required. Therefore, even with the valve device 10 that allows depressurization within the gas tank 11, an increase in cost can be suppressed, there is no increase in size, and the mountability of the valve device 10 is not reduced.

[0092] (2) When the mounting member 38 is positioned at the release position T2 and the sleeve 41 is moved away from the body 20, the fixed core 47 moves away from the movable core 49, and the biasing force of the biasing member 50 can be released. As a result, the pressure of the gas in the gas tank 11 causes the valve body 51 to move away from the valve seat 26 and to be positioned at the gas release position K3. Therefore, even if the valve body 51 is biased by the biasing member 50, the valve body 51 can be positioned at the gas release position K3.

[0093] (3) The mounting member 38 has a male thread that screws into the large diameter hole 21b of the body 20, and has a nut side restricting portion 38a that contacts the sleeve side restricting portion 43. When the mounting member 38 is screwed into the large diameter hole 21b, the nut side restricting portion 38a comes into contact with the sleeve side restricting portion 43, and the sleeve 41 can be attached to the body 20. Conversely, when the mounting member 38 is unscrewed from the large diameter hole 21b and positioned at the attachment release position T2, the nut side restricting portion 38a is released from contact with the sleeve side restricting portion 43, and the valve body 51 can be positioned to open the valve side opening 31b. Therefore, with a simple configuration such as the nut-shaped mounting member 38, the valve side opening 31b can be opened by the valve body 51, and gas in the 11 can be discharged to the outside through the valve side opening 31b.

[0094] (4) The first flow path A1 and the second flow path A2 are connected at the valve chamber S. This valve chamber S is located between the inside of the gas tank 11 and the valve seat 26. In other words, the valve chamber S is located closer to the inside of the gas tank 11 than the valve seat 26, which is the opening and closing position of the gas flow path 30. Therefore, it is always the pressure of the gas tank 11 that acts on the valve chamber S, and the change in this pressure is small. Therefore, the load caused by the pressure fluctuation generated at the intersection A every time gas filling and gas supply are performed can be kept small, and the adverse effect on the pressure fatigue life of the gas flow path 30 is suppressed.

[0095] (5) The amount of retraction of the mounting member 38 for positioning the mounting member 38 from the mounting position T1 to the release position T2 is preset. The amount of retraction of the mounting member 38 is set to a position where, when the sleeve 41 is moved, the sleeve side restricting portion 43 contacts the nut side restricting portion 38a before the seal member 46 comes out of the small diameter hole 21a. Therefore, even if the mounting member 38 is moved to the release position T2 to release the pressure inside the gas tank 11, the sleeve 41 does not come off the body 20, and the operation of attaching the sleeve 41 to the body 20 after releasing the pressure can be easily performed while preventing gas from escaping from the first mounting hole 21.

[0096] (6) When the mounting member 38 is positioned at the release position T2 and the sleeve 41 is moved away from the body 20, the sleeve-side restricting portion 43 comes into contact with the nut-side restricting portion 38a, restricting the movement of the sleeve 41. This prevents the sleeve 41 from passing through the mounting member 38 and coming off the body 20.

[0097] (7) The nut-side restricting portion 38a is recessed into the inner peripheral portion of the mounting member 38. For example, compared to a case in which the mounting member 38 is shaped like a nut and does not have the nut-side restricting portion 38a, and the movement of the sleeve 41 is restricted by contacting the sleeve-side restricting portion 43 with the end face of the mounting member 38 positioned in the attachment release position T2, the amount by which the mounting member 38 protrudes from the body 20 can be reduced, which can contribute to the miniaturization of the valve device 10.

[0098] (8) The mounting member 38 has a flange 39, and at the mounting position T1, the flange 39 contacts the front end surface 20a of the body 20. By bringing the flange 39 into contact with the front end surface 20a of the body 20, the tip of the valve body 51 can be prevented from entering too far into the valve hole 31a, and the seal portion 53 can be positioned at a position where it is seated on the valve seat 26.

[0099] (9) The fixed core 47 of the solenoid valve 40 has a shaft portion 47b that penetrates the sleeve 41, and the shaft portion 47b penetrates the cover 58. A nut 63 is screwed onto the shaft portion 47b that penetrates the cover 58, and the cover 58 can be integrated with the solenoid valve 40 by screwing the nut 63 onto the shaft portion 47b. The solenoid 55 is also integrated with the cover 58. Therefore, when the nut 63 is unscrewed from the shaft portion 47b, the cover 58 and the solenoid 55 can be removed from the sleeve 41, and the mounting member 38 can be moved from the mounting position T1 to the release position T2.

[0100] Furthermore, since the cover 58 and the solenoid 55 are integrated, when the cover 58 is removed from the sleeve 41, the solenoid 55 can be simultaneously removed from the sleeve 41. This reduces the amount of work compared to, for example, removing the cover 58 from the sleeve 41 and then removing the solenoid 55 from the sleeve 41.

[0101] This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that there is no technical contradiction. In the gas flow passage 30, the flow passage connecting the valve side opening 31b and the valve chest S may be defined as the second flow passage, and the flow passage connecting the guide hole 23a, into which the tank side opening 33b opens, and the valve chest S may be defined as the first flow passage. Then, the valve seat 26 may be formed around the first end of the flow passage connecting the guide hole 23a and the valve chest S, and the valve seat 26 may be disposed on the first flow passage side with respect to the intersection A.

[0102] The mounting member 38 may be attached to the body 20 by being press-fitted into the large diameter hole 21b of the first mounting hole 21 to take the mounting position T1, and may be removed from the body 20 to take the release position T2.

[0103] The male thread of the mounting member 38 is omitted, and a protrusion that protrudes in the radial direction from the outer circumferential surface of the mounting member 38 is formed. The female thread of the large diameter hole 21b is omitted, and a groove into which the protrusion fits is formed on a part of the inner circumferential surface of the large diameter hole 21b. This groove has a circumferential groove extending in the circumferential direction of the large diameter hole 21b, and an axial groove extending from one end of the circumferential groove in the vehicle front-rear direction X, and is L-shaped when viewed from the inside in the radial direction of the large diameter hole 21b. In this configuration, the protrusion is located at the other end of the circumferential groove at the mounting position T1 of the mounting member 38. When the mounting member 38 is to be positioned at the mounting release position T2, the mounting member 38 is rotated and moved to one end of the circumferential groove, and further moved along the axial groove. Even in this manner, the mounting member 38 can be configured to be able to take the mounting position T1 and the mounting release position T2 while being attached to the body 20.

[0104] The valve device 10 may be mounted in a different orientation on the vehicle body F as long as the operating portion 74 of the manual valve 70 can be manually operated. A safety valve or other piping may be connected to the front end surface 20a or the rear end surface 20b of the body 20.

[0105] A plurality of pipes may be connected to the valve side opening 31b via a branch joint. The valve body 51 may be formed as a part of the movable core 49 . The valve device 10 may be mounted on the fuel cell vehicle V so that the first direction of the body 20 corresponds to the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the second direction corresponds to the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0106] The valve device 10 may be mounted on the fuel cell vehicle V so that the solenoid valve 40 is mounted on the rear end surface 20 b of the body 20 and the joint 24 is mounted on the front end surface 20 a of the body 20 .

[0107] Although hydrogen gas is described as the gas, gases other than hydrogen (e.g., methane, propane, LPG) or natural gas may also be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] A: Intersection A1: First flow path A2: Second flow path K1: Closed position K2…Valve open position T1…Installation position T2…Removal position 11…Gas tank as a tank 20. Body 21...First mounting hole as a mounting hole 26...Valve seat 30...Gas flow path 31b…Valve side opening 33b…Tank side opening 38…Mounting material 38a…Nut side regulation part 40...Solenoid valve 41...Sleeve 41b…1st end 41c…Second end 43…Sleeve side regulation part 44…Sleeve body 47…Fixed core 49…Movable core 50... Urging member 51...Valve body

Claims

1. a body having a gas flow path that communicates between a tank side opening that opens toward the inside of the tank and a valve side opening that opens toward the outside; a solenoid valve mounted on the body, the solenoid valve opening the gas flow passage in an open position and closing the gas flow passage in a closed position; a mounting member for mounting the solenoid valve to the body, the solenoid valve includes a sleeve, a movable core that slides within the sleeve along an axial direction of the sleeve, and a valve body that moves within the sleeve by movement of the movable core to be located at the valve open position or the valve closed position, the mounting member is for mounting the solenoid valve to the body, and the mounting member is for mounting the sleeve at a mounting position that restricts the position of the sleeve relative to the body so that the valve element is located at a use position where the valve element can take the valve open position or the valve closed position; a release position that allows the sleeve to be moved so that the valve body is positioned to open the gas flow path; the solenoid valve has a fixed core fixed inside the sleeve, and a biasing member disposed between the fixed core and the movable core in the axial direction of the sleeve and biasing the valve body to the valve closed position at the attached position, the release position being a position where the biasing member releases the valve body and the pressure in the tank moves the valve body in a direction that opens the gas flow path, thereby allowing the tank to be depressurized via the gas flow path, the body has a mounting hole into which a first end of the sleeve in an axial direction is inserted, the mounting hole being an internally threaded hole having an internal thread on a part of an inner circumferential surface thereof, the sleeve has a sleeve-side restricting portion protruding radially from an outer circumferential surface thereof, the sleeve being located closer to a second end of the sleeve than the first end, and a sleeve main body being located closer to the second end than the sleeve-side restricting portion; The mounting member is annular in shape into which the sleeve body is inserted, has a male thread on its outer surface that screws into the mounting hole, and has a nut side regulating portion that contacts the sleeve side regulating portion at the mounting position.

2. 2. The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow path includes a first flow path that is upstream when the tank is filled with gas and a second flow path that is downstream of the first flow path, and has an intersection where the first flow path and the second flow path intersect with each other, the solenoid valve is disposed in the gas flow path, the solenoid valve being in the open position when the tank is filled with gas and being in the closed position when filling of the gas is completed, and a valve seat which the valve body contacts and separates is disposed in the first flow path on the opposite side of the second flow path from the intersection.

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