Automatic valve with cleaning mechanism

Abstract

To provide an automatic valve with a cleaning mechanism capable of surely removing foreign matter adhering to the vicinity of a valve port.SOLUTION: A valve stem 10 is held in a valve chamber of a temperature adjustment trap movably in directions of arrows 105, 106. A blade portion for cleaning the vicinity of a valve port and a valve element are integrally provided in a distal end of the valve stem 10. A coupling rod 10a is fixed to the valve stem 10, and the coupling rod 10a is inserted into a slide groove 35a formed in a meandering shape in an adjustment cylinder 35 and is supported therein. When the valve stem 10 is moved in the direction of the arrow 106 with receiving expansion of bimetal so as to close a valve, the coupling rod 10a is guided to the slide groove 35a, and the valve stem 10 is also intermittently turned in a circumferential direction while moving in the direction of the arrow 106. By this movement, the blade portion provided in the distal end of the valve stem 10 imparts impact to foreign matter adhering to the vicinity of the valve port, and scrapes off and removes the foreign matter.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to the present application relates to a technology for cleaning foreign matter adhering to the inside of an automatic valve such as a temperature control trap. [Background technology]

[0002] In industrial plants, piping systems are installed to transport high-temperature steam generated in boilers to their destinations, and drainage (condensate) is generated from the steam within these piping. A branch pipe for collecting the drainage is connected to the main pipe that transports the steam, and the drainage is often discharged as a waste product by a steam trap installed at the end of this branch pipe.

[0003] However, in order to retain this drain in the branch pipe and adjust the temperature of the branch pipe to a specified set temperature for use, a temperature control trap as an automatic valve is sometimes used instead of a steam trap. For example, when transporting highly viscous fluids such as heavy oil through a transport pipe, if the temperature drops, the heavy oil etc. will solidify, which is an inconvenience. For this reason, the branch pipe through which high-temperature steam and drain flow is placed along the transport pipe to function as a tracing heat transfer pipe, and by exchanging heat with the transport pipe for the heavy oil etc., the temperature of the heavy oil etc. is increased to prevent solidification.

[0004] For example, in the case of heavy oil, a temperature of about 40 degrees is sufficient for transportation, but since the temperature of steam is over 100 degrees, there is a risk that the temperature of the heavy oil will rise too high if steam is used as the heat source for the tracing heat transfer tube as is. For this reason, a temperature control trap is installed at the end of the tracing heat transfer tube to adjust the temperature of the tracing heat transfer tube to the appropriate set temperature.

[0005] The temperature control trap, which is provided at the end of the tracing heat transfer tube, has a valve chamber formed therein into which steam and condensate flow from the tracing heat transfer tube, and a discharge chamber formed below the valve chamber. The valve chamber and the discharge chamber are connected by a small-diameter valve port, and the steam and condensate flow through the valve port with the valve chamber side being the upstream side and the discharge chamber side being the downstream side.

[0006] A valve shaft having a valve element at its tip is disposed within the valve chamber. The tip of the valve element faces the valve port, and a bimetal laminate, which is a temperature-sensing member, is attached to the valve shaft.

[0007] When high-temperature condensate flows into the valve chamber, the bimetal laminate expands in response to the high temperature, moving the valve stem in the axial direction and closing the valve orifice. When the temperature of the condensate subsequently drops due to heat exchange with the object to be heated, the bimetal laminate contracts in response to this temperature drop, and the valve stem moves as the return spring expands, causing the valve stem to open the valve orifice and discharge the low-temperature condensate into the discharge chamber. In this way, the valve orifice is repeatedly opened and closed based on the displacement of the valve stem, and the temperature of the tracing heat transfer tube is maintained at a constant reference temperature.

[0008] The rear end of the valve stem protrudes outward from above the temperature control trap, and the valve stem can be moved axially by an operator from outside to adjust its position within the valve chamber, allowing the reference temperature within the tracing heat transfer tube to be freely set.

[0009] Incidentally, foreign matter such as rust and scale (limescale) may flow into the valve chamber of a temperature control trap together with steam and condensate. If such foreign matter adheres to and accumulates on the valve orifice or its vicinity, it will impede the flow rate of condensate, making it impossible to properly regulate the temperature of the tracing heat transfer tube. In particular, the valve orifice of a temperature control trap is designed with a small aperture to allow for fine adjustment of the flow rate of condensate, so the adhesion of foreign matter has a large impact.

[0010] A temperature responsive valve is disclosed in Patent Document 1, which will be described later, as a cleaning technique for removing foreign matter adhering to the vicinity of the valve port. In this temperature responsive valve, the valve stem 12 moves due to the expansion of the bimetal laminate 26, and when the valve orifice 8 is closed by the valve element 13 attached to the tip of the valve stem 12, the connecting rod 23 attached to the valve stem 12 moves while being guided by the slit 22 formed in the adjustment tube 17.

[0011] The slit 22 formed on this adjustment rod 17 is bent in the vertical direction, so that the valve shaft 12 rotates when it moves in the axial direction, and the blade 12 provided on the valve shaft 12 removes foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the valve body fitting hole 7 in which the valve orifice 8 is provided. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-372167 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] In the technology disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Document 1, the connecting rod 23 attached to the valve stem 12 moves and rotates while being guided by the slit 22 formed in the adjustment tube 17, and the blade 12 attached to the valve stem 12 removes foreign matter adhering to the back wall of the valve body fitting hole 7, but since the rotation direction and rotation speed of the blade 12 are constant, there is a risk that the foreign matter adhering to the back wall of the valve body fitting hole 7 may not be reliably removed. In particular, the foreign matter often becomes clumpy and adheres near the valve orifice, and it may be difficult to remove it by simply rotating the blade 12 in a constant rotation direction and rotation speed.

[0014] Therefore, the automatic valve with a cleaning mechanism of the present application has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and has an object to provide an automatic valve with a cleaning mechanism that can reliably remove foreign matter adhering near the valve port. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to the present application is an automatic valve body having a valve chamber space into which a fluid flows and a discharge hole communicating with the valve chamber space and discharging the fluid to the outside; a valve shaft means that is disposed in the valve chamber space and is movable in a direction of the arrangement reference line, the valve shaft means having a connecting portion, a sliding portion that cleans the vicinity of the drain hole, and a valve body portion that opens and closes the drain hole; a holding means provided in the valve chamber space, the holding means having a guide space formed therein for guiding movement of the valve shaft means by connection with the connecting portion; an opening / closing operation means for moving the valve shaft means; An automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism comprising: The guide space formed in the holding means is formed in a meandering shape along a meandering reference line, the connecting portion is connected to the serpentine guide space, and the guide space guides the movement of the valve shaft means, so that the valve shaft means moves toward the arrangement reference line direction and also intermittently rotates in a circumferential direction about the arrangement reference line. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0016] In the automatic valve having the cleaning mechanism of the present application, the connecting portion is connected to a serpentine guide space which guides the movement of the valve shaft means, so that the valve shaft means moves in the direction of the arrangement reference line while also intermittently rotating circumferentially about the arrangement reference line.

[0017] This causes the sliding portion of the valve shaft means to rotate intermittently, applying an impact to the foreign matter stuck near the discharge hole, scraping it off and cleaning it. Therefore, the foreign matter stuck near the discharge hole of the valve opening or the like can be reliably removed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature control trap illustrating a first embodiment of an automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to the present application. [Diagram 2] 2 is a side view of the adjustment tube 35 shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 3 is a perspective view of the adjustment tube 35 shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 2 is a side view showing a moving state of the valve stem 10 relative to the adjustment cylinder 35 shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is a side view of the adjustment tube 45 of the temperature control trap shown in FIG. 1, showing a second embodiment of the automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to the present application. FIG. [Figure 6] 3 is a perspective view of the adjustment tube 45 shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] 2 is a side view showing a moving state of the valve shaft 10 relative to the adjustment cylinder 45 shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The main terms used in the embodiments correspond to the following elements of the automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to the present application:

[0020] Valve body 2: Valve body section Valve stem 10... Valve stem means Connecting rod 10a...Connection part Blade 10b...sliding part Valve casing 21 and casing cover 22: Automatic valve body Adjustment cylinder 35, 45...holding means Slide grooves 35a, 45a: guide space Bimetal 50 and return spring 71: Opening and closing operation means Valve chamber 53 and valve seat upstream chamber 61...valve chamber space Valve port 62: Discharge hole Arrows 105 and 106: Direction of the layout reference line Arrows 108, 109... Circumferential direction Bending parts a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a21, a22, a23, a24, a25, a26, a27, a28... Serpentine bending parts Axis reference line L1... Placement reference line Meandering approximation lines L7, L8...Meandering reference lines Drain...Fluid Temperature control trap...automatic valve

[0021] [First embodiment] A first embodiment of an automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to the present invention will be described using a temperature control trap as an example. The temperature control trap is provided at the end of a tracing heat transfer tube and has the function of maintaining the tracing heat transfer tube at a set temperature. The tracing heat transfer tube maintained at a constant set temperature is used as a tracing for preventing solidification of highly viscous fluids such as heavy oil, or as a tracing for preventing freezing of instrumentation equipment.

[0022] (Explanation of the temperature control trap configuration) 1 is a cross-sectional view of the temperature control trap in this embodiment. An inlet 26 and an outlet 29 are provided in a valve casing 21, and a casing lid 22 is attached to the top by screw connection with a gasket 39 sandwiched therebetween. The inlet 26 is connected to the end of a tracing heat transfer tube (not shown), and the outlet 29 is connected to a discharge pipe (not shown). A valve chamber 53 is formed within the valve casing 21, and this valve chamber 53 communicates with the inlet 26 via an inlet passage 27.

[0023] A valve seat 60 is attached and fixed by screw connection to the bottom chamber 54 located at the bottom inside the valve casing 21. The valve seat 60 has a valve seat upstream chamber 61 formed on the upstream side and a valve seat downstream chamber 63 formed on the downstream side, with a valve orifice 62 as the boundary. The diameter of the valve orifice 62 formed as an opening is configured to be smaller than the diameters of the valve seat upstream chamber 61 and the valve seat downstream chamber 63. The valve chamber 53 communicates with the outflow port 29 via the valve chamber upstream chamber 61, the valve orifice 62, the valve seat downstream chamber 63, the bottom chamber 54, and the outflow path 28.

[0024] A cylindrical screen 70 is provided inside the valve chamber 53. Steam and drainage flowing in from the inlet 26 pass through the inlet passage 27, permeate the screen 70, and flow into the valve chamber 53 in the direction of the arrow 101. As the steam and drainage pass through the screen 70, foreign matter mixed in the steam and drainage is captured by the screen 70.

[0025] A valve stem 10 is disposed within the valve chamber 53. In Fig. 1, the valve stem 10 is shown as a side view rather than a cross section. The axis of the valve stem 10 coincides with an axis reference line L1, and the valve stem 10 is held so as to be able to move back and forth in the directions of arrows 105 and 106 along this axis reference line L1.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 1, a blade portion 10b having a thin rectangular parallelepiped shape and corners configured as blades is integrally formed on the tip side of the valve shaft 10. Furthermore, a cone-shaped valve body 2 is integrally formed on the tip of the blade portion 10b. The blade portion 10b and the valve body 2 are located in the valve seat upstream chamber 61.

[0027] An adjustment tube 35 is disposed at the rear end of the valve stem 10. This adjustment tube 35 is screwed to the casing lid 22 via an O-ring 36, and can be screwed in by inserting a tool such as a screwdriver into an operation groove 35c formed in the upper part. The adjustment position of the adjustment tube 35 relative to the casing lid 22 is fixed by a lock nut 89.

[0028] An adjustment space 35b is formed in the adjustment cylinder 35 along the axial direction, and the rear end of the valve shaft 10 is inserted and positioned in this adjustment space 35b. The upper part of the adjustment cylinder 35 protruding from the casing lid 22 is covered with a protective cap 37.

[0029] A connecting rod 10a is fixed near the rear end of the valve shaft 10. On the other hand, a slide groove 35a is provided in the lower part of the adjustment tube 35, and the connecting rod 10a of the valve shaft 10 is inserted into this slide groove 35a. That is, the valve shaft 10 rotates integrally with the adjustment tube 35 as it is screwed into the adjustment tube 35, but the valve shaft 10 can also independently advance and retreat in the directions of arrows 105 and 106 along the slide groove 35a.

[0030] Fig. 2 is a side view of the adjustment tube 35, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the adjustment tube 35. In Fig. 3, the operation groove 35c is omitted. In addition, the slide groove 35a is formed in the same shape on both side surfaces of the adjustment tube 35, but Figs. 2 and 3 show only the slide groove 35a on one side. As shown in the figure, the slide groove 35a is formed in a meandering shape along the meandering approximation line L7, rather than in a straight line.

[0031] In this embodiment, the slide groove 35a is formed so that the meandering approximation line L7 is arranged parallel to the axial reference line L1. The meandering approximation line L7 is an approximation line common to the meandering lines on both sides of the slide groove 35a. The bent portions a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, and a8 of the slide groove 35a are each formed to draw a smooth curve.

[0032] 1 are arranged coaxially so that the axes of the adjustment tube 35 and the valve seat 60 coincide with the axis reference line L1, similar to the valve stem 10, and the valve body 2 of the valve stem 10 is positioned toward the valve port 62. A spring retainer 10c is fixed to the valve stem 10. The valve stem 10 passes through a central hole of a container-shaped intermediate member 75, which abuts against the lower side of the spring retainer 10c. The outer side of the intermediate member 75 is curved, and a return spring 71 is attached between the intermediate member 75 and the bottom of the valve chamber 53 on the inner side of the curve. That is, the valve stem 10 is constantly urged in the direction of the arrow 105 by the return spring 71 via the intermediate member 75 and the spring retainer 10c.

[0033] A bimetal 50 for moving the valve stem 10 in the direction of arrow 106 is attached to the valve stem 10. In this embodiment, five bimetals 50 are stacked to form a laminate. The upper surface of the uppermost bimetal 50 abuts against the lower end surface 35d of the adjustment tube 35, and the lower surface of the lowermost bimetal 50 abuts against the intermediate member 75 with a flat washer 73 sandwiched therebetween.

[0034] Each bimetal 50 is a temperature-sensitive member that deforms in response to the ambient temperature, expanding along the axial direction of the valve stem 10 when the ambient temperature exceeds a predetermined reference temperature, and contracting along the axial direction when the ambient temperature falls below the reference temperature. Figure 1 shows the state in which each bimetal 50 has expanded and the valve stem 10 has moved to its limit position in the direction of arrow 106.

[0035] An over-expansion absorbing spring 72 attached to the valve stem 10 is disposed inside the intermediate member 75. The upper part of this over-expansion absorbing spring 72 abuts against a flat washer 73, and the lower part abuts against the upper side of the spring receiver 10c via a washer 85.

[0036] (Explanation of the basic operation of a temperature control trap) Next, the basic operation of this temperature control trap will be described. In the initial stage, the valve chamber 53 is filled with air, and each bimetal 50 is contracted. The spring receiver 10c of the valve shaft 10 is biased by the return spring 71, and is in a state in which it has moved in the direction of the arrow 105 (not shown). At this time, the valve body 2 has also retreated in the direction of the arrow 105 from the valve port 62, and the valve port 62 is open.

[0037] When the piping system starts to transfer steam, condensate flows in from inlet 26 through the traced heat transfer tube. The condensate in the initial stage is low temperature, and this condensate pushes the air out of valve port 62 and is exhausted to outlet 29 in the direction of arrow 102. The low-temperature condensate then follows the same path and is discharged from outlet 29.

[0038] After this, high-temperature condensate heated by the high-temperature steam flows into the valve chamber 53. As the temperature of the condensate in the valve chamber 53 rises, each bimetal 50 gradually expands. The expanding laminate of bimetal 50 presses the spring receiver 10c of the valve stem 10 in the direction of arrow 106 via the flat washer 73, the over-expansion absorbing spring 72, and the washer 85. At this time, the relatively strong over-expansion absorbing spring 72 does not contract, so the expansion of the laminate of bimetal 50 is transmitted directly to the valve stem 10, and the valve body 2 enters the valve port 62 and closes the valve port 62. At this time, the return spring 71 is pressed by the expansion of the bimetal laminate 50 and compressed.

[0039] Closing the valve port 62 stops drainage of the drain, and drain at the set reference temperature remains in the valve chamber 53 and the tracing heat transfer tube. As a result, the tracing heat transfer tube heats the heating object, such as a heavy oil transport pipe. After that, the temperature of the drain in the tracing heat transfer tube gradually decreases due to heat exchange with the heating object, and the temperature of the drain in the valve chamber 53 also falls below the reference temperature.

[0040] Each bimetal 50 starts to contract in response to this drop in drain temperature. The contraction of each bimetal 50 causes the return spring 71 to expand and return, pushing up the spring retainer 10c of the valve stem 10 via the intermediate member 75, causing the valve stem 10 to move in the direction of the arrow 105, and the valve body 2 opens the valve port 62. As a result, the drain that has fallen below the reference temperature is discharged through the valve port 62 to the outlet 29. After this, the high-temperature drain flows into the valve chamber 53, and the expansion of each bimetal 50 closes the valve port 62 again, causing the drain at the reference temperature to accumulate.

[0041] As described above, each bimetal 50 expands and contracts in response to the temperature of the drain in the valve chamber 53, causing the valve element 2 of the valve stem 10 to rise and fall, and the valve port 62 to repeatedly open and close, so that the drain in the valve chamber 53 and the tracing heat transfer tube is maintained at a set reference temperature.

[0042] In addition, even after each bimetal 50 expands and the valve body 2 completely closes the valve port 62, the drain temperature continues to rise, and in response, each bimetal 50 may expand further. In this case, in order to prevent excessive burden from each bimetal 50 on the valve body 2, the over-expansion absorbing spring 72 contracts to absorb the burden of the expansion of each bimetal 50.

[0043] The reference temperature of the drain in the valve chamber 53 and the tracing heat transfer tube can be freely adjusted and set. To adjust the reference temperature, remove the protective cap 37 on the top of the temperature control trap, loosen the lock nut 89, and then insert a tool such as a screwdriver into the operating groove 35c and screw it in to move the adjustment tube 35 in the axial direction.

[0044] When the adjusting tube 35 is tightened toward the inside of the valve chamber 53, the end face 35d of the adjusting tube 35 presses the laminated body of the bimetal 50, and the position of the valve shaft 10 itself moves downward in the direction of the arrow 106, so that the reference temperature can be set lower. Conversely, when the adjusting tube 35 is loosened, the bias of the return spring 71 moves the position of the valve shaft 10 itself upward in the direction of the arrow 105, so that the reference temperature can be set higher.

[0045] (Cleaning operation explanation) A screen 70 is provided in the valve chest 53 to capture foreign matter mixed in the steam and drain, but fine rust, scale, and other foreign matter penetrate the screen 70 and adhere to the valve seat upstream chamber 61 near the valve port 62, where they form lumps, solidify, and accumulate. In this embodiment, the valve closing action caused by the movement of the valve stem 10 in the direction of the arrow 106 is used to automatically scrape off and remove this foreign matter.

[0046] As described above, when high-temperature drainage flows into the valve chamber 53 and the bimetals 50 expand, the valve stem 10 moves in the direction of the arrow 106. At this time, the connecting rod 10a provided on the valve stem 10 is guided in a serpentine manner by the slide groove 35a, and accordingly the valve stem 10 moves in the direction of the arrow 106 while intermittently rotating in the circumferential directions of the arrows 108 and 109.

[0047] Figure 4 shows the movement of the valve stem 10 relative to the adjustment tube 35 at this time. Under normal conditions when each bimetal 50 is fully contracted, the valve stem 10 is biased by the return spring 71 (Figure 1) and has moved to its limit position in the direction of arrow 105, with the valve port 62 open. The positional relationship between the adjustment tube 35 and the valve stem 10 in this initial state is shown in Figure 4A, with the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 positioned at the uppermost end of the slide groove 35a.

[0048] From this state, each bimetal 50 gradually expands, and the valve stem 10 receives this expansion force and starts to descend in the direction of arrow 106. As a result, the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 moves along the slide groove 35a from the state shown in Figure 4A to the state shown in Figure 4B. At this time, the connecting rod 10a slides obliquely along the slide groove 35a, causing the valve stem 10 to rotate in the direction of arrow 108.

[0049] Then, the valve stem 10 continues to descend in the direction of arrow 106, and the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 moves from the state shown in Figure 4B to the state shown in Figure 4C. At this time, the connecting rod 10a slides in the opposite diagonal direction along the slide groove 35a, so the valve stem 10 reverses and rotates in the direction of arrow 109. Thereafter, the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 moves from the state shown in Figure 4C to the state shown in Figure 4D, and the valve stem 10 again rotates in the direction of arrow 108. The meandering shape of the slide groove 35a is such that the swing width on both sides is the same with respect to the meandering approximation line L7, so the valve stem 10 rotates in a balanced manner with equal rotation lengths in the directions of arrows 108 and 109.

[0050] The connecting rod 10a is guided vertically by the end of the slide groove 35a, from the state shown in Fig. 4D to the state shown in Fig. 4E, and the valve stem 10 moves in the direction of the arrow 106. When the connecting rod 10a is in the state shown in Fig. 4E, the valve disc 2 (Fig. 1) provided at the tip of the valve stem 10 enters the valve port 62 and completely closes the valve, and the blade portion 10b (Fig. 1) provided on the valve stem 10 abuts against the bottom surface of the valve seat upstream chamber, and the valve stem 10 reaches the limit of its downward movement in the direction of the arrow 106.

[0051] From the state shown in Fig. 4E, each bimetal 50 contracts, and the valve stem 10 is biased by the return spring 71 (Fig. 1) to move upward in the direction of arrow 105. As a result, the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 is guided into the slide groove 35a, and the valve stem 10 moves in the opposite direction to the above movement. That is, the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 returns from the state shown in Fig. 4E to the state shown in Fig. 4A via the states of Fig. 4D, 4C, and 4B. During this process, the valve stem 10 moves upward in the direction of arrow 105 while intermittently rotating in the circumferential direction of arrows 108 and 109.

[0052] As described above, the valve stem 10 moves in the directions of the arrows 105 and 106 while intermittently rotating in the circumferential direction, that is, in the directions of the arrows 108 and 109. In response to this, the blade portion 10b integrally provided at the tip of the valve stem 10 also intermittently rotates while advancing into and retracting from the valve seat upstream chamber 61, scraping off and removing foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the valve seat upstream chamber 61.

[0053] In addition, when the direction of rotation of the valve stem 10 in the circumferential direction is changed, the blade portion 10b (FIG. 1) provided on the valve stem 10 stops rotating for a short period of time. This ensures that the blade portion 10b rotates intermittently, which applies an impact to the foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the valve seat upstream chamber 61 and scrapes it off. As a result, the foreign matter adhering to the vicinity of the valve orifice 62 can be reliably removed.

[0054] As described above, the bent portions a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, and a8 (FIG. 2) of the slide groove 35a are each formed to draw a smooth curve, so that the connecting rod 10a of the valve shaft 10 can move smoothly along the slide groove 35a. As described above, the slide groove 35a in this embodiment is formed so that the meandering approximation line L7 is arranged parallel to the axial reference line L1, so that the blade portion 10b can rotate intermittently within the same range to repeatedly apply impact to the foreign matter, and the foreign matter can be more reliably scraped off.

[0055] [Second embodiment] A temperature control trap, which is a second embodiment of an automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to the present invention, will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7. Since the basic configuration and basic operation of the temperature control trap are similar to those shown in the first embodiment, the description will be omitted in this embodiment and differences will be mainly described.

[0056] In this embodiment, an adjustment tube 45 is provided instead of the adjustment tube 35 shown in the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view of the adjustment tube 45, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the adjustment tube 45. A slide groove 45a is provided in the lower part of the adjustment tube 45, and the connecting rod 10a of the valve shaft 10 is inserted into this slide groove 45a. Note that the operation groove is omitted in FIG. 6. The slide groove 45a is formed in the same shape on both side surfaces of the adjustment tube 45, but only the slide groove 45a on one side is shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. As shown in the figure, the slide groove 45a is formed in a meandering shape along the meandering approximation line L8, rather than in a straight line.

[0057] In this embodiment, the slide groove 45a is formed so that the meandering approximation line L8 is inclined with respect to the axial reference line L1. The meandering approximation line L8 is an approximation line common to the meandering lines on both sides of the slide groove 45a. The bent portions a21, a22, a23, a24, a25, a26, a27, and a28 of the slide groove 45a are each formed to draw a smooth curve.

[0058] Fig. 7 shows the movement state of the valve stem 10 relative to the adjustment tube 45 when the valve stem 10 moves in the direction of arrow 106 due to the expansion of the bimetal 50 (Fig. 1). In the initial state, the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 is located at the uppermost end of the slide groove 45a, and Fig. 7A shows the positional relationship between the adjustment tube 45 and the valve stem 10 at this time.

[0059] From this state, each bimetal 50 gradually expands, and the valve stem 10 receives this expansion force and starts to descend in the direction of arrow 106. As a result, the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 moves along the slide groove 45a from the state shown in Figure 7A to the state shown in Figure 7B. At this time, the connecting rod 10a slides obliquely along the slide groove 45a, causing the valve stem 10 to rotate in the direction of arrow 108.

[0060] The valve stem 10 then continues to descend in the direction of arrow 106, and the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 moves from the state shown in Fig. 7B to the state shown in Fig. 7C, but the connecting rod 10a is guided vertically by the slide groove 45a to move from the state shown in Fig. 7D to the state shown in Fig. 7E, and the valve stem 10 moves only in the direction of arrow 106 and does not rotate in the circumferential direction. That is, in this embodiment, the meandering approximation line L8 is arranged at an angle with respect to the axial reference line L1, so that a groove portion extending in the vertical direction is formed in the slide groove 45a, and the connecting rod 10a is also guided vertically accordingly.

[0061] Thereafter, the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 moves obliquely from the state shown in Figure 7C to the state shown in Figure 7D, and the valve stem 10 again rotates in the direction of arrow 108. The connecting rod 10a is then guided vertically by the end of the slide groove 45a, and moves from the state shown in Figure 7D to the state shown in Figure 7E, and the valve stem 10 only moves in the direction of arrow 106.

[0062] From the state shown in Fig. 7E, each bimetal 50 contracts, and the valve stem 10 is biased by the return spring 71 (Fig. 1) to move upward in the direction of arrow 105. As a result, the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 is guided into the slide groove 45a, and the valve stem 10 moves in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned movement. That is, the connecting rod 10a of the valve stem 10 returns from the state shown in Fig. 7E to the state shown in Fig. 7A via the states of Fig. 7D, Fig. 7C, and Fig. 7B. During this process, the valve stem 10 moves upward in the direction of arrow 105 while intermittently rotating in the opposite direction to the circumferential direction of arrow 108 (the direction of arrow 109 in Fig. 1).

[0063] As described above, the valve stem 10 moves downward in the direction of arrow 106, while intermittently rotating in the circumferential direction of arrow 108, and moves upward in the direction of arrow 105, while intermittently rotating in the circumferential direction of arrow 109. In response to this, the blade portion 10b integrally provided at the tip of the valve stem 10 also intermittently rotates while advancing into and retracting from the valve seat upstream chamber 61, scraping off and removing foreign matter adhered to the inner wall of the valve seat upstream chamber 61.

[0064] In this embodiment, during the circumferential rotation of the valve stem 10, there is a movement in which the valve stem 10 moves only in the vertical direction and does not rotate (movement from FIG. 7B to FIG. 7C), and during this movement, the blade portion 10b (FIG. 1) stops rotating. This causes the blade portion 10b to rotate more intermittently, which makes it possible to apply an impact to the foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the valve seat upstream chamber 61 and scrape it off. Therefore, the foreign matter adhering to the vicinity of the valve orifice 62 can be reliably removed.

[0065] As described above, the bent portions a21, a22, a23, a24, a25, a26, a27, and a28 (FIG. 5) of the slide groove 45a are each formed to draw a smooth curve, so that the connecting rod 10a of the valve shaft 10 can move smoothly along the slide groove 45a. Moreover, the slide groove 45a in this embodiment is formed so that the meandering approximation line L8 is inclined with respect to the axial reference line L1, so that the blade portion 10b can rotate over a wider range in the circumferential direction, and can scrape off foreign matter over a wider range.

[0066] [Other embodiments] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which an automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to the present application was applied to a temperature controlled trap, but an automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to the present application can be applied to automatic valves of other configurations as long as the automatic valve has a valve body portion that opens and closes a discharge hole by movement of the valve shaft means.

[0067] In the above embodiment, two connecting rods 10a are used as the connecting portion of the valve shaft means, but one or three or more connecting portions may be provided. Furthermore, a shape or structure different from that of the connecting rod 10a may be adopted.

[0068] In addition, in the above embodiment, the blade portion 10b having a thin rectangular parallelepiped shape with the corners configured as blades was exemplified as the sliding portion, but a different shape or structure can be adopted as long as it is capable of cleaning the vicinity of the valve orifice (discharge hole).

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the adjustment tubes 35 and 45 are exemplified as the holding means, but other shapes and structures can be adopted as long as a guide space is formed to allow the connecting parts to be connected. Also, the slide grooves 35a and 45a are exemplified as the guide space, but other shapes, lengths, inclination angles with respect to the axis reference line L1 (arrangement reference line), and other configurations can be adopted as long as the space is capable of guiding the movement of the valve stem 10 (valve stem means) by connecting the connecting rod 10a (connecting part).

[0070] In the above embodiment, the bending portions a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8 (curved portions) of the slide groove 35a (guide space) and the bending portions a21, a22, a23, a24, a25, a26, a27, a28 (curved portions) of the slide groove 45a (guide space) are formed to form smooth curves, but only a portion of them may be formed as a curve, or all or a portion of them may be formed as a corner rather than a curve. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 2: Valve body 10: Valve stem 10b: Blade portion 10a: Connecting rod 21: Valve casing 22: casing cover 35, 45: adjustment tube 35a, 45a: slide groove 40: connecting shaft 41c: Main body side inclined surface portion 42c: Tip side inclined surface portion 49: Return spring 50: Bimetal 53: Valve chamber 61: Valve seat upstream chamber 62: Valve port 71: Return spring 105, 106, 108, 109: Arrows a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a21, a22, a23, a24, a25, a26, a27, a28: Bent part L1: Axis reference line L7, L8: Meandering approximate line

Claims

1. an automatic valve body having a valve chamber space into which a fluid flows and a discharge hole communicating with the valve chamber space and discharging the fluid to the outside; a valve shaft means that is disposed in the valve chamber space and is movable in a direction of the arrangement reference line, the valve shaft means having a connecting portion, a sliding portion that cleans the vicinity of the drain hole, and a valve body portion that opens and closes the drain hole; a holding means provided in the valve chamber space, the holding means having a guide space formed therein for guiding movement of the valve shaft means by connection with the connecting portion; an opening / closing operation means for moving the valve shaft means; An automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism comprising: The guide space formed in the holding means is formed in a serpentine shape, the connecting portion is connected to the serpentine guide space, and the guide space guides the movement of the valve shaft means, so that the valve shaft means intermittently rotates in both forward and reverse directions in the circumferential direction relative to the arrangement reference line while moving toward the arrangement reference line; An automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism.

2. 2. The automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to claim 1, The meandering guide space is formed in the same direction as the arrangement reference line. An automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism.

3. 2. The automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to claim 1, The meandering guide space is formed to be inclined with respect to the arrangement reference line. An automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism.

4. In the automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism according to claim 1, 2 or 3, At least a part of the meandering bent portion of the guide space is formed as a curve. An automatic valve having a cleaning mechanism.

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