Valve, and method for manufacturing the valve.

Abstract

A valve (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention has a tapered portion (55) on the open side of a recessed portion (51a) of a body (1). Part of the tip end edge of a projecting portion (4b) of a ball (4) comes into contact with the tapered portion (55) when the projecting portion (4b) is inserted into the recessed portion (51a). The tapered portion (55) guides the projecting portion (4b) such that the entire periphery of the tip end edge of the projecting portion (4b) is positioned further toward the bottom than the tapered portion (55).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a valve and a method for manufacturing the valve, and more particularly to a valve capable of appropriately axially supporting a valve element within a valve body and a method for manufacturing the valve.

Background Art

[0002] A ball valve that rotates a ball-shaped valve element provided with a through-hole within a valve body to open and close a flow path is known.

[0003] The ball valve of Patent Document 1 is provided with a shaft portion on the ball valve element that is pivotally supported around a rotation axis within the valve body, and an output shaft attachment portion on the opposite side of the shaft portion to which the motor output shaft of the motor is attached. A predetermined gap (clearance) is provided between the shaft portion and the shaft support hole of the valve body. When the motor rotates and drives the ball valve element via the motor output shaft, the ball valve element moves between an open state in which the through-hole of the valve body and the through-hole of the ball valve element communicate with each other, and a closed state in which the through-hole of the ball valve element and the through-hole of the valve body are orthogonal and the through-hole of the valve body is closed.

[0004] The hemispherical ball valve disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a synthetic resin slide ring interposed between a support shaft portion protruding from the lower end of the valve element and a support shaft hole into which the support shaft portion is inserted.

[0005] When installing such a valve element in a valve body (hereinafter referred to as a "body"), a top entry type or a side entry type is adopted. The top entry type is a mode in which the valve element is inserted from the upper part of the body. The side entry type is a mode in which the valve element is inserted from the side of the body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0007] In the configuration in which the valve body and the body are pivotally supported as described above, whether it is a top entry or a side entry, the shaft portion located on the tip side in the direction of insertion of the valve body is hidden from view by the valve body. Therefore, while adjusting the position of the valve body in order to insert it into the shaft support hole of the body, the tip of the shaft portion may come into contact with the opening end of the shaft support hole of the valve body or its surroundings, putting a load on it and potentially causing damage. Furthermore, if there is a slide ring made of synthetic resin, as in Patent Document 2, the shaft portion may put an excessive load on the slide ring and cause it to break.

[0008] Therefore, one aspect of the present invention aims to realize a valve in which the valve body can be appropriately pivotally supported within the body, and to provide a method for manufacturing the valve. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the aforementioned problems, a valve according to one aspect of the present invention is a top-entry valve in which a valve body having the other of the recess and the convex portion on the tip side in the direction of insertion into the body is disposed such that the convex portion fits into the recess, wherein the recess has a tapered portion on the opening side in which the inner diameter gradually decreases toward the bottom of the recess, a part of the tip edge of the convex portion abuts against the tapered portion when the convex portion is inserted into the recess, and the tapered portion guides the convex portion such that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion is located toward the bottom side of the tapered portion.

[0010] To solve the aforementioned problems, a method for manufacturing a valve according to one aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a valve, comprising: a first step of inserting the valve body into the body from the upper end opening of the body and lowering the valve body toward the lower part of the body; and a second step following the first step of fitting the convex portion and the concave portion at the lower part of the body to position the valve body at a predetermined position within the body, wherein in the second step, a part of the tip edge of the convex portion abuts against the tapered portion when the convex portion is inserted into the concave portion, and the tapered portion guides the convex portion such that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion is located on the bottom side of the tapered portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a valve capable of properly supporting a valve body within a body can be provided, as well as a method for manufacturing the valve. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is an external view of a ball valve, which is one embodiment of the valve according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the ball valve. [Figure 3] This is a partial cross-sectional view showing the convex portion of the ball valve body fully inserted into the recess of the body. [Figure 4] This is a magnified view of a portion of Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing how the ball valve body is inserted into the body via a top entry mechanism in the ball valve shown. [Figure 6] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a bearing section in a ball valve. [Figure 7] Figure 1 is a top view showing an example of a bearing section in a ball valve. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram, similar to Figure 5, showing the insertion of the ball valve body into the body as viewed from above. [Figure 9]It is a schematic diagram seen from the upper side of the body, showing the state where the ball valve body is being inserted into the body in the same manner as in Fig. 5. [Figure 10] It is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state where the convex portion of the ball valve body is inserted into the concave portion of the body in the process of inserting the ball valve body of the ball valve shown in Fig. 1. [Figure 11] It is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state where the convex portion of the ball valve body is inserted into the concave portion of the body in the process of inserting the ball valve body of the ball valve shown in Fig. 1, and it shows the state at the time when the insertion has advanced more than in Fig. 10. [Figure 12] It is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state where the convex portion of the ball valve body is inserted into the concave portion of the body in the process of inserting the ball valve body of the ball valve shown in Fig. 1, and it shows the state at the time when the insertion has advanced further than in Fig. 11. [Figure 13] [[ID=I12]]It is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state where the convex portion of the ball valve body is inserted into the concave portion of the body in the process of inserting the ball valve body of the ball valve shown in Fig. 1, and it shows the state at the time when the insertion has advanced further than in Fig. 12. [Figure 14] It is a diagram showing the flow of the manufacturing method of the ball valve shown in Fig. 1. [Figure 15] It is a partial cross-sectional view of a ball valve which is another embodiment of the valve according to the present invention. [Figure 16] It is a diagram for explaining a comparative configuration.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] 〔Embodiment 1〕 Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 14. The valve according to one aspect of the present invention is exemplified by a top entry type valve disposed approximately in the middle of a flow path formed in a horizontal direction, but this does not limit this embodiment, and the arrangement direction of the flow path etc. may be different.

[0014] (Configuration of Valve 10) Figure 1 is an external perspective view of valve 10 in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line AA' shown in Figure 1. For the convenience of explanation, Figures 1 and 2 also show a three-dimensional coordinate system in which the horizontal plane is defined as the XY plane and the zenith direction as the Z direction.

[0015] The valve 10 in this embodiment is a ball valve with a so-called trunnion structure. The valve 10 comprises a ball 4 (valve body), which is a ball valve body, and a body 1, which is the valve body in which the ball 4 is installed.

[0016] Body 1 has a flow path P at its lower end that is aligned in the X-axis direction (first direction), and a ball 4 (Figure 2) is positioned in the middle of the flow path P. Body 1 has a plurality of openings (piping structure 7) for the flow of fluid. Furthermore, Body 1 has an upper end opening 6b (opening) that opens in a direction (Z-axis direction, described later) that intersects the direction in which the plurality of openings (piping structure 7) are facing (X-axis direction, described later), and through which the ball 4 can pass.

[0017] Body 1 has a valve body housing section 5 for housing a ball 4 (Figure 2), a stem housing section 6 for housing a stem 3 (Figure 2) connected to the ball 4, and a piping structure section 7 extending horizontally from the side of the valve body housing section 5.

[0018] The valve body housing 5 has a hollow central region 51 in which the ball 4 can be rotatably positioned. The central region 51 has an inner surface that contacts the lower surface of the ball 4, and a recess 51a is provided on this inner surface into which a protrusion 4b provided on the lower surface of the ball 4 fits. The recess 51a will be described later. At the top of the central region 51, a communication port 6a is provided that communicates the hollow portion of the central region 51 with the internal space of the stem housing 6. The valve body housing 5 further has an end region 52 between the central region 51 and the piping structure 7 that communicates the hollow portion of the central region 51 with the inside of the pipe of the piping structure 7. The end region 52 has a cylindrical inner circumferential surface with a pipe axis extending along the left-right direction of the plane of Figure 2, and a support mechanism 80 that supports the ball 4 from the side is provided on this inner circumferential surface. Although not shown in detail, the support mechanism 80 consists of a ball seat that functions as a sealing part for the valve body ball 4, a retainer gland that supports the ball seat from the piping structure 7 side, and a spring member positioned within the retainer gland that biases the retainer gland toward the ball seat, thereby performing a sealing function by pressing the ball seat toward the ball 4. The ball 4 is held in a specific position within the valve body housing 5 by being supported by this support mechanism 80 from both sides of the piping structure 7. In Figure 3, the lower surface of the ball 4 appears to be in contact with the valve body housing 5, but in reality, they are slightly separated from each other, and the ball 4 is not supported by contact with the valve body housing 5. As will be described later, the ball 4 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the stem 3 by operating the operating part 9. During this time, the ball 4 only slides against the ball seat of the support mechanism 80 and against the inner circumferential surface of the recess 51a of the convex part 4b of the ball 4 (especially the inner circumferential surface of the bearing part 56, which will be described later). Therefore, since these sliding movements greatly affect the operating torque of the ball 4, it is extremely important that the inner circumferential surface of the recess 51a (the inner circumferential surface of the bearing portion 56) is kept free from scratches or other damage.

[0019] The stem housing section 6 is a cylindrical structure with a tubular axis in the vertical direction (Z direction), and a communication port 6a is provided at its lower end, which communicates with the hollow portion of the central region 51. The opening diameter (bore) of the communication port 6a along the horizontal direction is larger than the horizontal diameter of the ball 4. The connection portion between the upper surface of the ball 4 and the stem 3 is located at this communication port 6a. Furthermore, an upper end opening 6b (opening) is provided at the upper end of the stem housing section 6, which is larger than the horizontal diameter of the ball 4. In addition, the inner diameter of the intermediate portion 6c sandwiched between the lower and upper ends of the stem housing section 6 is also larger than the horizontal diameter of the ball 4.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, an inner cover 60 is attached to the communication opening 6a of the stem housing 6. The inner cover 60 rotatably fixes the ball 4 so that it does not fly out of the valve housing 5, and also partitions the space on the ball 4 side (valve housing 5) within the body 1 in a liquid-tight or airtight manner. The inner cover 60 has a trunnion plate 61 and a yoke plate 62.

[0021] Ball 4 is a spherical valve body through which a flow path 4a is formed. The diameter of the flow path 4a is equal to the diameter of the piping structure 7 that extends horizontally (in the X-axis direction) from the side of the valve body housing 5 (length along the Z-axis direction). By matching the diameter of the flow path 4a of ball 4 with the diameter of the piping structure 7, ball 4 does not become an obstacle to the fluid flow within the flow path formed by the piping structure 7, thus enabling smooth flow of high-pressure, high-volume fluid.

[0022] The ball 4 has an upper surface that connects to the stem 3 and a lower surface on the opposite side, and the lower surface is provided with a convex portion 4b that protrudes downward. The convex portion 4b fits into a recess 51a of the valve body housing 5. The convex portion 4b, together with the recess 51a, will be described later.

[0023] The stem 3 constitutes the valve stem extending vertically as shown in Figure 2. The stem 3 extends from the upper surface of the ball 4 housed in the valve body housing 5 to outside the upper end opening 6b of the body 1. The stem 3 is connected to an operating part 9 fixed to a bonnet 2 for sealing the upper end opening 6b, and is rotated by a handle 99 on the operating part 9. As a result, the ball 4 rotates around a central axis O (Figure 2) that extends vertically, depending on the amount of rotation of the handle 99. The rotation of the ball 4 opens and closes the flow path P, and the state can be changed from closed to open by rotating it by 90°. In the state shown in Figure 2, the ball 4 is in the open state, and the piping structure 7 on the left side of the paper and the piping structure 7 on the right side of the paper are in communication, allowing fluid to flow, for example, from the left side to the right side of the paper.

[0024] (Recessed portion 51a and protruding portion 4b) Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the area within the frame shown as B in Figure 2. Note that, for the sake of explanation, the protrusion 4b in Figure 3 is shown in perspective, not in cross-sectional view. As shown in Figure 3, the recess 51a of the valve body housing 5 is provided with a tapered portion 55 on the opening side, where the inner diameter gradually decreases towards the bottom of the recess 51a. The required thickness of the protrusion 4b (D3, described later) varies depending on the size of the ball 4 and is set to a thickness that can withstand the rotational movement of the ball 4. However, it is preferable to make it about the same thickness as the protrusion provided on the upper part of the ball 4 for connection with the stem 3, from the viewpoint of ease of processing and ease of transmitting the rotational torque of the stem 3. The larger the diameter of the protrusion 4b, the easier it is to fix the ball 4 to the valve body housing 5 from the upper end opening 6b of the body 1, and it can be, for example, about half the diameter of the ball 4.

[0025] The tapered portion 55 guides the tip of the protrusion 4b, which is provided on the lower surface of the ball 4, when it is inserted into the recess 51a. Specifically, during insertion, a part of the tip edge of the protrusion 4b comes into contact with the tapered portion 55. For example, if the ball 4 is introduced into the valve body housing 5 in an inclined state, as the protrusion 4b moves toward the recess 51a, the inclination of the ball 4 is corrected vertically by the guidance of the tapered portion 55, and the central axis of the protrusion 4b moves (centers) toward the central axis of the recess 51a. As a result, the protrusion 4b is guided so that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the protrusion 4b is located closer to the bottom of the recess 51a than the tapered portion 55. In other words, when the part of the tip of the protrusion 4b that is in contact with the tapered portion 55 passes the tapered portion 55, the entire circumference of the tip edge of the protrusion 4b is guided closer to the bottom of the recess 51a than the tapered portion 55. Therefore, the protrusion 4b is guided into the recess 51a so as not to touch the wall surface of the recess 51a. In the case of a 10-inch ball valve, the central axis of the ball 4 may be tilted by about 3 degrees from the vertical during the initial stage of inserting the protrusion 4b into the recess 51a. If the tilt exceeds 3 degrees, it can be confirmed by visual inspection during top entry and some degree of alignment is possible. On the other hand, it is difficult to visually confirm a tilt of 2 degrees or less. Therefore, the tapered portion 55 on the body side is set to reliably contact the first tapered portion 41 if the ball 4 is tilted to an extent that cannot be confirmed by visual inspection.

[0026] Here, as shown in Figure 3, the tip edge of the convex portion 4b is provided with a first tapered portion 41 whose diameter gradually decreases towards the tip. Therefore, when inserting the convex portion 4b into the recess 51a, first, a part of the tip edge of the first tapered portion 41 comes into contact with the tapered portion 55. As a result, the tip edge of the first tapered portion 41 is guided by the tapered surface of the tapered portion 55, and the inclination of the convex portion 4b (ball 4) is corrected and centered. Next, when the tip edge of the first tapered portion 41 moves towards the bottom side of the tapered portion 55, the bottom edge of the tapered portion 55 comes into contact with the tapered surface of the first tapered portion 41, and the guiding effect of these contacts further centers the convex portion 4b (ball 4). In this way, since the convex portion 4b is guided by both the first tapered portion 41 and the tapered portion 55, the centering of the convex portion 4b is more advantageous, and contact between the convex portion 51a and the wall surface of the recess 51a is further reduced. As a result, the convex portion 4b is guided by the tapered portion 55, and when the portion of the first tapered portion 41 of the convex portion 4b that is in contact with the tapered portion 55 passes the tapered portion 55, the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion 4b is guided to the side closer to the bottom of the recess 51a than the tapered portion 55. Therefore, the convex portion 4b is guided into the recess 51a without touching the wall surface of the recess 51a.

[0027] More specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the protrusion 4b further has a second tapered portion 42 located closer to the base end than the first tapered portion 41, with its diameter gradually decreasing towards the tip. A cylindrical intermediate portion 43 is provided between the first tapered portion 41 and the second tapered portion 42. The protrusion 4b further has a straight body portion 44 located closer to the ball 4 than the base end of the second tapered portion 42. In other words, the protrusion 4b has the straight body portion 44, the second tapered portion 42, the intermediate portion 43, and the first tapered portion 41 in this order along the protruding direction.

[0028] The protrusion 4b may be integrally formed with the straight body portion 44, the second tapered portion 42, the intermediate portion 43, and the first tapered portion 41. However, with the exception of the straight body portion 44, the protrusion 4b may be made of a different material than the straight body portion 44 and fixed to the end of the straight body portion 44. When made of different materials, the method of fixing the straight body portion 44 to the other parts is not particularly limited, such as screwing or snapping. In this case, the straight body portion 44 and the other parts (second tapered portion 42, intermediate portion 43, and first tapered portion 41) may be made of the same material or different materials.

[0029] Here, as shown in Figure 10, when the diameter at the tip of the second tapered portion 42 is D1, the diameter at the base of the second tapered portion 42 is D2, and the diameter of the straight portion 44 is D3, the following relationship holds: D1 <D2<D3 The following conditions are met. The diameters D1, D2, and D3 are shown in Figure 10. As a result, the convex portion 4b has a tapered shape, making it easier to fit into the recess 51a during insertion. In particular, since the convex portion 4b becomes the axis of rotation (lower stem) of the ball 4 when fitted into the recess 51a, the diameter D3 of the straight body portion 44 is usually made approximately equal to the inner diameter of the recess 51a (or the inner diameter of the bearing portion 56, which will be described later) to prevent looseness. Even if the convex portion 4b does not have a tapered shape and D1 and D2 have the same diameter as D3, it is still possible to fit the convex portion 4b into the recess 51a by the guide of the tapered portion 55. However, by making the convex portion 4b tapered, the intermediate portion 43, which is smaller than the inner diameter of the recess 51a, can first be inserted into the recess 51a while being centered by the tapered portion 55, and then the straight body portion 44, which is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the recess 51a, can be inserted into the recess 51a while being centered by the second tapered portion 42. This two-stage centering makes it even easier to fit the convex portion 4b into the recess 51a. Note that if the centering of the convex portion 4b is already completed on the tip side of the second tapered portion 42 during the insertion process, the second tapered portion 42 may not come into contact with the tapered portion 55.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, this embodiment also includes a bearing portion 56 that is positioned on the inner circumferential wall of the recess 51a and exposed to the recess 51a. The bearing portion 56 has a cylindrical shape that is attached in a strip shape along the circumferential surface on the inner circumferential wall of the recess 51a. More specifically, the bearing portion 56 is attached to a first region 57 in which the inner circumferential surface (of the recess 51a) is cut out and the inner diameter is widened in the portion from the middle position in the depth direction of the recess 51a to the opening side. The bearing portion 56 may be an annular, one-piece structure, or it may be constructed by arranging two curved strip-shaped bearing materials along the inner circumferential surface of the recess 51a to form an annular structure. The inner circumferential surface of the second region 58 adjacent to the first region 57 on the inner circumferential wall of the recess 51a and the inner circumferential surface of the bearing portion 56 may be flush, but the inner diameter of the bearing portion 56 may be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second region 58. Furthermore, the upper opening of the bearing portion 56 is tapered (56b in Figure 4). This tapered shape of the upper opening of the bearing portion (Figure 4) facilitates the insertion of the convex portion 4b into the bearing portion 56. As described above, when the convex portion 4b has a tapered shape, the first tapered portion 41 and the intermediate portion 43 of the convex portion 4b are easily positioned within the bearing portion 56, but the straight body portion 44 may come into contact with the bearing portion 56. Even in this case, the straight body portion 44 can be centered by the tapered portion 56b of the bearing portion 56, and in particular, the mutual centering between the second tapered portion 42 of the convex portion 4b and the tapered portion of the bearing portion 56 allows the straight body portion 44 to be smoothly inserted into the bearing portion 56.

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the edge 56a on the opening side of the recess 51a in the bearing portion 56 is preferably located on the extension line of the inclined surface of the tapered portion 55 of the recess 51a, or, more preferably, located on the bottom side of the recess 51a than the extension line. This extension line is shown as a dotted line in Figures 3 and 10. If the upper opening of the bearing portion 56 is a tapered portion 56b (Figure 4), it is preferable that this tapered portion is located on the bottom side of the recess 51a than the extension line. If the edge 56a of the bearing portion 56 or the tapered portion of the bearing portion 56 is located even slightly on the bottom side of the recess 51a than the extension line, the tip edge of the convex portion 4b (first tapered portion 41) can be prevented from contacting the edge 56a or tapered portion of the bearing portion 56. As an example of a case where the bearing portion is located on the bottom side of the recess 51a rather than on the extension line, the distance between the edge 56a of the bearing portion 56 and the extension line in the axial direction of the recess 51a is, for example, 4 mm or less in the case of a 10-inch ball valve. When opening and closing the ball 4, which is the valve body of the valve 10, the convex portion 4b acts as the lower axis of rotation (stem) and rotates inside the bearing portion 56. At this time, the outer circumference of the convex portion 4b slides against the inner circumference of the bearing portion 56, so if there are scratches or other defects on the inner circumference of the bearing portion 56, for example, the resistance to the rotation of the convex portion 4b increases, and as a result the opening and closing torque of the valve 10 increases. For this reason, it is desirable that the inner surface of the bearing portion 56 is free from scratches or other defects. Scratches on the inner circumference of the bearing portion 56 are likely to occur when the protrusion 4b is fitted into the recess 51a. However, by defining the position of the edge 56a or tapered portion of the bearing portion 56 as in this embodiment, the tip edge of the protrusion 4b can be prevented from contacting the inner surface of the bearing portion 56 during insertion, thereby preventing scratches and other damage from occurring on the inner surface of the bearing portion 56.

[0032] Here, Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the tapered portion 55 of the convex portion 4b and recess 51a. For the sake of explanation, Figure 4 shows the state in which the convex portion 4b is not inserted into the recess 51a. If we let θr be the inclination angle of the first tapered portion 41 of the convex portion 4b with respect to the central axis of the convex portion 4b (shown by a dotted line in Figure 4), and θs be the inclination angle of the tapered portion 55 of the recess 51a with respect to the central axis of the recess 51a (shown by a dotted line in Figure 4), then these tapered angles are not particularly limited, but should be angles that ensure at least the first tapered portion 41 and the tapered portion 55 make contact even if there is an inclination or deviation from the center that is not visible to the naked eye when the ball 4 is housed in the valve body housing 5. Such angles vary depending on the size of the valve, but can be in the range of 30° to 40°, for example. In particular, if the inclination angle θs is 30° or more, it is preferable that the relationship θr < θs is satisfied, and if the inclination angle θs is less than 30°, it is preferable that the relationship θr ≤ θs is satisfied. If θr and θs are different, the difference is preferably in the range of 5° to 10°. By defining the angle in this way, the convex portion 4b is made easier to insert into the recess 51a, and at the same time, the first tapered portion 41 contacts the tapered portion 55, thereby aligning the central axis of the convex portion 4b to be vertical. This prevents the tip edge of the convex portion 4b from contacting the edge 56a of the bearing portion 56, or if contact occurs, prevents excessive load from being placed on the edge 56a of the bearing portion 56. For example, in the case of a 10-inch ball valve, θr can be set to 30° and θs to 35°.

[0033] Furthermore, if we consider θt to be the inclination angle of the second tapered portion 42 of the convex portion 4b with respect to the central axis of the convex portion 4b (shown by a dotted line in Figure 4), then θt can be approximately the same as the inclination angle θr of the first tapered portion. However, the inclination angle θt of the second tapered portion 42 and the inclination angle θr of the first tapered portion 41 may be the same (θt=θr) or they may be different. If they are different, the inclination angle θt of the second tapered portion 42 can be made smaller than the inclination angle θr of the first tapered portion 41. For example, in a 10-inch ball valve, if θr is 30°, then θt can be 20°. As a result, as described above, the first tapered portion 41 first greatly adjusts the centering of the intermediate portion 43, and the second tapered portion 42 more precisely adjusts the centering of the straight body portion 44, making it easier to insert the convex portion 4b into the recess 51a without damaging the inner circumference of the bearing portion 56.

[0034] (Modified example of the bearing section) Here, Figures 6 and 7 show a bearing portion 56A, which is another example of the bearing portion 56 described above. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the bearing portion 56A alone, and Figure 7 is a view from the opening side of the recess 51a showing the bearing portion 56A mounted along the circumferential surface on the inner circumferential wall of the recess 51a. For the sake of explanation, Figure 7 shows the convex portion 4b fitted into the recess 51a.

[0035] A slit 54 is provided in the bearing portion 56A. The slit 54 is a gap that extends from the opening side to the bottom side of the recess 51a in the state shown in Figure 7. The slit 54 allows air from the bottom side of the recess 51a to escape from the recess 51a while the convex portion 4b and the recess 51a are being fitted together during the assembly of the valve 10. As a result, the convex portion 4b fits smoothly into the recess 51a, making the fitting operation more efficient.

[0036] The longitudinal length of the band of the bearing portion 56A is shorter than the length along the circumferential surface of the inner circumferential wall of the recess 51a. Therefore, when the bearing portion 56A is mounted along the circumferential surface on the inner circumferential wall of the recess 51a, the longitudinal ends 560 and 561 (Figure 6) of the band of the bearing portion 56A are separated, forming the slit 54.

[0037] In the example shown in Figure 7, the slit 54 extends vertically from the opening side to the bottom side of the recess 51a. However, it is sufficient for the slit to communicate with both the bottom and opening sides of the recess 51a, and the direction of extension is not limited to the vertical direction; it may also be in a direction inclined vertically.

[0038] Although slit 54 is provided in only one location, its placement is not limited to just one.

[0039] In addition to the slit 54, a groove may be provided on the surface of the bearing portion 56A facing the circumferential surface of the protrusion 4b, so that the air at the bottom of the recess 51a flows through the groove and is exhausted to the outside of the recess 51a.

[0040] Furthermore, similar to the slit 54, a groove may be provided on the circumferential surface of the protrusion 4b for the purpose of releasing the air at the bottom of the recess 51a to the outside of the recess 51a. In this case as well, the air at the bottom of the recess 51a may flow through the groove and be exhausted to the outside of the recess 51a.

[0041] The above describes the configuration of valve 10. Note that valve 10 may also have configurations other than those described above.

[0042] The following describes the assembly procedure of the valve 10 (the manufacturing method of the valve), as well as the process of housing the ball 4 in the valve body housing 5 of the body 1, and the insertion mechanism between the convex portion 4b of the ball 4 and the concave portion 51a of the valve body housing 5.

[0043] (Assembly of valve 10 (Method of manufacturing the valve)) Figure 14 shows the assembly procedure (method of manufacturing the valve) for this embodiment, in which the ball 4 is housed in the valve body housing 5 of the body 1. Figure 14 shows the procedure for installing the ball 4 inside the body 1, and includes a first step S101 and a second step S102. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the ball 4 can be inserted into the body 1 from the upper end opening 6b of the body 1, lowered down inside the stem housing 6 (first step S101 in Figure 14), and placed inside the valve body housing 5 (second step S102 in Figure 14). This installation method is a so-called top-entry type installation method. In this embodiment, this can be realized because the stem housing 6 of the body 1, including the upper end opening 6b and the communication port 6a (Figure 2), has a larger inner diameter than the ball 4. To lower the ball 4, a special jig for inserting the ball 4 into the body 1 is attached to the upper surface of the ball 4. Alternatively, in this embodiment, the ball 4 can be inserted through the upper end opening 6b using the stem 3 connected to the upper surface of the ball 4 as shown in Figure 2. By using the stem 3, the removal of the jig is unnecessary compared to using the special jig, thus allowing for more efficient assembly work. The insertion of the ball 4 into the body 1 may be done manually by an operator, semi-automatically, or fully automatically.

[0044] Figure 8 shows the top entry of the ball 4 from a different angle than Figure 5. As mentioned above, the valve body housing 5 is provided with a recess 51a, and the convex portion 4b of the ball 4 (Figure 3) fits into the recess 51a. Here, since the recess 51a is located ahead in the direction in which the ball 4 is inserted, once the ball 4 is inserted into the stem housing 6 of the body 1 from the upper end opening 6b, as shown in Figure 9, the ball 4 becomes a blind spot, and neither the convex portion 4b nor the recess 51a can be seen. However, according to this embodiment, by providing a tapered portion 55 on the opening side of the recess 51a, the convex portion 4b can be guided into the recess 51a without excessive load being placed on it, as mentioned above. The process of inserting the convex portion 4b into the recess 51a will be explained in order below using Figures 10 to 13.

[0045] Figure 10 shows the initial stage of insertion. In the stage immediately preceding Figure 10, for example, when the ball 4 reaches the valve body housing 5, the axis of the jig or stem 3 is inclined with respect to the central axis O of the body 1 by more than 0° and less than or equal to 3°. When inserting the ball 4 into the body 1 using the axis of the jig or stem 3 as in this embodiment, it is extremely difficult to do so without any inclination with respect to the central axis O of the body 1. In other words, the ball 4 is almost always inserted with a slight inclination, even unintentionally. On the other hand, if an inclination of more than 3° occurs, it can be visually recognized, and the inclination can be corrected at the time of recognition. As a result, when inserting the ball 4, the axis of the jig or stem 3 is inclined with respect to the central axis O of the body 1 by more than 0° and less than or equal to 3°. In short, this embodiment includes both cases where such inclination is intentional and cases where it is unintentional. Then, in the initial stage shown in Figure 10 (second step S102 in Figure 14) in which the convex portion 4b is inserted into the recess 51a, a part of the first tapered portion 41 formed on the tip edge of the convex portion 4b comes into contact with the tapered portion 55, and the convex portion 4b is guided by the tapered portion 55 of the recess 51a. Specifically, when the part of the first tapered portion 41 of the convex portion 4b that is in contact with the tapered portion 55 passes the tapered portion 55, the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion 4b is guided to the side closer to the bottom of the recess 51a than the tapered portion 55.

[0046] Figure 11 shows the next stage after the initial insertion (the second step S102 in Figure 14). In Figure 11, contact between a part of the first tapered portion 41 and the tapered portion 55 has been completed, and the first stage of centering the convex portion 4b has been completed. In the state where contact has been completed, the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion is located on the bottom side of the tapered portion 55. In Figure 11, the convex portion 4b is guided so that the bottom end of the tapered portion 55 slides along the circumferential surface of the intermediate portion 43 of the convex portion 4b, which was guided by the tapered portion 55 in Figure 10, and the convex portion 4b is further centered. Even in this sliding state, as shown in Figure 11, the first tapered portion 41 is provided on the tip edge of the convex portion 4b, so that the tip edge does not place an excessive load on the end edge 56a of the bearing portion 56. Furthermore, when the convex portion 4b is fully inserted into the concave portion 51a, i.e., when fitted, there is almost no gap (clearance) or only a slight clearance between the inner circumferential surface of the bearing portion 56 and the diameter D3 of the straight body portion 44, which has the largest diameter among the convex portions 4b. Specifically, the difference between the inner diameter D4 of the cylindrical bearing portion 56 and D3 is about 0.1 mm, for example, in the case of a 10-inch ball valve. As shown in Figure 11, during the insertion process, there is a gap between the tapered portion 55 and the first tapered portion 41 or intermediate portion 43 on the side that is in contact with the convex portion 4b and on the opposite side of the central axis of the convex portion 4b.

[0047] Figure 12 shows the state after further insertion from the state shown in Figure 11. In the state shown in Figure 12, the alignment of the protrusion 4b enters the final stage (second step S102 in Figure 14). Since the protrusion 4b has been roughly aligned during the process up to this point, the second tapered portion 42 of the protrusion 4b is in contact with the edge 56a of the bearing portion 56 shown on the right side of Figure 12, but no excessive load is applied. Alignment is completed by this contact.

[0048] Figure 13 shows that the base end of the second tapered portion 42 is located below the tapered portion 55. In this state, excessive load is not placed on the bearing portion 56 and the recess 51a from the protrusion 4b.

[0049] Then, as shown in Figure 3, the convex portion 4b is fully inserted into the recess 51a (end of the second step S102 in Figure 14). As described above, in this embodiment, by deliberately utilizing the inclination range of more than 0° and 3° or less that unintentionally occurs when inserting the ball 4, it becomes possible to insert the convex portion 4b of the ball 4 into the recess 51a of the body 1 while aligning it. The convex portion 4b and the recess 51a have a first tapered portion 41 and a tapered portion 55 that satisfy the specific conditions described above, and these conditions are set by adjusting them so that the ball 4 is reliably guided into the recess 51a of the convex portion 4b when it is tilted more than 0° and 3° or less.

[0050] In this embodiment, the valve 10 is assumed to have a relatively large diameter for the flow path 4a of the ball 4 and a relatively large diameter for the piping structure 7. Therefore, the ball 4 itself is heavy. In this case, when assembling the valve 10 using the procedure described above, if the ball 4 is processed forcefully within the body 1, there is a risk that the convex portion 4b and the concave portion 51a may collide and break, or that the convex portion 4b may come into contact with the bearing portion 56 and break. To avoid this, in the assembly procedure, while the ball 4 is being placed inside the body 1 and descending within the stem housing portion 6 (first step in Figure 14), the ball 4 is descended quickly, but the descent speed is reduced when the ball 4 enters the valve body housing portion 5 and the convex portion 4b approaches the concave portion 51a. As a result, in the second step in Figure 14, the tapered portion 55 and the first tapered portion 41 do not come into forceful contact, and the aforementioned damage can be avoided. The installation of the ball 4 into the valve housing 5 may be done manually by an operator, semi-automatically, or fully automatically.

[0051] Thus, in this embodiment, the tapered portion 55 can guide the convex portion 4b by abutting a part of the tip edge of the convex portion 4b against the tapered portion 55. As a result, even when the convex portion 4b is inserted into the recess 51a by top entry, the ball 4 is properly pivotally supported in the valve body housing portion 5 of the body 1 (Figures 2 and 3). In the state shown in Figure 3, where the convex portion 4b and the recess 51a are fitted together, the straight body portion 44 is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the bearing portion 56. On the other hand, the second tapered portion 42, the intermediate portion 43, and the first tapered portion 41 face the second region 58 of the recess 51a with the predetermined gap described above.

[0052] After the ball 4 is properly pivotally supported in the valve body housing 5 of the body 1 through the above process, the ball 4 is pressed by the aforementioned inner cover 60. Both the trunnion plate 61 and the yoke plate 62 are circular plates, and each has a through hole in its center through which the stem 3 passes. In addition, the outer surface of the yoke plate 62 is provided with a screw structure that screws into a screw structure provided on a part of the inner surface of the stem housing 6, and the yoke plate 62 can be fixed to the desired position in the stem housing 6 by screwing. The part into which the inner cover 60 fits is the lower end of the intermediate portion 6c of the inner surface of the stem housing 6, which corresponds to the part where the inner diameter is reduced. That is, the thickness of the pipe wall in this part is thicker than the pipe wall of other parts of the stem housing 6. This allows it to withstand the radial load associated with the fitting of the inner cover 60. In addition to being fixed by screws, the yoke plate 62 may be fixed to the body 1 by any predetermined fixing means that allows for attachment and detachment, such as fixing to the body 1 with bolts. Considering ease of assembly, screwing to the body is preferable. On the other hand, the trunnion plate 61 is fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the stem housing 6, but unlike the yoke plate 62, it is not fixed to the body 1 by any fixing means such as screws. The trunnion plate 61 is fixed in the position shown in Figure 2 by being pressed towards the ball 4 by the yoke plate 62. The trunnion plate 61 and the yoke plate 62 do not touch each other on their opposing surfaces, but are in contact via a sealing member. In this way, the inner cover 60 seals the communication opening 6a of the stem housing 6, so that the ball 4 can be reliably housed in the valve body housing 5, and the situation in which the ball 4 unintentionally pops out upward can be avoided.

[0053] Furthermore, the support mechanism 80 and piping structure 7 shown in Figure 2 are positioned to the side of the valve body housing 5 before the ball 4 enters from the top, and the support mechanism 80 supports the ball 4, which is pivotally supported in the valve body housing 5, from the side.

[0054] Furthermore, the valve housing section 5, stem housing section 6, and piping structure section 7, which constitute the outer shell elements of body 1, can be a single, integrated body without any joints other than those made by welding. Being integrated means that it is a completely integrated structure without any joints such as bolts or screws, or if there are joints, multiple parts (components) are joined only by welding. By adopting such an integrated structure, a highly reliable body 1 that does not leak liquid can be provided. It can also be realized as a valve that handles cryogenic liquid hydrogen as the fluid. In addition, compared to the configuration in which jigs are used for connection, there is no need to place jigs on the outer surface of body 1, and the outer surface can be made smoother with fewer irregularities. This is suitable, for example, when handling liquid hydrogen, in which case a vacuum jacket is attached to completely cover the part other than the bonnet 2. The vacuum jacket contributes to maintaining the liquid hydrogen flowing through the flow path P at an appropriate temperature due to its heat insulating effect. Furthermore, if body 1 is an integrated structure made only by welding, it has high structural strength. Therefore, it is possible to configure a large flow path and flow a large amount of fluid (including liquid hydrogen). The flow rate can be appropriately set based on the diameter of the piping structure 7, the size of the ball 4, and the diameter of the flow path 4a. For example, the valve 10 of this embodiment can achieve a relatively large diameter of 25 centimeters or more for the piping structure 7 and the flow path 4a. For example, the pipe diameter and diameter can be configured to be approximately 10 to 24 inches (approximately 25 to 65 centimeters).

[0055] In this embodiment, a ball valve was used, but other types of valves (such as globe valves or butterfly valves) may also be used.

[0056] As described above, according to this embodiment, the tapered portion 55 guides the convex portion 4b so that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion 4b is located below the tapered portion 55, by contacting a part of the first tapered portion 41 of the convex portion 4b with the tapered portion 55. This prevents the tip edge of the convex portion 4b from contacting the recess 51a or the bearing portion 56 disposed in the recess 51a and placing an excessive load on it, and makes it possible to properly support the convex portion 4b in the recess 51a.

[0057] Here, Figure 16 shows a magnified view of a ball 1104, which is the ball valve body, and the valve body housing 1105 of the valve body 1101, as a comparative configuration. In the comparative configuration of Figure 16, the tapered portion 55 of the recess 51a of the valve body housing 5 shown in this embodiment is absent. Also, in the comparative configuration of Figure 16, neither the first tapered portion 41 nor the second tapered portion 42 of the convex portion 4b of the ball 4 shown in this embodiment is present. Figure 16 shows the process of fitting the shaft portion 1104b provided on the bottom surface of the ball 1104 to the shaft support hole 1105a provided in the valve body housing 1105. When fitting, as mentioned above, with a top entry, the ball 1104 is in a blind spot and the fitting process cannot be seen. Therefore, as shown in Figure 16, the edge of the tip of the shaft portion 1104b comes into contact with the periphery of the shaft support hole 1105a, resulting in excessive load. For example, the edge of the tip of the shaft portion 1104b may deform, or the inner circumferential surface of the shaft support hole 1105a may be damaged. Both of these factors hinder proper support of the ball 1104. Furthermore, if the bearing portion 1111 is provided in the shaft support hole 1105a as shown in Figure 16, and the shaft portion 1104b is inserted into the shaft support hole 1105a at an angle, for example, the edge of the shaft portion 1104b may damage the bearing portion 1111. In contrast, by providing a tapered portion 55 in the recess 51a as in this embodiment, the protrusion 4b can be guided and properly fitted. Therefore, the above-mentioned problems are eliminated, and the ball can be properly supported.

[0058] [Variation] As in the above-described embodiment, a tapered portion 55 is sufficient to prevent excessive load on the recess 51a and the bearing portion 56 disposed in the recess 51a. In other words, the first tapered portion 41 of the convex portion 4b is a more preferable configuration for preventing excessive load on the recess 51a and the bearing portion 56, but it is not an essential configuration. That is, in addition to the convex portion 4b described in the above-described embodiment, a configuration in which a straight-bodied convex portion is provided on the ball 4, and the straight-bodied convex portion is brought into contact with the tapered portion 55 and inserted into the recess 51a, thereby fitting the convex portion into the recess 51a, is also included as one aspect of the present invention.

[0059] [Embodiment 2] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Components having the same function as those described in Embodiment 1 above will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0060] In the above-described embodiment 1, a convex portion 4b projecting downward is provided on the lower surface of the ball 4, and a recess 51a is provided in the valve body housing 5, with the convex portion 4b and the recess 51a fitting together. In contrast, embodiment 2 differs in that a recess recessing upward is provided on the lower surface of the ball 4, and a convex portion projecting upward is provided in the valve body housing 5. This embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 15.

[0061] Figure 15 is a partial cross-sectional view of the valve 10A of this embodiment. Figure 15 shows the lower surface of the ball 4 in the valve 10A and the fitting portion with the valve body housing 5. In Figure 15, the valve body housing 5 is provided with a recess 151. The shape of the recess 151 is the same as the recess 51a of Embodiment 1, opening upward and having a bottom at the bottom, and a tapered portion 155 is provided on the opening side, with the inner diameter gradually decreasing toward the bottom of the recess 151. A rod-shaped lower stem 154 is fitted into the recess 151. A part 154a of the lower stem 154 protrudes from the recess 151, and this protruding portion 154a is a convex portion that fits into the recess 40 of the ball 4.

[0062] In this configuration, with the lower stem 154 fitted into the recess 151, a bearing portion 566 is provided between the circumferential surface of the lower stem 154 and the inner circumferential surface of the recess 151. The bearing portion 566 has the same configuration and function as the bearing portion 56 of Embodiment 1.

[0063] The portion 154a protruding from the recess 151 of the lower stem 154 has the same configuration as the convex portion 4b of Embodiment 1. That is, the tip edge of the tip portion 154a protruding from the recess 151 (hereinafter referred to as the tip portion of the lower stem 154) is provided with a lower stem tapered portion 154b (first tapered portion) whose diameter gradually decreases toward the tip. The lower stem tapered portion 154b has the same function as the first tapered portion 41 of the convex portion 4b of Embodiment 1 (for example, Figures 3 and 4).

[0064] Furthermore, the protruding portion 154a has a second lower stem tapered portion 154c (second tapered portion) on the base side of the lower stem tapered portion 154b (opposite the tip of the lower stem 154), the diameter of which gradually decreases toward the tip of the lower stem 154. A cylindrical intermediate portion 154d is provided between the lower stem tapered portion 154b and the second lower stem tapered portion 154c. The protruding portion 154a also has a straight body portion 154e further toward the base side than the second lower stem tapered portion 154c. That is, the protruding portion 154a has the straight body portion 154e, the second lower stem tapered portion 154c, the intermediate portion 154d, and the lower stem tapered portion 154b in this order along the direction of protrusion.

[0065] Similar to the protrusion 4b in Embodiment 1, the protruding portion 154a may be integrally formed with the straight body portion 154e, the second lower stem tapered portion 154c, the intermediate portion 154d, and the lower stem tapered portion 154b. However, the protruding portion 154a, except for the straight body portion 154e, may be made of a different material than the straight body portion 154e and fixed to the end of the straight body portion 154e. If it is made of a different material, the method of fixing the straight body portion 154e to the other parts is not particularly limited, such as screwing or snapping. In this case, the straight body portion 154e and the other parts (second lower stem tapered portion 154c, intermediate portion 154d, and lower stem tapered portion 154b) may be made of the same material or different materials.

[0066] The recess 40 of the ball 4 is provided with a tapered portion 45 on the opening side, where the inner diameter gradually decreases towards the bottom of the recess 40. The tapered portion 45 guides the tip of the protruding portion 154a when it is inserted into the recess 40. Specifically, during insertion, a part of the tip edge of the protruding portion 154a comes into contact with the tapered portion 45. Specifically, if the ball 4 is introduced into the valve body housing 5 in an inclined state, as the recess 40 moves toward the protruding portion 154a, the inclination of the ball 4 is corrected vertically by the guidance of the tapered portion 154b, and the central axis of the recess 40 moves toward the central axis of the protruding portion 154a (centering). As a result, the protruding portion 154a is guided so that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the protruding portion 154a is located on the bottom side of the recess 40 relative to the tapered portion 45. In other words, when the portion of the tip of the protruding portion 154a that is in contact with the tapered portion 45 passes the tapered portion 45, the entire circumference of the tip edge of the protruding portion 154a is guided to a side closer to the bottom of the recess 40 than the tapered portion 45. Therefore, the protruding portion 154a is guided into the recess 40 without touching the wall surface of the recess 40.

[0067] Here, the end edge 566a on the opening side of the recess 40 in the bearing portion 566 is preferably located on the extension line of the inclined surface of the tapered portion 45 of the recess 40, or, more preferably, located on the bottom side of the recess 40 than the extension line. This prevents the tip edge (lower stem tapered portion 154b) of the protruding portion 154a from contacting the end edge 566a of the bearing portion 566, thereby preventing scratches or other damage from occurring on the inner circumferential surface of the bearing portion 566.

[0068] As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to Embodiment 1, the recess 40 and the protrusion (protruding portion 154a) are guided by the contact between the tapered surfaces and can be smoothly fitted together.

[0069] The valve 10A of this embodiment can be manufactured by the same process as the manufacturing method (assembly procedure) described in Embodiment 1.

[0070] Furthermore, instead of directly forming a protrusion in the valve body housing 5, it is preferable to provide a recess 151 and insert the lower stem 154 of the recess 151 to create a protrusion, as this facilitates the manufacturing process of the protrusion. However, it is also acceptable to directly form the protrusion in the valve body housing 5.

[0071] 〔summary〕 Valves 10, 10A according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention are top or side entry valves 10, 10A in which a valve body (ball 4) having the other of the recess and convex portion (convex portion 4b (Figure 3), recess 40 (Figure 15)) is positioned on the tip side in the direction in which it is inserted into the body 1, with the convex portion 4b (Figure 3), 154a (Figure 15) fitting into the recess 51a (Figure 3), 40 (Figure 15), wherein the valve body 10, 10A according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is a top or side entry valve in which a valve body (ball 4) having the other of the recess and convex portion (convex portion 4b (Figure 3), recess 40 (Figure 15)) is positioned on the tip side in the direction in which it is inserted into the body 1, with the convex portion 4b (Figure 3), 154a (Figure 15) fitting into the recess 51a (Figure 3), 40 (Figure 15), The opening side has tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15) whose inner diameter gradually decreases toward the bottom of the recesses 51a (Figure 3) and 40 (Figure 15). A portion of the tip edge of the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) abuts against the tapered portion when the convex portion is inserted into the recess, and the tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15) guide the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) so that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) is located on the bottom side of the tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15).

[0072] According to the configuration of Embodiment 1, it is possible to provide valves 10 and 10A that can properly support the valve body within the body 1. Specifically, according to the configuration of Embodiment 1, the tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15) are in contact with a part of the tip edge (first tapered portion 41, lower stem tapered portion 154b) of the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15), so that the tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15) guide the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) so that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) is located on the bottom side of the tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15). This prevents the leading edges of the protrusions 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) from contacting and excessively loading the recesses 51a (Figure 3) and 40 (Figure 15) (including the bearing portion 56 (Figure 3) and 566 (Figure 15) if such bearing portions are provided in the recesses 51a and 40), thus allowing the protrusions 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) to be properly fitted into the recesses 51a (Figure 3) and 40 (Figure 15). This makes it possible to provide valves 10 and 10A that can properly support the valve body within the body 1.

[0073] Furthermore, in the valve 10 according to embodiment 2 of the present invention, in embodiment 1 described above, the body 1 has a vertically elongated cylindrical shape, has an opening (upper end opening 6b) at the top through which the valve body (ball 4) can pass, and has a valve body housing 5 with the recess 51a at the bottom, and the valve body (ball 4) has the protrusion 4b, and may be placed in the valve body housing 5 by introducing the valve body from the opening (upper end opening 6b) to the valve body housing 5 with the protrusion 4b facing downwards.

[0074] Furthermore, in the valves 10 and 10A according to embodiment 3 of the present invention, the valve body may be a ball valve body (ball 4) in embodiment 1 or 2 described above.

[0075] According to the configuration of embodiment 3, when the ball 4 is inserted from the top or side, the protrusion (4b) provided on the tip side of the insertion is in the blind spot of the ball 4 and cannot be seen. Even under these circumstances, the protrusion 4b is guided by the tapered portion 55 and can be properly fitted into the recess 51a.

[0076] Furthermore, in the valves 10 and 10A according to embodiment 4 of the present invention, in embodiments 1 to 3, the convex portion 4b has a first tapered portion 41 at its tip edge, the diameter of which gradually decreases toward the tip.

[0077] According to the configuration of embodiment 4 described above, in valve 10, as shown in Figure 3, the tapered portion 55 contacts a part of the first tapered portion 41 of the protrusion 4b, so that the entire circumference of the first tapered portion 41 of the protrusion 4b is located below the tapered portion 55. In valve 10A, as shown in Figure 15, the tapered portion 45 contacts a part of the lower stem tapered portion 154b of the protrusion 154a, so that the entire circumference of the lower stem tapered portion 154b of the protrusion 154a is located below the tapered portion 45.

[0078] This allows the protrusions 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) to be properly fitted into the recesses 51a (Figure 3) and 40 (Figure 15). Thus, valves 10 and 10A that can properly support the valve body within the body 1 can be provided.

[0079] Furthermore, in the valves 10 and 10A according to embodiment 5 of the present invention, in embodiment 4, the protrusions 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) may have a second tapered portion 42 (Figure 3) and 154c (Figure 15) located on the base end side of the first tapered portion 41 (Figure 3) and 154b (Figure 15), wherein the diameter gradually decreases toward the tip.

[0080] According to the configuration of embodiment 5, in addition to the first tapered portions 41 (Figure 3) and 154b (Figure 15), the second tapered portions 42 and 154c can also be used to align the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and the convex portion 154a (Figure 15), making the insertion of the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and the convex portion 154a (Figure 15) into the recessed portion 51a (Figure 3) and the recessed portion 40 (Figure 15) even smoother.

[0081] Furthermore, in the valves 10 and 10A according to embodiment 6 of the present invention, when the diameter of the tip of the second tapered portion (Figure 3) and 154c (Figure 15) is D1, the diameter of the base end of the second tapered portion is D2, and the diameter of the straight body portion on the valve body side of the second tapered portion is D3, the following relationship is given: D1 <D2<D3 It may be configured to satisfy the following conditions.

[0082] According to the configuration of embodiment 6, since the protrusion 4b (Figure 3) and the protrusion 154a (Figure 15) have a tapered shape, they are easy to fit into the recess 51a (Figure 3) and the recess 40 (Figure 15) when inserted.

[0083] Furthermore, the valves 10 and 10A according to embodiment 7 of the present invention further have bearing portions 56 and 566 arranged on the inner circumferential walls of the recess 51a (Figure 3) and recess 40 (Figure 15) and exposed to the recess 51a (Figure 3) and recess 40 (Figure 15) as in embodiments 1 to 6 above.

[0084] According to the configuration of embodiment 7, the tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15) of the recess 51a (Figure 3) and recess 40 (Figure 15) guide the protrusions 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) so that the entire circumference of the leading edges of the protrusions 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) is located on the bottom side of the tapered portions 55 and 45 (Figure 15). Therefore, there is no risk of the protrusions 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) placing an excessive load on the bearing portions 56 and 566.

[0085] Furthermore, in the valves 10 and 10A according to embodiment 8 of the present invention, in embodiment 7, the edge of the recess on the opening side in the bearing portion may be located on the bottom side of the recess, relative to the extension line of the inclined surface of the tapered portion of the recess.

[0086] By defining the positions of the edges 56a, 566a of the bearing portions 56, 566 as in the configuration of embodiment 8 above, the leading edges (first tapered portion 41 (Figure 3), lower stem tapered portion 154b (Figure 15)) of the protrusion 4b (Figure 3) and the protrusion 154a (Figure 15) can be prevented from contacting the edges 56a, 566a of the bearing portions 56, 566a, or, even if contact occurs, the edges 56a, 566a of the bearing portions 56, 566a can be prevented from being excessively loaded.

[0087] Furthermore, a method for manufacturing valves 10 and 10A according to aspect 9 of the present invention is a method for manufacturing valves according to aspects 1 to 8, comprising: a first step of inserting the valve body (ball 4) into the body 1 from the upper end opening of the body 1 and lowering the valve body toward the lower part of the body 1; and a second step following the first step S101 of fitting the convex portion and the concave portion at the lower part of the body to position the valve body at a predetermined position within the body, wherein in the second step S102, a part of the tip edge of the convex portion abuts against the tapered portion when the convex portion is inserted into the concave portion, and the tapered portion guides the convex portion such that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion is located on the bottom side of the tapered portion.

[0088] According to the manufacturing method of embodiment 9, it is possible to provide valves 10 and 10A that can properly support the valve body within the body 1. Specifically, according to the configuration of embodiment 10, the tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15) are in contact with a part of the tip edge (first tapered portion 41, lower stem tapered portion 154b) of the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15), so that the tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15) guide the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) so that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the convex portion 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) is located on the bottom side of the tapered portions 55 (Figure 3) and 45 (Figure 15). This prevents the leading edges of the protrusions 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) from contacting and excessively loading the recesses 51a (Figure 3) and 40 (Figure 15) (including the bearing portion 56 (Figure 3) and 566 (Figure 15) if such bearing portions are provided in the recesses 51a and 40), thus allowing the protrusions 4b (Figure 3) and 154a (Figure 15) to be properly fitted into the recesses 51a (Figure 3) and 40 (Figure 15). This makes it possible to provide valves 10 and 10A that can properly support the valve body within the body 1.

[0089] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of valves 10 and 10A according to embodiment 10 of the present invention, in embodiment 9, in the first step, the valve body is lowered toward the lower part of the body with a jig for inserting the valve body into the body connected to the upper surface of the valve body, or with the valve stem connected to the upper surface of the valve body, and in the second step, just before a part of the tip edge of the protrusion comes into contact with the tapered portion, that is, when a part of the tip edge of the protrusion has descended to the vicinity of the tapered portion, the axis of the jig or the valve stem may be configured to be inclined by more than 0° and 3° or less with respect to the central axis extending from the upper end opening of the body toward the lower part.

[0090] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 1 Body 3 Stems 4. Ball (valve body, ball valve body) 4a Channel 4b Convex part 5 Valve body housing 6. Stem storage compartment 6a Communication port 6b Top opening (opening) 6c middle part 10 valves 40 recess 41 First tapered section 42 Second tapered section 43, 154d middle part 44, 154e Straight body part 45 Tapered section 51 Central area 51a Recess 52 Edge area 55 Tapered section 56 Bearing section 56a Edge 57. First Domain 58 Second Domain 60 Inner lid 154 Lower stem 154a Protruding part (convex part) 154b Lower stem taper section (first taper section) 154c Second lower stem taper section (second taper section)

Claims

1. A top-entry valve is provided in which a valve body having the other of the recess and the other of the recess and the other of the recess is positioned on the tip side in the direction in which it is inserted into the body, with the protrusion fitting into the recess, The recess has a tapered portion on the opening side, where the inner diameter gradually decreases toward the bottom of the recess. A portion of the tip edge of the protrusion abuts against the tapered portion when the protrusion is inserted into the recess. The tapered portion guides the protrusion such that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the protrusion is located on the bottom side of the tapered portion. The aforementioned protrusion has a first tapered portion at its tip edge, the diameter of which gradually decreases toward the tip. The aforementioned protrusion has a second tapered portion located closer to the base end than the first tapered portion, the diameter of which gradually decreases towards the tip. valve.

2. When the diameter of the tip of the second tapered portion is D1, the diameter of the base end of the second tapered portion is D2, and the diameter of the straight body portion on the valve body side of the second tapered portion is D3, the following relationship is given: D1 < D2 < D3 Satisfying The valve according to claim 1.

3. A top-entry valve is provided in which a valve body having the other of the recess and the other of the recess and the other of the recess is positioned on the tip side in the direction in which it is inserted into the body, with the protrusion fitting into the recess, The recess has a tapered portion on the opening side, where the inner diameter gradually decreases toward the bottom of the recess. A portion of the tip edge of the protrusion abuts against the tapered portion when the protrusion is inserted into the recess. The tapered portion guides the protrusion such that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the protrusion is located on the bottom side of the tapered portion. The bearing portion is further disposed on the inner circumferential wall of the recess and is exposed to the recess. valve.

4. The edge of the recess on the opening side of the bearing portion is located on the bottom side of the recess, relative to the extension line of the inclined surface of the tapered portion of the recess. The valve according to claim 3.

5. A method for manufacturing a valve according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The first step is to insert the valve body into the body through the upper end opening of the body and to lower the valve body toward the lower part of the body, Following the first step, a second step is to fit the convex portion and the concave portion into the lower part of the body and position the valve body in a predetermined position within the body, Includes, In the second step, a portion of the tip edge of the protrusion abuts against the tapered portion when the protrusion is inserted into the recess, and the tapered portion guides the protrusion so that the entire circumference of the tip edge of the protrusion is located on the bottom side of the tapered portion. A method for manufacturing valves.

6. In the first step, with the jig for inserting the valve body into the body connected to the upper surface of the valve body, or with the valve stem connected to the upper surface of the valve body, the valve body is lowered toward the lower part of the body. In the second step, immediately before a portion of the tip edge of the protrusion contacts the tapered portion, the axis of the jig or the valve stem is inclined with respect to the central axis extending from the upper end opening of the body toward the lower part by an angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 3°. A method for manufacturing a valve according to claim 5.

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