U.S. patent application number 09/750690 was filed with the patent office on 2001-05-10 for device for locking channel opening-closing handle of fluid controller.
This patent application is currently assigned to FUJIKIN INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Itoi, Shigeru, Nishimura, Ryutaro.
Application Number | 20010000850 09/750690 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 14370520 |
Filed Date | 2001-05-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010000850 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nishimura, Ryutaro ; et
al. |
May 10, 2001 |
Device for locking channel opening-closing handle of fluid
controller
Abstract
A locking device comprises a stopper support fixed to the body
of a fluid controller, and a stopper nonrotatably mounted on the
stopper support and engageable with a channel opening-closing
handle for preventing the rotation of the handle. The stopper
mounted on the support is movable upward and downward between a
locking position wherein the stopper engages with the handle and an
unlocking position wherein the stopper is out of engagement with
the handle. The stopper support is formed with an opening for
fitting the controller body therein and an aperture for fitting the
stopper therein. The stopper has a vertical portion slidably fitted
in the aperture and formed with a lock attaching bore.
Inventors: |
Nishimura, Ryutaro; (Osaka,
JP) ; Itoi, Shigeru; (Osaka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARMSTRONG,WESTERMAN, HATTORI,
MCLELAND & NAUGHTON, LLP
1725 K STREET, NW, SUITE 1000
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
Osaka-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
14370520 |
Appl. No.: |
09/750690 |
Filed: |
January 2, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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09750690 |
Jan 2, 2001 |
|
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09062750 |
Apr 20, 1998 |
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6189350 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
70/175 ; 137/385;
70/180; 70/203 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 70/5637 20150401;
Y10T 70/5615 20150401; Y10T 70/5739 20150401; F16K 35/10 20130101;
Y10T 137/7256 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
70/175 ; 70/180;
137/385; 70/203 |
International
Class: |
F16K 035/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 22, 1997 |
JP |
PAT. 9-104055 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device for locking a channel opening-closing handle of a fluid
controller in a full opening or full closing position, the handle
being rotatable relative to a body of the fluid controller, the
locking device comprising a stopper support having a body fitting
opening and fixed to the controller body, and a stopper
nonrotatably provided on the stopper support and engageable with
the handle for preventing the rotation of the handle.
2. A locking device according to claim 1 wherein the stopper
support comprises a first member generally U-shaped and having a
pair of side walls for holding therebetween two opposite flat faces
of the controller body from opposite sides thereof, and a straight
second member extending between and attached to free ends of the
side walls for preventing the first member from slipping off the
controller body, the stopper being integral with the first
member.
3. A locking device according to claim 2 wherein the second member
has a through bore for attaching a lock for preventing the second
member from slipping off.
4. A locking device according to claim 1 wherein the stopper is
mounted on the stopper support so as to be movable upward and
downward between a locking position in which the stopper engages
with the handle and an unlocking position in which the stopper is
out of engagement with the handle.
5. A locking device according to claim 4 wherein the stopper
support is formed by a first member and a second member joined to
each other, and each of the first and second members is formed with
a recess and another recess for forming the body fitting opening
and a stopper fitting aperture, respectively, when the two members
are joined, the stopper having a vertical portion slidably fitted
in the aperture and formed with a lock attaching bore.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The present invention relates to a device for use in fluid
controllers, such as on-off valves, which are included, for
example, in semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the device being
adapted to lock a channel opening-closing handle of the controller
in a full opening or full closing position.
2. Fluid controllers are fully opened or fully closed as required
by manipulating a channel opening-closing handle, whereas no device
has been known for locking the handle in the full opening or
closing position.
3. The conventional fluid controller therefore has the problem that
the handle becomes shifted during the operation of the
semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, failing to permit a proper
flow of fluid to adversely affect the product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
4. An object of the present invention is to provide a device for
locking the channel opening-closing handle of a fluid controller to
eliminate errors involved in opening or closing the channel of the
controller.
5. The present invention provides a device for locking a channel
opening-closing handle of a fluid controller in a full opening or
full closing position, the handle being rotatable relative to a
body of the fluid controller, the locking device comprising a
stopper support having a body fitting opening and fixed to the
controller body, and a stopper nonrotatably provided on the stopper
support and engageable with the handle for preventing the rotation
of the handle.
6. The term the "body of a fluid controller" means the portion of
the fluid controller which is fixed relative to the channel
opening-closing handle which is rotatable. For example, when the
controller has a valve case (body) having a channel and a valve
closure (bonnet) covering and fixed to the valve case, the
combination of these two components will be referred to as the
controller body.
7. With the locking device of the present invention, the stopper
engageable with the handle to prevent the rotation thereof is not
rotatable relative to the stopper support which is fixed to the
controller body. This eliminates the likelihood that the handle
will shift inadvertently, consequently obviating the trouble that
an improper flow of fluid will adversely affect the product.
8. According to an embodiment of the invention, the stopper support
comprises a first member generally U-shaped and having a pair of
side walls for holding therebetween two opposite flat faces of the
controller body from opposite sides thereof, and a straight second
member extending between and attached to free ends of the side
walls for preventing the first member from slipping off the
controller body, the stopper being integral with the first member.
To provide this arrangement, the first member is mounted on the
controller body, with the two side walls of the first member fitted
to the respective flat faces of the body, whereby the first member
is prevented from rotating relative to the controller body. The
second member is then made to extend between and attached to the
free ends of the side walls, whereby the first member is prevented
from slipping off the controller body.
9. The second member is, for example, a pin having a head and
insertable through an insertion bore formed in each of the two side
walls of the U-shaped first member. A through bore is formed in the
shank of the second member, such that one of the side walls is
positionable between the head of the second member and the through
bore thereof. The second member is passed through the insertion
bore of one of the side walls and inserted through the insertion
bore of the other side wall, and a lock is attached to the second
member using the through bore. The second member is then prevented
from slipping off by the lock-and the head of the second member,
consequently making it impossible to turn the handle unless the
lock is undone. This eliminates any of the errors to be involved in
opening or closing the channel of the fluid controller. Instead of
using the lock, the insertion bore of one of the side walls may be
in the form of a threaded bore, with an externally threaded portion
formed at the forward end of the second member. The second member
can then be prevented from slipping off when inserted through the
insertion hole of the other side wall and screwed into the threaded
bore of the above-mentioned side wall.
10. Preferably, the stopper is mounted on the stopper support so as
to be movable upward and downward between a locking position in
which the stopper engages with the handle and an unlocking position
in which the stopper is out of engagement with the handle. The
locking position or the unlocking position is then alternatively
selectable merely by moving the stopper upward or downward, hence a
facilitated change-over.
11. This can be realized by an arrangement wherein the stopper
support is formed by a first member and a second member joined to
each other, and each of the first and second members is formed with
a recess and another recess for forming the body fitting opening
and a stopper fitting aperture, respectively, when the two members
are joined, the stopper having a vertical portion slidably fitted
in the aperture and formed with a lock attaching bore.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
12. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a fluid
controller and a first embodiment of channel opening-closing handle
locking device according to the invention;
13. FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section of
the controller and the device;
14. FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view partly broken away;
15. FIG. 4 is a front view partly broken away and showing a second
embodiment of channel opening-closing handle locking device
according to the invention;
16. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the same;
17. FIG. 6 is a front view of the second embodiment as released
from a lock;
18. FIG. 7 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the
second embodiment;
19. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the same as assembled;
20. FIG. 9 is a front view showing a modification of the second
embodiment; and
21. FIG. 10 is a view in section taken along the line 10-10 in FIG.
9.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
22. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below
with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the
left- and right-hand sides of FIGS. 1 and 4 will be referred to as
"left" and "right," respectively, the lower side of FIGS. 3 and 5
as "front," and the upper side thereof as "rear."
23. FIGS. 1 to 3 show a fluid controller 1, and a channel
opening-closing handle locking device 11 of the invention.
24. The fluid controller 1 shown is a known diaphragm valve and
comprises a body 2 having an inlet pipe joint portion 3 and an
outlet pipe joint portion 4, a bonnet 5 generally in the form of a
hollow cylinder and fitted around an upper portion of the body 2, a
bonnet nut 6 for fixing the bonnet 5 to the body 2, a panel nut 7
fitted around the bonnet 5, a channel opening-closing handle 8
rotatable clockwise or counterclockwise, a valve stem 9 movable
upward or downward with the rotation of the handle 8, and a
diaphragm (not shown) for effecting or blocking communication
between an inlet passageway and an outlet passageway within the
body 2 with the upward or downward movement of the valve stem
9.
25. The inlet pipe joint portion 3 projects from the body 2
leftward, while the outlet pipe joint portion 4 projects therefrom
rightward. The handle 8, which is generally elliptical when seen
from above, has its length oriented in the left-to-right direction
and is aligned with the inlet and outlet pipe joint portions 3, 4
(the position indicated in a chain line in FIG. 2) when fully
opening the channel of the controller. When turned counterclockwise
through 90 deg from this position, the handle 8 is in a full
closing position (indicated in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, and in
a chain line in FIG. 3).
26. The locking device 11, which is adapted to lock the handle 8 in
its full closing position, comprises a support 12 having a body
fitting opening 19 and fixed to the controller body 5, a stopper 16
integral with the support 12 and engageable with the handle 8 for
preventing the rotation of the handle, and a lock 14 in combination
with a key to be possessed by a person capable of disengaging the
stopper 16.
27. The support 12 comprises a first member 15 generally U-shaped
and comprising a right wall (bottom wall) 15c, and front and rear
side walls 15a, 15b for holding the controller bonnet 5
therebetween from the front and rear sides, and a second member 13
in the form of a rod and extending between and attached to the free
ends of the front and rear side walls 15a, 15b for preventing the
first member 15 from slipping off the bonnet 5.
28. The bonnet 5, which is generally cylindrical, is locally cut to
remove outer peripheral front and rear exposed portions immediately
below the handle 8, and is thereby formed with front and rear flat
faces 5a, 5b parallel to each other and opposed respectively to the
front and rear side walls 15a, 15b of the first member 15 as shown
in FIG. 3. The spacing between the front and rear side walls 15a,
15b is approximately equal to the distance between the parallel
front and rear flat faces 5a, 5b of the bonnet 5.
29. The first member 15 is fitted from the right side around the
exposed portion of the bonnet 5 having the front and rear flat
faces 5a, 5b parallel to each other. The surface of the right wall
15c of the first member 15 in contact with the bonnet 5 is in the
form of a circular arc in horizontal section to extend along the
bonnet 5. Thus, the first member 15 and the second member 13 define
the body fitting opening 19 having an approximately rectangular
horizontal section which is arched only at the right side as seen
in FIG. 3.
30. The stopper 16 is formed on the upper side of the right wall
15c of the first member 15 so as to project upward beyond the front
and rear side walls 15a, 15b. The stopper 16 has a face 16a for
contact with the handle 8. The contact face 16a is shaped in
conformity with the shape of the right side face of the handle 8 in
the chain-line position shown in FIG. 3 to prevent the rotation of
the handle 8. The lower-end portion of the first member 15 is so
shaped as not to interfere with the exposed bonnet portion which is
not formed with the front and rear flat faces.
31. The front and rear side walls 15a, 15b of the first member 15
are formed with respective insertion bores 17 extending
therethrough in the front-to-rear direction and aligned with each
other. The second member 13, which is a pin having a head 13a, is
inserted through the bore 17 of the front side wall 15a from the
front thereof and through the bore 17 in the rear side wall 15b.
The second member 13 has a portion of reduced diameter positioned a
small distance to the rear of the front side wall 15a and formed
with a through bore 18 vertically extending therethrough. The lock
14 is attached to the second member 13 using this bore 18 for
preventing the second member 13 from slipping off. The lock 14 may
be, for example, a commercial padlock. The shackle 14a of the lock
is passed through the bore 18 and then fitted into the body of the
lock 14, whereby the front side wall 15a is held between the
shackle 14a of the lock 14 and the head 13a of the second member
13, which in turn is prevented from slipping off. Consequently, it
becomes impossible to turn the handle 8 unless the lock 14 is
released with the key.
32. The controller 1 is assembled by fitting the bonnet 5 to the
body 2 with the flat faces 5a, 5b facing toward the front and rear
respectively, fastening the bonnet 5 to the body 2 with the bonnet
nut 6, determining the full-closed position of the valve stem 9 by
moving the valve stem 9 upward or downward, and fixing the handle 8
to the valve stem 9 so that when the valve stem 9 is in its
full-closed position, the handle 8 is in the full closing position.
The handle 8 can then be locked in the full closing position as
previously mentioned. The handle 8 is made lockable in the full
opening position by fitting the bonnet 5 to the body 2 with the
flat faces 5a, 5b facing toward the left and right respectively in
assembling the controller 1 and thereafter following the same
procedure as above.
33. The contact face 16a of the stopper 16 for the handle 8 is
shaped in conformity with the shape of the right side face of the
handle 8 in its full closing position according to the embodiment
described, whereas the shape of the stopper 16 is not limited to
this but can be modified variously insofar as the stopper is
engageable with the handle 8 to prevent the rotation thereof.
Although having a generally elliptical shape when seen from above,
the handle 8 can be shaped otherwise to obtain a handle locking
device similarly insofar as it is not perfectly cylindrical. The
channel opening-closing handle, if perfectly cylindrical, may be
provided with a portion engageable with the first member, whereby a
handle locking device can be obtained with the same function as
described above.
34. FIGS. 4 to 8 show another handle locking device 21 as a second
embodiment for use with a fluid controller which is the same as in
the case of the first embodiment. Like parts are therefore
designated by like reference numerals and will not be described
repeatedly.
35. The locking device 21 is adapted to lock a channel
opening-closing handle 8 in its full closing position, and
comprises a support 22 having a rectangular body fitting opening 23
and fixed to a controller bonnet 5, a stopper 26 nonrotatably
mounted on the support 22, movable upward and downward relative
thereto and engageable with the handle 8 for preventing the
rotation of the handle, and a lock 27 in combination with a key to
be possessed by a person capable of disengaging the stopper 26.
36. The stopper support 22 is formed by a front segment (first
member) 24 and a rear segment (second member) 25 butting against
and joined to the front segment 24, the two segments having the
same shape. The stopper support 22 is in the form of a rectangular
plate in its entirety and comprises a right segment 22a having the
same height as parallel front and rear flat faces 5a, 5b of the
bonnet 5, and a left segment 22b having a smaller height than the
right segment 22a and supporting the stopper 26 thereon. The body
fitting opening 23 is formed in the right segment 22a of the
support 22, with part of the opening 23 formed also in the left
segment 22b. The left segment 22b of the stopper support 22 is
formed with a stopper fitting rectangular aperture 28 smaller than
the opening 23 in front-to-rear width and elongated in the
left-to-right direction.
37. The stopper 26 comprises a contact portion 29 extending in the
front-to-rear direction and having a right side providing a contact
face 29a for the handle 8, a horizontal base portion 30 extending
leftward from the midportion, with respect to the front-to-rear
direction, of the contact portion 29, and a vertical portion 31
extending downward from the base portion 30 and slidably fitted in
the aperture 28.
38. The contact portion 29 has a front-to-rear length equal to the
front-to-rear width of the stopper support 22. The contact face 29a
is shaped in conformity with the shape of the left side face of the
handle. The horizontal base portion 30 is greater than the stopper
fitting aperture 28 in horizontal cross sectional area, and is
supported by the inner peripheral portion of the left segment 22b
defining the aperture 28. The vertical portion 31 has a lock bore
32 extending therethrough in the front-to-rear direction.
39. The lock 27 is the same as the one used in the first
embodiment.
40. When the handle 8 is released from the lock 27, the upper
surfaces of the contact portion 29 and the base portion 30 are
flush with the upper surface of the right segment 22a of the
stopper support 22, and the stopper 26 is held out of engagement
with the handle 8 as shown in FIG. 6. The stopper 26 thus
positioned is then lifted, and the shackle 27a of the lock 27 is
passed through the lock bore 32 brought to an exposed position
above the left segment 22b of the support 22, whereby the stopper
26 is projected upward beyond the right segment 22a of the support
22 by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the shackle 27a,
into engagement with the handle 8 as shown in FIG. 4. It is
impossible to turn the handle 8 in this state unless the handle is
released from the lock 27 using the key.
41. Thus, the stopper 26 is mounted on the support 22 so as to be
movable upward or downward between an upper position (locking
position) where it is engaged with the handle 8 and a lower
position (unlocking position) where it is out of engagement with
the handle, and the locking position or the unlocking position is
alternatively selectable merely by moving the stopper 26 upward or
downward. With the first embodiment, the handle 8 can not be
unlocked unless the second member 13 is removed from the first
member 15, whereas according to the second embodiment, the handle 8
can be unlocked merely by undoing the lock 27, hence a facilitated
change-over between locking and unlocking.
42. The vertical portion 31 of the stopper 26 is formed at its
lower end with a forwardly projecting edge 31a which engages with
an edge of the apertured portion 28 when the stopper 26 is lifted
to the chain-line position shown in FIG. 6 to prevent the stopper
26 from slipping out upward.
43. As shown in greater detail in FIGS. 7 and 8, the butting
portions of the first and second members 24, 25 are formed with
recesses 33, 34 rectangular in horizontal section for forming the
body fitting opening 23 when the two members 24, 25 are joined, and
with recesses 35, 36 rectangular in horizontal section for
similarly forming the stopper fitting aperture 28. Pin bores 37, 38
extending in the front-to-rear direction are formed in respective
butting faces between the recesses 33, 34 and the recesses 35, 36.
Further a bolt hole 39 is formed in the right end of the first
member 24, and a threaded bore 40 in the right end of the second
member 25. A connecting pin 41 is tightly fitted into the bores 37,
38 of the members 24, 25, while a flat fillister head screw 42 is
inserted through the bolt hole 39 of the first member 24 and driven
into the threaded bore 40 of the second member 25, whereby the two
members 24, 25 are fastened together.
44. The lower ends of the recesses 33, 34 of the members 24, 25
forming the opening 23 are made larger than the remaining upper
portions of the recesses 33, 34 so as not to interfere with the
exposed portion of the bonnet 5 where the parallel front and rear
flat faces are not formed. Although not shown, a pin is
press-fitted in the bolt hole 39 for concealing the head of the
screw 42 for fastening the two members 24, 25 together.
45. Preferably, the first member 24 is integrally provided with a
vertical cover plate 43 extending from its underside as indicated
in chain lines in FIG. 7. When the stopper 26 is in its lower
position, the cover plate 43 is positioned in parallel to the
stopper vertical portion 31 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 to conceal
the lock bore 32. The handle 8 then can not be fastened with the
lock 27 unless the stopper 26 is lifted to its upper position. This
serves to obviate the error of fastening the stopper 26 in its
lower position with the lock 27.
* * * * *