U.S. patent application number 09/822339 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-25 for diaphragm-type solenoid valve.
This patent application is currently assigned to SMC CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Dickman, Robert W., Yoshimura, Shinichi.
Application Number | 20010032946 09/822339 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18633218 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010032946 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dickman, Robert W. ; et
al. |
October 25, 2001 |
Diaphragm-type solenoid valve
Abstract
A diaphragm-type solenoid valve has a valve body 3 fixed onto a
base, a diaphragm 4 for opening and closing a valve seat 13
provided to an inner end of a second port 12, a plate 5 for forming
a driving chamber 14 between the plate 5 and the diaphragm
sandwiched between the plate 5 and the valve body 3, and a pilot
valve 6 for supplying pilot fluid pressure to the driving chamber
14. In the diaphragm, a disc 20 is encapsulated in a portion facing
the port 12, a sealing rib 21 corresponding to the valve seat is
provided, and cushion projecting portions 22 and 23 for coming in
contact with cushion receiving portions 32 and 33 of the plate 5 in
valve opening are formed behind the portion where the disc is
encapsulated.
Inventors: |
Dickman, Robert W.;
(Tsukuba-gun, JP) ; Yoshimura, Shinichi;
(Tsukuba-gun, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OBLON SPIVAK MCCLELLAND MAIER & NEUSTADT PC
FOURTH FLOOR
1755 JEFFERSON DAVIS HIGHWAY
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
US
|
Assignee: |
SMC CORPORATION
16-4, Shinbashi 1-chome
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
18633218 |
Appl. No.: |
09/822339 |
Filed: |
April 2, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
251/30.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 137/87209 20150401;
F16K 31/402 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
251/30.01 |
International
Class: |
F16K 031/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 24, 2000 |
JP |
2000-122776 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A diaphragm-type solenoid valve comprising a valve body having a
first port and a second port for main fluid in a mounting face to
be mounted to a base, a valve seat mounted in a flow path
connecting both said ports, a diaphragm for opening and closing
said valve seat, a plate for sandwiching and fixing an outer
peripheral portion of said diaphragm between said plate and said
valve body, a driving chamber formed between said plate and said
diaphragm to be separated from said flow path, and a pilot valve
disposed on said plate to supply pilot fluid different from said
main fluid to said driving chamber, wherein said diaphragm has a
central main body portion for opening and closing said valve seat
and an elastic support portion surrounding said main body portion,
a disc is encapsulated in said main body portion, a sealing rib for
coming in contact with and separating from said valve seat is
provided to one face of said main body portion, and a cushion
projecting portion for coming in contact with a cushion receiving
portion of said plate in valve opening is formed on a back face of
said main body portion.
2. A diaphragm-type solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein
diaphragm receiving faces in shapes patterned on a shape of said
elastic support portion are formed on opposed faces of said valve
body and said plate facing said elastic support portion of said
diaphragm and said elastic support portion comes in contact with
said diaphragm receiving faces in opening and closing of said
diaphragm to thereby prevent excessive deformation of said
diaphragm.
3. A diaphragm-type solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein
said first port is in an annular shape and said second port opens
at a center of said first port.
4. A diaphragm-type solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein a
pilot air supply hole and a pilot exhaust hole communicating with
said pilot valve are provided to said mounting face of said valve
body.
5. A diaphragm-type solenoid valve complex body formed by mounting
one diaphragm-type solenoid valve according to claim 1 onto a base
having a supply port and an output port for main fluid and
connecting each of said first and second ports to one of said
supply port and said output port so as to have a function of a
two-port valve by said solenoid valve and said base.
6. A diaphragm-type solenoid valve complex body formed by mounting
a plurality of diaphragm-type solenoid valves according to claim 1
onto a base having a supply port, at least one output port, and a
discharge port for main fluid and connecting said supply port, said
output port, and said discharge port to first and second ports of
said respective solenoid valves by a connecting path in said base
so as to have a function of a three-port valve by said plurality of
solenoid valves and said base.
7. A diaphragm-type solenoid valve complex body according to claim
6, wherein said base has first and second two output ports, first
to fourth four diaphragm-type solenoid valves are mounted onto said
base, said first ports of said first and second solenoid valves are
respectively connected to said supply port, said second ports of
said third and fourth solenoid valves are respectively connected to
said discharge port, said second port of said first solenoid valve
and said first port of said third solenoid valve are connected to
said first output port, and said second port of said second
solenoid valve and said first port of said fourth solenoid valve
are connected to said second output port.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a diaphragm-type solenoid
valve which is for use with various flow path structures by
mounting the required number of solenoid valves onto a base and
which is suitable for supplying and discharging special medical
fluid which must not include foreign matter.
PRIOR ART
[0002] A diaphragm-type solenoid valve is conventionally known as a
valve which can easily suppress inclusion of foreign matter or the
like by independently forming a flow path for main fluid. However,
because the diaphragm-type solenoid valve is generally formed as a
single solenoid valve, it is difficult to easily connect the
solenoid valve so as to obtain various flow path structures.
[0003] If the diaphragm-type valve is used for a flow path for
fluid which must not include foreign matter or which is toxic, it
is necessary to give sufficient consideration such that the
diaphragm is not damaged due to fatigue or the like.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention has been accomplished to solve the
above problems and it is basically a technical object of the
invention to provide a diaphragm-type solenoid valve by which
various flow path structures can be obtained by making it possible
to mount valve bodies of the required number of diaphragm-type
solenoid valves to a base having a proper flow path.
[0005] It is another technical object of the invention to provide a
diaphragm-type solenoid valve in which a sliding portion and
excessive deformation are generated nowhere in operation of a
diaphragm and the diaphragm can be prevented from being damaged due
to fatigue or the like.
[0006] To achieve the above objects, according to the invention,
there is provided a diaphragm-type solenoid valve comprising a
valve body having a first port and a second port in a mounting face
to be mounted to a base, a valve seat mounted in a flow path
connecting both the ports, a diaphragm for opening and closing the
valve seat, a plate for sandwiching and fixing an outer peripheral
portion of the diaphragm between the plate and the valve body, a
driving chamber formed between the plate and the diaphragm to be
separated from the flow path, and a pilot valve disposed on the
plate to supply pilot fluid different from the main fluid to the
driving chamber.
[0007] The diaphragm has a central main body portion for opening
and closing the valve seat and an elastic support portion
surrounding the main body portion, a disc is encapsulated in the
main body portion, a sealing rib for coming in contact with and
separating from the valve seat is provided to one face of the main
body portion, and a cushion projecting portion for coming in
contact with a cushion receiving portion of the plate in valve
opening is formed on a back face of the main body portion.
[0008] In the diaphragm-type solenoid valve, diaphragm receiving
faces in shapes patterned on a shape of the elastic support portion
are formed on opposed faces of the valve body and the plate facing
the elastic support portion of the diaphragm and the elastic
support portion comes in contact with the diaphragm receiving faces
in opening and closing of the diaphragm to thereby prevent
excessive deformation of the diaphragm.
[0009] In the invention, it is preferable that the first port is in
an annular shape and the second port opens at a center of the first
port.
[0010] It is preferable that a pilot air supply hole and a pilot
exhaust hole communicating with the pilot valve are provided to the
mounting face of the valve body.
[0011] According to the invention, there is provided a
diaphragm-type solenoid valve complex body formed by mounting one
diaphragm-type solenoid valve onto a base having a supply port and
an output port for main fluid and connecting each of the first and
second ports to one of the supply port and the output port so as to
have a function of a two-port valve by the solenoid valve and the
base.
[0012] There is provided a diaphragm-type solenoid valve complex
body formed by mounting a plurality of diaphragm-type solenoid
valves onto a base having a supply port, at least one output port,
and a discharge port for main fluid and connecting the supply port,
the output port, and the discharge port to first and second ports
of the respective solenoid valves by a connecting path in the base
so as to have a function of a three-port valve by the plurality of
solenoid valves and the base.
[0013] According to a concrete embodiment of the three-port valve,
the base has first and second two output ports, first to fourth
four diaphragm-type solenoid valves are mounted onto the base, the
first ports of the first and second solenoid valves are
respectively connected to the supply port, the second ports of the
third and fourth solenoid valves are respectively connected to the
discharge port, the second port of the first solenoid valve and the
first port of the third solenoid valve are connected to the first
output port, and the second port of the second solenoid valve and
the first port of the fourth solenoid valve are connected to the
second output port.
[0014] In the diaphragm-type solenoid valve of the invention,
because the disc is encapsulated in the main body portion of the
diaphragm and the cushion projecting portion for coming in contact
with the cushion receiving portion provided to the plate in valve
opening is formed behind the main body portion, impact force acting
on the diaphragm in valve opening can be absorbed to protect the
diaphragm. Furthermore, because the diaphragm receiving faces for
preventing excessive deformation of the diaphragm when the
diaphragm is pressed by operating force of the fluid are formed at
faces of the valve body and the plate opposed to the main body
portion, excessive deformation is generated nowhere in operation of
the diaphragm and the diaphragm can be prevented to the utmost from
being damaged due to fatigue or the like.
[0015] By mounting the diaphragm-type solenoid valve on a base
having a flow path connected to the first and second ports to open
and close the flow path, it is possible to form a complex valve
having a function of a two-port valve or a three-port valve by the
diaphragm-type solenoid valve and the base to obtain various flow
path structures according to the flow path provided in the
base.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of a
diaphragm-type solenoid valve according to the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the diaphragm-type solenoid
valve.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the
diaphragm-type solenoid valve according to the invention.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of a state in
which the diaphragm-type solenoid valves of the invention are
mounted to a base.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a fluid circuit diagram showing a connecting state
of the diaphragm-type solenoid valves by the base in FIG. 4 by
using symbols.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another example of the state
in which the diaphragm-type solenoid valves of the invention are
mounted to the base.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a fluid circuit diagram showing a connecting state
of the diaphragm-type solenoid valves by the base in FIG. 6 by
using symbols.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a diaphragm-type solenoid
valve according to the present invention.
[0024] The diaphragm-type solenoid valve 1 of the first embodiment
is used in a state in which the valve is mounted onto a base 2, and
more specifically, a base 2A or 2B which will be described later by
means of FIGS. 4 and 6. The solenoid valve 1 includes a valve body
3 having in a mounting face 3a to be fixed to the base a first port
11 and a second port 12 communicating with two flow paths 2a and 2b
opening on the base, a valve seat 13 formed at a mouth edge portion
of the second port 12 in a flow path connecting both the ports 11
and 12, a diaphragm 4 for opening and closing the valve seat 13, a
plate 5 for sandwiching and fixing an outer peripheral portion of
the diaphragm 4 between the plate 5 and the valve body 3, a driving
chamber 14 formed between the plate 5 and the diaphragm 4 to be
separated from the flow path, and a pilot valve 6 disposed on the
plate 5 to supply pilot fluid which is different from main fluid to
the driving chamber 14. A diaphragm valve main body formed of the
valve body 3, the diaphragm 4, and the plate 5 is assembled by
seating the diaphragm 4 on the valve body 3, placing the plate 5 on
the diaphragm 4, and fastening the plate 5 to the valve body 3.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 2, the first port 11 is in an annular
shape, the second port 12 is provided to a central portion of the
first port 11, a peripheral wall of the first port 11 and a
peripheral wall of the second port 12 are connected to each other
by a plurality of bridges 15 positioned in radial directions, and
the valve seat 13 is provided to a periphery of an inner end of the
second port 12. However, the valve seat 13 may be provided to the
first port 11 side or to inner ends of both the ports 11 and 12. In
the mounting face 3a of the valve body 3, a pilot air supply hole
16 and a pilot exhaust hole 17 open outside the first port 11.
[0026] The diaphragm 4 is made of material having rubber elasticity
and has a central main body portion 4a for opening and closing the
valve seat 13 and an annular elastic support portion 4b surrounding
the main body portion 4a. In the main body portion 4a, a hard disc
20 is encapsulated. The disc 20 is formed to be slightly larger
than a diameter of the valve seat 13. A sealing rib 21 is formed on
one face of the main body portion 4a to face the valve seat 13 at a
peripheral portion of the disc 20 and a cushion projecting portion
22 in a central position and the large number of small cushion
projecting portions 23 at a peripheral portion are formed
respectively on a back face of the main body portion 4a. The
cushion projecting portions 22 and 23 come in contact with cushion
receiving portions 32 and 33 provided to the plate 5 in valve
opening when the diaphragm 4 separates from the valve body 3 and
absorb impact force acting on the diaphragm 4 in valve opening.
[0027] An inner bottom of an annular groove formed around the
protruding cushion receiving portion 32 at the plate 5 is formed as
a spring seat 34 and a return spring 35 is disposed between the
spring seat 34 and a periphery of the cushion projecting portion 23
of the diaphragm 4.
[0028] Furthermore, connecting holes 24 and 25 are respectively
formed in positions of a periphery of the diaphragm 4 corresponding
to the pilot air supply hole 16 and the pilot exhaust hole 17 of
the valve body 3.
[0029] The plate 5 for airtightlv sandwiching the diaphragm 4
between the Plate 5 and the valve body 3 has a flow path for
supplying pilot fluid pressure to the driving chamber 14 by the
pilot valve 6 disposed on the plate 5. The flow path is formed of
an air supply flow path 36 for connecting the pilot air supply hole
16 provided to the valve body 3 to a supply port 41 of the pilot
valve 6, an output flow path 37 for connecting an output port 42 of
the pilot valve 6 to the driving chamber 14, and an exhaust flow
path 38 for connecting an exhaust port 43 of the pilot valve 6 to
the pilot exhaust hole 17 of the valve body 3.
[0030] The pilot valve 6 has a movable core 47 attracted to a fixed
core 46 by energizing a solenoid 45. An exhaust-side valve body 48
provided to the movable core 47 faces a pilot exhaust valve seat
provided to the exhaust port 43 and an air supply-side valve body
49 connected to the exhaust-side valve body 48 through a pressing
lever (not shown) faces a pilot air supply valve seat provided to
the supply port 41. A reference numeral 51 in FIG. 1 designates a
manual operation member for use when the movable core 47 does not
operate, 52 designates a feeding socket, 53 designates a receiving
terminal, and 54 designates a substrate on which electronic parts
are placed.
[0031] Opposed faces of the valve body 3 and the plate 5 facing the
elastic support portion 4b of the diaphragm 4 are formed with
diaphragm receiving faces 19 and 39 in shapes patterned on a shape
of the elastic support portion 4b. When the diaphragm 4 is pushed
by operating force of fluid in opening and closing of the diaphragm
4, the elastic support portion 4b comes in contact with the
diaphragm receiving faces 19 and 39 to thereby prevent excessive
deformation of the diaphragm 4. The diaphragm 4 in FIG. 1 is shown
in a state in which the diaphragm 4 is pressed against the
diaphragm receiving face 19 of the valve body 3 by fluid pressure
in the driving chamber 14 and the diaphragm shown with a chain line
in FIG. 3 is shown in a state in which the diaphragm is pressed
against the diaphragm receiving face 39 of the plate 5 by fluid
pressure on the sides of the first and second ports 11 and 12.
[0032] In the diaphragm-type solenoid valve 1 having the above
structure, when the solenoid 45 of the pilot valve 6 is not
energized, the valve seat provided to the exhaust port 43 is closed
with the exhaust-side valve body 48 as the movable core 47 is
returned by the spring and at the same time, the valve seat
provided to the supply port 41 is opened by the air supply-side
valve body 49, and pilot fluid pressure from the pilot air supply
hole 16 is supplied from the air supply flow path 36 and the supply
port 41 through the output port 42 and the output flow path 37 to
the driving chamber 14 as shown in FIG. 1. As a result, the
diaphragm 4 is pressed toward the valve body 3 by pilot fluid
pressure in the driving chamber 14 and biasing force of the return
spring 35 to close the valve seat 13 and to close the flow path
between the first and second ports.
[0033] The pilot fluid pressure supplied to and discharged from the
driving chamber 14 may be about the same as pressure of main fluid
flowing between the first and second ports 11 and 12 or may be
higher than the pressure of the main fluid if necessary.
[0034] On the other hand, when the solenoid 45 is energized, the
valve seat provided to the exhaust port 43 is opened by the
exhaust-side valve body 48 and at the same time, the valve seat
provided to the supply port 41 is closed with the air supply-side
valve body 49, the pilot fluid pressure in the driving chamber 14
is introduced from the output flow path 37 and the output port 42
through a periphery of the pressing lever into a valve chamber
where the exhaust-side valve body 48 exists and discharged outside
from the valve seat provided to the exhaust port 43 through the
exhaust flow path 38 and the pilot exhaust hole 17. As a result,
the fluid pressure of the main fluid of the first or second port 11
or 12 presses the diaphragm 4 toward the driving chamber 14 against
the biasing force of the return spring 35 to open the valve seat 13
and to open the flow path between the first and second ports.
[0035] Because the driving chamber 14 and the flow path for the
main fluid between the first and second ports 11 and 12 are
separated by the diaphragm 4, the diaphragm-type solenoid valve can
be applied to medical main fluid or other various main fluid.
Because the disc 20 is encapsulated in the main body portion 4a for
opening and closing the valve seat 13 at a center of the diaphragm
4 and the cushion projecting portions 22 and 23 for coming in
contact with the cushion receiving portions 32 and 33 provided to
the plate 5 in valve opening are formed on the back face of the
main body portion 4a, impact force acting on the diaphragm 4 in
valve opening can be absorbed to protect the diaphragm 4.
[0036] Furthermore, because the diaphragm receiving faces 19 and 39
are formed at the valve body 3 and the plate 5 such that the
elastic support portion 4b comes in contact with and is supported
by the diaphragm receiving faces 19 and 39 in opening and closing
of the diaphragm 4, excessive deformation is generated nowhere in
operation of the diaphragm 4 and the diaphragm 4 can be prevented
to the utmost from being damaged due to fatigue.
[0037] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the diaphragm-type
solenoid valve according to the invention. The second embodiment is
different from the first embodiment in that the diaphragm 4 is not
provided with the return spring 35.
[0038] In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the
diaphragm 4 is pressed toward the valve body 3 by only operating
force of the pilot fluid in the driving chamber 14. Therefore, in
order to close the valve seat 13 to reliably close the flow path
between the first and second ports, it is preferable that pressure
of pilot fluid supplied to the driving chamber 14 is higher than
pressure of main fluid flowing between the first and second ports
11 and 12.
[0039] Because there is no difference in other structures and
operation between the second embodiment and the first embodiment,
main portions in the drawing are provided with the same reference
numerals as those in the first embodiment to omit description of
them.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows a state in which a plurality of diaphragm-type
solenoid valves 1A to 1D are mounted onto a base 2A having a supply
port P, output ports A and B, and a discharge port E to form a
diaphragm-type solenoid valve complex body having a function of a
three-port valve from the solenoid valves 1A to 1D and the base 2A
and FIG. 5 shows a state in which the respective ports and the
solenoid valves 1A to 1D are connected through connecting paths in
the base 2A by using symbols.
[0041] In other words, in positions corresponding to the respective
solenoid valves 1A to 1D on a solenoid valve mounting face of the
base 2A, openings communicating with the respective ports P, A, B,
and E are provided while being connected to have special
relationships through the connecting paths in the base 2A, though
the openings are not especially shown in the drawings. If the
solenoid valves 1A to 1D are mounted to the mounting face, the
first and second ports 11 and 12 of the respective solenoid valves
are connected to the respective openings.
[0042] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the first ports 11 of the
first and second solenoid valves 1A and 1B are respectively
connected to the supply port P, the second ports 12 of the third
and fourth solenoid valves 1C and 1D are respectively connected to
the discharge port E, the second port 12 of the first solenoid
valve 1A and the first port 11 of the third solenoid valve 1C are
connected to the first output port A, and the second port 12 of the
second solenoid valve 1B and the first port 11 of the fourth
solenoid valve 1D are connected to the second output port B.
Therefore, the first and second solenoid valves 1A and 1B
respectively have functions of supplying or not supplying fluid
from the supply port P to the output ports A and B and the third
and fourth solenoid valves 1C and 1D respectively have functions of
discharging or not discharging fluid of the output ports A and
B.
[0043] The base 2A is formed with a supply port and a discharge
port for pilot fluid, openings communicating with the respective
ports are formed on the solenoid valve mounting face, and the
openings are connected to the pilot air supply holes 16 and the
pilot exhaust holes 17 of the respective solenoid valves.
[0044] FIG. 6 shows a state in which a plurality of diaphragm-type
solenoid valves 1A to 1D are mounted onto another base 2B and FIG.
7 shows a state in which the respective ports provided to the base
2B and the solenoid valves 1A to 1D are connected through
connecting paths in the base 2B by using symbols.
[0045] A structure shown in FIG. 6 is different only in that the
base 2B has solenoid mounting faces on its two opposed faces and
has two solenoid valves on each face and that the supply port P and
the discharge port E separately open in the two opposed faces of
the base and the structure in FIG. 6 is substantially the same as
that in FIG. 4 in relationships of connection between the
respective ports P, A, B, and E on the base 2B and the first and
second ports 11 and 12 in the respective solenoid valves 1A to
1D.
[0046] Besides the examples in FIGS. 4 and 6, it is also possible
to mount two diaphragm-type solenoid valves on a base having a
supply port P, one output port A, and a discharge port E to form a
diaphragm-type solenoid valve complex body having a function of a
three-port valve or it is possible to mount one diaphragm-type
solenoid valve on a base having two ports to form a diaphragm-type
solenoid valve complex body having a function of a two-port
valve.
[0047] As described above, according to the diaphragm-type solenoid
valve having the above structure, it is possible to mount a single
diaphragm-type solenoid valve or a combination of a plurality of
diaphragm-type solenoid valves on a base having a proper flow path
to form a diaphragm-type solenoid valve complex body having a
function of a two-port valve, a three-port valve or other arbitrary
functions according to the flow path formed in the base. According
to the flow path provided in the base, it is possible to apply
various flow path structures.
[0048] According to the diaphragm-type solenoid valve of the
invention which has been described above in detail, it is possible
to obtain various flow path structures by mounting the valve bodies
of the required number of diaphragm-type solenoid valves to the
base having the proper flow path and to obtain a diaphragm-type
solenoid valve in which a sliding portion and excessive deformation
are generated nowhere in operation of the diaphragm and the
diaphragm can be prevented from being damaged due to fatigue or the
like.
* * * * *