Valve

Abstract

Provided is a valve for high-pressure gas, wherein a sheet member is provided inside a through hole formed in a valve body of the valve, wherein the sheet member constitutes a channel for high-pressure gas inside the through hole, wherein the sheet member is fixed inside the through hole by a pressing member, wherein an end opening of the through hole is closed by a lid member, wherein a gasket is provided at a peripheral part of the end opening of the through hole, wherein the gasket is sandwiched between the lid member and the valve body, wherein the lid member is pressed toward the valve body by a plug, and wherein a bearing is provided between the plug and the lid member.

Claims

1. A valve, comprising: a valve body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; and a valve chest in said valve body in communication with said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said valve having a sheet member, said sheet member being fixed to said valve chest and having a seat, wherein said valve body has a through hole in communication with said valve chest, wherein said sheet member is inserted through said through hole into said valve chest, wherein said sheet member is fixed to said valve chest inside said valve body by a pressing member, wherein an end opening of said through hole is closed by a lid member, wherein a gasket is sandwiched between said end opening and said lid member, wherein said lid member is fixed by a plug pressing said lid member toward said valve body, wherein said gasket is a metal seal, and wherein a sliding member is provided between said lid member and said plug.

2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein said sliding member is a bearing or a thrust ring.

3. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the plug surrounds said lid member.

4. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the sliding member directly contacts the plug and lid member and is configured to receive a rotational torque from the plug.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a valve according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an end opening of a through hole of FIG. 1 and shows one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

(4) A valve according to embodiments of the present invention is described below with reference to accompanying drawings.

(5) FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a valve (V).

(6) A valve body (1) comprises a fluid inlet (2), a fluid outlet (3), a valve chest (4), and a through hole (5) as shown in FIG. 1.

(7) Each fluid inlet (2), fluid outlet (3), valve chest (4), and through hole (5) are in fluid connection each other. Fluid flows from the fluid inlet (2) through the sheet member (6) inserted into the through hole (5) to a seat (7). It enters the valve chest (4) and exits the fluid outlet (3).

(8) A stem (8) slides up and down in the valve chest (4) to open and close a channel, and control the fluid.

(9) The through hole in the valve body (1) comprises the seat (7), the sheet member (6), a pressing member (9) to fix the sheet member (6) inside the through hole (5), a lid member (10) provided at an end opening of the through hole (5), a gasket (11) provided at a peripheral part of the end opening of the through hole (5), and a plug (12) to press the lid member (10) toward the valve body (1), as shown in FIG. 2.

(10) The valve (V) of the present invention may include a sliding member (13) between the plug (12) and the lid member (10) as shown in FIG. 2.

(11) A valve according to the present invention is a valve for high-pressure gas.

(12) A valve according to the present invention can be used for high-pressure fluid, such as hydrogen.

(13) “High pressure” refers to pressure by fluid at one MPa (mega Pascal) or more.

(14) In recent years, there has been a need for a valve for high-pressure fluid at more than 50 MPa (mega Pascal) thanks to development of fuel cell technology etc.

(15) The valve body (1) of the valve (V) according to the present invention comprises a fluid inlet (2), a fluid outlet (3), a valve chest (4), and a through hole (5).

(16) Each fluid inlet (2), fluid outlet (3), valve chest (4), and through hole (5) are connected. Fluid flows from the fluid inlet (2) through a sheet member (6) inserted into the through hole (5) to a seat (7). It enters the valve chest (4) and exits the fluid outlet (3).

(17) As a stem (8) slides up and down inside the valve chest (4), and a valve element (14) formed at an end of the stem contacts and discontacts the seat (7). This movement enables opening and closing of a channel, and controlling of fluid.

(18) An actuator (15) is provided in an upper part of the stem (8) in order to slide the stem (8) up and down.

(19) The actuator (15) may be either automatic or manual. The automatic actuator may be driven by an electromagnet, a motor, and air pressure, etc.

(20) The sheet member (6) is inserted into the through hole (5) provided in the valve body (1).

(21) The sheet member (6) constitutes a channel to communicate a hole provided in the seat (7) with the fluid inlet (2) when the channel is closed.

(22) The sheet member (6) is required to have long-term airtightness, wear resistant, thermal conduction, and strength and may be made either by typical carbon or metal.

(23) The sheet member (6) is fixed inside the through hole (5) by the pressing member (9).

(24) The sheet member (6) may have a step provided at a boundary between the valve chest (4) and the through hole (5) and it may be inserted into the step.

(25) As a method for fixing the pressing member (9), the through hole may be threaded and the sheet member (6) may be screwed in the threaded part.

(26) The pressing member (9) may include, but not limited to, a typically-used material such as metal.

(27) Leakage does not happen at the valve chest (4) when a valve is closed, since the sheet member (6) tightly comes into contact with the valve body (1) by the pressing member (9).

(28) A hole may be provided in the center of the pressing member (9).

(29) It enables fluid leaked from the threaded part of the pressing member (9) to flow through the hole to an original channel.

(30) An end opening of the through hole (5) is closed by the lid member (10).

(31) The lid member (10) may include, but not limited to, a typically used material such as metal.

(32) The lid member (10) is tightly connected to the end opening of the through hole (5), but it is not needed to be connected to the pressing member (9).

(33) A gasket (11) is provided at a peripheral part of the end opening of the through hole (5) to improve airtightness.

(34) The gasket (11) may include, but not limited to, a typically used material such as a metal seal since it is expected to maintain airtightness without be affected externally.

(35) The gasket is sandwiched between the lid member (10) and the valve body (1).

(36) The lid member (10) is pressed toward the valve body (1) by the plug (12).

(37) As a method for fixing the plug (12) to the valve body (1), for example, the valve body may be threaded and the plug (12) may be screwed in the threaded part of the valve body.

(38) A sliding member (13) is provided between the plug (12) and the lid member (10).

(39) When the sliding member (13) is provided, a rotational torque decreases and a rotational force is not applied to the gasket (11), resulting in less distortion.

(40) The sliding member (13) may include, but not limited to, a bearing and a thrust ring.

(41) For a valve (V) of the present invention, the sheet members (6), the pressing member (9), the lid member (10), and the plug (12) comprise separate materials, respectively, and thus stem replacement can be easy.

(42) A method for fixing by threading will be set forth but is not limited to the followings.

(43) When a stem is replaced, firstly, the plug (12) is rotated in the direction opposite to a rotational direction for attachment so that it can be removed from the valve body (1).

(44) Secondly, the lid member (10) is removed, and then the pressing member (9) is removed from the through hole (5).

(45) The pressing member (9) can be easily removed by rotating it in a direction opposite to the direction for attachment.

(46) Finally, the sheet member (6) is removed, and then the stem (8) is removed to be replaced with new stem.

(47) After replacing the stem, the sheet member, the pressing member, the lid member, and the plug are attached in this order to complete the replacement.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(48) Unlike a conventional valve, a valve of the present invention includes a gasket which is not deformed by fluid pressure and has long-term airtightness without being affected externally.

(49) Inside the through hole formed in the valve body of the valve, provided is the sheet member; wherein the sheet member constitutes a channel for high-pressure gas inside the through hole and is fixed inside the through hole by the pressing member; wherein the end opening of the through hole is covered by a lid member; wherein a gasket is provided at a peripheral part of the end opening of the through hole and is sandwiched between the lid member and the valve body; wherein the lid member is pressed toward the valve body by the plug, such configuration can provide a valve with easy stem-replacement and easy maintenance.

EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS

(50) 1 Valve Body 2 Fluid Inlet 3 Fluid Outlet 4 Valve Chest 5 Through Hole 6 Sheet Member 7 Seat 8 Stem 9 Pressing Member 10 Lid Member 11 Gasket 12 Plug 13 Sliding Member 14 Valve Element 15 Actuator V Valve