REGULATOR

Abstract

A regulator may include a body part, a passage having a tubular shape and penetrating the body part, the passage including a first opening end serving as an introduction port for a high-pressure fluid and a second opening end serving as an outlet port for a decompressed fluid. The regulator may also include a valve seat unit including a valve seat on an inner side and a valve seat holding member including a through hole extending in an axial direction of the passage, a pressure regulating chamber disposed on an inner side of the introduction port in the passage through the valve seat unit, and a piston pressure regulating valve slidably biased in the axial direction of the passage between the pressure regulating chamber and the outlet port in the passage. The piston pressure regulating valve may include a pressure regulating valve element including a tip face capable of making intimate contact with the valve seat and a tubular communication passage with both ends open, and a piston part surrounding an outer periphery of the pressure regulating valve element on the outlet port side in the passage. The high-pressure fluid introduced through the introduction port may be introduced into the valve seat and the pressure regulating chamber facing the valve seat through the through hole formed on the valve seat holding member of the valve seat unit and taken out as the decompressed fluid from the outlet port through the communication passage of the pressure regulating valve element. The valve seat holding member may include a holding part that is a groove or a hole, the holding part including an opening exposed on the pressure regulating chamber side and an inner peripheral face having a larger diameter than the opening, the inner peripheral face being formed on at least a part of the holding part. The valve seat may include a locking body fitted into the holding part, and a valve seat main body joined and disposed along a side face of the valve seat holding member, the side face being located on the pressure regulating chamber side, and brought into intimate contact with the pressure regulating valve element, the locking body and the valve seat main body may be integrally formed, and the valve seat may be insert-molded into the valve seat holding member.

Claims

1. A regulator comprising: a body part; a passage having a tubular shape and penetrating the body part, the passage including a first opening end serving as an introduction port for a high-pressure fluid and a second opening end serving as an outlet port for a decompressed fluid; a valve seat unit including a valve seat on an inner side and a valve seat holding member including a through hole extending in an axial direction of the passage; a pressure regulating chamber disposed on an inner side of the introduction port in the passage through the valve seat unit; and a piston pressure regulating valve slidably biased in the axial direction of the passage between the pressure regulating chamber and the outlet port in the passage, the piston pressure regulating valve including: a pressure regulating valve element including a tip face capable of making intimate contact with the valve seat and a tubular communication passage with both ends open, and a piston part surrounding an outer periphery of the pressure regulating valve element on the outlet port side in the passage; wherein the high-pressure fluid introduced through the introduction port is introduced into the valve seat and the pressure regulating chamber facing the valve seat through the through hole formed on the valve seat holding member of the valve seat unit and taken out as the decompressed fluid from the outlet port through the communication passage of the pressure regulating valve element; wherein the valve seat holding member includes a holding part that is a groove or a hole, the holding part including an opening exposed on the pressure regulating chamber side and an inner peripheral face having a larger diameter than the opening, the inner peripheral face being formed on at least a part of the holding part; and wherein the valve seat includes a locking body fitted into the holding part, and a valve seat main body joined and disposed along a side face of the valve seat holding member, the side face being located on the pressure regulating chamber side, and brought into intimate contact with the pressure regulating valve element, the locking body and the valve seat main body are integrally formed, and the valve seat is insert-molded into the valve seat holding member.

2. A regulator comprising: a body part; a passage having a tubular shape and penetrating the body part, the passage including a first opening end serving as an introduction port for a high-pressure fluid and a second opening end serving as an outlet port for a decompressed fluid; a valve seat unit including a valve seat on an inner side and a valve seat holding member including a through hole extending in an axial direction of the passage; a pressure regulating chamber disposed on an inner side of the introduction port in the passage through the valve seat unit; and a piston pressure regulating valve slidably biased in the axial direction of the passage between the pressure regulating chamber and the outlet port in the passage, the piston pressure regulating valve including: a pressure regulating valve element including a tip face capable of making intimate contact with the valve seat and a tubular communication passage with both ends open, and a piston part surrounding an outer periphery of the pressure regulating valve element on the outlet port side in the passage; wherein the high-pressure fluid introduced through the introduction port is introduced into the valve seat and the pressure regulating chamber facing the valve seat through the through hole formed on the valve seat holding member of the valve seat unit and taken out as the decompressed fluid from the outlet port through the communication passage of the pressure regulating valve element; wherein the valve seat holding member includes a holding part that is a through hole having openings exposed on a side face on the introduction port side and a side face on the pressure regulating chamber side, and wherein the valve seat includes a shaft body fitted into the holding part, a locking body joined and disposed along the side face of the valve seat holding member on the introduction port side and having a larger diameter than the shaft body, and a valve seat main body joined and disposed along the side face of the valve seat holding member on the pressure regulating chamber side and having a larger diameter than the shaft body, the shaft body, the valve seat main body, and the locking body are integrally formed, and the valve seat is insert-molded into the valve seat holding member.

3. The regulator according to claim 2, wherein the holding part that is a through hole formed on the valve seat holding member expands toward the pressure regulating chamber and the introduction port.

4. The regulator according to according to claim 1, wherein the valve seat is made of super-engineering plastics.

5. The regulator according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the valve seat main body in the valve seat is equal to or larger than a diameter of a tip of the pressure regulating valve element disposed facing the valve seat main body.

6. The regulator according to claim 1, wherein a valve seat side inner peripheral tip of the pressure regulating valve element is formed in a tapered shape expanding toward the tip.

7. The regulator according to claim 2, wherein the valve seat is made of super-engineering plastics.

8. The regulator according to claim 2, wherein a diameter of the valve seat main body in the valve seat is equal to or larger than a diameter of a tip of the pressure regulating valve element disposed facing the valve seat main body.

9. The regulator according to claim 2, wherein a valve seat side inner peripheral tip of the pressure regulating valve element is formed in a tapered shape expanding toward the tip.

10. The regulator according to claim 3, wherein the valve seat is made of super-engineering plastics.

11. The regulator according to claim 3, wherein a diameter of the valve seat main body in the valve seat is equal to or larger than a diameter of a tip of the pressure regulating valve element disposed facing the valve seat main body.

12. The regulator according to claim 3, wherein a valve seat side inner peripheral tip of the pressure regulating valve element is formed in a tapered shape expanding toward the tip.

13. The regulator according to claim 4, wherein a diameter of the valve seat main body in the valve seat is equal to or larger than a diameter of a tip of the pressure regulating valve element disposed facing the valve seat main body.

14. The regulator according to claim 4, wherein a valve seat side inner peripheral tip of the pressure regulating valve element is formed in a tapered shape expanding toward the tip.

15. The regulator according to claim 5, wherein a valve seat side inner peripheral tip of the pressure regulating valve element is formed in a tapered shape expanding toward the tip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a state when a valve is closed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a state when the valve is open in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0021] FIGS. 3A to 3D illustrate a valve seat unit in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein FIG. 3A is a longitudinal sectional view of a valve seat, FIG. 3B is a longitudinal sectional view of a valve seat holding member, FIG. 3C is a longitudinal sectional view of the valve seat unit, and FIG. 3D is perspective view of the valve seat unit;

[0022] FIGS. 4A to 4C are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of a manufacturing process of the valve seat unit illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3D, wherein FIG. 4A is a sectional view of a state in which the valve seat holding member is attached to an insert molding machine, FIG. 4B is a sectional view of a state in which resin forming the valve seat is injected, and FIG. 4C is a sectional view of a state in which the valve seat unit is completed;

[0023] FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating still another embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating a state when a valve is closed in a conventional example;

[0026] FIG. 8 is a sectional view illustrating a state when the valve is open in the conventional example illustrated in FIG. 7;

[0027] FIG. 9 is a sectional view illustrating another conventional example; and

[0028] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a failure example in the conventional example illustrated in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Hereinbelow, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0030] FIGS. 1 and 2 are sectional views of a preferred embodiment in the present invention. The entire configuration of the present embodiment is substantially similar to the conventional example illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10, and detailed description of the similar part will be omitted. Further, elements identical to the elements of the conventional example are designated by the same reference signs as the conventional example in description.

[0031] A particular difference from the conventional example is the configuration of a valve seat unit 3. As illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3D, the valve seat unit 3 in the present embodiment includes a valve seat 4 which includes a shaft body 41, a locking body 42, and a valve seat main body 43. The shaft body 41 is fitted into a holding part 51 of a valve seat holding member 5. The holding part 51 is a through hole having openings exposed on a side face 53 of the valve seat holding member 5, the side face 53 being located on an introduction port 21 side, and a side face 54 of the valve seat holding member 5, the side face 54 being located on a pressure regulating chamber 25 side. The locking body 42 is joined and disposed along the side face 53 of the valve seat holding member 5 and has a larger diameter than the shaft body 41. The valve seat main body 43 is joined and disposed along the side face 54 of the valve seat holding member 5 and has a larger diameter than the shaft body 41, the side face 54 being located on the pressure regulating chamber 25 side. The shaft body 41, the locking body 42, and the valve seat main body 43 are integrally formed.

[0032] The valve seat unit 3 in the present embodiment requires the valve seat 4 made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin. In particular, the valve seat 4 is preferably made of conventionally-known engineering plastics or conventionally-known super-engineering plastics. For example, the valve seat 4 and the valve seat holding member 5 are integrally formed by insert molding as illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4C.

[0033] Specifically, the valve seat 4 of the present embodiment is, for example, formed by insert molding in which the valve seat holding member 5 which is previously formed by a predetermined forming method such as cutting or casting is attached between metal molds M1, M2 for insert molding (refer to FIG. 4A), resin is filled into a cavity (refer to FIG. 4B), and the integrated body of the valve seat 4 and the valve seat holding member 5 is taken out after the resin is cured (refer to FIG. 4C).

[0034] FIGS. 4A to 4C merely illustrate an example of a manufacturing process by insert molding and do not illustrate an air vent hole formed on the metal molds M1, M2.

[0035] A minute gap may be formed between the valve seat 4 and the valve seat holding member 5 due to shrinkage during curing depending on the material of the valve seat 4 (not illustrated). However, passage of a high-pressure fluid through the minute gap does not hinder a function as the valve seat unit 3 when a valve is closed. Instead, the minute gap enables automatic alignment, which further improves the accuracy.

[0036] Although the valve seat holding member 5 is preferably made of metal, the valve seat holding member 5 may be made of a hard resin or another hard material.

[0037] The valve seat unit 3 used in the present embodiment having the above configuration makes it possible to eliminate the necessity of a separate member for attachment required in the conventional example and reduce procurement and management of components and the manufacturing process. As a result, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost. Further, attachment and use accuracy are excellent, and there is no fear of coming-off.

[0038] In the present embodiment, the holding part 51, which is a through hole formed on the valve seat holding member 5, expands toward the pressure regulating chamber 25 and the introduction port 21. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately fix the valve seat 4 to a predetermined position and prevent the valve seat 4 from moving in the axial direction.

[0039] Further, in the present embodiment, the valve seat 4 is made of engineering plastics or super-engineering plastics. Thus, there are advantages in that the valve seat 4 has a high wear resistance, is lightweight, does not rust, can be accurately molded, is suitable for mass production, and, in particular, is resistant to fuel to be used and to high temperature.

[0040] FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. A valve seat holding member 5 in the present embodiment includes a holding part 51 which is a groove including an opening 55 exposed on the pressure regulating chamber 25 side and an inner peripheral face 56 having a larger diameter than the opening 55, the inner peripheral face 56 being formed on at least a part of the holding part 51. A valve seat 4 includes a locking body 42 and a valve seat main body 43. The locking body 42 is fitted into the holding part 51. The valve seat main body 43 is joined and disposed along a side face 54 of the valve seat holding member 5, the side face 54 being located on the pressure regulating chamber 25 side, and brought into intimate contact with the pressure regulating valve element 6. The locking body 42 and the valve seat main body 43 are integrally formed. The valve seat 4 is insert-molded into the valve seat holding member 5.

[0041] FIG. 6 illustrates a still another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, since the diameter of the valve seat main body 43 in the valve seat 4 is equal to or larger than the diameter of the tip of the pressure regulating valve element 6 which is disposed facing the valve seat main body 43, opening and closing actions can be reliably performed. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a tip face 61 of the pressure regulating valve element 6, the tip face 61 facing the valve seat 4, is formed in a tapered shape expanding toward the tip. Thus, the valve seat 4 and the pressure regulating valve element 6 can be reliably brought into intimate contact with each other and closed.