Valve device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11067181-B2
Application number	US-201916556792-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2019
Priority date	Apr 6, 2015
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A valve device includes: a valve having a ball surface having a convex spherical shape, and a first opening opened in the ball surface to allow fluid to pass through; and a seat having an annular shape and opposing the ball surface to be in sliding contact, the seat being pressed against the ball surface, the seat having a second opening to communicate with the first opening. The seat has a sealing surface in a sliding contact with the ball surface at a valve closed time when the ball surface and the second opening overlap with each other, and a seat contact surface in a sliding contact with an opening inner wall surface or an opening end surface of the first opening at a valve opened time when the first opening and the second opening overlap with each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve device comprising:
a valve having a ball surface having a convex spherical shape protruding outward in a radial direction with a center corresponding to a rotation axis, and a first opening opened in the ball surface to allow fluid to pass through; and
a seat having an annular shape and opposing to be in sliding contact with the ball surface, the seat being pressed against the ball surface, the seat having a second opening being able to communicate with the first opening, wherein the valve is made to move both-way in a rotational direction to perform at least open and close operation,
a clearance is defined by the seat and the valve to make an area in which the seat and the valve are in sliding contact at a valve open time when the first opening and the second opening overlap with each other to be smaller than an area in which the seat and the valve are in sliding contact at a valve closed time when the ball surface and the second opening overlap with each other,
the seat is in sliding contact with the valve at the valve open time,
the ball surface has first and second ridge parts protruding outward in the radial direction, and the first and second ridge parts are separated along a direction along the rotation axis and extend in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis, and
the clearance is defined by the first and second ridge parts and a seal surface of the seat in sliding contact with the ball surface at the valve closed time.

2. The valve device according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first and second ridge parts protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the valve.

3. The valve device according to claim 1 , wherein
the seat has an annular seat contact surface along the ridge parts,
each of the first and second ridge parts has a ball contact surface in sliding contact with an inner periphery of the annular seat contact surface, and
the ball contact surface and the inner periphery of the annular seat contact surface are in sliding contact with each other while the clearance is secured at the valve open time, and the ball surface of the valve and the inner periphery of the annular seat contact surface are in contact with each other at the valve closed time.

4. The valve device according to claim 1 , wherein
the clearance is formed along an outer periphery of the first opening.

5. The valve device according to claim 4 , wherein
each of the first and second ridge parts has a chamfering part on a side away from the first opening, and
the chamfering part has a taper shape inclined to gradually increase a thickness of each of the first and second ridge parts outward in the radial direction as approaching a top surface of the ridge parts.

6. The valve device according to claim 4 , wherein
the valve has a chamfering part along an opening periphery of the first opening, and
the chamfering part has a slope surface in which an opening area of the first opening increases gradually outward in the radial direction of the valve.

7. The valve device according to claim 4 , wherein
each of the first and second ridge parts is provided along a periphery of the first opening.

8. The valve device according to claim 4 , wherein
the seat has a seat contact surface along each of the first and second ridge parts,
each of the first and second ridge parts has a ball contact surface in sliding contact with the seat contact surface, and
the ball contact surface and the seat contact surface are in sliding contact with each other while the clearance is secured at the valve open time.

9. The valve device according to claim 8 , wherein
each of the first and second ridge parts is a convex part protruding outward in the radial direction, and
the seat contact surface is a concave part recessed inward in the radial direction.

10. A valve device comprising:
a valve having a ball surface having a convex spherical shape protruding outward in a radial direction with a center corresponding to a rotation axis, and a first opening opened in the ball surface to allow fluid to pass through; and
a seat having an annular shape and opposing to be in sliding contact with the ball surface, the seat being pressed against the ball surface, the seat having a second opening being able to communicate with the first opening, wherein the valve is made to move both-way in a rotational direction to perform at least open and close operation,
a clearance is defined by the seat and the valve to make an area in which the seat and the valve are in sliding contact at a valve open time when the first opening and the second opening overlap with each other smaller than an area in which the seat and the valve are in sliding contact at a valve closed time when the ball surface and the second opening overlap with each other,
the seat is in sliding contact with the valve at the valve open time,
the ball surface has first and second ridge parts protruding outward in the radial direction along a periphery of the first opening, and
the first and second ridge parts are separated along a direction along the rotation axis and extend in in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis of the valve.

11. The valve device according to claim 10 , wherein
the seat has an annular seat contact surface along each of the first and second ridge parts,
each of the first and second ridge parts has a ball contact surface in sliding contact with an inner periphery of the annular seat contact surface, and
the ball contact surface and the inner periphery of the annular seat contact surface are in sliding contact with each other while the clearance is secured at the valve open time, and the ball surface of the valve and the inner periphery of the annular seat contact surface are in contact with each other at the valve closed time.

12. The valve device according to claim 10 , wherein
the clearance is formed along an outer periphery of the first opening.

13. The valve device according to claim 12 , wherein
each of the first and second ridge parts has a chamfering part on a side opposite from the first opening, and
the chamfering part has a taper shape inclined to gradually increase a thickness of each of the first and second ridge parts outward in the radial direction as approaching a top surface of each of the first and second ridge parts.

14. The valve device according to claim 12 , wherein
the valve has a chamfering part along an opening periphery of the first opening, and
the chamfering part has a slope surface in which an opening area of the first opening increases gradually outward in the radial direction of the valve.

15. The valve device according to claim 12 , wherein
the seat has a seat contact surface along each of the first and second ridge parts,
each of the first and second ridge parts has a ball contact surface in sliding contact with the seat contact surface, and
the ball contact surface and the seat contact surface are in sliding contact with each other while the clearance is secured at the valve open time.

16. The valve device according to claim 15 , wherein
each of the first and second ridge parts is a convex part protruding outward in the radial direction, and
the seat contact surface is a concave part recessed inward in the radial direction.

17. A valve device comprising:
a valve having a ball surface having a convex spherical shape protruding outward in a radial direction with a center corresponding to a predetermined rotation axis, and a first opening opened in the ball surface to allow fluid to pass throug

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Yutani Kentaro
• Kataoka Takumi
• Seko Naohito

Classifications

• F16K5/202 Primary

  with conical surfaces · CPC title

• F16K5/0605 Primary

  with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means · CPC title

• F16K37/0041

  for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K5/0668

  Single packings · CPC title

• F16K5/201

  with the housing or parts of the housing mechanically pressing the seal against the plug · CPC title