Fluid control device, joint block and manufacturing method for fluid control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11906062-B2
Application number	US-201917312232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2019
Priority date	Dec 27, 2018
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A fluid control device includes; upstream side and downstream side joint blocks defining a fluid flow path, and having engaging portions at a bottom surface side; a support member having a guide portion to which the engaging portions of the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks can be engaged; and a fluid device supported by the support member via the upstream side and the downstream side joint blocks; wherein the upstream side and the downstream side joint blocks are fixed to the guide portion by utilizing a reaction force against a bending force generated by the tightening force of fastening bolts to the upstream side and the downstream side joint blocks and the fluid device connected together, and the length of the engaging portions in the longitudinal direction of the joint blocks is formed shorter than the length of the joint blocks.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid control device comprising:
upstream side and downstream side joint blocks each having an upper surface and a bottom surface facing each other and side surfaces extending from the upper surface to the bottom surface, the joint blocks each defining a fluid flow path, defining a flow path port of the fluid flow path which opens in the upper surface, and having an engaging portion at the bottom surface;
a support member that extends linearly in a longitudinal direction and has a guide portion to which the engaging portions of the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks are engageable; and
a fluid device supported by the support member via the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks;
wherein the guide portion restrains the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks on the support member while allowing the movement of the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks in a guiding direction,
the fluid device has a body defining a fluid flow path, and the body has a bottom surface at which two flow path ports open,
a first screw hole is formed toward the bottom surface from the upper surface of the upstream side joint block, a second screw hole is formed toward the bottom surface from the upper surface of the downstream side joint block, the first and second screw holes are configured to be screwed with fastening bolts to connect the body to the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks while pressing seal members arranged around the flow path ports of the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks and the two flow path ports of the body, which are abutted against each other,
the first screw hole of the upstream side joint block is formed only on an upstream side of the flow path port of the upstream side joint block in the longitudinal direction,
the second screw hole of the downstream side joint block is formed only on a downstream side of the flow path port of the downstream joint block in the longitudinal direction,
the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks are fixed to the guide portion by utilizing a reaction force against a bending force to the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks and the body connected together generated by a tightening force of the fastening bolts, and
a length of the engaging portion in the longitudinal direction of the joint blocks is formed to be shorter than a length of the joint blocks.

2. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the joint block has a relief portion at one or both ends in the longitudinal direction.

3. A joint block, comprising:
an upper surface and a bottom surface facing each other,
side surfaces extending from the upper surface toward the bottom surface,
a fluid flow path including two flow path ports of the fluid flow path which open in the upper surface, and
an engaging portion on the bottom surface side,
wherein two screw holes, each of which is connectable with another member, are formed from the upper surface toward the bottom surface, the two screw holes are arranged between the two flow path ports in a longitudinal direction,
a length of the joint block in the longitudinal direction is formed longer than a length of the engaging portion in the longitudinal direction, and
a portion of the fluid flow path that connects the two flow path ports extends below bottoms of the two screw holes.

4. The joint block according to claim 3 , wherein the bottom surface has a relief portion at one or both ends in the longitudinal direction.

5. A manufacturing method for a fluid control device,
the fluid control device comprising:
upstream side and downstream side joint blocks each defining an upper surface and a bottom surface facing each other, side surfaces extending from the upper surface toward the bottom surface, and a fluid flow path opened on the upper surface;
the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks each having an engaging portion on the bottom surface;
a support member that has a guide portion extending linearly in the longitudinal direction in which the engaging portions of the joint blocks are engageable, and restrains the joint blocks on the support member while allowing the joint blocks to move in the longitudinal direction by the guide portion; and
a fluid device having at least two flow path ports open on a bottom surface side and fixed to the upper surfaces of the joint blocks such that the flow path ports are connected to the fluid flow paths of the joint blocks,

the manufacturing method comprising:
forming a first screw hole toward the bottom surface from the upper surface of the upstream side joint block, and forming a second screw hole toward the bottom surface from the upper surface of the downstream side joint block, the first and second screw holes being configured to be screwed with fastening bolts to connect the fluid device to the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks while pressing seal members disposed around flow path ports of the upstream side and downstream joint blocks and the two flow path ports of the fluid device, which are butted against each other;
the first screw hole of the upstream side joint block being formed only on an upstream side of the flow path port of the upstream side joint block in the longitudinal direction;
the second screw hole of the downstream side joint block being formed only on a downstream side of the flow path port of the downstream side joint block in the longitudinal direction;
forming a length of the engaging portion shorter than a length of the joint block in the longitudinal direction; and
fixing the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks to the guide portion by utilizing a reaction force against a moment generated by a tightening force of the fastening bolts and acting on the upstream side and downstream side joint blocks and the fluid device connected together.

Assignees

• Fujikin Kk

Inventors

• Harada Akihiro
• Aikawa Kenji

Classifications

• F16K27/003 Primary

  Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements · CPC title

• F15B13/0825

  the modular elements being mounted on a common member, e.g. on a rail · CPC title

• F16K31/50

  with screw-spindle {or internally threaded actuating means} · CPC title