JPH01176880A - Valve stem position detecting mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent projection of a valve stem detecting mechanism from the casing by securing the final gear in a gear train to the valve stem base end section of a gate valve while securing a permanent magnet to the final gear and a magnetic sensor to the inner face of the casing. CONSTITUTION:The initial stage gear 41 in a gear train 41-46 is secured to the output shaft 47 of a drive motor 13c. The final stage gear 46 is secured to the extended section 48 of a valve stem which is formed by projecting the base end section of the valve stem 13a of a mixing valve B into a casing 40. In a valve position detecting mechanism E, a permanent disc magnet 50 is applied onto the upper face of the final stage gear 46 while a magnetic sensor 51 is fixed to the inner face of the casing 40 at a position close to the permanent magnet 50.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (A) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a valve stem position detection mechanism that can accurately detect the position of the valve stem of various on-off valves.

(B) Conventional technology Conventionally, for example, as a valve drive device for driving the valve shaft of an on-off valve used for a hot water mixing faucet, as shown in FIG. Another example is one in which the gear d of the first stage of a multi-stage gear train constituting the reduction gear C is fixed, and the final gear e of the gear train is fixed to the base end of the valve shaft f of an on-off valve.

With this configuration, the valve shaft f of the on-off valve can be rotated at an extremely low speed, and the opening/closing angle of the on-off valve can be precisely and finely adjusted.

In addition, in recent years, in order to improve the control performance of such hot water mixing faucets, the base end of the valve shaft f is extended to pass through the casing g of the reduction gear C, and a permanent magnet i is attached to the extended part. A magnetic sensor j, etc. is attached to an external position of the casing g adjacent to the permanent magnet i, and the change in magnetic force accompanying the rotation of the valve shaft f is detected, and the rotation angle of the valve shaft f, that is, the valve opening of the on-off valve is detected. Some are equipped with a valve shaft position detection mechanism that detects the opening/closing direction as well as the opening/closing direction.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, such conventional valve shaft position detection mechanisms still have the following problems.

That is, since the valve shaft extension portion to which the permanent magnet i is attached penetrates the casing g of the reduction gear C and protrudes to the outside, there is a space for attaching the valve shaft extension portion and the permanent magnet i. Since this required a separate hot water mixing device, the structure of the hot water mixing device had to be enlarged.

An object of the present invention is to provide a valve shaft position detection mechanism that can solve the above problems.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention fixes the final gear of the gear train forming the reduction mechanism to the base end of the valve shaft of the on-off valve extending into the casing of the reduction mechanism. This invention relates to a valve shaft position detection mechanism characterized in that a permanent magnet is attached to a gear, and a magnetic sensor is attached to the inner surface of a casing of the reduction mechanism in close proximity to the magnet.

(e) Actions and Effects With the configuration described above, the present invention has the following actions and effects.

That is, in the present invention, the final gear of the gear train forming the reduction mechanism is fixed to the base end of the valve shaft of the on-off valve extending into the casing of the reduction mechanism, and a permanent magnet is attached to the final gear. Since the magnetic sensor is installed on the inner surface of the casing at a location facing the permanent magnet, it is possible to prevent the valve shaft position detection mechanism from protruding from the casing of the reduction mechanism as much as possible. The device itself provided with the speed reduction mechanism can be configured compactly.

(f) Examples The present invention will now be explained in detail based on examples shown in the accompanying drawings.

1 to 4 show a water supply/hot water supply system A equipped with a valve shaft position detection mechanism according to the present invention.

First, to explain the overall configuration of the water/hot water supply system A, in Figs. 1 and 2, reference numerals 11 and 12 are water supply pipes and hot water supply pipes. The inflow side opening 1 of the hot water mixing faucet B is controlled by a controller C such as a microprocessor which will be described later.
4.15 and are connected to each other through seal rings 16 and 17.

In addition, the hot water mixing faucet B includes a cylindrical valve body 13 and a cylindrical valve body 1.
A drive motor 13c, such as a stepping motor, is connected to the valve shaft 13a of No. 3 via a deceleration mechanism 13b, which will be described later.

In addition, the water supply/hot water supply pipe 11.12 is provided with a check valve 19.20 with a strainer in the middle thereof.

Furthermore, below the hot water mixing faucet B, there is an outlet opening 2 on the outflow side.
1, and a O-shaped connecting pipe 22 is provided to supply discharged water after mixing to a bathtub spout fitting 30, a washbasin spout fitting 31, and a shower rad 32, which will be described later.

Further, on the downstream side of the connecting pipe 22, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a rectifier 23. A water amount sensor 24 and a temperature sensor 25 are sequentially provided.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the connecting pipe 22 has its downstream end branched into three directions, each with a bathtub branch pipe 2.
6. It communicates with the washbasin branch pipe 27 and the shower branch pipe 28.

A solenoid valve 29 is installed in the middle of the branch piping 26 for the bathtub, and its lower end communicates with a spout fitting 30 for the bathtub attached to the bathroom wall, etc., as shown in FIG. ing.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
1 and the shower head 32.

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, a four-way valve is connected to the connecting pipe 22 and the branch pipe 26 for the bathtub, the branch pipe 27 for the washbasin, and the branch pipe 28 for the shower. An automatic switching valve is provided to connect the connecting pipe 22 to the bathtub branch pipe 26. It can be selectively communicated with either the washbasin branch pipe 27 or the shower branch pipe 28.

Note that the automatic switching valve is operated by a cylindrical valve body 33 and a stepping motor etc. connected to the valve shaft 33a of the cylindrical valve body 33 via a speed reduction mechanism 33b, which will be described later, in the same way as the hot water mixing faucet B described above. The drive motor 33c is controlled by a controller C as described below.

In addition, FIG. 5 shows a conceptual control circuit of the above-mentioned water supply/hot water supply system A, and as shown in the figure, a hot water mixing faucet B,
The solenoid valve 29 and the automatic switching valve are all operated by the controller C, making it possible to fully automate the water/hot water supply system A.

Next, the configuration of the valve shaft position detection mechanism E, which constitutes the gist of the present invention, will be explained with reference to FIG.

As shown in the figure, the deceleration mechanism 13b has a deceleration gear train composed of gears 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, and 46 disposed within the casing 40.

In the gear train, the first gear 41 is
The final stage gear 46 is fixed to the output shaft 47 of the drive motor 13c, while the final stage gear 46 is connected to a valve shaft extension portion 48 formed by protruding the base end of the valve shaft 13a of the hot water mixing faucet B into the casing 40. is fixed to.

Moreover, with this configuration, the valve shaft 13a of the hot water mixing faucet B
can be rotated at an extremely low speed, and the opening/closing angle of the hot water mixer faucet B can be precisely and finely adjusted.

In this embodiment, the valve shaft position detection mechanism E according to the present invention has a disk-shaped permanent magnet 50 attached to the upper surface of the final stage gear 46, and a casing. 40, a magnetic sensor 51 is attached to a position close to the permanent magnet 50.

Note that in this embodiment, an IC is used as the magnetic sensor 51.
The magnetic sensor 51 detects a change in the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 50 that rotates integrally with the valve shaft 13a, or when a change in the magnetic force is not detected within a certain period of time. generates an output signal and outputs the valve shaft 13a.
By detecting the position of the valve, that is, the valve opening/closing angle, the hot water/cold water mixing faucet B can be caused to perform a predetermined operation via the controller C.

For example, from the controller C to the drive motor 13c, the valve body 13
If the valve body 13 does not reach the fully open position even if a predetermined number of pulses corresponding to the fully open position are sent, an output signal can be generated.

Note that the magnetic sensor 51 is not limited to an IC Hall element (for example, a reed switch or the like can also be used).

Moreover, the above-described valve shaft position detection mechanism E can also be used for an automatic switching valve.

As described above, this embodiment has the following functions and effects.

That is, in this embodiment, the casing 40 of the speed reduction mechanism 13b
The final gear 46 of the gear train forming the reduction mechanism 13b is fixed to the valve shaft extension 48 of the hot water mixing faucet B that extends inward, and a permanent magnet 50 is attached to the final gear 46, and a magnetic sensor is attached. 51 is attached to a position adjacent to the inner surface of the casing 40, it is possible to prevent the valve shaft position detection mechanism E from protruding from the casing 40 of the deceleration mechanism 13b as much as possible. The water/hot water supply system A provided with the mechanism 13b can also have a compact configuration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a water/hot water supply system equipped with a valve stem position detection mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are I-- 1 line and n-n
5 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of the control circuit, FIG. 6 is a structural explanatory diagram of the valve shaft position detection mechanism, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the installation state of the conventional valve shaft position detection mechanism. In the figure, A: Automatic water supply/hot water supply system B: Hot water mixing faucet C: Controller D: Automatic switching valve 13a: Valve shaft 13b = Reduction mechanism 40: Casing 50: Permanent magnet 51: Magnetic sensor Patent applicant Totoki Co., Ltd. company

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Fix the final gear of the gear train that forms the reduction mechanism to the base end of the valve shaft of the on-off valve that extends into the casing of the reduction mechanism, attach a permanent magnet to the final gear, and A valve stem position detection mechanism characterized by having a magnetic sensor mounted on the inner surface in close proximity to the magnet.