PLASTIC VALVE

A plastic valve is disclosed. The valve includes a body where a fluid flow space is formed, a fluid flowing through the fluid flow space, and an opening-closing member configured to open or close a hole formed on the body. Here, the opening-closing member has a step shape, a part of the opening-closing member blocks the hole when the valve is closed, and a part of the opening-closing member with the step shape rises when the valve is opened.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a plastic valve.

BACKGROUND ART

A valve opens/closes flow of fluid and controls flow of the fluid by using a diaphragm or a ball.

InFIG. 1, the valve includes a main body100, a diaphragm102and a manipulation member104for controlling the diaphragm102.

A fluid flow space106is formed in the main body100, and fluid inputted through an inlet110of the fluid flow space106is outputted through an outlet112.

A body of conventional valve used for a semiconductor manufacture process gets damaged according as fluid which is chemical substance having strong toxicity remains in the body. Damage of the body may be prevented when fluid remained in the body is minimized after the fluid is flowed, in the event that the fluid which is chemical substance having strong toxicity flows.

SUMMARY

To solve problem of the conventional technique, the disclosure is to provide a plastic valve and an opening-closing member used in the valve.

The present disclosure is to provide a plastic valve capable of minimizing remained fluid in a body after fluid is transferred and an opening-closing member used in the valve.

The present disclosure is to provide a plastic valve for preventing damage of the body by minimizing remained fluid, which is chemical substance having strong toxicity, in the body to extend lifetime of the valve and an opening-closing member used in the valve.

The present disclosure is to provide a plastic valve for preventing vortex occurrence at a corner in the body and an opening-closing member used in the valve.

The present disclosure is to provide a plastic valve capable of increasing amount of fluid by two times compared to conventional valve via enhancement of stroke of an opening-closing member and the opening-closing member used in the valve.

In an aspect, a plastic valve and an opening-closing member used in the same are provided.

A valve according to an embodiment of the invention includes a body where a fluid flow space is formed, a fluid flowing through the fluid flow space; and an opening-closing member configured to open or close a hole formed on the body. Here, the opening-closing member has a step shape, a part of the opening-closing member blocks the hole when the valve is closed, and a part of the opening-closing member with the step shape rises when the valve is opened.

The fluid flow space includes a first fluid flow space through which the fluid is inputted in the body and a second fluid flow space through which the fluid is outputted, and the fluid flow spaces are connected through a hole of the body, and wherein the fluid flows through the first fluid flow space, the hole and the second fluid flow space.

A part of an inner surface of the body adjacent to the hole has a curved shape to prevent vortex.

A first pipe combination member is combined with one end part of the body, a second pipe combination member is combined with another end part of the body, a first pipe is inserted into the first pipe combination member, and a second pipe is inserted into the second pipe combination member, and wherein an inner diameter of the first pipe is identical to an inner diameter of the body when the first pipe is combined with the body by the first pipe combination member, and an inner diameter of the second pipe is identical to the inner diameter of the body when the second pipe is combined with the body by the second pipe combination member.

The valve further includes a fluid path changing member formed in the body and configured to change a moving direction of the fluid. Here, the first fluid flow space and the second fluid flow space are connected through a hole of the body by the fluid path changing member.

The fluid path changing member includes a wall for blocking flow of the fluid, and wherein a part of the wall connected to a lower part of one of the first fluid flow space and the second fluid flow space has a curved shape.

The opening-closing member includes a fixing member fixed to an upper part of the body; a transform member configured to have the step shape, one end part of the transform member being connected to the fixing member and the transform member being transformed depending on opening and closing of the valve; and a covering member connected to the other end part of the transform member and configured to contact with a hole formed on an upper part of the fluid path changing member.

The covering member blocks the hole of the body to block flow of the fluid according as the transform member having the step shape goes down in the hole of the body when the valve is closed, and the transform member rises in the hole of the body when the valve is opened.

The transform member is formed of polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE.

In an opening-closing member formed on a body of a plastic valve according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the opening-closing member has a step shape, a part of the opening-closing member blocks the hole when the valve is closed, and a part of the opening-closing member with the step shape rises when the valve is opened.

The opening-closing member includes a fixing member fixed to an upper part of the body; a transform member configured to have the step shape, one end part of the transform member being connected to the fixing member and the transform member being transformed depending on opening and closing of the valve; and a covering member connected to the other end part of the transform member, configured to block a hole of the body through transforming of the transform member when the valve is closed so that the fluid is not transferred to an outlet of the body and rise when the valve is opened.

A plastic valve of the disclosure prevents damage of a body by minimizing remained fluid, which is chemical substance having strong toxicity, in the body, and so lifetime of the plastic valve may be extended.

Additionally, vortex may not occur at a corner in the body.

Moreover, the valve may increase amount of fluid by two times compared to conventional valve via enhancement of stroke of an opening-closing member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein. However, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative for purposes of describing example embodiments of the present disclosure, however, example embodiments of the present disclosure may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to example embodiments of the present disclosure set forth herein.

FIG. 2is a perspective view illustrating schematically a valve according to a first embodiment of the disclosure,FIG. 3is a sectional view illustrating the valve according to the first embodiment, andFIG. 4is a view illustrating section of a valve closed by an opening-closing member according to the first embodiment.FIG. 5is a view illustrating fluid flow according to an embodiment of the disclosure, andFIG. 6is a view illustrating an opening-closing member according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

InFIG. 2, a valve of the present embodiment includes a body210and an opening-closing member220.

Holes may be formed on lateral ends of the body210, and a fixing member350or352may connect the valve to a pipe through the hole. That is, a first pipe combination member may be combined with one end part of the body210, and a second pipe may be combined with another end part of the body210. A first pipe may be inserted into the first pipe combination member350, and a second pipe may be inserted into the second pipe combination member352. The first pipe and the second pipe may be combined with the first pipe combination member350and the second pipe combination member352so that an inner diameter of the first pipe and the second pipe and an inner diameter of the body210do not have step difference, when the first pipe and the second pipe are inserted into the first pipe combination member350and the second pipe combination member352. As a result, it may be designed that the inner diameter of the first pipe is identical to that of the body210when the first pipe is combined with the body210by the first pipe combination member350. Furthermore, it may be designed that the inner diameter of the second pipe is identical to that of the body210when the second pipe is combined with the body210by the second pipe combination member352.

A hole (hereinafter, referred to as a fluid flow space)240aor240bfor fluid flow is formed in the body210.

In one embodiment, the body210may be formed of a fluorine resin. The fluorine resin means every resin including fluorine in a molecule, and it includes a Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE, a Polychlorotrifluoroethylene PCTFE or a Perfluoroalkoxy alkane PFA, etc. This fluorine resin has excellent heat resistance, excellent chemical resistance, excellent electric insulation, small friction coefficient, and does not have adhesion. That is, velocity change of flow due to a laminar flow in the fluid flow space240aor240bmay be minimized because the friction coefficient of the body210is small, when the body210is formed of fluorine resin.

InFIG. 3, an inner surface of the body210includes an inner upper surface310aand an inner lower surface310b. A hole315, through which a part of the opening-closing member220moves up and down, is formed on an upper part of the body210.

At least partial of internal surfaces of the body210has a curved shape. That is, the internal surfaces of the body210may not include an obstacle (for example, a squared part, etc.) of interrupting fluid flow.

Particularly, parts320near to the opening-closing member220of the inner upper surfaces of the body210, i.e. adjacent to the hole315may have the curved shape. Here, curved parts may be inclined toward the opening-closing member220.

The fluid flow space240aor240bcorresponding to the inner surface of the body210is a means for transferring the fluid. The fluid may be inputted through an inlet300aof the fluid flow space240aand the fluid of the fluid flow space240aor240bmay be outputted through an outlet300bof the fluid flow space240b.

As shown inFIG. 2, the fluid flow space may include a left fluid flow space240aconnected to the inlet300aand a right fluid flow space240bconnected to the outlet300b. The left fluid flow space240aand the right fluid flow space240bare connected through the hole315formed on an upper part of the body210. Accordingly, the fluid inputted through the inlet300ais flowed through the left fluid flow space240aand then is transferred to the right fluid flow space240bthrough the hole315formed on the upper part of the body210, and the transferred fluid flows through the right fluid flow space240band then is outputted through the outlet300b.

The fluid flow space240aand240bmay have a shape not to have an obstacle for hindering flow of the fluid therein.

In view of the fluid flow, the fluid is inputted in the body210through the inlet300aand the fluid inputted through the inlet300aflows through the left fluid flow space240a. In this time, a flow direction of the fluid is changed by a wall (i.e. fluid path changing member) in the body210, and so the fluid is transferred to the hole315formed on the body210. The transferred fluid flows to the right fluid flow space240b, and the flowed fluid flows through the right fluid flow space240band then is outputted through the outlet300b.

The fluid path changing member325for changing the flow direction of the fluid is formed in the fluid flow space240. The left fluid flow space240ais not directly connected to the right fluid flow space240bby the wall which is the fluid path changing member325. The wall of the fluid path changing member325is connected to an inner lower surface of inner surfaces of the body210and is extended in a direction to the hole315formed on the body210.

A hole (referred to as “fluid path changing hole”) connected to the left fluid flow space240ais formed on an upper surface of the fluid path changing member325. The fluid transferred from the left fluid flow space240athrough the fluid path changing hole330may be transferred to the hole315of the body210. That is, the fluid inputted through the left fluid flow space240aflows to the hole315of the body210by the fluid path changing member325and then is transferred to the right fluid flow space240bthrough the hole315of the body210.

The left fluid flow space240ais connected to the body210through the fluid path changing hole330formed on the upper surface of the fluid path changing member325.

The right fluid flow space240bis not connected to the fluid path changing member325. That is, the right fluid flow space240bis connected to a part of the hole315formed on the body210.

Briefly, the fluid flowing through the left fluid flow space240ais transferred to the hole315of the body210through the fluid path changing member325and the fluid path changing hole330, and the transferred fluid flows to the outlet300bthrough the right fluid flow space240bconnected to a part of the hole315of the body210.

The fluid path changing hole330, of which one side is connected through the upper surface of the fluid path changing member325, may have a curved shape without squared part. An upper part of the fluid path changing member325may have a convex shape from a part (for example, a lower part) of the hole315of the body210. As a result, the fluid inputted through the fluid path changing hole330may be transferred to the right fluid flow space240bvia a part of the hole315of the body210. Additionally, a part connected from an upper part of the fluid path changing member325to the fluid flow space240may have a curved shape without a squared part. A hole formed on an upper surface of the fluid path changing member325may be completely closed by the opening-closing member220so that the fluid is not flowed.

A part of the fluid flow space adjacent to the fluid path changing hole330may not have the squared part. That is, a lower surface corresponding to an input part of the fluid path changing hole330may have a curved shape unlike a lower part of the left fluid flow space240a. However, a lower surface corresponding to an output part of the fluid path changing member325may not have a curved shape.

Briefly, corner parts318and320of the body210adjacent to the fluid path changing member325have the curved shape, and thus vortex may not occur to the corner parts of the body210. If the corner parts318and320have a squared shape, the fluid collides with a squared part when the fluid flows. That is, the squared part operates as an obstacle for hindering fluid flow, and thus vortex occurs to the squared part. As a result, the fluid may not be smoothly transferred due to the occurred vortex. Accordingly, in the disclosure, the corner parts318and320have the curved shape, and so the fluid flows smoothly along the corner parts318and320without being collided with the corner parts318and320. That is, the corner parts318and320do not operate as the obstacle for hindering fluid flow, and thus the fluid may flow smoothly. A transfer amount of the fluid when the corner parts318and320have the curved shape is considerably higher than that of the fluid when the corner parts318and320have the squared shape.

In the event that the corner parts318and320have the squared shape, size of the valve should be increased if it wants to augment the transfer amount of the fluid. However, increase of the size of the valve gives rise to cost of the valve and requires changing of every peripheral device related to the valve, and thus cost of a system increases sharply.

The valve may transfer adequate amount of the fluid though the size of the valve is not increased, when the corner parts318and320have the curved shape. Accordingly, cost of the system may not be augmented.

In view of advantage when the fluid path changing member325is included in the fluid flow space240, the plastic valve may minimize amount of fluid remained in the valve after transferring of the fluid having strong toxicity is completed. Fluid using for manufacture of a semiconductor or an LCD has very strong toxicity, and the fluid may go bad when the fluid remains in the body210, thereby damaging an inner part of the body210. Accordingly, the disclosure forms the fluid path changing member325in the body210to minimize remained fluid having strong toxicity in the body210. As a result, the fluid remained in the body210after the transferring of the fluid is completed may be minimized.

Shortly, one side of the fluid path changing member325is directly contacted with the body210and is connected to the fluid flow space240a, and an upper part of the other side of the fluid path changing member325is not directly contacted with the body210. That is, a lower part of the other side of the fluid path changing member325is contacted with the right fluid flow space240b, and the upper part of the other side of the fluid path changing member325is separated from the right fluid flow space240band is not contacted with the body210. Additionally, a wall of the fluid path changing member325may have height corresponding to a part of an opening-closing supporting member340.

The fluid inputted through the inlet of the fluid flow space240may flow through the left fluid flow space240aand then be transferred to the right fluid flow space240bthrough the fluid path changing hole330and the hole315of the body210, and the transferred fluid may be outputted through the outlet of the right fluid flow space240b.

Flow of the fluid may be controlled by up and down moving of the opening-closing member220according as the upper part of the fluid path changing member325locates on a lower part of the hole315of the body210. That is, much fluid is transferred because space of the hole315of the body210is wide when the opening-closing member220is wholly opened, and amount of the fluid to be transferred goes down because the space of the hole315is relatively small according as the opening-closing member220moves downwardly in the hole315of the body210.

A diameter of the fluid path changing hole330may be identical to that of the fluid flow space240aor240b. As a result, occurrence of vortex and fluid flow problem due to diameter difference of the fluid path changing hole330and the fluid flow space240aor240bmay reduce.

The opening-closing member220opens or closes flow of the fluid in the fluid flow space240aand240band may locate on the main body200or the body210. The opening-closing member220may have a structure shown inFIG. 3when the fluid flows through the fluid flow space240aor240b, and it may contact with the upper part of the fluid path changing member325as shown inFIG. 4when the flow of the fluid is closed in the fluid flow space240aor240b. As a result, the fluid inputted through the inlet300ais not transferred to the right fluid flow space240bas the flow of the fluid is closed by the opening-closing member220contacted with the fluid path changing member325.

A part of the opening-closing member220has a step shape. The opening-closing member220closes the hole formed on the upper part of the body210when the valve is closed, and the part of the opening-closing member220having the step shape rises when the valve is opened.

A stroke of the opening-closing member220increases when the opening-closing member220rises or goes down in response to opening/closing of the valve because the part of the opening-closing member220has the step shape.

The opening-closing member220may be a diaphragm or a ball. The opening-closing member220is the diaphragm in drawings, but it is not limited as the diaphragm.

The opening-closing member220has a circular shape inFIG. 6, but a shape of the opening-closing member220is not limited as the circular shape. The opening-closing member220may have various shapes depending on a shape of the hole of the body210.

The opening-closing member220may be formed of one of engineering plastics which is one of fluorine resin. For example, the opening-closing member220may be formed of Polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE.

A manipulation member controls opening/closing operation of the opening-closing member220, for example it may control the opening-closing member220so that the opening-closing member220contacts with or does not contact with the upper part of the fluid path changing member325through the hole315of the body210.

Hereinafter, detailed structure of the opening-closing member220will be described with reference to a drawingFIG. 6.

InFIG. 6, the opening-closing member220of the present embodiment includes a fixing member610, a transform member620and a covering member630.

The fixing member610fixes the opening-closing member220. The fixing member610may be fixed to a groove formed on an upper part of the main body. As a result, the opening-closing member220may prevent the fluid having strong toxicity from being out flowed through the hole formed on the main body after passing through the fluid flow space. The fixing member610can keep combining the opening-closing member220with a part of the main body though the opening-closing member220rises or goes down by control of the manipulation member combined with a connection member connected to an upper part of the opening-closing member220.

Accordingly, the fixing member610may prevent the opening-closing member220from being separated from the main body when the valve is closed, so that the fluid which is a toxic material is not out flowed through the upper part of the main body. The fixing member610may not be transformed though a part of the opening-closing member220is transformed with elasticity.

The fixing member610may be formed along an outer circumference of the opening-closing member220.

One end part of the transform member620is connected to the fixing member610and the other end part of the transform member620is connected to the covering member630. The transform member620has the step shape. The transform member620has the step shape inFIG. 3toFIG. 6, but a shape of the transform member620is not limited as the step shape.

The transform member620goes down into the hole315formed on the upper part of the body210when the valve is closed and rises when the valve is opened.

The transform member620may have the step shape with constant step difference. The stroke of the opening-closing member220may increase when the valve is closed because the transform member620has the step shape.

The opening-closing member220has elasticity depending on transforming of the transform member620, and the covering member630may go down according to the transform member620is extended. Accordingly, the covering member630closes the hole formed on the upper part of the fluid path changing member325, thereby blocking flow of the fluid.

It is desirable that the transform member620has thickness of 1 mm or less to have high stroke when the valve is closed.

The transform member620has the step shape in above description, but the shape of the transform member620is not limited as the step shape. The stroke of the transform member620may increase considerably according as the transform member620has the step shape. However, the shape of the transform member620is not limited as the step shape as long as the transform member620has elasticity to be shrunk and relaxed.

The opening-closing member220may not only close the valve but also use transforming of the transform member620to adjust a transfer amount of the fluid, according as the transform member620is transformed to be moved up and down.

The covering member630is connected to the other end part of the transform member620. The covering member630may have a flat surface.

The covering member630may have a size capable of blocking the hole formed on the fluid path changing member325to block the flow of the fluid. The connection member is combined with an upper surface of the covering member630. The connection member delivers a force in accordance with control of the manipulation member to the covering member630, and thus the covering member630goes down. As a result, the transform member620connected along an outer circumference of the covering member630is transformed as the covering member630goes down.

In brief, the opening-closing member220includes the covering member630formed with constant diameter based on a central part of the opening-closing member220, the transform member620connected along the outer circumference of the covering member630and the fixing member formed along the outer circumference of the transform member620.

In the event that the valve is closed, the fixing member610and the covering member630are not transformed, and the transform member620located between the fixing member610and the covering member630may be transformed according as the covering member630goes down by the force applied to the covering member630via the connection member. Degree of the covering member630downed in the hole formed on the upper part of the body210may be determined by a force to applied to the connection member through the manipulation member, and the transfer amount of the fluid may be adjusted depending on the degree.

A space between the fluid path changing hole330and an opening-closing member is small when the valve is opened because the opening-closing member has very small elasticity, if the opening-closing member does not have the step shape but is flat. Accordingly, a transfer amount of the fluid is small.

A space between the fluid path changing hole330and the opening-closing member220increases when the valve is opened because elasticity of the opening-closing member220gets higher, if the opening-closing member220has the step shape. As a result, much amount of the fluid may be transferred. That is, more amount of the fluid may be transferred through the valve during the same time of period.

The embodiments of the disclosure described above are disclosed only for illustrative purposes. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be able to make various modifications, alterations, and additions without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, but it is to be appreciated that such modifications, alterations, and additions are encompassed by the scope of claims set forth below.