Abstract:
The proportional valve including a valve body, an air inlet hole and an air outlet hole being provided inside the valve body; a valve core component, the valve core component being movably disposed inside the valve body along a vertical direction; and a first film sheet, an outer side of the first film sheet being connected to the valve body, and an inner side of the film sheet being connected to the valve core component. The proportional valve has a high response speed, high precision, desirable repeatability, desirable consistency, small hysteresis, low fabrication difficulty, and low fabrication cost.

Description:
[0001]    This patent application claims the priority of the Chinese Patent Application No. 201310215594.3, entitled Proportional Valve, filed on May 31, 2013, by Beijing Aeonmed Co. Ltd, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to the medical field, especially relates to a proportional valve. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    At present, the existing proportional valve has the disadvantage of a low response speed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The purpose of this invention is to at least solve one of the above technical problems to some extent or at least provide a useful commercial option. Therefore, one object of the invention is to provide a proportional valve. 
         [0005]    For realizing the object, according to an embodiment of the invention, the invention provides a proportional valve. The proportional valve comprises a valve body, an air inlet pore and an air outlet pore being provided within the valve body; a valve core component, the valve core component being set movably inside the valve body along an up-down direction; and a first diaphragm, the outside of the first diaphragm connecting to the valve body and the inside of the first diaphragm connecting to the valve core component. 
         [0006]    By setting the first diaphragm, the inner side of which connects to the valve core component and the outer side of which connects to the valve body, in the proportional valve according to the embodiment of the invention (namely the valve core component is supported on the valve body by the first diaphragm), the valve core component is separated from the valve body. Due to this separation, the valve core component moves along the up-down direction inside the valve body and is out of touch with the valve body, namely there is no friction between the valve core component and the valve body when the valve core component moves along the up-down direction inside the valve body. It is beneficial to improve the response speed, precision, repeatability and consistency of the proportional valve, and also reduce the hysteresis of the proportional valve. 
         [0007]    Furthermore, the proportional valve according to the above embodiment of the invention may also have the following additional technical features: 
         [0008]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the proportional valve includes: a body, the body including the air inlet pore and the air outlet pore; a diaphragm seat, the diaphragm seat being installed on the body and the outer side of the first diaphragm connecting to the diaphragm seat; an upper magnetic seat, the upper magnetic seat being installed on the diaphragm seat; a magnet ring, the magnet ring being installed on the upper magnetic seat; and a magnetic core, the magnetic core being installed on the magnet ring and a part of the magnetic core being located internal of the magnet ring. It is not only beneficial to form magnetic field, but also enables the first diaphragm to connect more stably to the valve body by installing the diaphragm seat, further to improve the stability of the valve core component. 
         [0009]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the valve core component includes: a valve coverplate, the valve coverplate being installed inside the air outlet pore and being opposed to the air inlet pore; a kicker pin, the kicker pin connecting to the valve coverplate and then extending through the diaphragm seat, the inner side of the first diaphragm connecting to the kicker pin; and a coil, the coil connecting to the kicker pin and one part of the coil being located inside the magnet ring, a part of the magnetic core being located inside the coil. Therefore, the valve core component has the advantages of a simple structure etc. 
         [0010]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the diaphragm seat comprises an upper diaphragm seat and a lower diaphragm seat being installed on the upper diaphragm seat, the upper diaphragm seat is installed on the body, the outer side of the first diaphragm is clamped between the upper diaphragm seat and the lower diaphragm seat in order to set the valve coverplate expediently. 
         [0011]    According to one embodiment of the invention, a seal ring is installed between the upper diaphragm seat and the body in order to protect the gas from leaking between the upper diaphragm seat and the body. 
         [0012]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the kicker pin extends through the coil and the magnetic core, and the valve core component also includes a second diaphragm, the outer side of the second diaphragm connecting to the magnetic core and the inner side of the second diaphragm connecting to the part of the kicker pin extending through the magnetic core. Thereby, it is possible to make the valve core component more stable in the procedure of the up-down motion such that it ensures higher precision, better repeatability of the proportional valve. 
         [0013]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the valve body also comprises a diaphragm support plate, the diaphragm support plate is installed on the magnetic core, and the outer side of the second diaphragm is clamped between the magnetic core and the diaphragm support plate. Therefore, the second diaphragm connects to the valve body more expediently and more stably in order to enhance the stability of the valve core component moving along an up-down direction and further improve the precision and repeatability of the proportional valve. 
         [0014]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the upper magnet seat includes a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal. One end of the coil conductor connects to the first connection terminal and another end of the coil conductor connects to the second connection terminal. Thereby, it is possible to electrify the coil conductor more easily and more conveniently. 
         [0015]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the valve body also includes a spacer bush, the spacer bush being installed on the upper surface of the magnetic core. The outer periphery surface of the spacer bush touches the internal periphery surface of the magnet ring. Thereby, it is possible to ensure the coaxiality of the magnetic core and the magnet ring. 
         [0016]    The invention will present the additional aspects and advantages in the following description, and the partial additional aspects and advantages could become obvious in the following description or via the practice of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The above and/or additional aspects and advantages of the invention will become obvious and easy to understand from the description of embodiments with reference to the following drawings, wherein: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating the structure of a proportional valve in the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the structure of a proportional valve in the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention are described in detail, examples of which are shown in the drawings, wherein the same or similar labels represent the same or similar components or the components of the same or similar function. The following embodiments described with reference to the drawings are exemplary, which are aimed at explaining the invention rather than restricting the invention, 
         [0021]    In the description of the invention, the technical words are “center”, “lengthways”, “widthways”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “up-down”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer”, “clockwise”, “anticlockwise” et al. these words represent orientation or position relationship shown based on the drawings in order to describe the invention and simplify the description and not to indicate or imply that the indicated device or component must have a specific orientation or constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it is not to be understood as a restriction for the invention. 
         [0022]    Also the technical words “first”, “second” are only be used for a descriptive purpose, and are not to be understood to indicate or imply the relative importance or imply the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined with “first”, “second” may include one or more of the features explicitly or implicitly. In the description of the invention, “multiple” means two or more than two, unless specifically defined otherwise. 
         [0023]    In the invention, the technical words “install”, “be linked to”, “connect to”, “fix” et al. should be understood in generalization, unless specifically defined otherwise. For example, these technical words are described as fixed joint or removable connection or the integration of the connection; or mechanical joint or electrical connection; or direct connection or indirect connection via the middle medium or internal connection between the two components. The skilled persons in the art can understand the specific meaning about these technical words in the invention according to the specific circumstance. 
         [0024]    In the invention, unless specifically defined otherwise, the first feature being located on the second feature or under the second feature could disclose the direct connection between the first feature and the second feature, and could also disclose that the first feature is not directly connected to the second feature but adopts other ways to connect to the second feature. Furthermore, the first feature being located “above” and “on” the second feature means that the first feature is located right above the second feature or above the second feature, or only means that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. Also the first feature being located “under” and “below” the second feature means that the first feature is located right under the second feature or under the second feature, or only means that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature. 
         [0025]    Hereinafter, a proportional valve  1  according to the embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . According to the description of the  FIG. 1  and the  FIG. 2 , the proportional valve  1  according to the embodiment of the invention includes a valve body  10 , a valve core component  20  and a first diaphragm  30 . 
         [0026]    The valve body  10  has an air inlet pore  101  and an air outlet pore  102 . The valve core component  20  is installed inside the valve body  10  movably along an up-down direction. The outer side of the first diaphragm  30  connects to the valve body  10  and the inner side of the first diaphragm  30  connects to the valve core component  20 . The up-down direction is as shown by an arrow A in the  FIG. 1  and the  FIG. 2 . The inside-outside direction is as shown by an arrow B in the  FIG. 1  and the  FIG. 2 . 
         [0027]    During the working time process of the proportional valve  1 , according to the movement of the valve core component  20  along a vertical direction, the distance between the valve core component  20  and the air inlet pore  101  may be adjusted in order to change the gas flow crossing through the proportional valve  1 . In other words, the gases cross through the air inlet pore  101  and then enter into the proportional valve  1 , and then enter into the air outlet pore  102  from the gap between the valve core component  20  and the air inlet pore  101 . The size of the gap between the valve core component  20  and the air inlet pore  101  could change with the movement of the valve core component  20  along an up-down direction inside the valve body  10  (specifically, the valve core component  20  moves upward to reduce the gap; the valve core component  20  moves downward to increase the gap). The aim to do so is to control the gas flow. 
         [0028]    By setting the first diaphragm  30 , the inner side of which connects to the valve core component  20  and the outer side of which connects to the valve body  10 , in the proportional valve  1  according to the embodiment of the invention (namely the valve core component  20  is supported on the valve body  10 ), the valve core component  20  is separated from the valve body  10 . Due to this separation, the valve core component  20  moves along the up-down direction inside the valve body  10  and is out of touch with the valve body  10 , namely there is no friction between the valve core component  20  and the valve body  10 , when the valve core component  20  moves along the up-down direction inside the valve body  10 . It is beneficial to improve the response speed, the precision, repeatability and consistency of the proportional valve and also reduce the hysteresis of the proportional valve  1 . 
         [0029]    Furthermore, since there is no friction between the valve core component  20  and the valve body  10 , there is no requirement on the material and the fabrication precision of the valve core component  20  and the valve body  10 , in order to reduce the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the proportional valve  1 . Therefore, the proportional valve  1  according to the embodiment of the invention has advantages of fast response speed, high precision, good repeatability, good consistency, low hysteresis, low manufacturing difficulty and low manufacturing cost, etc. 
         [0030]    In the state shown in the  FIG. 1 , the valve core component  20  is separated from the air inlet pore  101 , the gases enter into the air outlet pore  102  by means of the gap between the valve core component  20  and the air inlet pore  101 . In the state shown in the  FIG. 2 , the valve core component  20  covers the air inlet pore  101 , at this time the gas cannot enter into the air outlet pore  102  from the air inlet pore  101 . Therefore, the gas cannot cross through the proportional valve  1 . 
         [0031]    As shown in the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments of the invention, the valve body  10  includes a body  110 , a diaphragm seat  120 , an upper magnet seat  130 , a magnet ring  140  and a magnetic core  150 . The body  110  has the air inlet pore  101  and the air outlet pore  102 . The diaphragm seat  120  is installed on the body  110 ; the outer side of the first diaphragm  30  connects to the diaphragm seat  120 ; the upper magnet seat  130  is installed on the diaphragm seat  120 ; the magnet ring  140  is installed on the upper magnet seat  130 ; the magnetic core  150  is installed on the magnet ring  140 ; a part of the magnetic core  150  is located inside the magnet ring  140 . It is beneficial to form magnetic field. By installing the diaphragm seat  120 , the first diaphragm  30  could more stably connect to the valve body  10  in order to improve the stability of the valve core component  20 . 
         [0032]    In one embodiment of the invention, as shown in the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the valve core component  20  comprises a valve coverplate  210 , a kicker pin  220  and a coil  230 . The valve coverplate  210  is installed inside the air outlet pore  102  and is oppose to the air inlet pore  101 . The kicker pin  220  connects to the valve coverplate  210  and crosses through the diaphragm seat  120 , and the kicker pin  220  connects to the inner side of the first diaphragm  30 . The coil  230  connects to the kicker pin  220  and a part of the coil  230  is located inside the magnet ring  140 , and a part of the magnetic core  150  is located inside the coil  230 . Therefore, the valve core component  20  has the advantages of the simple structure, etc. 
         [0033]    When adjusting the gas flow which crosses through the proportional valve  1 , the amplitude of the electric current flowing into the coil  230  may be changed (for example, exerting impulse voltage on the coil  230 ) so as to change the magnetism of the coil  230  in order to change the acting force between the coil  230  and the magnetic core  150 . Specifically, increasing the current which flows into the coil  230  could give a rise to the magnetism of the coil  230  and further give a rise to the acting force between the coil  230  and the magnet core  150 . The coil  230  correspondingly moves upward in order to reduce the gap between the valve coverplate  210  and the air inlet pore  101 , and decrease the gas flow crossing through the proportional valve  1 . Oppositely, decreasing the electric current value which flows into the coil  230  may increase the gas flow crossing through the proportional valve  1 . 
         [0034]    As shown in the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , advantageously, the diaphragm seat  120  includes an upper diaphragm seat  121  and a lower diaphragm seat  122  being located on the upper diaphragm seat  121 . The upper diaphragm seat  121  is installed on the body  110 . The outer side of the first diaphragm  30  is located between the upper diaphragm seat  121  and the lower diaphragm seat  122  in order to set the valve coverplate  210 . Specifically, the kicker pin  220  crosses through the upper diaphragm seat  121  and the lower diaphragm seat  122  along the up-down direction. 
         [0035]    The horizontal sections of each of the upper diaphragm seat  121  and the lower diaphragm seat  122  are both the circular shape. The upper diaphragm seat  121  is installed on the lower surface of the body, and the lower diaphragm seat  122  is installed on the lower surface of the upper diaphragm seat  121 . Advantageously, as shown in the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a seal ring  40  is installed between the upper diaphragm seat  121  and the body  110  in order to protect the gas from leaking from between the upper diaphragm seat  121  and the body  110 . 
         [0036]    As shown in the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments of the invention, the kicker pin  220  crosses through the coil  230  and the magnetic core  150 , and the valve core component  20  also comprises a second diaphragm  240 . The outer side of the second diaphragm  240  connects to the magnetic core  150  and the inner side of the second diaphragm  240  connects to the part of the kicker pin  220  crossing through the magnetic core  150 . In other words, both the first diaphragm  30  and the second diaphragm  240  support the valve core component  20  in order to improve the stability of the valve core component  20  during the movement along the up-down direction, and achieve higher precision and the better repeatability of the proportional valve  1 . 
         [0037]    Specifically, as shown in the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the valve body  10  also includes a diaphragm support plate  160 , the diaphragm support plate  160  being installed on the magnetic core  150 . Since the outer side of the second diaphragm  240  may be clamped between the magnetic core  150  and the diaphragm support plate  160 , the second diaphragm  240  connects to the valve body  10  more conveniently and more stably in order to improve the stability of the valve core component  20  during the movement along the up-down direction, such that the proportional valve  1  achieves higher precision and the better repeatability. The diaphragm support plate  160  is installed on the lower surface of the magnetic core  150  and the horizontal section of the diaphragm support plate  160  is the circular shape. 
         [0038]    As shown in the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , in an example of the invention, the valve body  10  also includes a spacer bush  170 , the spacer bush  170  being installed on the upper surface of the magnetic core  150  and the outer peripheral surface of the spacer bush  170  has touched on the inner peripheral surface of the magnet ring  140 . Because of installing the spacer bush  170 , it is possible to ensure the coaxiality of the magnetic core  150  and the magnet ring  140 . 
         [0039]    Specifically, as shown in the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the upper magnet seat  130  is installed on the lower surface of the lower diaphragm seat  122 , the horizontal section of the upper magnet seat  130  is the circular shape. The upper magnet seat  130  includes a first vertical unit, a horizontal unit and a second vertical unit. The first vertical unit is installed on the lower surface of the lower diaphragm seat  122  and the horizontal unit is installed on the upper surface of the magnet ring  140 . The outer edge of the horizontal unit connects to the lower edge of the first vertical unit and the inner edge of the horizontal unit connects to the upper edge of the second vertical unit. The inner peripheral surface of the spacer bush  170  has touched the outer peripheral surface of the second vertical unit, namely the spacer bush  170  is clamped between the magnet ring  140  and the second vertical unit. An accommodation space  180  is defined between the upper magnet seat  130  and the spacer bush  170  and the coil  230  is located inside the accommodation space  180 . The spacer bush  170  is installed on the upper surface of the magnet core  150 . 
         [0040]    The magnet ring  140  is cylindrical shape, and its horizontal section is circular shape. The magnet ring  140  is installed on the lower surface of the upper magnet seat  130 . The horizontal section of the magnetic core  150  is circular shape and the magnet ring  140  is installed on the upper surface of the magnetic core  150  and a part of the magnetic core  150  is located inside the accommodation space  180 . A part of the coil  230  is located between the second vertical unit and the magnetic core  150 . 
         [0041]    As shown in the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , in a specific example of the invention, the upper magnet seat  130  includes a first connection terminal  131  and a second connection terminal. One end of the conductor  231  of the coil  230  connects to the first connection terminal  131  and the other end of the conductor  231  connects to the second connection terminal. Thereby, it is possible to electrify the conductor  231  of the coil  230  more easily and more conveniently. 
         [0042]    In the description of the specification, references to the technical words “an embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “an example”, “a specific example” or “some examples” et al. mean that specific features, structures, materials described in combination with the embodiment or example are embodied in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In the specification, the schematic expressions of these technical words do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the described specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined within any of one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. 
         [0043]    Although embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in the above, it is to be understood that the above mentioned embodiments are exemplary rather than the limitation of the invention. Those skilled in the art may make alterations, substitution and modifications to the above mentioned embodiments within the scope of the invention and without departing from the principle and gist of the invention.