# US 10,480,669 B2 · Valve device and valve control device

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- Number: US 10,480,669 B2
- Document ID: US10480669B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/827,423
- Filed: 2017-11-30
- Published: 2018-06-14
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-13
- Assignees: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Atsushi Ieki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480669B2

## CPC

- F16K 25/005: {Particular materials for seats or closure elements}
- F16K 25/00: Details relating to contact between valve members and seats (movement of valve members other than for opening and closing F16K29/00)
- F16K 31/00: {Actuating devices;} Operating means; Releasing devices {(regulating means G05D)}
- F16K 31/007: {Piezoelectric stacks}
- F16K 31/02: electric {(F16K31/004 takes precedence)}; magnetic
- F16K 31/06: using a magnet {, e.g. diaphragm valves, cutting off by means of a liquid}
- F16K 37/00: Special means in or on valves or other cut-off apparatus for indicating or recording operation thereof, or for enabling an alarm to be given
- F16K 37/0041: {for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence)}
- G05D 7/0635: {by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence)}
- G05D 15/01: characterised by the use of electric means
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

In order to suppress changes in opening level and flow rate associated with the thermal expansion of a resin member caused by a temperature change, a valve device that displaces a valve body by applying drive voltage to an actuator is adapted to include: a position sensor that detects the position of the valve body; a voltage regulator that regulates the drive voltage on the basis of a detected position by the position sensor; and a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the valve body. In addition, the seating surface of the valve body is adapted to be formed of a resin member, and the voltage regulator is adapted to change the setting value of the drive voltage depending on detected temperature by the temperature sensor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A valve device, comprising:
a valve body configured to be displaced by application of drive voltage to an actuator, the valve body including a seating surface that is formed of a resin member;
a position sensor that detects a position of the valve body;
a voltage regulator that regulates the drive voltage within a predetermined operable range on a basis of a detected position by the position sensor; and
a temperature sensor that detects temperature of or around the valve body, wherein
as a detected temperature by the temperature sensor increases, the voltage regulator increases an upper limit value of the operable range.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The valve device according to claim 1, further comprising
an expansion-related information storage part that stores expansion-related information indicating a resin member expansion amount at each temperature or an opening level reduction amount associated with the resin member expansion amount, wherein
the voltage regulator changes the upper limit value of the operable range on a basis of the resin member expansion amount or the opening level reduction amount obtainable from the detected temperature and the expansion-related information.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The valve device according to claim 2, wherein
the voltage regulator regulates the drive voltage on a basis of the resin member expansion amount or the opening reduction amount obtainable from the detected temperature and the expansion-related information, and the detected position by the position sensor.

### Claim 4

A valve control device adapted to control drive voltage for an actuator that drives a valve body including a seating surface that is formed of a resin member, the valve control device comprising:
a positional information acquisition part that acquires positional information indicating a position of the valve body;
a voltage regulator that regulates the drive voltage within a predetermined operable range on a basis of a detected position by a position sensor; and
a temperature information acquisition part that acquires temperature information indicating a temperature of or around the valve body, wherein
as the temperature indicated by the temperature information acquired by the temperature information acquisition part increases, the voltage regulator increases an upper limit value of the operable range.