# US 10,865,902 B2 · Flow-rate control valve

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,865,902 B2
- Document ID: US10865902B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/264,847
- Filed: 2019-02-01
- Published: 2019-09-12
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-06
- Assignees: Denso Corporation
- Applicants: Denso Corporation
- Inventors: Hirofumi Onodera
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865902B2

## CPC

- F02M 25/0836: {Arrangement of valves controlling the admission of fuel vapour to an engine, e.g. valve being disposed between fuel tank or absorption canister and intake manifold}
- F16K 17/26: operating in either direction
- F16K 1/36: Valve members (for double-seat valves F16K1/44 {; for butterfly valves F16K1/222, F16K1/223})
- F16K 31/047: {characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means (F16K31/043 takes precedence)}
- F16K 31/508: {the actuating element being rotatable, non-rising, and driving a non-rotatable axially-sliding element}
- G05D 7/0126: {the sensing element being a piston or plunger associated with one or more springs}
- G05D 7/0133: {within the flow-path}
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- 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

A valve unit is moveably accommodated in a valve housing having a valve seat. A coil spring is provided at an outer periphery of the valve unit to bias the valve unit in an axial direction of absorbing a backlash between a driving-side screw portion of a driving portion and a valve-side screw portion of the valve unit. Pressure losses of fluid at respective portions are so made to satisfy a relationship of “P0≥P1≥P2”, wherein “P0” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through an outlet port, “P1” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through an axial space formed between the valve unit and the valve seat in a condition that the valve unit is most separated from the valve seat, and “P2” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through an axial gap formed between neighboring spring wire portions or passing through an axial gap formed between the coil spring and the valve seat.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A flow-rate control valve comprising:
a valve housing having;
(1a) a first fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel inlet port;
(1b) a second fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel outlet port;
(1c) a fluid flow path through which fluid flows from the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage; and
(1d) a connecting space formed in the fluid flow path and operatively connecting the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage;
a valve unit movably accommodated in the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is operatively brought into contact with a valve seat formed in the valve housing or separated from the valve seat, wherein the valve unit closes the connecting space to prohibit a fluid flow through the connecting space or opens the connecting space to allow the fluid flow therethrough;
a driving portion for driving the valve unit in an axial direction of the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is reciprocated between a valve closed position and a valve opened position, wherein the valve unit is brought into contact with the valve seat in the valve closed position and separated from the valve seat in the valve opened position;
a driving-side screw portion formed in the driving portion;
a valve-side screw portion formed in the valve unit and engaged with the driving-side screw portion; and
a coil spring provided in the fluid flow path of the connecting space and biasing the valve unit in the axial direction for absorbing a backlash between the driving-side screw portion and the valve-side screw portion,
wherein pressure losses of the fluid at respective portions are so made as to satisfy a relationship of “P0≥P1≥P2”,
“P0” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through the vaporized-fuel outlet port,
“P1” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through an axial space formed between the valve unit and the valve seat in the condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat, and
“P2” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through an axial gap formed between neighboring spring wire portions of the coil spring or passing through an axial gap formed between the coil spring and the valve seat.

### Claim 2

A flow-rate control valve comprising:
a valve housing having;
(1a) a first fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel inlet port;
(1b) a second fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel outlet port;
(1c) a fluid flow path through which fluid flows from the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage; and
(1d) a connecting space formed in the fluid flow path and operatively connecting the first fuel passage to the second fuel passage;
a valve unit movably accommodated in the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is operatively brought into contact with a valve seat formed in the valve housing or separated from the valve seat, wherein the valve unit closes the connecting space to prohibit a fluid flow through the connecting space or opens the connecting space to allow the fluid flow therethrough;
a driving portion for driving the valve unit in an axial direction of the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is reciprocated between a valve closed position and a valve opened position, wherein the valve unit is brought into contact with the valve seat in the valve closed position and separated from the valve seat in the valve opened position;
a driving-side screw portion formed in the driving portion;
a valve-side screw portion formed in the valve unit and engaged with the driving-side screw portion; and
a coil spring provided in the fluid flow path of the connecting space and biasing the valve unit in the axial direction for absorbing a backlash between the driving-side screw portion and the valve-side screw portion,
wherein cross-sectional areas at respective portions are so made as to satisfy a relationship of “S0≤S1≤S2”,
“S0” is a cross-sectional area of the vaporized-fuel outlet port,
“S1” is a cross-sectional area of an axial space formed between the valve unit and the valve seat in the condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat, and
“S2” is a total of a cross-sectional area of an axial gap formed between neighboring spring wire portions of the coil spring and a cross-sectional area of an axial gap formed between the coil spring and the valve seat.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The flow-rate control valve according to claim 1, wherein
in a first coil portion of the coil spring on a side closer to the valve seat, an axial distance between the neighboring spring wire portions is larger than an axial distance between the valve unit and the valve seat in a condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat at its maximum distance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The flow-rate control valve according to claim 3, wherein
in a third coil portion of the coil spring on a side axially opposite to the side closer to the valve seat, an axial distance between the neighboring spring wire portions is larger than the axial distance between the valve unit and the valve seat in the condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat at its maximum distance.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The flow-rate control valve according to claim 1, wherein
in a cross-sectional shape of a spring wire of the coil spring, a width of the spring wire in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction is larger than a width of the spring wire in the axial direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The flow-rate control valve according to claim 3, wherein
in a second coil portion of the coil spring connected to the first coil portion, an axial distance between the neighboring spring wire portions is smaller than the axial distance in the first coil portion of the coil spring.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The flow-rate control valve according to claim 4, wherein
in a second coil portion of the coil spring between the first coil portion and the third coil portion, an axial distance between the neighboring spring wire portions is smaller than the axial distance in the first coil portion or the third coil portion of the coil spring.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The flow-rate control valve according to claim 7, wherein
the axial distance in the first coil portion of the coil spring is equal to the axial distance in the third coil portion of the coil spring.

### Claim 9

A flow-rate control valve comprising:
a valve housing having:
(1a) a first fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel inlet port;
(1b) a second fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel outlet port;
(1c) a fluid flow path through which fluid flows from the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage; and
(1d) a connecting space formed in the fluid flow path and operatively connecting the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage;
a valve unit movably accommodated in the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is operatively brought into contact with a valve seat formed in the valve housing or separated from the valve seat, wherein the valve unit closes the connecting space to prohibit a fluid flow through the connecting space or opens the connecting space to allow the fluid flow therethrough;
a driving portion for driving the valve unit in an axial direction of the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is reciprocated between a valve closed position and a valve opened position, wherein the valve unit is brought into contact with the valve seat in the valve closed position and separated from the valve seat in the valve opened position;
a driving-side screw portion formed in the driving portion;
a valve-side screw portion formed in the valve unit and engaged with the driving-side screw portion; and
a coil spring provided in the fluid flow path of the connecting space and biasing the valve unit in the axial direction for absorbing a backlash between the driving-side screw portion and the valve-side screw portion,
wherein pressure losses of the fluid at respective portions are so made as to satisfy a relationship of “P0≥P1≥P2”,
“P0” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through the vaporized-fuel outlet port,
“P1” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through an axial space formed between the valve unit and the valve seat in the condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat, and
“P2” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through an axial gap formed between neighboring spring wire portions of the coil spring or passing through an axial gap formed between the coil spring and the valve seat,
wherein cross-sectional areas at respective portions are so made as to satisfy a relationship of “S0≤S1≤S3”,
“S0” is a cross-sectional area of the vaporized-fuel outlet port,
“S1” is a cross-sectional area of an axial space formed between the valve unit and the valve seat in the condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat, and
“S2” is a total of a cross-sectional area of an axial gap formed between neighboring spring wire portions of the coil spring and a cross-sectional area of an axial gap formed between the coil spring and the valve seat, and
wherein, in a first coil portion of the coil spring on a side closer to the valve seat, an axial distance between the neighboring spring wire portions is larger than an axial distance between the valve unit and the valve seat in a condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat at its maximum distance.

### Claim 10

A flow-rate control valve comprising:
a valve housing having:
(1a) a first fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel inlet port;
(1b) a second fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel outlet port;
(1c) a fluid flow path through which fluid flows from the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage; and
(1d) a connecting space formed in the fluid flow path and operatively connecting the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage;
a valve unit movably accommodated in the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is operatively brought into contact with a valve seat formed in the valve housing or separated from the valve seat, wherein the valve unit closes the connecting space to prohibit a fluid flow through the connecting space or opens the connecting space to allow the fluid flow therethrough;
a driving portion for driving the valve unit in an axial direction of the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is reciprocated between a valve closed position and a valve opened position, wherein the valve unit is brought into contact with the valve seat in the valve closed position and separated from the valve seat in the valve opened position;
a driving-side screw portion formed in the driving portion;
a valve-side screw portion formed in the valve unit and engaged with the driving-side screw portion; and
a coil spring provided in the fluid flow path of the connecting space and biasing the valve unit in the axial direction for absorbing a backlash between the driving-side screw portion and the valve-side screw portion,
wherein pressure losses of the fluid at respective portions are so made as to satisfy a relationship of “P0≥P1≥P2”,
“P0” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through the vaporized-fuel outlet port,
“P1” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through an axial space formed between the valve unit and the valve seat in the condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat, and
“P2” is a pressure loss of the fluid passing through an axial gap formed between neighboring spring wire portions of the coil spring or passing through an axial gap formed between the coil spring and the valve seat, and
wherein, in a first coil portion of the coil spring on a side closer to the valve seat, an axial distance between the neighboring spring wire portions is larger than an axial distance between the valve unit and the valve seat in a condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat at its maximum distance.

### Claim 11

A flow-rate control valve comprising:
a valve housing having:
(1a) a first fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel inlet port;
(1b) a second fluid passage connected to a vaporized-fuel outlet port;
(1c) a fluid flow path through which fluid flows from the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage; and
(1d) a connecting space formed in the fluid flow path and operatively connecting the first fuel passage to the second fuel passage;
a valve unit movably accommodated in the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is operatively brought into contact with a valve seat formed in the valve housing or separated from the valve seat, wherein the valve unit closes the connecting space to prohibit a fluid flow through the connecting space or opens the connecting space to allow the fluid flow therethrough;
a driving portion for driving the valve unit in an axial direction of the valve housing in such a manner that the valve unit is reciprocated between a valve closed position and a valve opened position, wherein the valve unit is brought into contact with the valve seat in the valve closed position and separated from the valve seat in the valve opened position;
a driving-side screw portion formed in the driving portion;
a valve-side screw portion formed in the valve unit and engaged with the driving-side screw portion; and
a coil spring provided in the fluid flow path of the connecting space and biasing the valve unit in the axial direction for absorbing a backlash between the driving-side screw portion and the valve-side screw portion,
wherein cross-sectional areas at respective portions are so made as to satisfy a relationship of “S0≤S1≤S2”,
“S0” is a cross-sectional area of the vaporized-fuel outlet port,
“S1” is a cross-sectional area of an axial space formed between the valve unit and the valve seat in the condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat, and
“S2” is a total of a cross-sectional area of an axial gap formed between neighboring spring wire portions of the coil spring and a cross-sectional area of an axial gap formed between the coil spring and the valve seat, and
wherein, in a first coil portion of the coil spring on a side closer to the valve seat, an axial distance between the neighboring spring wire portions is larger than an axial distance between the valve unit and the valve seat in a condition that the valve unit is separated from the valve seat at its maximum distance.