CRYOGENIC REFRIGERATOR

Abstract

A cryogenic refrigerator includes a first cylinder and a second cylinder, a first displacer and a second displacer configured to reciprocate inside the first cylinder and the second cylinder, respectively, an intake and outlet system configured to alternately perform a first operation of supplying gas to the first cylinder and discharging the gas from the second cylinder and a second operation of discharging the gas from the first cylinder and supplying the gas to the second cylinder, a communication path configured to communicate the first cylinder with the second cylinder, and an opening and closing part configured to open and close the communication path.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-040635, filed on Feb. 27, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cryogenic refrigerator that produces cryogenic temperatures by causing the Simon expansion using a high-pressure refrigerant gas fed from a compressor.

2. Description of the Related Art

As cryogenic refrigerators have been used for a wider variety of purposes, there is a demand for increases in their outputs. Conventionally, as a common practice for improving the performance of the cryogenic refrigerator, it has been performed to increase the diameter of a cylinder, the stroke length of a displacer, and the high-low pressure difference of a refrigerant gas of the cryogenic refrigerator. In addition to the above, it has been proposed to combine multiple compressors and multiple expanders as described in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-257772.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, a cryogenic refrigerator includes a first cylinder and a second cylinder; a first displacer and a second displacer configured to reciprocate inside the first cylinder and the second cylinder, respectively; an intake and outlet system configured to alternately perform a first operation of supplying gas to the first cylinder and discharging the gas from the second cylinder and a second operation of discharging the gas from the first cylinder and supplying the gas to the second cylinder; a communication path configured to communicate the first cylinder with the second cylinder; and an opening and closing part configured to open and close the communication path.

The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and not restrictive of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cryogenic refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a connection mechanism of the cryogenic refrigerator according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a first displacer and a second displacer according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a Scotch yoke mechanism of the cryogenic refrigerator according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a timing chart illustrating valve timing of valves of the cryogenic refrigerator according to this embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a timing chart illustrating the valve timing of the cryogenic refrigerator along with the positions of the first and second displacers, the pressures inside first and second cylinders, and pressures on the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side of a compressor according to the embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a variation of the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As described above, it has been proposed to combine multiple compressors and multiple expanders. According to the above-described conventional art, however, the compressor unit including multiple compressors increases in size and decreases in efficiency, and an increase in operational loads on the compressor unit is likely to reduce the useful service life of the compressor unit. That is, the conventional art has yet to provide a cryogenic refrigerator that makes it possible to achieve higher output more efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a cryogenic refrigerator is provided that makes it possible to achieve higher output more efficiently.

According to a cryogenic refrigerator of an embodiment of the present invention, the opening operation of an opening and closing part allows a high-pressure refrigerant gas taken in into one of a first cylinder and a second cylinder from a compressor to be provided to the other one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder. Likewise, a high-pressure refrigerant gas is allowed to be provided from the other one to the one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder. This reduces variations on both the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side of the compressor, so that it is possible to reduce operational loads on the compressor.

A description is given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of one or more embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams for illustrating a cryogenic refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a piping structure of the cryogenic refrigerator 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a drive structure of the cryogenic refrigerator 1. The cryogenic refrigerator 1 of this embodiment is a Gifford-McMahon (GM) refrigerator that uses helium gas as a refrigerant gas.

First, a description is given of the piping structure of the cryogenic refrigerator 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the cryogenic refrigerator 1 includes a first cylinder 2, a first displacer 3, a second cylinder 4, a second displacer 5, an intake and outlet system 6 including a group of pipes and a group of valves V1, V2, V3, and V4, a connecting pipe 7 (a communication path), and a communicating valve V5 (an opening and closing part). The cryogenic refrigerator 1 further includes a microcomputer (not graphically illustrated) as a control part that controls the opening and closing of the valves V1 through V4 and the communicating valve V5. The group of pipes of the intake and outlet system 6 includes a first supply pipe 61, a first outlet pipe 62, a second supply pipe 63, a second outlet pipe 64, a first supply and outlet common pipe 65, and a second supply and outlet common pipe 66. The first supply pipe 61 has a first end connected to a high-pressure side H of a compressor 8. The first supply pipe 61 has a second end connected to the first supply and outlet common pipe 65 that is connected to the first cylinder 2. The first intake valve V1 is provided in a middle portion of the first supply and outlet common pipe 65.

The second supply pipe 63 has a first end connected to a middle portion of the first supply pipe 61. The second supply pipe 63 has a second end connected to the second supply and outlet common pipe 66 connected to the second cylinder 4. The second intake valve V3 is provided in a middle portion of the second supply and outlet common pipe 66.

The second outlet pipe 64 has a first end connected to a low-pressure side L of the compressor 8. The second outlet pipe 64 has a second end connected to the second supply and outlet common pipe 66 connected to the second cylinder 4. The second outlet valve V4 is provided in a middle portion of the second supply and outlet common pipe 66.

The first outlet pipe 62 has a first end connected to a middle portion of the second outlet pipe 64. The first outlet pipe 62 has a second end connected to the first supply and outlet common pipe 65 connected to the first cylinder 2. The first outlet valve V2 is provided in a middle portion of the first supply and outlet common pipe 65.

The connecting pipe 7 has a first end connected to the first supply and outlet common pipe 65, and has a second end connected to the second supply and outlet common pipe 66. The communicating valve V5 is provided in a middle portion of the connecting pipe 7.

Next, a description is given, with reference to FIG. 2, of the drive structure of the cryogenic refrigerator 1. The first cylinder 2 has a bottomed cylinder (tube) shape, and encloses the first displacer 3. The second cylinder 4 has a bottomed cylinder (tube) shape, and encloses the second displacer 5.

The first cylinder 2 and the second cylinder 4 include a common flange part 90. The upper end of the first cylinder 2 and the upper end of the second cylinder 4 are open at the upper surface of the flange part 90. The upper end of the first cylinder 2 and the upper end of the second cylinder 4 are hermetically closed by a common lid part 9.

The first cylinder 2 and the second cylinder 4 are disposed side by side in the rightward and the leftward direction in FIG. 2. Further, a columnar support member 21 that extends upward through an insertion hole 9c formed in the lid part 9 is provided on a wall face part 8a of the upper surface of the flange part 90 between the upper end openings of the first cylinder 2 and the second cylinder 4. The support member 21 is fixed to the through hole 9c.

Next, a description is given, with reference to FIG. 3, of a configuration of the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5 of this embodiment. The first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5 have the same configuration. Therefore, in FIG. 3, a description is given using the first displacer 3 and a description of the second displacer 5 is omitted. Further, when necessary, the reference numerals of components of the second displacer 5 are shown in parentheses.

A first expansion space 113A is formed between the low temperature end of the first displacer 3 and the first cylinder 2. A second expansion space 113B is formed between the low temperature end of the second displacer 5 and the second cylinder 4. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, a cooling stage 10 is thermally coupled to the peripheries of the first and second expansion spaces 113A and 113B of the first and second cylinders 2 and 4. The cooling stage 10 is formed of, for example, copper, aluminum, stainless steel or the like.

The first cylinder 2 accommodates the first displacer 3 in such a manner as to allow the first displacer 3 to reciprocate in the longitudinal directions of the first cylinder 2 (the directions of arrows Z1 and Z2 in FIG. 3). The second cylinder 4 accommodates the second displacer 5 in such a manner as to allow the second displacer 5 to reciprocate in the longitudinal directions of the second cylinder 4 (the directions of arrows Z1 and Z2 in FIG. 3). For example, stainless steel is used for the first cylinder 2 and the second cylinder 4 in terms of ensuring strength, thermal conductivity, helium blocking capability, etc.

Each of the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5 has a cylindrical shape, and has a channel space formed inside where a refrigerant gas flows. The channel space is filled with a regenerator material to form a regenerator 117.

A room temperature chamber 108A is formed between the first cylinder 2 and the high temperature end of the first displacer 3. A room temperature chamber 108B is formed between the second cylinder 4 and the high temperature end of the second displacer 5.

The room temperature chambers 108A and 108B are spaces that change in volume with the reciprocations of the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5, respectively. The above-described first supply and outlet common pipe 65 is connected to the room temperature chamber 108A, and the above-described second supply and outlet common pipe 66 is connected to the room temperature chamber 108B. An upper flow rectifier 109 that rectifies (regulates) a flow of helium gas is provided on the upper end side, that is, the room temperature chamber 108A or 108B side, of each regenerator 117. A lower flow rectifier 110 is provided on the lower end side of each regenerator 117.

An opening 111 through which helium gas flows from the first room temperature chamber 108A or the second room temperature chamber 108B into the refrigerator 117 is formed at the high temperature end of each of the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5.

An opening 116 through which helium gas is introduced into or let out of the first expansion space 113A or the second expansion space 113B is formed at the low temperature end of each of the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5.

The first expansion space 113A and the second expansion space 113B change in volume with the reciprocations of the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5, respectively. A seal member 115 is attached between part of the first displacer 3 near its high temperature end and the first cylinder 2 and between part of the second displacer 5 near its high temperature end and the second cylinder 4.

For example, Bakelite (phenol containing cloth) or the like is used for the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5 in view of specific gravity, abrasion resistance, strength, and thermal conductivity. The regenerator material is formed of, for example, a wire mesh.

The cryogenic refrigerator 1 includes a drive mechanism that drives the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5 in different phases. The drive mechanism includes a Scotch yoke mechanism 70 and a connection mechanism 80.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the Scotch yoke mechanism 70. The Scotch yoke mechanism 70 includes a crank member 77 and a Scotch yoke 78. The crank member 77 is connected to an output shaft (motor shaft) 74 of a motor (a drive part). The crank member 77 includes a crank pin 75 that is eccentric to the output shaft 74 and extends parallel to the output shaft 74. The Scotch yoke 78 includes a horizontally elongated frame part 32 in which a window part 34 is formed, a drive shaft 31, and a cylindrical crank pin bearing 11. The frame part 32 is formed in a middle portion of the drive shaft 31. That is, the frame part 32 forms part of the drive shaft 31.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the lower end of the drive shaft 31 is fixed to an upper part of the first displacer 3. The crank pin bearing 11 is rollably provided in the window part 34. The crank pin 75 is slidably received by the inner wall surface of the crank pin bearing 11. By this configuration, the Scotch yoke mechanism 70 converts the rotational driving force generated by the motor into a driving force to cause the first displacer 3 to reciprocate vertically (in the Z1 and the Z2 direction in FIG. 2) through the rotational motion of the crank member 77.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the drive shaft 31 projects upward and outward from the upper part of the first displacer 3 through an insertion hole 9a of the lid part 9. Further, a driven shaft 51 is fixed to an upper part of the second displacer 5. The driven shaft 51 projects upward and outward from the upper part of the second displacer 5 through an insertion hole 9b of the lid part 9.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cryogenic refrigerator 1 includes the connection mechanism 80 that connects the Scotch yoke mechanism 70 (the drive shaft 31) and the driven shaft 51. The connection mechanism 80 includes a first arm (link) part 12, a second arm (link) part 13, and the support member 21. One of the first arm part 12 and the second arm part 13 may be omitted.

The first arm part 12 has a first end part 12a, a second end part 12b, and a center part 12c rotatably connected to an upper end part of the drive shaft 31, an upper end part of the driven shaft 51, and an upper part of the support member 21, respectively, by connecting members 16 such as pins.

The second arm part 13 has a first end part 13a, a second end part 13b, and a center part 13c rotatably connected to part of the drive shaft 31 below the frame part 32, a middle part of the driven shaft 51, and a middle part of the support member 21, respectively, by connecting members 17 such as pins.

That is, the first arm part 12 and the second arm part 13 have their respective center parts 12c and 13c connected to the support member 21, being vertically spaced apart from each other, so as to be oscillatable in directions indicated by arrows A1 and A2 in FIG. 2 about the points of connection.

Referring to FIG. 4 as well, the crank pin 75 is rotated by the motor, so that the crank pin bearing 11 causes the drive shaft 31 and the first displacer 3 to vertically reciprocate while sliding (rolling) in the longitudinal directions of the window part 34.

Following this reciprocation, the first arm part 12 and the second arm part 13, having their respective first ends 12a and 13a connected to the drive shaft 31, oscillate in the A1 and the A2 direction of FIG. 2 about their points of connection to the support member 21. That is, when the drive shaft 31 slides upward (in the Z1 direction in FIG. 2), the first arm part 12 and the second arm part 13 oscillate in the direction of arrow A2 in FIG. 2, so that the driven shaft 51, which is connected to the second end parts 12b and 13b of the first arm part 12 and the second arm part 13, slides downward (in the Z2 direction in FIG. 2). Further, when the drive shaft 31 slides downward, the first arm part 12 and the second arm part 13 oscillate in the direction of arrow A1 of FIG. 2, so that the driven shaft 51 slides upward. As a result of such sliding motions (vertical movements) of the drive shaft 31 and the driven shaft 51 due to the oscillations of the first arm part 12 and the second arm part 13, the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5 connected to the drive shaft 31 and the driven shaft 51 vertically reciprocate in antiphase.

Next, a description is given, with reference to the timing charts of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, of operations of the first intake valve V1, the first outlet valve V2, the second intake valve V3, the second outlet valve V4, and the communicating valve V5, that is, the valve timing VT, of the cryogenic refrigerator 1. For convenience of graphical representation, the valve timing VT, which is indicated by a bold line in FIG. 5, is schematically illustrated with blocks in (e) of FIG. 6.

The vertical axis represents the opening and closing states of the five valves V1 through V5 in FIG. 5, and the horizontal axis represents time in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The starting point of the horizontal axis is time t0. The operations of the five valves V1 through V5 are determined based on the positions of the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5 illustrated in Position DP of (a) of FIG. 6. In (a) of FIG. 6, the position DP of the first displacer 3 is indicated by a solid line, and the position DP of the second displacer 5 is indicated by a broken line. As is clear from (a) of FIG. 6, the first displacer 3 and the second displacer 5 are driven to be opposite in phase. With respect to Pressure P illustrated in (b) of FIG. 6, the pressure inside the expansion space 113A of the first cylinder 2 is indicated by a solid line, and the pressure inside the expansion space 113B of the second cylinder 4 is indicated by a broken line.

Time t1 of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is slightly before the time at which the position DP of the second displacer 5 is at the bottom dead center D. At time t1, the communicating valve V5 is opened by the control part, and continues to be open for a predetermined period of time so as to allow high-pressure helium gas inside the second cylinder 4 to be supplied into the first cylinder 2 via the connecting pipe 7.

This predetermined period of time is determined based on the time taken for the pressure P inside the second cylinder 4 to lower from high pressure H to low pressure L (lowering time) or the time taken for the pressure P inside the first cylinder 2 to rise from low pressure L to high pressure H (rising time) illustrated in (b) of FIG. 6. This lowering time or rising time may be determined by, for example, an experiment or a simulation, and in general, the predetermined period of time is determined to be approximately the half of the lowering time or rising time. That is, at time t2, when the predetermined period of time has passed, the pressure P inside the second cylinder 4 and the pressure P inside the first cylinder 2 are substantially equal.

At time t2, that is, after continuation of the open state of the communicating valve V5 for the predetermined period of time, the communicating valve V5 is closed by the control part. Further, at time t2, the first intake valve V1 is opened to allow high-pressure helium gas to be supplied from the high-pressure side H of the compressor 8 into the first cylinder 2 via the first supply pipe 61 and the first supply and outlet common pipe 65, so that the pressure P inside the first cylinder 2 is caused to be high H. Further, at time t3, when a predetermined period of time has passed since time t2, the first intake valve V1 is closed.

Likewise, at time t2, the second outlet valve V4 is opened to allow helium gas inside the second cylinder 4 to be discharged to the low-pressure side L of the compressor 8 via the second supply and outlet common pipe 66 and the second outlet pipe 64, so that the pressure P inside the second cylinder 4 is caused to be low L. Further, at time t3, when the predetermined period of time has passed since time t2, the second outlet valve V4 is closed.

Time t4 in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is slightly before the time at which the position DP of the first displacer 3 is at the bottom dead center D. At time t4, the communicating valve V5 is opened by the control part, and continues to be open for a predetermined period of time so as to allow high-pressure helium gas inside the first cylinder 2 to be supplied into the second cylinder 4 via the connecting pipe 7. At time t5, when the predetermined period of time has passed since time t4, the pressure P inside the second cylinder 4 and the pressure P inside the first cylinder 2 are substantially equal.

At time t5, that is, after continuation of the open state of the communicating valve V5 for the predetermined period of time, the communicating valve V5 is closed by the control part. Further, at time t5, the second intake valve V3 is opened to allow high-pressure helium gas to be supplied from the high-pressure side H of the compressor 8 into the second cylinder 4 via the second supply pipe 63 and the second supply and outlet common pipe 66, so that the pressure P inside the second cylinder 4 is caused to be high H. Further, at time t6, when a predetermined period of time has passed since time t5, the second intake valve V3 is closed.

Likewise, at time t5, the first outlet valve V2 is opened to allow helium gas inside the first cylinder 2 to be discharged to the low-pressure side L of the compressor 8 via the first supply and outlet common pipe 65 and the first outlet pipe 62, so that the pressure P inside the first cylinder 2 is caused to be low L. Further, at time t6, when the predetermined period of time has passed since time t5, the first outlet valve V2 is closed.

The valve operations between time t7 and time t9 are equal to but are delayed by one cycle of the reciprocation of the first displacer 3 or the second displacer 5 relative to the valve operations between time t1 and time t3. Further, the valve operations between time t10 and time t12 are equal to but are delayed by one cycle of the reciprocation of the first displacer 3 or the second displacer 5 relative to the valve operations between time t4 and time t6.

Next, a description is given, with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 3 as well, of an operation of the cryogenic refrigerator 1 of this embodiment as a refrigerator. For convenience of description, a description is given of a refrigerating operation performed by the first cylinder 2 and the first displacer 3. In the following description, the position of the first displacer 3 that maximizes the volume of the expansion space 113A is determined as the bottom dead center D, and the position of the first displacer 3 that minimizes the volume of the expansion space 113A is determined as the top dead center U.

At some point in the helium gas supply process, the second displacer 5 is positioned at the top dead center U in the second cylinder 4. At a time slightly before that point, that is, between time t1 and time t2 of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the communicating valve V5 is opened for a predetermined period of time by the control part.

High-pressure helium gas inside the second cylinder 4 flows into the first cylinder 2 via the communicating valve V5 and the connecting pipe 7, so that the pressure inside the second cylinder 4 decreases and the pressure inside the first cylinder 2 increases. After passage of a predetermined period of time since the communicating valve V5 is opened, the communicating valve V5 is closed, the first intake valve V1 is opened, and the second outlet valve V4 is opened by the control part.

High-pressure helium gas flows from the high-pressure side H of the compressor 8 into the first cylinder 2 via the first supply pipe 61 and the first supply and outlet common pipe 65. High-pressure helium gas inside the second cylinder 4 flows into the low-pressure side L of the compressor 8 via the second supply and outlet common pipe 66 and the second outlet pipe 64.

The high-pressure helium gas is supplied into the first cylinder 2 to flow into the regenerator 117 inside the first displacer 3 through the opening 111 positioned at the top of the first displacer 3. The high-pressure helium gas that has flown into the regenerator 117 is fed into the first expansion space 113A via the opening 116 positioned at the bottom of the displacer 3 while being cooled by the regenerator material.

Thus, the first expansion space 113A is filled with the high-pressure helium gas, and the first intake valve V1 is closed as described above. At this time, the first displacer 3 is positioned at the bottom dead center D inside the first cylinder 2. When the first outlet valve V2 is opened slightly before this time, the helium gas of the first expansion space 113A adiabatically expands. The helium gas of the first expansion space 113A whose temperature has been lowered by the adiabatic expansion absorbs the heat of the cooling stage 10.

The first displacer 3 moves toward the top dead center U, so that the volume of the first expansion space 113A decreases. The helium gas inside the first expansion space 113A is returned to the intake side, that is, the low-pressure side L, of the compressor 8 via the opening 116, the regenerator 117, and the opening 111. At this point, the regenerator material is cooled by the helium gas. This process is employed as one cycle, and the cryogenic refrigerator 1 cools the cooling stage 10 by repeating this cooling cycle.

According to the cryogenic refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, using the first displacer 3 and the corresponding first cylinder 2 and the second displacer 5 and the corresponding second cylinder 4 as a pair, it is possible to cause the paired first and second cylinders 2 and 4 to supply a high-pressure refrigerant gas to each other without the intervention of the compressor 8 based on suitable opening and closing of the communicating valve V5 by causing the first displacer 3 and cylinder 2 and the second displacer 5 and cylinder 4 to operate in antiphase to each other.

In FIG. 6, as a reference example, valve timing VT(4V) in a four-valve GM refrigerator that is not provided with the communicating valve V5 and the connecting pipe 7 of this embodiment is illustrated in (c). According to this valve timing VT(4V), the first intake valve V1 is open and the second outlet valve V4 is open between time t1 and time t3, and the second intake valve V3 is open and the first outlet valve V2 is open between time t4 and time t6.

The waveform of pressure variations on the high-pressure side and the waveform of pressure variations on the low-pressure side of a compressor in this case of the four-valve GM refrigerator are illustrated as PV(4V) in (d) of FIG. 6. Further, the waveform of pressure variations on the high-pressure side H and the waveform of pressure variations on the low-pressure side L of the compressor 8 in the five-valve cryogenic refrigerator 1 of this embodiment are illustrated as PV in (f) of FIG. 6.

The comparison of these waveforms shows that the pressure range of PV is reduced to approximately the half of the pressure range of PV(4V). Specifically, a pressure range ΔH1 on the high-pressure side H of this embodiment illustrated in (f) of FIG. 6 is smaller than a pressure range ΔH2 on the high-pressure side of the reference example illustrated in (d) of FIG. 6 (ΔH1<ΔH2). The same applies to the pressure range on the low-pressure side L of this embodiment.

That is, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the pressure variations of the compressor 8 by feeding high-pressure helium gas from a high-pressure side cylinder to a low-pressure side cylinder at the initial stage of the intake and the outlet operation.

Therefore, according to the cryogenic refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to reduce operational loads on the compressor 8. Accordingly, a compressor unit including the compressor 8 is prevented from increasing in size or degrading in efficiency. Further, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce pressure variations, so that it is possible to control reduction in the useful service life of the compressor unit due to an increase in its operational loads. In addition, it is possible to reduce the workload of the compressor 8, so that it is possible to save energy.

In this embodiment, the configuration is illustrated where the first through fourth valves V1 through V4 and the communicating valve V5 included in the intake and outlet system 6 are independent solenoid valves, while these valves V1 through V5 may be replaced with a valve plate and an valve body that form a known rotary valve.

In this case, the rotary valve may be configured by connecting the valve plate to the output shaft 74 of the motor (drive part) that drives the Scotch yoke mechanism 70 positioned above the lid part 9 of the first cylinder 2 and the second cylinder 4 illustrated in FIG. 2, and suitably fixing the valve body above the lid part 9. That is, the control part may be omitted in the case of using a rotary valve.

All examples and conditional language provided herein are intended for pedagogical purposes of aiding the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to further the art, and are not to be construed as limitations to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority or inferiority of the invention. Although one or more embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case is illustrated where the number of stages is one in the cryogenic refrigerator 1, while this number of stages may be suitably selected from two, three, etc. Further, the number of pairs of displacers is not limited to one, and may be two or more.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration where multiple pairs of displacers are provided according to a variation of the above-described embodiment. It is possible to drive multiple pairs of displacers with the single Scotch yoke mechanism 70 by connecting the connection mechanisms 80 by connecting members 85 as indicated by one-dot chain lines in FIG. 7. In this case, the intake and outlet system 6 including the compressor 8 may be shared by the multiple pairs of displacers.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a description is given of the case where the cryogenic refrigerator is a GM refrigerator. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and embodiments of the present invention may also be applied to any refrigerators having a displacer, such as Stirling refrigerators and Solvay cycle refrigerators. Further, the definitions of the top dead center and the bottom dead center may be opposite to the above-described definitions. Further, the above-illustrated method of determining a predetermined period of time or a fixed time is a mere example, and a predetermined period of time or a fixed time may be defined as another proportion based on the lowering time or rising time.

According to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce operational loads on a compressor by using one or more pairs of displacers and corresponding cylinders and causing a high-pressure refrigerant gas to be fed between the paired cylinders without the intervention of the compressor in cryogenic refrigerators. That is, according to an aspect of the present invention, a compressor unit including the compressor is prevented from increasing in size or degrading in efficiency. Further, according to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent reduction in the useful service life of the compressor unit due to an increase in its operational loads. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention may be applied to various kinds of cryogenic refrigerators.

Claims

1. A cryogenic refrigerator, comprising:

a first cylinder and a second cylinder;

a first displacer and a second displacer configured to reciprocate inside the first cylinder and the second cylinder, respectively;

an intake and outlet system configured to alternately perform a first operation of supplying gas to the first cylinder and discharging the gas from the second cylinder and a second operation of discharging the gas from the first cylinder and supplying the gas to the second cylinder;

a communication path configured to communicate the first cylinder with the second cylinder; and

an opening and closing part configured to open and close the communication path.

2. The cryogenic refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening and closing part is configured to open the communication path for a predetermined period of time immediately before each of the first operation and the second operation of the intake and outlet system.

3. The cryogenic refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a drive mechanism configured to drive the first displacer and the second displacer in different phases; and

a drive part configured to drive the drive mechanism.

4. The cryogenic refrigerator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the drive mechanism further includes a connection mechanism configured to connect the first displacer and the second displacer.

5. The cryogenic refrigerator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the connection mechanism includes

a support member extending from a lid part provided on the first and second cylinders placed side by side; and

an arm part having a center portion rotatably connected to the support member, having a first end portion rotatably connected to a first shaft extending from the first displacer, and having a second end portion rotatably connected to a second shaft extending from the second displacer.

6. The cryogenic refrigerator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drive mechanism further includes a Scotch yoke mechanism configured to convert a rotational driving force of the drive part into a reciprocative driving force, the Scotch yoke mechanism forming a part of the first shaft.

7. The cryogenic refrigerator as claimed in claim 6, wherein the connection mechanism further includes an additional arm part having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a center portion rotatably connected to the first shaft, the second shaft, and the support member, respectively, so as to be parallel to the arm part.

8. The cryogenic refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

in addition to a pair of the first displacer and the second displacer, one or more pairs of the first displacer and the second displacer.

9. The cryogenic refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a cooling stage thermally coupled to the first cylinder and the second cylinder.

10. The cryogenic refrigerator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cooling stage is coupled to respective peripheries of the first cylinder and the second cylinder so as to surround a first expansion space formed between a low temperature end of the first displacer and the first cylinder and a second expansion space formed between a low temperature end of the second displacer and the second cylinder.