JP4462813B2 - Expansion valve - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an expansion valve installed in a refrigeration cycle of a vehicle air conditioner, for example.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-152232 discloses a configuration in which an expansion valve is configured by separately forming a functional component having a diaphragm chamber with respect to the expansion valve body and incorporating the separate functional component into the valve body. Is disclosed. And the thing which provides a spring in a temperature sensitive case and adjusts the length between spring receivers with a screw mechanism is described. A similar configuration is also described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-351440.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the expansion valve described in the above-mentioned JP-A-8-152232, a screw mechanism is provided at the mounting portion of the temperature sensing case, and the screw mechanism is also used as means for fixing the entire functional component to the valve body. As a whole, the structure must be complicated.
The present invention provides an expansion valve having a more simplified structure by configuring the expansion valve with a cassette unit having functions of a piping member and an expansion valve.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Expansion valve of the present invention includes a plastic housing having a passage of the refrigerant pipe which is communicated with each device of air conditioning system is connected, and a cassette unit having a tube member is inserted into the housing, the tube The member is integrally formed with the flange portion by drawing, the end opposite to the flange portion is opened, and the first through hole, the second through hole, and the third through hole through which the refrigerant passes. In order from the flange portion side, and the diameter is reduced sequentially between the first through hole and the second through hole, and between the second through hole and the third through hole. A step portion is formed, and the cassette unit is fixed between the first through hole and the second through hole of the tube member, and a guide member into which a sealing part is inserted, and the cassette unit 2 through holes and the third through hole An orifice member fixed to a plate member fixed to an end portion side of the third through hole of the tube member, a valve body in which the orifice member and the plate member is deployed in the valve chamber to be formed, A spring provided between the plate member and the valve body , supported by the plate member and biasing the valve body toward the orifice member, and penetrating the guide member and the orifice member to the valve body; A shaft member for operating the valve body by abutting, a lid member welded to the flange portion, a diaphragm sandwiched between the lid member and the flange portion to form a gas charge chamber, and displacement of the diaphragm state where the a stopper member for transmitting to the shaft member, the guide member and the orifice member is in contact with the stepped portion of the inner surface of the tube member Fixed to said tube member, a hole the cassette unit in the housing is inserted is formed in the shape stepped to sequentially reduced in diameter toward the insertion direction, wherein the hole in which the cassette unit in the housing is inserted A seal member is sandwiched between mutually opposing step portions of the tube member, and the housing is provided with a reinforcing rib and a lightening portion for weight reduction, thereby providing a portion outside the cassette unit and the refrigerant passage. Is formed in a thin wall shape.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of an expansion valve having a cassette structure according to the present invention.
The expansion valve denoted as a whole by reference numeral 1 includes a housing 20 constituted by different members and a cassette unit 100.
The housing 20 has a main body 200 made of an appropriate material such as plastic. The main body 200 is connected to a passage 210, a valve chamber 212, and an evaporator side (see FIG. A passage 214 to which a refrigerant pipe heading to a not-shown pipe is connected, a passage 220 to which a refrigerant pipe returning from the evaporator is connected, and a passage 222 to which a refrigerant pipe returning to the compressor side is connected are formed.
[0007]
Stepped inner diameter portions 230, 232, 234, and 236 are processed at the center of the main body 200 in a direction orthogonal to the refrigerant passage. The inner diameter portion 236 forms a bottomed hole.
The cassette unit 100 inserted into the inner diameter portion of the main body 200 of the housing 20 includes a tube member 110 formed of, for example, a stainless material by drawing or the like. The tube member 110 is formed integrally with the flange portion 111 and is provided with stepped portions 113 and 115. The end of the tube member 110 opposite to the flange portion 111 is open.
[0008]
A stopper member 140 is disposed on the flange portion 111, and the lid member 120 is integrally welded with the peripheral portion of the diaphragm 130 in contact with the upper surface of the stopper member 140 interposed therebetween. The lid member 120 and the diaphragm 130 form a gas charge chamber 122, filled with a predetermined gas, and sealed with a plug 124. The gas charge chamber 122 and the diaphragm 130 constitute a valve body drive mechanism.
[0009]
The tube member 110 is formed with through holes 112, 114, and 116 through which the refrigerant passes. The shaft member 150 is in contact with the lower surface of the stopper member 140, and the shaft member 150 passes through the guide member 170 and the orifice member 180 and contacts the valve body 160 disposed in the valve chamber 161.
The spherical valve body 160 is supported by a support member 162, and the support member 162 is supported by a fixed plate 166 via a spring 164.
[0010]
A seal member 174 is inserted into the guide member 170 and is fixed by a holding member 172. The seal member 174 guides the shaft member 150 and seals the leakage of the refrigerant between the refrigerant passage 214 toward the evaporator and the refrigerant passage 220 returning from the evaporator. Guide member 170 is fixed by caulking portion _{K 1} with respect to the tube member 110. Further, the orifice member 180 and the fixing plate 166 are also fixed by the crimping portions K ₂ and K ₃ , respectively.
[0011]
The cassette unit 100 is inserted into the inner diameter portion of the main body 200 of the housing 20 and fixed by a retaining ring 250. A cover 260 is covered on the top. Three seal members 240, 242 and 244 are fitted between the cassette unit 100 and the inner diameter portion of the main body 200, and the seal between the outer peripheral portion of the cassette unit 100 and the inner diameter portion of the main body 200 of the housing 20 is fitted. Forming part.
[0012]
With this configuration, the temperature of the low-pressure refrigerant in the refrigerant passages 34 and 36 sent from the evaporator to the compressor side is transmitted to the gas charge chamber 122 via the shaft member 150 and the stopper member 140, The pressure of the encapsulated refrigerant changes, and this change in pressure is transmitted to the valve body 160 by the diaphragm 130 and the shaft member 150. The valve body 160 is driven to control the amount of the refrigerant sent to the evaporator from the passage 210 through which the refrigerant supplied from the compressor passes.
[0013]
Since a gap is provided between the outer diameter portion of the tube member 110 of the cassette unit 100 and the inner diameter portion of the main body 200 of the housing 20, the passages 210, 214, 220, and 222 formed in the housing 20 are free. Can be formed in the direction.
Therefore, the freedom degree of piping improves and the layout of an air conditioning apparatus can also be set freely.
[0014]
The cassette unit 100 itself has all the functions of the expansion valve.
Since the housing 20 is provided with a passage for connecting a refrigerant pipe to the cassette unit 100 having the function of an expansion valve and exhibits its function, the shape and structure of the passage can be freely designed.
Since the main body 200 of the housing 20 is made by molding plastic, the degree of freedom of the outer shape is great.
[0015]
2 is a left side view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a right side view of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the outer wall 270 of the inner diameter portion 230 of the inlet into which the cassette unit 100 is inserted is formed in a cylindrical shape. The outer wall 272 of the refrigerant passage 220 is also formed in a cylindrical shape, and the outer wall 274 of the refrigerant passage 214 toward the evaporator is also formed in a cylindrical shape. A through hole 282 into which a shaft for mounting an expansion valve is inserted is provided on both sides of the main body 200, and the outer wall 280 of the through hole 282 is also formed in a cylindrical shape.
The outer wall 284 of the bottomed inner diameter portion 236 is also formed in a cylindrical shape, and reinforcing ribs 290 and 292 are provided at necessary places.
Further, a lightening portion 294 is also formed for weight reduction.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 3, the outer wall 273 of the refrigerant passage 222 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the outer wall 304 of the refrigerant inlet passage 210 is also formed in a cylindrical shape. Necessary ribs 300, 302, and 306 and a lightening portion 308 are formed.
A metal insert 310 having an internal thread 312 to which a bolt is screwed is embedded at the same time as the main body 200 is molded.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the expansion valve of the present invention is prepared by separately preparing a plastic housing and a cassette unit equipped with the main part of the expansion valve, and assembling them to complete the expansion valve. Since the housing is formed by molding plastic, it is sufficient that the housing has a minimum necessary thickness, and a reinforcing rib, a hollow portion, or the like can be easily provided as necessary.
Therefore, a lightweight and inexpensive expansion valve can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a left side view of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a right side view of FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Expansion valve 20 Housing 100 Cassette unit 110 Tube member 111 Flange 120 Cover member 130 Diaphragm 140 Stopper 150 Shaft member 160 Valve body 200 Body body 210 Refrigerant inlet 212 Valve chamber 214 Refrigerant outlet 220, 222 Refrigerant passages 240, 242 244 Seal member 250 Retaining ring

Claims (1)

An expansion valve that is installed in the air conditioner and controls the flow rate of the refrigerant,
A plastic housing having a refrigerant passage to which piping communicated with each device of the air conditioner is connected, and a cassette unit having a tube member inserted into the housing;
The tube member is integrally formed with the flange portion by drawing, the end opposite to the flange portion is opened, the first through hole through which the coolant passes, the second through hole, and the third A through hole is provided in order from the flange portion side, and the diameter is reduced sequentially between the first through hole and the second through hole and between the second through hole and the third through hole. The step is formed as
The cassette unit includes: a guide member that is fixed between the first through hole and the second through hole of the tube member and into which a sealing component is inserted; the second through hole of the tube member; the third orifice member fixed between the through holes of the a plate member fixed to an end portion side of the third through hole of the tube member, the orifice member and the valve plate member is formed chamber A valve body disposed between the plate member and the valve body, a spring supported by the plate member and biasing the valve body toward the orifice member, the guide member and the orifice a shaft member for operating the valve body by penetrating the member abuts against the valve body, a lid member is welded to the flange portion, it is sandwiched between the flange portion and the lid member Gasuchi Comprising a diaphragm forming a chromatography di chamber, and a stopper member for transmitting the displacement of the diaphragm to the shaft member,
The guide member and the orifice member are fixed to the tube member in a state where the guide member and the orifice member are in contact with the stepped portion of the inner surface of the tube member,
The hole in the housing into which the cassette unit is inserted is formed in a stepped shape so that the diameter gradually decreases in the insertion direction, and the hole in the housing in which the cassette unit is inserted and the step of the tube member facing each other. A sealing member is sandwiched between the parts ,
2. The expansion valve according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a reinforcing rib and a lightening portion for reducing the weight so that a portion outside the cassette unit and the refrigerant passage is formed thin.

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