JP7039924B2 - Thermal valve and hot water heating device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a thermal valve and a hot water heating device.

Conventionally, the thermal valve described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-37340 (Patent Document 1) and the thermal valve described in Japanese Patent No. 4394236 (Patent Document 2) are known.

The thermal valve described in Patent Document 1 has a valve shaft, a valve body, a body, a case, a heat-responsive element, a heating element, a first terminal, and a second terminal. .. A fluid passage is provided inside the body. A valve seat is provided in the fluid passage. A heat-responsive element, a heating element, a first terminal and a second terminal are housed inside the case. The heating element generates heat when energized by the first terminal and the second terminal, and heats the heat-responsive element. The heated heat-responsive element moves the valve shaft. The valve body is attached to the valve shaft so as to face the valve seat. The valve body is separated from the valve seat by moving the valve shaft. As a result, hot water flows through the fluid passage.

In the thermal valve described in Patent Document 1, the thermal response element, the first terminal, the heating element and the second terminal are not urged in the direction from the second end to the first end. Therefore, the adhesion between the first terminal and the second terminal to the heating element may be insufficient, or the heat conduction from the heating element to the heat-responsive element may be insufficient.

The thermal valve described in Patent Document 2 includes a first unit holding member, a second unit holding member, a valve housing, a valve shaft, a valve body, a thermo element, a lower electrode plate, and an upper electrode plate. It has a positive characteristic thermistor and a coil spring for setup. A flow path is provided inside the valve housing. A valve seat is provided in the flow path.

The first unit holding member and the second unit holding member are paired. The first unit holding member and the second unit holding member have a first end and a second end. The second end is the opposite end of the first end. The second end is located on the valve housing side. The first unit holding member and the second unit holding member hold a setup coil spring, a thermo element, a lower electrode plate, a positive characteristic thermistor, and an upper electrode plate.

The thermo element is arranged on the first end side of the setup coil spring. The lower electrode plate is arranged on the first end side of the thermo element. The positive characteristic thermistor is arranged on the first end side of the lower electrode plate. The upper electrode plate is arranged on the first end side of the positive characteristic thermistor.

The positive characteristic thermistor generates heat when energized by the lower electrode plate and the upper electrode plate, and heats the thermoelement. The heated thermoelement moves the valve shaft. As a result, the valve body attached to the valve seat is separated from the valve seat, and hot water flows in the flow path.

The setup coil spring is held by the first unit holding member and the second unit holding member in a contracted state. That is, the setup coil spring urges the thermo unit, the lower electrode plate, the positive characteristic thermistor, and the upper electrode plate in the direction from the second end to the first end. Therefore, in the thermal valve described in Patent Document 2, there is a possibility that the lower electrode plate and the upper electrode plate are inadequately adhered to the positive characteristic thermistor, and the heat conduction from the positive characteristic thermistor to the thermo unit is insufficient. The risk of becoming is small.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-37340 Japanese Patent No. 4394236

However, in the thermal valve described in Patent Document 2, the setup coil spring, the thermo unit, the lower electrode plate, the positive characteristic thermistor and the upper electrode plate are provided in the first unit against the urging force from the setup coil spring. It is necessary to assemble to the holding member and the second unit holding member. Therefore, the thermal valve described in Patent Document 2 has room for improvement in assembling property.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. More specifically, the present invention provides a thermal valve capable of improving assembling property and a hot water heating device using such a thermal valve.

The thermal valve according to one aspect of the present invention is heated by a tubular drive unit housing having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and a valve shaft. From the heat-responsive element that moves the valve shaft and is housed in the drive unit housing, the heater that is located on the first end side of the heat-responsive element and that heats the heat-responsive element, and the heat-responsive element. Is housed in the drive unit housing so as to be located on the first end side and electrically connected to the heater and on the second end side of the heat-responsive element, and the heat-responsive element. Is provided with an elastic member that urges the heater toward the heater. The drive unit housing is provided with an intersecting wall portion that intersects the direction from the first end to the second end. The electrode portion is locked to the drive portion housing by abutting on the intersecting wall portion from the second end side.

In the thermal valve according to one aspect of the present invention, when the thermal response element, the electrode portion and the heater are assembled to the drive unit housing, the urging force from the elastic member is applied to the thermal response element, the electrode portion and the heater. It works. In the thermal valve according to one aspect of the present invention, the electrode portion abuts on the intersecting wall portion from the second end side and is locked to the drive unit housing in the direction from the first end to the second end. , The position of each component housed in the drive unit housing can be temporarily fixed against the urging force from the elastic member. Therefore, according to the thermal valve according to one aspect of the present invention, the assembling property can be improved.

In the above thermal valve, the electrode portion may have a first electrode member located on the second end side of the heater and a second electrode member located on the first end side of the heater. The drive unit housing may be provided with a first insertion groove into which the first electrode member is inserted and a second insertion groove into which the second electrode member is inserted. At least one of the first insertion groove and the second insertion groove extends so as to intersect the direction from the first end to the second end, and has a first groove portion that penetrates the drive portion housing in the thickness direction. It may have a second groove portion extending from the first groove portion to reach the first end and penetrating the drive portion housing in the thickness direction. The wall portion on the first end side of the first groove portion may constitute an intersecting wall portion. At least one of the first electrode member and the second electrode member may be locked to the drive portion housing by abutting on the intersecting wall portion from the second end side.

In this case, the first electrode member (or the second electrode member) is pushed into the drive unit housing from the first end to the second end of the drive unit housing. By rotating the second electrode member) along the circumferential direction of the drive unit housing, the positions of the parts housed in the drive unit housing can be easily temporarily fixed, so that the assembling property is further improved. be able to.

In the above thermal valve, the first electrode member has a first portion arranged so as to face the heater and a second portion protruding from the periphery of the first portion along the radial direction of the first portion. You may be doing it. The second electrode member may have a fourth portion arranged so as to face the heater, and a fifth portion protruding from the periphery of the fourth portion along the radial direction of the fourth portion. At least one of the second portion and the fifth portion may be configured to pass through the first groove portion from the inner peripheral surface side of the drive unit housing toward the outer peripheral surface side of the drive unit housing.

In the above thermal valve, the angle formed by the protruding direction of the second portion and the protruding direction of the fifth portion may exceed 0 °. In this case, since it becomes difficult for the first electrode member and the second electrode member to come into contact with each other, it is possible to prevent a short circuit between the first electrode member and the second electrode member.

In the above thermal valve, the angle between the protruding direction of the second portion and the protruding direction of the fifth portion may be 180 ° ± 0 °.

The thermal valve may further include a lid for sealing the drive housing. In the above thermal valve, the first electrode member has a third portion that bends from the second portion along the outer peripheral surface of the drive portion housing, and the second electrode member has a drive portion casing from the fifth portion. It may have a sixth portion that bends along the outer peripheral surface of the body. The inner peripheral surface of the lid may be provided with a first recess in which the third portion is housed and a second recess in which the sixth portion is housed.

The thermal valve may further include a main body having a water passage path having a valve seat inside. The drive unit housing may be integrated with the main body on the second end side.

The hot water heating device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a pipe and the above-mentioned thermal valve. The thermal valve is arranged on the path of the pipe.

According to the thermal valve and the hot water heating device according to one aspect of the present invention, the assembling property can be improved.

It is a perspective view of the thermal valve 10 which concerns on embodiment. It is sectional drawing in II-II of FIG. It is a perspective view of the 1st electrode member 7a and the 2nd electrode member 7b in the thermal valve 10 which concerns on embodiment. It is a side view of the thermal valve 10 which concerns on embodiment seen from the direction IV of FIG. It is a side view of the thermal valve 10 which concerns on embodiment seen from the direction V of FIG. It is a top view of the thermal valve 10 which concerns on embodiment. It is a bottom view of the lid 9 in the thermal valve 10 which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram of the hot water heating apparatus 100 which concerns on embodiment.

The details of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will not be repeated.

(Structure of thermal valve according to the embodiment)
Hereinafter, the configuration of the thermal valve 10 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the thermal valve 10 includes a main body portion 1, a drive portion housing 2, a valve shaft 3, a valve body 4, an insulating retainer 5a, an insulating spacer 5b, and a thermal response. It has an element 6, an electrode portion 7 (first electrode member 7a and second electrode member 7b), a heater 7c, a first elastic member 8a, a second elastic member 8b, and a lid 9.

A water passage path 1a is provided inside the main body 1. The water flow path 1a is connected to the outside at the water inlet 1b and the water outlet 1c. A valve seat 1d is formed in the water passage path 1a. The valve seat 1d projects from the inner wall surface of the water passage path 1a in a direction intersecting the central axis 3c of the valve shaft 3. The main body 1 may be formed by assembling a plurality of members.

The drive unit housing 2 has a tubular shape. The drive unit housing 2 may have a cylindrical shape. The drive unit housing 2 has a first end 2a and a second end 2b. The second end 2b is the opposite end of the first end 2a. The second end 2b is arranged on the main body 1 side. The drive unit housing 2 is open at the first end 2a. The drive unit housing 2 may be integrally formed with the main body unit 1. The drive unit housing 2 houses the O-ring 2c inside on the second end 2b side.

The valve shaft 3 has a first end 3a and a second end 3b. The second end 3b is the opposite end of the first end 3a. The valve shaft 3 has a central shaft 3c. The central axis 3c is along the direction from the first end 3a to the second end 3b. The valve shaft 3 is configured to be movable along the central shaft 3c (along the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b). The outer peripheral surface of the valve shaft 3 and the inner peripheral surface of the drive unit housing 2 are watertightly sealed by an O-ring 2c.

At least a part of the valve shaft 3 is housed inside the drive unit housing 2, and the rest of the valve shaft 3 is housed inside the main body part 1. More specifically, the valve shaft 3 is housed inside the drive unit housing 2 on the first end 3a side and inside the main body 1 on the second end 3b side. The second end 3b side of the valve shaft 3 is located in the water passage path 1a.

The valve body 4 is attached to the valve shaft 3. More specifically, the valve body 4 is attached to the second end 3b side of the valve shaft 3. The valve body 4 is attached to the valve shaft 3 so as to face the valve seat 1d. The valve body 4 is separated from the valve seat 1d by the valve shaft 3 moving from the first end 3a side to the second end 3b side along the central shaft 3c. The valve body 4 comes into contact with the valve seat 1d as the valve shaft 3 moves from the second end 3b side to the first end 3a side along the central shaft 3c.

The insulating retainer 5a has a tubular shape. The insulating retainer 5a is housed inside the drive unit housing 2. The insulating retainer 5a is arranged on the first end 2a side of the O-ring 2c. The insulating retainer 5a has a first end 5aa and a second end 5ab. The second end 5ab is the opposite end of the first end 5aa. The insulating retainer 5a is housed inside the drive unit housing 2 so that the first end 5aa faces the first end 2a side and the second end 5ab faces the second end 2b side. The insulating retainer 5a is made of an insulating material.

The insulating spacer 5b has a columnar shape. The insulating spacer 5b is housed inside the insulating retainer 5a. The insulating spacer 5b has a first surface 5ba and a second surface 5bb. The first surface 5ba constitutes the upper surface of the insulating spacer 5b, and the second surface 5bb constitutes the bottom surface of the insulating spacer 5b. The second surface 5bab is the opposite surface of the first surface 5ba. The first surface 5ba and the second surface 5bb are continuous with the outer peripheral surface of the insulating spacer 5b.

In the insulating spacer 5b, the first surface 5ba faces the first end 2a side, the second surface 5bb faces the second end 2b side, and the outer peripheral surface thereof faces the inner peripheral surface of the insulating retainer 5a. It is housed inside the insulating retainer 5a. The insulating spacer 5b is configured to be movable with respect to the insulating retainer 5a along the direction from the first surface 5ba to the second surface 5bb. The second surface 5bb is in contact with the first end 3a of the valve shaft 3. The insulating spacer 5b is made of an insulating material.

The heat-responsive element 6 is heated to move the valve shaft 3 along the central shaft 3c. More specifically, the heat-responsive element 6 is heated to move the valve shaft 3 in the direction from the first end 3a to the second end 3b along the central shaft 3c. The heat-responsive element 6 is housed inside the drive unit housing 2 on the first end 2a side of the insulating retainer 5a.

The heat-responsive element 6 is, for example, a wax element. That is, the heat-responsive element 6 has a heat-sensitive portion 61 filled with wax, a first end 62a inserted inside the heat-sensitive portion 61, and a second end 62b which is the opposite end of the first end 62a. It has a shaft body 62 including and. The wax filled in the heat sensitive portion 61 is, for example, paraffin wax.

When the heat-sensitive portion 61 is heated, the wax filled therein expands. With the expansion of the wax, the shaft body 62 is pushed out from the inside of the heat sensitive portion 61 and moves along the direction from the first end 62a to the second end 62b. As a result, the second end 62b comes into contact with the first surface 5ba of the insulating spacer 5b, and the insulating spacer 5b moves along the direction from the first surface 5ba to the second surface 5bb. As a result, the insulating spacer 5b moves the valve shaft 3 along the central shaft 3c in the direction from the first end 3a to the second end 3b.

The electrode portion 7 is arranged on the first end 2a side of the heat-responsive element 6. More specifically, the first electrode member 7a is housed inside the drive unit housing 2 on the first end 2a side of the heat-responsive element 6. The second electrode member 7b is arranged inside the drive unit housing 2 on the side of the first end 2a with respect to the first electrode member 7a. The heater 7c is sandwiched between the first electrode member 7a and the second electrode member 7b in the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b. The heater 7c generates heat when energized by the first electrode member 7a and the second electrode member 7b. The heater 7c is, for example, a PTC (Positive Thermal Coefficient) thermistor (positive characteristic thermistor). The heater 7c heats the heat-responsive element 6. More specifically, the heater 7c heats the heat sensitive unit 61.

The electrode portion 7 is locked to the drive portion housing 2 in the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b. More specifically, the electrode portion 7 is locked to the drive portion housing 2 by abutting the cross wall portion 2dc, which will be described later, from the second end 2b side. More specifically, at least one of the first electrode member 7a and the second electrode member 7b is locked to the drive unit housing 2 by abutting on the cross wall portion 2dc described later from the second end 2b side. There is.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first electrode member 7a has a first portion 7aa, a second portion 7ab, and a third portion 7ac. The first portion 7aa is a portion arranged at a position facing the heater 7c. The first portion 7aa has, for example, a circular shape. The second portion 7ab projects from the periphery of the first portion 7aa along the radial direction of the first portion 7aa. The third portion 7ac is bent from the second portion 7ab along the outer peripheral surface of the drive unit housing 2.

The second electrode member 7b has a fourth portion 7ba, a fifth portion 7bb, and a sixth portion 7ac. The fourth portion 7ba is a portion arranged at a position facing the heater 7c. The fourth portion 7ba has, for example, a circular shape. The fifth portion 7bb projects from the periphery of the fourth portion 7ba along the radial direction of the fourth portion 7ba. The sixth portion 7bc is bent from the fifth portion 7bb along the outer peripheral surface of the drive unit housing 2.

Although not shown, lead wires for connecting the first electrode member 7a and the second electrode member 7b to an external power source are connected to the third portion 7ac and the sixth portion 7bc.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 (the lid 9 is omitted in FIGS. 4 and 5), the drive unit housing 2 has a first insertion groove 2d and a second insertion groove 2e. It is provided. The first electrode member 7a is inserted into the first insertion groove 2d. The second electrode member 7b is inserted into the second insertion groove 2e.

The first insertion groove 2d has a first groove portion 2da and a second groove portion 2db. The first groove portion 2da and the second groove portion 2db penetrate the drive unit housing 2 in the thickness direction (in the direction from the inner peripheral surface of the drive unit housing 2 toward the outer peripheral surface of the drive unit housing 2). ..

The first groove portion 2da extends so as to intersect the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b. From another point of view, the first groove portion 2da extends along the circumferential direction of the drive portion housing 2. The wall portion on the first end 2a side of the first groove portion 2da is an intersecting wall portion 2dc. The second groove portion 2db extends from the first groove portion 2da to the first end 2a along the direction from the second end 2b to the first end 2a.

The second portion 7ab passes through the first groove portion 2da from the inner peripheral surface side to the outer peripheral surface side of the drive unit housing 2. As a result, the first electrode member 7a abuts on the intersecting wall portion 2dc from the second end 2b side and is locked to the drive portion housing 2.

The second insertion groove 2e extends from the first end 2a along the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b. The end of the second insertion groove 2e on the second end 2b side is located closer to the first end 2a than the end of the first insertion groove 2d on the second end 2b side.

In the above example, the first insertion groove 2d includes the first groove portion 2da and the second groove portion 2db, and the second portion 7ab makes the first groove portion 2da from the inner peripheral surface side to the outer peripheral surface of the drive portion housing 2. Although it is configured to pass toward the side, the second insertion groove 2e includes the first groove portion 2da and the second groove portion 2db, and the fifth portion 7bb passes the first groove portion 2da in the drive portion housing 2. It may be configured to pass from the peripheral surface side to the outer peripheral surface side. That is, at least one of the first insertion groove 2d and the second insertion groove 2e includes the first groove portion 2da and the second groove portion 2db, and at least one of the second portion 7ab and the fifth portion 7bb contains the first groove portion 2da. The drive unit housing 2 may be configured to pass from the inner peripheral surface side to the outer peripheral surface side.

As shown in FIG. 6 (the lid 9 is omitted in FIG. 6), the second portion 7ab projects from the first portion 7aa along the first direction D1. The fifth portion 7bb projects from the fourth portion 7ba along the second direction D2. The first electrode member 7a and the second electrode member 7b are arranged so that the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 form an angle θ in a plan view. The angle θ preferably exceeds 0 °. The angle θ is more preferably 180 ° ± 10 °.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first elastic member 8a is housed inside the drive unit housing 2. The first elastic member 8a is, for example, a coil spring. The first elastic member 8a urges the heat-responsive element 6 toward the heater 7c. More specifically, the first elastic member 8a urges the heat-responsive element 6, the first electrode member 7a, the second electrode member 7b, and the heater 7c in the direction from the second end 2b to the first end 2a. ing.

The second elastic member 8b is housed inside the main body 1. More specifically, the second elastic member 8b is housed in the water passage path 1a. The second elastic member 8b is, for example, a coil spring. The second elastic member 8b urges the valve body 4 in the direction from the second end 3b toward the first end 3a. When the heat-responsive element 6 is not heated by the heater 7c, the second elastic member 8b urges the valve body 4 in the direction from the second end 3b to the first end 3a, thereby causing the valve body 4 to sit on the valve seat. Abut on 1d.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lid 9 is attached so as to cover the drive unit housing 2. As shown in FIG. 7, the inner peripheral surface of the lid 9 is provided with a first recess 9a and a second recess 9b. In the first recess 9a and the second recess 9b, the inner peripheral surface of the lid 9 is recessed toward the outer peripheral surface of the lid 9. The third portion 7ac and the sixth portion 7bc are housed in the first recess 9a and the second recess 9b, respectively, in a state where the lid 9 is attached to the drive unit housing 2.

(Assembly method of thermal valve according to the embodiment)
The method of assembling the thermal valve 10 according to the embodiment will be described below.

In assembling the thermal valve 10, first, the insulating retainer 5a in which the insulating spacer 5b is housed is inserted into the drive unit housing 2 through the opening provided in the first end 2a. Secondly, the first elastic member 8a is inserted into the inside of the drive unit housing 2 through the opening provided in the first end 2a. Third, the heat-responsive element 6 is inserted into the drive unit housing 2 through the opening provided at the first end 2a.

Fourth, the first electrode member 7a is inserted into the drive unit housing 2 through the opening provided at the first end 2a. At this time, the first electrode member 7a is pushed in the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b in a state where the second portion 7ab is placed at a position corresponding to the second groove portion 2db. After that, while the first electrode member 7a is pushed in the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b, the first electrode member 7a is rotated along the circumferential direction of the drive portion housing 2 to form the second portion. 7ab is passed through the first groove portion 2da. As a result, the first electrode member 7a is locked to the drive unit housing 2 in the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b.

Fifth, in the assembly of the thermal valve 10, the heater 7c is inserted into the drive unit housing 2 through the opening provided at the first end 2a. Sixth, the second electrode member 7b is inserted into the drive unit housing 2 through the opening provided in the first end 2a. Seventh, the lid 9 is attached so as to cover the drive unit housing 2. As described above, the assembly of the thermal valve 10 is completed.

(Operation of the thermal valve according to the embodiment)
The operation of the thermal valve 10 according to the embodiment will be described below.

When the heat-responsive element 6 is not heated by the heater 7c, the valve body 4 is urged by the second elastic member 8b in the direction from the second end 3b to the first end 3a, thereby forming the valve body 4 and the valve body 4. Since the valve seat 1d is in contact with the valve seat 1d, the hot water flowing into the water passage path 1a from the water inlet 1b is blocked by the valve body 4 and the valve seat 1d (hereinafter, this state is referred to as the first state).

On the other hand, when the heat-responsive element 6 is heated by the heater 7c, the heat-responsive element 6 moves the valve shaft 3 along the central axis 3c in the direction from the first end 3a to the second end 3b. , The valve body 4 is separated from the valve seat 1d. As a result, the hot water that has flowed into the water passage path 1a from the water inlet 1b passes between the valve body 4 and the valve seat 1d and flows out from the water outlet 1c (hereinafter, this state is referred to as a second state).

Then, when the heating of the heat-responsive element 6 by the heater 7c is completed, the heat-responsive element 6 does not move the valve shaft 3 along the central axis 3c in the direction from the first end 3a to the second end 3b, so that the second end Due to the urging force of the elastic member 8b, the valve body 4 and the valve seat 1d come into contact with each other again and return to the first state. In this way, in the thermal valve 10, it is possible to switch whether or not the hot water passes through the water passage path 1a depending on whether or not the heater 7c is used for heating.

(Effect of thermal valve according to the embodiment)
The effect of the thermal valve 10 according to the embodiment will be described below.

In the thermal valve 10, the thermal response element 6, the first electrode member 7a, the heater 7c, and the second electrode member 7b are urged by the first elastic member 8a in the direction from the second end 2b to the first end 2a. ing. Therefore, insufficient contact between the first electrode member 7a, the second electrode member 7b, and the heater 7c, and insufficient heat transfer from the heater 7c to the heat-responsive element 6 are suppressed.

The heat-responsive element 6, the electrode portion 7, and the heater 7c are subjected to the urging force from the first elastic member 8a when they are assembled to the drive portion housing 2. In the thermal valve 10, the electrode portion 7 abuts on the intersecting wall portion 2dc from the second end 2b side, so that the electrode portion 7 is locked to the drive portion housing 2 in the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b. Has been done.

Therefore, in the thermal valve 10, the thermal valve 10 is housed in the drive unit housing 2 against the urging force from the first elastic member 8a acting in the direction from the second end 2b to the first end 2a at the time of assembly. The position of each part can be temporarily fixed. Therefore, according to the thermal valve 10, the assembling property can be improved.

From another point of view, the heat-responsive element 6, the electrode portion 7, the heater 7c, and the second electrode member 7b are prevented from jumping out of the drive portion housing 2 due to the urging force from the first elastic member 8a. Since it is not necessary to lengthen the drive unit housing 2, the drive unit housing 2 can be miniaturized.

More specifically, in the thermal valve 10, at least one of the first insertion groove 2d and the second insertion groove 2e has the first groove portion 2da and the second groove portion 2db, and the second portion 7ab and the second portion 7ab. By passing at least one of the five portions 7bb through the first groove portion 2da in the direction from the inner peripheral surface of the drive unit housing 2 toward the outer peripheral surface, at least one of the first electrode member 7a and the second electrode member 7b becomes. It is locked to the drive unit housing 2 in the direction from the first end 2a to the second end 2b.

In this case, the first electrode member 7a (or the second electrode member 7b) is pushed into the drive unit housing 2 from the first end 2a toward the second end 2b. Alternatively, by rotating the second electrode member 7b) along the circumferential direction of the drive unit housing 2, the positions of the parts housed in the drive unit housing 2 can be easily temporarily fixed, so that the assembly is easy. Can be further improved.

When the second portion 7ab and the fifth portion 7bb are arranged so as to overlap each other in a plan view, the lead wire connected to the third portion 7ac and the lead wire connected to the sixth portion 7bc are short-circuited. There is a risk that it will end up. In the thermal valve 10, when the angle θ exceeds 0 °, the second portion 7ab and the fifth portion 7bb are not arranged so as to overlap each other in a plan view, so that the occurrence of such a short circuit can be suppressed.

In particular, when the angle θ is 180 ° ± 10 °, the second portion 7ab and the third portion 7ac and the fifth portion 7bb and the sixth portion 7bc can be arranged at symmetrical positions in a plan view. Such a short circuit can be further suppressed.

When the first recess 9a and the second recess 9b are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the lid 9, a region through which the third portion 7ac and the sixth portion 7bc pass is secured without increasing the outer diameter of the lid 9. Can be done. Therefore, in this case, the thermal valve 10 can be miniaturized.

(Structure of hot water heating device according to embodiment)
Hereinafter, the configuration of the hot water heating device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the hot water heating device 100 includes a thermal valve 10, pipes 20a to 20f, a primary heat exchanger 30a, a secondary heat exchanger 30b, a burner 30c, a pump 40, and a tank 50. And have. One end of the pipe 20a is connected to the tank 50. The other end of the pipe 20a is connected to a portion to which one end of the pipe 20b and one end of the pipe 20c are connected. The other end of the pipe 20b is connected to the primary heat exchanger 30a. The other end of the pipe 20c is connected to the low temperature heating terminal 60a.

One end of the pipe 20d is connected to the primary heat exchanger 30a. A high temperature heating terminal 60b is connected to the other end of the pipe 20d. One end of the pipe 20e is connected to the secondary heat exchanger 30b. The pipe 20e is branched at the other end. One of the pipes 20e branched at the other end is connected to the high temperature heating terminal 60b. The other end of the pipe 20e branched at the other end is connected to the low temperature heating terminal 60a. One end of the pipe 20f is connected to the secondary heat exchanger 30b. The other end of the pipe 20e is connected to the tank 50.

The burner 30c is arranged in the vicinity of the primary heat exchanger 30a. The pump 40 is arranged on the pipe 20a. The pump 40 circulates hot water in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Hot water is stored in the tank 50.

The hot water stored in the tank 50 is supplied to the primary heat exchanger 30a via the pipe 20b. The temperature of the hot water supplied to the primary heat exchanger 30a rises by exchanging heat with the burner 30c. The hot water whose temperature has risen is supplied to the high temperature heating terminal 60b via the pipe 20d. The hot water whose temperature has dropped after passing through the high temperature heating terminal 60b is supplied to the secondary heat exchanger 30b via the pipe 20e. The temperature of the hot water supplied to the secondary heat exchanger 30b rises due to heat exchange with the residual heat after heat exchange with the primary heat exchanger 30a. The hot water whose temperature has risen returns to the tank 50 via the pipe 20f. The temperature of the hot water flowing through the pipe 20f is lower than the temperature of the hot water flowing through the pipe 20d.

The hot water stored in the tank 50 is also supplied to the low temperature heating terminal 60a via the pipe 20c. The hot water whose temperature has dropped after passing through the low-temperature heating terminal 60a is supplied to the secondary heat exchanger 30b via the pipe 20e, so that the temperature rises and returns to the tank 50 via the pipe 20f. As a result, the heating operation is performed in the room where the low temperature heating terminal 60a and the high temperature heating terminal 60b are arranged. When the heating operation by the low-temperature heating terminal 60a is not performed, the hot water does not flow to the low-temperature heating terminal 60a via the pipe 20c because the thermal valve 10 is closed.

The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered to be exemplary in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above-described embodiment but by the scope of claims, and is intended to include the meaning equivalent to the scope of claims and all modifications within the scope.

The above embodiment is particularly advantageously applied to a thermal valve and a hot water heating device using a thermal valve.

1 Main body, 10 Thermal valve, 100 Hot water heater, 1a Water flow path, 1b Water inlet, 1c Outlet, 1d Valve seat, 2 Drive housing, 2a 1st end, 2b 2nd end, 2c O-ring , 2d 1st insertion groove, 2da 1st groove, 2db 2nd groove, 2dc intersection wall, 2e 2nd insertion groove, 3 valve shaft, 3a 1st end, 3b 2nd end, 3c central shaft, 4 valve body, 5a Insulation retainer, 5a 1st end, 5ab 2nd end, 5b Insulation spacer, 5ba 1st surface, 5bb 2nd surface, 6 heat-responsive element, 61 heat-sensitive part, 62 shaft body, 62a 1st end, 62b 2nd end , 7 electrode part, 7a 1st electrode member, 7aa 1st part, 7ab 2nd part, 7ac 3rd part, 7b 2nd electrode member, 7ba 4th part, 7bb 5th part, 7bac 6th part, 7c heater, 8a 1st elastic member, 8b 2nd elastic member, 9 lid, 9a 1st recess, 9b 2nd recess, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f piping, 30a primary heat exchanger, 30b secondary heat exchanger , 30c burner, 40 pump, 50 tank, 60a low temperature heating terminal, 60b high temperature heating terminal, D1 first direction, D2 second direction, θ angle.

Claims (7)

A cylindrical drive unit housing having a first end and a second end that is the opposite end of the first end.
Valve shaft and
A heat-responsive element that moves the valve shaft by being heated and is housed in the drive unit housing.
A heater located on the first end side of the heat-responsive element and heating the heat-responsive element.
An electrode portion located on the first end side of the heat-responsive element and electrically connected to the heater.
It is provided with an elastic member that is housed in the drive unit housing so as to be located on the second end side of the heat-responsive element and that urges the heat-responsive element toward the heater.
The drive unit housing is provided with an intersecting wall portion that intersects the direction from the first end to the second end.
The electrode portion is engaged with the drive portion housing by abutting on the cross wall portion from the second end side.
The electrode portion has a first electrode member located on the second end side of the heater and a second electrode member located on the first end side of the heater.
The drive unit housing is provided with a first insertion groove into which the first electrode member is inserted and a second insertion groove into which the second electrode member is inserted.
At least one of the first insertion groove and the second insertion groove extends so as to intersect the direction from the first end to the second end, and penetrates the drive unit housing in the thickness direction. It has a first groove portion to be formed, and a second groove portion extending from the first groove portion so as to reach the first end and penetrating the drive portion housing in the thickness direction.
The wall portion on the first end side of the first groove portion constitutes the crossed wall portion.
A thermal valve in which at least one of the first electrode member and the second electrode member is locked to the drive portion housing by abutting on the cross wall portion from the second end side . The first electrode member has a first portion arranged so as to face the heater, and a second portion protruding from the periphery of the first portion along the radial direction of the first portion.
The second electrode member has a fourth portion arranged so as to face the heater, and a fifth portion protruding from the periphery of the fourth portion along the radial direction of the fourth portion.
At least one of the second portion and the fifth portion is configured to pass through the first groove portion from the inner peripheral surface side of the drive unit housing toward the outer peripheral surface side of the drive unit housing. The thermal valve according to claim 1 . The thermal valve according to claim 2 , wherein the angle formed by the protruding direction of the second portion and the protruding direction of the fifth portion exceeds 0 °. The thermal valve according to claim 3 , wherein the angle is 180 ° ± 10 °. Further provided with a lid for sealing the drive unit housing,
The first electrode member further includes a third portion that bends from the second portion along the outer peripheral surface of the drive portion housing.
The second electrode member further includes a sixth portion that bends from the fifth portion along the outer peripheral surface of the drive portion housing.
The second aspect of claim 2 , wherein the inner peripheral surface of the lid is provided with a first recess in which the bent third portion is housed and a second recess in which the bent sixth portion is housed. Thermal valve. Further provided with a main body having a water passage with a valve seat inside.
The thermal valve according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the drive portion housing is integrated with the main body portion on the second end side. Plumbing and
A hot water heating device including the thermal valve according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , which is arranged on the path of the pipe.

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