JPH0541911B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention <Technical Field> The present invention relates to a switching valve device for an air conditioner such as a room air conditioner.

<Prior Art> A conventional example will be described using a four-way solenoid valve as an example of various flow path switching valves. Conventional four-way switching valve 1
Basically, the direction of the flow of refrigerant from the compressor in the cooling cycle is switched from the indoor heat exchanger 2 to the outdoor exchanger 3, and in the heating cycle, the direction of the refrigerant flow is changed from the outdoor heat exchanger 3 to the outdoor heat exchanger 3. Inner heat exchanger 2
Generally, the structure of a switching valve used to cool or heat a room is as shown in FIGS. A connecting pipe D for high-pressure gas is provided at the other end of the peripheral surface, and connecting pipes connecting to the indoor heat exchanger 2 are provided on both sides of the connecting pipe S for low-pressure refrigerant, which is connected to the suction pipe of the compressor 5, in the center. E and a connecting pipe C that connects to the outdoor heat exchanger 3 are installed in parallel, and each of the connecting pipes D, S, E, and C opens into the cylindrical valve body 4. The opening ends of S, E, and C are fixed to the valve body 4 by a valve seat 6 so as to be flush with each other in the longitudinal axis direction of the valve body 4.

Further, inside the valve body 4, there is provided a cross section that slides in the longitudinal direction on the opening surface of the valve seat 6 and selectively connects the connecting pipe S and the connecting pipe E, or the connecting pipe S and the connecting pipe C. A sliding valve 7 having an inverted U shape is wound inwardly, and the sliding valve 7 is connected to piston bodies 8 and 9 disposed on both sides thereof by a connecting plate 20, which seals the end face of the valve body 4. A capillary tube 1 selectively introduces high pressure gas or low pressure gas into the space R1 between the member 10 and the piston body 8 and the space R2 between the sealing member 11 on the other side and the piston body 9.
2 and 13 are connected, and the connecting pipe S is provided with a low pressure gas capillary 14, and each capillary 1
2, 13, 14 are spaces R for small needle valves
3, R4 and the middle thereof.

Now, the high pressure gas discharged from the compressor 5 passes through the connecting pipe D, passes through the small holes provided in the piston bodies 8 and 9, and flows into the spaces R1 and R2. At this time coil 15
When the needle valve 16 is not energized, the spring 17 seals the space R4, and the opposite needle valves 19 facing each other via the pin 18 open, and the small space R3 is released. Therefore, the pressures in the space R1 and the small space R4 are high, and the pressure in the space R2 is low, and this pressure difference causes the piston bodies 8, 9 to move toward the space R2. At this time, the sliding valve 7 is similarly moved by the connecting plate 20, and the flow paths of the connecting pipes E and S are brought into communication. At this time, the cycle is in the cooling state.

When the coil 15 is energized, its excitation force moves the needle valves 16 and 19 in the opposite direction.
Therefore, the piston bodies 8 and 9 move toward the space R1, and the flow paths of the connecting pipes C and S are communicated with each other by the sliding valve 7, thereby entering a heating cycle state. However, during operation, the coil 15 must be continuously energized.

The above is the operating principle of the conventional four-way switching solenoid valve.As shown in the figure, it has a very complex and elaborate structure, and has about 60 to 70 parts, making it an expensive solenoid valve. .

In addition, due to the principle of using the difference between high and low pressures, when switching to defrosting during heating operation, the system switches after the pressure difference in the circuit is balanced to a certain extent in order to prevent abnormal noises during operation. However, when the outside air becomes cold, the pressure difference becomes too small and the pressure difference required for switching cannot be maintained, making it impossible to switch. This is what is happening now.

<Objective> An object of the present invention is to provide a switching valve device that can easily and accurately switch the flow path of a heat medium and can significantly reduce the number of parts.

<Example> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be explained based on a rotary four-way switching valve device for an air conditioner shown in FIGS. 1 to 7. A valve box having a plurality of fluid flow paths formed on each side thereof, a valve element rotatably installed inside the valve box, a permanent magnet attached to the valve element, and a permanent magnet disposed outside the valve box. The number of permanent magnets is one or more, the number of electromagnets of the electromagnet is set to be larger than the number of permanent magnets, and the rotation angle of the valve element is set to be equal to the rotation angle of the valve element. The angle between the center and the adjacent electromagnets is set to be smaller than that, and the magnetic poles of the adjacent electromagnets are different.

One side of the compressor 5 and a hollow cylindrical valve box A made of non-magnetic material
a first connecting pipe D that communicates with The third connecting pipe E that communicates with the outdoor heat exchanger 3 (condenser)
and a fourth connecting pipe C communicating with the valve box A, the valve for connecting the first connecting pipe D or the second connecting pipe S and the third connecting pipe E or the fourth connecting pipe C. A valve element 21 is rotatably installed inside the valve box A, a permanent magnet 22 is attached to the valve element 21,
The valve box A is provided with two electromagnets 23 and 24 that attract or repel the permanent magnet 22.

The first connecting pipe D communicates with a discharge pipe attached to the compressor 5, the second connecting pipe S communicates with a suction pipe attached to the compressor 5, and the indoor heat exchanger 2 One side and one side of the outdoor heat exchanger 3 are communicated with each other via a capillary tube 24 .

The second connecting pipe S, the third connecting pipe E, and the fourth connecting pipe C are installed at right angles to the bottom wall A1 of the valve box A, and are arranged side by side with the second connecting pipe S narrowed,
It is opened into the valve box A. Further, the first connecting pipe D is attached at right angles to the surface of the top wall A2 of the valve box A, and is opened into the valve box A.

Further, an outer cylinder 25 having a U-shaped cross section and open on the inside and housing the two electromagnets 23 and 24 is fitted and fixed on the lower outer periphery of the valve box A, and as shown in FIGS. , 24 are arranged in a direction with the center angle of the valve box A being β.

Furthermore, guide protrusions 27 having a small rectangular shape in plan view are formed at the lower part of the inner circumference of the valve box A, and the guide protrusions 27 are arranged at mutually opposing positions (180° intervals). Ru.

Further, the valve element 21 is formed to have approximately the same diameter as the inner diameter of the valve case A, and has a height approximately half of the inner space of the valve case A, and the outer periphery of the valve element 21 is provided with the guide. A pair of guided grooves 2 that fit into the projections 27
1a, 21a are formed, both guided grooves 21a,
21a each has a length of about 1/4 of the circumferential length of the valve box A. and each guided groove 2
The angle connecting both ends of 1a and 21a and the center of the valve element 21 is smaller than the angle β (in the figure, α
1). The lower surface of the valve 21 is connected to the bottom wall A.
1, thereby forming a communication space R5 above the valve element 21.

Further, on the lower surface of the valve 21, an arc-shaped first connecting pipe D is connected to the third connecting pipe E or the fourth connecting pipe C inside the guided grooves 21a, 21a. A communication recess 26A and an arcuate second communication recess 26B that communicates the second connection pipe S with the third connection pipe E or the fourth connection pipe C are formed,
The first communicating recess 26A has the valve 2 at one end thereof.
A through hole 21b penetrating through 1 is formed.

The outer surface of the permanent magnet 22 is made to match the curvature of the outer periphery of the valve element 21, and is positioned on the same curved surface as the outer periphery of the valve element 21, midway between the communicating parts 26A and 26B. It is embedded in the valve 21.

In the figure, 23a and 24a are magnetic pole generating parts of the electromagnet 23.

Next, to explain the operation, the high pressure gas (thermal medium) discharged from the compressor 5 now flows into the communication space R5 through the first connecting pipe D, and passes through the through hole 21b formed in the valve element 21. From the fourth connecting pipe C, the outdoor heat exchanger 3 → the capillary tube 24 → the indoor heat exchanger 2 → enter the valve box A from the third connecting pipe E, and connect the second communication recess 26B formed in the valve element 21. Then, it is sucked into the compressor 5 through the second connecting pipe S. At this time, the lower surface of the valve element 21 is pressed by the high pressure gas from the first connecting pipe D against the open ends of the second, third, and fourth connecting pipes S, E, and C arranged in parallel.

This state is the cooling cycle, and the state of the valve 21 in the valve box A is as shown in FIG. Note that the magnetic pole generating portions 23a and 24a of the electromagnet 23 shown in the figure are simply in an attractive state with the permanent magnet 22 when the electromagnet 23 is not energized. It goes without saying that a minute current or the like may be applied to the electromagnet 23.

Next, switching to the heating cycle will be explained with reference to FIG. Instantaneous (about 0.5 seconds) on electromagnet 23
When the magnetic poles are changed by applying current (current is passed in the opposite direction to that during cooling), for example, the inner magnetic pole generating portion 23a of the electromagnet 23 facing the permanent magnet 22 is the same as the outer pole (N pole) of the permanent magnet 22. It becomes the north pole and enters a repulsive state. Furthermore, since the inner magnetic pole generating portion 24a of the electromagnet 24 adjacent to the electromagnet 23 becomes an S pole, the valve element 21 momentarily rotates clockwise by an angle α due to the torque generated thereby. At this time, α
<β, and when β is converted to the length on the circumference of the valve 21, it becomes the length of the guided grooves 21a, 21a (α≒α1), so the guide projection 27 is connected to each guided groove 21.
a, 21a serves as a stopper for the rotation of the valve element 21. Then, the high pressure gas discharged from the compressor 5 is passed through the space R5 through the first connecting pipe D.
into the through hole 21b of the first communicating recess 26A.
→Third connecting pipe E→Indoor heat exchanger 2→Capillary tube 24
->Outdoor heat exchanger 3 -> Fourth connection pipe C, and then passed through the second communication recess 26B and sucked into the compressor 5.

As mentioned above, the heat medium flow path can be easily and accurately switched, there is no need for pressure differences or continuous energization during heating operation, etc., and the structure of the switching valve is extremely simple. It is possible to provide a switching valve device as a rotary solenoid valve that is easy to manufacture and extremely inexpensive, reducing the number of parts from 60 to 70 to about 10.

In addition, as another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, two electromagnets 28 and 29 are provided opposite the electromagnets 23 and 24 of the above embodiment, resulting in a total of four electromagnets 23 and 2.
4, 28, and 29 may be performed to switch between cooling and heating cycles. In this case, the generation of strong torque makes it possible to switch between cooling and heating cycles more reliably. The other configurations are the same as those of the above embodiment.

<Effects> As is clear from the above description, the present invention provides a valve box in which a single fluid flow path is formed on one side and a plurality of fluid flow paths are formed on the other side, and a rotatable internal structure inside the valve box. the valve body, a permanent magnet attached to the valve body, and an electromagnet whose magnetic pole is changeable arranged outside the valve body, the permanent magnet being one or more, and the electromagnet of the electromagnet being The number of permanent magnets is set to be larger than the number of permanent magnets, and the rotation angle of the valve element is set to be smaller than the angle formed between the rotation center of the valve element and the adjacent electromagnet. It is related to.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the flow of the heat medium can be easily and accurately achieved with a simple configuration in which the electromagnet is energized and the torque generated when it attracts or repels the permanent magnet installed in the valve box is used. It has excellent effects such as being able to switch paths and greatly reducing the number of parts.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the switching valve device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof, FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing the cooling cycle, and FIG. The figure is a partial sectional view showing the heating cycle, FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the entire air conditioner, FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of a switching valve device showing another embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a conventional one. FIG. 9 is a side view showing a partial cross section of the solenoid valve of the air conditioner, and FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram as well. A: Valve box, C: Fourth connecting pipe, D: First connecting pipe,
E: Third connecting pipe, S: Second connecting pipe, 2: Indoor heat exchanger, 3: Outdoor heat exchanger, 5: Compressor, 21: Valve, 21a: Guided groove, 22, 22a: Permanent magnet , 23, 24: Electromagnet. 25: Outer cylinder.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A valve box in which a single fluid passage is formed on one side and a plurality of fluid passages on the other side, a valve rotatably installed inside the valve box, and a permanent valve attached to the valve housing. comprising a magnet and an electromagnet whose magnetic poles are changeable and arranged outside the valve box, the number of the permanent magnets being one or more, and the number of electromagnets of the electromagnet being set to be larger than the number of the permanent magnets; The switching valve device is characterized in that the rotation angle of the valve element is set to be smaller than the angle formed between the rotation center of the valve element and the adjacent electromagnet.