JPH0616189Y2 - Switching valve - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a switching valve, and is particularly useful as a switching valve for a flow path.

[Conventional technology]

As an example of a conventional switching valve, a four-way switching valve used in a heat pump type air conditioner will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

This four-way switching valve 51 is provided with four openings D, C, S, E in a closed space 52c of a pipe body 52a, and three openings C, S,
A seat 52b is attached to E, and the valve element 53 can slide on the seat 52b.

The valve body 53 is connected to the pistons 56 and 59, and these pistons 56 and 59 move by introducing air of different pressures into the chambers 55 and 58, thereby displacing the valve body 53.

FIG. 6 shows a driving device for the four-way switching valve 51. When the solenoid 62 is not energized, the needle member 64 is projected by the spring 63 and the air pipes 65 ', 5'
High pressure air is supplied to the air joint 54 of the four-way switching valve 51 through 4 '. At this time, the valve body 53 is in the position shown in FIG.

On the other hand, when the controller 62 and the driver 61 energize the solenoid 62, the needle member 64 is pulled in, and high pressure air is supplied to the air joint 57 of the four-way switching valve 51 via the air pipes 65 and 57 '. At this time,
The valve body 53 moves to the right in FIG.

In the case of the position of the valve body 53 shown in FIG. 5, the openings D and C communicate with each other, the openings E and S communicate with each other, and both groups are shut off from each other. Therefore, the compressor p → opening D → opening C → outdoor heat exchanger e → capillary g → indoor heat exchanger i → opening E →
A refrigeration cycle in which the refrigerant flows in the order of the opening S → the compressor p is formed, and the cooling operation is performed.

On the contrary, when the valve body 53 is moved to the right, the openings D and E communicate with each other, the openings C and S communicate with each other, and the two groups are shut off from each other. Therefore, compressor p → opening D → opening E → indoor heat exchanger i → capillary g → outdoor heat exchanger e →
A refrigeration cycle in which the refrigerant flows is formed in the order of opening C → opening S → compressor p, and heating operation is performed.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

As can be understood from the above description, the conventional switching valve has a very complicated structure and cannot be manufactured at low cost.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a switching valve which has a simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

The switching valve of the present invention is provided with four openings in a ring-shaped closed space formed by an annular sleeve and a core, and a position for partitioning the closed space radially between the openings of the core of the core. And four valve elements that can be linearly moved separately between the valve body and the position where it is completely drawn into the sleeve without opening into the enclosed space and opens this enclosed space, and temperature control is performed on each of the valve elements. As a result, the drive member made of a shape memory alloy that moves the valve body to a position where it is partitioned and a position where it is opened to connect and block the openings is structurally characterized.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a switching valve according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a drive unit of the switching valve shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a switching valve shown in FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another state of FIG. 4, and FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram of temperature and coil shape. The present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

The switching valve 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a four-way switching valve 51 shown in FIG.
It can be used as a four-way switching valve of a heat pump type air conditioner.

As shown in FIG. 1, an annular sleeve 2a and core 2
A ring-shaped closed space 2c is formed by b and four openings D, C, S, E are provided in the closed space 2c.

Between the openings D, C, S, and E, the position where the closed space 2c is partitioned radially between the openings of the core 2b and the inside of the sleeve 2a does not protrude into the closed space 2c without completely protruding. The valve bodies 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are provided so as to be linearly slidable between the valve bodies 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d, respectively, with respect to the position where they are drawn in to open this closed space.

Coil-shaped shape memory alloys 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are connected to each valve body 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, and these coil-shaped shape memory alloys 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are respectively energized terminals a, b, c and d are derived.

The coil-shaped shape memory alloys 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are the same as the controller 10 and the drivers 11a, 11 shown in FIG.
The energization is controlled by b, 11c, and 11d, and the comparatively low predetermined temperature L and the comparatively high predetermined temperature H are maintained.

The coil-shaped shape memory alloys 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are made of, for example, Ni-Ti alloy, and have a contracted shape at a relatively low predetermined temperature L as shown in FIG. 4, and a relatively high predetermined temperature H. Is formed so as to have an elongated shape.

Now, the coil-shaped shape memory alloys 4a and 4c are maintained at a relatively low predetermined temperature L, and the coil-shaped shape memory alloys 4b and 4d are
When and are maintained at a relatively high predetermined temperature H, the former has a contracted shape and the latter has an elongated shape, so that the valve elements 3a and 3c are drawn in and the valve elements 3b and 3c are drawn, as shown in FIG.
d is projected, the openings D and C communicate with each other, the openings E and S communicate with each other, and the two groups are blocked from each other. This is the fifth
This is the same as the flow path state shown in the figure, and the refrigerant flows in the direction shown by the solid line in FIG. 5, and the cooling operation becomes possible.

On the other hand, the coiled shape memory alloys 4a and 4c are held at a relatively high predetermined temperature H, and the coiled shape memory alloys 4b and 4d are held.
When and are held at a relatively low predetermined temperature L, the former has an elongated shape and the latter has a contracted shape as shown in FIG. 3, so that the valve elements 3a and 3c are projected and the valve elements 3b and 3d are protruded.
Are drawn in, the openings D and E are communicated with each other, the openings S and C are communicated with each other, and the two groups are shut off from each other. Therefore, the state is equivalent to the state where the valve element 53 has moved to the right in FIG. 5, and the flow of the refrigerant in the direction indicated by the broken line is formed, so that the heating operation can be performed.

It takes a certain amount of time to switch between the state shown in FIG. 1 and the state shown in FIG. 3, but for applications such as switching between heating operation and cooling operation, there is no need for instantaneous switching performance, and there is no problem. There is no.

[Effect of device]

According to the present invention, four openings are provided in a ring-shaped closed space formed by an annular sleeve and a core, and the closed space is radially divided with respect to the axis of the core. There are four valve bodies that can be linearly moved between the valve body and a position where the valve body is completely drawn into the sleeve without being projected into the hermetically closed space to open the hermetically sealed space, and the temperature of each of the valve bodies is controlled. Thus, a switching valve is provided, which is characterized in that a drive member made of a shape memory alloy that moves the valve body to a position where it is partitioned and a position where it is opened to connect and block the openings is provided. With a simple and inexpensive structure, the valve element can be reliably moved to communicate between the openings.
It can be blocked. Moreover, since the valve element does not project into the closed space during communication, it does not disturb the flow of the refrigerant or the like and disturb the flow, and the flow efficiency is excellent.
Further, in the air conditioner using such a switching valve, it is possible to prevent the heat exchange efficiency from decreasing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a switching valve according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a drive unit of the switching valve shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is another switching valve shown in FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram of temperature and coil shape, FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional four-way switching valve used in an air conditioner, and FIG. It is a typical block diagram of the drive device of the four-way switching valve shown in the figure. [Description of Reference Signs] 1 ... Switching valve 2a ... Sleeve 2b ... Core 2c ... Closed space 3a to 3d ... Valve body 4a to 4d ... Coil-shaped shape memory alloy 10 ... Controller 11a to 11d ... Driver, C, D, E, S … Aperture

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A ring-shaped hermetically sealed space formed by an annular sleeve and a core is provided with four openings, and a position and a hermetically sealed position are defined between the openings in a radial manner with respect to the axis of the core. Four valve elements are provided which can be linearly moved between the valve element and a position where the valve element is completely drawn into the sleeve without opening into the space to open the closed space, and the temperature of each of the valve elements is controlled. Thus, the switching valve is characterized in that a drive member made of a shape memory alloy for connecting and closing the opening is moved by moving the valve body to a partitioning position and an opening position.