JPH1113924A - Rotary type flow switching valve - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the reliability of an operation by rotating a valve element by magnetic resistance between main and sub magnetic pieces and a multipolar magnet by conducting electricity so as to switch a flow route, and holding the valve body in a flow route switching completed position by magnetic attraction between the multipolar magnet and each pair of main and sub magnetic pieces when electricity conducting is stopped. SOLUTION: A rotary type flow switching valve as a 4-way valve 100 is constructed in such a manner that a valve element 3 is fitted so as to be rotated between a first and a second rotating positions around a center axis and moved up and down in an axial direction. A solenoid actuator for rotary-driving this valve element 3 is composed of a multipolar magnet 71 attached to the valve element 3, a solenoid 11 attached to a housing, a pair of a main magnetic pieces 66 and a pair of sub magnetic pieces 77. By conducting electricity to the solenoid 11, the valve element 3 is rotated by magnetic resistance between the main and sub magnetic pieces 66 and 77 and the multipolar magnet 71 and, when electricity conducting is stopped, the valve element 3 is held in a flow route switching completed position by magnetic attraction between the multipolar magnet 71 and the main and sub magnetic pieces 66 and 70.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotary type flow switching valve, and more particularly to a four-way valve and a three-way valve used in a heat pump system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a rotary flow path switching valve used as a four-way valve or a three-way valve, a cylindrical valve housing, a valve body rotatably provided in the valve housing, and fixed to the valve housing. A low-pressure port connected to the low-pressure pipe, a high-pressure port connected to the high-pressure pipe, and
A valve seat plate having at least one switching port, and an electromagnetic actuator that rotationally drives the valve body, wherein the valve body has the valve at an end surface of one side of the valve body opposite to the pressure chamber. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a rotary-type flow path switching valve configured to contact a seat plate and selectively connect the switching port to one of the low-pressure port and the high-pressure port by rotational displacement.

[0003] The electromagnetic actuator of the rotary type flow path switching valve as described above is mounted on a valve body and has a multi-pole magnet in which N poles and S poles are alternately arranged in the rotation direction of the valve body; An attached electromagnetic solenoid,
A multipole magnet magnetically connected to one of the N and S poles generated by energization of the electromagnetic solenoid, magnetized to the same pole as the one magnetic pole, and rotated by 180 degrees with respect to each other. And a pair of magnetic pole pieces arranged so as to face one of the N pole and the S pole.

At the time of switching the flow path, the electromagnetic solenoid is energized and excited so that the pair of magnetic pole pieces are magnetized to the same magnetic pole as the opposing multipolar magnet, and the pair of magnetic pole pieces and the multipolar magnet are connected to each other. By rotating the valve body by the magnetic repulsion, the multi-pole magnet portions of the magnetic poles opposite to the magnetic poles in which the pair of magnetic pole pieces are magnetized face each of the pair of magnetic pole pieces, and if the flow path switching is completed, Then, the power supply to the electromagnetic solenoid is stopped.

[0005]

In the conventional rotary type flow path switching valve, when the energization to the electromagnetic solenoid is stopped upon completion of the flow path switching, the magnetic force remaining on the pair of magnetic pole pieces is small. Is strong, the multipole magnet portion facing the pair of magnetic pole pieces after rotation of the valve element cannot be attracted by the magnetic poles remaining in the pair of magnetic pole pieces.

For this reason, the multipole magnet portion of the opposite magnetic pole next to the multipole magnet portion facing the pair of magnetic pole pieces at the time after the rotation of the valve element is formed as a mere metal having no magnetic pole. The valve element rotates slightly to the opposite side from the energized state of the electromagnetic solenoid so that the boundary where the magnetic pole of the multipole magnet changes is located in the center of the pole piece, In addition, the valve element cannot be stably held at the flow path switching completed position.

However, if the magnetic force of the multi-pole magnet is weakened in order to suppress the reversal of the valve body after the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid is stopped, the rotation torque generated in the valve body by the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid weakens. Therefore, the valve is easily affected by friction or the like, and the valve cannot be reliably rotated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is capable of stably holding a valve body at a flow path switching completion position even if the magnetic force of a multipolar magnet is strong, and has a high operation reliability. It is an object of the present invention to provide a flow path switching valve.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a rotary type flow path switching valve according to the first aspect of the present invention is provided with a cylindrical valve housing and a rotatable displacement in the valve housing. A valve body fixed to the valve housing, a low-pressure port connected to a low-pressure pipe, a high-pressure port connected to a high-pressure pipe, and a valve seat plate having at least one switching port; and the valve An electromagnetic actuator that rotationally drives a body, wherein the valve body comes into contact with the valve seat plate at one end surface of the valve body, and the rotation port displaces the switching port between the low-pressure side port and the high-pressure side port. In the rotary flow path switching valve configured to be selectively connected to any one of the above, the electromagnetic actuator includes a multi-pole magnet attached to the valve body, and a valve housing. An electromagnetic solenoid attached thereto, a pair of main pole pieces, and a pair of sub pole pieces, wherein the multipole magnet has N poles and S poles alternately arranged in the rotation direction of the valve body. The pair of main magnetic pole pieces have an N pole generated by energization of the electromagnetic solenoid and an S pole.
One of the N-pole and the S-pole of the multi-pole magnet at a position which is magnetically connected to one of the magnetic poles to be magnetized to have the same polarity as the one magnetic pole, and rotated 180 degrees from each other. The pair of auxiliary magnetic pole pieces are magnetically connected to the other magnetic pole of the N pole and the S pole generated by energization of the electromagnetic solenoid, and the other magnetic pole piece is The multipole magnet is disposed so as to face the other of the N pole and the S pole at a position rotated by 180 degrees with respect to the other magnetic pole, and the main magnetic pole piece is provided with the sub magnetic pole. The section is formed so as to be magnetized with a stronger magnetic force than the sub pole piece by a cross section larger than the piece.

[0010] The rotary type flow path switching valve according to claim 2 is
The valve body is provided in the valve housing so as to be movable in the rotation axis direction of the valve body, via a bypass gap formed between an outer periphery of the valve body and an inner peripheral surface of the valve housing, The pressure of the high pressure side port is introduced into a pressure chamber defined on the other end face side opposite to the one end face of the valve body, and the pressure chamber and the low pressure side port are selectively applied to the valve body. A pilot valve that is in communication with the solenoid valve, the solenoid valve is energized, the pilot valve in a closed state is driven to open, and a differential pressure generated between the pressure chamber and the high-pressure side port causes the valve body to open. The electromagnetic actuator drives the valve to rotate while the valve moves and the one end of the valve is separated from the valve seat along the rotation axis direction.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotary type flow switching valve.
The main pole piece is formed on each leg of a main pole member having a pair of leg pieces connected in a gate shape, and the sub pole piece is each leg piece of a sub pole piece member having a pair of leg pieces connected in a gate shape. Wherein the main magnetic pole member is fixed to an electromagnetic solenoid, and the sub magnetic pole member is pointwise engaged with the main magnetic pole member by a connecting bridge piece and is positioned and fixed to the main magnetic pole member. .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotary type flow switching valve.
The main pole piece is formed such that a dimension in a circumferential direction of the valve body is larger than that of the sub pole piece.

According to the rotary type flow path switching valve according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the electromagnetic solenoid (electromagnetic coil) is energized, the main magnetic pole piece and the sub magnetic pole piece are magnetized to opposite magnetic poles. The valve body is rotated by magnetic repulsion between the main pole piece, the sub pole piece, and the multipole magnet, and the flow path is switched. When the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid is stopped after the completion of the flow path switching, the magnetic attraction between the pair of main magnetic pole pieces and the multi-pole magnet and the magnetic attraction between the pair of sub main magnetic pole pieces and the multi-pole magnet cause a valve. The body is stably held at the channel switching completion position.

According to the rotary type flow path switching valve according to the second aspect of the present invention, the rotation of the valve body by the electromagnetic actuator is controlled by the opening of the pilot valve due to the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid. A differential pressure is generated during the operation, and the valve body moves and one end of the valve body is separated from the valve seat.Therefore, the friction received when the valve body rotates is reduced by the amount that the valve body is not in contact with the valve seat. When the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid is stopped, the multi-pole magnet part of the opposite magnetic pole next to the multi-pole magnet part facing the pair of main pole pieces tries to attract to each main pole piece. The valve body is easily inverted due to this.

However, a pair of sub pole pieces is opposed to a multi pole magnet portion of a magnetic pole opposite to the multi pole magnet portion facing the main pole piece, and the multi pole magnet portion of the opposite magnetic pole is connected to each other. From trying to stick to the sub pole piece,
Even in the case of a rotary flow path switching valve having a configuration in which the valve element rotates without being in contact with the valve seat, the valve element is stably held at the flow path switching completed position.

According to the rotary type flow path switching valve according to the third aspect of the present invention, the auxiliary magnetic pole member is pointedly engaged with the main magnetic pole member by the connecting bridge piece and is positioned and fixed to the main magnetic pole member. Therefore, the relative position between the main magnetic pole piece and the sub main magnetic pole piece is determined with high accuracy, and the main magnetic pole member and the sub magnetic pole member are in a point-like engagement, so that the magnetic force loss when the electromagnetic solenoid is excited is small. I can do it.

According to the rotary type flow path switching valve according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the circumferential direction of the valve body, the multi-pole in which both ends of the main pole piece are opposed to both ends of the sub pole piece. The distance between the opposite magnetic pole and the multi-pole magnet part next to the magnet part is shorter, and therefore, the direction in which the valve element rotates due to the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid depends on the auxiliary pole piece and the multi-pole magnet facing it. It is determined by the positional relationship between the main pole piece and the opposing multipolar magnet portion or the adjacent multipole magnet portion of the opposite magnetic pole, not the positional relationship between the main pole piece and the adjacent multipole magnet portion. Therefore, even if a sub pole piece is provided to stably maintain the position of the valve body after power supply to the electromagnetic solenoid is stopped, the rotation direction of the valve body changes due to the power supply to the electromagnetic solenoid due to the effect. It will not be put away.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 9 show an embodiment of a rotary type flow switching valve according to the present invention. The rotary type flow path switching valve includes a cylindrical valve housing 1, a main valve body 3 (valve body) provided in the valve housing 1 so as to be rotationally displaceable and movable in the rotation axis direction, and a valve housing 1. A valve seat plate 5 fixed to the bottom and a pilot valve 9 provided on the main valve body 3
And an electromagnetic solenoid 11 mounted on the upper part of the valve housing 1.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, this rotary type flow path switching valve is configured as a four-way valve 100 used in a heat pump system, and a valve seat plate 5 has a compressor P in the heat pump system. A low-pressure side port 15 to which a low-pressure side pipe 13 from the suction side is connected;
A high-pressure port 19 to which a high-pressure pipe 17 from the discharge side of the compressor P is connected, and a first switching port 23 to which a pipe 21 of an evaporator (indoor heat exchanger) E is connected.
And a second switching port 27 to which a pipe 25 of a condenser (outdoor heat exchanger) C is connected.

The main valve body 3 is, as shown in FIG.
A center pin hole 29 provided at the bottom is fitted to a center pin 31 fixed to the valve seat plate 5, and the guide housing 4, which is formed to protrude in a tongue-like shape at an upper portion, forms a valve housing 1.
Are fitted movably in the axial direction to a main valve body guiding cylindrical portion 6 provided concentrically with the large-diameter cylindrical portion 2, and these fitting guides allow the first rotation position around its own central axis. Between the ascending position and the descending position in the axial direction.

The guide portion 4 is formed on the side opposite to the high-pressure side communication groove 37, which will be described later. Is suppressed.

In the lowered position, the main valve body 3 is in contact with the valve seat plate 5 at the bottom surface (one end surface) 33, and the low pressure side communication groove 35 and the high pressure side communication groove 3 independent of each other are formed on the bottom surface.
7 are provided.

In the first rotation position, as shown in FIG. 5, the main valve body 3 connects the low pressure side port 15 to the first switching port 23 through the low pressure side communication groove 35 and connects the high pressure side to the high pressure side. The high pressure side port 19 and the second switching port 27 are communicatively connected by the side communication groove 37, and in the second rotation position,
As shown in FIG. 6, the low pressure side communication groove 35 connects the low pressure side port 15 and the second switching port 27 to each other, and the high pressure side communication groove 37 connects the high pressure side port 19 and the first switching port 23. And are connected.

Thus, in the switching state where the main valve body 3 is in the first rotational position, as shown in FIG. 5, the compressor P → the four-way valve 100 → the condenser C → the throttle D → the evaporator E → the four-way valve. The refrigerant circulation path 100 → compressor P is established, and the heat pump system enters the cooling mode.

On the other hand, in the switching state in which the main valve body 3 is in the second rotational position, as shown in FIG. 6, the compressor P → the four-way valve 100 → the evaporator E → the throttle D → the condenser C → the four-way The refrigerant circulation path from the valve 100 to the compressor P is established, and the heat pump system enters the heating mode.

The tip of the high-pressure side pipe 17 penetrates through the high-pressure side port 19 and protrudes into the high-pressure side communication groove 37. The stopper also serves as a stopper that limits the range of rotational displacement of the first rotational position to the range of reciprocal rotational movement between the first rotational position and the second rotational position.

As shown in FIG. 1, a valve housing 1 and a pilot valve guide cylinder 3 formed on an upper portion of the valve housing 1 are provided above the main valve body 3 (on the other end surface side).
9 and the pilot valve 9 fitted to the pressure chamber 41.
Is defined. The pressure chamber 41 is provided with a bypass gap 43 between the pilot valve 9 and the main valve body 3 and a connection between both ends of a substantially C-shaped piston ring 47 fitted in a piston ring groove 45 of the main valve body 3. It communicates with the high-pressure side communication groove 37 and the high-pressure side port 19 through the passage gap (not shown), and the pressure of the high-pressure side port 19 is introduced.

The pilot valve guide cylinder 39 is a large-diameter cylinder 2
The main valve body guide cylinder 6 is provided concentrically with the main valve body guide cylinder 6.
Also, it is fitted in a valve holding hole 51 having a circular cross section formed in the center portion of the main valve body 3 so as to be movable in the axial direction, and is formed in the main valve body 3 by a needle valve portion 53 at the distal end. Valve port 5
Open and close 5.

With this structure, the pilot valve 9 is fitted in the pilot valve guide cylinder 39 on the valve housing 1 side and the valve holding hole 51 on the main valve body 3 so as to be movable in the axial direction. It will be supported individually from both of the valve bodies 3.

As a specific shape of the stem portion 10, for example, as shown in FIGS. 8 (a) to 8 (c), the stem portion 10 has a cut surface 12 on its outer peripheral surface and has a D-shaped cross section. It has a surface shape or a polygonal cross-sectional shape, and the pilot valve guide cylinder 39 and the valve holding hole 5 are formed only by the remaining circumferential surface 14.
One that fits in 1 is conceivable.

In this case, the pressure chamber 41 and the valve port 5 are provided between the cut surface 12 of the pilot valve 9 and the valve holding hole 51.
5 is formed.

As another specific shape of the stem portion 10, as shown in FIG. 8D, an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the pilot valve guide cylindrical portion 39 and the inner diameter of the valve holding hole 51 is provided. It may have a substantially cylindrical shape, and may fit into the pilot valve guide cylinder 39 or the valve holding hole 51 over the entire circumference of the circumferential surface 14.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 8 (e), a small-diameter portion 10a is formed at the tip of the stem portion 10 near the needle valve portion 53, and the small-diameter portion 10a A through passage 10b passing through the center is provided in the radial direction of the stem portion 10, and a communication passage extending from an end face located on the pilot valve guide cylinder portion 39 side opposite to the needle valve portion 53 to the center of the through passage 10b. 10c is stem part 1
The space formed between the through-passage 10b and the communication passage 10c and the space between the small-diameter portion 10a and the valve holding hole 51 form a passage that communicates the pressure chamber 41 with the valve port 55. .

The valve port 55 is located at the center of the bottom of the valve holding hole 51, and communicates with the pressure chamber 41 via the bypass gap 43 on the one hand, and communicates with the low pressure side communication groove 35 via the communication hole 57 on the other hand.

In the valve housing 1, a large-diameter cylindrical portion 2, which is a cylindrical portion for receiving the main valve body, a main valve body guide cylinder portion 6, and a pilot valve guide cylinder portion 39, are integrally formed concentrically by press deep drawing. Have been.

The pilot valve 9 is urged in a valve closing direction by a spring 61 provided between the pilot valve 9 and the fixed suction element 59, and the electromagnetic coil 63 of the electromagnetic solenoid 11 is energized to reduce the spring force of the spring 61. In contrast, the suction is attracted to the fixed suction element 59, and the valve port 55 is opened, that is, the valve is opened.

In this embodiment, the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing from the high pressure side port 19 to the pressure chamber 41 through the high pressure side communication groove 37, the bypass gap 43, and the communication gap between the piston ring 47 is changed from the pressure chamber 41. Through the passage between the cut surface 12 of the pilot valve 9 and the valve holding hole 51 and the passage inside the stem portion 10 of the pilot valve 9 to the valve port 55, and further through the communication hole 57 to the low pressure side communication groove. The configuration is such that the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing into 35 is lower than the flow rate.

On the upper part of the main valve body 3, a multi-pole magnet 71 made of a plastic magnet is integrally provided by insert molding. The multi-pole magnet 71 is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the main valve 3 has a concentric ring shape, and has two N-pole portions 72 and two S-pole portions 74 alternately in the rotation direction of the main valve body 3.

The electromagnetic solenoid 11 has an electromagnetic coil 63
A staple-shaped main magnetic pole member 65 magnetically connected to one of the upper magnetic poles is fixed by a bolt 67, and is magnetically connected to the other magnetic pole below the electromagnetic coil 63 to form a main magnetic pole member. A staple-shaped auxiliary magnetic pole member 69 is fixed to the magnetic pole member 65 at a position rotated and displaced by 90 degrees around the central axis of the valve housing 1.

The main magnetic pole member 65 has a pair of main magnetic pole pieces 66 which are formed as a pair of leg pieces and face one magnetic pole of the multi-pole magnet 71 at positions rotated and displaced by 180 degrees from each other.

The auxiliary magnetic pole member 69 is constituted by a pair of leg pieces, and is rotated by 90 degrees with respect to the main magnetic pole piece.
It has a pair of sub-pole pieces 70 facing the other magnetic pole of the multi-pole magnet 71 at a position shifted by 0 degrees.

As shown in FIG. 9, the auxiliary magnetic pole member 6
9 has connecting bridge pieces 69a and 69b extending in the direction of rotational displacement by 90 degrees with respect to the sub pole piece 70, and the connecting bridge pieces 69a and 69b each have a main magnetic pole member 6 at the distal end.
5 are engaged with the small openings 65a and 65b formed in the main magnetic pole member 65, and are positioned and fixed to the main magnetic pole member 65 by this point-like engagement. Thereby, the relative positional relationship between the main magnetic pole piece 66 and the sub magnetic pole piece 70 is determined uniformly, and does not fluctuate. Further, since the main magnetic pole member 65 and the sub magnetic pole member 69 are in point-like engagement, the electromagnetic solenoid 11 (the electromagnetic coil 6
3) Magnetic force loss during excitation is small.

In the electromagnetic actuator structure using the electromagnetic solenoid 11 and the multi-pole magnet 71 as described above, the main magnetic pole member 65 is magnetized to the N pole and the sub magnetic pole member 69 is magnetized to the S pole depending on the direction of the current supplied to the electromagnetic solenoid 11. Alternatively, it is magnetized to the opposite polarity.

In the four-way valve 100 having the above-described configuration, when the electromagnetic coil 63 of the electromagnetic solenoid 11 is energized in the state shown in FIG. 9 is displaced upward against the spring force of the spring 61 and is attracted to the fixed suction element 59, so that the valve port 55 is opened.

Thus, the pressure chamber 41 is connected to the low-pressure side communication groove 3.
5. The internal pressure of the pressure chamber 41 decreases from the same high pressure as the high pressure side port 19 to the same low pressure as the low pressure side port 15 by communicating with the low pressure side port 15 and the suction pressure of the compressor P. As a result, the pressure on the upper side of the main valve body 3 becomes lower than that on the lower side of the main valve body 3, and the pressure difference causes the main valve body 3 to be displaced upward, separated from the valve seat plate 5, and rotated and displaced with low resistance. become.

In the above-described state, the main pole piece 66 of the main magnetic pole member 65 magnetized to the N pole by energizing the electromagnetic coil 63 and the N pole of the multipole magnet 71 opposed thereto.
Between the sub-pole piece 70 of the sub-pole member 69 magnetized to the S-pole by magnetic repulsion with the pole portion 72 and the energization of the electromagnetic coil 63 and the S-pole portion 74 of the multipole magnet 71 opposed thereto. Due to the magnetic repulsion in the main valve body 3,
5 to 7, the main valve body 3 rotates from the first rotation position (the position in FIGS. 5 and 7A) to the second rotation position (FIGS. 6 and 7B). Rotational displacement to position ()).

As a result, the S pole portion 74 of the multipole magnet 71 is attracted to the main pole piece 66 magnetized to the N pole, and the multipole magnet 70 is magnetized to the sub pole piece 70 magnetized to the S pole. The N-pole portion 72 of the magnet 71 is attracted oppositely, the main valve body 3 is held at the second rotation position, and the heat pump cycle is switched from the cooling mode to the heating mode.

Thereafter, when the power supply to the electromagnetic coil 63 is stopped, the residual magnetic force of the pair of main magnetic pole pieces 66 is weak, so that the S pole portion 74 of the facing multipolar magnet 71 cannot be attracted by the N magnetic pole. When the main valve body 3 before the energization of 63 was in the first rotation position, the N-pole portion 72 adjacent to the S-pole portion 74 was opposed to the main pole piece 66 as a mere metal having no magnetic pole. When the main valve element 3 is attracted to the main magnetic pole piece 66, a force is generated to rotate the main valve body 3 in a direction to return from the second rotational position to the first rotational position.

However, at the second rotation position of the main valve element 3, the S pole portion 74 of the multipole magnet 71 facing the sub pole piece 70 will be attracted to the sub pole piece 70 as a mere metal having no magnetic pole. The rotational force of the main valve body 3 in the direction returning from the second rotational position to the first rotational position is suppressed.

When the energization of the electromagnetic coil 63 is stopped, the pilot valve 9 is lowered by the spring force of the spring 61 and closed, and the communication between the pressure chamber 41 and the low-pressure side communication groove 35 is cut off. The pressure in the high-pressure side communication groove 37 and the high-pressure side port 19 is introduced into the pressure chamber 41 through the communication gap of the piston ring 47 and the pressure chamber 41 becomes the same pressure as the pressure in the lower part of the main valve body 3, The main valve body 3 returns to the original lowered position by the spring force of 61 and the own weight of the main valve body 3, and comes into close contact with the valve seat plate 5. Position). As a result, operation reliability is improved.

When the heat pump cycle is switched from the heating mode to the cooling mode, the electromagnetic coil 63 of the electromagnetic solenoid 11 is energized in the direction opposite to the switching from the cooling mode to the heating mode, and the pilot valve 9 is opened. Then, the main valve body 3 is displaced upward, the main magnetic pole piece 66 of the main magnetic pole member 65 is magnetized to the S pole, and the sub magnetic pole piece 70 of the sub magnetic pole member 69 is magnetized to the N pole.

Then, the main magnetic pole piece 66 of the main magnetic pole member 65 which is magnetized to the S pole by energizing the electromagnetic coil 63.
The magnetic repulsion between the S-pole portion 74 of the multi-pole magnet 71 and the sub-pole piece 70 of the sub-pole member 69 magnetized to the N-pole by energizing the electromagnetic coil 63 and the multi-pole facing the Due to the magnetic repulsion between the pole magnet 71 and the N-pole portion 72, the main valve body 3 rotates clockwise in FIGS. 6, from the position shown in FIG. 7B) to the first rotational position (the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 7A).

As a result, the S pole portion 74 of the multi-pole magnet 71 is attracted to the main pole piece 66 magnetized to the N pole, and the multi pole magnet 70 is magnetized to the sub pole piece 70 magnetized to the S pole. The N-pole portion 72 of the magnet 71 is attracted oppositely, the main valve body 3 is held at the first rotation position, and the heat pump cycle is switched from the heating mode to the cooling mode.

Thereafter, when the power supply to the electromagnetic coil 63 is stopped, the residual magnetic force of the pair of main magnetic pole pieces 66 is weak, so that the N pole portion 72 of the opposed multipolar magnet 71 cannot be attracted by the N magnetic pole. When the main valve element 3 before energization of 63 was in the second rotational position, the S pole part 74 adjacent to the N pole part 72 was facing the main pole piece 66 as a mere metal having no magnetic pole. The main valve element 3 is attracted to the main magnetic pole piece 66, and a force is generated to rotate the main valve body 3 in the direction of returning from the first rotation position to the second rotation position.

However, at the first rotation position of the main valve body 3, the N pole portion 72 of the multipole magnet 71 facing the sub pole piece 70 will be attracted to the sub pole piece 70 as a mere metal having no magnetic pole. The rotational force of the main valve body 3 in the direction from the first rotational position to the return position to the second rotational position is suppressed.

When the energization of the electromagnetic coil 63 is stopped, the pilot valve 9 is lowered by the spring force of the spring 61 and closed, and the communication between the pressure chamber 41 and the low-pressure side communication groove 35 is cut off. The pressure in the high-pressure side communication groove 37 and the high-pressure side port 19 is introduced into the pressure chamber 41 through the communication gap of the piston ring 47 and the pressure chamber 41 becomes the same pressure as the pressure in the lower part of the main valve body 3, The main valve body 3 returns to the original lowered position by the spring force of 61 and the own weight of the main valve body 3 and comes into close contact with the valve seat plate 5, so that the main valve body 3 moves to the first rotational position (the flow path switching completion). Position). As a result, operation reliability is improved.

Although the present embodiment has been described by taking a four-way valve as an example, the present invention can be similarly applied to a rotary three-way valve. This is not a rotary flow path switching valve with a pilot valve in which the valve element 3 is separated from the valve seat plate 5, but a general rotary flow path switching valve in which the valve element rotates while being in contact with the valve seat plate. It is needless to say that the present invention can also be applied to.

[0059]

As will be understood from the above description, according to the rotary flow path switching valve according to the first aspect of the present invention,
A cylindrical valve housing, a valve element rotatably provided on the valve housing, a low-pressure port fixed to the valve housing and connected to a low-pressure pipe, a high-pressure port connected to a high-pressure pipe, And, having a valve seat plate having at least one switching port, and an electromagnetic actuator that rotationally drives the valve body, the valve body contacts the valve seat plate at one end surface of the valve body, In a rotary flow path switching valve configured to selectively connect and connect the switching port to one of the low-pressure port and the high-pressure port by rotational displacement, the electromagnetic actuator includes:
A multi-pole magnet attached to the valve body, an electromagnetic solenoid attached to the valve housing, a pair of main magnetic pole pieces, and a pair of sub-pole pieces; And a pair of main magnetic pole pieces is one of N-pole and S-pole magnetic poles generated by energization of the electromagnetic solenoid. The multipole magnet is magnetically connected to and magnetized to the same polarity as the one magnetic pole, and is disposed so as to face one of the N pole and the S pole of the multipole magnet at a position rotated and displaced by 180 degrees from each other. The pair of sub pole pieces has an N pole and an S pole generated by energization of the electromagnetic solenoid.
The other magnetic pole of the multipole magnet at a position which is magnetically connected to the other magnetic pole of the pole and is magnetized to the same magnetic pole as the other magnetic pole, and is rotated by 180 degrees with respect to each other. The main pole piece is formed so as to be magnetized with a stronger magnetic force than the sub pole piece by a cross section larger than the sub pole piece.

Therefore, an electromagnetic solenoid (electromagnetic coil)
When power is supplied to the main pole piece and the sub pole piece, the main pole piece and the sub pole piece magnetize opposite magnetic poles, and the valve body rotates due to magnetic repulsion between the main pole piece, the sub pole piece and the multipole magnet, and the flow path is switched. Is performed. When the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid is stopped after the completion of the flow path switching, the magnetic attraction between the pair of main magnetic pole pieces and the multi-pole magnet and the magnetic attraction between the pair of sub main magnetic pole pieces and the multi-pole magnet cause a valve. The body is stably held at the channel switching completion position, and the operation reliability is improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the valve body is provided on the valve housing so as to be movable in the rotation axis direction of the valve body, and the outer periphery of the valve body and the valve housing are provided. The pressure of the high pressure side port is introduced into a pressure chamber defined on the other end face side of the valve body opposite to the one end face via a bypass gap formed between the valve body and the inner peripheral face. The valve body is formed with a pilot valve for selectively connecting the pressure chamber and the low-pressure side port, and the pilot valve in a closed state is opened by energization of the electromagnetic solenoid to open the pressure chamber. And the valve element moves due to a differential pressure generated between the
In a state where the one end of the valve body is separated from the valve seat along the rotation axis direction, the electromagnetic actuator drives the valve body to rotate.

For this reason, the rotational drive of the valve element by the electromagnetic actuator causes a pressure difference between the pressure chamber and the high pressure side port due to the opening of the pilot valve due to the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid, and the valve element moves. Since the one end is separated from the valve seat, the friction applied to the rotation of the valve body is reduced by the amount that the valve body is not in contact with the valve seat. Reversal of the valve body due to the fact that the multi-pole magnet part of the opposite magnetic pole next to the multi-pole magnet part facing the pole piece tries to attract each main pole piece tends to occur.

However, a pair of sub-pole pieces oppose a multi-pole magnet portion opposite to the multi-pole magnet portion facing the main pole piece, and the multi-pole magnet portion of the opposite magnetic pole has From trying to stick to the sub pole piece,
Even in the case of a rotary flow path switching valve having a configuration in which the valve element rotates without being in contact with the valve seat, the valve element is stably held at the flow path switching completed position.

According to the rotary type flow path switching valve according to the third aspect, the main magnetic pole piece is formed on each leg of the main magnetic pole member having a pair of legs connected in a gate shape, and the sub magnetic pole piece is formed as a pair. The main magnetic pole member is fixed to an electromagnetic solenoid, and the sub magnetic pole member is connected to the main magnetic pole member by a connecting bridge piece in a point-like manner. In this case, the main magnetic pole member is positioned and fixed.

Since the auxiliary magnetic pole member is positioned and fixed with respect to the main magnetic pole member by connecting the main magnetic pole member in a point-like manner with the connecting bridge piece, the relative position between the main magnetic pole piece and the auxiliary main magnetic pole piece is reduced. Is determined accurately, and the main magnetic pole member and the sub magnetic pole member are in a point-like engagement, so that the magnetic force loss when the electromagnetic solenoid is excited can be reduced.

According to the rotary flow path switching valve of the fourth aspect, the main pole piece is formed to have a dimension in the circumferential direction of the valve body larger than that of the sub pole piece.

For this reason, in the circumferential direction of the valve element, both ends of the main magnetic pole piece are closer to the multipole magnet portion of the opposite magnetic pole than the opposite multipole magnet portion than both ends of the sub magnetic pole piece. The distance is short, and therefore, the direction in which the valve element rotates due to the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid is determined by the position of the sub-pole piece and the multi-pole magnet portion facing the sub-pole piece and the multi-pole magnet portion of the opposite magnetic pole adjacent thereto. Rather than the positional relationship, it is determined by the positional relationship between the main pole piece and the multipole magnet portion facing it or the multipole magnet portion of the opposite magnetic pole adjacent thereto, and the position of the valve body after the power supply to the electromagnetic solenoid is stopped. Even if a sub pole piece is provided to stably hold the valve, the rotation direction of the valve element does not change due to the influence of the auxiliary pole piece.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of a rotary flow path switching valve according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rotary flow path switching valve of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the rotary flow path switching valve of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the rotary flow path switching valve of FIG. 1;

5 is an explanatory diagram showing a refrigerant circuit configuration during a cooling operation when the rotary flow path switching valve of FIG. 1 is incorporated in a heat pump system.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a refrigerant circuit configuration during a heating operation when the rotary flow path switching valve of FIG. 1 is incorporated in a heat pump system.

FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b) are cross-sectional views of an electromagnetic actuator section of a rotary flow path switching valve according to the present invention.

8 (a) to 8 (d) are end views of the pilot valve of FIG. 1, and FIG. 8 (e) is a sectional view of the pilot valve of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an assembling relationship between a main magnetic pole member and a sub magnetic pole member of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Valve housing 2 Large diameter cylindrical part 3 Main valve body 5 Valve seat plate 9 Pilot valve 11 Electromagnetic solenoid 15 Low pressure side port 19 High pressure side port 23 First switching port 27 Second switching port 35 Low pressure side communication groove 37 High pressure side Communication groove 41 Pressure chamber 45 Piston ring groove 47 Piston ring 55 Valve port 59 Fixed suction element 63 Electromagnetic coil 65 Main magnetic pole member 65a Small opening 66 Main magnetic pole piece 69 Secondary magnetic pole member 69a Bridge piece 70 Secondary magnetic pole piece 71 Multipole magnet 72 N Pole 74 S Pole

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kazuto Aihara 535 Sasai, Sayama-shi, Saitama Prefecture Inside Sagimiya Works Sayama Works (72) Inventor Kazushige Suzuki 535 Sasai, Sayama-shi Saitama Prefecture Sagami Works Sayama Works In-house (72) Inventor Kazuo Hirata 535 Sasai, Sayama-shi, Saitama Prefecture Sagimiya Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical valve housing, a valve body rotatably displaced in the valve housing, a low pressure side port fixed to the valve housing and connected to a low pressure side pipe, and a high pressure side pipe connected thereto. A high-pressure side port, and a valve seat plate having at least one switching port; and an electromagnetic actuator that rotationally drives the valve body, wherein the valve body has the valve seat at one end face of the valve body. A rotary flow passage switching valve configured to contact the plate and selectively connect and connect the switching port to one of the low-pressure port and the high-pressure port by rotational displacement; A multi-pole magnet attached to the valve body, an electromagnetic solenoid attached to the valve housing, a pair of main pole pieces, and a pair of sub-pole pieces; Gnet has an N pole and an S pole in the rotation direction of the valve body.
And a pair of main magnetic pole pieces are magnetically connected to one of N-pole and S-pole magnetic poles generated by energization of the electromagnetic solenoid. At the position where the magnetic pole is magnetized to the same polarity as one of the magnetic poles and rotated by 180 degrees with respect to each other, N
And a pair of sub pole pieces are magnetically coupled to the other of the N pole and the S pole generated by energization of the electromagnetic solenoid. To the same magnetic pole as the other magnetic pole.
N and S of the multipole magnet
The main pole piece is disposed so as to face the other of the poles, and the main pole piece has a larger cross section than the sub pole piece.
A rotary type flow path switching valve, which is formed so as to be magnetized with a stronger magnetic force than the sub pole piece. 2. The valve body is provided on the valve housing so as to be movable in a rotation axis direction of the valve body, and a bypass formed between an outer periphery of the valve body and an inner peripheral surface of the valve housing. The pressure of the high pressure side port is introduced into a pressure chamber defined on the other end face side of the valve body opposite to the one end face via a gap, and the pressure chamber and the low pressure A pilot valve for selectively connecting the side port is formed. The pilot valve in a closed state is driven to open by energization of the electromagnetic solenoid, and a differential pressure generated between the pressure chamber and the high-pressure side port is formed. The rotation of the valve body by the electromagnetic actuator is performed in a state where the valve body moves and the one end of the valve body is separated from the valve seat along the rotation axis direction. Rotary type flow switching valve . 3. The main pole piece is formed on each of the legs of a main pole member having a pair of legs connected in a gate shape, and the sub pole piece is a sub-pole member having a pair of legs connected in a gate shape. The main magnetic pole member is fixed to an electromagnetic solenoid, and the sub magnetic pole member is pointwise engaged with the main magnetic pole member by a connecting bridge piece and is positioned and fixed to the main magnetic pole member. The rotary flow path switching valve according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 4. The rotary flow path switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the main pole piece is formed to have a dimension in the circumferential direction of the valve body larger than that of the sub pole piece.