KR20110043208A - Multi-way electronic expansion valve - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A multi-directional electronic expansion valve is provided to respectively control the temperatures of a plurality of cooling chambers. CONSTITUTION: A multi-directional electronic expansion valve comprises a base member, a plurality of discharge pipes, and a valve port. The base member comprises a plurality of orifice holes(113). The discharge pipes are connected to the orifice holes on one side of the base member. The valve port is rotatably coupled to the base member on the other side of the base member and selectively opens/closes the orifice holes. The diameters of the orifice holes, of which center is the rotating shaft of the valve port, are respectively arranged on different concentric circles.

Description

Multi-Directional Electronic Expansion Valves {MULTI-WAY ELECTRONIC EXPANSION VALVE}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic expansion valve, and more particularly, to a multidirectional electronic expansion valve that receives a cooling medium through one inflow path and expands and supplies it through a plurality of outflow paths.

In general, an electronic expansion valve used in a refrigerator, an air conditioner, or the like is installed in a pipe for supplying a cooling medium to open or close an orifice hole, thereby controlling expansion of the cooling medium passing through the orifice hole. The electronic expansion valve is operated by a solenoid or a motor to adjust the opening degree of the orifice hole, thereby controlling the cooling temperature by adjusting the amount of ejection and expansion of the cooling medium.

On the other hand, a device that provides such a cooling function, such as a refrigerator equipped with a plurality of cooling chambers, or a multifunctional refrigerator that can be controlled at different temperatures according to the type of food or beverage gradually in the function of simply storing food or beverage In home appliances, the necessity of differently setting and maintaining the temperature of the cooling chamber is increasing.

Therefore, a pipe through which a cooling medium flows is separately installed in each cooling chamber, and the expansion valve as described above must also be installed in each pipe. If a pipe is installed in each of the plurality of cooling chambers and an electronic expansion valve is installed in each pipe in one finished product, it is easy to control the temperature of each cooling chamber, but there is a disadvantage in that the piping through which the cooling medium flows becomes complicated. .

Meanwhile, Korean Patent No. 835259 (2008. 05. 29.), which is granted to the present applicant, discloses a multi-directional electronic expansion valve having a structure connecting a plurality of orifice holes and outlet pipes through which cooling medium is discharged. Such a multi-directional electronic expansion valve can be set to a different temperature for each cooling chamber, while more simply configuring the pipe flowing the cooling medium.

However, even when using the multi-directional electronic expansion valve as described above, the number of pipes that can control the flow of the cooling medium through one expansion valve, that is, the number of outlet pipes is bound to be limited.

In other words, in a product having three or more cooling chambers, it is difficult to independently control the temperature of each cooling chamber using a conventional multi-directional electronic expansion valve. For example, Korean Patent No. 835259 (2008. 05. 29.) exemplifies a configuration in which two outlet pipes are installed, but an additional outlet pipe may be installed in the electronic expansion valve. Only one outlet pipe can be kept open each. That is, when a newly added outlet pipe is placed between two current outlet pipes, only the added outlet pipe cannot secure an open state.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide an electronic expansion valve that can be adjusted by the user a plurality of cooling chamber temperature, respectively.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an electronic expansion valve having a simple structure and easy to add fluid, ie, an outlet pipe of a cooling medium.

In addition, the present invention is to provide an electronic expansion valve that can simplify the piping flowing the cooling medium, even in the refrigerator having a plurality of cooling chambers.

In addition, the present invention is to provide an electronic expansion valve that can reduce the size of the finished product, such as a refrigerator, and reduce the manufacturing cost by simplifying the piping flowing a cooling medium while having a plurality of cooling chambers.

Therefore,

A base member including a plurality of orifice holes penetrating both sides;

A plurality of outlet tubes each connected to one of the orifice holes on one surface of the base member; And

A valve port rotatably coupled to the base member at the other side of the base member to selectively open or close the orifice holes,

The orifice holes disclose a multi-directional electronic expansion valve each disposed on concentric circles of different diameters around the axis of rotation of the valve port.

In this case, the valve port includes a first closed region formed of a remaining portion that is not recessed with a first open region where a portion of one surface is recessed in a fan shape,

The fluid supply to the outlet pipe connected to the orifice holes at the position where the orifice holes face the first closed region is blocked, and the outlet connected to the orifice holes at the position where the orifice holes face the first opening region. Fluid is supplied through the tubes.

In addition, at least one pair of orifice holes may be formed on a first concentric circle about a rotation axis of the valve port, and at least one may be formed on a second concentric circle having a larger diameter than the first concentric circle. have.

In addition, the valve port may include: a first opening area in which a portion of one surface is recessed in a fan shape; A first closed region consisting of the remaining non-depressed portion; A second closed region protruding from the first open region; And a second open area formed by recessing a portion of the first closed area.

In this case, the orifice holes are opened and closed by the first opening region and the first closing region, and the orifice holes formed on the second concentric circles are also opened and closed by the second closing region and the second opening region.

Further, the orifice holes are opened when facing the first or second open area and closed when facing the first or second closed area.

In addition, as the valve port stops rotating at an angle of 40 degrees, the opening and closing combination of each of the orifice holes is changed, and the orifice holes are all closed at the origin of the initial 0 degree angle point and rotated by 320 degrees from the origin. The orifice holes are all closed at one point.

Such a multi-directional electronic expansion valve, the casing coupled to the other surface of the base for receiving the valve port; A coil mounted on an outer circumferential surface of the casing; And a magnetic body connected to the valve port and rotatably received in the casing, and applying electric power to the coil to generate electromagnetic force between the coil and the magnetic body, thereby rotating the magnetic body and the valve port. .

At this time, it is further provided with an elastic member interposed between the inner wall of the casing and the magnetic body to press the magnetic body to close the valve port to the base, and further provided with a washer interposed between the magnetic body and the elastic member. By doing so, the frictional force due to the rotation of the magnetic body can be alleviated.

The electronic expansion valve may further include a gear module interposed between the magnetic body and the valve port, and the gear module may rotate the valve port by reducing the rotational speed of the magnetic body and increasing the rotational force.

At this time, the gear module, the drive gear is fixed to the magnetic body to rotate with the magnetic body; A reduction gear including a first sun gear meshed with the drive gear and a second sun gear coaxially aligned with the first sun gear and rotating together; And a driven gear fixed to the valve port and engaged with the second sun gear, wherein the second sun gear has a smaller diameter than the first sun gear.

In addition, the valve port, the driven gear, the drive gear and the magnetic body rotates around the axis of rotation of the valve port, the reduction gear may rotate about another axis of rotation spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the valve port.

The multi-directional electronic expansion valve configured as described above has the orifice holes formed in the base member on concentric circles having different diameters, respectively, so that the opening and closing operation of each orifice hole is independent of the other orifice holes even when three or more orifice holes are formed. There is an advantage that it is easy to control. As a result, the plurality of cooling chamber temperatures can be adjusted by the user, respectively, and the structure of the electronic expansion valve can be simplified while contributing to installing a plurality of outlet pipes. In addition, since one inlet pipe is installed in the electronic expansion valve, the number of outlet pipes can be installed in three or more, contributing to the miniaturization of a finished product such as a refrigerator.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, if it is determined that the detailed description of the related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-directional electronic expansion valve 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes at least three outlet pipes 111, and each outlet pipe 111 is connected to each other. It is possible to open and close independently. This is made possible by the arrangement of the orifice holes 113 formed in the base member 101 on concentric circles C1 and C2 (shown in FIG. 4) having at least different diameters, as shown in FIG. 3.

The electronic expansion valve 100 is rotatably installed in the base member 101 and the base member 101 in which the outlet pipes 111 and the orifice holes 113 are installed to open and close the orifice holes 113. And a magnetic body 104, a coil (not shown), and a gear module for rotating the valve port 102, and the valve port 102 and the magnetic body ( 104, it is preferred to have a casing 103 for receiving the gear module.

The outlet pipes 111 are respectively provided on one surface of the base member 101. Each of the outlet pipes 111 may be connected to one of the orifice holes 113, and the orifice holes 113 may be bent to extend in the base member 101.

1 and 3, the orifice holes 113 are formed to penetrate both sides of the base member 101, and as mentioned above, three different diameters are formed on the other surface of the base member 101. It is preferably arranged on the concentric circles (C1, C2) of, respectively. In this case, although the base member 101 is illustrated to have a diameter substantially the same as that of the valve port 102 in FIG. 3, the base member 101 is actually the valve port 102 as shown in FIG. 1. Note that it has a larger diameter and is simplified for the purpose of describing the arrangement of the orifice holes 113 in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, two concentric circles C1 and C2 having the orifice holes 113 are formed around the rotation axis A1 of the valve port 102, and a pair of orifice holes are formed. The diameter is disposed on the first smaller concentric circle C1, and the other orifice hole is disposed on the second concentric circle C2 having a larger diameter than the first concentric circle C1. In addition, the orifice hole disposed on the second concentric circle C2 may be disposed between the orifice holes disposed on the first concentric circle C1 in the state shown in FIG. 3. That is, if a straight line passes through each of the orifice holes 113 and the rotation axis A1 on the plane illustrated in FIG. 3, the straight line passing through the orifice hole disposed on the second concentric circle C2 is the first line. It is located between the straight lines passing through the orifice holes disposed on the concentric circle (C1).

In addition, the base member 101 may include support shafts 115 and 117 to install the valve port 102, the gear module, and the like. One of the support shafts 115, 117 provides the valve port 102, some gears constituting the gear module and a center of rotation of the magnetic body 104, and the other one constitutes the gear module. It provides the center of rotation of the other of the gears.

The valve port 102 is in close contact with the base member 101 is rotatably coupled. One surface of the valve port 102 facing the base member 101 may include a first opening region 121 formed by recessing a portion in a fan shape and a first closing region 123 including a remaining portion that is not recessed. Include. In addition, one surface of the base member 101 may include a second opening region 127 protruded in the first opening region 121 and a second opening region formed by recessing a portion of the first closing region 123. 125).

The first opening area 121 and the first closing area 123 are each formed at an angle of about 180 degrees in the rotational direction of the valve port 102, and the first opening area 121 and the first closing area are respectively formed. The angle range in which the 123 is formed may be variously changed. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, it can be seen that the first open area 121 is less than 180 degrees, and the first closed area 123 is formed in an angle range exceeding 180 degrees. have. This may be variously changed in consideration of an interval between the orifice holes 113 formed in an actual product manufacturing process. As shown in FIG. 4, the orifice holes 113 may be disposed and the first open area and the first opening may be changed. 1 The formation angle range of a closed area can be set.

When the valve port 102 is rotated in close contact with the base member 101, the orifice holes 113 are opened and closed by the first opening area 121 and the first closing area 123, respectively. One orifice hole disposed on the second concentric circle C2 is also opened and closed by the second open area 125 and the second closed area 127. Opening and closing operations of the orifice holes 113 according to the rotation of the valve port 102 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4.

The casing 103 is coupled to the other surface of the base member 101 to receive and seal the valve port 102, the gear module, etc. together with the base member 101. The sealing structure between the casing 103 and the base member 101 will not be described in detail in this embodiment. However, considering that the electronic expansion valve 100 is used for expansion of a cooling medium in a household appliance such as a refrigerator, the sealing and coupling structure between the casing 103 and the base member 101 is a cooling medium therein. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the pressure resistant structure should be configured to withstand the pressure.

The magnetic body 104 is accommodated in a rotatable state inside the casing 103, and the coil (not shown) is disposed to surround the casing 103 at an outer side surface of the casing 103. As a result, the magnetic material 104 and the coil are disposed in such a manner that the magnetic material 104 is wrapped in the coil with the casing 103 therebetween.

A power signal is separately applied to the coil, and the magnetic body 104 rotates according to the power signal applied to the coil, and the gear module transmits the rotational force of the magnetic body 104 to the valve port 102. Will rotate. As a result, when a power signal is applied to the coil, the magnetic material 104 and the valve port 102 are connected to each other and rotate together.

At this time, the elastic member 141 is installed between the magnetic body 104 and the inner wall of the casing 103, the elastic member 141 is to press the magnetic body 104, the magnetic body 104 is The valve port 102 is pressed against the base member 101. In addition, in the state in which the elastic member 141 is pressed, the rotation of the magnetic body 104 is not smooth due to the frictional force. Therefore, the washer 143 is interposed between the magnetic body 104 and the elastic member 141 to lubricate, thereby reducing frictional force when the magnetic body 104 rotates. The washer 143 as described above is preferably made of a synthetic resin such as polycarbonate having excellent lubricity and wear resistance, and, if necessary, a lubricant such as grease may be applied. However, since the cooling medium is filled in the casing 103 through a separate inlet pipe, it should be noted that when applying the lubricant, the lubricant does not leak out to contaminate the orifice hole 113 and the like.

The gear module includes a drive gear 151, a reduction gear 152, and a driven gear 153. The drive gear 151 is rotatably coupled to the support shaft 115 on which the valve port 102 is installed and fixed to the magnetic body 104. Therefore, the driving gear 151 rotates together with the magnetic body 104. The reduction gear 152 includes a first sun gear 151a meshed with the drive gear 151 and a second sun gear 152b meshed with the driven gear 153. The second sun gear 152b may be integrally formed on one surface of the first sun gear 152a. The reduction gear 152 is coupled to the other one of the support shafts formed on the base member 101, 117, the center of another rotation axis A2 spaced from the rotation axis A1 of the valve port 102 Will rotate. In addition, the driven gear 153 is fixed to the valve port 102 and meshes with the second sun gear 152b. As a result, when the driving gear 151 rotates together with the magnetic material 104, the reduction gear 152 rotates, and the driven gear 153 and the valve port 102 also rotate.

In this case, the second sun gear 152b is formed to have a smaller diameter than the first sun gear 152a, so that the rotational speed of the magnetic body 104 is decelerated by the reduction gear 152 to allow the valve port ( 102). At the same time, the rotational force of the magnetic body 104 is reinforced by the reduction gear 152 and transmitted to the valve port 102. As a result, even when a friction force is generated between the valve port 102 and the base member 101, the rotational force of the magnetic body 104 may effectively rotate the valve port 102.

Thus, when power is applied to the coil, the electromagnetic force between the coil and the magnetic body 104 rotates the magnetic body 104, the rotation speed is reduced and the rotational force is increased through the gear module to the valve port ( 102 will rotate. As the valve port 102 rotates, the orifice holes 113 are opened and closed, respectively, and the cooling medium in the electronic expansion valve 100 flows into the outlet pipes 111 through the open orifice hole. Swell. At this time, the expansion of the cooling medium lowers the temperature of the cooling medium, and the cooling medium whose temperature is lowered due to the expansion cools the cooling chamber and the like while flowing through each pipe.

4 illustrates the operation of opening or closing the orifice holes 113 in accordance with the rotation of the valve port 102. As shown in FIG. 4, it can be seen that the opening and closing combinations of the orifice holes 113 vary as the valve port 102 stops rotating at an interval of 40 degrees.

First, if the zero point, which is the initial position before the valve port 102 rotates, is set to 0 degrees, only one of the orifice holes 113 is rotated by 40 degrees, 240 degrees, and 280 degrees counterclockwise, respectively. It can be seen that it is open. That is, if the electronic expansion valve 100 is installed in a product having three cooling chambers, the cooling chambers in the position where the valve port 102 is rotated by 40 degrees, 240 degrees, and 280 degrees from the origin. Only one of them can be cooled.

In addition, it can be seen that only one of the orifice holes 113 is closed and two are opened at the point where the valve port 102 is rotated by 80 degrees, 120 degrees, and 200 degrees counterclockwise from the origin. . Therefore, if the electronic expansion valve 100 is installed in a product having three cooling chambers, in the position where the valve port 102 is rotated by 80 degrees, 120 degrees, and 200 degrees from the origin, among the cooling chambers Two other cooling chambers will be cooled except one.

In addition, when the valve port 102 is rotated by 160 degrees from the origin, the orifice holes 113 are all open, and the electronic expansion valve 100 is installed in a product having three cooling chambers. In the position where the valve port 102 is rotated by 160 degrees from the origin, all of the cooling chambers can be cooled.

As the orifice holes 113 are all closed at the origin, the orifice holes 113 are closed at the point where the valve port 102 is rotated 320 degrees from the origin. As a result, the valve port 102 is stopped at nine points while rotating 360 degrees with respect to the base member 101, at which two of the nine points the orifice holes 113 are closed.

As such, since the electronic expansion valve 100 can independently open and close the three orifice holes 113, the opening and closing combinations of the orifice holes 113 vary according to the rotation angle of the valve port 102. I can do it. Therefore, it is easy to independently control the temperatures of the plurality of cooling chambers.

In the foregoing detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1 is a side view separately showing a multi-directional electronic expansion valve according to an embodiment of the present invention,

2 is a perspective view showing a valve port of the electronic expansion valve shown in FIG.

3 is a view for explaining how the valve port shown in Figure 2 is coupled to the base member,

4 is a view for explaining the opening and closing combination of the orifice hole according to the operation of the electronic expansion valve shown in FIG.

Claims (13)

In the multi-directional electronic expansion valve, A base member including a plurality of orifice holes penetrating both sides; A plurality of outlet tubes each connected to one of the orifice holes on one surface of the base member; And A valve port rotatably coupled to the base member at the other side of the base member to selectively open or close the orifice holes, And the orifice holes are arranged on concentric circles of different diameters about the axis of rotation of the valve port. The valve port of claim 1, wherein the valve port comprises a first closed area including a first open area where a part of one surface is recessed in a fan shape and a remaining part that is not recessed. The fluid supply to the outlet pipe connected to the orifice holes at the position where the orifice holes face the first closed region is blocked, and the outlet connected to the orifice holes at the position where the orifice holes face the first opening region. A multidirectional electronic expansion valve characterized in that fluid is supplied through the tubes. The at least one orifice of claim 1, wherein at least one pair of orifice holes is formed on a first concentric circle about a rotation axis of the valve port, and at least one on a second concentric circle having a diameter larger than the first concentric circle. Multi-directional electronic expansion valve characterized in that is formed. The method of claim 3, wherein the valve port, A first open area in which a portion of one surface is recessed in a fan shape; A first closed region consisting of the remaining non-depressed portion; A second closed region protruding from the first open region; And And a second open region formed by recessing a portion of the first closed region. 5. The orifice of claim 4, wherein the orifice holes are opened and closed by the first opening region and the first closing region, and the orifice holes formed on the second concentric circles are also opened and closed by the second closing region and the second opening region. Multi-directional electronic expansion valve characterized in that. 5. The multidirectional electronic expansion valve of claim 4, wherein the orifice holes are opened when facing the first or second open area and closed when facing the first or second closed area. The valve port of claim 4, wherein the opening and closing combination of each of the orifice holes is changed by stopping rotation of the valve port at an angle of 40 degrees. And the orifice holes are all closed even at a point rotated by 320 degrees. The method according to claim 1 or 4, A casing coupled to the other surface of the base to receive the valve port; A coil mounted on an outer circumferential surface of the casing; And A magnetic material connected to the valve port and rotatably received in the casing; And applying electric power to the coil to generate electromagnetic force between the coil and the magnetic body, thereby rotating the magnetic body and the valve port. The method of claim 8, And an elastic member interposed between the inner wall of the casing and the magnetic body to press the magnetic body to closely contact the valve port to the base. The method of claim 9, Further provided with a washer interposed between the magnetic material and the elastic member, The washer is a multi-directional electronic expansion valve, characterized in that for lubricating action to mitigate the frictional force caused by the rotation of the magnetic material. The method of claim 8, Further comprising a gear module interposed between the magnetic material and the valve port, The gear module is a multi-directional electronic expansion valve, characterized in that for reducing the rotational speed of the magnetic material to increase the rotational force to rotate the valve port. The method of claim 11, wherein the gear module, A driving gear fixed to the magnetic body and rotating together with the magnetic body; A reduction gear including a first sun gear meshed with the drive gear and a second sun gear coaxially aligned with the first sun gear and rotating together; And A driven gear fixed to the valve port and engaged with the second sun gear, And said second sun gear has a smaller diameter than said first sun gear. 13. The valve port of claim 12, wherein the valve port, the driven gear, the drive gear, and the magnetic body rotate about the axis of rotation of the valve port, and the reduction gear rotates about another axis of rotation spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the valve port. Multi-directional electronic expansion valve characterized in.

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