Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K31/00—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices
  • F16K31/02—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic
  • F16K31/04—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic using a motor
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K11/00—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves
  • F16K11/02—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit
  • F16K11/06—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements
  • F16K11/072—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with pivoted closure members
  • F16K11/074—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with pivoted closure members with flat sealing faces
  • F16K11/0746—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with pivoted closure members with flat sealing faces with two or more closure plates comprising a single lever control
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K11/00—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K31/00—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices
  • F16K31/02—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic
  • F16K31/04—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic using a motor
  • F16K31/041—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic using a motor for rotating valves
  • F16K31/043—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic using a motor for rotating valves characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for opening and closing a valve. More par ⁇ ticularly, the present invention relates to a device for opening and closing a multi-way electronic valve for controlling paths of fluid such as a refrigerant for a freezer.
• a freezer including a refrigerator or a Kimchi refrigerator cools or freezes each compartment thereof by circulating a refrigerant using a compressor. At this time, a device for opening and closing a valve is used for controlling the path of the refrigerant circulated by the compressor.
• valve opening/closing device In general, such a valve opening/closing device is classified into a solenoid type valve opening/closing device and a stepping motor type valve opening/closing device. Recently, the stepping motor type valve opening/closing device is mainly used because the solenoid type valve opening/closing device may cause high power consumption and generate loud noise.
• a conventional stepping motor type valve opening/closing device opens/closes a three-way valve having one inlet port and two outlet ports.
• the valve opening/ closing device may open and close the three-way valve with four modes according to the operation of the stepping motor.
• a conventional stepping motor type valve opening/closing device 100 is installed on a base 10 obtained by pressing a metal plate and is sealed by means of a casing 70.
• a rotor 32 is installed in the casing 70 and a stator 31 is installed adjacent to an outer wall of the casing 70.
• a driving signal is applied to the stator 31 from a computer (not shown) so as to control the rotation of the rotor 32.
• the rotor 32 includes a driving shaft 33 extending by passing through the center of the base 10 and a pinion 35 is coupled to the driving shaft 33 at a position adjacent to an upper surface of the base 10.
• Outlet ports 14 and 16 are formed at both sides of the base 10 about the center of the base 10, respectively.
• the outlet ports 14 and 16 are connected to outlet pipes 92, respectively.
• an inlet port 12 is formed at an outer peripheral portion of the base 10.
• the inlet port 12 is connected to an inlet pipe 91.
• the outlet port 14 formed to the right of the base 10 on the basis of the driving shaft 33 is referred to as a first outlet port and the outlet port 16 formed to the left of the base 10 on the basis of the driving shaft 33 is referred to as a second outlet port (see, FlG. 25).
• Valve gears 61 and 62 engage with the pinion 35 in opposition to each other.
• valve pads 21 and 22 are installed below the valve gears 61 and 62 so as to open/close the outlet ports 14 and 16 while rotating together with the valve gears 61 and 62.
• the valve pads 21 and 22 are closely attached to the upper surface of the base 10 having the outlet ports 14 and 16. Predetermined portions of the valve pads 21 and 22 protrude so that the valve pads 21 and 22 can open/close the outlet ports 14 and 16 while rotating.
• valve gear 61 and the valve pad 21 used for opening/ closing the first outlet port 14 will be referred to as first valve gear and first valve pad and the valve gear 62 and the valve pad 22 used for opening/closing the second outlet port 16 will be referred to as first valve gear and first valve pad .
• the first and second valve gears 61 and 62 are directly connected to the pinion 35 and the first and second outlet ports 14 and 16 are opened/closed while the first and second valves 61 and 62 are being continuously rotated, so that it is not adaptable for a four- way valve or a five- way valve. That is, if the first and second valve gears 61 and 62 directly connected to the pinion 35 are applied to the four-way valve or the five-way valve, it is necessary to significantly enlarge the size of the first and second valve gears 61 and 62 so that the size of the valve opening/closing device is also significantly enlarged.
• the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and it is a first object of the present invention to provide a device for opening and closing a multi-way (three-way to five- way) electronic valve. [21] A second object of the present invention is to install an inlet pipe in a center portion of a base. [22] [23]
• the present invention provides a device for opening/closing a multi-way electronic valve including idle gears interposed between a pinion and valve gears in order to obtain a gear ratio realized by a three-way valve, a four-way valve or a five- way valve, in which a driving shaft protruding from the pinion is installed in a center portion of a base together with the inlet pipe by means of a holder into which end portions of the driving shaft and the inlet pipe are inserted.
• a device for opening/ closing a multi-way electronic valve comprising: a base formed at a center portion thereof with an inlet port connected to an inlet pipe for supplying fluid into the base, in which a plurality of discharge ports connected to outlet pipes for discharging the fluid are radially formed in the base about the inlet port; valve pads closely attached to the base corresponding to the outlet ports in order to open/close the outlet ports; a valve drive unit for driving the valve pads; a rotation transfer unit for transferring rotational force of the valve drive unit to the valve pads; and a casing installed on an upper portion of the base and including a cavity for accommodating the valve pads, the valve drive unit and the rotation transfer unit, which are provided on the base, therein, wherein the fluid introduced into the inlet port formed at the center portion of the base is uniformly guided into the outlet ports radially formed in the base.
• the valve drive unit includes a stepping motor having a rotor provided with a driving shaft extending toward the inlet pipe of the base and a stator installed adjacent to an outer wall of the casing in which the rotor is accommodated; and a pinion coupled with the driving shaft of the stepping motor.
• the valve opening/closing device further comprises a holder inserted into the inlet port, wherein an end portion of the driving shaft is inserted into an upper portion of the holder, an insertion hole is formed at a lower portion of the holder, the inlet pipe is inserted into the insertion hole of the holder by a predetermined length, and a spray hole communicated with the insertion hole is formed in the holder to spray fluid toward the outlet ports.
• the rotation transfer unit includes a pair of idle gears engaged with the pinion; valve gears engaged with the idle gears and connected to the valve pads through rotating shafts; and compression springs interposed between the valve pads and valve gears, respectively.
• two outlet ports are formed at both sides of the base about the inlet port below the valve pads.
• valve pads are formed at outer peripheral portions thereof with a plurality of concave-convex portions for opening/closing the outlet ports.
• the valve gear includes a teeth-missing gear, in which a teeth-missing part is dis- continuously formed at an upper end portion of the teeth-missing gear and a gear part is formed at a lower end portion of the teeth-missing gear.
• One of the idle gears is a teeth-missing gear, in which a gear part engaged with the pinion is formed at an upper end portion of the teeth-missing gear and a teeth-missing part is discontinuously formed at a lower end of the teeth-missing gear engaged with the valve gear.
• the teeth-missing part of the idle gear includes an upper teeth-missing part making contact with the teeth-missing part of the valve gear and a lower teeth-missing part having a diameter smaller than that of the upper teeth-missing part such that the lower teeth-missing part closely approaches the gear part of the valve gear.
• the concave-convex portions of the valve pad includes a convex portion formed by a first four-part of the 16 parts, a concave portion formed by a second four-part of the 16 parts, and two convex parts and two concave parts formed by the remaining eight-part of the 16 parts, in which the two convex parts and two concave parts are alternately aligned in a convex-concave pattern, each of the two convex parts and two concave parts corresponds to a two-part of the 16 parts, and the convex portion, the concave portion, and the two convex and concave portions are se ⁇ quentially aligned at the outer peripheral portion of the valve pad in the counter ⁇ clockwise direction.
• the concave-convex portions of the valve pad include a convex portion formed by a first two-part of the 16 parts, a concave portion formed by a second two-part of the 16 parts, a convex portion formed by a third two-part of the 16 parts, a concave portion formed by a fourth two-part of the 16 parts, and four convex portions and four concave portions formed by the remaining eight-part of the 16 parts, in which the four convex portions and four concave portions are alternately aligned in a convex-concave pattern, each of the four convex parts and four concave parts corresponds to one-part of the 16 parts, and the convex portion, the concave portion, and the four convex and concave portions are sequentially aligned at the outer peripheral portion of the valve pad in the counterclockwise direction.
• the first and second idle gears are interposed between the pinion and the first and second valve gears, and the first idle gear and the first valve gear are fabricated in the form of a teeth-missing gear in order to obtain various gear ratios.
• the device is adaptable for opening/closing the three-way valve, the four-way valve or the five-way valve. That is, it is possible to control the temperature of four cooling compartments connected to four outlet pipes by using the valve opening/closing device.
• the holder is interposed between the driving shaft and the inlet pipe such that the driving shaft protruding from the pinion and the inlet pipe are installed at the center portion of the base and the spray hole is formed in the holder to radially spray fluid introduced into the inlet pipe, so the defect derived from the biased flow of the fluid introduced into the inlet pipe can be prevented.
• the spray hole is directed toward the outlet ports formed at both sides of the base about the holder so the fluid introduced into the inlet pipe can be effectively guided to outlet pipes through the outlet ports.
• FlG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a device for opening and closing a multi-way electronic valve according to one embodiment of the present invention
• FlG. 2 is a partially sectional view of a device for opening and closing a multi-way electronic valve shown in FlG. 1 ;
• FlG. 3 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a base shown in FlG. 1 ;
• FlG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a first valve pad shown in FlG. 1 ;
• FlG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a second valve pad shown in
• FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating an idle gear shown in FlG. 1 ;
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a first valve gear shown in FlG. 1 ;
• FIGS. 8 to 23 are plan views illustrating operational states of a device for opening and closing a multi-way electronic valve shown in FIG. 1 ;
• FlG. 24 is a partially sectional view illustrating a conventional valve opening/ closing device;
• FIG. 25 is a plan view illustrating the opening/closing state of outlet ports, which are opened/closed by means of valve pads according to the rotation of valve gears shown in FlG. 24.
• valve drive unit 131 a stator
• [58] 132 a rotor 133 : a driving shaft
• [59] 134 a stepping motor 135: a pinion
• valve gears 170 a casing
• [64] 171 a cavity 180: a holder
• outlet pipes 200 a valve opening/closing device
• FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a device 200 for opening and closing a multi-way electronic valve according to one embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 2 is a partially sectional view of the device 200 shown in FlG. 1, and
• FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a base 110 shown in FlG. 1.
• the device 200 for opening and closing the multi-way electronic valve includes a pinion 135, valve gears 161 and 162, and idle gears 152 and 152 interposed between the pinion 135 and the valve gears 161 and 162.
• the multi-way electronic valve is a five-way electronic valve including one inlet port and four outlet ports.
• the valve opening/closing device 200 can adjust the fluid flow with a maximum of 16 modes by controlling the five- way electronic valve.
• an inlet pipe 191 for supplying fluid into the valve opening/closing device 200 is installed in the center portion of the base 110 so that the fluid flow cannot be biased.
• the valve opening/closing device 200 includes the base 110, valve pads 121 and 122, a valve drive unit 130, a rotation transfer unit 140, and a casing 170.
• the base 110 is formed at a center portion thereof with an inlet port 112 connected to the inlet pipe 191 supplying the fluid.
• the valve pads 121 and 122 are closely attached to the base 110 cor ⁇ responding to the outlet ports 114 and 116 so as to open/close the outlet ports 114 and 116.
• the valve drive unit 130 drives the valve pads 121 and 122.
• the rotation transfer unit 140 transfers rotational force of the valve drive unit 130 to the valve pads 121 and 122.
• the casing 170 is installed at an upper portion of the base 110 and is formed with a cavity 171 for accommodating the valve pads 121 and 122, the valve drive unit 130 and the rotation transfer unit 140, which are installed on the base 110, therein.
• the fluid introduced into the inlet port 112 formed at the center portion of the base 110 is uniformly guided into the outlet ports 114 and 116 without being biased.
• the base 110 is formed at the center portion thereof with an insertion hole
• valve seats 115 and 117 are recessed at both sides of the base 110 about the insertion hole 113 in order to receive the valve pads 121 and 122 therein.
• the valve seat 115 is referred to as a first valve seat and the valve seat 117 is referred to as a second valve seat.
• an end portion of the driving shaft 133 of the valve drive unit 130 is inserted into an upper portion of the holder 180 formed at a lower portion thereof with an insertion hole 181 into which the inlet pipe 191 is inserted by a predetermined length.
• a spray hole 182 is formed in the holder 180 and is communicated with the insertion hole 181 so as to spray the fluid toward the outlet ports 114 and 116. That is, the insertion hole 181 and the spray hole 182 may form a T-shaped structure in which the insertion hole 181 is aligned in the same line with the driving shaft 133.
• the insertion hole 181 and the spray hole 182 define the inlet port 112 for the fluid and the spray port 182 sprays the fluid toward the valve seats 115 and 117.
• the valve seat 115 and 117 are recessed from the upper surface of the base 110 in the form of pockets so that the fluid sprayed from the spray hole 182 of the holder 180 can be effectively discharged through the valve seats 115 and 117.
• the valve seats 115 and 117 are formed at bottom portions thereof with two outlet ports
• the outlet ports 114 and 116 are preferably positioned at upper and lower portions of the second virtual lines about the first virtual line, respectively.
• the outlet pipes 192 and 193 inserted into the bottom portions of the valve seats 115 and 117 are connected to the outlet ports 114 and 116.
• first and second valve seats 115 and 117 are formed at center portions thereof with holes 115a and 117a, into which rotating shafts 163 and 164 of the valve gears 161 and 162 are inserted, respectively.
• holes 115b and 117b are formed between the valve seats 115 and 117 of the base 110 in such a manner that rotating shafts 153 and 154 of the idle gears 151 and 152 can be inserted into the holes 115b and 117b, respectively.
• valve pads 121 and 122 are fabricated in the form of disc-shaped plates.
• a plurality of concave-convex portions 123 and 124 are formed at outer peripheral portions of the valve pads 121 and 122, respectively, in order to open/ close the outlet ports 114 and 116 with 16 modes.
• the valve pad 121 installed in the first valve seat 115 is referred to as a first valve pad and the valve pad 122 installed in the second valve seat 117 is referred to as a second valve pad.
• the concave-convex portions 123 of the first valve pad 121 includes a convex portion 123a formed by a first four-part of the 16 parts, a concave portion 123b formed by a second four-part of the 16 parts, and two convex parts 123c and two concave parts 123d formed by the remaining eight-part of the 16 parts, in which the two convex parts 123c and two concave parts 123d are alternately aligned in a convex- concave pattern and each of the two convex parts 123c and two concave parts 123d corresponds to a two-part of the 16 parts.
• the convex portion 123a, the concave portion 123b, and the convex and concave portions 123c and 123d are sequentially aligned at the outer peripheral portion of the first valve pad 121 in the counter ⁇ clockwise direction.
• the first valve pad 121 is discontinuously rotated so that the first valve pad 121 sequentially opens/closes the first outlet port 114 by four times with four modes.
• the concave-convex portions 124 of the second valve pad 122 include a convex portion 124a formed by a first two-part of the 16 parts, a concave portion 124b formed by a second two-part of the 16 parts, a convex portion 124a formed by a third two-part of the 16 parts, a concave portion 124b formed by a fourth two-part of the 16 parts, and four convex portions 124c and four concave portions 124d formed by the remaining eight-part of the 16 parts, in which the four convex portions 124c and four concave portions 124d are alternately aligned in a convex- concave pattern and each of the four convex parts 124c and four concave parts 124d corresponds to one-part of the 16 parts.
• the convex portion 124a, the concave portion 124b, and the convex and concave portions 124c and 124d are sequentially aligned at the outer peripheral portion of the second valve pad 122 in the counterclockwise direction.
• the second valve pad 122 continuously rotates by an angle of 22.5 per step, so that the second valve pad 122 sequentially opens/closes the second outlet port 116 by four times with four modes.
• first and second valve pads 121 and 122 can sequentially open/ close the first and second outlet ports 114 and 116 with 16 modes. This will be further described later in detail.
• the valve drive unit 130 includes a stepping motor 134 having the driving shaft 133 extending toward the base 110 and the pinion 135 coupled with the driving shaft 133 of the stepping motor 134.
• the stepping motor 134 includes a rotor 132 installed in the casing 170 such that the driving shaft 133 thereof extends toward the holder 180 mounted on the base 110 and a stator 131 installed adjacent to an outer wall of the casing 170 accommodating the rotor 132. As mentioned above, an end portion of the driving shaft is inserted into the upper portion of the holder 180.
• the structure of the stepping motor 134 is generally known in the art, so it will not be further described below.
• the rotation transfer unit 140 includes a pair of idle gears 151 and 152 engaged with the pinion 135, valve gears 161 and 162 engaged with the idle gears 151 and 152 and connected to the valve pads 121 and 122 through rotating shafts 163 and 164 and compression springs 169 interposed between the valve pads 121 and 122 and valve gears 161 and 162, respectively.
• the upper end portions of the rotating shafts 163 and 164 of the valve gears 161 and 162 are elastically supported by means of the leaf spring 183 and the lower end portions of the rotating shafts 163 and 164 of the valve gears 161 and 162 are inserted into the holes 115a and 117a formed at the center portions of the valve seats 115 and 117.
• the leaf spring 183 is formed at the center thereof with a perforation hole 184 so as to allow the driving shaft 133 and the pinion 135 to be inserted into the leaf spring 183 while forming a predetermined interval therebetween.
• the valve gears 161 and 162 include the first valve gear 161 for driving the first valve pad 121 and the second valve gear 162 for driving the second valve pad 122.
• the idle gears 151 and 152 include the first idle gear 151 connected between the first valve gear 161 and the pinion 135 and the second idle gear 152 connected between the second valve gear 162 and the pinion 135.
• valve gears 161 and 162 and the first idle gear 151 of the rotation transfer unit 140 are fabricated in the form of teeth-missing gears such that the first and second valve pads 121 and 122 can be operated to open/close the outlet ports 114 and 116 with 16 modes.
• the first idle gear 151 has a stepped structure consisting of a gear part 155 and a teeth-missing part 156 and the first valve gear 161 also has a stepped structure consisting of a gear part 165 and a teeth-missing part 166.
• the first valve gear 161 is positioned slightly below the first idle gear 151 in such a manner that the teeth-missing part 166 of the first valve gear 161 faces the teeth- missing part 156 of the first idle gear 151.
• the teeth-missing part 156 of the first idle gear 151 has a two-stepped structure. That is, the gear part 155 provided at the upper end portion of the first idle gear 151 may engage with the pinion 135 so as to allow the first idle gear 151 to rotate at a constant speed.
• the teeth-missing part 156 of the first idle gear 151 includes an upper teeth-missing part 157 and a lower teeth-missing part 158, in which the upper teeth-missing part 157 has a diameter larger than that of the lower teeth-missing part 158.
• the upper teeth-missing part 157 of the idle gear 151 makes contact with the teeth-missing part 166 of the first valve gear 161, thereby preventing the first valve gear 161 from idly rotating.
• a space is formed between the first idle gear and the first valve gear so that the first valve gear may idly rotate.
• the present invention solves the above problem by forming the upper teeth-missing part 157 in the idle gear 151. Since the diameter of the lower teeth-missing part 158 of the idle gear 151 is smaller than that of the upper teeth- missing part 157 of the idle gear 151, it may not interfere with the gear part 165 of the first valve gear 161.
• the first valve gear 161 may not rotate when it meets the teeth-missing part 156 of the first idle gear 151. However, the first valve gear 161 rotates when it engages with a gear portion 159 provided in the teeth-missing part 156 of the first idle gear 151.
• the second idle gear 152 is a normal gear having a size and a pitch identical to those of the first idle gear 151.
• the second valve gear 162 engaged with the second idle gear 152 may continuously rotate.
• the second valve gear 162 identical to the first valve gear 161 is used according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible to fabricate the second valve gear 162 as a normal gear having the size and the pitch identical to those of the first valve gear 161.
• the first valve gear 161 may stop its rotation when the first valve gear 161 makes contact with the teeth-missing part 156 of the first idle gear 151, but the second valve gear 162 continuously rotates so that the first and second valve pads 121 and 122 may operate to open/close the outlet ports 114 and 116 with 16 modes.
• the casing 170 includes a first casing 172 in which the rotor 132 of the stepping motor 134 is installed, and a second casing 173 coupled with the first casing 172 and closely attached to an upper peripheral portion of the base 110. Since the diameter of the base 110 is larger than that of the rotor 132 of the stepping motor 134, the outer diameter of the second casing 173 is larger than the outer diameter of the first case 172 having a cylindrical structure.
• the leaf spring 183 is installed at a ceiling of the second casing 173 corresponding to a lower end portion of the first casing 172 so as to elastically support the rotating shafts 153 and 154 of the idle gears 151 and 152 and rotating shafts 163 and 164 of the valve gears 161 and 162.
• the fluid supplied into the base 110 through the inlet pipe 191 is introduced into the first and second outlet pipes 192 and 193 by opening/closing the first and second outlet ports 114 and 116 with 16 modes according to the continuous or discontinuous rotation of the valve pad 120 incorporated with the operation of the valve drive unit 130 and the rotation transfer unit 140.
• the control for the first and second outlet ports 114 and 116 with 16 modes can be realized by adjusting a rotating angle of the valve pad 120 according to the driving signal applied to the stepping motor 134 of the valve drive unit 130.
• FIGS. 8 to 23 show operational states of the valve opening/closing device 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention for opening/closing a five- way valve with 16 modes. It should be noted that FIGS. 8 to 23 sequentially represent first to sixteenth modes, respectively.
• the stepping motor 134 is driven, the pinion 135 rotates so that the first and second idle gears 151 and 152 engaged with both sides of the pinion 135 are continuously rotated in the same direction.
• rotation of the first valve gear 161 is discontinued due to the teeth-missing part thereof and the second valve gear 162 is continuously rotated.
• the first outlet port 114 is located in first and second quadrants, respectively, and the second outlet port 116 is located third and fourth quadrants, respectively.
• the first and second outlet ports 114 and 116 located in the first to fourth quadrants are sequentially denoted as A, B, C and D in the counter ⁇ clockwise direction from the first quadrant.
• a and B present the first outlet ports 114 and C and D present the second outlet ports 116.
• the first and second valve pads 121 and 122 open/close the first and second outlet ports 114 and 116 (A, B, C and D) with 16 modes while rotating in the counterclockwise direction.
• the second valve pad 122 continuously rotates by an angle of 22.5 per step so that the second outlet ports 116 (C and D) are sequentially opened/closed with four modes, that is, (O,O), (O,X), (X,O) and (X,X).
• the first outlet ports 114 (A and B) maintain a mode (O,X) regardless of the rotation of the first valve pad 121. That is, when mode is switched from the third mode to the fourth mode, the first valve pad 121 rotates by an angle of 22.5 so that the mode of the first outlet ports 114 (A and B) is changed from (O,O) to (O,X). Thus, the first outlet portsl 14 (A and B) maintain the mode (O,X) during the fifth to eighth modes. When the mode is switched from the fifth mode to the sixth mode, the first valve pad 121 further rotates by an angle of 22.5 . However, the first valve pad 121 maintains a stop state when the mode is switched from the sixth mode to the eighth mode.
• the second valve pad 122 continuously rotates by an angle of 22.5 per step so that the second outlet ports 116 (C and D) are sequentially opened/closed with four modes, that is, (O,O), (O,X), (X,O) and (X,X).
• the second valve pad 122 continuously rotates by an angle of 22.5 per step so that the second outlet ports 116 (C and D) are sequentially opened/closed with four modes, that is, (O,O), (X, O), (O,X) and (X,X).
• the second valve pad 122 continuously rotates by an angle of 22.5 per step so that the second outlet ports 116 (C and D) are sequentially opened/closed with four modes, that is, (O,O), (X, O), (O,X) and (X,X).
• valve opening/closing device 200 when the valve opening/closing device 200 according to the present invention operates the five- way valve one time with 16 modes, the valve pad 121 rotates by an angle of 125 and the second valve pad rotates by an angle of 337.5 .
• the compressor In the sixteenth mode, the refrigerant cannot be fed into compartments of the freezer because the first and second outlets (A, B, C and D) are closed. In this case, the compressor may be subject to overload when the valve opening/closing device is actually driven. Thus, it is also possible to omit the sixteenth mode.
• valve opening/closing device of the present invention is also applicable for three- way valve or four- way valve without limitations.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Electrically Driven Valve-Operating Means (AREA)
• Multiple-Way Valves (AREA)
• Mechanically-Actuated Valves (AREA)

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• 2004
  • 2004-09-14 KR KR1020040073522A patent/KR100465554B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2005
  • 2005-08-11 WO PCT/KR2005/002596 patent/WO2006031018A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-08-11 CN CNB2005800307875A patent/CN100554742C/zh active Active
  • 2005-08-11 JP JP2007529674A patent/JP4571191B2/ja active Active

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