A small-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of solenoid valve technology, specifically to a small-flow solenoid valve that combines structural support and flexible sealing. It includes a stainless steel sleeve, with a magnetic core slidably connected inside the sleeve. A plug is slidably connected inside the sleeve above the magnetic core, and a cylindrical spring is fitted inside the plug. A coil cover is installed outside the sleeve, and an electromagnetic coil is wound around it. A brass or stainless steel valve seat is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the sleeve below the magnetic core, and a return spring is fitted on the inner wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat. This invention precisely adapts to the transition between small and medium flow rates, solving the problem of flow polarization in existing solenoid valves. It meets the actual usage needs of small-flow refrigeration units such as air conditioners and ice makers, eliminating the need for customized products and reducing adaptation costs for OEMs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of solenoid valve technology, specifically to a small-flow solenoid valve that combines structural support with flexible sealing. Background Technology

[0002] In refrigeration systems, low-flow solenoid valves are core components for achieving precise flow control. This is especially true in small refrigeration equipment (such as mini ice makers and portable dehumidifiers), where the requirements for flow adaptability, sealing reliability, and cost-effectiveness of solenoid valves are extremely high. Existing refrigeration solenoid valves are designed according to the standard "Solenoid Valves for Refrigeration JB / T4119-2013," which has significant technical limitations:

[0003] Poor flow adaptability and market gap: Existing solenoid valve products have a polarized flow distribution, either designed for large flow or for ultra-small flow. There is a lack of transitional products that can adapt to small flow refrigeration units, which cannot meet the precise flow requirements of micro refrigeration equipment, resulting in low overall operating efficiency and high energy consumption.

[0004] Inadequate sealing structure design: Traditional small-flow solenoid valves mostly use a single soft seal or hard seal. Soft seals are prone to deformation due to high temperature, which can lead to seal failure. Hard seals, on the other hand, require extremely high machining precision and the sealing surface is prone to wear, which increases the risk of internal leakage after long-term use.

[0005] Insufficient structural stability: The support and positioning structure of core components such as magnetic core and seals is poorly designed, which can easily cause jamming and untimely reset during the opening and closing of solenoid valves, affecting the control accuracy and operational stability of the refrigeration system.

[0006] High overall equipment adaptation cost: In order to adapt to the low flow rate requirement, some equipment manufacturers need to customize special solenoid valves, which leads to a significant increase in R&D and procurement costs. Moreover, the supply cycle of customized products is long, which affects production efficiency. To this end, a low flow rate solenoid valve with structural support and flexible sealing is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the present invention provides a small-flow solenoid valve that combines structural support and flexible sealing to solve or alleviate the technical problems existing in the prior art, and at least provides a beneficial alternative.

[0008] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: A small-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing includes a stainless steel sleeve, a magnetic core slidably connected inside the stainless steel sleeve, a plug slidably connected inside the stainless steel sleeve above the magnetic core, a cylindrical spring sleeved inside the plug, a coil cover installed outside the stainless steel sleeve, an electromagnetic coil wound around the outside of the stainless steel sleeve, a brass or stainless steel valve seat fixedly connected to the outer wall of the stainless steel sleeve below the magnetic core, a return spring sleeved on the inner wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) seal on the inner wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat, and a steel ball between the PTFE seal and the magnetic core.

[0009] More preferably, the outer wall of the stainless steel sleeve is connected to an inlet copper pipe, and the bottom of the stainless steel valve seat is connected to an outlet copper pipe.

[0010] More preferably, the outer wall of the polytetrafluoroethylene seal is fitted with a brass sleeve, which is slidably connected to the inner wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat.

[0011] More preferably, the top of the coil cover and the internal thread of the plug are connected with coil screws.

[0012] More preferably, a filter screen is installed inside the intake copper pipe.

[0013] More preferably, the valve seat of the brass or stainless steel has a valve port diameter of 2-4mm, a stainless steel sleeve of Ф9-Ф11, a magnetic core of Ф8-Ф10, a plug of Ф8-Ф11, a brass or stainless steel valve seat of Ф11.5-Ф13, an inlet copper pipe of Ф4-Ф6.35, a steel ball of Ф4-Ф6, an outlet copper pipe of Ф4-Ф6.35, and a polytetrafluoroethylene seal of Ф8.5-Ф9.5.

[0014] More preferably, one end of the return spring abuts against the bottom of the brass sleeve, and the other end is fixed to the inner bottom wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat, providing a restoring force for the PTFE seal.

[0015] More preferably, the solenoid valve is a normally closed direct-acting secondary sealing structure. When the solenoid coil is energized, it drives the magnetic core to move upward and open the fluid channel. When the power is off, the cylindrical spring pushes the magnetic core to reset, and the sealing is achieved by the steel ball squeezing the polytetrafluoroethylene seal.

[0016] The embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages due to the adoption of the above technical solutions:

[0017] I. This invention precisely adapts to the transitional needs between small and medium flow rates, solves the problem of flow polarization in existing solenoid valves, meets the actual usage needs of small-flow refrigeration units such as air conditioners and ice makers, eliminates the need for customized products, and reduces adaptation costs for unit manufacturers.

[0018] Second, this invention adopts a flexible sealing composite design of "brass sleeve + polytetrafluoroethylene seal". The brass sleeve prevents the polytetrafluoroethylene seal from deforming at high temperatures, and the polytetrafluoroethylene seal ensures the sealing effect. Combined with the flexible force transmission of the steel ball and the reset action of the return spring, a secondary seal is formed, which completely solves the problems of easy leakage and easy wear of traditional sealing structures, and greatly improves the sealing reliability.

[0019] Third, the overall structure of this invention is simple, and the core components use conventional materials and mature processes, requiring no complex processing and resulting in low manufacturing costs. At the same time, the filter screen can extend the service life of the solenoid valve and reduce the overall maintenance cost, combining economy and practicality.

[0020] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of another embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a diagram of the external structure of the present invention.

[0025] Reference numerals: 1. Stainless steel sleeve; 2. Magnetic core; 3. Plug; 4. Cylindrical spring; 5. Coil outer cover; 6. Coil screw; 7. Electromagnetic coil; 8. Brass or stainless steel valve seat; 9. Inlet copper pipe; 10. Filter screen; 11. Steel ball; 12. Outlet copper pipe; 13. PTFE seal; 14. Brass sleeve; 15. Return spring. Detailed Implementation

[0026] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0027] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a small-flow solenoid valve that combines structural support and flexible sealing. It includes a stainless steel sleeve 1, a magnetic core 2 slidably connected inside the stainless steel sleeve 1, a plug 3 slidably connected inside the stainless steel sleeve 1 above the magnetic core 2, a cylindrical spring 4 sleeved inside the plug 3, a coil cover 5 installed outside the stainless steel sleeve 1, an electromagnetic coil 7 wound around the outside of the stainless steel sleeve 1, a brass or stainless steel valve seat 8 fixedly connected to the outer wall of the stainless steel sleeve 1 below the magnetic core 2, a return spring 15 sleeved on the inner wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat 8, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) seal 13 on the inner wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat 8, and a steel ball 11 between the PTFE seal 13 and the magnetic core 2.

[0029] In one embodiment, the outer wall of the stainless steel sleeve 1 is connected to an inlet copper pipe 9, and the bottom of the brass or stainless steel valve seat 8 is connected to an outlet copper pipe 12.

[0030] In one embodiment, the outer wall of the polytetrafluoroethylene seal 13 is fitted with a brass sleeve 14, which is slidably connected to the inner wall of the stainless steel valve seat 8.

[0031] In one embodiment, the top of the coil cover 5 and the inside of the plug 3 are threadedly connected with coil screws 6.

[0032] In one embodiment, a filter screen 10 is installed inside the intake copper pipe 9.

[0033] In one embodiment, the valve port diameter of the stainless steel valve seat 8 is 2-4 mm, the stainless steel sleeve is 1Ф9-Ф11, the magnetic core is 2Ф8-Ф10, the plug is 3Ф8-Ф11, the brass or stainless steel valve seat is 8Ф11.5-Ф13, the inlet copper pipe is 9Ф4-Ф6.35, the steel ball is 11Ф4-Ф6, the outlet copper pipe is 12Ф4-Ф6.35, and the polytetrafluoroethylene seal is 13Ф8.5-Ф9.5.

[0034] In one embodiment, one end of the return spring 15 abuts against the bottom of the brass sleeve 14, and the other end is fixed to the inner bottom wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat 8, providing a return force for the PTFE seal 13.

[0035] In one embodiment, the solenoid valve is a normally closed direct-acting secondary sealing structure. When the solenoid coil 7 is energized, it drives the magnetic core 2 to move upward and open the fluid passage. When the power is off, the cylindrical spring 4 pushes the magnetic core 2 to reset, and the steel ball 11 squeezes the polytetrafluoroethylene seal 13 to achieve sealing.

[0036] When the invention is in operation: the electromagnetic coil 7 is not energized, and no magnetic field is generated. The elastic force of the cylindrical spring 4 pushes the magnetic core 2 to slide downward along the stainless steel sleeve 1. The magnetic core 2 applies downward pressure to the PTFE seal 13 through the steel ball 11. Under the pressure, the PTFE seal 13 tightly fits against the valve port of the brass or stainless steel valve seat 8, and at the same time, the return spring 15 is compressed, forming a secondary seal. At this time, the fluid passage between the inlet copper pipe 9 and the outlet copper pipe 12 is blocked, and the refrigerant does not flow through the solenoid valve, exiting the refrigeration cycle. The electromagnetic coil 7 is energized to generate a magnetic field, and the magnetic field force generates an upward attraction force on the magnetic core 2. The attraction force overcomes the elastic force of the cylindrical spring 4, causing the magnetic core 2 to slide upward along the stainless steel sleeve 1. The magnetic core 2 separates from the steel ball 11, and the PTFE seal... The pressure of 13 disappears; under the action of the return spring force of the return spring 15 and the refrigerant pressure difference between the inlet copper pipe 9 and the outlet copper pipe 12, the PTFE seal 13 drives the brass sleeve 14 to move upward, separating from the valve port of the brass or stainless steel valve seat 8, and the fluid passage is opened; the high-pressure refrigerant in the inlet copper pipe 9 is filtered by the filter screen 10, flows through the inside of the stainless steel sleeve 1 and the valve port of the brass or stainless steel valve seat 8, and flows out from the outlet copper pipe 12, entering the refrigeration cycle. The electromagnetic coil 7 is de-energized, the magnetic field force disappears, and the elastic force of the cylindrical spring 4 pushes the magnetic core 2 to slide downward again, pushing the PTFE seal 13 to reset through the steel ball 11, re-sealing with the valve port of the brass or stainless steel valve seat 8, blocking the fluid passage again, and the solenoid valve returns to the closed state.

[0037] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A low-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing, characterized in that: The device includes a stainless steel sleeve (1), a magnetic core (2) is slidably connected inside the stainless steel sleeve (1), a plug (3) is slidably connected inside the stainless steel sleeve (1) above the magnetic core (2), a cylindrical spring (4) is sleeved inside the plug (3), a coil cover (5) is installed outside the stainless steel sleeve (1), an electromagnetic coil (7) is wound around the outside of the stainless steel sleeve (1), a brass or stainless steel valve seat (8) is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the stainless steel sleeve (1) below the magnetic core (2), a return spring (15) is sleeved on the inner wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat (8), a polytetrafluoroethylene seal (13) is provided on the inner wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat (8), and a steel ball (11) is provided between the polytetrafluoroethylene seal (13) and the magnetic core (2).

2. The low-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer wall of the stainless steel sleeve (1) is connected to an air inlet copper pipe (9), and the bottom of the brass or stainless steel valve seat (8) is connected to an air outlet copper pipe (12).

3. The low-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer wall of the polytetrafluoroethylene seal (13) is fitted with a brass sleeve (14), which is slidably connected to the inner wall of the stainless steel valve seat (8).

4. The low-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the coil cover (5) and the inside of the plug (3) are threaded with coil screws (6).

5. A small-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing according to claim 2, characterized in that: The air intake copper pipe (9) is equipped with a filter screen (10).

6. A small-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve port diameter of the brass or stainless steel valve seat (8) is 2-4 mm. The stainless steel sleeve (1) is Ф9-Ф11, the magnetic core (2) is Ф8-Ф10, the plug (3) is Ф8-Ф11, the brass or stainless steel valve seat (8) is Ф11.5-Ф13, the inlet copper pipe (9) is Ф4-Ф6.35, the steel ball (11) is Ф4-Ф6, the outlet copper pipe (12) is Ф4-Ф6.35, and the polytetrafluoroethylene seal (13) is Ф8.5-Ф9.

5.

7. A small-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the return spring (15) abuts against the bottom of the brass sleeve (14), and the other end is fixed to the inner bottom wall of the brass or stainless steel valve seat (8), providing a return force for the polytetrafluoroethylene seal (13).

8. A small-flow solenoid valve combining structural support and flexible sealing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The solenoid valve is a normally closed direct-acting secondary sealing structure. When the solenoid coil (7) is energized, it drives the magnetic core (2) to move upward and open the fluid channel. When the power is off, the cylindrical spring (4) pushes the magnetic core (2) to reset and achieves sealing by squeezing the polytetrafluoroethylene seal (13) through the steel ball (11).

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