reversing valve

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a reversing valve comprising a valve body, a spool assembly and an actuating assembly, the valve body having an inlet port, at least two outlet ports and internal flow passages connecting the inlet port with each of the outlet ports, each of the internal flow passages having a valve port formed therein for cooperating with the spool assembly, the spool assembly being movably arranged in the valve body, the actuating assembly being configured to actuate the spool assembly so that the inlet port is selectively in full communication with one of the outlet ports, or in partial communication with a plurality of the outlet ports at the same time and flow distribution is achieved by adjusting the flow area of the valve ports. Each of the internal flow passages has a fluid distribution body arranged therein, the fluid distribution body having a partition cylinder arranged therein to divide the fluid distribution body into a first volume and a second volume, the valve port being formed at an opening of the partition cylinder, the first volume and the second volume being in communication with each other through the valve port, one of the first volume and the second volume being in communication with the inlet port of the internal flow passage at all times, and the other being in communication with the outlet port of the internal flow passage at all times.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of thermal management systems for electric vehicles, and more specifically, to a reversing valve. Background Technology

[0002] The thermal management system of an electric vehicle includes a coolant circulation system, which consists of a heat exchanger, reservoir, electric water pump, electronic water valve, air conditioner, PTC heater, radiator, etc. It supplies coolant to the battery pack, motor, motor controller, and heater core via piping for cooling or heating. The electronic water valve is used to switch the flow direction of the coolant. Some vehicles only have a single PTC heater. When the ambient temperature is low, the PTC heater needs to supply coolant to both the heater core and the battery pack simultaneously, requiring appropriate distribution of the coolant output from the PTC heater. However, current electronic water valves generally only function to switch the flow direction, thus failing to meet the aforementioned coolant distribution requirements. When fluid distribution is needed, more complex piping and additional valves are required, increasing the system's complexity. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a reversing valve that can both switch the direction of liquid flow and distribute the flow rate of liquid flowing through it.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a reversing valve, comprising a valve body, a valve core assembly, and an actuating assembly. The valve body has an inlet, at least two outlets, and an internal flow channel connecting the inlet to each of the outlets. Each internal flow channel has a valve port that mates with the valve core assembly, with each valve port corresponding to a specific valve core assembly. The valve core assembly is movably disposed within the valve body. The actuating assembly actuates the valve core assembly such that the inlet can selectively and fully connect to one of the outlets, or simultaneously partially connect to multiple outlets, and achieve flow distribution by adjusting the flow cross-sectional area at the valve port.

[0005] Each of the internal flow channels is provided with a fluid distribution body, and a partition cylinder is provided in the fluid distribution body to divide the fluid distribution body into a first cavity and a second cavity. The valve port is formed at the opening of the partition cylinder. The first cavity and the second cavity are connected through the valve port. One of the first cavity and the second cavity is always connected to the inlet of its internal flow channel, and the other cavity is always connected to the outlet of its internal flow channel.

[0006] Optionally, the actuation assembly includes an actuating element and an elastic element, the valve core assembly includes a valve core rod movably disposed through the valve port along its own axial direction, the elastic element is connected between the valve body and the valve core rod to provide an elastic force that causes the valve core rod to open the valve port, and the actuating element acts on the valve core rod so that the valve core rod can overcome the elastic force to gradually seal the valve port.

[0007] Optionally, the cavity inside the separator cylinder is the first cavity, and the cavity between the separator cylinder and the inner wall of the fluid distribution body is the second cavity. The first cavity is always connected to the inlet on its internal flow channel, and the second cavity is always connected to the outlet on its internal flow channel. The valve core rod includes a blocking part for blocking the valve port. The elastic element is disposed inside the separator cylinder, and both ends of the elastic element abut against the blocking part and the bottom of the separator cylinder, respectively.

[0008] Optionally, an annular groove is provided on the outer periphery of the sealing part, and a sealing ring is fixedly provided in the annular groove to seal the valve port when the valve port is blocked.

[0009] Optionally, the actuator is rotatably disposed on the valve body, and an arc-shaped guide surface is provided on the side of the actuator facing the valve core rod. The arc-shaped guide surface has a first guide portion and a second guide portion with different heights, and the first guide portion and the second guide portion gradually transition through a smooth surface. The first guide portion and the second guide portion form a guide path. The top end of the valve core rod is slidably abutted against the corresponding guide path to jointly constitute a cam transmission mechanism. When the first guide portion abuts against the top end of the valve core rod, the valve core rod overcomes the elastic force and seals the valve port. When the second guide portion abuts against the top end of the valve core rod, the valve core rod opens the valve port under the action of the elastic element.

[0010] Optionally, the arc-shaped guide surface includes two first guide portions and two second guide portions. The two first guide portions are symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis of the actuator, and the two second guide portions are symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis. The first guide portions and the second guide portions are spaced apart and their projections along the axial direction are located on the same circumference, forming four guide paths. Each guide path cooperates with one valve core rod.

[0011] Optionally, the valve body has two inlets and two outlets, namely inlet A, inlet C, outlet B, and outlet D. Inlet A communicates with outlet B and outlet D to form a first internal flow channel and a second internal flow channel. Of the two valve core rods that cooperate with the first internal flow channel and the second internal flow channel, when one valve core rod cooperates with the first guide portion, the other valve core rod cooperates with the second guide portion.

[0012] The inlet C is connected to the outlets B and D respectively, forming a third internal flow channel and a fourth internal flow channel. Among the two valve core rods that cooperate with the third internal flow channel and the fourth internal flow channel, when one of the valve core rods cooperates with the first guide part, the other valve core rod cooperates with the second guide part.

[0013] Optionally, inlet A and inlet C are arranged in parallel, outlet B and outlet D are arranged in parallel, inlet A and outlet B are arranged perpendicularly, and inlet A, outlet B, inlet C and outlet D are respectively formed on different sides of the valve body.

[0014] Optionally, the valve core assembly includes a valve core rod movably inserted through the valve body along its own axial direction, the valve body having a stepped hole, the top end of the valve core rod extending through the stepped hole, and a sealing element fixedly disposed in the stepped hole to seal the valve core rod and the valve body.

[0015] Optionally, the directional valve further includes an actuator assembly, which includes a locking structure and a power unit. The power unit is connected to the actuation assembly via the locking structure to drive the actuation assembly to move. The locking structure is used to lock the state of the actuation assembly.

[0016] Through the above technical solution, under the action of the actuation component, the valve core assembly is sealed at or separated from the valve port, thereby realizing the connection and cut-off of a certain internal flow channel, so that the inlet and outlet on the internal flow channel are cut off or fully connected, realizing the function of switching the liquid flow direction. Alternatively, the actuation component controls the valve core assembly to open the corresponding valve port portions of multiple valve core assemblies, so that the same inlet can be connected to multiple outlets simultaneously. Moreover, under the action of the valve core assembly, by controlling the opening size of the valve port, the flow rate at the valve port can be adjusted by changing the flow cross-sectional area at the valve port. Therefore, by changing the flow cross-sectional area at different valve ports of the internal flow channel connected to the same inlet, the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the inlet can be distributed. Therefore, this reversing valve can be used to distribute the coolant output from the PTC heater to the power battery pack and the heater core at the required flow rate.

[0017] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a reversing valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a partially exploded structural diagram of a reversing valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, with dashed arrows indicating the flow direction of the liquid from inlet A to outlet D.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a reversing valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a partially exploded structural diagram of a directional valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the actuator assembly is not shown;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the valve housing of a reversing valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the actuator of a directional valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the valve core rod of a reversing valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a sealing ring;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a first-view structural schematic diagram of the valve cover of a reversing valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 9 This is a second-view structural schematic diagram of the valve cover of a reversing valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the gland of a reversing valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the actuator mounting base of a directional valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0031] 100-Directional control valve; 10-Valve body; 11-Valve port; 12-Valve top cover; 121-Stepped hole; 122-Top cover sealing protrusion; 14-Valve housing; 15-Gland; 20-Valve core assembly; 21-Valve core rod; 211-Shaft section; 212-Sealing section; 2121-Annular groove; 2122-Sealing ring; 30-Actuation assembly; 31-Actuator; 311-Rotating shaft; 32-Arc-shaped guide surface; 321-First guide section; 3 22-Second guide section; 333-Guide path; 40-Internal flow channel; 41-Fluid distribution body; 411-First cavity; 412-Second cavity; 413-Inlet; 414-Outlet; 415-Divider cylinder; 50-Elastic element; 51-First mounting protrusion; 52-Second mounting protrusion; 60-Actuator assembly; 61-Power unit; 62-Actuator mounting base; 621-Shaft support sleeve; 71-Seal. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0033] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "up" and "down" are used as follows: Figure 3 The orientation shown in the diagram. "Top" corresponds to... Figure 3 The directions indicated are "up", "bottom" and "base". Figure 3 The direction indicated is "down". "Inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of the relevant components. Furthermore, the terms "first", "second", etc., used in the embodiments of this disclosure are for distinguishing one element from another and do not indicate sequence or importance.

[0034] In order to distribute the flow rate of the liquid flowing through it, such as Figure 1-11 As shown, this disclosure provides a reversing valve 100, which includes a valve body 10, a valve core assembly 20, and an actuation assembly 30. The valve body 10 has an inlet, at least two outlets, and an internal flow channel 40 connecting the inlet to each outlet; that is, the same inlet can connect to multiple outlets. Each internal flow channel 40 has a valve port 11 that mates with the valve core assembly 20. The valve port 11 corresponds one-to-one with the valve core assembly 20. The valve core assembly 20 is movably disposed on the valve body 10. The actuation assembly 30 actuates the valve core assembly 20 so that the inlet can selectively and fully connect to one of the outlets, or simultaneously partially connect to multiple outlets, and achieve flow distribution by adjusting the flow cross-sectional area at the valve port 11.

[0035] like Figure 2-5As shown, a fluid distribution body 41 is formed on each internal flow channel 40. A partition cylinder 415 is provided in the fluid distribution body 41 to divide the fluid distribution body 41 into a first cavity 411 and a second cavity 412. A valve port 11 is formed at the opening of the partition cylinder 415. The first cavity 411 and the second cavity 412 are connected through the valve port 11. One of the first cavity 411 and the second cavity 412 is always connected to the inlet on the internal flow channel 40 where it is located, and the other is always connected to the outlet on the internal flow channel 40 where it is located.

[0036] In this disclosure, "full connectivity" means connectivity when the valve port 11 is fully open and the valve port 11 has the maximum flow area.

[0037] Through the above technical solution, under the action of the actuating component 30, the valve core component 20 is blocked at or separated from the valve port 11, thereby realizing the connection and cut-off of a certain internal flow channel 40, so that the inlet and outlet on the internal flow channel 40 are cut off or fully connected, realizing the function of switching the liquid flow direction. Alternatively, the actuating component 30 controls the valve core component 20 to make multiple valve core components 20 partially open the corresponding valve ports 11, so that the same inlet can be connected to multiple outlets at the same time. Moreover, under the action of the valve core component 20, by controlling the opening size of the valve port 11, the flow cross-sectional area at the valve port 11 is changed, thereby adjusting the flow rate at the valve port 11. Therefore, by changing the flow cross-sectional area at different valve ports 11 of the internal flow channel 40 connected to the same inlet, the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the inlet can be distributed. Therefore, the reversing valve 100 can be used to distribute the coolant output from the PTC heater to the power battery pack and the heater core at the required flow rate.

[0038] This disclosure does not restrict how the actuation component 30 moves the valve core assembly 20, as long as it can move the valve core assembly 20. For example, a linear power source (linear motor, hydraulic cylinder or pneumatic cylinder, etc.) can be provided at each valve core assembly 20 to drive each valve core assembly 20 to move.

[0039] Alternatively, in one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 2-4 As shown, the actuation assembly 30 includes an actuating element 31 and an elastic element 50. The valve core assembly 20 includes a valve core rod 21 movably disposed in the valve port 11 along its own axial direction. The elastic element 50 is connected between the valve body 10 and the valve core rod 21 to provide an elastic force that causes the valve core rod 21 to open the valve port 11. The actuating element 31 acts on the valve core rod 21 so that the valve core rod 21 can overcome the elastic force and gradually seal the valve port 11.

[0040] by Figure 3 , Figure 4Taking the direction shown in the diagram as an example, the valve core rod 21 is downwardly sealed against the valve port 11, and upwardly separated from the valve port 11. Through the action of the elastic element 50 and the actuator 31 on the valve core rod 21, when it is necessary to close the valve port 11, the actuator 31 acts on the valve core rod 21 to make the valve core rod 21 overcome the elastic force and approach the valve port 11, thereby closing the valve port 11; when it is necessary to open the valve port 11, the actuator 31 reduces or releases its action on the valve core rod 21, and under the action of the elastic element 50, the valve core rod 21 moves upward, and the sealing part 212 of the valve core rod 21 gradually moves away from the valve port 11, thereby opening the valve port 11 and allowing liquid to flow from the first cavity 411 into the second cavity 412. Furthermore, the movement distance of the valve core rod 21 can be controlled by the actuator 31, so that the valve core rod 21 gradually overcomes the force of the elastic element 50 and approaches the valve port 11, adjusting the opening degree of the valve port 11, thereby changing the flow cross-sectional area at the valve port 11, and thus adjusting the flow rate in the corresponding internal flow channel 40.

[0041] The elastic element 50 can be a compression spring, or a regular spring, an elastic rubber element, an elastic silicone element, a spring sheet, or other elastic mechanism.

[0042] Existing electric water valves generally suffer from defects such as high turning torque, excessive operating current, and breakage of the rotating shaft 311. The directional valve 100 in this disclosure drives four valve core rods 21 to move up and down through the actuator 31, resulting in low friction, low operating current, and long product service life.

[0043] Alternatively, in one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 5 As shown, the cavity inside the separator cylinder 415 is the first cavity 411, and the cavity between the inner wall of the separator cylinder 415 and the fluid distribution body 41 is the second cavity 412. The first cavity 411 is always connected to the inlet on its internal flow channel 40, and the second cavity 412 is always connected to the outlet on its internal flow channel 40. The separator cylinder 415 is provided with an inlet 413 connected to the inlet, and the fluid distribution body 41 is provided with an outlet 414 connected to the outlet on its side wall.

[0044] The valve core rod 21 includes a sealing portion 212 for sealing the valve port 11, which seals the opening of the partition cylinder 415. An elastic member 50 is disposed within the partition cylinder 415, with both ends of the elastic member 50 abutting against the sealing portion 212 and the bottom of the partition cylinder 415, respectively. The fluid distribution body 41 is generally constructed as a hollow cylindrical structure, with the partition cylinder 415 extending upwards from the bottom of this cylindrical structure, and the height of the partition cylinder 415 being lower than the height of the cylindrical structure.

[0045] Optionally, the diameter of the sealing part 212 is larger than the diameter of the valve port 11. The second cavity 412 is connected to the outlet, and the first cavity 411 is always connected to the inlet. Under the pressure of the liquid flowing into the first cavity 411 from the inlet, the sealing part 212 is provided with pressure away from the valve port 11, thereby assisting the elastic element 50 in opening the sealing part 212. Therefore, even when the elastic force of the elastic element 50 is insufficient, the valve port 11 can still be opened normally, improving the reliability of the reversing valve 100.

[0046] In other embodiments, the second cavity 412 is always connected to the inlet, and the first cavity 411 is always connected to the outlet. An elastic element 50 is connected between the valve body 10 and the valve stem 21 to provide an elastic force that allows the valve stem 21 to open the valve port 11. An actuator 31 acts on the valve stem 21 to gradually close the valve port 11 against the elastic force. A sealing portion 212 is used to seal the opening of the partition cylinder 415. Under the pressure of the liquid flowing into the second cavity 412 from the inlet, the sealing portion 212 is pressed against the valve port 11, thereby ensuring a tighter and more secure fit between the sealing portion 212 and the valve port 11, reducing the likelihood of leakage. When the water pressure is high, the sealing portion 212 on the valve stem 21 acts as a pressure and seal, significantly increasing the internal leakage pressure value, which can fully meet the pressure difference requirements of the automotive air conditioning system.

[0047] To improve the sealing performance between the sealing part 212 and the valve port 11, optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 7 As shown, an annular groove 2121 is provided on the outer periphery of the sealing part 212, and a sealing ring 2122 is fixedly provided in the annular groove 2121 to seal the valve port 11 when sealing the valve port 11.

[0048] Optionally, the outer peripheral surface of the sealing part 212 can be constructed as a conical structure. Therefore, when the sealing part 212 seals the valve port 11, the conical structure, in conjunction with the valve port 11, can seal the valve port 11 more tightly. The top of the valve core rod 21 is a hemispherical structure, which helps the valve core cap slide on the arc-shaped guide surface 32.

[0049] The specific structure of the actuator 31 is not limited in this disclosure, as long as it can actuate the valve core rod 21 to move. Optionally, in one embodiment, such as Figure 6As shown, the actuator 31 is rotatably mounted on the valve body 10. An arc-shaped guide surface 32 is provided on the side of the actuator 31 facing the valve core rod 21. The arc-shaped guide surface 32 has a first guide portion 321 and a second guide portion 322 with different heights, and the first guide portion 321 and the second guide portion 322 gradually transition through a smooth surface. A guide path 333 is formed between the first guide portion 321 and the second guide portion 322. The top end of the valve core rod 21 slidably abuts against the corresponding guide path 333 to jointly constitute a cam transmission mechanism. When the first guide portion 321 abuts against the top end of the valve core rod 21, the valve core rod 21 overcomes the elastic force and seals the valve port 11. When the second guide portion 322 abuts against the top end of the valve core rod 21, the valve core rod 21 opens the valve port 11 under the action of the elastic element 50. The top end of the valve core rod 21 refers to the end of the valve core rod 21 closest to the actuator 31. The arc-shaped guide surface 32 of the actuator 31 is generally constructed into a circular wave-shaped structure. A rotating shaft 311 is also provided on the side of the actuator 31 facing the valve body 10, and the actuator 31 can rotate around the rotating shaft 311.

[0050] The first guide portion 321 and the second guide portion 322 protrude from the reference surface of the actuator 31, and "height" refers to the height protruding from the reference surface of the actuator 31. The first guide portion 321 has the maximum height on the guide path 333, and the second guide portion 322 has the minimum height on the guide path 333.

[0051] When the actuator 31 rotates, the top end of the valve core rod 21 slides along the guide path 333. When the top end of the valve core rod 21 abuts against the second guide portion 322, under the action of the elastic member 50, the distance between the sealing portion 212 on the valve core rod 21 and the valve port 11 is at its maximum, and the valve port 11 is at its maximum opening degree. At this time, the valve port 11 is in a fully open state, the flow cross-sectional area at the valve port 11 is at its maximum, and the corresponding inlet and outlet are completely connected. When the top end of the valve core rod 21 slides along the guide path 333 to the first guide portion 321, under the push of the first guide portion 321, the sealing portion 212 on the valve core rod 21 seals the valve port 11, and the valve port 11 is shut off. When the top end of the valve core rod 21 abuts against the guide path 333 between the first guide portion 321 and the second guide portion 322, the valve port 11 is partially opened, and the degree of opening of the valve port 11 depends on the height of the guide path 333 abutted by the valve core rod 21 at this time. Since the first guide portion 321 and the second guide portion 322 gradually transition through a smooth surface, when the actuator 31 rotates, the valve port 11 is gradually opened or gradually closed. Correspondingly, the degree of opening of the valve port 11 also changes gradually, thereby causing the flow rate through the valve port 11 to gradually change. Therefore, the flow rate in a certain internal flow channel 40 can be gradually changed, and the flow rate can be distributed more accurately.

[0052] Optionally, in other embodiments, the actuator 31 is movably disposed on the valve body 10, and the movement of the actuator 31 is realized by the cooperation of gear and rack. The bottom surface of the actuator 31 is provided with an inclined guide surface. When the inclined guide surface moves in the horizontal direction, the valve core rod 21 is pushed to move by the cooperation of the inclined guide surface with the top end of the valve core rod 21, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the internal flow channel 40.

[0053] Optionally, the first guide portion 321 and the second guide portion 322 can be transitioned by a slope, thereby enabling a gradual change in flow rate. In other embodiments, the first guide portion 321 and the second guide portion 322 can also be transitioned by an arcuate surface.

[0054] The specific shape of the arc-shaped guide surface 32 is not limited in this disclosure, and can be set according to the required moving distance and direction of the valve core rod 21. Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 6 As shown, the arc-shaped guide surface 32 includes two first guide portions 321 and two second guide portions 322. The two first guide portions 321 are centrally symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis 311 of the actuator 31, and the two second guide portions 322 are centrally symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis 311. The first guide portions 321 and the second guide portions 322 are spaced apart and their projections along the axial direction are located on the same circumference, forming four guide paths 333. Each guide path 333 cooperates with a valve core rod 21.

[0055] By symmetrically arranging the guide portion relative to the center of the rotating shaft 311 of the actuator 31, the force exerted on the actuator 31 by the valve core rod 21 can be more balanced, making it less prone to skewing and deformation of the valve core rod 21. This prevents internal leakage and improves the cooling or heating effect of the thermal management system.

[0056] Optionally, the projections of the four guide paths 333 along the axial direction are located on the same circumference, so that when the actuator 31 rotates along the shaft 311, the top of the valve core rod 21 can always move along the guide path 333.

[0057] Optionally, the four guides are spaced 90° apart. This allows the valve core rod 21, which cooperates with the first guide 321, to switch to cooperate with the second guide 322 when the actuator 31 rotates 90 degrees, and the valve core rod 21, which cooperates with the second guide 322, to switch to cooperate with the first guide 321.

[0058] In this disclosure, the number of inlets and outlets specifically provided on the valve body 10 is not limited and can be set as needed. Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 2As shown, the valve body 10 has two inlets and two outlets, namely inlet A, inlet C, outlet B, and outlet D. Inlet A is connected to outlet B and outlet D respectively, forming a first internal flow channel 40 and a second internal flow channel 40. Among the two valve core rods 21 that cooperate with the first internal flow channel 40 and the second internal flow channel 40, when one valve core rod 21 cooperates with the first guide part 321, the other valve core rod 21 cooperates with the second guide part 322. Therefore, when the actuator 31 rotates, the valve core rods 21 in different flow channels connected to the same inlet move in different directions.

[0059] Inlet C is connected to outlets B and D respectively, forming a third internal flow channel 40 and a fourth internal flow channel 40. Among the two valve core rods 21 that cooperate with the third internal flow channel 40 and the fourth internal flow channel 40, when one valve core rod 21 cooperates with the first guide part 321, the other valve core rod 21 cooperates with the second guide part 322. Therefore, when the actuator 31 rotates, the valve core rods 21 in different flow channels connected to the same inlet move in different directions.

[0060] Taking the flow direction of the liquid flowing into inlet A as an example, assuming that in the initial state, the valve core rod 21 in the first internal flow channel 40 cooperates with the first guide part 321, and under the pressure of the first guide part 321, the sealing part 212 on the valve core rod 21 overcomes the elastic force and seals the valve port 11. At this time, the valve port 11 in the first internal flow channel 40 is closed, and the inlet A and outlet B are cut off. At the same time, the valve core rod 21 in the second internal flow channel 40 cooperates with the second guide part 322. Under the action of the elastic element 50, the sealing part 212 on the valve core rod 21 moves away from the valve port 11 in the second internal flow channel 40. At this time, the second internal flow channel 40 is fully opened, and the inlet A and outlet D are fully connected. Therefore, at this time, all the liquid flowing into the valve body 10 from the inlet A will flow out from the outlet D.

[0061] When the actuator 31 rotates, the valve core rod 21 slides along the guide path 333. The sealing part 212 on the valve core rod 21, which cooperates with the first internal flow channel 40, gradually moves away from the valve port 11, and the valve port 11 gradually opens. The flow cross-sectional area at the valve port 11 gradually increases, and the flow rate through the valve port 11 gradually increases, thereby increasing the flow rate from outlet B. At the same time, the sealing part 212 on the valve core rod 21, which cooperates with the second internal flow channel 40, moves closer to the valve port 11, and the valve port 11 gradually closes. The flow cross-sectional area at the valve port 11 gradually decreases, and the flow rate through the valve port 11 gradually decreases, thereby gradually closing the outlet D and decreasing the flow rate from outlet D. In this way, the required flow rate distribution can be achieved when the liquid flowing in from inlet A flows out from outlet B and outlet D respectively.

[0062] When the actuator 31 continues to rotate, the valve core rod 21 in the first internal flow channel 40 cooperates with the second guide part 322. Under the action of the elastic member 50, the sealing part 212 on the valve core rod 21 opens into the valve port 11 in the first internal flow channel 40. At this time, the first internal flow channel 40 is fully opened, and the inlet A and outlet B are fully connected. At the same time, the valve core rod 21 in the second internal flow channel 40 cooperates with the first guide part 321. Under the push of the first guide part 321, the sealing part 212 on the valve core rod 21 seals the valve port 11. At this time, the valve port 11 in the second internal flow channel 40 is closed, and the inlet A and outlet D are cut off. In this way, the liquid flow direction is switched, that is, the conduction between the inlet A and outlet D is switched to the conduction between the inlet A and outlet B.

[0063] It is understandable that the principle of flow distribution for liquid flowing into inlet C is similar to that for liquid flowing into inlet A, and will not be elaborated here.

[0064] This disclosure does not limit the specific directions of import and export; they can be set according to actual installation needs. Optionally, in one embodiment, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, inlet A and inlet C are arranged in parallel, outlet B and outlet D are arranged in parallel, and inlet A and outlet B are arranged perpendicularly. Inlet A, outlet B, inlet C, and outlet D are formed on different sides of the valve body 10. This arrangement of parallel structures facilitates the connection of the directional valve 100 to the pipeline.

[0065] To prevent liquid in the internal flow channel 40 from leaking from the valve core rod 21, in one embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the valve core assembly 20 includes a valve core rod 21 movably passing through the valve body 10 along its own axial direction. The valve body 10 is provided with a stepped hole 121, and the top end of the valve core rod 21 protrudes through the stepped hole 121. A sealing element 71 is fixedly disposed in the stepped hole 121 to seal between the valve core rod 21 and the valve body 10. Optionally, the sealing element 71 can be a sealing ring 2122.

[0066] Compared to ball valves used in existing technologies, which switch the flow direction of liquid by rotating a spherical valve core within the valve body 10, a large rubber seal 71 is required to seal the valve core and valve body 10. Due to the large contact area between the spherical valve core and the valve body 10, wear is likely to occur during long-term sliding friction, leading to leakage after prolonged use. In this disclosure, since the valve core rod 21 is slidably disposed within the valve body 10 in a linear direction, sealing is only required at the point where the valve core rod 21 protrudes from the valve body 10 to achieve a seal at the mating point. The contact area between the valve core rod 21 and the seal 71 is smaller, reducing friction and wear, and minimizing leakage caused by wear on the seal 71. This prevents internal leakage and improves the cooling or heating efficiency of the thermal management system.

[0067] The specific structure of the valve core rod 21 is not limited in this disclosure. In one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the shaft portion 211 and the sealing portion 212 are configured in a cross shape. The shaft portion 211 includes guide sections respectively disposed on both sides of the sealing portion 212 and extending in opposite directions along the axial direction, and a first mounting protrusion 51. The guide sections are movably inserted into the valve body 10 along their own axial direction. The elastic element 50 is disposed inside the partition cylinder 415. A second mounting protrusion 52 is provided at the bottom of the partition cylinder 415. The two ends of the elastic element 50 are respectively sleeved on the first mounting protrusion 51 and the second mounting protrusion 52.

[0068] In order to drive the actuator component 30 to move, as described in this disclosure, Figure 3 As shown, the directional valve 100 also includes an actuator assembly 60, which includes a locking structure and a power unit 61. The power unit 61 is connected to the actuation assembly 30 via the locking structure to drive the actuation assembly 30 to move. The locking structure is used to lock the state of the actuation assembly 30.

[0069] The power unit 61 may include a stepper motor, and the locking structure may be a worm gear structure, which self-locks by means of the self-locking characteristics of the worm gear itself.

[0070] By configuring the actuator assembly 60, when flow distribution is required, the actuator 31 can be locked at a certain angle using a locking structure, so that the corresponding valve core rod 21 is in the corresponding open state. Alternatively, the valve core rod 21 can be locked in cooperation with the first guide portion 321 or the second guide portion 322 using the locking structure, so that the valve port 11 is kept in a fully open or closed state.

[0071] Optionally, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the valve body 10 includes a valve cover 12 and a valve housing 14. An internal flow channel 40 is formed in the valve housing 14, and the fluid distribution body 41 has openings at both ends. The valve cover 12 covers the opening at the upper end of the fluid distribution body 41. The valve core assembly 20 is slidably disposed on the valve cover 12. The valve cover 12 is provided with the aforementioned stepped hole 121, and a sealing element 71 is fixedly disposed in the stepped hole 121 to seal between the valve core assembly 20 and the valve cover 12. The sealing element 71 may be a sealing ring 2122. Optionally, such as Figure 10 As shown, the valve body 10 also includes two glands 15, which are located on the side of the upper valve cover 12 opposite to the lower valve cover. Each gland 15 has two through holes through which the valve core rod 21 passes. The gland 15 is used to limit the seal 71 in the stepped hole 121.

[0072] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the valve cover 12 has multiple cover sealing protrusions 122, which correspond one-to-one with the fluid distribution body 41. Each cover sealing protrusion 122 is equipped with a valve housing 14 sealing ring 2122 to seal the cover sealing protrusion 122 and the fluid distribution body 41, preventing leakage. A shaft support sleeve 621 is provided in the middle of the valve cover 12 for positioning the actuator 31 when it rotates. The shaft 311 of the actuator 31 is inserted into the shaft support sleeve 621. The valve housing 14 is also provided with multiple threaded posts for fixed connection with the valve cover 12.

[0073] The actuator assembly 60 also includes an actuator mounting base 62 for accommodating the locking mechanism and power unit 61. The bottom of the actuator mounting base 62 has four circular holes for securing the valve housing 14 and the valve cover 12 with screws. Figure 11 As shown, the actuator mounting base 62 is equipped with screw posts for fixing the valve cover 12. The actuator mounting base 62 has four mounting points on its exterior for fixing the entire directional control valve 100. These four mounting points can be directly fixed to the vehicle crossbeam, or the directional control valve 100 can be first mounted on a metal plate, and then the metal plate can be fixed to the vehicle, making installation convenient and secure.

[0074] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0075] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0076] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A reversing valve, characterized in that, The device includes a valve body (10), a valve core assembly (20), and an actuation assembly (30). The valve body (10) has two inlets, two outlets, and an internal flow channel (40) connecting the inlets to each outlet. Each internal flow channel (40) has a valve port (11) that mates with the valve core assembly (20). The valve port (11) corresponds one-to-one with the valve core assembly (20). The valve core assembly (20) is movably disposed on the valve body (10). The actuation assembly (30) actuates the valve core assembly (20) so that the two inlets can be selectively fully connected to one of the outlets, or partially connected to both outlets simultaneously. Flow distribution is achieved by adjusting the flow cross-sectional area at the valve port (11). Each of the internal flow channels (40) is provided with a fluid distribution body (41), and a partition cylinder (415) is provided in the fluid distribution body (41) to divide the fluid distribution body (41) into a first cavity (411) and a second cavity (412). The valve port (11) is formed at the opening of the partition cylinder (415). The first cavity (411) and the second cavity (412) are connected through the valve port (11). One of the first cavity (411) and the second cavity (412) is always connected to the inlet on the internal flow channel (40) where it is located, and the other is always connected to the outlet on the internal flow channel (40) where it is located. The two inlets and the two outlets are inlet A, inlet C, outlet B and outlet D, respectively. Inlet A is connected to outlet B and outlet D to form a first internal flow channel (40) and a second internal flow channel (40), and inlet C is connected to outlet B and outlet D to form a third internal flow channel (40) and a fourth internal flow channel (40). The actuation assembly (30) includes an actuator (31) and an elastic element (50). The valve core assembly (20) includes a valve core rod (21) movably inserted through the valve port (11) along its own axis. The elastic element (50) is connected between the valve body (10) and the valve core rod (21) to provide an elastic force that causes the valve core rod (21) to open the valve port (11). The actuator (31) acts on the valve core rod (21) so that the valve core rod (21) can overcome the elastic force and gradually block the valve port (11). The actuator (31) is rotatably disposed on the valve body (10). An arc-shaped guide surface (32) is provided on the side of the actuator (31) facing the valve core rod (21). The arc-shaped guide surface (32) has two first guide portions (321) and two second guide portions (322). The first guide portions (321) and the second guide portions (322) have different heights, and a smooth surface gradually transitions between them. A guide path (333) is formed between the first guide portions (321) and the second guide portions (322). The top end of the valve core rod (21) slidably abuts against the corresponding... The guide path (333) together constitutes a cam transmission mechanism. When the first guide part (321) abuts against the top of the valve core rod (21), the valve core rod (21) overcomes the elastic force and seals the valve port (11). When the second guide part (322) abuts against the top of the valve core rod (21), the valve core rod (21) opens the valve port (11) under the action of the elastic member (50). When the actuator (31) rotates, the top of the valve core rod (21) slides along the guide path (333). When the top of the valve core rod (21) abuts against the guide path (333), the valve port (11) is partially opened.

2. The reversing valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity inside the partition cylinder (415) is the first cavity (411), and the cavity between the partition cylinder (415) and the inner wall of the fluid distribution body (41) is the second cavity (412). The first cavity (411) is always connected to the inlet on the internal flow channel (40) where it is located, and the second cavity (412) is always connected to the outlet on the internal flow channel (40) where it is located. The valve core rod (21) includes a blocking part (212) for blocking the valve port (11). The elastic element (50) is disposed inside the partition cylinder (415), and the two ends of the elastic element (50) abut against the blocking part (212) and the bottom of the partition cylinder (415) respectively.

3. The reversing valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sealing part (212) has an annular groove (2121) on its outer periphery, and a sealing ring (2122) is fixedly installed in the annular groove (2121) to seal the valve port (11) when sealing the valve port (11).

4. The reversing valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two first guide portions (321) are symmetrical about the pivot (311) of the actuator (31), and the two second guide portions (322) are symmetrical about the pivot (311). The first guide portions (321) and the second guide portions (322) are spaced apart and their projections along the axial direction are on the same circumference and together form four guide paths (333). Each guide path (333) is engaged with one valve core rod (21).

5. The reversing valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, Of the two valve core rods (21) that cooperate with the first internal flow channel (40) and the second internal flow channel (40), when one of the valve core rods (21) cooperates with the first guide portion (321), the other valve core rod (21) cooperates with the second guide portion (322). Of the two valve core rods (21) that cooperate with the third internal flow channel (40) and the fourth internal flow channel (40), when one of the valve core rods (21) cooperates with the first guide portion (321), the other valve core rod (21) cooperates with the second guide portion (322).

6. The reversing valve according to claim 5, characterized in that, The inlet A and the inlet C are arranged in parallel, the outlet B and the outlet D are arranged in parallel, the inlet A and the outlet B are arranged perpendicularly, and the inlet A, the outlet B, the inlet C and the outlet D are respectively formed on different sides of the valve body (10).

7. The reversing valve according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The valve body (10) is provided with a stepped hole (121), and the top end of the valve core rod (21) passes through the stepped hole (121). A sealing element (71) is fixedly provided in the stepped hole (121) to seal the valve core rod (21) and the valve body (10).

8. The reversing valve according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The reversing valve (100) also includes an actuator assembly (60), which includes a locking structure and a power unit (61). The power unit (61) is connected to the actuation assembly (30) via the locking structure to drive the actuation assembly (30) to move. The locking structure is used to lock the state of the actuation assembly (30).

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