Sliding switch valve and refrigeration cycle system

Abstract

The present application provides a sliding type switching valve capable of inhibiting reduction in durability when repeatedly performing sliding operation of a sliding spool. A sliding type switching valve (10) is characterized by a valve housing (1) in which openings (11a) of both ends of a cylindrical valve body (11) are each plugged by a cover member (12L), and a sliding spool (2) having a spool, a piston (22L), a link plate (23), a stop plate (24L), and a fixing member (25), the cover member (12L) having a bottom portion (121), a cylindrical portion (122), and a flange portion (123) in which an outer peripheral end portion is fixed to an opening end (11a-1) in the opening (11a) of the valve body (11), a flat portion (123a) being provided in the flange portion (123), the flat portion (123a) extending in a planar shape orthogonal to an axial direction (D11) on an inner side of the opening (11a), and a working range of the sliding spool in the axial direction (D11) being defined by abutment of the stop plate (24L).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a sliding switching valve used in refrigeration cycle systems such as air conditioners to switch the flow path of refrigerant, and to the refrigeration cycle system itself. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, a sliding switching valve is known, which is configured such that a sliding valve core, which slides under the sliding driving force of a piston, is housed inside a valve housing where the openings at both ends of a cylindrical valve body are sealed by a cover member (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the sliding switching valve described in Patent Document 1, the cover member is formed having a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion. The large-diameter portion is pressed into the opening of the valve body and welded to the edge of the opening. Furthermore, the small-diameter portion of the cover member protrudes toward the interior of the valve body, and the piston stops sliding by abutting against this small-diameter portion, thereby defining the operating range of the sliding valve core.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-027262 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In the aforementioned sliding switching valve, when the piston is brought into contact with the small-diameter portion of the cover component to stop the sliding of the valve core, the piston may tilt, raising concerns about reduced durability during repeated sliding operations.

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a sliding switching valve that can suppress the decrease in durability when the sliding action of the sliding valve core is repeatedly performed.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] The sliding switching valve of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a valve housing, the openings at both ends of which are sealed by cover members; a pipe connected to at least one pair of peripheral walls of the valve body in a manner communicating with the interior of the valve body; and a sliding valve core disposed inside the valve body in a manner slidable along the axial direction of the valve body, and switching the communication state of the pipe, the sliding valve core comprising: a valve core that switches the communication state of the pipe by sliding along the axial direction; a pair of pistons that clamp the valve core in the axial direction and bear a sliding driving force in the axial direction; a connecting plate that connects the pair of pistons to the valve core; and a limiting plate that limits the position of each piston.

[0011] The cover component is located closer to the connecting plate and abuts against the cover component 5 to stop the sliding when the valve core slides; and a fixing component that fixes the limiting plate and the piston together to the connecting plate. The cover component has: a plate-shaped bottom located outside the opening of the valve body in the axial direction and extending in a cross direction relative to the axial direction with an extension area smaller than the opening area of ​​the opening; and a cylindrical portion extending from the periphery of the bottom toward the opening in the axial direction.

[0012] And a convex edge portion, which extends outward from the end edge of the opening of the valve body in the above-mentioned cylindrical portion in a convex shape toward the outside of the above-mentioned cylindrical portion, and its outer peripheral end is fixed to the opening end of the valve body surrounding the opening. A flat portion is provided on the convex edge portion, which extends in a planar shape toward the center side of the opening in a direction intersecting with the above-mentioned axial direction. The working range of the above-mentioned sliding valve core in the above-mentioned axial direction is defined by the limit plate abutting against it.

[0013] In this sliding switching valve, the working range of the sliding valve core is defined by abutting the limiting plate of the sliding valve core against the flat portion formed on the protruding edge 5 of the cover member. According to this structure, the piston, which bears the sliding driving force, does not abut against the cover member to bear the force during sliding. Furthermore, since the abutting object of the limiting plate is a flat portion orthogonal to the axial direction of the valve body, the abutment between the limiting plate and the flat portion is stable. As a result, piston tilting during abutment can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the decrease in durability when the sliding valve core repeatedly slides.

[0014] Here, preferably, the convex edge is provided with a curved surface that connects the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion to the flat portion, and in a top view from a direction facing the bottom, the curved surface is located closer to the center of the cylindrical portion than the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion.

[0015] According to this structure, it is similar to the case where the curved portion extends to the outer side of the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion in the convex side.

[0016] Compared to the previous method, this allows for a larger flat portion within the convex edge. Consequently, the contact between the limiting plate and the flat portion is more stable, thus further suppressing the decrease in durability during repeated sliding movements of the sliding valve core. Furthermore, because...

[0017] The flat portion can be increased without changing the outer diameter of the convex side, so the overall size of the convex side can be kept small.

[0018] Furthermore, preferably, the fixing member in the sliding valve core has a protrusion that protrudes from the limiting plate toward the cover member, and the protrusion is located in the internal space of the cover member divided by the bottom and the cylindrical portion when the limiting plate abuts against the planar portion of the convex edge.

[0019] According to this structure, when the limiting plate abuts against the flat portion of the protruding edge, the protruding edge of the cover member and the protrusion in the fixing member will not interfere. Therefore, there is no need for spacers or the like to avoid contact between the flat portion and the protrusion of the fixing member, which can reduce the number of components and stabilize the abutment between the limiting plate and the flat portion. In other words, according to the above structure, the number of components can be reduced and the decrease in durability during repeated sliding operations of the sliding valve core can be suppressed.

[0020] Furthermore, preferably, at the outer peripheral end of the convex edge portion and at a position closer to the outer peripheral side than the planar portion, a step portion is provided that is recessed towards the bottom side in the axial direction of the valve body. The step portion has a first surface extending in the intersecting direction relative to the axial direction and a second surface extending in the axial direction. The open end of the valve body abuts against the first surface in the step portion.

[0021] According to this structure, during assembly, the cover component is positioned relative to the opening of the valve body by incorporating the opening end of the valve body into the stepped portion. This improves the workability of engaging the cover component with the opening of the valve body, making the engagement easier.

[0022] Furthermore, more preferably, the valve body is a cylindrical component, and the second surface of the stepped portion is a cylindrical surface formed with a diameter dimension less than or equal to the inner diameter dimension of the valve body.

[0023] According to this structure, during assembly, the second surface of the stepped portion is not pressed into the opening of the valve body, and the stepped portion can be inserted into the opening end of the valve body. This effectively avoids situations where the valve body deforms during assembly, resulting in the cover component being assembled in an tilted state. Consequently, piston tilting during contact is further suppressed, thereby further suppressing durability degradation during repeated sliding movements of the sliding valve core. Furthermore, according to the above structure, since no press-in allowance is required, the axial depth dimension of the stepped portion can be minimized, making the machining of the stepped portion easier.

[0024] Furthermore, more preferably, the stepped portion is the part of the convex edge portion where the wall thickness is thinner compared to the plate portion having the flat portion.

[0025] According to this structure, for example, compared to the case where the outer peripheral end is deformed axially to form a stepped portion while keeping the thickness of the convex edge constant, a stepped portion can be easily formed by cutting or the like.

[0026] Furthermore, more preferably, a chamfer is formed on the inner circumferential side of the opening end of the valve body.

[0027] According to this structure, even if the boundary between the first and second surfaces in the stepped portion has a rounded corner, the chamfer can be used to avoid the rounded corner, allowing the open end of the valve body to stably abut against the first surface in the stepped portion. This effectively avoids situations where the cover component is assembled to the valve body in an inclined state during assembly. As a result, piston tilting during contact can be further suppressed, thereby further suppressing the decrease in durability during repeated sliding movements of the sliding valve core.

[0028] Furthermore, the refrigeration cycle system of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a compressor that compresses a refrigerant as a fluid; a first heat exchanger that functions as a condenser in a cooling mode; a second heat exchanger that functions as an evaporator in a cooling mode; an expansion mechanism that expands the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger to reduce pressure; and the aforementioned sliding switching valve.

[0029] According to this refrigeration cycle system, since it has the aforementioned sliding switching valve, it is possible to suppress the decrease in durability when the sliding valve core is repeatedly slidable.

[0030] The effects of the invention are as follows.

[0031] The sliding switching valve and refrigeration cycle system according to the present invention can suppress the decrease in durability when the sliding valve core is repeatedly slidable. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view showing a sliding switching valve of the first embodiment along the axial direction of the valve housing.

[0033] Figure 2 It is shown in the state before welding. Figure 1 An enlarged view of region A11 in the image.

[0034] Figure 3 It is shown in the state after welding. Figure 2 The diagram of region A12 in the figure.

[0035] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The exploded view shows the cover assembly, the limiting plate of the sliding valve core, and the piston.

[0036] Figure 5 It shows that it has Figures 1-3 The diagram shows a refrigeration circulation system with a sliding switching valve.

[0037] Figure 6This is a cross-sectional view showing a section along the axial direction of the valve housing of the sliding switching valve according to the second embodiment.

[0038] In the picture:

[0039] 1, 5—Valve housing; 2—Sliding valve core; 10, 50—Sliding switching valve; 11—Valve body; 11A—High-pressure chamber; 11a—Opening; 11a-1—Opening end; 11a-2, 11a-3—Chamfer; 12L, 12R, 52L, 52R—Cover components; 12A—First working chamber; 12B—Second working chamber; 13c—C connector tube; 13d—D connector tube; 13e—E connector tube; 13s—S connector tube; 14L—Thin tube for first housing; 14R—Thin tube for second housing; 14d—Thin tube for high-pressure connector; 14s—Thin tube for low-pressure connector; 15—Valve seat; 21—Valve core; 21A—Bowl-shaped recess; 22L, 22R—Piston; 23—Connecting plate; 23a—Through hole; 24L, 24R—Limiting plate; 25—Fixing component; 30—Refrigeration circulation... Ring system, 31—compressor, 32—outdoor heat exchanger (first heat exchanger), 33—indoor heat exchanger (second heat exchanger), 121—bottom, 122—cylinder section, 122a—inner circumferential surface, 122b—outer circumferential surface, 123, 523—convex edge section, 123a, 523a—flat section, 123b—curved section, 123c, 523c—stepped section, 123c-1—first surface, 123c-2—Second side, 123c-3—Rounded corner, 124—Internal space, 125, 525—Welding part, 221—Pad, 222—Fixing round plate, 223—Leaf spring, 224—Rivet, 231—Fixing part, 251—Protrusion, 523d—Bulging part, D11—Axial direction, D12—Intersecting direction, X—Axis, φ11—Inner diameter, φ12—Diameter. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The following is based on Figures 1-5 The sliding switching valve of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view showing a sliding switching valve of the first embodiment along the axial direction of the valve housing. Figure 2 It is shown in the state before welding. Figure 1 A magnified view of region A11 in the image. Figure 3 It is shown in the state after welding. Figure 2 The diagram for region A12 in the image. Furthermore, Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The exploded view shown includes the cover assembly, the limiting plate of the sliding valve core, and the piston. Figure 5 It shows that it has Figures 1-4 The diagram shows a refrigeration cycle system with a sliding switching valve. Furthermore, in the following description, Figure 1 and Figure 5 In the diagram, the side showing the E connector tube 13e is referred to as the left side, and the side showing the C connector tube 13c is referred to as the right side. Figure 2 and Figure 4 In the diagram, the side showing the cover component 12L is referred to as the left side, and the side showing the piston 22L is referred to as the right side. Figure 3 In the diagram, the side showing the protruding edge 123 is referred to as the left side, and the side showing the valve body 11 is referred to as the right side.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the sliding switching valve 10 of this embodiment is a four-way switching valve that switches the connection state of four pipes, and has a structure in which a sliding valve core 2 is provided in the valve body 1.

[0043] The valve housing 1 is a cylindrical component sealed at both ends, consisting of a cylindrical valve body 11 and two cover components 12L and 12R. The cover components 12L and 12R are installed on the valve body 11 by sealing the openings 11a at both ends of the valve body 11. In this embodiment, the cover components 12L and 12R are fixed to the valve body 11 by welding. Regarding these cover components 12L and 12R, Figure 2 The image shows the state before welding. Figure 3 The diagram shows the state after welding. The valve body 11 and the cover parts 12L and 12R are made of metals such as stainless steel and brass. Methods for fixing such metal parts to each other include welding and brazing, but in the case of welding as in this embodiment, it is preferable that the valve body 11 and the cover parts 12L and 12R, which are the objects to be fixed, are made of stainless steel. Furthermore, the central axis of the valve body 11 and the cover parts 12L and 12R becomes the axis X of the valve housing 1. Four pipes, namely D-connector pipe 13d, E-connector pipe 13e, S-connector pipe 13s, and C-connector pipe 13c, whose detailed structures will be described below, are connected to the peripheral wall of the valve housing 1 in a manner that communicates with the interior of the valve housing 1.

[0044] A valve seat 15 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the valve body 11 for sliding friction of the sliding valve core 2. The valve seat 15 is disposed in the middle part of the valve body 11. At the position opposite to the valve seat 15 in the middle part of the valve body 11, a D-connector pipe 13d, which opens into the valve body 11 as a high-pressure pipe, is installed. Furthermore, on the valve seat 15, an E-connector pipe 13e and a C-connector pipe 13c, which serve as a pair of conduits, and an S-connector pipe 13s, which serve as a low-pressure pipe, are installed in a straight line along the X-axis of the valve body 1.

[0045] The sliding valve core 2 is a component located inside the valve body 11 that can slide along the axial direction D11 of the valve body 11 to switch the connection state of the four pipes mentioned above. The sliding valve core 2 includes a valve core 21, a pair of pistons 22L and 22R, a connecting plate 23, a pair of limiting plates 24L and 24R, and a fixing component 25.

[0046] The valve core 21 switches the connection state of the four pipes by sliding along the axial direction D11. A bowl-shaped recess 21A is formed on the inner side of the valve core 21. Furthermore, in... Figure 1 At the left end position, the valve core 21 connects the S connector pipe 13s and the E connector pipe 13e through the bowl-shaped recess 21A. At this time, the C connector pipe 13c is inside the valve housing 1 and in the high-pressure chamber 11A divided by a pair of pistons 22L and 22R, mainly connected to the D connector pipe 13d through the through hole 23a of the connecting plate 23. Furthermore, in Figure 1 The sliding valve core 2 moves to the right end position on the right side, and the valve core 21 connects the S connector pipe 13s and the C connector pipe 13c through the bowl-shaped recess 21A. At this time, the E connector pipe 13e is mainly connected to the D connector pipe 13d through the through hole 23a in the high-pressure chamber 11A.

[0047] A pair of pistons 22L and 22R are arranged to clamp the valve core 21 along the axial direction D11, bearing the sliding driving force of the axial direction D11. Each piston 22L and 22R can press the gasket 221 against the inner circumferential surface of the valve body 11 and reciprocate. The interior of the valve housing 1 is divided by the two pistons 22L and 22R into a central high-pressure chamber 11A and a first working chamber 12A and a second working chamber 12B located on both sides of the high-pressure chamber 11A. The driving fluid flows from... Figure 5 The pilot valve 3 shown flows into the first chamber 12A and the second chamber 12B, through which a pair of pistons 22L and 22R receive sliding driving force. The pair of pistons 22L and 22R... Figure 1 The pistons 22L and 22R are configured as mirror images. Each piston includes a gasket 221, a fixing plate 222, and a leaf spring 223. The gasket 221, fixing plate 222, and leaf spring 223, together with the limiting plates 24L and 24R, are coaxially arranged around axis X and fixed together by rivets 224. In this embodiment, the leaf spring 223 and the limiting plates 24L and 24R are made of metal such as stainless steel, and the gasket 221 is made of a resin with a low coefficient of friction, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

[0048] The connecting plate 23 is a metal plate that connects a pair of pistons 22L and 22R to the valve core 21. The connecting plate 23 is mounted between the pistons 22L and 22R on the axis X of the valve housing 1, and holds the valve core 21 at its center. A through hole 23a is formed in the connecting plate 23. Furthermore, if the pistons 22L and 22R move, the valve core 21 slides on the valve seat 15 in conjunction with the connecting plate 23, stopping at a position where the limiting plates 24L and 24R, which are arranged alongside the pistons 22L and 22R, abut against the cover members 12L and 12R. In this embodiment, the connecting plate 23 is made of a metal such as stainless steel.

[0049] Each limiting plate 24L, 24R is a circular plate component, which is positioned on the connecting plate 23 closer to the cover components 12L, 12R than the pistons 22L, 22R. When the valve core 21 slides, it abuts against the cover components 12L, 12R to stop the sliding.

[0050] The fixing component 25 consists of bolts that secure the limiting plates 24L and 24R together with the pistons 22L and 22R to both ends of the connecting plate 23 along the axial direction D11. The two ends of the connecting plate 23 are bent into L-shapes orthogonal to the axial direction D11, forming fixing portions 231 for securing the pistons 22L and 22R and the limiting plates 24L and 24R. The limiting plates 24L and 24R, together with the pistons 22L and 22R, are fastened together with the fixing component 25 in an orthogonal posture relative to the axial direction D11, abutting against the fixing portions 231 of the connecting plate 23.

[0051] exist Figure 5 In the refrigeration cycle system 30 shown, D-connector pipe 13d becomes a high-pressure pipe connected to the nozzle of compressor 31, and S-connector pipe 13s becomes a low-pressure pipe connected to the suction inlet of compressor 31. C-connector pipe 13c is a conduit connected to outdoor heat exchanger 32 (first heat exchanger), and E-connector pipe 13e is a conduit connected to indoor heat exchanger 33 (second heat exchanger). Outdoor heat exchanger 32 and indoor heat exchanger 33 are connected via throttling device 34 (expansion mechanism). The refrigeration cycle system 30 is constructed using the paths formed by C-connector pipe 13c to outdoor heat exchanger 32, throttling device 34, indoor heat exchanger 33, and E-connector pipe 13e, and the path formed by S-connector pipe 13s to compressor 31 and D-connector pipe 13d. Furthermore, to protect compressor 31 and other equipment, a trace amount of refrigeration oil is contained in the refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle system 30.

[0052] Figure 5The pilot valve 3 shown allows the driving fluid to flow inside the valve housing 1 to both sides of a pair of spaces, namely the first working chamber 12A and the second working chamber 12B, which sandwich the sliding valve core 2 along the axial direction D11, thereby causing the sliding valve core 2 to slide along the axial direction D11. In this embodiment, the pilot valve 3 causes the sliding valve core 2 to slide by allowing fluid from the D-connector pipe 13d (which is a high-pressure pipe) to flow to one of the first working chamber 12A and the second working chamber 12B, and by allowing fluid from the S-connector pipe 13s (which is a low-pressure pipe) to flow to the other side.

[0053] The pilot valve 3 has the same construction as the sliding switching valve 10, and the flow path is switched by sliding the pilot valve core inside the pilot valve housing. The pilot valve core switches the connection of the low-pressure connector thin pipe 14s, which is connected to the suction port of the compressor 31 as a low-pressure pipe, through the first housing thin pipe 14L connected to the first working chamber 12A of the sliding switching valve 10 and the second housing thin pipe 14R connected to the second working chamber 12B. At the same time, the connection of the high-pressure connector thin pipe 14d, which is connected to the discharge port of the compressor 31 as a high-pressure pipe, is switched through the second housing thin pipe 14R and the first housing thin pipe 14L. This creates a pressure difference between the pressure in the first chamber 12A (where the compressor 31's suction and discharge pressures are applied) and the pressure in the second chamber 12B. This pressure difference causes the sliding valve core 2 to slide along the axial direction D11 from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side. This sliding movement then switches the position of the valve core 21 within the sliding valve core 2, thereby switching the flow path of the refrigeration cycle system 30.

[0054] With the above structure, the high-pressure refrigerant compressed by compressor 31 flows into high-pressure chamber 11A from D-connector pipe 13d. In cooling mode, the high-pressure refrigerant flows into outdoor heat exchanger 32 from C-connector pipe 13c. Furthermore, in heating mode after switching valve core 21, the high-pressure refrigerant flows into indoor heat exchanger 33 from E-connector pipe 13e. That is, in cooling mode, the refrigerant injected from compressor 31 circulates via C-connector pipe 13c → outdoor heat exchanger 32 → throttling device 34 → indoor heat exchanger 33 → E-connector pipe 13e. In this cycle, outdoor heat exchanger 32 functions as a condenser, and indoor heat exchanger 33 functions as an evaporator, thus performing cooling. Throttling device 34 reduces pressure by expanding the refrigerant between outdoor heat exchanger 32 and indoor heat exchanger 33. Furthermore, during heating operation, the refrigerant circulates in reverse, with the indoor heat exchanger 33 functioning as a condenser and the outdoor heat exchanger 32 functioning as an evaporator, thereby providing heating.

[0055] In this embodiment, the pair of cover members 12L and 12R have the following structure. Furthermore, the pair of cover members 12L and 12R are as follows: Figure 1 As shown, this becomes a mirror-symmetric construction, as illustrated below. Figure 2 and Figure 4 The left cover component 12L, shown in enlarged view, is used as a representative example to illustrate its structure.

[0056] The cover component 12L is a bottomed cylindrical component having a bottom 121, a cylindrical portion 122, and a raised edge portion 123. The bottom 121 is a plate-like portion located outside the opening 11a of the valve body 11 along the axial direction D11, and extends in the intersecting direction D12, which intersects the axial direction D11, with an extension area smaller than the opening area of ​​the opening 11a. That is, the bottom 121 is formed as a circular plate with a diameter smaller than the inner diameter φ11 of the opening 11a, becoming a portion coaxial with the opening 11a and located on the outer side. The cylindrical portion 122 is a cylindrical portion extending from the periphery of the bottom 121 toward the opening 11a along the axial direction D11. The outer diameter of this cylindrical portion 122 is also smaller than the inner diameter φ11 of the opening 11a. The raised edge portion 123 is a portion extending radially from one end edge of the valve body 11 at the opening 11a in the cylindrical portion 122 toward the outer side of the cylindrical portion 122 in a raised edge shape. The protruding edge 123 extends radially outward from the inside of the opening 11a in an annular shape until it becomes the same diameter as the outer diameter of the opening 11a. Furthermore, the outer peripheral end of the protruding edge 123 is fixed to the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11 surrounding the opening 11a, thereby sealing the opening 11a of the valve body 11 with the cover member 12L. In this embodiment, a first housing tube 14L is connected in such a way that it penetrates the peripheral wall of the cylindrical portion 122 and reaches the first working chamber 12A. Moreover, the protruding edge 123 has a planar portion 123a extending in a planar shape in the intersecting direction D12, which intersects the axial direction D11, toward the center side of the opening 11a (specifically, the radially inner side of the circular opening 11a). The planar portion 123a is orthogonal to the axial direction D11. This planar portion 123a is an annular portion that defines the working range of the sliding valve core 2 along the axial direction D11 by abutting against the limiting plate 24L. The working range of the sliding valve core 2 is from the position where the left limiting plate 24L abuts against the flat portion 123a in the left cover member 12L to the position where the right limiting plate 24R abuts against the flat portion 123a in the right cover member 12R.

[0057] In this embodiment, the aforementioned fixing member 25 in the sliding valve core 2 is installed by a bolt that extends through the limiting plate 24L from one side of the cover member 12L, with the bolt head forming a protrusion 251 that protrudes from the limiting plate 24L toward the cover member 12L. This protrusion 251 is configured such that, when the limiting plate 24L abuts against the flat portion 123a of the convex edge portion 123, it is located in the internal space 124 divided by the bottom 121 and the cylindrical portion 122 in the cover member 12L.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a curved surface 123b connecting the inner circumferential surface 122a of the cylindrical portion 122 to the flat surface 123a is provided on the convex edge portion 123. The flat surface 123a is subjected to stamping (flattening) or cutting processing to reduce the size of the curved surface 123b. In a top view from the direction facing the bottom 121, the curved surface 123b is located closer to the center of the cylindrical portion 122 than the outer circumferential surface 122b of the cylindrical portion 122. Moreover, by stamping (flattening) or cutting processing on the flat surface 123a, the flatness of the flat surface 123a can be ensured, and the tilting of the pistons 22L and 22R can be further suppressed. In addition, at the outer circumferential end of the convex edge portion 123 and at a position closer to the outer circumferential side than the flat surface 123a, an annular step portion 123c is provided that is recessed towards the bottom 121 side along the axial direction D11 of the valve body 11. The stepped portion 123c has an annular first surface 123c-1 extending along an intersecting direction D12 that intersects the axial direction D11, and a cylindrical second surface 123c-2 extending along the axial direction D11. The open end 11a-1 of the valve body 11 abuts against the first surface 123c-1 in the stepped portion 123c and is fixed by welding. As a result, as Figure 3 As shown, a welded portion 125 is formed around the entire circumference of the boundary between the convex edge 123 and the valve body 11. Furthermore, the second surface 123c-2 of the stepped portion 123c is a cylindrical surface formed with a diameter dimension φ12 that is less than or equal to the inner diameter dimension φ11 of the valve body 11.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the stepped portion 123c is a portion of the convex edge portion 123 whose wall thickness is thinned compared to the plate portion having the flat portion 123a, for example, through machining. In addition, in this embodiment, a chamfer 11a-2 is formed on the inner circumferential side of the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11, and a chamfer 11a-3 is also formed on the outer circumferential side.

[0060] In the sliding switching valve 10 and the refrigeration cycle system 30 of the first embodiment described above, the working range of the sliding valve core 2 is defined by abutting the limiting plates 24L and 24R of the sliding valve core 2 against the flat portion 123a of the cover members 12L and 12R formed on the protruding edge 123. According to this structure, the pistons 22L and 22R, which bear the sliding driving force, will not abut against the cover members 12L and 12R and bear the force during sliding. Furthermore, since the abutting object of the limiting plates 24L and 24R is the flat portion 123a of the valve body 11 orthogonal to the axial direction D11, the abutting between the limiting plates 24L and 24R and the flat portion 123a is also stable. As a result, the tilting of the pistons 22L and 22R during abutment can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the decrease in durability when the sliding valve core 2 repeatedly slides.

[0061] In this embodiment, the curved portion 123b of the convex edge 123 is located closer to the center of the cylindrical portion 122 than the outer peripheral surface 122b of the cylindrical portion 122. With this structure, the flat portion 123a in the convex edge 123 can be enlarged compared to the case where the curved portion 123b extends further outward from the outer peripheral surface 122b of the cylindrical portion 122. This results in a more stable contact between the limiting plates 24L, 24R and the flat portion 123a, thus further suppressing the decrease in durability during repeated sliding movements of the sliding valve core 2. Furthermore, since the flat portion 123a can be enlarged without changing the outer diameter of the convex edge 123, the overall size of the convex edge 123 can be kept relatively small.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the limiting plates 24L and 24R abut against the flat portion 123a, the protrusion 251 of the fixing member 25 is located within the internal space 124 of the cover members 12L and 12R. According to this structure, during the abutment, the convex edge 123 of the cover members 12L and 12R does not interfere with the protrusion 251 in the fixing member 25. Therefore, there is no need for spacers or the like to avoid contact between the flat portion 123a and the protrusion 251 of the fixing member 25, which reduces the number of components and stabilizes the abutment between the limiting plates 24L and 24R and the flat portion 123a. In other words, according to the above structure, the number of components can be reduced and the decrease in durability during repeated sliding operations of the sliding valve core 2 can be suppressed.

[0063] Furthermore, since the flat portion 123a of the protruding edge 123 abuts against the outer peripheral ends of the limiting plates 24L and 24R in an annular shape, the tilting of the pistons 22L and 22R during contact is further suppressed. As a result, the decrease in durability during repeated sliding operations of the sliding valve core 2 can be further suppressed.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a stepped portion 123c is provided at the outer peripheral end of the protruding edge 123, and the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11 abuts against the first surface 123c-1 of the stepped portion 123c. According to this structure, during assembly, the cover members 12L and 12R are positioned relative to the opening 11a of the valve body 11 by inserting the stepped portion 123c into the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11. As a result, the workability of engaging the cover members 12L and 12R with the opening 11a of the valve body 11 is improved, and thus, this engagement can be performed easily.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second surface 123c-2 of the stepped portion 123c is a cylindrical surface formed with a diameter φ12 that is less than or equal to the inner diameter φ11 of the valve body 11. According to this structure, during assembly, the second surface 123c-2 of the stepped portion 123c is not pressed into the opening 11a of the valve body 11, and the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11 can be inserted into the stepped portion 123c. This effectively avoids situations where the valve body 11 deforms during assembly, resulting in the cover components 12L and 12R being assembled in an inclined state. In this embodiment, welding is used to fix the cover component 12, but generally, when the pressed portion is welded, the fixed object is prone to tilting due to residual stress from the press and the heat from welding. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, during assembly, the second surface 123c-2 of the stepped portion 123c is not pressed into the opening 11a of the valve body 11, and the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11 is inserted into the stepped portion 123c. As a result, the tilting of pistons 22L and 22R during contact can be further suppressed, thereby further suppressing the decrease in durability when the sliding valve core 2 is repeatedly slidable. Furthermore, according to the above structure, since no pressing allowance is required for pressing, the depth dimension of the axial D11 of the step portion 123c can be the minimum depth dimension, which also makes the machining of the step portion 123c easier.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the stepped portion 123c is a portion of the convex edge portion 123 whose wall thickness is thinner compared to other plate portions. According to this structure, for example, compared to the case where the outer peripheral end of the convex edge portion 123 is deformed in the axial direction D11 to form the stepped portion 123c while keeping the thickness of the convex edge portion 123 constant, the stepped portion 123c can be easily formed by cutting or the like.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as Figure 2As shown, a rounded corner 123c-3 is formed at the boundary between the first surface 123c-1 and the second surface 123c-2 in the stepped portion 123c. In contrast, in this embodiment, a chamfer 11a-2 is formed on the inner circumference of the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11. According to this structure, the chamfer 11a-2 can be used to avoid the rounded corner 123c-3, so that the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11 can stably abut against the first surface 123c-1 in the stepped portion 123c. This effectively avoids situations such as the cover parts 12L and 12R being assembled to the valve body 11 in an inclined state during assembly. As a result, the tilting of the pistons 22L and 22R during abutment can be further suppressed, and the decrease in durability during repeated sliding operations of the sliding valve core 2 can be further suppressed.

[0068] This concludes the description of the first embodiment. Next, based on... Figure 6 The second embodiment will be described. This second embodiment is a variation of the protruding edge 123 of the cover members 12L and 12R in the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. Furthermore, since the refrigeration cycle system is the same as that in the first embodiment, illustrations and descriptions are omitted.

[0069] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view showing a sliding switching valve of the second embodiment along the axial direction of the valve housing. Furthermore, this... Figure 6 In China, only for... Figure 1 The first embodiment shown has the same constituent elements as those described in the description of the constituent elements, and the constituent element annotations required are the same. Figure 1 The same symbols are used to indicate this. Furthermore, in the following explanation, Figure 6 In the diagram, the side showing the cover member 52L is referred to as the left side, and the side showing the cover member 52R is referred to as the right side.

[0070] In the sliding switching valve 50 of the second embodiment, the cover members 52L and 52R that seal both ends of the valve body 11 in the valve housing 5 have the following structure. Each cover member 52L and 52R has the same bottom 121 and cylindrical portion 122 as in the first embodiment, and has a protruding edge portion 523 as a variation of the first embodiment. In this protruding edge portion 523, the stepped portion 523c that is incorporated into the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11 is formed, for example, by deformation processing such as stamping deformation along the axial direction D11, rather than by thin-wall processing as in the first embodiment. As a result, the inner side of the stepped portion 523c in the protruding edge portion 523 becomes the same as the inner side of the stepped portion 523c. Figure 6 The concavity on the right side corresponds to the axial direction D11 moving away from the valve body 11. Figure 6The bulge 523d ​​protrudes from the left side. A portion of the bulge 523d ​​on the X-axis side is formed to overlap with the flat portion 523a that abuts against the limiting plates 24L and 24R of the sliding valve core 2, thereby strengthening the abutment strength. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment described above, the protruding edge 523 is fixed to the valve body 11 by welding, and a welded portion 525 is formed throughout the circumference of the boundary between the protruding edge 523 and the valve body 11.

[0071] The second embodiment described above, like the first embodiment, can suppress the decrease in durability when the sliding valve core 2 is repeatedly slidable, which is self-evident.

[0072] Furthermore, the first and second embodiments described above are merely representative examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, various modifications can be made to implement the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. Even such modifications, as long as they still possess the structure of the sliding switching valve of the present invention, are of course included within the scope of the present invention.

[0073] For example, in the first and second embodiments described above, as an example of a sliding switching valve, sliding switching valves 10 and 50 are shown as four-way switching valves that switch the connection state of four pipes. However, sliding switching valves are not limited to four-way switching valves. A sliding switching valve only needs to have at least one pair of pipes connected to its valve body. For example, it could also be a three-way switching valve that uses a sliding valve core to switch the connection of one pair of pipes among three pipes. Alternatively, it could be a two-way switching valve that uses a sliding valve core to open and close two pipes to each other. The number of pipes in the sliding switching valve, the switching method of the connection state, etc., can be appropriately set according to the application of the sliding switching valve.

[0074] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, as an example of a cover member, cover members 12L, 12R, 52L, and 52R are shown with curved surfaces 123b at a position closer to the center of the outer peripheral surface 122b of the cylindrical portion 122. However, the cover member is not limited to this; it may not have any curved surfaces, and even if curved surfaces are provided, they may be provided further outward from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. However, by providing the curved surface 123b at a position closer to the center of the outer peripheral surface 122b of the cylindrical portion 122, the decrease in durability during repeated sliding operations of the sliding valve core 2 can be further suppressed, as described above. Furthermore, by providing the curved surface 123b as described above, the overall size of the convex edge 123 can be reduced, as described above as well.

[0075] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, as an example of a sliding switching valve, sliding switching valves 10 and 50 are shown where the protrusion 251 of the fixing member 25 is located in the internal space 124 of the cover members 12L, 12R, 52L, 52R when the limiting plates 24L, 24R abut. In the first and second embodiments, bolts are used as the fixing member 25. However, the sliding switching valve is not limited to this. Other than bolts, such as rivets, can also be used as fixing members. Alternatively, the protrusion protruding from the limiting plate in the fixing member may not be incorporated into the internal space of the cover member, and spacers or the like may be used to avoid contact between the protrusion and the cover member. However, according to the structure in which the protrusion 251 of the fixing member 25 is incorporated into the internal space 124 of the cover members 12L, 12R, 52L, 52R, the number of components can be reduced and the decrease in durability during repeated sliding operations of the sliding valve core 2 can be suppressed, as described above.

[0076] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, as an example of a cover member, cover members 12L, 12R, 52L, 52R are shown where the first surface 123c-1 of the stepped portions 123c, 523c in the protruding edges 123, 523 abuts against the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11. However, the cover member is not limited to this, and it is also possible to omit any stepped portions in the protruding edges. However, according to the structure in which the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11 abuts against the first surface 123c-1 of the stepped portions 123c, 523c, the engagement of the cover members 12L, 12R, 52L, 52R with the opening 11a of the valve body 11 can be easily performed, as described above.

[0077] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, as an example of a stepped portion in the cover component, step portions 123c and 523c are shown where the second surface 123c-2 is a cylindrical surface with a diameter of φ12 that is less than or equal to the inner diameter of the valve body 11. However, the stepped portion in the cover component is not limited to this; the second surface may also be a cylindrical surface with a diameter exceeding the inner diameter of the valve body, and the cover portion having this stepped portion may be pressed into the opening of the valve body. However, by employing step portions 123c and 523c where the second surface 123c-2 is a cylindrical surface with a diameter of φ12 that is less than or equal to the inner diameter of the valve body 11, deformation of the valve body 11 during assembly is effectively avoided, as described above. Furthermore, since no press-in allowance is required, the machining of the stepped portion 123c becomes easier, as described above as well.

[0078] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, as an example of a stepped portion in the cover member, a stepped portion 123c that is thinner than the other plate portions in the protruding edge portion 123 is shown. However, the stepped portion in the cover member is not limited to this; for example, it may be the same thickness as the other plate portions in the protruding edge portion 523, or thicker than the other plate portions, as illustrated in the second embodiment. The thinned stepped portion 123c can be easily formed by cutting or the like, as described above.

[0079] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, as an example of the opening end of the valve body incorporated into the step portion of the cover member, an example is shown of the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11 with a chamfer 11a-2 formed on the inner circumferential side. However, the opening end of the valve body is not limited to this, and no chamfer may be formed on the inner circumferential side. However, by forming a chamfer 11a-2 on the inner circumferential side of the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11, the chamfer 11a-2 can be used to effectively avoid the rounded corners 123c-3 in the step portions 123c and 523c, as described above. Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, an example is shown where a chamfer 11a-3 is also formed on the outer circumferential side of the opening end 11a-1 of the valve body 11, but a chamfer may also be provided only on the inner circumferential side of the opening end.

Claims

1. A sliding switching valve, characterized in that, have: The valve housing has its cylindrical valve body with openings at both ends sealed by a cover component. Piping, having at least one pair connected to the peripheral wall of the valve body in a manner communicating with the interior of the valve body; and A sliding valve core is disposed inside the valve body in a manner that allows it to slide along the axial direction of the valve body, and switches the connection state of the piping. The aforementioned sliding valve core has the following features: The valve core switches the connection state of the piping by sliding along the aforementioned axial direction; A pair of pistons are provided so as to clamp the valve core in the aforementioned axial direction and bear the sliding driving force in the aforementioned axial direction; A connecting plate that connects a pair of the aforementioned pistons to the aforementioned valve core; A limiting plate, positioned closer to the cover member than each of the aforementioned pistons, is provided on the connecting plate and abuts against the cover member to stop the sliding of the valve core; and A fixing component that secures the limiting plate and the piston together to the connecting plate. The aforementioned cover component includes: The plate-shaped bottom is located outside the opening of the valve body in the aforementioned axial direction, and extends in the intersecting direction relative to the aforementioned axial direction with an extending area smaller than the opening area of ​​the aforementioned opening. A cylindrical portion that extends axially from the periphery of the bottom toward the opening; and A convex edge extends outward from one end edge of the valve body's opening in the aforementioned cylindrical portion toward the outside of the cylindrical portion, and its outer peripheral end is fixed to the opening end of the valve body surrounding the opening. The aforementioned convex edge is provided with a flat portion, which extends planarly toward the center of the opening in a direction intersecting the aforementioned axial direction. The working range of the aforementioned sliding valve core in the aforementioned axial direction is defined by the aforementioned limiting plate abutting against it. The aforementioned planar portion extends in a ring shape. The aforementioned convex edge portion is provided with a curved surface portion that connects the inner circumferential surface of the aforementioned cylindrical portion to the aforementioned flat portion.

2. The sliding switching valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, In a top view from a direction facing the bottom, the curved surface is located closer to the center of the cylindrical part than the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical part.

3. The sliding switching valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The aforementioned fixing component in the sliding valve core has a protrusion that extends from the aforementioned limiting plate toward the aforementioned cover component. With the limiting plate abutting against the planar portion of the protruding edge, the protrusion is located in the internal space of the cover member divided by the bottom and the cylindrical portion.

4. The sliding switching valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, At the outer peripheral end of the aforementioned convex edge portion, and at a position closer to the outer peripheral side than the aforementioned flat portion, a stepped portion is provided that is recessed towards the bottom side in the axial direction of the aforementioned valve body. The aforementioned stepped portion has a first surface extending along the aforementioned intersecting direction relative to the aforementioned axial direction and a second surface extending along the aforementioned axial direction. The open end of the valve body abuts against the first surface in the stepped portion.

5. The sliding switching valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The valve body described above is a cylindrical component. The second surface of the aforementioned stepped portion is a cylindrical surface formed with a diameter dimension less than or equal to the inner diameter dimension of the aforementioned valve body.

6. The sliding switching valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The aforementioned stepped portion is the part in the aforementioned convex edge portion where the wall thickness is thinner compared to the plate portion having the aforementioned flat portion.

7. The sliding switching valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, A chamfer is formed on the inner circumference of the opening end of the valve body.

8. A refrigeration cycle system, characterized in that, have: A compressor, which compresses a refrigerant as a fluid; The first heat exchanger functions as a condenser in cooling mode. The second heat exchanger functions as an evaporator in cooling mode. An expansion mechanism that expands the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger to reduce pressure; and The sliding switching valve according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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