Motorised valve

Abstract

The present application provides a small electric valve capable of disposing a magnetic sensor near a housing. An electric valve (1) has a stator unit (50) having an inner space (74) in which a housing (20) is disposed. The stator unit has a main substrate (90) disposed parallel to an up-down direction, a sub substrate (100) disposed at a right angle to the main substrate, and a magnetic sensor (110) provided to the sub substrate. A housing (70) has a sub substrate space (75) disposed adjacent to the inner space. A first end portion (100a) of the sub substrate is connected to the main substrate via a substrate terminal (101). A second end portion (100b) of the sub substrate is disposed near the inner space in the sub substrate space. Furthermore, the magnetic sensor is disposed nearer to the inner space than to the substrate terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to electric valves. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional electric valve. The electric valve in Patent Document 1 includes: a housing, a magnetic rotor, a permanent magnet, a stator, and a base plate. The housing has a cylindrical shape with its upper end sealed. The magnetic rotor is disposed inside the housing. The permanent magnet is disposed inside the housing above the magnetic rotor. The permanent magnet rotates together with the magnetic rotor. The stator is disposed coaxially with the magnetic rotor on the outer circumferential surface of the housing. A magnetic sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the permanent magnet is provided on the base plate. By placing the magnetic sensor near the housing (permanent magnet), the accuracy of the rotation angle detection can be improved.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-179133

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In the aforementioned electric valve, the base plate is positioned above the housing. The base plate is orthogonal to the rotation axis of the magnetic rotor, and the magnetic sensor is positioned near the housing. Therefore, the electric valve has a large shape and a large height dimension when viewed from above. Furthermore, in the structure where the base plate is positioned to the side of the housing and parallel to the rotation axis of the magnetic rotor, a stator exists between the base plate and the housing, making it impossible to position the magnetic sensor near the housing. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a small electric valve that can have a magnetic sensor disposed near the housing.

[0009] Technical means for solving technical problems

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the electric valve of the present invention comprises: a valve body, a housing joined to the valve body, a magnetic rotor disposed inside the housing, and a stator unit having an inner space for the housing to be disposed thereon. The stator unit comprises: a housing, a cylindrical stator housed within the housing, a flat main substrate, a flat sub-sub substrate, and a magnetic sensor disposed on the sub-sub substrate. The housing has a sub-sub substrate space disposed adjacent to the inner space. A first end of the sub-sub substrate is connected to the main substrate via a substrate terminal. A second end of the sub-sub substrate is disposed in the sub-sub substrate space near the inner space. The magnetic sensor is disposed closer to the inner space than closer to the substrate terminal.

[0011] According to the present invention, a magnetic sensor is disposed on a sub-substrate. The housing has a sub-substrate space disposed adjacent to the inner space for which the housing is disposed. A first end of the sub-substrate is connected to a main substrate via a substrate terminal. A second end of the sub-substrate is disposed in the sub-substrate space near the inner space. In the sub-substrate, the second end is located on the opposite side of the first end. Moreover, the magnetic sensor is disposed closer to the inner space than closer to the substrate terminal. Thus, the magnetic sensor can be disposed near the housing. By distributing the electronic components on the main substrate and the sub-substrate, the main substrate can be miniaturized. Therefore, the magnetic sensor can be disposed near the housing, and the electric valve can be miniaturized.

[0012] In this invention, it is preferable that the outer casing has a partition wall dividing the inner space and the sub-substrate space. This prevents electrostatic discharge from the casing to the sub-substrate. It also prevents moisture that has entered the inner space from entering the sub-substrate space.

[0013] In this invention, the outer casing preferably has a press-in groove for pressing the sub-substrate into. This allows the sub-substrate to be supported by the outer casing, eliminating the need for other components used to support the sub-substrate.

[0014] In this invention, a protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the pressing groove, which elastically deforms when the sub-substrate is pressed into the pressing groove. Therefore, by pressing the sub-substrate with the protrusion, the sub-substrate can be supported more reliably.

[0015] In this invention, the magnetic sensor is preferably disposed at the second end. This allows the magnetic sensor to be disposed closer to the housing.

[0016] In this invention, the main substrate is preferably configured parallel to the axis of the stator, and the secondary substrate is configured at a right angle relative to the main substrate. This allows for a more compact electric valve.

[0017] In this invention, it is preferable that the sub-substrate is configured parallel to the axial direction. In magnetic sensors with surface-mount packages, those having a magnetically sensing surface on the upper surface of the package (the surface parallel to the substrate on which the magnetic sensor is mounted) are relatively inexpensive. Furthermore, by configuring the sub-substrate parallel to the stator's axial direction, the upper surface of the package containing the magnetic sensor disposed on the sub-substrate can be configured to face the outer peripheral surface of the housing. This allows the use of a relatively inexpensive magnetic sensor, thus reducing the component cost of the electric valve.

[0018] In this invention, preferably, the stator unit further includes a shell that engages with the outer casing. The shell has a wall portion and a support post disposed on the wall portion. The wall portion has a shell opening that connects to the space of the sub-base plate. The support post extends in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, and the top end of the support post faces away from the inner space. The main base plate has a through hole. The sub-base plate is disposed across the space between the shell and the sub-base plate. A sub-base plate support member is mounted on the sub-base plate. The sub-base plate support member has a cylindrical mounting portion. The support post is disposed inside the mounting portion and the through hole. The diameter of the top end of the support post is larger than the diameter of the through hole. The mounting portion is sandwiched between the wall portion and the main base plate. Thus, by using the wall portion of the shell and the main base plate to sandwich the mounting portion of the sub-base plate support member, the sub-base plate support member can be fixed. Therefore, the sub-base plate can be reliably supported.

[0019] In this invention, the electric valve preferably also includes a permanent magnet that rotates together with the magnetic rotor, and the magnetic sensor is configured to detect the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet. Thus, the permanent magnet generates a stronger magnetic field than the magnetic rotor, thereby further expanding the range of magnetic fields detectable by the magnetic sensor. Therefore, the limitations of the magnetic sensor configuration can be mitigated.

[0020] The effects of the invention

[0021] According to the present invention, a magnetic sensor can be configured near the housing, and the electric valve can be miniaturized. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the electric valve according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the stator unit of the electric valve.

[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the main base plate of the electric valve.

[0025] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the sub-base plate of the electric valve.

[0026] Figure 5 It is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the VV line.

[0027] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of the stator unit during assembly.

[0028] Figure 7 It is Figure 6A magnified 3D image of a portion of the image.

[0029] Figure 8 yes Figure 2 Another perspective view of the stator unit during assembly.

[0030] Figure 9 It is Figure 8 A magnified 3D image of a portion of the image.

[0031] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the electric valve according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A cross-sectional view of the stator unit of the electric valve.

[0033] Figure 12 yes Figure 10 A three-dimensional view of the main base plate of the electric valve.

[0034] Figure 13 yes Figure 10 A perspective view of the sub-base plate and sub-base plate support components of the electric valve.

[0035] Figure 14 It is along Figure 10 A cross-sectional view of the XIV-XIV line.

[0036] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view of the electric valve according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 16 yes Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of the stator unit of the electric valve.

[0038] Figure 17 yes Figure 15 A perspective view of the sub-base plate and sub-base plate support components of the electric valve.

[0039] Figure 18 yes Figure 15 Another perspective view of the sub-base plate and sub-base plate support components of the electric valve.

[0040] Figure 19 It means Figure 15 The diagram shows the positional relationship between the stator pole teeth of the electric valve and the two magnetic sensors.

[0041] Figure 20 It means Figure 15 Another diagram showing the positional relationship between the stator pole teeth of the electric valve and the two magnetic sensors. Detailed Implementation

[0042] (First embodiment)

[0043] The following is for reference Figures 1-9 The electric valve 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the electric valve according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the stator unit of the electric valve. Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the main base plate of the electric valve. Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the sub-base plate of the electric valve. Figure 5 It is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the VV line. In Figure 5 In this document, the components located in the inner space of the stator unit are omitted from the description. Figure 6 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of the stator unit during assembly. Figure 7 It is Figure 6 A magnified 3D image of a portion of the image. Figure 6 , Figure 7 This indicates the state before the sub-substrate is placed in the sub-substrate space of the housing. Figure 8 yes Figure 2 Another perspective view of the stator unit during assembly. Figure 9 It is Figure 8 A magnified 3D image of a portion of the image. Figure 8 , Figure 9 This indicates the state after the sub-substrate is placed in the sub-substrate space of the casing. In each figure, the X direction indicated by arrow X is the left-right direction (horizontal), the Y direction indicated by arrow Y is the front-back direction, and the Z direction indicated by arrow Z is the up-down direction. The side with the text "X" in arrow X is the right direction, the side with the text "Y" in arrow Y is the front direction, and the side with the text "Z" in arrow Z is the up direction.

[0045] As shown in the figures, the electric valve 1 has a valve body 10, a housing 20, a drive mechanism 30, a valve core 40, and a stator unit 50.

[0046] The valve body 10 is made of a metal such as aluminum alloy. The valve body 10 has a main body portion 11, a cylindrical portion 12, and a flange portion 13. The main body portion 11 has a cubic shape. The cylindrical portion 12 protrudes from the upper surface of the main body portion 11. The cylindrical portion 12 is installed on the main body portion 11 by a threaded connection. A valve chamber 14 and flow paths 15 and 16 are provided in the main body portion 11. The flow path 15 is connected to the valve chamber 14. The flow path 16 is connected to the valve chamber 14 via a port 17. The flange portion 13 has an annular plate shape. The inner periphery of the flange portion 13 engages with the upper part of the cylindrical portion 12.

[0047] The housing 20 is made of metal such as stainless steel. The housing 20 has a cylindrical shape with its upper end sealed. The lower end of the housing 20 is joined to the outer periphery of the flange portion 13.

[0048] The drive mechanism 30 moves the valve core 40 in the vertical direction (axis L direction). The drive mechanism 30 has a magnetic rotor 31, a valve shaft retainer 32, a guide bushing 33, a valve shaft 34, and a permanent magnet 38.

[0049] The magnetic rotor 31 has a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the magnetic rotor 31 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the housing 20. Multiple N poles and multiple S poles are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the magnetic rotor 31. The multiple N poles and multiple S poles extend in the vertical direction and are arranged at equal intervals and alternately in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the magnetic rotor 31 has 12 N poles and 12 S poles.

[0050] The valve shaft retainer 32 has a cylindrical shape with its upper end sealed. A support ring 35 is fixed to the upper part of the valve shaft retainer 32. The support ring 35 connects the magnetic rotor 31 and the valve shaft retainer 32. An internal thread 32c is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the valve shaft retainer 32.

[0051] The guide bushing 33 integrally comprises a first cylindrical portion 33a and a second cylindrical portion 33b. The outer diameter of the second cylindrical portion 33b is smaller than that of the first cylindrical portion 33a. The second cylindrical portion 33b is coaxially connected to the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 33a. An external thread 33c is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion 33b. The external thread 33c engages with the internal thread 32c of the valve shaft retainer 32. The first cylindrical portion 33a is pressed into a fitting hole 12a provided in the cylindrical portion 12 of the valve body 10. The guide bushing 33 is engaged with the valve body 10.

[0052] The valve shaft 34 is cylindrical. The upper part 34a of the valve shaft 34 extends through the valve shaft retainer 32. A push nut 36 for preventing detachment is installed on the upper part 34a of the valve shaft 34. The valve shaft 34 is inserted into the guide bushing 33 and the cylindrical portion 12. The lower part of the valve shaft 34 is disposed in the valve chamber 14. The valve shaft 34 has an upward-facing annular plane, i.e., a stepped portion 34b. A valve-closing spring 37 is disposed between the valve shaft retainer 32 and the stepped portion 34b of the valve shaft 34. The valve-closing spring 37 is a compression coil spring. The valve-closing spring 37 presses the valve shaft 34 downwards.

[0053] A permanent magnet 38 is disposed above the magnetic rotor 31 on the inner side of the housing 20. The permanent magnet 38 has an annular plate shape. The permanent magnet 38 has one N pole and one S pole, which are arranged to be radially opposite each other. The permanent magnet 38 is fixed to the support ring 35 via a fastener 39. The permanent magnet 38 rotates together with the magnetic rotor 31.

[0054] The valve core 40 is integrally connected to the lower end of the valve shaft 34. The valve core 40 is disposed in the valve chamber 14. The valve core 40 moves vertically via the drive mechanism 30. The movement of the valve core 40 opens and closes the port 17.

[0055] The stator unit 50 includes a stator 60, a housing 70, a shell 80, a main substrate 90, a secondary substrate 100, and a magnetic sensor 110.

[0056] The stator 60 has a cylindrical shape. The stator 60 and the magnetic rotor 31 together constitute a stepper motor. The stator 60 has an upper stator 61, a lower stator 62, and a molded part 63 made of synthetic resin.

[0057] The upper stator 61 is coaxially mounted on the lower stator 62. The upper stator 61 has a plurality of claw-shaped pole teeth 61a and 61b arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The lower stator 62 has a plurality of claw-shaped pole teeth 62a and 62b arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the upper stator 61 has 12 pole teeth 61a and 12 pole teeth 61b. The lower stator 62 has 12 pole teeth 62a and 12 pole teeth 62b. The tips of the pole teeth 61a and 62a face downwards, and the tips of the pole teeth 61b and 62b face upwards. The pole teeth 62a and 62b are positioned at the center between adjacent pole teeth 61a and 61b when viewed from the axis L. When the upper stator 61 is energized, the pole teeth 61a and 61b become magnetic poles of different polarities. When the lower stator 62 is energized, the pole teeth 62a and 62b become magnetic poles of different polarities. The molding part 63 is filled within the upper stator 61 and the lower stator 62. The molding part 63, together with the plurality of pole teeth 61a, 61b, 62a, and 62b, forms the inner circumferential surface 60a of the stator 60. The diameter of the inner circumferential surface 60a of the stator 60 is the same as the diameter of the outer circumferential surface of the housing 20. The molding part 63 has a terminal support portion 64.

[0058] Terminal support portion 64 is configured to extend laterally from upper stator 61 and lower stator 62. Terminal support portion 64 supports a plurality of terminals 65. The plurality of terminals 65 protrude laterally from the top of terminal support portion 64. The plurality of terminals 65 are connected to coils of upper stator 61 and lower stator 62.

[0059] The outer casing 70 is made of synthetic resin. The outer casing 70 is formed by injection molding. The outer casing 70 houses the stator 60. The outer casing 70 can also be integrally formed with the stator 60 (insert molding). Alternatively, the stator 60 and the outer casing 70 can be manufactured separately, with the stator 60 embedded inside the outer casing 70. The outer casing 70 integrally has a peripheral wall portion 71, a dome 72, and a cylindrical portion 73.

[0060] The peripheral wall portion 71 has a cylindrical shape. A stator 60 is disposed inside the peripheral wall portion 71. The dome 72 has a cylindrical shape with its upper end sealed. The outer diameter of the dome 72 is smaller than the outer diameter of the peripheral wall portion 71. The dome 72 is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 71. The diameter of the inner peripheral surface 72a of the dome 72 (i.e., the inner peripheral surface of the housing 70) is the same as the diameter of the inner peripheral surface 60a of the stator 60. The inner peripheral surface 72a of the dome 72 is connected to the inner peripheral surface 60a of the stator 60. The inner peripheral surface 72a of the dome 72 and the inner peripheral surface 60a of the stator 60 form the inner space 74 of the stator unit 50. The housing 20 is inserted into the inner space 74, and the stator 60 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the housing 20. The cylindrical portion 73 has a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 73 is smaller than the outer diameter of the peripheral wall portion 71. The cylindrical portion 73 is connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 71. The cylindrical portion 73 is configured to surround the cylindrical portion 12 of the valve body 10. An annular sealing member 18 is disposed between the cylindrical portion 73 and the cylindrical portion 12. The sealing member 18 is made of an elastic material such as rubber. The sealing member 18 prevents moisture from entering the inner space 74.

[0061] The housing 70 has a sub-substrate space 75. The sub-substrate space 75 extends laterally and has an opening on the side of the housing 70. The sub-substrate space 75 is disposed adjacent to the inner space 74. A partition wall 76 is provided between the inner space 74 and the sub-substrate space 75. The partition wall 76 divides the inner space 74 and the sub-substrate space 75. Figure 5 As shown, the cross-section of the partition wall 76 has an arc shape along the outer periphery of the housing 20.

[0062] Two press-in grooves 77 are provided on the inner surface of the sub-substrate space 75. The press-in grooves 77 extend laterally. The two press-in grooves 77 are configured to face each other in the front-back direction. A plurality of protrusions 78 are provided on the inner surface of each press-in groove 77. A portion of the plurality of protrusions 78 ( Figure 7 The protrusions 78a) are configured to be opposite each other in the vertical direction. Another portion of the protrusions 78 ( Figure 7 A protrusion 78b of one pressing groove 77 (not shown) is configured to face each other in the front-rear direction. When the sub-substrate 100 is pressed into the pressing groove 77, the protrusion 78 is compressed and elastically deformed. The plurality of protrusions 78 push the sub-substrate 100 pressed into the pressing groove 77 in the vertical and front-rear directions, thereby supporting the sub-substrate 100.

[0063] The shell 80 is made of synthetic resin. The shell 80 is formed by injection molding. The shell 80 is disposed on the side of the outer shell 70. The shell 80 has a shell body 81, a cover 82, and a connector 83. The shell body 81 has a cuboid box shape with a side opening. The cover 82 has a flat plate shape. The cover 82 is configured to block the side opening of the shell body 81. The connector 83 has an elliptical cylindrical shape. The connector 83 is configured to extend laterally (to the right) from the shell body 81. The shell body 81 and the connector 83 are integrally formed.

[0064] The shell body 81 has a side wall portion 84. The side wall portion 84 has a flat plate shape. The side wall portion 84 is configured to face the cover body 82 in the lateral direction. A quadrilateral shell opening 84a is provided in the side wall portion 84. The shell opening 84a is connected to the sub-base plate space 75 of the outer shell 70. The periphery of the shell opening 84a in the side wall portion 84 engages with the outer shell 70. In addition, the shell body 81 has a plurality of support pillars 85. The support pillars 85 have a cylindrical shape. The support pillars 85 extend laterally (to the right) from the side wall portion 84. The top end 85a of the support pillar 85 faces away from the inner space 74.

[0065] The main substrate 90 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. The main substrate 90 has a flat plate shape. The main substrate 90 is housed within a housing 80. The main substrate 90 is configured to be parallel to the front-back and vertical directions. A substrate connector 91 is provided on the surface of the main substrate 90 facing the inward space 74. A microcomputer (not shown) is mounted on the main substrate 90. This microcomputer functions as a computing device for processing the output signal of the magnetic sensor 110. Through holes 92 are provided on the main substrate 90, corresponding to each of the plurality of support pillars 85. The top end 85a of the support pillar 85 is inserted into the through hole 92, and the top end 85a of the support pillar 85 is deformed to a diameter larger than the diameter of the through hole 92, for example, by infrared riveting. The main substrate 90 is supported by the support pillars 85. A plurality of terminals 65 of the stator 60 are connected to the main substrate 90.

[0066] Sub-substrate 100 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. Sub-substrate 100 has a flat plate shape. Sub-substrate 100 is disposed in sub-substrate space 75 of housing 70. Sub-substrate 100 is configured to be parallel to the lateral and longitudinal directions. The two opposite ends of sub-substrate 100 in the longitudinal direction are pressed into pressing grooves 77. Sub-substrate 100 is clamped by protrusions 78 of pressing grooves 77 in the vertical and longitudinal directions. Sub-substrate 100 is configured to be at right angles (including approximately right angles) to main substrate 90. First end 100a of sub-substrate 100 is disposed near main substrate 90. Second end 100b of sub-substrate 100 is disposed near partition wall 76 of housing 70 (i.e., near inner space 74). First end 100a and second end 100b are opposite to each other in the left-right direction. Sub-substrate 100 extends from near main substrate 90 to near inner space 74. The portion of the second end 100b opposite to the partition wall 76 has an arc shape along the partition wall 76. As a result, the sub-substrate 100 and the partition wall 76 can be arranged closer together, and the distance between the magnetic sensor 110 disposed on the sub-substrate 100 and the magnetic rotor 31 can be further shortened.

[0067] A substrate terminal 101 is provided at the first end 100a of the sub-substrate 100. The substrate terminal 101 is connected to the substrate connector 91 of the main substrate 90. The sub-substrate 100 is connected to the main substrate 90 via the substrate terminal 101 and the substrate connector 91. Alternatively, the substrate terminal 101 may be provided on the main substrate 90, and the substrate connector 91 may be provided on the sub-substrate 100.

[0068] The magnetic sensor 110 is a rotation angle sensor. The magnetic sensor 110 has a surface-mount package. The magnetic sensor 110 is disposed at the second end 100b of the sub-substrate 100. The magnetic sensor 110 is configured to be closer to the inner space 74 than to the substrate terminal 101. The magnetic sensor 110 is configured to be laterally opposite the permanent magnet 38, separated by the housing 20 and the partition wall 76. The magnetic sensor 110 detects the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet 38 and outputs a signal corresponding to the rotation angle of the permanent magnet 38.

[0069] In the electric valve 1, the cylindrical part 12, port 17, housing 20, magnetic rotor 31, valve shaft retainer 32, guide bushing 33, valve shaft 34, valve core 40, inner space 74 of stator unit 50, stator 60 (upper stator 61, lower stator 62), and housing 70 (peripheral wall part 71, cylindrical part 73) of the valve body 10 are all aligned with the axis L.

[0070] Next, the operation of electric valve 1 will be explained.

[0071] In the electric valve 1, energizing the upper stator 61 and lower stator 62 causes the magnetic rotor 31 to rotate in one direction. The valve shaft retainer 32 rotates together with the magnetic rotor 31. Through the threaded feed action of the internal thread 32c of the valve shaft retainer 32 and the external thread 33c of the guide bushing 33, the valve shaft retainer 32 moves downward. The valve shaft 34 also moves downward together with the valve shaft retainer 32, thereby closing port 17 (closed valve state) of the valve core 40.

[0072] In the electric valve 1, energizing the upper stator 61 and lower stator 62 causes the magnetic rotor 31 to rotate in the opposite direction. The valve shaft retainer 32 rotates together with the magnetic rotor 31. Through the threaded feed action of the internal thread 32c of the valve shaft retainer 32 and the external thread 33c of the guide bushing 33, the valve shaft retainer 32 moves upward. The valve shaft 34 also moves upward together with the valve shaft retainer 32, thereby opening port 17 (open valve state) of the valve core 40.

[0073] The permanent magnet 38 rotates together with the magnetic rotor 31 inside the housing 20. A magnetic sensor 110 is disposed near the inner space 74 where the housing 20 is located, and outputs a signal corresponding to the rotation angle of the permanent magnet 38. The signal output by the magnetic sensor 110 is transmitted from the sub-substrate 100 to the main substrate 90 via the substrate terminal 101 and the substrate connector 91. A microcomputer disposed on the main substrate 90 calculates the opening degree of port 17, etc., based on the signal output by the magnetic sensor 110.

[0074] Next, the assembly method of electric valve 1 will be explained.

[0075] The stator unit 50 is assembled. First, the stator 60 is molded onto the housing, and the housing 70 is injection molded to integrate the stator 60 and the housing 70. Terminal components of the connector 83 are molded onto the housing, and the housing body 81 and the connector 83 are injection molded to integrate the housing body 81, the connector 83, and the terminal components. Additionally, the cover 82 is injection molded. Figure 6 As shown, the side wall portion 84 of the shell body 81 is joined to the outer shell 70 by ultrasonic welding or infrared welding, connecting the sub-base plate space 75 and the shell opening 84a. Figure 8As shown, the sub-substrate 100 is inserted into the sub-substrate space 75 through the shell opening 84a. At this time, the two opposite ends of the sub-substrate 100 in the front-rear direction are pressed into the pressing groove 77. Thus, the sub-substrate 100 is supported by the pressing groove 77. The sub-substrate 100 is arranged across the shell 80 and the sub-substrate space 75. Furthermore, the substrate terminal 101 of the sub-substrate 100 is connected to the substrate connector 91 of the main substrate 90, and the top end 85a of the support post 85 is inserted into the through hole 92 of the main substrate 90. The top end 85a of the support post 85 is enlarged and deformed by infrared riveting. Thus, the main substrate 90 is supported by the support post 85. The multiple terminals 65 of the stator 60 are soldered to the main substrate 90. The cover 82 is joined to the shell body 81 to complete the stator unit 50.

[0076] In a different process than that of the stator unit 50, a valve body assembly is manufactured, which combines the valve body 10, housing 20, drive mechanism 30, and valve core 40. Furthermore, the housing 20 is inserted into the inner space 74 of the stator unit 50, and the stator unit 50 is fixed to the valve body 10, thus completing the electric valve 1.

[0077] As described above, the electric valve 1 includes: a valve body 10; a housing 20, which is joined to the valve body 10; a magnetic rotor 31 disposed inside the housing 20; and a stator unit 50 having an inner space 74 for the housing 20 to be disposed. The stator unit 50 includes: a housing 70; a cylindrical stator 60 housed within the housing 70; a main substrate 90 configured as a flat plate parallel to the vertical direction; a sub-substrate 100 configured as a flat plate perpendicular to the main substrate 90; and a magnetic sensor 110 disposed on the sub-substrate 100. The housing 70 has a sub-substrate space 75 disposed adjacent to the inner space 74. A first end 100a of the sub-substrate 100 is connected to the main substrate 90 via a substrate terminal 101. A second end 100b of the sub-substrate 100 is disposed in the sub-substrate space 75 near the inner space 74. Furthermore, the magnetic sensor 110 is disposed at the second end 100b of the sub-substrate 100.

[0078] In the electric valve 1, the sub-board 100 is configured at a right angle to the main board 90, and the second end 100b of the sub-board 100 is disposed near the inner space 74. A magnetic sensor 110 is disposed at the second end 100b. Therefore, the magnetic sensor 110 can be disposed near the housing 20. The main board 90 is configured to be parallel to the vertical direction, thus reducing the top view shape of the electric valve 1 and also reducing its height. By distributing the electronic components on the main board 90 and the sub-board 100, the main board 90 can be reduced in size. Therefore, the magnetic sensor 110 can be disposed near the housing 20, and the electric valve 1 can be miniaturized.

[0079] Furthermore, the outer casing 70 has a partition wall 76 that divides the inner space 74 and the sub-substrate space 75. This prevents electrostatic discharge from the casing 20 onto the sub-substrate 100. It also prevents moisture that has entered the inner space 74 from entering the sub-substrate space 75.

[0080] In addition, the housing 70 has a pressing groove 77 for pressing the sub-substrate 100 into. As a result, the sub-substrate 100 can be supported by the housing 70, and other components for supporting the sub-substrate 100 can be omitted.

[0081] Furthermore, a protrusion 78 is provided on the inner surface of the pressing groove 77. This protrusion elastically deforms when the sub-substrate 100 is pressed into the pressing groove 77. As a result, the protrusion 78 pushes the sub-substrate 100, thereby providing more reliable support for the sub-substrate 100.

[0082] Furthermore, the electric valve 1 has a permanent magnet 38 that rotates together with the magnetic rotor 31. Moreover, the magnetic sensor 110 is configured to detect the magnetic field generated from the permanent magnet 38. Thus, the permanent magnet 38 generates a stronger magnetic field than the magnetic rotor 31, thereby further expanding the range of magnetic fields that can be detected by the magnetic sensor 110. Therefore, the limitations of the configuration of the magnetic sensor 110 can be alleviated.

[0083] Furthermore, the electric valve 1 has a structure in which the sub-substrate 100 is configured orthogonal to the vertical direction, but it can also have a structure in which the sub-substrate 100 is configured parallel to the vertical direction. In magnetic sensors with surface-mount packages, magnetic sensors with a magnetic sensing surface on the upper surface of the package (the surface parallel to the substrate on which the magnetic sensor is mounted) are relatively inexpensive. Moreover, by configuring the sub-substrate 100 parallel to the vertical direction, the upper surface of the package of the magnetic sensor 110 disposed on the sub-substrate 100 can be configured to face the outer peripheral surface of the housing 20. Therefore, a relatively inexpensive magnetic sensor 110 can be used, and the component cost of the electric valve 1 can be reduced.

[0084] (Second Embodiment)

[0085] The following is for reference Figures 10-14 The electric valve 1A of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0086] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the electric valve according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A cross-sectional view of the stator unit of the electric valve. Figure 12 yes Figure 10 A three-dimensional view of the main base plate of the electric valve. Figure 13 yes Figure 10 A perspective view of the sub-base plate and sub-base plate support components of the electric valve. Figure 14 It is along Figure 10A cross-sectional view of line XIV-XIV. Figure 14 In this description, components disposed in the inner space of the stator unit are omitted. In the following description, structural elements that are the same as (including substantially the same as) the electric valve 1 of the first embodiment are marked with the same symbols and their descriptions are omitted.

[0087] As shown in the figures, the electric valve 1A has a valve body 10, a housing 20, a drive mechanism 30, a valve core 40, and a stator unit 50A. The stator unit 50A has a stator 60, a housing 70, a shell 80, a main substrate 90, a sub-substrate 100, a sub-substrate support member 105, and a magnetic sensor 110. In addition, the main substrate 90 is provided with a through hole 93 for inserting the substrate terminal 101, replacing the substrate connector 91.

[0088] The sub-substrate support member 105 has a flat plate portion 106 and two mounting portions 107. The flat plate portion 106 is fixed to the sub-substrate 100. The flat plate portion 106 is configured to overlap with the upper surface of the sub-substrate 100. The flat plate portion 106 and the sub-substrate 100 are arranged together across the housing 80 and the sub-substrate space 75. The mounting portions 107 have a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the mounting portion 107 is the same as the diameter of the support column 85 of the housing 80. The mounting portions 107 are connected to both ends of the flat plate portion 106 in the front-rear direction. The two mounting portions 107 are sandwiched between the side wall portion 84 of the housing body 81 and the main substrate 90. The sub-substrate support member 105 supports the sub-substrate 100. By having the sub-substrate support member 105, the sub-substrate 100 can be supported more reliably.

[0089] Next, the assembly method of stator unit 50A will be explained.

[0090] From the injection molding process of the outer casing 70 to the process of joining the casing body 81 with the outer casing 70, the assembly method of the stator unit 50A is the same as that of the stator unit 50 in the first embodiment. The flat plate portion 106 of the sub-substrate support member 105 is fixed to the sub-substrate 100. The support post 85 is inserted into the mounting portion 107, and the sub-substrate 100 and the flat plate portion 106 are inserted into the sub-substrate space 75 through the casing opening 84a. At this time, the two opposite ends of the sub-substrate 100 in the front-rear direction are pressed into the pressing groove 77. In addition, in this embodiment, only the top end of the second end 100b of the sub-substrate 100 is pressed into the pressing groove 77. Thus, the sub-substrate 100 is supported by the pressing groove 77. Moreover, the substrate terminal 101 of the sub-substrate 100 is inserted into the through hole 93 of the main substrate 90, and the top end 85a of the support post 85 is inserted into the through hole 92 of the main substrate 90. The top end 85a of the support post 85 is enlarged and deformed by infrared riveting. Thus, the main substrate 90 is supported by the support column 85, and the mounting part 107 is sandwiched between the side wall part 84 and the main substrate 90. The sub-substrate 100 is supported by the sub-substrate support member 105. The multiple terminals 65 of the stator 60 and the substrate terminals 101 of the sub-substrate 100 are soldered to the main substrate 90. The cover 82 is joined to the housing body 81 to complete the stator unit 50A.

[0091] The electric valve 1A has the same effect as the electric valve 1 in the first embodiment.

[0092] (Third embodiment)

[0093] The following is for reference Figures 15-20 The electric valve 1B of the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0094] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view of the electric valve according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 yes Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of the stator unit of the electric valve. Figure 17 , Figure 18 yes Figure 15 A perspective view of the sub-base plate and sub-base plate support components of the electric valve. Figure 19 , Figure 20 It means Figure 15 The diagram shows the positional relationship between the stator pole teeth of the electric valve and the two magnetic sensors. Figure 19 This is a diagram viewed from the axial direction of the stator. Figure 19 In the diagram, the magnetic poles of the magnetic rotor are schematically represented by a semi-elliptical shape. Figure 19 The description of the inner components of the magnetic rotor and the molded parts of the stator is omitted. Figure 20 This is a diagram viewed radially from the stator. Figure 20In the diagram, the magnetic sensor and the stator pole teeth are schematically represented. In the following description, structural elements that are identical (including substantially identical) to the electric valve 1A of the second embodiment are denoted by the same symbols and are omitted from the description.

[0095] As shown in the figures, the electric valve 1B has a valve body 10, a housing 20, a drive mechanism 30B, a valve core 40, and a stator unit 50B. The drive mechanism 30B has the same structure as the drive mechanism 30 of the electric valve 1A, except that the permanent magnet 38 and the fixing member 39 are omitted. The stator unit 50B has a stator 60, a housing 70, a shell 80, a main base plate 90, a sub-base plate 100, a sub-base plate support member 105, and two magnetic sensors 110B.

[0096] The magnetic sensor 110B is a Hall effect IC. The magnetic sensor 110B has a surface-mount package. The magnetic sensor 110B is disposed at the second end 100b of the sub-substrate 100. Two magnetic sensors 110B are arranged in a front-to-back direction. Specifically, the two magnetic sensors 110B are arranged equidistant from the axis L and spaced apart around the axis L. The two magnetic sensors 110B are arranged along the outer surface of the partition wall 76 when viewed from the axis L direction. The magnetic sensor 110B is configured to be laterally opposite the magnetic rotor 31, separated by the housing 20 and the partition wall 76. The magnetic sensor 110B detects the magnetic flux density generated by the magnetic poles of the magnetic rotor 31. The magnetic sensor 110B outputs a signal corresponding to the detected magnetic flux density. Based on the signal from the magnetic sensor 110B, the rotation angle (rotation amount) and rotation direction of the magnetic rotor 31 can be detected.

[0097] Furthermore, in the electric valve 1B, a substrate terminal 101 is mounted on the upper surface of the sub-substrate 100, and a flat plate portion 106 of the sub-substrate support member 105 is mounted on the lower surface of the sub-substrate 100.

[0098] like Figure 20As shown, one of the two magnetic sensors 110B is disposed on the center line C1 of one of the multiple pole teeth 61a of the upper stator 61, while the other is not disposed on the center line of any of the multiple pole teeth 61a. Each center line is a straight line parallel to the axis L. This results in a phase shift in the signal waveforms of the two magnetic sensors 110B, thus enabling the detection of the rotation direction of the magnetic rotor 31 based on these signal waveforms. In particular, in this embodiment, the other of the two magnetic sensors 110B is disposed on the center line C2 of the pole tooth 62b of the lower stator 62. In other words, the center line C2 passes through the center between adjacent pole teeth 61a and 61b. This shortens the period of overlap of the signal waveforms of the two magnetic sensors 110B. Specifically, when using, for example, a Hall IC that outputs a signal H when the N pole is close and a signal L when the N pole is not close as the two magnetic sensors 110B, the period of overlap of signal H in the signal waveforms of the two magnetic sensors 110B during the rotation of the magnetic rotor 31 can be shortened. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the rotation angle of the magnetic rotor 31 can be improved.

[0099] In this specification, terms such as "cylinder" and "cylindrical" used to describe the shape of a component are also used for components that substantially have the shape described in that term. For example, "cylindrical-shaped component" includes both cylindrical-shaped components and components that are substantially cylindrical.

[0100] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Any technical solutions obtained by adding, deleting, or modifying constituent elements, or by appropriately combining features of the embodiments, as long as they do not violate the spirit of the present invention, are included within the scope of the present invention.

[0101] Symbol Explanation

[0102] 1 Electric valve

[0103] 1A Electric Valve

[0104] 1B Electric Valve

[0105] 10 Valve body

[0106] 11 Main Body

[0107] 12. Cylindrical section

[0108] 12a Fitting Hole

[0109] 13. Flange portion

[0110] 14 Valve Chamber

[0111] 15 flow path

[0112] 16 flow path

[0113] Port 17

[0114] 20. Housing

[0115] 30 Drive mechanism

[0116] 30B Drive Mechanism

[0117] 31 Magnetic Rotor

[0118] 32 Valve shaft cage

[0119] 32c internal thread

[0120] 33 Guide bushing

[0121] 33a First cylindrical section

[0122] 33b Second cylindrical section

[0123] 33c external thread

[0124] 34 Valve shaft

[0125] 34a upper

[0126] 34b Step section

[0127] 35 Support ring

[0128] 36 Push Nut

[0129] 37. Valve closing spring

[0130] 38 permanent magnets

[0131] 39 Fasteners

[0132] 40 Valve Core

[0133] 50 stator units

[0134] 50A stator unit

[0135] 50B stator unit

[0136] 60 stator

[0137] 60a inner surface

[0138] 61 Upper stator

[0139] 61a, 61b pole teeth

[0140] 62 Lower stator

[0141] 62a, 62b pole teeth

[0142] 63 Molded parts

[0143] 64 Terminal support section

[0144] 65 terminals

[0145] 70 Outer shell

[0146] 71. Zhou Bi section

[0147] 72 Rounded top

[0148] 72a Inner circumferential surface

[0149] 73 cylindrical part

[0150] 74 Inner Space

[0151] 75 Substrate Space

[0152] 76. Partition wall

[0153] 77 Press-in groove

[0154] 78 protuberance

[0155] 78a protuberance

[0156] 78b protrusion

[0157] 80 shell

[0158] 81 Shell body

[0159] 82. Cover

[0160] 83 Connector

[0161] 84 Side wall portion

[0162] 84a Shell opening

[0163] 85 Support Column

[0164] 85a Top

[0165] 90 Main base board

[0166] 91 Baseboard Connector

[0167] 92 Through Hole

[0168] 93 Through Hole

[0169] 100 sub-boards

[0170] 100a First end

[0171] 100b Second end

[0172] 101 Base board terminal

[0173] 105 Substrate support component

[0174] 106 Flat Plate Section

[0175] 107 Installation Department

[0176] 110 Magnetic Sensor

[0177] 110B Magnetic Sensor

[0178] L-axis

Claims

1. An electric valve comprising: a valve body, a housing engaged with the valve body, a magnetic rotor disposed inside the housing, a permanent magnet rotating together with the magnetic rotor, and a stator unit having an inner space for the housing, characterized in that, The stator unit includes: a housing, a cylindrical stator housed in the housing and forming a motor together with the magnetic rotor, a flat main substrate, a flat secondary substrate, and a magnetic sensor disposed on the secondary substrate. The magnetic sensor is configured to detect the magnetic field generated from the permanent magnet. The outer casing has a sub-base plate space arranged adjacent to the inner space. The first end of the sub-substrate is connected to the main substrate via a substrate terminal. The second end of the sub-substrate is disposed in the sub-substrate space near the inner space. The magnetic sensor is configured to be closer to the inner space than to the substrate terminals.

2. The electric valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer casing has a partition wall that divides the inner space and the sub-substrate space.

3. The electric valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The outer casing has a pressing groove for pressing the sub-substrate into.

4. The electric valve according to claim 3, characterized in that, A protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the pressing groove, which elastically deforms as the sub-substrate is pressed into the pressing groove.

5. The electric valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The magnetic sensor is disposed at the second end.

6. The electric valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The main substrate is configured to be parallel to the axis of the stator. The sub-substrate is configured to be perpendicular to the main substrate.

7. The electric valve according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sub-substrate is configured to be parallel to the axis.

8. The electric valve according to claim 6, characterized in that, The stator unit also has a shell that engages with the outer casing. The shell has a wall portion and a support column disposed on the wall portion. The wall portion has a shell opening that is spatially connected to the sub-substrate. The support column extends in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, and the top of the support column faces away from the inner space. The main substrate has through holes. The sub-substrate is configured to span the space between the shell and the sub-substrate. A sub-base plate support component is mounted on the sub-base plate. The sub-base plate support component has a cylindrical mounting portion. The support column is disposed inside the mounting portion and the through hole. The diameter of the top of the support column is larger than the diameter of the through hole. The mounting portion is sandwiched between the wall portion and the main substrate.

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