Electronic expansion valve and refrigeration apparatus
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GUANGDONG WELLING ELECTRIC MACHINE MFG
- Filing Date
- 2022-01-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
Smart Images
Figure CN116717607B_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] This application is a divisional application of application number 202210092702.1, with the parent application filed on January 26, 2022; the invention is entitled "Electronic Expansion Valve and Refrigeration Equipment". Technical Field
[0002] This invention relates to the field of electronic expansion valves, and particularly to an electronic expansion valve and a refrigeration device. Background Technology
[0003] In refrigeration systems, an electronic expansion valve is typically installed between the outdoor and indoor heat exchangers. In cooling mode, the electronic expansion valve throttles and depressurizes the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger before directing it to the indoor heat exchanger; in heating mode, it throttles and depressurizes the refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger before directing it to the outdoor heat exchanger. However, small foreign objects inevitably enter the system during the use of the electronic expansion valve. If these objects become stuck between the valve port and the valve needle, the valve needle will deflect, causing it to seize.
[0004] The above content is only used to help understand the technical solution of the invention and does not represent an admission that the above content is prior art. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The main objective of this invention is to propose an electronic expansion valve that aims to solve the technical problem of electronic expansion valves being prone to jamming.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an electronic expansion valve comprising:
[0007] A valve housing, wherein the valve housing is provided with a valve cavity and a valve port communicating with the valve cavity;
[0008] Nuts are installed inside the valve cavity; and
[0009] A valve needle, comprising a needle body and a connecting portion connected together, wherein the needle body passes through the guide collar and is inserted into the valve port, the needle body having a main body section and a tip distributed along the axial direction, the main body section being clearance-fitted with the guide collar, the needle body being clearance-fitted with the valve port, and the connecting portion having a portion located in the inner cavity of the nut and being clearance-set with the inner wall surface of the nut;
[0010] Wherein, the fit clearance between the connecting part and the nut is greater than the minimum fit clearance between the needle body and the inner wall surface of the valve port, and the fit clearance between the needle body and the guide collar is greater than the minimum fit clearance between the needle body and the inner wall surface of the valve port.
[0011] Optionally, it may also include a guide collar, which is installed in the valve cavity and located on the side of the nut near the valve port.
[0012] Optionally, the clearance between the connecting part and the nut is greater than the clearance between the needle body and the guide collar.
[0013] Optionally, the nut is provided with a threaded hole and a first guide hole that are connected. The threaded hole is located on the side of the first guide hole away from the valve port. The connecting part is clearance-fitted to the first guide hole. The electronic expansion valve also includes a valve stem. One end of the valve stem is driven to be connected to the connecting part. The other end of the valve stem is threaded to the threaded hole and clearance-fitted. The clearance between the valve stem and the threaded hole is greater than the clearance between the connecting part and the first guide hole.
[0014] Optionally, the guide collar has a first clearance hole and a second guide hole that are distributed and connected along the axial direction. The needle body passes through the second guide hole, and the end of the connecting part that is connected to the needle body protrudes out of the inner cavity of the nut and is accommodated in the first clearance hole.
[0015] Optionally, the guide collar is further provided with a second clearance hole, which is connected to the end of the first clearance hole away from the second guide hole, and the nut portion is accommodated in the second clearance hole.
[0016] Optionally, the needle body has a first end remote from the connecting portion, the first end being inserted into the valve port, the connecting portion has a second end remote from the needle body, and the electronic expansion valve further includes:
[0017] The bearing is fixedly mounted to the second end via its outer ring;
[0018] A valve stem, movably inserted into the inner ring of the bearing; and
[0019] The elastic element is connected at one end to the valve stem and at the other end to the bearing.
[0020] Optionally, the connecting portion is recessed at the second end toward the first end to form a mounting groove, and the bearing is fixedly mounted in the mounting groove by the outer ring.
[0021] Optionally, the mounting groove is provided with a first limiting part and a second limiting part distributed at both ends of the bearing. The first limiting part and the second limiting part are fixed relative to the mounting groove and respectively abut against the two end faces of the outer ring of the bearing.
[0022] Optionally, the mounting groove has a first groove segment and a second groove segment distributed in the axial direction, the inner diameter of the first groove segment is larger than the inner diameter of the second groove segment, and a limiting step is formed at the connection between the first groove segment and the second groove segment, the first limiting part being the limiting step.
[0023] Optionally, the second limiting part is a limiting collar that abuts against the end face of the outer ring of the bearing away from the first end, and the valve stem passes through the limiting collar and is then inserted into the bearing.
[0024] Optionally, the electronic expansion valve further includes a drive collar fixedly sleeved on the end of the valve needle, the drive collar being located on the side of the bearing closer to the first end.
[0025] Optionally, the elastic element is configured as a spring, and the peripheral wall of the valve stem is provided with a flange on the side of the bearing away from the first end. The spring is sleeved on the valve stem, with one end abutting against the flange and the other end abutting against the end face of the bearing.
[0026] Optionally, the outer wall of the guide collar is provided with an installation step, and the inner wall of the valve body is provided with a corresponding step space, and the installation step is engaged with the step space.
[0027] Optionally, the valve housing has a refrigerant inlet on its side wall, and the guide collar has a flow guide cone surface relative to the refrigerant inlet.
[0028] The present invention also proposes a refrigeration device, including the aforementioned electronic expansion valve.
[0029] In the electronic expansion valve of the present invention, when a foreign object is stuck between the valve port and the valve needle, even if the needle body is deflected relative to the valve port, because the fit clearance between the needle body and the guide collar is greater than the minimum fit clearance between the tip and the inner wall surface of the valve port, there is sufficient room for movement between the needle body and the guide collar. Even if the needle body is driven to tilt relative to the guide collar, it will not jam with the guide collar, but will still maintain a certain gap with the inner wall surface of the guide collar, thus not affecting the up and down movement of the valve needle. Similarly, because the fit clearance between the connecting part and the nut is greater than the minimum fit clearance between the needle body and the inner wall surface of the valve port, there is also sufficient room for movement between the connecting part and the inner wall surface of the nut. Likewise, after the connecting part is driven to tilt relative to the nut by the needle body, it will not jam with the nut, but will still maintain a certain gap with the inner wall surface of the nut, thus not affecting the up and down movement of the valve needle. In summary, when a foreign object gets stuck between the valve needle body and the valve port, the valve needle can still move smoothly in the up and down directions because the needle body has sufficient deviation space inside the guide collar and the connecting part has sufficient deviation space inside the nut. This effectively prevents the valve needle from getting stuck. At the same time, it can also prevent the eccentricity caused by the coaxiality deviation of the valve needle and valve stem during the assembly process from affecting the movement of the valve needle. Attached Figure Description
[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.
[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the electronic expansion valve of the present invention;
[0032] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;
[0033] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle;
[0034] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point C;
[0035] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point D;
[0036] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point E in the middle;
[0037] Figure 7 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the electronic expansion valve of the present invention;
[0038] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A magnified view of a section at point F in the middle;
[0039] Figure 9 for Figure 7 A magnified view of a section at point G in the middle;
[0040] Figure 10 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the electronic expansion valve of the present invention.
[0041] Explanation of icon numbers:
[0042]
[0043]
[0044] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation
[0045] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0046] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.
[0047] The terms "connection," "installation," and "fixation" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.
[0048] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, if the word "and / or" appears throughout the text, it means including three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.
[0049] This invention proposes an electronic expansion valve.
[0050] Please see Figures 1 to 4The electronic expansion valve includes: a valve housing 100, a nut 200, a guide collar 400, and a valve needle 500. The valve housing 100 has a valve cavity 103 and a valve port 104 communicating with the valve cavity 103. The nut 200 and the guide collar 400 are installed in the valve cavity 103. The guide collar 400 is located on the side of the nut 200 near the valve port 104. The valve needle 500 includes a needle body 510 and a connecting part 520 connected to each other. The needle body 510 passes through the guide collar 400 and is inserted into the valve port 104. The needle body 510 and the guide collar 400, as well as the needle body 510 and the valve port 104, are clearance fit. The connecting part 520 has a portion located in the inner cavity of the nut 200 and is clearance-set with the inner wall surface of the nut 200.
[0051] The fit clearance between the connecting part 520 and the nut 200 is greater than the minimum fit clearance between the needle body 510 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104, and the fit clearance between the needle body 510 and the guide collar 400 is greater than the minimum fit clearance between the needle body 510 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104.
[0052] Specifically, the valve housing 100 includes an outer cover 101 and a valve seat 102 fixedly connected to the outer cover 101. The outer cover 101 and the valve seat 102 enclose a valve cavity 103. The electronic expansion valve also includes a valve stem 300 and a magnetic rotor 900 disposed in the valve cavity 103. The magnetic rotor 900 can rotate relative to the valve housing 100. The nut 200 is fixedly connected to the valve seat 102. The magnetic rotor 900 drives the valve stem 300 to move, thereby driving the valve needle 500 to move relative to the valve port 104, thereby controlling the flow rate of the electronic expansion valve.
[0053] The nut 200 has a mounting hole 210 extending axially therefrom. The mounting hole 210 includes a first guide hole 212. The connecting part 520 located within the inner cavity of the nut 200 is partially fitted into the first guide hole 212 with a clearance. The clearance between the connecting part 520 and the nut 200 is the clearance between the outer wall surface of the connecting part 520 and the inner wall surface of the first guide hole 212 (i.e., Figure 4 (D3 in the text). The needle body 510 has a main body section 511 and a tip 512 distributed along the axial direction. The guide collar 400 is provided with a second guide hole 401. The main body section 511 passes through the second guide hole 401 and is clearance-fitted with the second guide hole 401. The fit clearance between the needle body 510 and the guide collar 400 is the gap between the outer wall surface of the main body section 511 and the inner wall surface of the second guide hole (i.e., Figure 3(D2 in the text). The tip 512 is inserted into the valve port 104 and has a clearance fit with the inner wall surface of the valve port 104. The minimum fit clearance between the needle body 510 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104 is the minimum fit clearance between the tip 512 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104 (i.e., D2 in the text). Figure 2 (D1 in the text). Furthermore, due to the existence of this minimum fitting clearance, when the valve needle 500 closes the valve port 104, there is a certain gap between the outer wall surface of the tip 512 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104, which reduces the friction between the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104, preventing the valve needle 500 from jamming. Specifically, the depth of the second guide hole 401 is greater than or equal to 1 mm to satisfy the maximum axial movement of the needle body 510, thereby providing guidance during the axial movement of the needle body 510.
[0054] It is understood that the first guide hole 212 and the second guide hole 401 should be coaxial with the valve port 104. The nut 200 provides guidance for the axial movement of the connecting part 520 through the first guide hole 212, and the guide collar 400 provides guidance for the main body section 511 of the needle body 510 through the second guide hole 401, so as to ensure that the valve needle 500 as a whole can maintain a high degree of coaxiality with the valve port 104, which can reduce the friction between the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104 and ensure the stability of the axial movement of the valve needle 500. Alternatively, the needle body 510 and the connecting part 520 can be integrally formed to improve the production efficiency of the valve needle 500; or the needle body 510 and the connecting part 520 can be separately formed and then fixedly connected to simplify the mold structure and ensure the yield of finished products.
[0055] In the electronic expansion valve of the present invention, when a foreign object is stuck between the valve port 104 and the valve needle 500, even if the tip 512 of the needle body 510 deflects, because the fitting clearance between the main body section 511 of the needle body 510 and the second guide hole 401 is greater than the minimum fitting clearance between the tip 512 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104, there is sufficient room for movement between the main body section 511 and the inner wall surface of the second guide hole 401. Even if the main body section 511 is moved to tilt relative to the second guide hole 401, it will not jam with the second guide hole 401, but will still maintain a certain distance from the inner wall surface of the second guide hole 401. The gap will not affect the up-and-down movement of the needle body 510. Since the gap between the outer wall of the connecting part 520 and the inner wall of the nut 200 is greater than the minimum fitting gap between the tip 512 and the inner wall of the valve port 104, there is also sufficient room for movement between the connecting part 520 and the first guide hole 212 of the nut 200. Similarly, after the connecting part 520 is driven to tilt relative to the inner wall of the first guide hole 212, it will not be stuck with the first guide hole 212, but will still maintain a certain gap with the inner wall of the first guide hole 212. Thus, it will not affect the overall up-and-down movement of the valve needle 500. In summary, when a foreign object gets stuck between the tip 512 of the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104, the valve needle 500 can still move smoothly in the vertical direction because the main body section 511 of the valve needle 500 has sufficient deviation space in the inner cavity of the guide collar 400 and the connecting part 520 has sufficient deviation space in the inner cavity of the nut 200. This effectively prevents the valve needle 500 from getting stuck. At the same time, it can also prevent the eccentricity caused by the coaxiality deviation between the valve stem 300 and the valve needle 500 during the assembly process from affecting the axial movement of the valve needle 500.
[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the clearance between the connecting part 520 and the nut 200 is greater than the clearance between the needle body 510 and the guide collar 400. That is, the clearance D3 between the outer wall surface of the connecting part 520 and the inner wall surface of the first guide hole 212 is greater than the clearance D2 between the outer wall surface of the main body section 511 and the inner wall surface of the second guide hole 401. It can be understood that when the valve port 104 is opened, the tip 512 of the needle body 510 disengages from the valve port 104. At this time, if a foreign object gets stuck in the gap between the main body section 511 and the second guide hole 401, even if the main body section 511 is tilted relative to the second guide hole 401, causing the connecting part 520 to tilt relative to the first guide hole 212, the connecting part 520 will not be stuck with the first guide hole 212, but will still maintain a certain clearance with the inner wall surface of the first guide hole 212. Thus, it will not affect the overall up and down movement of the valve needle 500.
[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as Figure 1As shown, the mounting hole 210 also includes a threaded hole 211, which is located on the side of the first guide hole 212 away from the valve port 104. One end of the valve stem 300 is driven to the connecting part 520, and the other end of the valve stem 300 is threaded to the threaded hole 211. Thus, the coil drives the magnetic rotor 900 to rotate, and the magnetic rotor 900 drives the valve stem 300 to rotate. Through the threaded engagement with the nut 200, the valve stem 300 can simultaneously rotate circumferentially and move axially. The valve stem 300 then drives the valve needle 500 to move axially upward or downward, thereby controlling the flow rate of the electronic expansion valve. The clearance fit between the threaded section of the valve stem 300 and the threaded hole 211 allows the valve stem 300 to have a certain radial movement deviation relative to the nut 200. This allows the valve stem 300 and the nut 200 to further absorb concentric deviations, thereby improving the overall coaxiality.
[0058] In this embodiment, the clearance between the valve stem 300 and the threaded hole 211 is greater than the clearance between the connecting part 520 and the first guide hole 212 (i.e., D3). It can be understood that the valve stem 300 and the valve needle 500 are coaxially fitted. When the connecting part 520 is tilted relative to the first guide hole 212, since the minimum clearance between the valve stem 300 and the nut 200 occurs between the threaded section of the valve stem 300 and the threaded hole 211, and this clearance is greater than the clearance between the connecting part 520 and the first guide hole 212, there is sufficient room for movement between the valve stem 300 and the threaded section and the threaded hole 211. Even if the valve stem 300 is moved and tilts relative to the nut 200, the threaded section of the valve stem 300 will not jam with the threaded hole 211 of the nut 200, and will not affect the up-and-down movement of the valve needle 500 of the electronic expansion valve.
[0059] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 , Figure 7 and Figure 10In some embodiments, the needle body 510 has a first end 501 (i.e., the end where the tip 512 is located) away from the connecting portion 520. The first end 501 is inserted into the valve port 104. The connecting portion 520 has a second end 502 away from the needle body 510. The electronic expansion valve further includes a bearing 600 and an elastic element 310. The bearing 600 is fixedly mounted to the second end 502 via an outer ring. The valve stem 300 is movably inserted into the bearing 600 and coaxially engages with the valve needle 500. One end of the elastic element 310 is connected to the valve stem 300, and the other end is connected to the bearing 600. Specifically, the end of the elastic element 310 is connected to the end face of the inner ring of the bearing 600 away from the first end 501. Thus, the valve stem 300 can drive the valve needle 500 to move axially via the elastic element 310. Furthermore, by cooperating with the bearing 600, when the valve stem 300 rotates circumferentially, even if the inner ring of the bearing 600 is driven to rotate with the valve stem 300, the outer ring of the bearing 600, which is fixedly connected to the valve needle 500, can remain stationary circumferentially, and the valve needle 500 will not be driven to rotate circumferentially. In this embodiment, by cooperating with the bearing 600, the circumferential movement transmitted from the valve stem 300 to the valve needle 500 is counteracted. The valve stem 300, through the elastic element 310 cooperating with the bearing 600, transmits axial movement to the valve needle 500. Thus, the valve needle 500 only performs axial movement and does not rotate relative to the valve port 104, which helps to reduce wear between the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104, thereby ensuring the operational reliability of the electronic expansion valve.
[0060] Optionally, the end of the elastic element 310 is connected to the end face of the valve stem 300 and the inner ring of the bearing 600 by abutment or embedment. Specifically, the end of the elastic element 310 can directly abut against the end face of the valve stem 300 or the inner ring of the bearing 600, or it can indirectly abut against the end face of the valve stem 300 or the inner ring of the bearing 600 through other parts. Without loss of generality, in this embodiment, such as... Figure 7 and Figure 10 As shown, the elastic element 310 is configured as a spring, and the peripheral wall of the valve stem 300 is provided with a flange portion 320. The spring is sleeved on the valve stem 300, with one end abutting against the flange portion 320 and the other end abutting against the end face of the bearing 600, so as to respectively realize the connection between the spring and the end faces of the valve stem 300 and the inner ring of the bearing 600. Of course, in other embodiments, the elastic element 310 can also be configured as a spring sheet, an elastic rubber sleeve, or an elastic silicone sleeve.
[0061] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 , Figure 7 and Figure 10As shown, the connecting portion 520 is recessed at the second end 502 towards the first end 501 to form a mounting groove 530. The bearing 600 is fixedly mounted in the mounting groove 530 by its outer ring. Thus, the bearing 600 is not exposed, and the mating structure between the bearing 600 and the mounting groove 530 is also contained within the mounting groove 530, making it less susceptible to impact and ensuring a stable connection between the bearing 600 and the mounting groove 530. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the end face of the second end 502 can be planar, and the bearing 600 can be fixedly mounted on the end face of the second end 502. In this case, a gap can be left between the inner ring of the bearing 600 and the end face of the second end 502, allowing the inner ring of the bearing 600 to be driven and rotate relative to the connecting portion 520, thus preventing the valve needle 500 from rotating circumferentially.
[0062] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 and Figure 10 As shown, the mounting groove 530 has a clearance space 531 located on the side of the bearing 600 away from the second end 502. The valve stem 300 passes through the bearing 600, and the end of the valve stem 300 protrudes from the clearance space 531. Thus, the end of the valve stem 300 can move into the clearance space 531 to compress the spring, thereby providing preload to the valve needle 500. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the axial length of the bearing 600 can be extended to provide sufficient space for the axial movement of the valve stem 300, ensuring that the spring can be compressed into position to provide sufficient preload to the valve needle 500.
[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mounting groove 530 is provided with a first limiting part and a second limiting part distributed at both ends of the bearing 600. The first limiting part and the second limiting part are fixed relative to the mounting groove 530 and respectively abut against the two end faces of the outer ring of the bearing 600. In this way, by limiting the axial sides of the bearing 600, the bearing 600 can be fixedly installed in the mounting groove 530.
[0064] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7As shown, the mounting groove 530 has a first groove segment and a second groove segment distributed axially. The inner diameter of the first groove segment is larger than the inner diameter of the second groove segment. A limiting step 532 is formed at the connection between the first groove segment and the second groove segment, and the first limiting part is the limiting step 532. Further, the second limiting part is a limiting collar 700 that abuts against the end face of the outer ring of the bearing 600 away from the first end 501. The valve stem 300 passes through the limiting collar 700 and is then inserted into the bearing 600. Without loss of generality, the limiting collar 700 is fixedly connected to the groove wall of the mounting groove 530 by welding. It is understood that both the limiting step 532 and the limiting collar 700 should only abut against the end face of the outer ring of the bearing 600 to simultaneously restrict the axial movement and circumferential rotation of the outer ring of the bearing 600. The axial movement of the inner ring of the bearing 600 will also be restricted, but the circumferential rotation of the inner ring of the bearing 600 will not be affected, so as to ensure that the inner ring of the bearing 600 can be driven by the valve stem 300, thereby counteracting the circumferential rotation of the valve stem 300. Moreover, the cooperation between the limiting step 532 and the limiting collar 700 can provide a large clamping force in the axial direction of the bearing 600, which can prevent friction between the outer surface of the bearing 600 and the groove wall of the mounting groove 530, thereby ensuring that the bearing 600 can be stably installed in the mounting groove 530.
[0065] Furthermore, such as Figure 9 As shown, the limiting collar 700 includes a first guide section 710 and a first connecting section 720 that are axially distributed and connected to each other. The first connecting section 720 is connected to the groove wall of the first groove section. The outer diameter of the first guide section 710 gradually decreases from the end connected to the first connecting section 720 toward the end away from the first connecting section 720. Thus, guided by the first guide section 710, the limiting collar 700 can be inserted into the mounting groove 530 with less effort. Of course, in other embodiments, the end face of the first groove section away from the second groove section may be provided with a guide structure, which can guide both the limiting collar 700 and the bearing 600 into the mounting groove 530.
[0066] Furthermore, such as Figure 9 As shown, each end of the first connecting segment 720 is connected to a first guide segment 710. That is, both ends of the limiting collar 700 have guide structures, so during assembly of the limiting collar 700, it is not necessary to distinguish the direction; either end of the limiting collar 700 can be guided by the first guide segment 710 when inserted into the mounting groove 530. Thus, by implementing a foolproof design for the limiting collar 700, the production efficiency of the electronic expansion valve of this invention can be improved.
[0067] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10As shown, the bearing 600 is fixed in the mounting groove 530 by riveting. Specifically, the groove wall of the first groove segment includes a main body 533 and a riveting part 534. The riveting part 534 is connected to the groove wall of the second groove segment through the main body 533. That is, the riveting part 534 is the end of the groove wall of the first groove segment. After the bearing 600 is installed on the limiting step 532, the outer ring of the bearing 600 abuts against the groove wall surface of the first groove segment, which can restrict the outer ring of the bearing 600 in the circumferential direction, thereby further improving the installation stability of the bearing 600. Then, by bending the riveting part 534 so that the riveting part 534 abuts against the end face of the outer ring of the bearing 600, the bearing 600 can be riveted and fixed in the mounting groove 530. The groove wall thickness of the riveting part 534 is less than that of the main body part 533, which allows for easier bending of the riveting part 534 and facilitates more convenient and faster riveting of the bearing 600. In this embodiment, the riveting part 534 and the limiting step 532 serve as the first limiting part and the second limiting part, respectively, to fix the bearing 600 to the mounting groove 530.
[0068] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 and Figure 10 As shown, the electronic expansion valve further includes a drive collar 800 fixedly sleeved on the end of the valve needle 500. The drive collar 800 is located on the side of the bearing 600 near the first end 501 and is detachably abutted against the end face of the bearing 600. Thus, when the valve stem 300 moves axially upward, the limiting collar 700 abuts against the end face of the bearing 600, and the limiting collar 700 is driven axially upward by the bearing 600. The bearing 600 is subjected to a pushing force and will also move upward accordingly. The valve needle 500, which is fixedly connected to the bearing 600, will also move upward accordingly. Of course, in other embodiments, the valve stem 300 may also have a drive protrusion on the periphery of its end. In this way, when the valve stem 300 moves axially upward, the drive protrusion abuts against the end face of the bearing 600, which can also drive the valve needle 500 to move upward.
[0069] Furthermore, such as Figure 8 As shown, the valve needle 500 has a positioning step 330 at its end, and the drive collar 800 abuts against the positioning step 330. Thus, during the installation of the drive collar 800 onto the valve needle 500, the positioning step 330 serves a positioning function; when the end face of the drive collar 800 abuts against the positioning step 330, it indicates that the drive collar 800 is properly installed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the positioning step 330 may be provided on the inner side of the drive collar 800; when the end of the valve stem 300 abuts against this positioning step 330, it indicates that the drive collar 800 is properly installed.
[0070] Furthermore, such as Figure 8As shown, the drive collar 800 includes a second guide section 820 and a second connecting section 810 distributed axially. The valve stem 300 is interference-fitted with the second connecting section 810. The second guide section 820 is located on the side of the second connecting section 810 closer to the bearing 600, and the inner diameter of the second guide section 820 gradually increases from the end closer to the second connecting section 810 toward the end farther from the second connecting section 810. Thus, the second guide section 820 can guide the valve stem 300 and the drive collar 800 during assembly, making the insertion of the valve stem 300 into the drive collar 800 easier and faster.
[0071] Furthermore, such as Figure 8 As shown, the drive collar 800 further includes a transition section 830 located on the side of the second connecting section 810 near the bearing 600, and the drive collar 800 has two second guide sections 820. The transition section 830 is connected to the end face of the drive collar 800 through one second guide section 820 and to the second connecting section 810 through the other second guide section 820. That is, between the end of the drive collar 800 near the bearing 600 and the end away from the bearing 600, the second guide section 820, the transition section 830, the second guide section 820, and the second connecting section 810 are connected in sequence, wherein the transition section 830 has a clearance fit with the valve stem 300. When assembling the drive collar 800, the valve stem 300 should be inserted from the end of the drive collar 800 closest to the bearing 600. This will allow the end of the valve stem 300 to first contact the position with the largest inner diameter of the second guide section 820 at that end of the drive collar 800, facilitating the alignment and insertion of the valve stem 300. Guided by the second guide section 820, the end of the valve stem 300 can be inserted into the transition section 830 with relatively little effort, and then through the transition section 830 to another second guide section 820. This second guide section 820 guides the valve stem 300 into the second connecting section 810. Since the second connecting section 810 has an interference fit with the valve stem 300, after the end of the valve stem 300 enters the second connecting section 810, it is necessary to increase the force to allow the valve stem 300 to continue inserting into the drive collar 800 until the drive collar 800 abuts against the positioning step 330. This allows for easier and faster assembly of the drive collar 800 and valve stem 300, which helps improve the production efficiency of electronic expansion valves.
[0072] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6In some embodiments, the guide collar 400 is further provided with a first clearance hole 402 that is axially distributed and connected to the second guide hole 401. One end of the connecting portion 520 connected to the needle body 510 protrudes from the inner cavity of the nut 200 and is accommodated in the first clearance hole 402. Further, the guide collar 400 is also provided with a second clearance hole 403, which communicates with the end of the first clearance hole 402 away from the second guide hole 401. The nut 200 is partially accommodated in the second clearance hole 403. It can be understood that the second guide hole 401 of the guide collar 400 needs to guide the valve needle 500, and the valve needle 500 is located close to the valve port 104. If the guide collar 400 is connected to the valve housing 100 through the outer wall of the second guide hole 401, it can easily affect the flow of refrigerant near the valve port 104. In this embodiment, a first clearance hole 402 of the clearance connection portion 520 and a second clearance hole 403 of the clearance nut 200 are sequentially provided on the side of the second guide hole 401 away from the valve port 104. Thus, the guide collar 400 is fixedly connected to the valve body 100 through the outer wall of the first clearance hole 402 or the outer wall of the second clearance hole 403. This means that the connection structure between the guide collar 400 and the valve body 100 has an adverse effect on the flow of refrigerant.
[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the outer wall of the guide collar 400 is provided with a mounting step 410, and the inner wall of the valve body 100 is provided with a corresponding step space 110. The mounting step 410 engages with the step space 110. Specifically, the mounting step 410 is formed on the outer wall opposite to the first clearance hole 402 and the second clearance hole 403. The engagement of the mounting step 410 with the step space 110 allows the guide collar 400 to be fixedly installed on the valve body 100.
[0074] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 As shown, the stepped space 110 is formed by a first stepped surface 111 and a second stepped surface 112 connected together. The mounting step 410 includes a third stepped surface 411 abutting against the first stepped surface 111 and a fourth stepped surface 412 abutting against the second stepped surface 112. The first stepped surface 111 is arranged parallel to the axial direction of the guide collar 400. At least one of the end of the first stepped surface 111 away from the second stepped surface 112 and the end of the third stepped surface 411 near the fourth stepped surface 412 is provided with a guide structure to guide the mounting step 410 into the stepped space 110 when the guide collar 400 is assembled to the valve body 100.
[0075] Specifically, in this embodiment, a first guide surface 113 is provided on the side of the first step surface 111 away from the second step surface 112. The first guide surface 113 is gradually moved away from the third step surface 411 in a direction away from the first step surface 111. Further, two second guide surfaces 413 are provided at the end of the third step surface 411 near the fourth step surface 412. The second guide surfaces 413 are gradually moved closer to the first step surface 111 in a direction away from the fourth step surface 412. A transition surface 414 is provided between the two second guide surfaces 413. The transition surface 414 is parallel to the axial direction of the guide collar 400. The transition surface 414 is connected to the third step surface 411 through one of the second guide surfaces 413 and to the fourth step surface 412 through the other guide surface. To obtain the best guiding effect, the first guide surface 113 and the second guide surface 413 can be arranged in parallel, that is, parallel or approximately parallel.
[0076] During the assembly of the guide collar 400 into the valve body 100, the second guide surface 413, which is closer to the fourth step surface 412, first enters the space inside the first guide surface 113. Then, as the installation step 410 gradually engages with the step space 110, the transition surface 414, the other guide surface, and the third step surface 411 sequentially enter the space inside the first guide surface 113. In this process, at least one of the first guide surface 113 and the second guide surface 413 can guide the assembly until the third step surface 411 contacts the first step surface 111. Thus, through the stepped guide structure, the assembly of the guide collar 400 into the valve body 100 can be more labor-saving and faster, which is beneficial to improving the production efficiency of electronic expansion valves.
[0077] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the valve housing 100 has a refrigerant inlet 105 on its side wall, and the guide collar 400 has a flow-guiding cone surface 420 opposite to the refrigerant inlet 105. Thus, when the refrigerant flows between the refrigerant inlet 105 and the valve port 104, the flow-guiding cone surface 420 can guide the refrigerant flow, preventing turbulent refrigerant flow and thus affecting the working performance of the electronic expansion valve.
[0078] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the valve chamber 103 includes a first valve chamber 1031 and a second valve chamber 1032 located on both axial sides of the guide collar 400. The guide collar 400 or the valve housing 100 is provided with a balance channel for connecting the first valve chamber 1031 and the second valve chamber 1032. Due to the balance channel, the air pressure in the first valve chamber 1031 and the second valve chamber 1032 can be balanced, which helps to ensure the stability of the internal pressure of the electronic expansion valve, reduces the operating resistance of the valve needle 500, and thus ensures the working performance of the electronic expansion valve.
[0079] Optionally, at least one of the first step surface 111 and the third step surface 411 is recessed with a first air passage groove, and at least one of the second step surface 112 and the fourth step surface 412 is recessed with a second air passage groove communicating with the first air passage groove, so as to form the balance channel in the first air passage groove and the second air passage groove. Without loss of generality, in one embodiment, the first step surface 111, the second step surface 112, the third step surface 411 and the fourth step surface 412 are all set as annular, so that the mounting step 410 and the step space 110 are both annular. The first step surface 111 and the third step surface 411 have both abutting portions and recessed portions forming the first air passage groove. Similarly, the second step surface 112 and the fourth step surface 412 have both abutting portions and recessed portions forming the second air passage groove. In this way, it can be ensured that the mounting step 410 is stably engaged in the step space 110, and a balance channel can be formed for the first valve chamber 1031 and the second valve chamber 1032 to communicate. In this embodiment, the first valve chamber 1031 is located on the side of the guide collar 400 away from the valve port 104. The two ends of the first air passage groove are respectively connected to one end of the first valve chamber 1031 and one end of the second air passage groove, and the other end of the second air passage groove is connected to the second valve chamber 1032. In this way, the first valve chamber 1031 and the second valve chamber 1032 can be connected, which is beneficial to ensure the stability of the internal pressure of the electronic expansion valve, thereby ensuring the working stability of the electronic expansion valve.
[0080] Optionally, such as Figure 6As shown, the outer wall of the guide collar 400 is also provided with a connecting surface 430. The mounting step 410 is connected to the guide cone surface 420 through the connecting surface 430. The connecting surface 430 has an air passage 440 that penetrates the inner wall of the guide collar 400 to form the balance channel within the air passage 440. Specifically, there is a gap between the connecting surface 430 and the inner wall surface of the valve housing 100, and the connecting surface 430 is positioned relative to the first clearance hole 402. The air passage 440 penetrates from the connecting surface 430 to the inner wall surface of the first clearance hole 402. In this way, the first valve cavity 1031 can be connected to the first clearance hole 402 through the air passage 440. It can be understood that the first clearance hole 402 is for accommodating the connecting part 520, and there is a large gap between it and the connecting part 520. Similarly, the second clearance hole 403 is for accommodating the nut 200, and there is also a large gap between it and the nut 200. Therefore, the spaces within the first clearance hole 402 and the second clearance hole 403 both belong to the space of the second valve chamber 1032. The first valve chamber 1031 is connected to the first clearance hole 402, which is also connected to the second valve chamber 1032, thus ensuring the stability of the internal pressure of the electronic expansion valve and thereby ensuring the operational stability of the electronic expansion valve.
[0081] This invention also proposes a refrigeration device, which includes an electronic expansion valve. The specific structure of the electronic expansion valve is as described in the above embodiments. Since this refrigeration device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it possesses at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated further here. The refrigeration device can be an air conditioner, a freezer, a refrigerator, a heat pump water heater, etc.
[0082] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An electronic expansion valve, characterized in that, include: A valve housing, wherein the valve housing is provided with a valve cavity and a valve port communicating with the valve cavity; Nuts are installed inside the valve cavity; A guide collar, the guide collar being installed within the valve cavity and located on the side of the nut closer to the valve port; and A valve needle, comprising a needle body and a connecting portion connected together, wherein the needle body passes through the guide collar and is inserted into the valve port, the needle body having a main body section and a tip distributed along the axial direction, the main body section being clearance-fitted with the guide collar, the needle body being clearance-fitted with the valve port, and the connecting portion having a portion located in the inner cavity of the nut and being clearance-set with the inner wall surface of the nut; Wherein, the fit clearance between the connecting part and the nut is greater than the minimum fit clearance between the needle body and the inner wall surface of the valve port, and the fit clearance between the needle body and the guide collar is greater than the minimum fit clearance between the needle body and the inner wall surface of the valve port. The nut is provided with a connected threaded hole and a first guide hole. The threaded hole is located on the side of the first guide hole away from the valve port. The connecting part is clearance-fitted to the first guide hole. The electronic expansion valve also includes a valve stem. One end of the valve stem is driven to be connected to the connecting part. The other end of the valve stem is threaded to the threaded hole and clearance-fitted. The clearance between the valve stem and the threaded hole is greater than the clearance between the connecting part and the first guide hole. The valve chamber includes a first valve chamber and a second valve chamber located on both axial sides of the guide collar, and the guide collar or the valve housing is provided with a balance channel for connecting the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber.
2. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The clearance between the connecting part and the nut is greater than the clearance between the needle body and the guide collar.
3. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The guide collar has a first clearance hole and a second guide hole that are distributed and connected along the axial direction. The needle body passes through the second guide hole. The end of the connecting part that is connected to the needle body protrudes out of the inner cavity of the nut and is accommodated in the first clearance hole.
4. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The guide collar is also provided with a second clearance hole, which is connected to the end of the first clearance hole away from the second guide hole, and the nut portion is accommodated in the second clearance hole.
5. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The needle body has a first end away from the connecting portion, the first end being inserted into the valve port, and the connecting portion has a second end away from the needle body. The electronic expansion valve further includes: The bearing is fixedly mounted to the second end via its outer ring; A valve stem, movably inserted into the inner ring of the bearing; and The elastic element is connected at one end to the valve stem and at the other end to the bearing.
6. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The connecting portion is recessed at the second end toward the first end to form a mounting groove, and the bearing is fixedly installed in the mounting groove by the outer ring.
7. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The mounting groove is provided with a first limiting part and a second limiting part distributed at both ends of the bearing. The first limiting part and the second limiting part are fixed relative to the mounting groove and respectively abut against the two end faces of the outer ring of the bearing.
8. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The mounting groove has a first groove segment and a second groove segment distributed in the axial direction. The inner diameter of the first groove segment is larger than the inner diameter of the second groove segment. A limiting step is formed at the connection between the first groove segment and the second groove segment. The first limiting part is the limiting step. And / or, the second limiting part is a limiting collar that abuts against the end face of the outer ring of the bearing away from the first end, and the valve stem passes through the limiting collar and is then inserted into the bearing.
9. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The electronic expansion valve also includes a drive collar fixedly sleeved on the end of the valve stem, the drive collar being located on the side of the bearing closer to the first end.
10. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The elastic element is configured as a spring, and the peripheral wall of the valve stem is provided with a flange on the side of the bearing away from the first end. The spring is sleeved on the valve stem, with one end abutting against the flange and the other end abutting against the end face of the bearing.
11. The electronic expansion valve according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The outer wall of the guide collar is provided with an installation step, and the inner wall of the valve body is provided with a corresponding step space, and the installation step is engaged with the step space; And / or, the side wall of the valve housing is provided with a refrigerant inlet, and the guide collar is provided with a guide cone surface relative to the refrigerant inlet.
12. A refrigeration device, characterized in that, Includes the electronic expansion valve as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.