Valve device

Abstract

Provided is a valve device capable of improving the sealability of a joint portion of a valve housing and a joint member. An electric valve (1) includes a valve housing (2), a guide member (3), a main valve core (4), a sub valve core (5), and a drive portion (6). A first joint pipe (11) is inserted into a first port (21) of the valve housing (2), and a plurality of protruding portions (111) to (114) are formed on an outer peripheral surface (11A) of the first joint pipe (11) in the circumferential direction. The protruding portions (112, 114) are in contact with an inner peripheral surface (21A) of the first port (21), whereby the inner peripheral surface (21A) is separated from the outer peripheral surface (11A) throughout the circumferential direction and a gap portion is formed that is open to the outside of the valve housing (2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a valve device. Background Technology

[0002] Conventionally, as valve devices, electric valves have been proposed in which a refrigerant inlet / outlet pipe is inserted and fixed into the side of a valve body having a valve chamber formed inside (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the electric valve described in Patent Document 1, a recess is provided in the pipe at a position abutting against the side wall of the valve body, thereby ensuring reliable engagement.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-329347 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0007] When recesses (protrusions) are provided as described in Patent Document 1, in the state before brazing-based fixing operations, increasing the number or size of the protrusions to increase the contact area can easily suppress wobbling between the valve body (valve shell) and the piping (connector assembly). However, depending on the material combination and contact pressure, the brazing filler metal may sometimes have difficulty penetrating the contact area, and increasing the contact area may become a cause of fluid leakage.

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a valve device that can improve the sealing performance of the joint between the valve body and the connector component.

[0009] A valve device according to the present invention comprises: a valve housing formed in a cylindrical shape and having an opening in a curved surface; a valve core disposed in a valve chamber inside the valve housing; a cylindrical connector member inserted into the opening; and a fixing portion having brazing filler metal provided thereon for fixing the valve housing and the connector member. The valve device is characterized in that a plurality of protrusions are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connector member along its circumferential direction, and the protrusions contact a portion of the inner peripheral surface of the opening in the extending direction of the connector member, thereby forming a gap portion in which the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface are completely separated in the circumferential direction, and the gap portion has a portion that opens to the outside of the valve housing.

[0010] According to the present invention as described above, the gap is open to the outside of the valve body, thereby allowing the solder to be melted and placed on the outside of the valve body relative to the opening, thus enabling the solder to be filled into the gap. Since the inner circumferential surface of the valve body opening is circumferentially (i.e., continuously) separated from the outer circumferential surface of the connector component, the soldering strength is easily ensured when filling the gap, and leakage can be suppressed circumferentially at the joint between the valve body and the connector component, thereby improving sealing performance.

[0011] In this case, in the valve device of the present invention, it is preferable to cut the valve housing with a plane orthogonal to the axial direction to obtain a cross section, such that the size of the circumferential opening of the valve housing is maximized. In this cross section, an imaginary line segment connecting the central portion of the valve housing in the wall thickness direction at one end of the inner circumferential surface of the opening and the central portion of the valve housing in the wall thickness direction at the other end intersects an imaginary arc in the inner circumferential surface of the valve housing corresponding to the formation position of the opening. According to this structure, even when the imaginary line segment intersects the imaginary arc, i.e., when the diameter of the opening is larger than the diameter of the valve housing and the wall thickness of the valve housing is thinner, the sealing performance at the joint between the valve housing and the connector component can be improved.

[0012] Furthermore, in the valve device of the present invention, it is preferable that the entire protrusion is disposed inside the outer peripheral surface of the valve housing. When the protrusion has a shape that gradually protrudes towards the apex in the extending direction of the connector member (e.g., a mountain-shaped cross-section), the gap decreases as it approaches the apex, i.e., the space for placing molten brazing filler metal is reduced. If the entire protrusion is located inside the outer peripheral surface of the valve housing, a gap can be formed between the portion of the outer peripheral surface of the connector member where the protrusion is not formed and the inner peripheral surface of the opening (i.e., a gap can be formed even outside the area where the gap gradually decreases due to the protrusion), making it easier to fill with brazing filler metal and improving sealing.

[0013] Furthermore, in the valve device of the present invention, it is preferable that the dimension in the extending direction of the plurality of protrusions is smaller than the wall thickness of the valve housing at the location where the opening is formed. With this structure, the protrusions and their surroundings can be easily positioned facing the inner circumferential surface of the opening, allowing the protrusions to contact the inner circumferential surface and easily form a gap. Therefore, the positional relationship between the valve housing and the connector component can be easily adjusted.

[0014] Furthermore, in the valve device of the present invention, it is preferable that the gap portion has a portion that opens inward toward the inside of the valve housing. With this structure, a gap portion is formed not only on the outside of the valve housing but also on the inside, thereby easily ensuring brazing strength on the inside and improving sealing performance.

[0015] Furthermore, in the valve device of the present invention, it is preferable that the plurality of protrusions include at least four protrusions arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and at least two of the protrusions contact the inner circumferential surface. With this structure, if the connector member is inserted to a predetermined depth relative to the opening, at least two protrusions can contact the inner circumferential surface of the opening. Therefore, it is not necessary to rotate the connector member about its extending direction for angle adjustment to make the protrusions contact, thus improving operability.

[0016] Furthermore, in the valve device of the present invention, it is preferable that the valve body and the connector components are made of stainless steel, and the brazing filler metal is primarily made of copper, or primarily made of copper and silver. With this structure, cost reduction can be achieved compared to the case where all parts are made of copper. Additionally, even if the joined components and the base material (main material) of the brazing filler metal are different and do not form an alloy, the sealing performance can be improved by forming a gap as described above.

[0017] Furthermore, in the valve device of the present invention, it is preferable that the plurality of protrusions have: a contact protrusion that contacts the inner circumferential surface; and an isolation protrusion disposed on the inner or outer side of the valve housing relative to the inner circumferential surface. According to this structure, by providing an isolation protrusion in addition to the contact protrusion, the isolation protrusion can be used as a pre-existing protrusion. That is, when the rotation angle of the connector component changes from the initial angle, and the protrusion that should be a contact protrusion does not actually contact the inner circumferential surface, the protrusion that should be an isolation protrusion easily contacts the inner circumferential surface, enabling the protrusion to contact and easily form a gap.

[0018] The effects of the invention

[0019] The valve device according to the present invention can improve the sealing performance of the joint between the valve body and the connector component. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view showing a valve device as an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a side view of the connector component.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view showing the connection between the valve body and the connector component in the aforementioned valve device.

[0023] Figure 4 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the connecting part.

[0024] In the diagram: 1…electric valve (valve device), 2…valve body, 2A…outer peripheral surface, 21…first port (opening), 21A…inner peripheral surface, 211…one end, 211A, 212A…central part, 212…the other end, 2R…main valve chamber, 4…main valve core, 5…secondary valve core, 11…first connector tube (connector component), 11A…outer peripheral surface, 111~114…protrusion, 100…brazing filler metal, 200…fixed part, A1…gap part, L1…imaginary line segment, C1…imaginary arc. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The electric valve 1, used as a valve device in this embodiment, is, for example, used in the refrigeration cycle system of an air conditioning unit such as a modular air conditioner, an indoor air conditioner, or a multi-split air conditioner. Figure 1 As shown, the device includes a valve housing 2, a guide member 3, a main valve core 4, a secondary valve core 5, and a drive unit 6. The main valve core 4 and the secondary valve core 5 are arranged to move along a predetermined axial direction. Hereinafter, this axial direction is defined as the Z direction, and the two directions orthogonal to the Z direction are defined as the X direction and the Y direction. The vertical movement of the Z direction is... Figure 1 Based on.

[0026] The valve housing 2 is formed into a cylindrical shape from stainless steel, and has a main valve chamber (valve chamber) 2R inside. Here, "cylindrical" includes not only a shape with a complete circular cross-section, but also a shape that is slightly deformed from a complete circle. The valve housing 2 has a first opening (opening portion) 21 on its side, which is a curved surface, and a second opening 22 on its side, which opens to one side in the X direction and downwards in the Z direction. A cylindrical first connector tube (connector component) 11 extending in the X direction is connected to the first opening 21, and a cylindrical second connector tube 12 extending in the Z direction is connected to the second opening 22. The first connector tube 11 and the second connector tube 12 communicate with the main valve chamber 2R. The first connector tube 11 and the second connector tube 12 can be fixed to the valve housing 2, for example, by brazing. Hereinafter, with reference to the valve housing 2, the inside of the main valve chamber 2R is referred to as the "inner side of the valve housing 2", and the outer space is referred to as the "outer side of the valve housing 2". In particular, in the X direction, the main valve chamber 2R side is designated as the inner side, separated by the wall of the valve housing 2, and the outer space side is designated as the outer side. Furthermore, the circumferential direction of the valve housing 2 is the direction around the axis along the Z direction.

[0027] A cylindrical main valve seat 23 is formed at the lower end of the valve housing 2, protruding axially in the Z direction toward the main valve chamber 2R (facing upwards). The inner side of the main valve seat 23 becomes the main valve port 23a, which communicates with the second port 22. That is, the second connector pipe 12 is connected to the main valve chamber 2R via the main valve port 23a. In this embodiment, the electric valve 1 is used with the first port 21 as the primary side and the second port 22 as the secondary side, and the fluid (refrigerant) flowing into the main valve chamber 2R from the first connector pipe 11 flows out from the second connector pipe 12. However, the electric valve 1 can also be assembled in a circulation system where the fluid can flow in both directions.

[0028] Here, the first opening 21 is formed on the curved surface of the cylindrical valve housing 2, and is not formed within a flange protruding inward or outward from the valve housing 2. Therefore, when the cylindrical valve housing 2 is cut along the XY plane through the first opening 21, the X-direction position of the inner circumferential surface of the first opening 21 varies depending on the Z-direction position of the cross-section. Therefore, when the first connector tube 11 is inserted into the first opening 21, the X-direction position of the outer circumferential surface 11A of the first connector tube 11 that contacts the inner circumferential surface 21A of the first opening 21 varies depending on the Z-direction position. More specifically, at the positions on the outer circumferential surface 11A closest to the upper and lower Z-direction, the contact position in the X-direction becomes... Figure 1 The rightmost part, in the center of the Z-direction, has a contact point in the X-direction. Figure 1 The leftmost one. In contrast, when the flange is cut along the XY plane, the X-direction position of the inner circumferential surface of the flange hardly changes, and the contact position between the connector tube and the inner circumferential surface of the flange is also approximately constant regardless of the Z-direction position.

[0029] The cross-section of the cylindrical valve housing 2 cut along the XY plane as described above (e.g.) Figure 3 In this configuration, the inner circumferential surface 21A of the first opening 21 is located on the outer side of the valve housing 2 compared to the inner circumferential surface 2B of the valve housing 2, and on the inner side of the valve housing 2 compared to the outer circumferential surface 2A of the valve housing 2. Therefore, the dimension of the inner circumferential surface 21A in the X direction (the extension direction of the first connector tube 11) is less than or equal to the wall thickness of the valve housing 2 at the location where the first opening 21 is formed (equal in this embodiment). In contrast, when a flange is formed, the dimension of the inner side of the flange in the extension direction of the connector component is larger than the wall thickness of the valve housing.

[0030] The guide member 3 is installed at the opening at the upper end of the valve housing 2 and includes: a press-in portion 31, which is pressed into the inner circumferential surface of the valve housing 2; a generally cylindrical guide portion 32 located inside the press-in portion 31; a support portion 33 extending above the guide portion 32; a stop portion 34 located above the support portion 33; and an annular flange portion 35 located on the outer periphery of the guide portion 32. The press-in portion 31, the guide portion 32, the support portion 33, and the stop portion 34 are configured as a single piece made of resin. Furthermore, the flange portion 35 is, for example, a metal plate made of brass, stainless steel, etc., and is integrally formed with the resin press-in portion 31 and the support portion 33 through an insert molding process.

[0031] The guide member 3 is assembled to the valve housing 2 and is fixed to the upper end of the valve housing 2 by welding at the flange portion 35. Furthermore, the guide member 3 has a cylindrical guide hole 32a formed in the guide portion 32 with the Z-direction as the axial direction, and a through hole 33a coaxial with the guide hole 32a is formed at the center of the support portion 33. Additionally, an internal thread portion (threaded hole) 34a coaxial with the guide hole 32a and the through hole 33a is formed at the center of the stop portion 34.

[0032] The main valve core 4 is disposed within the guide hole 32a of the bracket portion 33 and is integrally formed into a cylindrical shape with the Z direction as the axial direction. The main valve core 4 integrally includes: a partition wall portion 41, which extends along the XY plane for the auxiliary valve core 5 to approach or separate; a cylindrical portion 42, which extends from the partition wall portion 41 toward the opposite side (upper side) of the main valve port 23a; and a main valve portion 43, which approaches or separates relative to the main valve seat 23.

[0033] The partition wall portion 41 is a secondary valve seat portion located at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 42, and is formed as a plate with a specified thickness (Z-direction dimension). A bottom cylindrical portion is formed by the partition wall portion 41 and the cylindrical portion 42, and the interior of this bottom cylindrical portion forms the secondary valve chamber 4R. A secondary valve port 41a, serving as a through hole, is formed in the center of the partition wall portion 41. The cylindrical portion 42 is formed as a cylinder, and a pressing member 9, described later, is provided on its inner side. The inner circumferential surface of the pressing member 9 functions as a needle guide hole. A guide boss portion 53, which is mounted on the valve shaft 51 described later, is inserted into this needle guide hole, and an annular retainer 44 is fixed to the upper end of the cylindrical portion 42 by fitting or welding. In addition, a main valve spring 4a is provided between the retainer 44 and the upper end of the guide hole 32a, and the main valve core 4 is forced by the main valve spring 4a toward the main valve seat 23 (lower side in the Z-direction; closed direction).

[0034] Multiple connecting passages 421 are formed in the cylindrical portion 42, connecting its interior and exterior. The multiple connecting passages 421 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction centered on the Z direction. By forming connecting passages 421 in the cylindrical portion 42, the main valve chamber 2R, the auxiliary valve chamber 4R, the auxiliary valve port 41a, and the main valve port 23a are connected.

[0035] The main valve section 43 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape such that the cylindrical section 42 extends downward from the partition wall section 41. The main valve section 43 is provided such that it sits (abuts) against the main valve seat 23 in the fully closed state.

[0036] The secondary valve core 5 is a needle valve, located at the lower end of the rotor shaft 61 (described later). It integrally comprises a valve shaft 51 connected to the rotor shaft 61 and a needle portion 52 connected to the lower end of the valve shaft 51. The secondary valve core 5 also has a guide boss 53 fixed to the valve shaft 51. The guide boss 53 is fixed separately from the valve shaft 51, but it can also be integrally formed with the valve shaft 51. The guide boss 53 is slidably inserted into the needle guide hole formed by the pressing member 9.

[0037] The drive unit 6 is disposed inside and outside the housing 24, which is fixed to the upper end of the valve housing 2. It includes a stepper motor 6A, a threaded feed mechanism 6B that moves the sub-valve core 5 forward and backward by rotating the stepper motor 6A, and a stop mechanism 6C that restricts the rotation of the stepper motor 6A. The housing 24 is hermetically fixed to the valve housing 2, for example, by welding.

[0038] The stepper motor 6A comprises a rotor shaft 61, a magnetic rotor 62 rotatably disposed inside a housing 24, a stator coil (not shown) disposed opposite the magnetic rotor 62 on the outer periphery of the housing 24, a magnetic yoke (not shown), and external components. The rotor shaft 61 is mounted to the center of the magnetic rotor 62 via a bushing, and an external thread 61a is formed on the outer periphery of the rotor shaft 61 on the guide member 3 side. This external thread 61a engages with the internal thread 34a of the guide member 3, thereby supporting the rotor shaft 61 on an axis along the Z direction. Furthermore, the internal thread 34a of the guide member 3 and the external thread 61a of the rotor shaft 61 constitute a threaded feed mechanism 6B.

[0039] In this embodiment, a first silencing component 7 and a second silencing component 8 are provided. The first silencing component 7 is integrally formed into an annular shape so that the valve shaft 51 and the needle portion 52 can pass through, and is disposed in the flow path from the connecting passage 421 to the secondary valve port 41a. In order to place the first silencing component 7 inside the cylindrical portion 42, a pressing component 9 is provided. That is, the pressing component 9 and the first silencing component 7 are clamped from the Z direction by the partition portion 41 and the retainer 44.

[0040] The first silencing component 7 is a three-dimensional mesh filter formed by randomly bending linear components. For example, any demister can be used. This mesh-like structure of the first silencing component 7 functions to subdivide the flow path, allowing the fluid (refrigerant) to pass through it in a subdivided manner. Specifically, when a gas-liquid mixture passes through the first silencing component 7, the bubbles are subdivided. Because the linear components are randomly bent, the first silencing component 7, as a passageway for fluid, has various sizes of passable area. Furthermore, as the fluid passes through the first silencing component 7 along a predetermined flow direction, the passable area varies depending on the position of the flow direction. Thus, bubbles of various sizes are subdivided.

[0041] The second silencer 8 is disposed in the flow path from the secondary valve port 41a to the main valve port 23a, that is, when the first port 21 is used as the primary side, it is disposed downstream of the first silencer 7. Like the first silencer 7, the second silencer 8 is a three-dimensional mesh filter formed by randomly bending linear components; for example, any demister will suffice. Preferably, the first silencer 7 has a higher density than the second silencer 8, but their densities can also be similar.

[0042] Here, the opening and closing actions of the main valve core 4 and the auxiliary valve core 5 in the electric valve 1 will be explained in detail. When the magnetic rotor 62 and rotor shaft 61 rotate due to the drive of the stepper motor 6A, the rotor shaft 61 moves along the Z-direction via the threaded feed mechanism 6B between the external thread 61a of the rotor shaft 61 and the internal thread 34a of the guide member 3. As a result, the auxiliary valve core 5 moves forward and backward along the Z-direction, approaching or separating from the auxiliary valve port 41a, thereby controlling the valve opening degree of the auxiliary valve port 41a (small flow control). Furthermore, the guide boss 53 of the auxiliary valve core 5 engages with the pressing member 9, causing the main valve core 4 and the auxiliary valve core 5 to move together, approaching or separating from the main valve seat 23 (large flow control). This controls the flow rate of refrigerant flowing from the first connector pipe 11 towards the second connector pipe 12. Furthermore, in this embodiment, even when the secondary valve core 5 moves forward and backward in the Z direction and is closest to the secondary valve seat with the secondary valve port 41a, the secondary valve core 5 does not come into contact with (settle) the secondary valve seat. Instead, a gap is formed between the secondary valve core 5 and the secondary valve seat so that fluid can pass through the secondary valve port 41a. However, it is also possible for the secondary valve core 5 to be seated in the secondary valve seat.

[0043] A threaded guide groove 34b is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the stop portion 34 of the guide member 3, and a slider 63 is provided in the guide groove 34b. The slider 63 abuts against the magnetic rotor 62 and rotates and moves up and down along the guide groove 34b as the magnetic rotor 62 rotates. Moreover, the slider 63 constitutes a stop mechanism 6C that restricts the rotation of the magnetic rotor 62 by abutting against the upper or lower end of the guide groove 34b. The stop mechanism 6C restricts the lowermost and uppermost positions of the rotor shaft 61 and the magnetic rotor 62.

[0044] Next, refer to Figures 2-4 The connection structure between the valve housing 2 and the first connector pipe 11 will be described in detail. In the valve housing 2, a first opening 21 that is circular when viewed from the X direction is formed. Therefore, if the valve housing 2 is cut along a plane along the XY plane, and the cutting position changes in the Z direction, the opening size (Y direction size) of the first opening 21 in the cross section will change. Figure 3 This is the cross section with the largest opening size of the first opening 21. At this point, the end on one side (upper side in the figure) of the inner circumferential surface 21A of the first opening 21 is designated as end 211, and the end on the other side (lower side in the figure) is designated as end 212. The wall thickness direction of the valve housing 2 imaginarily connected to end 211 (in the direction of...) Figure 3 The line segment connecting the central portion 211A (in the X direction) and the central portion 212A (in the wall thickness direction) of the valve housing 2 at the other end 212 is designated as an imaginary line segment L1. Furthermore, the arc on the inner circumferential surface of the valve housing 2 corresponding to the formation position of the first opening 21 (the portion existing before the formation of the first opening 21, extended from the arc outside the first opening 21 in the valve housing 2) is designated as an imaginary arc C1. The imaginary line segment L1 intersects with the imaginary arc C1.

[0045] The first connector tube 11 is made of stainless steel and is cylindrical in shape. The circumference of the first connector tube 11 is oriented around an axis along the X direction. For example... Figure 2 As shown, four protrusions 111 to 114 are formed on the outer peripheral surface 11A of the first connector tube 11 along the circumferential direction of the first connector tube 11. The four protrusions 111 to 114 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the first connector tube 11, with protrusions 111 and 113 facing each other in the radial direction, and protrusions 112 and 114 facing each other in the radial direction.

[0046] In this embodiment, the first connector tube 11 is inserted into the first opening 21 at a rotation angle in the Y direction between the protrusions 112 and 114. At this rotation angle, the insertion depth at which the central portion of the protrusions 112 and 114 in the X direction contacts the inner circumferential surface 21A at a position closer to the inside of the valve housing 2 than the central portions 211A and 212A is the standard insertion depth.

[0047] The protrusions 111-114 have the same shape as each other. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the protrusion 112 has: a vertex portion 112A, which has a predetermined size and extends along the X direction; and a pair of inclined portions 112B, which are inclined in the X direction toward the outside of the first connector tube 11 as they approach the vertex portion 112A, forming a mountain-like shape with a flat vertex along the XY plane. The overall X-direction dimension W1 of the protrusion 112, including the vertex portion 112A and the pair of inclined portions 112B, is smaller than the wall thickness T1 of the valve housing 2 at the formation position of the first opening 21. The entire protrusion 112 is located inside the valve housing 2, closer to the outer peripheral surface 2A of the valve housing 2. That is, the non-formed region 115 of the first connector tube 11, which is outside the valve housing 2 where the protrusions 111-114 are not formed, is opposite to the inner peripheral surface 21A of the first opening 21. In the illustrated example, a portion of the inclined portion 112B of one side is located inside the inner circumferential surface 2B of the valve housing 2 (within the main valve chamber 2R).

[0048] As described above, by opposing the non-forming region 115 with the inner peripheral surface 21A, a mutually separated gap A1 is formed between the inner peripheral surface 21A of the first port 21 and the outer peripheral surface 11A of the first connector tube 11. The gap A1 is formed at a position further outward than the protrusion 112 on the valve housing 2 and opens outward on the valve housing 2. That is, the gap A1 is continuous with the outer edge of the valve housing 2 in the first port 21.

[0049] Like protrusion 112, protrusion 114 contacts the inner circumferential surface 21A, becoming a contact protrusion. Protrusions 111 and 113 are positioned relative to the inner circumferential surface 21A on the inner side of the valve housing 2 (i.e., not in contact with the inner circumferential surface 21A), becoming isolation protrusions. Therefore, the gap A1 formed on the outer side of the valve housing 2, which is closer to the outer side of the valve housing 2 than protrusions 112 and 114, extends circumferentially throughout the first connector tube 11, forming an annular shape. On the other hand, on the inner side of the valve housing 2, outside of protrusions 112 and 114, the inner circumferential surface 21A is separated from the outer circumferential surface 11A, but this gap is interrupted at protrusions 112 and 114, and an annular gap is not formed.

[0050] When the first connector pipe 11 is engaged relative to the valve housing 2, as Figure 1 As shown, brazing filler metal is arranged around the first opening 21 and on the outer side of the valve housing 2, and the brazing filler metal is melted. The molten brazing filler metal permeates between the inner peripheral surface 21A and the outer peripheral surface 11A. Thus, a fixing part 200 with brazing filler metal 100 is formed to fix the valve housing 2 and the first connector tube 11. At this time, brazing filler metal is filled into the gap A1, and the brazing filler metal passing through the portion other than the protrusions 112 and 114 also solidifies on the inner side of the valve housing 2.

[0051] In the above description, protrusions 112 and 114 are opposite each other in the Y direction, but the rotation angle of the first connector tube 11 may vary. If the insertion depth does not vary from the standard depth, and the rotation angle varies from the aforementioned angle (set as the reference angle), the position where protrusions 112 and 114 contact the inner circumferential surface 21A gradually moves towards the inside of the valve body 2 as the rotation angle changes. On the other hand, protrusions 111 and 113 gradually approach the inner circumferential surface 21A. At a specified angle where the change relative to the reference angle is within 45°, protrusions 111 and 113 contact the inner circumferential surface 21A; at a specified angle where the change is greater than 45°, protrusions 112 and 114 do not contact the inner circumferential surface 21A. That is, regardless of the rotation angle of the first connector tube 11, at least two of protrusions 111 to 114 contact the inner circumferential surface 21A. Furthermore, the protrusions 112 and 114 are located at the outermost point of the valve housing 2 within the reference angle (i.e., the X-direction dimension of the gap A1 is the smallest), and will not further contact the outer side even if the rotation angle changes. Therefore, regardless of the rotation angle of the first connector tube 11, the gap A1, which is located on the outermost side of the valve housing 2 than the protrusions 112 and 114, is formed throughout the circumference of the first connector tube 11.

[0052] The aforementioned brazing filler metal is primarily made of copper, or primarily of copper and silver. Here, "primary material" refers to the metal with the highest weight percentage among the multiple metals constituting the alloy.

[0053] According to the above embodiment, the gap A1 is open to the outside of the valve body 2, thereby placing and melting the solder before melting on the outside of the first opening 21, and thus filling the gap A1 with solder 100. The gap A1 is a structure in which the inner circumferential surface 21A of the first opening 21 and the outer circumferential surface 11A of the first connector tube 11 are completely (i.e. continuously) separated in the circumferential direction. Therefore, when filling with solder 100, it is easy to ensure the brazing strength, and leakage can be suppressed in the circumferential direction at the joint between the valve body 2 and the first connector tube 11, thereby improving the sealing performance.

[0054] Furthermore, even when the imaginary line segment L1 intersects with the imaginary arc C1, and the diameter of the first opening 21 is relatively large relative to the diameter of the valve housing 2, and the wall thickness of the valve housing 2 is relatively thin, the sealing performance of the joint between the valve housing 2 and the first connector pipe 11 can still be improved.

[0055] In addition, the protrusion 112 is positioned inside the outer peripheral surface 2A of the valve housing 2. This allows not only the gap A1 to be formed between the inclined portion 112B and the inner peripheral surface 21A, but also between the non-forming area 115 and the inner peripheral surface 21A, making it easier to fill the brazing filler metal 100 and improve the sealing performance.

[0056] Furthermore, the X-direction dimension W1 of the protrusion 112 is smaller than the wall thickness T1 of the valve housing 2 at the location where the first opening 21 is formed. This allows the protrusion 112 and its surrounding area to be easily positioned opposite the inner circumferential surface 21A of the first opening 21, and easily allows the protrusion 112 to contact the inner circumferential surface 21A to form a gap A1. Therefore, the positional relationship between the valve housing 2 and the first connector pipe 11 can be easily adjusted.

[0057] Furthermore, the four protrusions 111 to 114 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and at least two of them contact the inner circumferential surface 21A of the first opening 21. Therefore, if the first connector tube 11 is inserted relative to the first opening 21 to a standard depth, at least two of the protrusions 111 to 114 can contact the inner circumferential surface 21A. Thus, it is not necessary to rotate the first connector tube 11 around the X direction for angle adjustment to make the protrusions 111 to 114 contact, thereby improving workability.

[0058] Furthermore, the valve body 2 and the first connector tube 11 are made of stainless steel, and the brazing filler metal is made primarily of copper, or primarily of copper and silver. This reduces costs compared to components made of copper. Additionally, even if the joined parts and the base material (main material) of the brazing filler metal are different and do not form an alloy, the sealing performance can be improved by forming the gap A1 as described above.

[0059] Furthermore, when the rotation angle of the first connector tube 11 is set to, for example, a reference angle, the two protrusions 112 and 114 become contact protrusions that contact the inner circumferential surface 21A, and the two protrusions 111 and 113 become isolation protrusions disposed on the inner side of the valve housing 2 relative to the inner circumferential surface 21A. Thus, when the rotation angle changes from the reference angle and the contact protrusions do not contact the inner circumferential surface 21A, it is easy to make the non-contact protrusions contact the inner circumferential surface 21A. In other words, to prevent changes in the rotation angle, pre-set protrusions can be provided, allowing protrusions 111 to 114 to contact each other and easily forming a gap A1.

[0060] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes other structures that can achieve the objectives of the present invention. The variations shown below are also included in the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the imaginary line segment L1 intersects the imaginary arc C1, the diameter of the first opening 21 is larger than the diameter of the valve housing 2, and the wall thickness of the valve housing 2 is thinner. However, it could also be a structure where the imaginary line segment L1 and the imaginary arc C1 do not intersect. Even with such a structure, by opening the circumferentially pervasive gap A1 to the outside of the valve housing 2, leakage can be suppressed circumferentially, thus improving sealing performance.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the entire protrusion 112 is located inside the outer peripheral surface 2A of the valve housing 2, but a portion of the protrusion may also be located outside the outer peripheral surface 2A of the valve housing 2. For example, if the inclined portion 112B, as in the above embodiment, extends from the outside of the outer peripheral surface 2A inward, a gap can be formed between the inclined portion 112B and the inner peripheral surface 21A of the first opening 21.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the X-direction dimension W1 of the protrusion 112 is smaller than the wall thickness T1 of the valve housing 2 at the location where the first opening 21 is formed, but the X-direction dimension W1 can also be greater than the wall thickness T1. For example, even if the X-direction dimension W1 is relatively large, as long as the protrusion 112 is sufficiently disposed on the inner side of the valve housing 2 relative to the inner peripheral surface 21A of the first opening 21, a gap can be formed.

[0063] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the circumferentially extending gap A1 opens to the outside of the valve housing 2, and no annular gap is formed on the inside of the valve housing 2. However, in addition to gap A1, a circumferentially extending gap that opens to the inside of the valve housing 2 can also be formed. If a gap is formed not only on the outside of the valve housing 2 but also on the inside, it is easier to ensure brazing strength on the inside, thereby improving sealing performance.

[0064] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, at least two of the four equally spaced protrusions 111-114 contact the inner peripheral surface 21A of the first opening 21, but the number and arrangement of the protrusions are not limited to this. For example, in addition to the four equally spaced protrusions, other protrusions may be added, and more than five protrusions may be arranged at equal intervals, and the spacing between the multiple protrusions may not be fixed. In addition, it is preferable to form a pair of radially opposed protrusions by arranging an even number of protrusions at equal intervals. In addition, the number of protrusions may also be two or three, for example, by managing the insertion depth and rotation angle of the connector member, at least two protrusions may contact the inner peripheral surface of the opening.

[0065] In addition, in the above embodiments, the valve body 2 and the first connector tube 11 are made of stainless steel, and the brazing filler metal is mainly made of copper, or mainly made of copper and silver. However, the materials of each part can be appropriately selected according to cost, sealing performance, operability, and their combination.

[0066] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the protrusions 111 and 113 are disposed on the inner side of the valve housing 2 when they serve as isolation protrusions, but the isolation protrusions can also be disposed on the outer side of the valve housing 2. Additionally, the insertion depth and rotation angle can be adjusted by having all of the protrusions serve as contact protrusions.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an electric valve 1 with a main valve core 4 and a secondary valve core 5 was exemplified, capable of both large and small flow control. However, the valve device of the present invention is not limited to such an electric valve 1. For example, in a valve device with only one valve core, a gap portion that is integrally distributed circumferentially and opens to the outside of the valve housing can also be formed. In addition, the valve device of the present invention can also be a solenoid valve, a multi-way valve (two-way valve, three-way valve, four-way valve, etc.). In this case, no flange is provided around the opening formed in the cylindrical valve housing; the gap portion is formed simply by inserting a connector member through the opening. Furthermore, the multiple protrusions of the connector member are provided for the purpose of at least a portion of them contacting the inner circumferential surface of the valve housing, not for contacting components housed in the valve housing (e.g., the valve seat component of a four-way valve).

[0068] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the specific structure is not limited to these embodiments, and design changes that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are also included in the present invention.

Claims

1. A valve device comprising: The valve housing is formed in a cylindrical shape and has an opening in the curved part; A valve core, which is disposed in the valve chamber inside the valve housing; A cylindrical connector component that is inserted into the opening; and A fixing part is provided with brazing filler metal for fixing the valve body and the connector component. The valve device is characterized in that... Multiple protrusions are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connector component along its circumferential direction. The protrusion contacts a portion of the connector component in the extending direction of the inner circumferential surface of the opening, thereby forming a gap where the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface are completely separated in the circumferential direction. The gap portion has a portion that opens to the outside of the valve housing. A cross section is obtained by cutting the valve housing with a plane orthogonal to the axial direction in such a way that the size of the circumferential opening of the valve housing is maximized. In this cross section, an imaginary line segment connecting the central portion of the valve housing in the wall thickness direction at one end of the inner circumferential surface of the opening and the central portion of the valve housing in the wall thickness direction at the other end intersects with an imaginary arc in the inner circumferential surface of the valve housing corresponding to the formation position of the opening.

2. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion is positioned entirely on the inner side of the outer peripheral surface of the valve housing.

3. The valve device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The dimension of the extension direction of the plurality of protrusions is smaller than the wall thickness of the valve body at the location where the opening is formed.

4. The valve device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The gap portion has a portion that opens toward the inside of the valve housing.

5. The valve device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The plurality of protrusions includes at least four protrusions arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and at least two of the protrusions are in contact with the inner circumferential surface.

6. The valve device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The valve body and the connector assembly are made of stainless steel. The brazing filler metal is made primarily of copper, or primarily of copper and silver.

7. The valve device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The plurality of protrusions have: contact protrusions that contact the inner peripheral surface; and isolation protrusions that are disposed on the inner or outer side of the valve housing relative to the inner peripheral surface.

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