Electronic expansion valve

Abstract

The invention provides an electronic expansion valve which comprises a valve body and a valve assembly. The valve body is provided with a valve cavity which is provided with a valve port. The guide assembly is arranged in the valve cavity and comprises a guide sleeve and a guide column. The guide sleeve is arranged in the valve cavity and provided with a guide sleeve cavity, one part of the guide column is arranged in the guide sleeve cavity, the other part of the guide column is opposite to the valve port and extends out of the guide sleeve cavity, and the guide column is provided with a guide column cavity. An assembling step is arranged on the periphery of the guide column, an assembling groove is formed in the cavity wall of the end, away from the valve port, of the guide sleeve cavity, the assembling step is contained in the assembling groove and welded to the assembling groove, and a groove is formed in the surface of the side, back to the valve port, of the assembling step. The valve assembly is partially arranged in the guide column cavity, the two ends of the valve assembly extend out of the guide assembly and the valve head assembly respectively, and the valve assembly is used for opening and closing the valve port.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of valve technology, and more particularly to an electronic expansion valve. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic expansion valves, as throttling elements, are used to regulate the flow and control of fluids. The guiding assembly of an electronic expansion valve may include a guide sleeve and a guide post. The guide sleeve is disposed within the valve cavity, a portion of the guide post is disposed within the guide sleeve, and the other portion extends outward from the valve port. The valve assembly portion of the electronic expansion valve is disposed within the cavity of the guide post. However, in existing designs, the guide sleeve and guide post are welded together. The heat generated during welding is transferred to the mating point between the guide post and the valve assembly, causing deformation of the guiding surface of the guide post used to mate with the valve assembly, thus affecting the guiding effect of the guide post on the valve assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A primary objective of this disclosure is to overcome at least one of the deficiencies of the prior art described above, and to provide an electronic expansion valve that can prevent deformation of the guide surface of the guide post used to mate with the nut assembly due to heat transfer during the welding process.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an electronic expansion valve is provided, comprising: a valve body, a guide assembly, and a valve assembly; the valve body having a valve cavity, the valve cavity having a valve port; the guide assembly being disposed in the valve cavity, the guide assembly including a guide sleeve and a guide post; the guide sleeve being disposed in the valve cavity and having a guide sleeve cavity, a portion of the guide post being disposed in the guide sleeve cavity, and another portion extending out of the guide sleeve cavity away from the valve port, the guide post having a guide post cavity; an assembly step being provided on the outer periphery of the guide post, an assembly groove being provided on the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity away from the valve port, the assembly step being accommodated in the assembly groove and welded together, and a groove being provided on the side surface of the assembly step away from the valve port; the valve assembly being partially disposed in the guide post cavity, with its two ends extending out of the guide assembly, the valve assembly being used to open and close the valve port.

[0006] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the welding position of the assembly step and the assembly groove is located between the end of the outer peripheral surface of the assembly step away from the valve port and the end of the inner peripheral wall of the assembly groove away from the valve port.

[0007] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a portion of the guide post is interference-fitted with the inner wall of the guide sleeve cavity; wherein, the outer peripheral surface of the assembly step is clearance-fitted with the inner peripheral groove wall of the assembly groove.

[0008] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the assembly step is provided with one groove in the circumferential direction, and the groove is annular; or, the assembly step is provided with at least two grooves in the circumferential direction, and the grooves are annular, with the at least two grooves being distributed radially at intervals; or, the assembly step is provided with at least two grooves in the circumferential direction, and the grooves are arc-shaped, with the at least two grooves being arranged at intervals along the same circular path.

[0009] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, wherein: the width of the groove in the radial direction accounts for 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the width of the assembly step; and / or, the distance between the outer edge of the groove and the outer edge of the assembly step in the radial direction accounts for more than or equal to 1 / 4 of the width of the assembly step; and / or, the depth of the groove in the axial direction accounts for 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the thickness of the assembly step.

[0010] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity is provided with a third chamfer structure, the third chamfer structure being adjacent to the end of the assembly groove near the valve port.

[0011] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the portion of the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity without the assembly groove and the third chamfer structure has a first region and a second region, the first region and the second region being distributed axially, the first region being located between the third chamfer structure and the second region; wherein, the first region of the guide sleeve cavity is clearance-fitted with the guide post, and the second region of the guide sleeve cavity is interference-fitted with the guide post.

[0012] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the valve assembly includes a valve head assembly and a nut assembly; the nut assembly is disposed at the portion of the guide post extending out of the guide sleeve cavity, and is guided and engaged with the guide post; the valve head assembly is partially disposed in the guide post cavity, one end of which is screwed into the nut assembly so that the valve head assembly can move axially when rotated, and the other end is used to open and close the valve port.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the electronic expansion valve further includes a sealing assembly disposed between the guide assembly and the valve assembly; wherein the sealing assembly includes a sealing ring and an O-ring, the sealing ring being located between the inner circumference of the O-ring and the valve assembly.

[0014] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the guide post has a first guide section and a second guide section distributed along the axial direction. The first guide section is disposed in the guide sleeve cavity, and the second guide section extends out of the guide sleeve cavity away from the valve port. The assembly step is located at the connection between the first guide section and the second guide section. A sealing groove is formed between the end face of the first guide section near the valve port and the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity, and the sealing assembly is accommodated in the sealing groove.

[0015] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the first guide segment is greater than the length of the second guide segment along the axial direction.

[0016] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the advantages and positive effects of the electronic expansion valve proposed in this disclosure are as follows:

[0017] The electronic expansion valve disclosed herein includes a valve body, a guide assembly, and a valve assembly. The valve body has a valve cavity with a valve port. The guide assembly includes a guide sleeve and a guide post. The guide sleeve is disposed in the valve cavity and has a guide sleeve chamber. A portion of the guide post is disposed in the guide sleeve chamber, and the other portion extends out of the guide sleeve chamber away from the valve port. An assembly step is provided on the outer periphery of the guide post. An assembly groove is provided on the cavity wall of the guide sleeve chamber away from the valve port. The assembly step is accommodated in the assembly groove and welded together. A groove is provided on the surface of the assembly step facing away from the valve port. Through the above design, when the assembly step and the assembly groove are welded together, the groove can be used to block the heat conduction of the weld, preventing deformation of the guide surface of the guide post used to mate with the valve assembly, and ensuring the guiding effect of the guide post on the valve assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The various objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are merely illustrative illustrations of the disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings, the same reference numerals always denote the same or similar parts. Wherein:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electronic expansion valve according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of part A in the diagram;

[0021] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 An enlarged schematic diagram of part B in the diagram;

[0022] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 An enlarged schematic diagram of part C in the diagram;

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 An enlarged schematic diagram of part D in the diagram.

[0024] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0025] 100. Valve body; 311. Balancing channel;

[0026] 110. Valve chamber; 320. Core screw;

[0027] 111. Valve port; 330. Elastic element;

[0028] 210. Guide sleeve; 400. Nut assembly;

[0029] 211. Guide sleeve cavity; 510. Sealing ring;

[0030] 212. Assembly slot; 511. Third area;

[0031] 213. Third chamfer structure; 512. Fourth region;

[0032] 214. First region; 513. First chamfer structure;

[0033] 215. Second region; 514. Second chamfer structure;

[0034] 220. Guide post; 520. O-ring;

[0035] 221. First guide section; 600. Drive mechanism;

[0036] 2211. Assembly steps; d. Cross-sectional diameter;

[0037] 2212. Groove; h1. Groove depth;

[0038] 222. Second guide section; h2. Thickness;

[0039] 223. Guide post cavity; w1. Cross-sectional width;

[0040] 230. Sealing groove; w2. Groove width;

[0041] 310. Valve needle; w3. Distance;

[0042] w4. Width. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that this disclosure can have various variations in different embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and the descriptions and drawings therein are illustrative in nature and not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0044] In the following description of various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, and which illustrate by way of example different exemplary structures, systems, and steps that can implement various aspects of this disclosure. It should be understood that other specific embodiments of the components, structures, exemplary devices, systems, and steps may be used, and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, while the terms “above,” “between,” “within,” etc., may be used in this specification to describe different exemplary features and elements of this disclosure, these terms are used herein only for convenience, such as the orientation according to the examples described in the accompanying drawings. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three-dimensional orientation of the structure to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0045] See Figure 1 The illustration shows a representative cross-sectional schematic diagram of the electronic expansion valve proposed in this disclosure. In this exemplary embodiment, the electronic expansion valve proposed in this disclosure is described with reference to its application in a high-pressure refrigerant system or an ultra-high-pressure refrigerant system. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, additions, substitutions, deletions, or other changes may be made to the specific embodiments described below in order to apply the relevant designs of this disclosure to other types of refrigerant systems or other devices, and these changes are still within the scope of the principles of the electronic expansion valve proposed in this disclosure.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the electronic expansion valve includes a valve body 100, a guide assembly, and a valve assembly. (See also...) Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 2 China representatively shows Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of part A in the diagram; Figure 3 China representatively shows Figure 2 An enlarged schematic diagram of part B in the diagram; Figure 4 China representatively shows Figure 2 An enlarged schematic diagram of part C in the diagram; Figure 5 China representatively shows Figure 4 An enlarged schematic diagram of part D in the diagram.

[0047] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the valve body 100 is provided with a valve cavity 110, and the valve cavity 110 is provided with a valve port 111. A guide assembly is disposed in the valve cavity 110, and the guide assembly includes a guide sleeve 210 and a guide post 220. The guide sleeve 210 is disposed in the valve cavity 110 and is provided with a guide sleeve cavity 211. A portion of the guide post 220 is disposed in the guide sleeve cavity 211, and another portion of the guide post 220 extends out of the guide sleeve cavity 211 away from the valve port 111. The guide post 220 is provided with a guide post cavity 223. Based on this, an assembly step 2211 is provided on the outer periphery of the guide post 220, and an assembly groove 212 is provided on the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity 211 away from the valve port 111. The assembly step 2211 is accommodated in the assembly groove 212 and welded together. The side surface of the assembly step 2211 facing away from the valve port 111 is provided with a groove 2212. The valve assembly is housed in the guide post cavity 223 of the guide post 220, with both ends of the valve assembly extending out of the guide post. The valve assembly is used to open or close the valve port 111. Through the above design, when the assembly step 2211 is welded to the assembly groove 212, the groove 2212 can be used to block the heat conduction of the welding, preventing deformation of the guide surface of the guide post 220 that mates with the valve assembly (e.g., the nut assembly 400 of the valve assembly), thus ensuring the guiding effect of the guide post 220 on the valve assembly.

[0048] Specifically, the welding connection method can connect the guide post 220 and the guide sleeve 210, and the annular welding path can seal the connection, further enhancing the sealing effect between the guide post 220 and the guide sleeve 210. However, welding the guide sleeve 210 and the guide post 220 can cause poor coaxiality of the guide post 220, and the welding process heats the guide post 220, causing it to deform under heat, resulting in deformation of the outer wall of the guide post 220 and affecting its guiding function on the nut assembly 400. Furthermore, since the nut assembly 400 is press-fitted to the outer wall of the guide post 220 (e.g., the second guide section 222), the heat-induced deformation of the guide post 220 will make press-fitting the nut assembly 400 difficult, leading to inaccurate positioning and misalignment after installation. This results in uneven movement of the mandrel screw and jamming. Furthermore, when the guide post 220 is affected by heat, causing significant deformation of its inner surface (i.e., the cavity wall of the guide post cavity 223), it can lead to uneven movement and jamming of the elastic element 330 inside the guide post cavity 223. Therefore, this disclosure provides a groove 2212 on the guide post 220. On the one hand, this can block heat conduction and reduce the impact of welding on the coaxiality of the guide post 220. On the other hand, it can provide deformation space for deformation occurring on the outside of the groove 2212, preventing the deformation on the outside of the groove 2212 from being conducted into the groove 2212 and affecting the coaxiality of the guide post 220.

[0049] like Figure 4 As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the valve assembly may include a valve head assembly and a nut assembly 400. Specifically, the nut assembly 400 is disposed on the portion of the guide post 220 that extends out of the guide sleeve cavity 211 away from the valve port 111, and the nut assembly 400 is guidedly engaged with the guide post 220. The valve head assembly is partially disposed in the guide post cavity 223, and both ends of the valve head assembly can extend out of the guide assembly respectively. One end of the valve head assembly is screwed into the nut assembly 400 so that the valve head assembly can move axially when rotated, and the other end of the valve head assembly is used to open and close the valve port 111. Accordingly, since the valve head assembly is screwed into the nut assembly 400, and since the nut assembly 400 is fixed relative to the valve body 100 and the guide assembly, the valve head assembly can move axially when rotated. It should be noted that, unlike the driving method used in this embodiment where the nut assembly 400 is fixed and the spindle screw 320 drives the valve head assembly to move, when the valve assembly includes the valve head assembly and the nut assembly 400, the electronic expansion valve proposed in this disclosure can also adopt other driving methods. For example, the spindle screw 320 can rotate circumferentially but is relatively fixed in the axial direction, and the valve head assembly and the nut assembly 400 can move axially but are relatively fixed in the circumferential direction.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the valve head assembly includes a valve needle 310 and a core screw 320. A first end of the valve needle 310 (e.g., the end facing the valve port 111) extends out of a guide assembly. One end of the core screw 320 is connected to a second end of the valve needle 310 (e.g., the end facing away from the valve port 111). The core screw 320 is driven by a drive mechanism 600 and can rotate axially. The core screw 320 is screwed into a nut assembly 400. Accordingly, since the core screw 320 is screwed into the nut assembly 400, and since the nut assembly 400 is fixed relative to the valve body 100 and the guide assembly, when the core screw 320 rotates, it can move axially, thereby driving the valve needle 310 to move axially, thus opening or closing the valve port 111 at the first end of the valve needle 310.

[0051] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the welding position of the assembly step 2211 and the assembly groove 212 can be located between the end of the outer peripheral surface of the assembly step 2211 away from the valve port and the end of the inner peripheral groove wall of the assembly groove 212 away from the valve port. The welding method for the assembly step 2211 and the assembly groove 212 can be laser welding.

[0052] like Figure 5As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, a portion of the guide post 220 and the inner wall of the guide sleeve cavity 211 can be an interference fit. Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface of the mounting step 2211 and the inner peripheral groove wall of the mounting groove 212 can be a clearance fit. Through the above design, this disclosure uses an interference fit between a portion of the guide post 220 and the inner wall of the guide sleeve cavity 211, which enhances the assembly effect between the guide post 220 and the guide sleeve cavity 211. Furthermore, this disclosure uses a clearance fit between the outer peripheral surface of the mounting step 2211 and the inner peripheral groove wall of the mounting groove 212, which avoids coaxiality problems caused by interference fits at both locations, leading to installation difficulties.

[0053] It should be noted that the aforementioned clearance fit refers to the fit state after the guide sleeve 210 and guide post 220 are assembled (i.e., the guide post 220 is partially inserted into the guide sleeve cavity 211 and the assembly step 2211 is accommodated in the assembly groove 212) and before welding. It should be understood that after the outer circumferential surface of the assembly step 2211 is welded to the inner circumferential groove wall of the assembly groove 212, the structural morphology of the aforementioned fit observed from the cross-section of the electronic expansion valve may not completely conform to the above description, but this does not limit the application of this disclosure in related embodiments.

[0054] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the assembly step 2211 may have a groove 2212 arranged circumferentially, and the groove 2212 may be annular. In some embodiments, the assembly step 2211 may also have at least two grooves 2212 arranged circumferentially, and the grooves 2212 may also be annular, and the at least two grooves 2212 may be radially spaced apart, for example, at least two annular grooves 2212 with different diameters may be nested at intervals. Alternatively, the assembly step 2211 may also have at least two grooves 2212 spaced circumferentially, in which case the grooves 2212 may be arc-shaped, and the at least two grooves 2212 may be arranged at intervals along the same circular path.

[0055] like Figure 5As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the width w2 of the groove 2212 in the width w4 of the assembly step 2211 can be 1 / 4 to 3 / 4, for example, 1 / 4, 1 / 2, 5 / 8, 3 / 4, etc. The width w4 of the assembly step 2211 can be understood as the radial distance between the outer periphery of the assembly step 2211 and the outer periphery of the second guide segment 222. Through the above design, this disclosure avoids the groove width w2 of the groove 2212 being too small, resulting in insufficient heat insulation or deformation transmission resistance. Simultaneously, this disclosure avoids the groove width w2 of the groove 2212 being too large, which would affect the structural strength of the assembly step 2211 and ensure the assembly strength of the guide sleeve 210 and the guide post 220. In some embodiments, the width w2 of the groove 2212 in the width w4 of the assembly step 2211 can also be less than 1 / 4 or greater than 3 / 4, for example, 1 / 5, 4 / 5, etc., and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0056] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the distance w3 between the outer edge of the groove 2212 and the outer edge of the mounting step 2211, along the radial direction, can account for a proportion greater than or equal to 1 / 4 of the width of the mounting step 2211, such as 1 / 4, 1 / 3, 1 / 2, 5 / 8, etc. Through the above design, this disclosure can avoid the groove 2212 being too close to the outer edge of the mounting step 2211 due to the distance w3 being too small in proportion to the width of the mounting step 2211, thus ensuring the structural strength of the mounting step 2211. Simultaneously, this disclosure can also avoid the space for arranging the groove 2212 on the mounting step 2211 being too small due to the distance w3 being too large in proportion to the width of the mounting step 2211. In some embodiments, the distance w3 between the outer edge of the groove 2212 and the outer edge of the mounting step 2211 can also account for a proportion less than 1 / 4 of the width of the mounting step 2211, such as 1 / 5 mm, etc., and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0057] like Figure 5 As shown, based on the design of the mounting step 2211 with a groove 2212, in one embodiment of this disclosure, along the axial direction, the groove depth h1 of the groove 2212 can account for 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the thickness h2 of the mounting step 2211, for example, 1 / 3, 3 / 8, 2 / 5, 1 / 2, etc. Through the above design, this disclosure can avoid the groove depth h1 of the groove 2212 being too small, resulting in insufficient heat insulation or deformation transmission resistance. Simultaneously, this disclosure can avoid the groove depth h1 of the groove 2212 being too large, affecting the structural strength of the mounting step 2211 and ensuring the assembly strength of the guide sleeve 210 and the guide post 220. In some embodiments, the groove depth h1 of the groove 2212 can also account for less than 1 / 3 or more than 1 / 2 of the thickness h2 of the mounting step 2211, for example, 3 / 10, 11 / 20, etc., and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0058] like Figure 5 As shown, based on the fitting design of the assembly step 2211 and the assembly groove 212, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity 211 can be provided with a third chamfer structure 213, which is adjacent to the end of the assembly groove 212 near the valve port 111. For example, the third chamfer structure 213 can be a chamfered structure as shown in the figure, or it can be a rounded corner structure. Through the above design, during the assembly process of the guide post 220 and the guide sleeve 210 (e.g., during the process of inserting the guide post 220 into the guide sleeve cavity 211), this disclosure can utilize the third chamfer structure 213 to guide the guide post 220, further reducing the assembly difficulty.

[0059] like Figure 5As shown, based on the design of the guide sleeve cavity 211 with a third chamfer structure 213 on the cavity wall, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the portion of the guide sleeve cavity 211 without the assembly groove 212 and the third chamfer structure 213 may have a first region 214 and a second region 215, and the first region 214 and the second region 215 are distributed axially, with the first region 214 located between the third chamfer structure 213 and the second region 215. Based on this, the first region 214 of the guide sleeve cavity 211 and the guide post 220 can be in a clearance fit, and the second region 215 of the guide sleeve cavity 211 and the guide post 220 can be in an interference fit. Based on the above design, considering the installation method of the sealing ring 510 and O-ring 520, the guide sleeve 210 can be assembled with the valve body 100 first (e.g., by furnace welding), then the sealing ring 510 and O-ring 520 can be placed inside the guide sleeve 210, and then the guide post 220 can be installed into the guide sleeve 210. After the guide post 220 and the guide sleeve 210 are assembled, they together form a sealing groove 230. The guide post 220 and the guide sleeve 210 are fitted with a clearance fit at the end away from the valve port 111 (i.e., the upper end shown in the attached figure). Accordingly, although the guide sleeve 210 is provided with a third chamfer structure 213, problems such as misalignment or incomplete pressing may still occur during the installation of the guide post 220. The clearance fit design adopted in this disclosure can utilize the guide sleeve 210 to provide self-guiding for the installation of the guide post 220, achieving the design goal of good pressing without the need for guiding pressing fixtures. Furthermore, since the guide post 220 is subject to an upward pressure difference (when the valve needle 310 is provided with the balance channel shown in the figure, the fluid pressure at the lower end of the guide post 220 will be greater than the fluid pressure at the upper end, so the guide post 220 will actually be subject to an upward pressure difference, i.e., a pressure difference away from the valve port 111, for example, a pressure difference of 10 MPa), this disclosure adopts an interference fit at the end of the guide post 220 and the guide sleeve 210 near the valve port 111 (i.e., the lower end shown in the figure), which can overcome the influence of the above-mentioned pressure difference on the assembly strength of the guide post 220 and the guide sleeve 210, further ensuring the assembly strength between the two, and at the same time ensuring the coaxiality between the guide post 220 and the guide sleeve 210.

[0060] like Figure 2As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the electronic expansion valve further includes a sealing assembly disposed between the guide assembly and the valve head assembly (e.g., valve needle 310). The sealing assembly may include a sealing ring 510 and an O-ring 520. The sealing ring 510 is located between the inner circumference of the O-ring 520 and the valve needle 310. The term "O-ring" refers to the circular cross-section of the O-ring 520 (i.e., the outline of the cross-section is "O" shaped). Through this design, this disclosure uses the sealing ring 510 and the O-ring 520 to form a sealing assembly to achieve the sealing function between the guide assembly and the valve needle 310. The design of the sealing ring 510 prevents the O-ring 520 from being deformed under high pressure, ensuring the stability and reliability of the electronic expansion valve's sealing function.

[0061] like Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the guide post 220 has a first guide section 221 and a second guide section 222 distributed axially. The first guide section 221 is disposed in the guide sleeve cavity 211, and the second guide section 222 extends out of the guide sleeve cavity 211 away from the valve port 111, and is used to set the nut assembly 400. Based on this, the assembly step 2211 can be located at the connection between the first guide section 221 and the second guide section 222. Accordingly, a sealing groove 230 is formed between the end face of the first guide section 221 near the valve port 111 and the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity 211, and the sealing assembly is accommodated in the sealing groove 230. Through the above design, this disclosure utilizes the cooperation between the guide sleeve 210 and the guide post 220 to form a sealing groove 230 for accommodating the sealing assembly, eliminating the need for additional slotting on the guide sleeve 210 or the guide post 220, which simplifies the structural complexity and reduces the difficulty of component processing. In some embodiments, the sealing groove 230 for accommodating the sealing assembly can also be achieved by slotting the guide sleeve 210 or the guide post 220, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0062] like Figure 2 As shown, based on the design of the sealing groove 230 described above, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the first guide segment 221 along the axial direction can be greater than the length of the second guide segment. Through this design, this disclosure can extend the distance between the sealing groove (i.e., the sealing position between the guide assembly and the valve head assembly) and the weld (i.e., the welding position between the guide sleeve 210 and the guide post 220), thereby reducing the thermal impact of welding on the sealing assembly.

[0063] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, based on the design of the guide post 220 having a first guide segment 221 and a second guide segment 222, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the wall thickness of the first guide segment 221 can be greater than the wall thickness of the second guide segment 222.

[0064] In one embodiment of this disclosure, at least a portion of the inner circumference of the sealing ring 510 may be a conical inner annular surface, wherein the inner diameter of the end of the conical inner annular surface away from the valve port 111 is larger than the inner diameter of the end near the valve port 111. In other words, the inner circumference of the sealing ring 510 abuts against the outer circumference of the valve needle 310 at least in the area of ​​the conical inner annular surface near the valve port 111 and adjacent to it.

[0065] It should be noted that the shape description of the sealing ring 510 in this specification is based on the structural form of the sealing ring 510 when it is not assembled. It should be understood that when the sealing ring 510 is assembled, or after the electronic expansion valve has been used for a period of time, the structural form of the sealing ring 510 observed from the cross-section of the electronic expansion valve or the structural form of the disassembled sealing ring 510 may not be completely consistent with the above description, but this does not limit the application of this disclosure in the relevant embodiments.

[0066] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the sealing ring 510 may be made of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, chemical formula: (C2F4)). n ).

[0067] It should be noted that the electronic expansion valves shown in the accompanying drawings and described in this specification are merely a few examples among many electronic expansion valves capable of employing the principles of this disclosure. It should be clearly understood that the principles of this disclosure are by no means limited to any details of the electronic expansion valves shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification, or to any component of the electronic expansion valves.

[0068] In summary, the electronic expansion valve proposed in this disclosure includes a valve body 100, a guide assembly, and a valve assembly; the valve body 100 is provided with a valve cavity 110, and the valve cavity 110 is provided with a valve port 111; the guide assembly includes a guide sleeve 210 and a guide post 220; the guide sleeve 210 is disposed in the valve cavity 110 and is provided with a guide sleeve cavity 211, a part of the guide post 220 is disposed in the guide sleeve cavity 211, and the other part extends out of the guide sleeve cavity 211 away from the valve port 111; the outer periphery of the guide post 220 is provided with an assembly step 2211, the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity 211 away from the valve port 111 is provided with an assembly groove 212, the assembly step 2211 is accommodated in the assembly groove 212 and welded together, and the side surface of the assembly step 2211 away from the valve port 111 is provided with a groove 2212. Through the above design, when the assembly step 2211 and the assembly groove 212 are welded together, the groove 2212 can be used to block the heat conduction of the welding, avoid deformation of the guide surface of the guide post 220 used to cooperate with the valve assembly, and ensure the guiding effect of the guide post 220 on the valve assembly.

[0069] The exemplary embodiments of the electronic expansion valve proposed in this disclosure have been described and / or illustrated in detail above. However, the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein; rather, components and / or steps of each embodiment may be used independently and separately from other components and / or steps described herein. Each component and / or step of one embodiment may also be used in combination with other components and / or steps of other embodiments. In describing the elements / components / etc. described and / or illustrated herein, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the above” are used to indicate the presence of one or more elements / components / etc. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are used to indicate an open-ended inclusion and to mean that additional elements / components / etc. may exist in addition to those listed. Furthermore, the terms “first” and “second” in the claims and description are used only as illustrative marks and are not intended to limit the numerical scope of the object.

[0070] Although the electronic expansion valve proposed in this disclosure has been described according to different specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications may be made to the implementation of this disclosure within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An electronic expansion valve, characterized in that: Includes valve body (100), guide assembly, and valve assembly; The valve body (100) is provided with a valve cavity (110), and the valve cavity (110) is provided with a valve port (111); The guide assembly is disposed in the valve cavity (110), and the guide assembly includes a guide sleeve (210) and a guide post (220); the guide sleeve (210) is disposed in the valve cavity (110) and has a guide sleeve cavity (211); a part of the guide post (220) is disposed in the guide sleeve cavity (211), and the other part extends out of the guide sleeve cavity (211) away from the valve port (111); the guide post (220) has a guide post cavity (223). The guide post (220) is provided with an assembly step (2211) on its outer periphery. The cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity (211) away from the valve port (111) is provided with an assembly groove (212). The assembly step (2211) is accommodated in the assembly groove (212) and welded together. The surface of the assembly step (2211) facing away from the valve port (111) is provided with a groove (2212). The valve assembly is partially disposed in the guide post cavity (223), with its two ends extending out of the guide assembly, and the valve assembly is used to open and close the valve port (111).

2. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The welding position of the assembly step (2211) and the assembly groove (212) is located between the end of the outer peripheral surface of the assembly step (2211) away from the valve port (111) and the end of the inner peripheral groove wall of the assembly groove (212) away from the valve port (111).

3. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, A portion of the guide post (220) is interference-fitted with the inner wall of the guide sleeve cavity (211); wherein, the outer peripheral surface of the assembly step (2211) is clearance-fitted with the inner peripheral groove wall of the assembly groove (212).

4. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The assembly step (2211) is provided with a groove (2212) along its circumference, and the groove (2212) is annular; or The assembly step (2211) is provided with at least two grooves (2212) circumferentially, the grooves (2212) being annular in shape, and at least two grooves (2212) being radially spaced apart; or The assembly step (2211) is provided with at least two grooves (2212) in the circumferential direction. The grooves (2212) are arc-shaped and at least two grooves (2212) are arranged at intervals along the same circular path.

5. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the radial direction, the groove width (w2) of the groove (2212) accounts for 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the width of the mounting step (2211); and / or In the radial direction, the distance (w3) between the outer edge of the groove (2212) and the outer edge of the mounting step (2211) is greater than or equal to 1 / 4 of the width of the mounting step (2211); and / or Along the axial direction, the groove depth (h1) of the groove (2212) accounts for 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the thickness (h2) of the assembly step (2211).

6. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity (211) is provided with a third chamfer structure (213), which is adjacent to the assembly groove (212) near the valve port (111).

7. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 6, characterized in that, The portion of the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity (211) without the assembly groove (212) and the third chamfer structure (213) has a first region (214) and a second region (215). The first region (214) and the second region (215) are distributed axially, and the first region (214) is located between the third chamfer structure (213) and the second region (215). The first region (214) of the guide sleeve cavity (211) is clearance-fitted with the guide post (220), and the second region (215) of the guide sleeve cavity (211) is interference-fitted with the guide post (220).

8. The electronic expansion valve according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The valve assembly includes a valve head assembly and a nut assembly (400); the nut assembly (400) is disposed at the portion of the guide post (220) extending out of the guide sleeve cavity (211), and is guided and engaged with the guide post (220); the valve head assembly is partially disposed in the guide post cavity (223), one end of which is screwed into the nut assembly (400) so that the valve head assembly can move axially when rotated, and the other end is used to open and close the valve port (111).

9. The electronic expansion valve according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The electronic expansion valve further includes a sealing assembly disposed between the guide assembly and the valve assembly; wherein the sealing assembly includes a sealing ring (510) and an O-ring (520), and the sealing ring (510) is located between the inner circumference of the O-ring (520) and the valve assembly.

10. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 9, characterized in that, The guide post (220) has a first guide section (221) and a second guide section (222) distributed along the axial direction. The first guide section (221) is disposed in the guide sleeve cavity (211), and the second guide section (222) extends out of the guide sleeve cavity (211) away from the valve port (111). The assembly step (2211) is located at the connection between the first guide section (221) and the second guide section (222). A sealing groove (230) is formed between the end face of the first guide section (221) near the valve port (111) and the cavity wall of the guide sleeve cavity (211). The sealing assembly is accommodated in the sealing groove (230).

11. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 10, characterized in that, Along the axial direction, the length of the first guide segment (221) is greater than the length of the second guide segment (222).

Images