Motor valve, motor valve device, and method of assembling motor valve device

Abstract

To provide a motor valve and a motor valve device which can be commonly used in various systems, and to provide a method of assembling the motor valve device.SOLUTION: A motor valve 3 includes a valve body assembly 5, a stator unit 6, and a nut member 7. The stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5. A male screw 11e is provided on an outer peripheral surface of a body member 10 of the valve body assembly 5. The male screw 11e is screwed with a female screw 7e provided on an inner peripheral surface of the nut member 7 and a female screw 201e provided on an inner peripheral surface of an attachment hole 201 of a flow passage block 2. The nut member 7 is fastened so that the body member 10 is fixed to the flow passage block 2 while leaving a gap between the body member 10 and the flow passage block 2 in an axial direction L in the attachment hole 201.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric valve and an electric valve device, and a method for assembling the electric valve device.

Background Art

[0002] An example of a conventional electric valve is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The electric valve is incorporated into a system having a flow path block. The electric valve constitutes an electric valve device together with the flow path block. The electric valve has a valve body assembly and a stator unit. The valve body assembly has a body member, a valve element, a case, and a magnet rotor. The body member has a valve chamber. The valve element is disposed in the valve chamber. The case has a cylindrical shape, and one end of the case is joined to the body member. The magnet rotor is disposed inside the case. The valve body assembly is attached to the flow path block. The stator unit has a stator and a housing. The stator is disposed outside the case. The magnet rotor and the stator constitute a stepping motor. The valve element moves by the rotation of the magnet rotor. The stator is housed in the housing. The housing has a connector for connecting an electric wire. Alternatively, an electric wire is drawn out from a predetermined portion of the stator unit. The connector and the portion from which the electric wire is drawn out in the stator unit are referred to as an "electric wire connection portion".

[0003] An external peripheral surface of the body member is provided with a male screw. An upper surface of the flow path block is provided with a mounting hole, and an inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole is provided with a female screw. The male screw of the body member is screwed into the female screw of the flow path block. The body member (valve body assembly) is attached to the flow path block by a screw structure. The flow path block has a holding groove extending in the axial direction of the screw. The housing has a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the screw. When the mounting plate is disposed in the holding groove, the mounting plate engages with the flow path block, and the stator unit is attached to the flow path block.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Document

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In a system in which an electric valve is incorporated, for example, in order to efficiently lay electric wires, it may be necessary to change the orientation of the electric wire connection part (the position around the axis of the screw in the stator unit). And in order to change the orientation of the electric wire connection part in the electric valve, it is necessary to change the position of the mounting plate in the housing. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare electric valves suitable for each of a plurality of types of systems, and it is difficult to commonly use electric valves in a plurality of types of systems.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electric valve and an electric valve device that can be commonly used in a plurality of types of systems, and an assembling method of the electric valve device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, an electric valve according to an aspect of the present invention is an electric valve having a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member, wherein the valve body assembly includes a body member, a cylindrical case attached to the body member, and a magnet rotor disposed inside the case, the stator unit has a stator disposed outside the case, the stator unit is attached to the valve body assembly, a male screw is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the body member, the male screw is screwed with a female screw provided on an inner peripheral surface of the nut member, and a length in an axial direction of the male screw is larger than a length in the axial direction of the female screw.

[0008] In the present invention, it is preferable that the male screw is screwed with the female screw of the nut member and the female screw provided on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole of the flow path block, and the nut member is tightened so that the main body member is fixed to the flow path block.

[0009] In the present invention, a holding groove extending in the axial direction of the male screw is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main body member, the stator unit has a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the male screw, the holding groove crosses at least a part of the male screw, the mounting plate is disposed in the holding groove, a protrusion is provided on one of the bottom surface of the holding groove and the surface of the mounting plate facing the bottom surface, and a recess or a hole engaging with the protrusion, i.e., a protrusion receiving portion, is provided on the other. It is preferable that this is the case.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the mounting plate is disposed inside the nut member and the depth of the holding groove is smaller than the total value of the thickness of the mounting plate and the protruding amount of the protrusion.

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that information related to the valve opening position of the magnet rotor is recorded in the electric valve.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the electric valve has a control device for controlling the rotation of the magnet rotor and the information is stored in the control device.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the electric valve has a label attached to the outer surface of the valve body assembly or the outer surface of the stator unit, and the information is recorded on the label.

[0014] In order to achieve the above object, an electric valve device according to another aspect of the present invention includes the electric valve and the flow path block.

[0015] To achieve the above object, an assembling method of an electric valve device according to another aspect of the present invention is an assembling method of an electric valve device having an electric valve and a flow path block, wherein the electric valve has a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member, the valve body assembly has a main body member, a cylindrical case attached to the main body member, and a magnet rotor disposed inside the case, the stator unit has a stator disposed outside the case, (1) attaching the stator unit to the valve body assembly, (2) screwing a male screw provided on an outer peripheral surface of the main body member into a female screw provided on an inner peripheral surface of the nut member, (3) screwing the male screw into a female screw provided on an inner peripheral surface of a mounting hole of the flow path block, and (4) tightening the nut member so that the main body member is fixed to the flow path block.

Effect of the Invention

[0016] The electric valve has a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member. The stator unit is attached to the valve body assembly. A male screw provided on an outer peripheral surface of the main body member of the valve body assembly is screwed into a female screw provided on an inner peripheral surface of the nut member. The axial length of the male screw is larger than the axial length of the female screw. Thus, a part of the male screw of the main body member into which the female screw of the nut member is screwed can be screwed into the female screw provided on the flow path block. Thereby, the electric valve can be fixed to the flow path block by positioning the electric valve at an arbitrary position around the axis of the male screw and tightening the nut member. Therefore, the electric valve can be commonly used in a plurality of types of systems.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, an electric valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. The electric valve device is incorporated, for example, in an air conditioning system mounted on a vehicle or an air conditioning system installed indoors.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electric valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electric valve included in the electric valve device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the valve body assembly included in the electric valve of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the stator unit included in the electric valve of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a view showing a bracket included in the stator unit of FIG. 4. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the bracket. FIG. 5B is another perspective view of the bracket. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part (holding groove of the valve body assembly and its vicinity) of FIG. 6. FIGS. 8 to 11 are views for explaining a method of assembling the electric valve device of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 shows a step of attaching the stator unit to the valve body assembly. FIG. 9 shows a step of screwing the male screw of the main body member of the valve body assembly into the female screw of the nut member. FIG. 10 shows a step of screwing the male screw of the main body member into the female screw of the flow path block. FIG. 11 shows a step of tightening the nut member. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a modified example of the electric valve device of FIG. 1. In FIGS. 1, 3, and 8 to 12, the valve body is shown in a state of being viewed from the front.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the electric valve device 1 includes a flow path block 2 and an electric valve 3.

[0021] The flow path block 2 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The flow path block 2 has a circular mounting hole 201. The mounting hole 201 is disposed on the upper surface 2d of the flow path block 2. The upper surface 2d is an outer surface of the flow path block 2. The inner diameter of the mounting hole 201 gradually decreases from top to bottom. A female screw 201e is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 201. In FIG. 1, the flow path block 2 has a first flow path 205 extending leftward from the mounting hole 201 and a second flow path 206 extending downward from the mounting hole 201.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electric valve 3 includes a valve body assembly 5, a stator unit 6, and a nut member 7.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, the valve body assembly 5 has a body member 10, a cam 20, a drive mechanism 30, and a valve body 40.

[0024] The body member 10 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy. The body member 10 has a first portion 11 and a second portion 12.

[0025] The first portion 11 has a cylindrical shape. The first portion 11 integrally has an upper portion 11a, a middle portion 11b, and a lower portion 11c. The outer diameter of the upper portion 11a is larger than the outer diameter of the middle portion 11b. The outer diameter of the middle portion 11b is larger than the outer diameter of the lower portion 11c.

[0026] The first portion 11 has a male thread 11e. The male thread 11e is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper portion 11a. The male thread 11e is screwed into the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2. The first portion 11 is disposed in the mounting hole 201 of the flow path block 2. The upper portion 11a protrudes from the upper surface 2d of the flow path block 2.

[0027] The first portion 11 has a holding groove 14. The holding groove 14 extends in the vertical direction (axis L direction). The holding groove 14 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper portion 11a and crosses the male thread 11e in the vertical direction. The upper end of the holding groove 14 is open upward, and the lower end of the holding groove 14 is open downward. Alternatively, the holding groove 14 may cross a part of the male thread 11e. In this case, the upper end of the holding groove 14 is open upward. The first portion 11 has a recess 14c. The recess 14c is disposed on the bottom surface 14a of the holding groove 14. The recess 14c is a projection receiving portion.

[0028] The first part 11 has a valve chamber 15, a valve port 16, a valve seat 17, and a connecting flow path 18. The valve chamber 15 is disposed inside the middle part 11b and the lower part 11c. The valve port 16 opens into the valve chamber 15. The valve seat 17 is an inward annular tapered surface. The valve seat 17 surrounds the valve port 16 in the valve chamber 15. The connecting flow path 18 connects the valve chamber 15 and the mounting hole 201. The valve chamber 15 is connected to the first flow path 205 via the connecting flow path 18 and the mounting hole 201. The valve chamber 15 is connected to the second flow path 206 via the valve port 16. Instead of the first part 11, the flow path block 2 may have a valve chamber.

[0029] The second part 12 has a cylindrical shape. The lower part of the second part 12 is disposed inside the upper part 11a of the first part 11. The upper part of the second part 12 protrudes from the upper surface 11d of the first part 11. The second part 12 is attached to the first part 11 by a screw structure. The inner peripheral edge of an annular plate-shaped connecting member 13 is joined to the upper end of the second part 12. In this embodiment, the first part 11 and the second part 12 are separate components, but the main body member 10 may be a single component in which the first part 11 and the second part 12 are integrally formed.

[0030] The can 20 is made of, for example, stainless steel. The can 20 has a cylindrical shape with an open lower end and a closed upper end. The lower end of the can 20 is joined to the outer peripheral edge of the connecting member 13. The can 20 is attached to the main body member 10 via the connecting member 13. The can 20 may be directly attached to the main body member 10. The can 20 is a case.

[0031] The drive mechanism 30 moves the valve body 40 in the vertical direction. The drive mechanism 30 has a magnet rotor 31, a valve shaft holder 32, and a guide bush 33.

[0032] The magnet rotor 31 has a cylindrical shape. The magnet rotor 31 is disposed inside the can 20. The outer diameter of the magnet rotor 31 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the can 20. A plurality of N poles and a plurality of S poles are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the magnet rotor 31. The plurality of N poles and the plurality of S poles extend in the vertical direction. The plurality of N poles and the plurality of S poles are arranged at equal intervals and alternately in the circumferential direction. In the present embodiment, the magnet rotor 31 has 12 N poles and 12 S poles.

[0033] The valve shaft holder 32 has a cylindrical shape with its upper end closed. A support ring 35 is fixed to the upper end of the valve shaft holder 32. The magnet rotor 31 and the valve shaft holder 32 are coupled via the support ring 35. A female thread 32c is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the valve shaft holder 32. A movable stopper 37 is attached to the valve shaft holder 32.

[0034] The guide bush 33 integrally has a base portion 33a and a support portion 33b. The base portion 33a and the support portion 33b have a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the support portion 33b is smaller than the outer diameter of the base portion 33a. The support portion 33b is coaxially connected to the upper end of the base portion 33a. A male thread 33c is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the support portion 33b. The male thread 33c is screwed with the female thread 32c of the valve shaft holder 32. The base portion 33a is press-fitted into the upper portion of the second portion 12 of the main body member 10. The guide bush 33 is coupled to the main body member 10. A fixed stopper 38 is attached to the base portion 33a.

[0035] The valve body 40 integrally has a first shaft portion 41, a second shaft portion 42, and a valve portion 43. The first shaft portion 41 and the second shaft portion 42 have a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the second shaft portion 42 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first shaft portion 41. The second shaft portion 42 is coaxially connected to the upper end of the first shaft portion 41. The second shaft portion 42 penetrates the upper wall portion 32a of the valve shaft holder 32. A push nut 45 for preventing detachment is attached to the second shaft portion 42. The first shaft portion 41 is disposed inside the guide bush 33 and inside the second portion 12. The first shaft portion 41 is supported by the guide bush 33 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The lower end of the first shaft portion 41 is disposed in the valve chamber 15. The valve portion 43 has a shape in which a plurality of tapered portions whose outer diameter decreases from top to bottom are coaxially connected. The valve portion 43 is coaxially connected to the lower end of the first shaft portion 41. The valve portion 43 is disposed in the valve chamber 15. The valve portion 43 faces the valve port 16 (valve seat 17) in the vertical direction. A stepped portion 44 is provided between the first shaft portion 41 and the second shaft portion 42. The stepped portion 44 is an annular plane facing upward. A closing spring 36 is disposed between the upper wall portion 32a of the valve shaft holder 32 and the stepped portion 44. The closing spring 36 is a compression coil spring. The closing spring 36 presses the valve body 40 downward. The valve body 40 is moved in the vertical direction by the drive mechanism 30. The valve port 16 is opened and closed by the movement of the valve body 40.

[0036] In the valve body assembly 5, when the magnet rotor 31 rotates in the valve closing direction, the magnet rotor 31 and the valve shaft holder 32 move downward due to the screw feed action between the female screw 32c of the valve shaft holder 32 and the male screw 33c of the guide bush 33. The valve shaft holder 32 presses the valve body 40 downward via the valve closing spring 36. The valve body 40 moves downward and the valve body 40 contacts the valve seat 17. The position of the magnet rotor 31 at this time is the valve closing position Rc. When the magnet rotor 31 further rotates in the valve closing direction from this state, the valve closing spring 36 is compressed and the magnet rotor 31 and the valve shaft holder 32 move further downward. The valve body 40 does not move downward. Then, when the movable stopper 37 contacts the fixed stopper 38, the rotation of the magnet rotor 31 in the valve closing direction is restricted. The position of the magnet rotor 31 at this time is the reference position Rx.

[0037] In the valve body assembly 5, when the magnet rotor 31 rotates in the valve opening direction, the magnet rotor 31 and the valve shaft holder 32 move upward due to the screw feed action between the female screw 32c of the valve shaft holder 32 and the male screw 33c of the guide bush 33. The valve shaft holder 32 presses the push nut 45 upward. The valve body 40 moves upward and the valve body 40 separates from the valve seat 17. The position of the magnet rotor 31 at which the valve body 40 separates from the valve seat 17 and the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the valve port 16 becomes a predetermined set value is defined as the valve opening position Ro. Note that the valve opening position Ro may be the same as the valve closing position Rc. When the magnet rotor 31 further rotates in the valve opening direction, the magnet rotor 31 reaches the fully open position Rz. When the magnet rotor 31 is at the fully open position Rz, the valve body 40 is farthest from the valve port 16 and the valve port 16 is at the maximum opening degree.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4, the stator unit 6 includes a stator 60, a housing 70, a bracket 80, and a control device 85.

[0039] The stator 60 has a cylindrical shape. The stator 60 includes a phase A stator 61, a phase B stator 62, and a mold 63 made of synthetic resin.

[0040] The A-phase stator 61 has a plurality of claw-pole type pole teeth 61a and 61b on its inner circumference. The tip of the pole tooth 61a faces downward, and the tip of the pole tooth 61b faces upward. The pole teeth 61a and 61b are alternately arranged at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the A-phase stator 61 has 12 pole teeth 61a and 12 pole teeth 61b. The angle between two adjacent pole teeth 61a and 61b is 15 degrees. When the coil 61c of the A-phase stator 61 is energized, the pole teeth 61a and 61b have different polarities from each other.

[0041] The B-phase stator 62 has a plurality of claw-pole type pole teeth 62a and 62b on its inner circumference. The tip of the pole tooth 62a faces downward, and the tip of the pole tooth 62b faces upward. The pole teeth 62a and 62b are alternately arranged at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the B-phase stator 62 has 12 pole teeth 62a and 12 pole teeth 62b. The angle between two adjacent pole teeth 62a and 62b is 15 degrees. When the coil 62c of the B-phase stator 62 is energized, the pole teeth 62a and 62b have different polarities from each other.

[0042] The A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62 are arranged coaxially. The A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62 are in contact with each other. The angle between the pole tooth 61a of the A-phase stator 61 and the pole tooth 62a of the B-phase stator 62 that are adjacent to each other when viewed from the direction of the axis L is 7.5 degrees.

[0043] The mold 63 is filled inside the A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62. Also, the mold 63 constitutes the stator inner peripheral surface 60a together with the pole teeth 61a, 61b and the pole teeth 62a, 62b. The diameter of the stator inner peripheral surface 60a is the same as (including substantially the same) the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the can 20. The mold 63 has a terminal support portion 64.

[0044] The terminal support portion 64 extends laterally (in a direction perpendicular to the axis L) from the A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62. The terminal support portion 64 supports a plurality of terminals 65. The plurality of terminals 65 project laterally from the tip of the terminal support portion 64. The plurality of terminals 65 are connected to the coil 61c of the A-phase stator 61 and the coil 62c of the B-phase stator 62.

[0045] The stator 60 is disposed outside the can 20. The stator 60, together with the magnet rotor 31 disposed inside the can 20, constitutes a stepping motor 66.

[0046] The housing 70 is made of synthetic resin. The housing 70 houses the stator 60 and the control device 85. The housing 70 integrally has a peripheral wall portion 71, an upper wall portion 72, and a connector 73.

[0047] The peripheral wall portion 71 has a cylindrical shape. The stator 60 is embedded in the peripheral wall portion 71. The diameter of the inner peripheral surface 71a of the peripheral wall portion 71 is the same as the diameter of the stator inner peripheral surface 60a. The inner peripheral surface 71a is continuous with the stator inner peripheral surface 60a without a step. The upper wall portion 72 has a dome shape. The upper wall portion 72 is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 71. The connector 73 is disposed at the upper part of the housing 70. The connector 73 faces laterally. The inner peripheral surface 71a of the peripheral wall portion 71, the inner surface 72a of the upper wall portion 72, and the stator inner peripheral surface 60a form the inner space 74 of the stator unit 6. The can 20 is disposed in the inner space 74.

[0048] The housing 70 has a substrate space 75. The substrate space 75 is adjacent to the inner space 74. A partition wall 76 is disposed between the inner space 74 and the substrate space 75. The partition wall 76 partitions the inner space 74 and the substrate space 75. The housing 70 has an opening 70a communicating with the substrate space 75, and the opening 70a is closed by a lid member 77.

[0049] The bracket 80 is made of metal. As shown in FIG. 5, the bracket 80 integrally has a bracket body 81 and a mounting plate 82. The bracket body 81 has an annular plate shape. The bracket body 81 is fixed to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 71. The mounting plate 82 has a rectangular plate shape. The mounting plate 82 is continuously provided at the inner peripheral edge of the bracket body 81 and extends downward. The mounting plate 82 extends toward the main body member 10. The bracket 80 is formed by punching a metal plate into the shapes of the bracket body 81 and the mounting plate 82 by press working and bending the mounting plate 82 along the central axis (axis L) of the bracket body 81. The bracket 80 may be welded to the stator 60.

[0050] The mounting plate 82 is disposed in the holding groove 14. The width of the mounting plate 82 is the same as (including substantially the same) the width of the holding groove 14 of the main body member 10. The width of the mounting plate 82 may be smaller than the width of the holding groove 14. It is preferable that the deviation angle around the axis L between the main body member 10 and the housing 70 caused by the difference between the width of the mounting plate 82 and the width of the holding groove 14 is smaller than the step angle of the stepping motor 66. The mounting plate 82 extends in the vertical direction. The mounting plate 82 is inserted into the holding groove 14 through the opening on the upper end side of the holding groove 14.

[0051] The mounting plate 82 has a convex portion 82c. The convex portion 82c is disposed on the inner side surface 82a (the surface facing leftward in FIG. 4) of the mounting plate 82. The inner side surface 82a is the surface facing the bottom surface 14a when the mounting plate 82 is disposed in the holding groove 14. The inner side surface 82a is in contact with the bottom surface 14a. The convex portion 82c is a protruding portion.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the convex portion 82c is fitted into the concave portion 14c in the holding groove 14. By fitting the convex portion 82c into the concave portion 14c, the concave portion 14c and the convex portion 82c are engaged with each other (that is, engaged), and the mounting plate 82 is restricted from moving in the vertical direction within the holding groove 14. Thereby, the housing 70 (stator unit 6) is fixed to the main body member 10.

[0053] The control device 85 is arranged in the board space 75 of the housing 70. The control device 85 has a main board 90, a sub-board 100, a magnetic sensor 110, and a microcomputer 120.

[0054] The main board 90 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. The main board 90 is housed in the board space 75. The main board 90 is arranged parallel to the vertical direction. The microcomputer 120 is mounted on the main board 90. A plurality of terminals 65 of the stator 60 are connected to the main board 90.

[0055] The sub-board 100 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. The sub-board 100 is housed in the board space 75. The sub-board 100 is arranged at a right angle to the main board 90. The first end 100a of the sub-board 100 is arranged near the main board 90. The second end 100b of the sub-board 100 is arranged near the partition wall 76. The sub-board 100 is connected to the main board 90 via an inter-board connector.

[0056] The magnetic sensor 110 is, for example, a Hall IC. The magnetic sensor 110 is arranged at the second end 100b of the sub-board 100. The magnetic sensor 110 is arranged laterally in line with the magnet rotor 31 via the can 20 and the partition wall 76. The magnetic sensor 110 outputs a signal according to the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnet rotor 31.

[0057] The microcomputer 120 is, for example, a microcomputer for embedded devices in which a central processing unit, a non-volatile memory, a working memory, a communication module, a motor driver, etc. are integrated in one package. The microcomputer 120 is in charge of controlling the motor-operated valve 3. Note that the non-volatile memory, the working memory, the communication module, and the motor driver may be individual electronic components externally connected to the microcomputer 120.

[0058] The control device 85 is communicably connected to a control unit of an air conditioning system (not shown) in which the electric valve device 1 is incorporated. The control device 85 controls the stepping motor 66 (i.e., the rotation of the magnet rotor 31) according to an instruction transmitted from the control unit. In the control device 85 (for example, the non-volatile memory of the microcomputer 120), valve opening point information J is stored. The valve opening point information J is information indicating the number of pulses (valve opening point) input to the stepping motor 66 to rotate the magnet rotor 31 from the reference position Rx to the valve opening position Ro. The valve opening point is a parameter related to the operating characteristics of the electric valve 3 and may vary depending on component accuracy and assembly accuracy. The valve opening point is measured at the time of factory shipment of the electric valve 3 and stored in the non-volatile memory as the valve opening point information J. The valve opening point information J is information related to the valve opening position Ro of the magnet rotor 31. The control device 85 positions the magnet rotor 31 at the valve opening position Ro using the valve opening point information J, for example, in the initialization operation of the electric valve 3. Note that in the electric valve 3, the valve closing position Rc may be used as the valve opening position Ro.

[0059] The nut member 7 is an annular member having a hexagonal outer shape. An internal thread 7e is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the nut member 7. The external thread 11e of the main body member 10 is screwed into the internal thread 7e. The holding groove 14 of the nut member 7 and the main body member 10 forms a space 25. An attachment plate 82 is disposed in the space 25. When the internal thread 7e and the external thread 11e are screwed together, the nut member 7 is aligned with the attachment plate 82 in the lateral direction. In other words, the attachment plate 82 is disposed inside the nut member 7. Note that the outer shape of the nut member 7 is not limited to a hexagonal shape. The outer shape of the nut member 7 may be a polygonal shape such as a square shape or an octagonal shape. Alternatively, the nut member 7 may have a shape (for example, a groove or a protrusion) that engages with a tool. The nut member 7 only needs to have a shape that can be rotated by a tool.

[0060] In this embodiment, when the depth of the holding groove 14 is D, the thickness of the mounting plate 82 is T1, and the protruding amount of the convex portion 82c is T2, the depth D is smaller than the total value T of the thickness T1 and the protruding amount T2 (D < T, T = T1 + T2). The depth D is the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 11 (the bottom of the male thread 11e) and the bottom surface 14a of the holding groove 14. The protruding amount T2 is the distance between the inner surface 82a and the portion of the convex portion 82c that is farthest from the inner surface 82a. By doing so, when a pulling force is applied upward from the holding groove 14 to the mounting plate 82, the mounting plate 82 contacts the nut member 7 and the elastic deformation of the mounting plate 82 is restricted, suppressing the release of the engagement between the convex portion 82c and the concave portion 14c.

[0061] The length K1 of the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 in the axial direction (axis L direction) is larger than the length K2 of the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 in the axial direction (axis L direction) (FIG. 9). Specifically, the length K1 is larger than the length K2 by more than the number of threads (for example, 5 to 10) required for the main body member 10 to be fixed to the flow path block 2 when the male thread 11e is screwed into the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2 to tighten the nut member 7. In this embodiment, the length K1 is preferably 1.5 to 5 times the length K2, and more preferably 2 to 3 times. When the length K1 is large, the screwing amount between the male thread 11e and the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2 can be ensured, and when the length K1 is small, the flow path block 2 and the electric valve 3 can be miniaturized. In a configuration having a plurality of nut members 7, the length K2 is the total value of the lengths of the female threads 7e of each nut member 7 in the axial direction.

[0062] In this embodiment, the electric valve 3 has one nut member 7, but as shown in FIG. 12, the electric valve 3 may have a plurality of nut members 7.

[0063] In the electric valve device 1, the central axes of the mounting hole 201 (female thread 201e), the main body member 10 (first portion 11, male thread 11e, second portion 12, valve port 16, valve seat 17), the cam 20, the magnet rotor 31, the valve shaft holder 32, the guide bush 33, the valve body 40, the stator 60 (A-phase stator 61, B-phase stator 62), and the nut member 7 (female thread 7e) coincide with the axis L.

[0064] Next, an example of the assembling method of the electric valve device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11.

[0065] Produce the valve body assembly 5 and the stator unit 6. Then, attach the stator unit 6 to the valve body assembly 5. Specifically, insert the cam 20 of the valve body assembly 5 into the inner space 74 of the stator unit 6, and insert the mounting plate 82 of the housing 70 into the holding groove 14 of the main body member 10. As the insertion of the mounting plate 82 into the holding groove 14 proceeds, the convex portion 82c of the mounting plate 82 rides on the bottom surface 14a of the holding groove 14 and the mounting plate 82 elastically deforms so as to bend (FIG. 8). Then, as the insertion further proceeds, the mounting plate 82 is restored and the convex portion 82c fits into the concave portion 14c in the holding groove 14. As a result, the concave portion 14c and the convex portion 82c are engaged with each other, and the movement of the mounting plate 82 in the vertical direction in the holding groove 14 is restricted. Further, since the width of the holding groove 14 and the width of the mounting plate 82 are the same, the rotation of the mounting plate 82 around the axis L with respect to the main body member 10 is restricted. Thereby, the stator unit 6 is fixed to the valve body assembly 5.

[0066] Next, screw the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 into the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 (FIGS. 9 and 10). Then, insert the main body member 10 into the mounting hole 201 of the flow path block 2, and screw the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 into the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2 (FIGS. 10 and 11). Adjust the position around the axis L in the electric valve 3 so that the connector 73 of the stator unit 6 faces in a desired direction. Rotate the nut member 7 until it contacts the upper surface 2d of the flow path block 2. After the nut member 7 contacts the upper surface 2d, apply a force in the rotational direction to the nut member 7 to tighten the nut member 7. Thereby, the main body member 10 (electric valve 3) is fixed to the flow path block 2, and the electric valve device 1 is completed.

[0067] The electric valve device 1 of this embodiment includes a flow path block 2 and an electric valve 3. The electric valve 3 includes a valve body assembly 5, a stator unit 6, and a nut member 7. The valve body assembly 5 includes a body member 10, a cam 20 attached to the body member 10, and a magnet rotor 31 disposed inside the cam 20. The stator unit 6 includes a stator 60 disposed outside the cam 20. The stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5. An external thread 11e is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the body member 10. The external thread 11e is screwed with the internal thread 7e of the nut member 7 and the internal thread 201e of the flow path block 2. The length K1 of the external thread 11e in the axial direction of the axis L is greater than the length K2 of the internal thread 7e in the axial direction of the axis L. The nut member 7 is tightened so that the body member 10 is fixed to the flow path block 2.

[0068] Due to this, a part of the external thread 11e of the body member 10 with which the internal thread 7e of the nut member 7 is screwed can be screwed with the internal thread 201e provided on the flow path block 2. Thereby, by positioning the electric valve 3 at an arbitrary position around the axis L and tightening the nut member 7, the electric valve 3 can be fixed to the flow path block 2. Therefore, the electric valve 3 can be commonly used in a plurality of types of systems.

[0069] Also, since the stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5, the combination of the valve body assembly 5 and the stator unit 6 is determined at the time of factory shipment. Therefore, it is possible to measure the operating characteristics (valve opening point) that vary depending on the component accuracy and assembly accuracy in the electric valve 3 at the time of factory shipment, and ship the electric valve 3 in which information related to the operating characteristics (valve opening point information J) is recorded.

[0070] Further, a holding groove 14 extending in the axial direction of the axis L is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main body member 10. The stator unit 6 has a mounting plate 82 extending in the axial direction of the axis L. The holding groove 14 crosses the male screw 11e. The mounting plate 82 is disposed in the holding groove 14. A convex portion 82c is provided on the inner surface 82a of the mounting plate 82. A concave portion 14c engaging with the convex portion 82c is provided on the bottom surface 14a of the holding groove 14. By doing so, the stator unit 6 can be attached to the valve body assembly 5 with a relatively simple structure. Note that a convex portion may be provided on the bottom surface 14a of the holding groove 14, and a concave portion or hole engaging with the convex portion may be provided on the mounting plate 82.

[0071] Further, the mounting plate 82 is disposed inside the nut member 7. The depth D of the holding groove 14 is smaller than the total value T of the thickness T1 of the mounting plate 82 and the protruding amount T2 of the convex portion 82c. By doing so, the mounting plate 82 is disposed in the space 25 formed by the holding groove 14 and the nut member 7, and the elastic deformation of the mounting plate 82 is restricted, so that the disengagement of the engagement between the convex portion 82c and the concave portion 14c can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the stator unit 6 from coming off the valve body assembly 5.

[0072] The electric valve 3 has a control device 85 that controls the rotation of the magnet rotor 31. The valve opening point information J is stored in the control device 85. By doing so, the flow rate of the refrigerant can be controlled with high precision in the electric valve 3.

[0073] Note that the electric valve 3 may omit the control device 85 and be directly controlled by the control unit of the air conditioning system. In this case, it is preferable that the electric valve 3 has a label attached to the outer surface of the valve body assembly 5 or the outer surface of the stator unit 6, and the valve opening point information J is recorded on the label. The valve opening point information J is recorded in a form readable by a reading device such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code, for example. By using the valve opening point information J read by the reading device in the control unit, the flow rate of the refrigerant can be controlled with high precision in the electric valve 3.

[0074] Although the above-described embodiment has a configuration in which the electric valve 3 is attached to the flow path block 2, it is not limited to this configuration. For example, the electric valve 3 may be attached to a structure other than the flow path block 2 (for example, the frame of the air conditioning system). In this case, the male screw 11e of the main body member 10 of the electric valve 3 is screwed into the female screw provided on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole of the structure, and the nut member 7 is tightened so that the main body member 10 is fixed to the structure.

[0075] In this specification, each term indicating a shape such as "cylinder" or "rectangular parallelepiped" is also used for a member or a part of a member that substantially has the shape of that term. For example, a "cylindrical member" includes a cylindrical member and a member that is substantially cylindrical.

[0076] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments. For those skilled in the art, those obtained by appropriately adding, deleting, or changing the design of components, or those obtained by appropriately combining the features of the embodiments, are included in the scope of the present invention as long as they do not contravene the spirit of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0077] 1…Electric valve device, 2…Flow path block, 2d…Upper surface, 201…Mounting hole, 201e…Female thread, 205…First flow path, 206…Second flow path, 3…Electric valve, 5…Valve body assembly, 10…Body member, 11…First part, 11a…Upper part, 11b…Middle part, 11c…Lower part, 11d…Upper surface, 11e…Male thread, 12…Second part, 13…Connecting member, 14…Holding groove, 14a…Bottom surface, 14c…Recess, 15…Valve chamber, 16…Valve port, 17…Valve seat, 18…Connecting flow path, 20…Cam, 25…Space, 30…Drive mechanism, 31…Magnet rotor, 32…Valve shaft holder, 32a…Upper wall part, 32c…Female thread, 33…Guide bush, 33a…Base part, 33b…Support part, 33c…Male thread, 35…Support ring, 36…Closing valve spring, 37…Movable stopper, 38…Fixed stopper, 40…Valve body, 41…First shaft part, 42…Second shaft part, 43…Valve part, 44…Step part, 45…Push nut, 6…Stator unit, 60…Stator, 60a…Stator inner peripheral surface, 61…A-phase stator, 61a…Pole tooth, 61b…Pole tooth, 61c…Coil, 62…B-phase stator, 62a…Pole tooth, 62b…Pole tooth, 62c…Coil, 63…Mold, 64…Terminal support part, 65…Terminal, 66…Stepping motor, 70…Housing, 70a…Opening, 71…Peripheral wall part, 71a…Inner peripheral surface, 72…Upper wall part, 72a…Inner surface, 73…Connector, 74…Inner space, 75…Substrate space, 76…Partition wall, 77…Cover member, 80…Bracket, 81…Bracket body, 82…Mounting plate, 82a…Inner surface, 82c…Protrusion, 85…Control device, 90…Main substrate, 100…Substrate, 100a…First end, 100b…Second end, 110…Magnetic sensor, 120…Microcomputer, 7…Nut member, 7e…Female thread, J…Opening valve point information, K1…Length, K2…Length, L…Axis, Rc…Closing valve position, Ro…Opening valve position, Rx…Reference position, Rz…Fully open position, T…Total value, T1…Thickness, T2…Protrusion amount

Claims

1. A motor-operated valve having a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member, The valve body assembly includes a body member, a cylindrical case attached to the body member, and a magnet rotor disposed inside the case, The outer circumferential surface of the main body member is provided with a male thread and a retaining groove extending in the axial direction of the male thread and crossing at least a portion of the male thread, The stator unit has a stator disposed on the outside of the case, and a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the male screw and disposed in the retaining groove, a protrusion is provided on one of the bottom surface of the holding groove and the surface of the mounting plate facing the bottom surface, and a protrusion receiving portion which is a recess or a hole that engages with the protrusion is provided on the other surface; the stator unit is attached to the valve body assembly; The male thread is screwed into a female thread provided on an inner peripheral surface of the nut member, An electrically operated valve, characterized in that the axial length of the male thread is greater than the axial length of the female thread.

2. the male thread is screwed into the female thread of the nut member and a female thread provided on an inner circumferential surface of a mounting hole of a flow passage block, The motor-operated valve of claim 1 , wherein the nut member is tightened to secure the body member to the flow passage block.

3. The mounting plate is disposed inside the nut member, 2. The motor-operated valve according to claim 1, wherein a depth of the retaining groove is smaller than a sum of a thickness of the mounting plate and a protruding amount of the protrusion.

4. 3. The motor-operated valve according to claim 1, wherein information relating to a valve-open position of the magnet rotor is recorded in the motor-operated valve.

5. The motor-operated valve has a control device that controls the rotation of the magnet rotor, The motorized valve of claim 4 , wherein the information is stored in the controller.

6. the motor-operated valve has a label attached to an outer surface of the valve body assembly or an outer surface of the stator unit, The motor-operated valve of claim 4 , wherein the information is recorded on the label.

7. A motor-operated valve device comprising the motor-operated valve according to claim 2 and the flow path block.

8. A method for assembling a motor-operated valve device having a motor-operated valve and a flow path block, comprising the steps of: The motor-operated valve includes a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member. The valve body assembly includes a body member, a cylindrical case attached to the body member, and a magnet rotor disposed inside the case, The outer circumferential surface of the main body member is provided with a male thread and a retaining groove extending in the axial direction of the male thread and crossing at least a portion of the male thread, The stator unit has a stator disposed on the outside of the case, and a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the male screw and disposed in the retaining groove, a protrusion is provided on one of the bottom surface of the holding groove and the surface of the mounting plate facing the bottom surface, and a protrusion receiving portion which is a recess or a hole that engages with the protrusion is provided on the other surface; (1) attaching the stator unit to the valve body assembly, inserting the mounting plate into the retaining groove, and engaging the protrusion with the protrusion receiving portion; (2) The male thread is screwed into a female thread provided on the inner peripheral surface of the nut member, (3) The male thread is screwed into a female thread provided on an inner circumferential surface of a mounting hole of the flow passage block, (4) A method for assembling a motor-operated valve device, comprising the steps of: tightening the nut member so that the main body member is fixed to the flow path block.

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