Flow path selector valve

Abstract

To increase variations of switching modes in a flow path selector valve.SOLUTION: In a flow path selector valve 10, two upper and lower valve bodies 16 are rotated by one rotation driving part 18, and one 16 of the valve bodies is rotated in a reverse direction at a speed reduced relative to rotation speed of the other valve body 116 by a gear mechanism 80.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flow path switching valve. [Background technology]

[0002] A control valve (flow path switching valve) has been disclosed that has a rotating valve element inside a valve body and has five or more ports (pipe joints) (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 111828682 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the upper and lower valve bodies that are connected to each other are driven by a motor and rotate in synchronization, so it is considered that it is not possible to make the switching modes of the upper and lower valves different.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to increase the variety of switching modes in a flow path switching valve. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In the flow path switching valve according to the first aspect, two upper and lower valve bodies are rotated by one of the rotary drive units, and one of the valve bodies is slowed down by a gear mechanism relative to the other valve body and rotated in the opposite direction to the other valve body.

[0007] In this flow path switching valve, two valve elements in two upper and lower valve units are rotated by a single rotary drive unit to switch the flow path. A gear mechanism slows one valve element down more than the other and rotates it in the opposite direction, creating a difference in the rotation angle and direction of the two valve elements. This allows the two valve units to operate in different switching modes.

[0008] A second aspect is a flow path switching valve according to the first aspect, comprising: one valve shaft attached to the one valve element; another valve shaft attached to the other valve element; a drive member that is rotationally driven by the driving force of the rotary drive unit and is rotatable relative to the one valve shaft; and a connecting member that has one end that is rotatably inserted through the one valve shaft and is connected to the drive member and the other end that is connected to the other valve shaft, wherein the gear mechanism comprises: a first gear provided on an outer periphery of the drive member; an intermediate gear that meshes with the first gear; a second gear that meshes with the intermediate gear and has a larger number of teeth than the first gear; a third gear that is provided coaxially with the second gear and rotates integrally with the second gear; and a fourth gear that is provided on the outer periphery of the one valve shaft, meshes with the third gear, and has a larger number of teeth than the third gear.

[0009] In this flow path switching valve, when the rotary drive unit is activated, the drive member rotates. The drive member is connected to the other valve shaft via a connecting member, and the rotation of the drive member is transmitted to the other valve element, allowing the other valve element to rotate without decelerating.

[0010] One valve shaft is attached to one valve body, and the drive member is rotatable relative to the valve shaft. Therefore, the rotation of the drive member is not directly transmitted to one valve shaft and one valve body.

[0011] A gear mechanism including a first gear, an intermediate gear, a second gear, a third gear, and a fourth gear is provided between the drive member and one of the valve shafts. The first gear on the outer periphery of the drive member meshes with the intermediate gear, which in turn meshes with a second gear having a greater number of teeth than the first gear. Therefore, when the rotation of the drive member is transmitted from the first gear to the second gear, it is decelerated, and the second gear rotates in the opposite direction to the drive member. When the second gear rotates, the third gear also rotates integrally. The third gear meshes with a fourth gear having a greater number of teeth than the third gear. The fourth gear is provided on the outer periphery of the other valve shaft. Therefore, when the rotation of the third gear is transmitted to the fourth gear, i.e., one of the valve shafts, it is decelerated. In other words, the rotation of the drive member is decelerated in two stages by the gear mechanism and transmitted to one of the valve shafts and one of the valve discs, with the rotation direction reversed.

[0012] In this way, the other valve body can be rotated without decelerating, and one valve body can be rotated in the reverse direction while decelerating.

[0013] a valve body rotatably disposed within the valve chamber and having a flow path formed therein; a valve element rotatably disposed within the valve chamber and having a flow path formed therein; a first flow path communicating with the first inlet / outlet; a second flow path communicating with the second inlet / outlet, the second flow path being disposed in parallel with the first flow path across the valve body; and a third flow path communicating with the third inlet / outlet and having an opening on the side opposite the third inlet / outlet; one of the valve units is connected to another in a stacked manner; and the rotary drive unit is connected to the valve unit and rotates the valve element so that the communication states of the first inlet / outlet, the second inlet / outlet, and the third inlet / outlet are selectively switched via the flow paths of the valve element.

[0014] In this flow path switching valve, the two valve bodies in the two valve units are rotated by a single rotary drive unit to switch the flow paths, thereby selectively switching the communication states of the first inlet / outlet, second inlet / outlet, and third inlet / outlet in the two valve units through the flow paths of the valve bodies. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the variety of switching modes in the flow path switching valve. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a flow path switching valve according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a rotation drive unit is removed and a gear mechanism is exposed in the flow path switching valve according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a flow path switching valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a structure for rotating two valve bodies. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a drive member, an upper valve stem, an upper valve body, a gear mechanism, and a connecting member. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a drive member, an upper valve stem, an upper valve body, a gear mechanism, and a connecting member. [Figure 7] (A) is a table showing the relationship between the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit and the state of the upper and lower valve discs when the reduction ratio of the upper valve disc is 1 / 2. (B) is a diagram corresponding to (A) showing the relationship between the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit and the opening degree of the upper and lower valve discs. [Figure 8] (A) is a table showing the relationship between the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit and the state of the upper and lower valve bodies when the reduction ratio of the upper valve body is 1 / 4. (B) is a diagram corresponding to (A) showing the relationship between the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit and the opening degree of the upper and lower valve bodies. [Figure 9]1A is a table showing the relationship between the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit and the state of the upper and lower valve discs when the upper valve disc has a reduction ratio of 1 / 2 and an L-shaped flow path that opens in two directions in a plan view. 1B is a diagram showing the relationship between the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit and the opening degree of the upper and lower valve discs, corresponding to 1A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Components indicated by the same reference numerals in each drawing are the same or similar components. Note that duplicated descriptions and reference numerals may be omitted in the embodiments described below. Furthermore, all drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements between multiple drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones.

[0018] Furthermore, in this specification, descriptions of positions and directions such as up / down, left / right, front / rear, etc. are based on the directional arrows in Figure 1 and do not refer to positions and directions in actual use. In Figure 1, "U" indicates the upward direction (upper side), "D" indicates the downward direction (lower side), "LH" indicates the leftward direction (left side), "RH" indicates the rightward direction (right side), "F" indicates the forward direction (front side), and "R" indicates the rearward direction (rear side). "Up / down direction" refers to the directions of arrow U and arrow D. "Right / left direction" refers to the directions of arrow LH and arrow RH. "Front / rear direction" refers to the directions of arrow F and arrow R.

[0019] 1 to 5, a flow path switching valve 10 according to this embodiment is used as a rotary three-way or four-way valve for switching the flow path of a fluid flowing, for example, in the engine compartment of an automobile. The flow path switching valve 10 has a valve unit 20, a rotary drive unit 18, and a gear mechanism 80.

[0020] [Valve unit] The valve unit 20 includes a valve body 14, a valve element 16, a first flow path 21, a second flow path 22, and a third flow path 23. The valve unit 20 is a three-way valve that switches between, for example, a state in which the first flow path 21 and the third flow path 23 are connected to each other, a state in which the second flow path 22 and the third flow path 23 are connected to each other, and a state in which the first flow path 21, the second flow path 22, and the third flow path 23 are not connected to each other. Furthermore, by forming a flow path 36 of the valve element 16, which will be described later, into an L-shape in a plan view, it is possible to realize a state in which the first flow path 21, the second flow path 22, and the third flow path 23 are connected to each other ( FIG. 13 ). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , for example, a mounting portion 29 for mounting to a vehicle or the like may be provided on the side of the first flow path 21.

[0021] (Valve body) The valve body 14 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and has a valve chamber 12 formed therein. The valve chamber 12 is open toward the top. A first inlet / outlet 31 and a second inlet / outlet 32, which face each other and allow fluid to enter and exit, are formed in the wall surface defining the valve chamber 12. For example, the first inlet / outlet 31 is formed in the rear wall surface of the valve chamber 12, and the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​is formed in the front wall surface of the valve chamber 12. In other words, the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​face each other in the front-to-rear direction of the valve chamber 12. A third inlet / outlet 33 is formed in the bottom surface of the valve chamber 12. The valve body 14 is assembled by welding a member having a first flow path 21 and a second flow path 22. The valve element 16 and a sealing portion 38, which will be described later, are inserted and assembled into the valve chamber before the valve body 14 is welded.

[0022] (Valve body) The valve discs 16, 116 are ball-shaped members made of, for example, synthetic resin, and are rotatably disposed within the valve chamber 12. An upper valve stem 28 is inserted into the upper valve disc 16. The valve stem 28 is inserted, for example, into a bracket 24 from above, and the upper valve stem 28 is inserted further into it. An O-ring 74 is attached to the valve stem 28. This O-ring 74 provides an airtight or watertight seal between the valve stem 28 and the bracket 24, for example.

[0023] A lower valve shaft 128 is inserted into the lower valve element 116. The upper valve element 16 and the upper valve shaft 28 engage with each other around the axial direction of the valve shaft 28, so that rotation of the valve shaft 28 is transmitted to the valve element 16. In addition, the lower valve element 116 and the lower valve shaft 128 engage with each other around the axial direction of the valve shaft 128, so that rotation of the valve shaft 128 is transmitted to the valve element 116.

[0024] In order to selectively connect the first inlet / outlet 31, the second inlet / outlet 32, and the third inlet / outlet 33 of the valve body 14, in other words, to selectively switch the communication states of the first inlet / outlet 31, the second inlet / outlet 32, and the third inlet / outlet 33, a flow path (internal flow path) 36 is provided inside each of the valve bodies 16, 116. Regarding the valve body 16, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the valve body 16 has a horizontal hole 36A that connects to the flow path 36 from its outer periphery (side portion). The valve body 16 also has a pilot hole 36C that connects to the flow path 36 from its outer periphery (lower portion). The flow path 36 connects from the horizontal hole 36A to the pilot hole 36C. Depending on the state of the valve body 16, the horizontal hole 36A can face either the first inlet / outlet 31 or the second inlet / outlet 32. When the lateral holes 36A are not opposite either of the inlets or outlets, the valve body 16 is in close contact with the sheet member 40 (described later) and is therefore closed. As shown in Fig. 9, the lateral hole of the upper valve body 16 may be formed in an L-shape.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 3, sealing portions 38 are provided between the valve discs 16, 116 and the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32, respectively, to seal the gap between the valve discs 16, 116 and the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The sealing portions 38 include, for example, a seat member 40 and an O-ring 42. The seat member 40 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin and is formed in an annular shape with openings corresponding to the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The seat members 40 are disposed around the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​on the inner wall surfaces of the valve body 14 (the front and rear wall surfaces of the valve chamber 12). The valve disc 16 is sandwiched between the two seat members 40 and is disposed so as to be rotatable and slidable while in contact with each seat member 40.

[0026] The gap between the seat member 40 and the valve body 14 is sealed, for example, airtight or watertight, by O-rings 42. The O-rings 42 are attached to O-ring grooves (not shown) formed in the seat member 40, for example.

[0027] As an example, the valve body 14 and the valve elements 16, 116 may be made of PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), the seat member 40 may be made of PTFE (fluororesin), and the O-ring 42 may be made of synthetic rubber.

[0028] (First flow path, second flow path, third flow path) 1 to 3, the first flow path 21, the second flow path 22, and the third flow path 23 are, for example, pipe portions formed integrally with the valve body 14. In other words, the first flow path 21 can be referred to as a first port, the second flow path 22 as a second port, and the third flow path 23 as a third port.

[0029] The first flow path 21 is open at both ends, for example, and communicates with a first inlet / outlet 31 of the valve chamber 12. This first flow path 21 extends linearly, for example, in the left-right direction. The first inlet / outlet 31 is connected midway through the first flow path 21. As a result, the first flow path 21 and the first inlet / outlet 31 are formed in a substantially T-shape in plan view.

[0030] The second flow path 22 is arranged in parallel to the first flow path 21 with the valve body 14 sandwiched therebetween, and is open at both ends, for example, and communicates with the second inlet / outlet 32. The second flow path 22 extends linearly, for example, in the left-right direction. The second inlet / outlet 32 ​​is connected midway through the second flow path 22. As a result, the second flow path 22 and the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​are formed in a substantially T-shape in plan view.

[0031] Female fittings 51, 52 are provided at one end of the first flow path 21 and the second flow path 22, respectively. Male fittings 61, 62 are provided at the other end of the first flow path 21 and the second flow path 22, respectively. The male fittings 61, 62 are structured to be connectable to the female fittings 51, 52. This makes it possible to connect and link the first flow path 21 and second flow path 22 of one valve unit 20 to the first flow path 21 and second flow path 22 of another valve unit 20, respectively. Note that this fitting structure is just one example, and any other fitting structure can be used.

[0032] The third flow path 23 communicates with the third inlet / outlet 33 and is open on the side opposite the third inlet / outlet 33. Specifically, the third flow path 23 has a bent portion 23A. The third inlet / outlet 33 is located above the bent portion 23A. The end of the opening side of the third flow path 23 is located, for example, in front of the bent portion 23A and protrudes, for example, forward of the second flow path 22. The end of the opening side of the third flow path 23 is provided with, for example, a male fitting 64 that can be connected to a pipe to another device.

[0033] In the example shown in FIG. 3, a through-hole 23D is formed at the bottom of the bent portion 23A in the third flow path 23 of the upper valve unit 20. A valve stem 128 can be passed through the through-hole 23D. When another valve unit 20 is not stacked below, for example, the bottom of the bent portion 23A does not have the through-hole 23D, as in the lower valve unit 20 in FIG. 3. Note that even if the through-hole 23D is provided, it may be blocked by a separate member (for example, a blocking portion not shown). For example, the blocking portion may be equipped with a temperature sensor (not shown). The temperature sensor is supported by the blocking portion, for example, and is positioned so that its tip is located within the third flow path 23. By using the temperature sensor, the temperature within the third flow path 23 can be accurately measured.

[0034] (Rotation drive unit) In FIG. 1 , the rotary driver 18 is connected to the valve unit 20 and rotates the valve element 16 to selectively switch the communication states of the first inlet / outlet 31, the second inlet / outlet 32, and the third inlet / outlet 33 through the flow paths of the valve element 16. The rotary driver 18 is disposed above the valve body 14 in the upper valve unit 20. Specifically, for example, a bracket 24 is fixed to the top of the upper valve body 14, and the rotary driver 18 is fixed to the top of the bracket 24 using, for example, a screw 26. The screw 26 is fastened to a boss 25 provided on the bracket 24. The upward opening of the valve chamber 12 of the upper valve body 14 is closed by, for example, the bracket 24. In other words, the bracket 24 is shaped to close the opening of the valve chamber 12. The bracket 24 is welded to the inside of the opening of the valve chamber 12 in a spigot-fitted state.

[0035] The rotary drive unit 18 is, for example, a geared motor. A connector 50 is provided in the rotary drive unit 18 to which wiring is connected for communication with a control unit and for power supply. A drive member 30 serving as an output shaft is coupled to the rotary drive unit 18.

[0036] [Overlapping of valve units] One valve unit 20 is connected to another valve unit 20 on the side opposite the rotary drive unit 18. The portion of the upper valve unit 20 that overlaps the lower valve unit 20 is a lid 68 that closes the valve chamber 12 of the lower valve unit 20. This closing structure is generally similar to the closing structure of the valve chamber 12 using the bracket 24 in FIG. 12 , in which the bottom of the upper valve body 14 is welded to the inside of the opening of the valve chamber 12 of the lower valve body 14 in a spigot-fitted state. The two upper and lower valve discs 16, 116 of the two valve units 20 are rotationally driven by a single rotary drive unit 18. The two valve discs 16, 116 are rotationally driven, for example, in opposite directions. Note that the two upper and lower valve discs 16, 116 mean that the upper valve disc 16 is the valve disc 116 and the lower valve disc 116 is the valve disc 116 when the rotational axis of the valve discs 16, 116 is defined as the up-down direction. When the rotation axis direction is different from the vertical direction, it means two valve bodies arranged in series in the direction of the rotation axis. The rotation axes of the two valve bodies 16, 116 do not necessarily have to coincide with each other, as long as one rotary drive unit 18 can rotate the two valve bodies 16, 116.

[0037] Specifically, the flow path switching valve 10 has one (upper) valve shaft 28, the other (lower) valve shaft 128, a drive member 30, and a connecting member 56. The valve shaft 28 is attached to one (upper) valve element 16. The valve shaft 128 is attached to the other (lower) valve element 116. The drive member 30 is rotationally driven by the driving force of the rotary drive unit 18 and is rotatable relative to the valve shaft 28. One end of the connecting member 56 is rotatably inserted through one (upper) valve shaft 28 and connected to the drive member 30, and the other end is connected to the valve shaft 128. The connecting member 56 penetrates the upper valve shaft 28 and the upper valve element 16. One end of the connecting member 56 is provided with an engaging portion 56A having a D-shaped cross section with a flat portion along a portion of the circumference. The driving member 30 has a hole, for example, with a D-shaped cross section, into which the engaging portion 56A can be inserted. The rotation of the driving member 30 is transmitted to the connecting member 56 by engaging this hole with the engaging portion 56A.

[0038] When the connecting member 56 rotates, the rotation is transmitted to the lower valve shaft 128 but not to the upper valve shaft 28. The connecting member 56 may be a shaft, or may have a flexible portion that is capable of transmitting rotation. In this embodiment, the connecting member 56 is configured as a shaft. An O-ring 76 is attached to the connecting member 56. This O-ring 76 provides an airtight or watertight seal between the connecting member 56 and the valve body 16, for example.

[0039] (gear mechanism) 4 to 6, the gear mechanism 80 is a mechanism that rotates one valve element, for example, the upper valve element 16, at a slower speed than the other valve element, for example, the lower valve element 116. This gear mechanism 80 is disposed in a housing portion 24A provided in, for example, the bracket 24. The housing portion 24A is closed by a cover member 27 (FIG. 1).

[0040] The gear mechanism 80 includes a first gear 81, an intermediate gear 86, a second gear 82, a third gear 83, and a fourth gear 84. The first gear 81 is provided on the outer periphery of the drive member 30, for example, at the lower end. The intermediate gear 86 is an idler gear that meshes with the first gear 81. The second gear 82 meshes with the intermediate gear 86 and has a larger number of teeth than the first gear 81. The third gear 83 is provided coaxially with the second gear 82 and rotates integrally with the second gear 82. The second gear 82 and the third gear 83 are, for example, formed integrally. The fourth gear 84 is provided on the outer periphery of the upper valve shaft 28, meshes with the third gear 83, and has a larger number of teeth than the third gear 83. The rotation axes of the second gear 82 and the third gear 83 are parallel to the rotation axes of the first gear 81, the fourth gear 84, and the intermediate gear 86. In this way, the rotation of the drive member 30 is reduced in speed via the gear mechanism 80 and transmitted to the upper valve disc 16. Furthermore, because the intermediate gear 86 and the coaxially integrated second gear 82 and third gear 83 are interposed between the first gear 81 and the fourth gear 84, the first gear 81 and the fourth gear 84 rotate in opposite directions. This causes the drive member 30, the upper valve shaft 28, and the upper valve disc 16 to rotate in opposite directions.

[0041] The reduction ratio in the gear mechanism 80 can be set arbitrarily, and is set to 1 / 2 in the examples shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, and 1 / 4 in the example shown in FIG.

[0042] (action) This embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below. Referring to Figures 1 to 6, in the flow path switching valve 10 according to this embodiment, two valve elements 16, 116 in two valve units 20 are rotated by a single rotary drive unit 18 to switch the flow paths. At this time, the gear mechanism 80 reduces the speed of the upper valve element 16 relative to the lower valve element 116 and rotates it in the opposite direction to the lower valve element 116, resulting in differences in the rotation angles and rotation directions of the two valve elements 16, 116. This allows the two valve units 20 to be set to different switching modes while rotating the two valve elements 16, 116.

[0043] Specifically, when the rotary drive unit 18 is activated, the drive member 30 rotates. The drive member 30 is connected to the lower valve shaft 128 via the connecting member 56, and the rotation of the drive member 30 is transmitted to the lower valve element 116, causing the valve element 116 to rotate without being decelerated.

[0044] An upper valve stem 28 is attached to the upper valve body 16, and the drive member 30 is rotatable relative to the valve stem 28. Therefore, the rotation of the drive member 30 is not directly transmitted to the valve stem 28 and the valve body 16.

[0045] A gear mechanism 80 is provided between the drive member 30 and the upper valve shaft 28. The gear mechanism 80 includes a first gear 81, an intermediate gear 86, a second gear 82, a third gear 83, and a fourth gear 84. The first gear 81 on the outer periphery of the drive member 30 meshes with the intermediate gear 86, which in turn meshes with a second gear 82 that has more teeth than the first gear 81. Therefore, when the rotation of the drive member 30 is transmitted from the first gear 81 to the second gear 82, the rotation is reduced, and the second gear 82 rotates in the opposite direction to the drive member 30. When the second gear 82 rotates, the third gear 83 also rotates integrally. The third gear 83 meshes with a fourth gear 84 that has more teeth than the third gear 83. The fourth gear 84 is provided on the outer periphery of the upper valve shaft 28. Therefore, when the rotation of the third gear 83 is transmitted to the fourth gear 84, i.e., the upper valve shaft 28, the rotation is reduced. That is, the rotation of the drive member 30 is transmitted to the upper valve shaft 28 and the upper valve body 16 at a reduced speed in two stages by the gear mechanism 80, and the rotation direction is reversed.

[0046] In this way, the lower valve element 116 can be rotated without decelerating, and the upper valve element 16 can be rotated in the reverse direction at a reduced speed. In this embodiment, the upper valve element 16 and the lower valve element 116 rotate in opposite directions.

[0047] Here, three switching modes will be illustrated using Figures 7 to 9. In the example shown in Figure 7, the reduction ratio of the upper valve element 16 relative to the rotation of the rotary drive unit 18 is set to 1 / 2, and there is no reduction in the lower valve element 116. When the rotation direction of the lower valve element 116 is set to positive, the rotation direction of the upper valve element 16 is shown as negative.

[0048] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 0°, the upper valve element 16 and the lower valve element 116 are in a state in which the first inlet / outlet 31 (on the first flow path 21 side) is open. In this state, the first flow path 21 and the third flow path 23 are connected in the upper and lower valve units 20. Similarly, the flow path whose valve is open is connected to the third flow path 23 below.

[0049] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 90°, the lower valve element 116 rotates 90° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve element 16 rotates −45° to partially open the first inlet / outlet 31 (for example, 50% opening).

[0050] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 180°, the lower valve element 16 rotates 180° to open the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(second flow path 22 side). The upper valve element 16 rotates −90° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32.

[0051] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 270°, the lower valve element 116 rotates 270° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve element 16 rotates −135° to partially open the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(for example, 50% opening).

[0052] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 360°, the lower valve element 116 rotates 360° to open the first inlet / outlet 31. The upper valve element 16 rotates −180° to open the second inlet / outlet 32.

[0053] In the example shown in FIG. 8, the speed reduction ratio of the upper valve element 16 relative to the rotation of the rotary drive unit 18 is set to 1 / 4, and there is no speed reduction for the lower valve element 116.

[0054] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 0°, the upper valve body 16 and the lower valve body 116 are in a state in which the first inlet / outlet 31 (on the first flow path 21 side) is open.

[0055] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 90°, the lower valve element 116 rotates 90° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve element 16 rotates −22.5° to partially open the first inlet / outlet 31 (for example, 75%).

[0056] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 180°, the lower valve element 16 rotates 180° to open the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(second flow path 22 side). The upper valve element 16 rotates −45° to partially open the first inlet / outlet 31 (for example, 50%).

[0057] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 270°, the lower valve element 116 rotates 270° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve element 16 rotates −67.5° to partially close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(for example, 25% opening).

[0058] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 360°, the lower valve body 116 opens the first inlet / outlet 31, and the upper valve body 16 rotates −90° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32.

[0059] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 450°, the lower valve element 116 rotates 450° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve element 16 rotates −112.5°, but the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​are partially closed (for example, 25% opening).

[0060] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 540°, the lower valve element 16 rotates 540° to open the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(second flow path 22 side). The upper valve element 16 rotates −135° to partially open the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(for example, 50%).

[0061] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 630°, the lower valve element 116 rotates 630° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve element 16 rotates −157.5° to partially open the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(for example, 75%).

[0062] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 720°, the lower valve element 116 rotates 720° to open the first inlet / outlet 31. The upper valve element 16 rotates −180° to open the second inlet / outlet 32.

[0063] 9, the speed reduction ratio of the upper valve element 16 relative to the rotation of the rotary drive unit 18 is set to 1 / 2, and there is no reduction in the speed of the lower valve element 116. In addition, the upper valve element 16 has an L-shaped flow path 36, and this structure can realize a state in which the first flow path 21, the second flow path 22, and the third flow path 23 (FIG. 3) are connected to one another.

[0064] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 0°, the upper valve body 16 and the lower valve body 116 are in a state in which the first inlet / outlet 31 (on the first flow path 21 side) is open.

[0065] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 90°, the lower valve body 116 rotates 90° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve body 16 rotates −45° to partially open the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(for example, 50% each).

[0066] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 180°, the lower valve element 16 rotates 180° to open the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(second flow path 22 side). The upper valve element 16 rotates −90° to open the second inlet / outlet 32.

[0067] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 270°, the lower valve element 116 rotates 270° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve element 16 rotates −135° to partially open the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(for example, 75% opening).

[0068] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 360°, the lower valve body 116 opens the first inlet / outlet 31. The upper valve body 16 rotates −180° to open the second inlet / outlet 32.

[0069] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 450°, the lower valve body 116 rotates 450° to close the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve body 16 rotates −225° to partially open the first inlet / outlet 31 and the second inlet / outlet 32 ​​(for example, 50% each).

[0070] When the rotation angle of the rotary drive unit 18 is 540°, the lower valve element 16 rotates 540° to open the second inlet / outlet 32. The upper valve element 16 rotates −270° to open the first inlet / outlet 31.

[0071] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to increase the variety of switching modes in the flow path switching valve 10. Furthermore, since one of the valve bodies 16 is decelerated, the drive torque can be reduced, thereby improving the margin of motor output.

[0072] [Other embodiments] The above describes one example of an embodiment of the present invention, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0073] The gear mechanism 80 is provided above the upper valve unit 20, but it may also be located between the upper valve unit 20 and the lower valve unit 20, or below the lower valve unit 20. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10. Flow path switching valve 12 Valve chamber 14 Valve body 16 One of the valve bodies 18 Rotation drive unit 20 Valve Unit 21 First Channel 22 Second flow path 23 Third flow path 28 One valve stem 30 Driving member 31 First entrance / exit 32 Second entrance / exit 33 Third entrance / exit 36 Flow path 56 Connecting member 80 Gear mechanism 81 First Gear 82 2nd Gear 83 Third Gear 84 4th Gear 86 Intermediate gear 116 Other valve body 128 Other valve stem

Claims

1. A flow path switching valve in which two upper and lower valve bodies are rotated by one rotary drive unit, and one of the valve bodies is slowed down more than the other valve body by a gear mechanism and rotated in the opposite direction to the other valve body.

2. one valve stem attached to the one valve body; another valve stem attached to the other valve body; a drive member that is rotationally driven by the drive force of the rotary drive unit and is rotatable relative to the one valve shaft; a connecting member having one end side rotatably inserted through the one valve shaft and coupled to the drive member, and the other end side coupled to the other valve shaft, The gear mechanism includes: a first gear provided on the outer periphery of the driving member; an intermediate gear that meshes with the first gear; a second gear that meshes with the intermediate gear and has a larger number of teeth than the first gear; a third gear that is provided coaxially with the second gear and rotates integrally with the second gear; a fourth gear provided on an outer periphery of the one valve shaft, meshing with the third gear and having a greater number of teeth than the third gear; The flow path switching valve according to claim 1 , further comprising:

3. a valve unit including: a valve body having a valve chamber formed therein, a first inlet / outlet and a second inlet / outlet formed on wall surfaces forming the valve chamber, through which a fluid flows in and out, and a third inlet / outlet formed on a bottom surface of the valve chamber; a valve element rotatably disposed within the valve chamber and having a flow path formed therein; a first flow path communicating with the first inlet / outlet; a second flow path arranged in parallel to the first flow path across the valve body and communicating with the second inlet / outlet; and a third flow path communicating with the third inlet / outlet and having an opening on the side opposite to the third inlet / outlet, One of the valve units is connected to another of the valve units in a stacked manner, 3. The flow path switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the rotary drive unit is connected to the valve unit and rotates the valve body so that communication states of the first inlet / outlet, the second inlet / outlet, and the third inlet / outlet are selectively switched through the flow path of the valve body.

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