Valve device

Abstract

To provide a valve device capable of manufacturing a shaft inexpensively.SOLUTION: A valve device 1 of the present invention includes a housing 11, a valve 12, a valve seat member 13, a driving device 14, a seal member 15, a first bearing 18, and a second bearing 19. The valve 12 has a shaft 12a and a valve element 12b. The shaft 12a includes a sealed portion 53 in which a sealed surface 60 to be sealed by the seal member 15 is formed on the outer periphery, a first supported portion 52 in which a first supported surface 59 supported by the first bearing 18 is formed on the outer periphery, and a second supported portion 55 in which a second supported surface 61 supported by the second bearing 19 is formed on the outer periphery. The sealed portion 53, the second supported portion 55, and the valve element 12b are integrally formed of synthetic resin.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a valve device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a flow control valve used in a circulation system for automotive coolant. This flow control valve has a reducer housing, a valve body housing, a rotating shaft rotatably supported between the reducer housing and the valve body housing, a valve body disposed in the valve body housing and attached to the rotating shaft so as to be rotatable together with the rotating shaft, a motor housing, a motor housed in the motor housing, and a reducer disposed in the reducer housing.

[0003] The valve element housing has a valve element opening that communicates with the cylinder head and takes in coolant. The valve element housing also has a plurality of communication ports that protrude radially outward from the outer periphery of the valve element housing.

[0004] The valve element has an inner cylinder attached to the rotating shaft, an outer cylinder capable of closing the communication port, and a connector connecting the inner and outer cylinders, and can rotate within a range of approximately 180°. This rotation switches the communication state between the valve element opening and the communication port.

[0005] The rotating shaft is rotatably supported by the insertion tube within the valve body housing. The flow control valve seals the gap between the insertion tube and the rotating shaft with an O-ring, preventing the coolant in the valve body housing from entering the reducer housing from inside the insertion tube. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-133622 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In conventional flow control valves, as mentioned above, the coolant leaks are prevented by sealing the gap between the insertion tube and the rotating shaft with an O-ring. However, when sealing the outer periphery of a metal shaft with an O-ring, it is necessary to form an annular groove in the outer periphery of the metal to fit the O-ring, which incurs processing costs.

[0008] Furthermore, when sealing the outer periphery of a metal shaft using a sealing material with rubber baked onto a metal ring instead of an O-ring, it is necessary to form a sealing surface on the outer periphery of the metal shaft by cutting. In this case, polishing is required to adjust the surface roughness with high precision and to remove machining marks, which incurs processing costs.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a valve device that can be manufactured inexpensively. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a valve including a housing having an internal space and an inlet and an outlet that communicate between the internal space and the outside, a shaft at least a portion of which is located in the internal space, and a valve body that is arranged on the outer periphery of the shaft within the internal space, the valve body rotating around the shaft to switch the communication state between the inlet and the outlet, a valve seat member attached to the inlet or the outlet, a drive unit located on one axial end side of the shaft for driving and rotating the valve, and a valve seat member attached to the one axial end side of the shaft as viewed from the valve body. a sealing member that seals the outer periphery of the shaft, a first bearing that rotatably supports one axial end of the shaft as viewed from the valve body, and a second bearing that rotatably supports the other axial end of the shaft as viewed from the valve body, wherein the shaft includes a sealed portion having a sealed surface formed on its outer periphery to be sealed by the sealing member, a first supported portion having a first supported surface formed on its outer periphery to be supported by the first bearing, and a second supported portion having a second supported surface formed on its outer periphery to be supported by the second bearing, and the sealed portion, the second supported portion and the valve body are integrally formed from synthetic resin.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the sealed surface of the shaft can be formed from synthetic resin using a mold, allowing for accurate formation of the sealed surface. This eliminates the need for polishing or post-processing to form an annular groove for fitting the seal, allowing for inexpensive production of the valve and, ultimately, the valve device.

[0012] In the present invention, the first bearing may rotatably support the one axial end of the shaft as viewed from the seal member. In this way, the first bearing and the second bearing are disposed apart from each other, so that the shaft can be stably supported by the first bearing and the second bearing.

[0013] Furthermore, in the present invention, the valve may have a metal insert portion and a synthetic resin portion covering part of the insert portion, the shaft may be formed from the insert portion and part of the synthetic resin portion, the valve body may be formed from the synthetic resin portion, and the boundary between the part of the shaft where the insert portion is covered with the synthetic resin portion and the part of the shaft where the insert portion is exposed from the synthetic resin portion may be located on the one end side of the axial direction of the shaft when viewed from the sealing member.

[0014] According to the above configuration, the coolant is prevented from seeping in from the boundary between the part of the shaft covered by the synthetic resin part and the part where the insert part is exposed, and the seeping coolant is prevented from moving beyond the sealing member toward the drive unit.

[0015] In the present invention, the first supported portion may be formed by an insert portion exposed from the synthetic resin portion, thereby suppressing wear of the first supported portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, the valve device can be manufactured inexpensively. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a valve device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a valve device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Furthermore, in the specification and drawings of the present application, elements that can be similarly described will be given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a valve device according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of part A shown in Fig. 1. The valve device 1 of this embodiment is used in a cooling circuit (a circulation system for automotive coolant) that cools an automobile engine. For ease of explanation, the upper and lower sides of the valve device 1 of this embodiment will be referred to simply as "upper" and "lower" in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the valve device 1 of this embodiment includes a housing 11, a valve 12, a valve seat member 13, a drive unit 14, a seal member 15, an adapter 17, a first bearing 18, and a second bearing 19. The housing 11 defines an internal space 11a, an inlet 11b, and an outlet 11c. The inlet 11b and the outlet 11c are each connected to the internal space 11a and communicate with each other via the internal space 11a. A valve element 12b (described later) of the valve 12 is rotatably accommodated in the internal space 11a. The valve 12 switches the communication state between the inlet 11b and the outlet 11c by rotating. An adapter 17 is attached to the inlet 11b. Pipes (not shown) that form a cooling circuit are connected to the adapter 17. A valve seat member 13 is provided between the adapter 17 and the valve element 12b. The valve seat member 13 provides a liquid-tight seal around the outer periphery of the valve element 12b. A shaft 12a of the valve 12, which will be described later, is supported by a first bearing 18 and a second bearing 19 and rotates.

[0021] A drive unit accommodating space 11d is formed above the internal space 11a in the housing 11. A seal member 15 is attached to the outer periphery of the shaft 12a. The seal member 15 prevents the coolant in the internal space 11a from leaking into the drive unit accommodating space 11d. A drive unit 14 is accommodated in the drive unit accommodating space 11d. The drive unit 14 has a control board 14a as a control unit. The control board 14a receives signals from a main unit such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) mounted on the vehicle and controls the rotation of the valve 12. This controls the flow of coolant from the inlet 11b to the outlet 11c.

[0022] Each component of the valve device 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail below. In this embodiment, the direction along the axis that is the center of rotation of the valve 12 is referred to as the "axial direction," the direction perpendicular to the axis is referred to as the "radial direction," and the direction around the axis is referred to as the "circumferential direction." In this embodiment, the axial direction is the up-down direction.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 11 has a housing body 11e, a case 11f, and a lid 11g. The housing body 11e is cylindrical and has a bottom and an opening on the upper side. The opening of the housing body 11e is closed by the case 11f that is stacked on top of the housing body 11e. The housing body 11e and the case 11f define an internal space 11a. A coolant inlet 11b and an outlet 11c are formed on the side of the housing body 11e. The inlet 11b and the outlet 11c protrude outward from the housing 11, connecting the internal space 11a to the outside. An adapter 17 and a valve seat member 13 are attached to the inlet 11b.

[0024] In this embodiment, two inlets 11b are provided at positions offset from each other in the circumferential direction of the housing body 11e. An adapter 17 and a valve seat member 13 are provided at each inlet 11b. One outlet 11c is provided. The number of inlets 11b or outlets 11c can be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the cooling circuit. An adapter 17 and a valve seat member 13 may also be provided at the coolant outlet 11c. In other words, the flow of coolant in the valve device 1 may be reversed.

[0025] The valve seat member 13 has a valve seat 13a and a coil spring 13b. The valve seat 13a is cylindrical and attached to the inlet 11b so as to be movable in the radial direction. The coil spring 13b is attached between the valve seat 13a and the adapter 17 and urges the valve seat 13a toward the valve 12. This causes the tip of the valve seat 13a to be pressed against the outer periphery of the valve body 12b, liquid-tightly sealing the outer periphery of the valve body 12b. Note that the urging member that urges the valve seat 13a toward the valve 12 is not limited to the coil spring 13b and can be changed as appropriate.

[0026] Case 11f, which is stacked on top of housing main body 11e, has a recess that opens upward. Lid 11g is stacked on top of case 11f. Drive unit accommodating space 11d is defined and formed by case 11f and lid 11g. Drive unit 14 is accommodated in drive unit accommodating space 11d. Insertion tube 11h is provided in the center of the bottom of case 11f. A through hole is formed in the center of insertion tube 11h, and the upper part of shaft 12a is inserted into this through hole. A first bearing 18 and a seal member 15 are provided between insertion tube 11h and shaft 12a.

[0027] The seal member 15 is annular and formed by baking rubber onto a metal ring. The outer periphery of the seal member 15 is held by the insertion tube portion 11h, and the rubber on the inner periphery is brought into sliding contact with the outer periphery of the shaft 12a. In this way, the seal member 15 liquid-tightly seals the outer periphery of the shaft 12a, preventing the coolant from leaking from the internal space 11a into the drive device accommodating space 11d. Note that the seal member 15 is not limited to a metal ring with rubber baked onto it, and can be an O-ring, a U-packing, an X-packing, or any other suitable material.

[0028] The first bearing 18 is mounted above the seal member 15 inside the insertion cylindrical portion 11h. The first bearing 18 is made of a ball bearing. The first bearing 18 is annular, and its inner periphery rotatably supports the outer periphery of the shaft 12a. A second bearing 19 is provided at the bottom of the housing main body 11e. The second bearing 19 is a cylindrical sliding bearing, and its inner periphery rotatably supports the lower end of the shaft 12a.

[0029] In this way, the valve 12 rotates with the shaft 12a supported by the first bearing 18 and the second bearing 19. The types of the first bearing 18 and the second bearing 19 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the first bearing 18 can be a plain bearing, and the second bearing 19 can be a ball bearing. Furthermore, the housing 11 itself, such as the housing main body 11e or the case 11f, can function as a bearing, and the housing 11 and the bearing can be integrated.

[0030] The drive device 14 has a control board 14a, a reducer 14b, and a motor 14c. The reducer 14b includes multiple gears that mesh with each other and reduces the rotation of the motor 14c before transmitting it to the valve 12. The motor 14c operates according to commands from the control board 14a. The control board 14a receives signals from a main unit such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) mounted on the vehicle to control the motor 14c. Note that the control board 14a may be eliminated and the main unit may directly control the motor 14c.

[0031] The valve 12 has a shaft 12a and a valve element 12b and rotates around the shaft 12a. The shaft 12a has, from the top, a drive-side end portion 51, a first supported portion 52, a sealed portion 53, a central portion 54, and a second supported portion 55. As shown in FIG. 2 , the valve element 12b has upper and lower wall portions 56, a side wall portion 57, and a pillar portion 58. The upper and lower wall portions 56 are each disk-shaped and extend radially outward from the outer periphery of the central portion 54. The upper end of the side wall portion 57 is connected to the outer periphery of the upper wall portion 56. The lower end of the side wall portion 57 is connected to the outer periphery of the lower wall portion 56. The outer periphery of the side wall portion 57 is spherical. The tip of the valve seat 13a slides against the outer periphery of the side wall portion 57. The pillar portion 58 is positioned circumferentially offset from the side wall portion 57 and connects the upper and lower wall portions 56.

[0032] The circumferential length of the side wall portion 57 is longer than the diameter of the tip opening of the valve seat 13a, so the side wall portion 57 can completely block the tip opening of the valve seat 13a. In this case, the flow of coolant from the inlet 11b toward the internal space 11a is blocked, blocking communication between the inlet 11b and the outlet 11c. When the valve 12 rotates and the side wall portion 57 shifts circumferentially relative to the valve seat 13a, the tip opening of the valve seat 13a opens. This allows the flow of coolant from the inlet 11b toward the internal space 11a, connecting the inlet 11b and the outlet 11c. When the side wall portion 57 opens the tip opening of the valve seat 13a, the valve seat 13a is supported by the outer peripheries of the upper and lower wall portions 56.

[0033] In this way, the rotation of the valve element 12b switches the communication state between the inlet 11b and the outlet 11c. The configuration of the valve element 12b can be modified as appropriate as long as the communication state between the inlet 11b and the outlet 11c can be switched. For example, the pillar portion 58 may be omitted. The upper and lower wall portions 56 may have holes formed therethrough in the axial direction. Furthermore, the shapes of the upper and lower wall portions 56 are not limited to being disk-shaped, and one of the upper and lower wall portions 56 may be omitted. The shape of the outer peripheral surface of the side wall portion 57 is not limited to being spherical, and may be cylindrical. If the side wall portion 57 can adjust the opening degree of the tip opening of the valve seat 13a, it does not need to be fully closed.

[0034] On the shaft 12a, the drive-side end 51 (FIG. 1), the first supported portion 52, and the sealed portion 53 are located above the valve disc 12b. The second supported portion 55 is located below the valve disc 12b. A gear constituting the reducer 14b is attached to the outer periphery of the drive-side end 51. A first supported surface 59 is formed on the outer periphery of the first supported portion 52. The first bearing 18 is provided on the outer periphery of the first supported portion 52 and supports the first supported surface 59. A sealed surface 60 is formed on the outer periphery of the sealed portion 53. The seal member 15 is provided on the outer periphery of the sealed portion 53 and has an interference fit with the sealed surface 60. A second supported surface 61 is formed on the outer periphery of the second supported portion 55. The second bearing 19 is provided on the outer periphery of the second supported portion 55 and supports the second supported surface 61.

[0035] The valve 12 is formed by insert molding and has a metal insert portion 71 and a synthetic resin portion 72. The shaft 12a consists of the insert portion 71 and a portion of the synthetic resin portion 72. The valve body 12b consists only of the synthetic resin portion 72. The synthetic resin portion 72 is formed seamlessly as a single piece. In the shaft 12a, a portion of the insert portion 71 is exposed from the synthetic resin portion 72.

[0036] More specifically, at the drive-side end 51 and the first supported portion 52 of the shaft 12a, the insert portion 71 is exposed from the synthetic resin portion 72. At the sealed portion 53, the central portion 54, and the second supported portion 55, the entire surface of the insert portion 71 is covered with the synthetic resin portion 72. As a result, the drive-side end 51 and the first supported portion 52 are made up of the insert portion 71, and the sealed surface 60 is formed on the outer periphery of the insert portion 71. The sealed portion 53, the central portion 54, and the second supported portion 55 are made up of the insert portion 71 and the synthetic resin portion 72 that covers it, and the sealed surface 60 and the second supported surface 61 are formed on the outer periphery of the synthetic resin portion 72.

[0037] The valve body 12b is seamlessly connected to the sealed portion 53, the central portion 54, and the synthetic resin portion 72 of the second supported portion 55. The seal member 15 seals the outer periphery of the sealed portion 53, which is the synthetic resin surface. The shaft 12a has a boundary 73 between the portion where the insert portion 71 is covered by the synthetic resin portion 72 and the portion where the insert portion 71 is exposed from the synthetic resin portion 72. This boundary 73 is located above the seal member 15. The seal member 15 prevents the coolant from entering the upper side of the seal member 15, so the coolant does not seep into the shaft 12a from the boundary 73 between the portion where the insert portion 71 is exposed and the portion covered by the synthetic resin portion 72.

[0038] As described above, the valve device 1 of this embodiment includes the housing 11, the valve 12, the valve seat member 13, the drive unit 14, the seal member 15, the first bearing 18, and the second bearing 19. The housing 11 has an internal space 11a, an inlet 11b, and an outlet 11c. The inlet 11b and the outlet 11c communicate between the internal space 11a and the outside. The valve 12 has a shaft 12a and a valve element 12b. At least a portion of the shaft 12a is located in the internal space 11a. The valve element 12b is disposed on the outer periphery of the shaft 12a within the internal space 11a. The valve element 12b switches the communication state between the inlet 11b and the outlet 11c by rotating around the shaft 12a. The drive unit 14 is located at one axial end (upper side) of the shaft 12a and drives the valve 12 to rotate.

[0039] The seal member 15 seals the outer periphery of the one axial end (upper side) of the shaft 12a as viewed from the valve disc 12b. The first bearing 18 rotatably supports the one axial end (upper side) of the shaft 12a as viewed from the valve disc 12b. The second bearing 19 rotatably supports the other axial end (lower side) of the shaft 12a as viewed from the valve disc 12b. The shaft 12a includes a sealed portion 53, a first supported portion 52, and a second supported portion 55. A sealed surface 60 to be sealed by the seal member 15 is formed on the outer periphery of the sealed portion 53. A first supported surface 59 supported by the first bearing 18 is formed on the outer periphery of the first supported portion 52. A second supported surface 61 supported by the second bearing 19 is formed on the outer periphery of the second supported portion 55. The sealed portion 53, the second supported portion 55, and the valve disc 12b are integrally formed of synthetic resin.

[0040] According to the above configuration, the sealed portion 53, the second supported portion 55, and the valve body 12b are integrally formed from synthetic resin, eliminating any seams. This prevents coolant from seeping through the seams and leaking past the sealed portion 53 toward the drive unit 14. Furthermore, because the sealed surface 60 can be formed using a mold, it can be formed with high precision, eliminating the need for processing costs such as polishing. This allows the valve 12, and ultimately the valve device 1, to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0041] In this embodiment, sealing member 15 is formed by baking rubber onto a metal ring, and the rubber is in sliding contact with sealed surface 60. However, sealing member 15 may also be an O-ring, U-packing, X-packing, or the like. In such a case, an annular groove may be formed on the outer periphery of sealed portion 53 of shaft 12a, and sealed surface 60 may be provided in this annular groove, into which sealing member 15 is fitted. In this case, too, the annular groove for fitting sealing member 15 can be formed using a mold, and the sealed surface 60 can be formed simultaneously when this annular groove is formed, allowing for inexpensive production of the valve, and ultimately the valve device.

[0042] In this embodiment, the first bearing 18 rotatably supports the one axial end (upper side) of the shaft 12a when viewed from the seal member 15. In this manner, the first bearing 18 and the second bearing 19 are spaced apart, so that the first bearing 18 and the second bearing 19 can support the shaft 12a more stably. Note that the positions of the first bearing 18 and the second bearing 19 can be changed as appropriate as long as the smooth rotation of the valve body 12b is not hindered.

[0043] In this embodiment, the valve 12 has a metal insert portion 71 and a synthetic resin portion 72 that covers a portion of the insert portion 71. The shaft 12a is formed by the insert portion 71 and a portion of the synthetic resin portion 72. The valve body 12b is formed by the synthetic resin portion 72. A boundary 73 of the shaft 12a between the portion of the insert portion 71 covered by the synthetic resin portion 72 and the portion of the insert portion 71 exposed from the synthetic resin portion 72 is located on the one end side (upper side) in the axial direction of the shaft 12a when viewed from the seal member 15. In this manner, even when the valve 12 is insert-molded and the insert portion 71 is provided on the shaft 12a, leakage of the coolant toward the drive unit 14 can be suppressed.

[0044] More specifically, for example, if the boundary between the portion of shaft 12a covered with synthetic resin portion 72 and the portion where insert portion 71 is exposed is located above and below sealing member 15, there is a risk that the coolant will seep into the gap between synthetic resin portion 72 and insert portion 71 from the boundary and leak toward the drive device above sealing member 15. In contrast, with the above configuration, the entire side of insert portion 71 below sealed portion 53 is seamlessly covered with synthetic resin, so that the coolant is prevented from seeping into synthetic resin portion 72 and will not leak beyond sealing member 15 toward drive device 14.

[0045] The first supported portion 52 is formed by an insert portion 71 exposed from the synthetic resin portion 72. As a result, when the inner periphery of the first bearing 18 is a metal surface and comes into sliding contact with the outer periphery of the first supported portion 52, it is metal-to-metal contact, which can suppress wear of the first supported portion 52. Note that the shaft 12a may also be formed only from the synthetic resin portion. In this way, the molding method of the valve 12 is not limited to insert molding and can be changed as appropriate.

[0046] Furthermore, although the valve device 1 of this embodiment has been described as being used in a cooling circuit for cooling an automobile engine, it is not limited to this and can also be applied to cooling the battery of an electric vehicle (EV) or the fuel cell stack of a fuel cell vehicle (FCV). [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1 Valve gear 11. Housing 11a Interior space 11b Inlet 11c Outlet 12 valves 12a shaft 12b Valve body 13 Valve seat material 14 Drive unit 15 Sealing material 18 First bearing 19 Second bearing 52 1st supported part 53 Sealed part 55 Second supported part 59 1st supported surface 60 Sealed surface 61 2nd supported surface 71 Insert section 72 Synthetic Resin Department 73 Boundary

Claims

1. a housing having an internal space and an inlet and an outlet communicating the internal space with the outside; a valve including a shaft at least a portion of which is located in the internal space and a valve body disposed on an outer periphery of the shaft within the internal space, the valve body rotating around the shaft to switch a communication state between the inlet and the outlet; a valve seat member attached to the inlet or the outlet; a drive device located at one axial end of the shaft and configured to rotate the valve; a seal member that seals an outer periphery of the shaft on the one end side in the axial direction as viewed from the valve body; a first bearing that rotatably supports the one end side of the shaft in the axial direction as viewed from the valve body; a second bearing that rotatably supports the other axial end side of the shaft as viewed from the valve body; Equipped with The shaft a sealed portion having a sealed surface formed on its outer periphery for sealing with the sealing member; a first supported portion having a first supported surface formed on an outer periphery thereof and supported by the first bearing; a second supported portion having a second supported surface formed on an outer periphery thereof and supported by the second bearing; Including, the sealed portion, the second supported portion, and the valve body are integrally formed of synthetic resin. A valve device characterized by:

2. the first bearing rotatably supports the one end side of the shaft in the axial direction as viewed from the seal member; 2. The valve device according to claim 1.

3. The valve has a metal insert portion and a synthetic resin portion that covers a part of the insert portion, the shaft is formed by the insert portion and a part of the synthetic resin portion, the valve body is formed from the synthetic resin portion, In the shaft, a boundary between a portion of the insert portion covered with the synthetic resin portion and a portion of the insert portion exposed from the synthetic resin portion is located on the one end side of the shaft in the axial direction as viewed from the seal member.

3. The valve device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the first supported portion is formed by an insert portion exposed from the synthetic resin portion; 4. The valve device according to claim 3.

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