Electronic Expansion Valve

Abstract

An electronic expansion valve comprising: a valve seat member (10); a large gasket (20) disposed within a cavity of the valve seat member, the large gasket (20) having a large valve port (21), and made of a soft material; and a valve needle member (30) disposed within the cavity of the valve seat member, the valve needle member comprising a small valve needle (31), a large valve needle portion (32) and a small gasket (33), the small gasket disposed within the large valve needle portion, the small valve port (331), and made of a soft material, wherein the large valve needle portion is used to open and close the large valve port in cooperation with the large gasket, and the small valve needle is used to adjust the opening degree of the small valve port in cooperation with the small gasket. With this electronic expansion valve, both the large and small gaskets are made of soft materials, and a soft sealing method is used to solve the problem of the poor sealing effect of the electronic expansion valve. In addition, the small valve needle and the small gasket are set to work together to adjust the opening of the small valve port, thereby realizing the adjustment of small flow rates, and the large valve needle part and the large gasket are set to work together to open and close the large valve port, thereby realizing large flow rates.

Claims

1. A valve seat member (10); a large gasket (20) disposed in the cavity of the valve seat member (10), having a large valve port (21), and made of a soft material; and a valve needle member (30) that is disposed in a cavity of the valve seat member (10), the valve needle member (30) including a small valve needle (31), a large valve needle portion (32) and a small gasket (33), the small gasket (33) being disposed in the large valve needle portion (32), having a small valve port (331), and made of a soft material, wherein the large valve needle portion (32) is used for opening and closing the large valve port (21) in cooperation with the large gasket (20), and the small valve needle (31) is used for adjusting the opening degree of the small valve port (331) in cooperation with the small gasket (33).

2. 2. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, wherein the small valve port (331) is configured in a tapered shape, and a small opening end of the small valve port (331) is directed toward the large valve port (21).

3. 2. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, wherein an end face of the large valve port (21) is a sealing flat surface (211), and when one end of the large valve needle portion (32) abuts against the sealing flat surface (211), the large valve port (21) is closed.

4. 2. The electronic expansion valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the small gasket (33) is plastic or rubber, and the material of the large gasket (20) is plastic or rubber.

5. 2. The electronic expansion valve as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the large valve needle portion (32) is provided with a guide hole (321), the guide hole (321) is located on a side of the small valve port (331) opposite to the large valve port (21), the small valve needle (31) is inserted through the guide hole (321) to be axially movable, and the valve needle member (30) further includes a first inner seal ring (37), the first inner seal ring (37) is located between an outer wall of the small valve needle (31) and an inner wall of the guide hole (321).

6. 2. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, wherein the large valve needle portion (32) is axially movably disposed in a cavity of the valve seat member (10), and the valve needle member (30) further includes a second inner seal ring (38), the second inner seal ring (38) being disposed between an inner wall of the valve seat member (10) and an outer wall of the large valve needle portion (32).

7. 2. The electronic expansion valve of claim 1, wherein the valve needle member (30) further includes a drive assembly (34), the drive assembly (34) including a screw (341) and a connecting sleeve (342), one end of the connecting sleeve (342) being connected to the valvelet needle (31), the screw (341) and the connecting sleeve (342) being axially constrainedly connected to each other, and the screw (341) being axially movable so as to drive the movement of the valvelet needle (31).

8. 8. The electronic expansion valve of claim 7, wherein the drive assembly (34) further includes a rolling structure (343) provided in the connecting sleeve (342), and the connecting sleeve (342) and the screw (341) are each coupled to the rolling structure (343) such that the connecting sleeve (342) does not rotate together with the screw (341).

9. 9. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 8, characterized in that an end of the valve needle (31) remote from the valve port (331) is inserted into the connecting sleeve (342) and fixedly connected to the connecting sleeve (342), the rolling structure (343) is a bearing, the drive assembly (34) further includes a bush (344) and an elastic element (345) provided in the connecting sleeve (342), the bearing is fitted to one end of the screw (341), one side of the bearing is axially restrictively connected to the connecting sleeve (342), and the other side of the bearing, the bush (344) and the elastic element (345) abut against the valve needle (31) successively.

10. 8. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 7, characterized in that the valve needle member (30) has first and second opposing locking surfaces (35) and (36), the first and second locking surfaces limiting a range of movement of the small valve needle (31), the screw (341) being capable of driving the individual movement of the small valve needle (31) within a preset stroke, and the screw (341) being capable of driving the movement of the large valve needle portion (32) via the small valve needle (31).

11. 2. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing seal ring (40), the reinforcing seal ring (40) being disposed between the large gasket (20) and an inner wall of the valve seat member (10).

12. 2. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, further comprising a large position regulating structure (50) provided in the cavity of the valve seat member (10), the large position regulating structure (50) abutting against a side of the large gasket (20) facing the large valve needle portion (32) so as to press the large gasket (20).

13. 2. The electronic expansion valve as described in claim 1, further comprising a small position regulating structure (60) provided in the large valve needle portion (32), the small position regulating structure (60) abutting against the side of the small gasket (33) opposite the small valve needle (31).

14. 14. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 13, characterized in that the large valve needle portion (32) is provided with a position limiting groove (322), an opening of the position limiting groove (322) is directed toward the small position limiting structure (60), the thickness of the small gasket (33) is greater than the depth of the position limiting groove (322), and the small position limiting structure (60) abuts against the side of the small gasket (33) protruding from the position limiting groove (322).

15. The valve needle member (30) a first pressing means (70) provided in a cavity of the large valve needle portion (32) and constrainedly connected to the first inner seal ring (37) so as to press against the first inner seal ring (37); and a second pressing means (80) fixedly connected to the large valve needle portion (32) and abutting the first pressing means (70) on a side opposite the first inner seal ring (37).

16. 16. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 15, characterized in that an inner wall of the large valve needle portion (32) is provided with a first annular step portion (11) and a second annular step portion (12) provided in a stepped shape, the first inner seal ring (37) is provided in the first annular step portion (11), the first pressing means (70) is provided in the second annular step portion (12), and a part of the second pressing means (80) is inserted into the second annular step portion (12).

17. 16. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 15, characterized in that the second pressing means (80) includes a first cylindrical portion (41), a transition portion (42) and a second cylindrical portion (43) connected in series, an outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion (41) is larger than an outer diameter of the second cylindrical portion (43), at least a portion of the second cylindrical portion (43) is inserted into a cavity of the large valve needle portion (32), the second cylindrical portion (43) abuts against the first pressing means (70), and an outer wall of the second cylindrical portion (43) is welded to a location where it contacts an end face of the large valve needle portion (32).

18. 16. The electronic expansion valve of claim 15, wherein the first pressing means (70) is an annular plate, an inner diameter of the first pressing means (70) is larger than an inner diameter of the first inner seal ring (37), the first inner seal ring (37) is located between the guide hole (321) and the first pressing means (70), the guide hole (321), the first inner seal ring (37) and the annular plate are coaxially arranged, a diameter of the guide hole (321) is equal to an inner diameter of the annular plate, an outer wall of the second pressing means (80) is provided with a seal groove (44), and the valve needle member further includes a second inner seal ring (38), and the second inner seal ring (38) is provided in the seal groove (44).

19. 16. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 15, characterized in that the small valve needle (31) includes a position limiting rod (71) and a blocking rod (72) connected to each other, the radial dimension of the position limiting rod (71) is larger than the radial dimension of the blocking rod (72), the blocking rod (72) is inserted through the first inner seal ring (37) and connected to the small valve port (331), the position limiting rod (71) is located in a cavity of the second pressing means (80), the position limiting rod (71) is engagedly connected to the first pressing means (70) on one axial side, and the position limiting rod (71) is engagedly connected to the second pressing means (80) on the other axial side.

20. The valve seat member (10) is a base (17) having a first flow passage hole (13) in a side wall and a second flow passage hole (14) in a bottom wall; 14. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 13, further comprising: a valve seat ring portion (90) welded to one end of the base (17), the valve seat ring portion (90) having an annular recession groove (91) formed on an outer circumferential surface of a portion connected to the base (17), and a welding position to the base (17) located within the annular recession groove (91).

21. 21. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 20, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the base is provided with a third annular step portion (15), an outer circumferential surface of the valve seat ring portion (90) is provided with a fourth annular step portion (92), the third annular step portion (15) and the fourth annular step portion (92) form the annular recess groove (91), the valve seat ring portion (90) is provided with a fifth annular step portion (22), a portion of the valve seat ring portion (90) is inserted into a cavity of the base (17), and an end face and an inner wall of the base (17) are both restrictively connected to the fifth annular step portion (22).

22. 21. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 20, wherein a first accommodating groove (16) for mounting a seal ring is provided on an outer wall of the base (17), a second accommodating groove (93) for mounting a seal ring is provided on an outer wall of the valve seat ring part (90), and the first flow passage hole (13) is located between the first accommodating groove (16) and the second accommodating groove (93).

23. 21. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 20, characterized in that an outer wall of the valve seat ring portion (90) is provided with a male thread portion for connection to an external structure and / or the valve seat ring portion (90) is provided with an operating hole (24) adapted to an installation tool, the electronic expansion valve further includes a valve sleeve (100), and an end of the valve seat ring portion (90) remote from the base (17) is inserted into the valve sleeve (100) and welded to the valve sleeve (100).

24. 21. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 20, characterized in that the valve seat ring portion (90) includes a first cylindrical portion (94), a second cylindrical portion (95), a third cylindrical portion (96), a connecting portion (97), and a guide portion (98) which are connected in series, an outer diameter of the second cylindrical portion (95) is larger than outer diameters of the first cylindrical portion (94), the third cylindrical portion (96), and the connecting portion (97), an outer diameter of the connecting portion (97) is larger than an outer diameter of the guide portion (98), the guide portion (98) is inserted into the base (17), the connecting portion (97) is welded to the base (17), a second accommodating groove (93) for attaching a seal ring is provided on an outer wall of the third cylindrical portion (96), and a male thread portion is provided on an outer wall of the second cylindrical portion (95).

25. 12. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 11, wherein the large gasket (20) has an outer side provided with a sixth annular step portion (23), the reinforcing seal ring (40) is disposed in the sixth annular step portion (23), and the reinforcing seal ring (40) abuts against both the inner surface and the bottom surface of the cavity of the valve seat member (10); or the large gasket (20) has an outer side provided with an annular groove, the reinforcing seal ring (40) is disposed in the annular groove, and the reinforcing seal ring (40) abuts against the inner surface of the cavity of the valve seat member (10).

26. 13. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 12, characterized in that the large position regulating structure (50) includes a pressure ring (51) and a connecting ring (52) connected to each other, the pressure ring (51) abuts against the large gasket (20), the connecting ring (52) is located on a side of the pressure ring (51) opposite the large gasket (20), the connecting ring (52) is welded to an inner wall of the valve seat member (10), an outer wall of an end of the large position regulating structure (50) facing the large gasket (20) is provided with a chamfered or rounded corner, a seventh annular step portion (25) is provided on the outer side of the large gasket (20), and the large position regulating structure (50) is restrictively connected to the seventh annular step portion (25).

27. 12. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 11, wherein the reinforcing seal ring (40) is made of a soft material and the outer diameter of the reinforcing seal ring (40) is larger than the outer diameter of the large gasket (20).

28. 4. The electronic expansion valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the large valve needle portion (32) has a hollow structure, an end portion of the large valve needle portion (32) is provided with a sealing surface (411) for sealingly connecting with the large gasket (20), and the sealing surface (411) is an arc-shaped surface.

29. The electronic expansion valve of claim 14, characterized in that the large valve needle portion (32) is provided with an arrangement groove (212) communicating with the position restriction groove (322), the radial dimension of the arrangement groove (212) is larger than the radial dimension of the position restriction groove (322), and the small position restriction structure (60) is located within the arrangement groove (212).

30. The electronic expansion valve of claim 29, characterized in that the small position control structure (60) has an annular structure, an outer wall of the small position control structure (60) is welded to an inner wall of the arrangement groove (212), the small position control structure (60) is arranged coaxially with the small valve port (331), and the inner diameter of the small position control structure (60) is equal to or greater than the minimum radial dimension of the small valve port (331).

31. 21. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 20, wherein a large opening end of the small valve port (331) is separated from the small position regulating structure (60), a side opening (213) is provided in the large valve needle portion (32), the side opening (213) is located on the opposite side of the small gasket (33) to the small position regulating structure (60), and when the small valve port (331) is in an open state, the small valve port (331) communicates with the first flow passage hole (13) through the side opening (213).

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