Electronic expansion valves and cooling devices

Abstract

An electronic expansion valve and a refrigeration device are disclosed. The electronic expansion valve includes a valve casing (100), a nut (200), a valve stem (300), a guide collar (400), and a valve needle (500). The valve casing (100) is provided with a valve chamber (103) and a valve port (104) communicating with the valve chamber (103). The nut (200) is mounted in the valve chamber (103). The valve stem (300) is mounted in the inner space of the nut (200). 00), the guide collar (400) is attached in the valve chamber (103) and is located on one side of the nut (200) close to the valve orifice (104), the valve needle (500) is inserted into the valve orifice (104) after passing through the guide collar (400), and the valve needle (500) is guided by the guide collar (400) and moves axially relative to the valve orifice (104) by driving the valve stem (300), thereby opening and closing the valve orifice (104). This ensures the concentricity of the valve needle (500) and the valve orifice (104).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application filed on January 26, 2022, bearing application number 202210092703.6, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of electronic expansion valves, and in particular to electronic expansion valves and refrigeration equipment. [Background technology]

[0003] Conventional electronic expansion valves use the principle of a stepping motor to rotate a magnetic rotor using a coil, convert the rotational motion of the magnetic rotor into axial motion of a valve stem, and use the valve stem to raise and lower a valve needle connected to the valve stem, thereby controlling the flow rate of the electronic expansion valve.

[0004] In the related art, the electronic expansion valve mainly includes a rotor, a valve stem, a nut and a valve needle, the valve stem is rotatably connected with the nut, the valve needle is provided at the lower end of the valve stem, the rotor moves the valve stem in the axial direction, and the valve needle moves in the axial direction to achieve the purpose of opening and closing the valve port. However, if the concentricity between the valve needle and the valve port of the electronic expansion valve is insufficient, the valve needle is likely to stick, which affects the reliability of the electronic expansion valve.

[0005] The above contents are used to facilitate the understanding of the technical solutions of the invention, and are not admitted to be prior art. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The main objective of this application is to propose an electronic expansion valve to ensure the concentricity of the valve needle and the valve port. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the electronic expansion valve proposed in the present application comprises: a valve casing having a valve chamber and a valve port communicating with the valve chamber; a nut mounted within the valve chamber; A valve stem attached to the inner space of the nut and threadedly connected to the nut; a guide collar mounted within the valve chamber and positioned on one side of the nut proximate to the valve orifice; a valve needle that penetrates the guide collar and is inserted into the valve port, and that is guided by the guide collar and moves axially relative to the valve port by driving the valve stem, thereby opening and closing the valve port.

[0008] In one embodiment, the valve chamber includes a first valve chamber and a second valve chamber respectively located on either axial side of the guide collar, and the guide collar or the valve casing is provided with a balance passage for communicating the first valve chamber with the second valve chamber.

[0009] In one embodiment, a mounting step is protrudingly formed on the outer wall of the guide collar, and a stepped space is correspondingly formed on the inner wall of the valve casing, and the mounting step engages with the stepped space.

[0010] In one embodiment, the step space is formed by a first step surface and a second step surface that are interconnected, the mounting step includes a third step surface abutting the first step surface and a fourth step surface abutting the second step surface, the first step surface is arranged parallel to the axial direction of the guide collar, a first ventilation groove is recessed into at least one of the first step surface and the third step surface, and a second ventilation groove communicating with the first ventilation groove is recessed into at least one of the second step surface and the fourth step surface, thereby forming the balance passage in the first ventilation groove and the second ventilation groove.

[0011] In one embodiment, a first guide surface is provided on one side of the first step surface away from the second step surface, and the first guide surface is provided so as to gradually move away from the third step surface in a direction away from the first step surface.

[0012] In one embodiment, a second guide surface is provided at one end of the third step surface close to the fourth step surface, and the second guide surface is provided so as to gradually approach the first step surface in a direction away from the fourth step surface.

[0013] In one embodiment, two second guide surfaces are provided, and a transition surface parallel to the axial direction of the guide collar is provided between the two second guide surfaces, and the transition surface is connected to the third step surface via one of the second guide surfaces and is connected to the fourth step surface via the other second guide surface.

[0014] In one embodiment, a refrigerant passage port is formed in a side wall of the valve casing, and a flow guide tapered surface facing the refrigerant passage port is provided on an outer wall of the guide collar.

[0015] In one embodiment, a connection surface is further provided on the outer wall of the guide collar, and the mounting step is connected to the flow-guiding tapered surface via the connection surface, and an air hole is formed in the connection surface, penetrating the inner wall of the guide collar, so that the balance passage is formed within the air hole.

[0016] In one embodiment, the valve needle includes an interconnected needle body and a connector, and the needle body is inserted into the valve port after passing through the guide collar.

[0017] In one embodiment, a first guide hole is provided at one end of the nut close to the valve port, and the connection part is inserted into the first guide hole and moves axially while being guided by the first guide hole.

[0018] In one embodiment, a first relief hole and a second guide hole that are arranged along the axial direction and communicate with each other are formed in the guide collar, the needle body is inserted into the second guide hole, and the end of the connection portion that is connected to the needle body protrudes from the internal space of the nut and is accommodated in the first relief hole.

[0019] In one embodiment, the second guide hole has a depth of 1 mm or more.

[0020] In one embodiment, a second relief hole is further provided in the guide collar, the second relief hole communicating with an end of the first relief hole remote from the guide hole, and the nut is partially received in the second relief hole.

[0021] The present application further proposes a cooling device including the above-mentioned electronic expansion valve. Effect of the Invention

[0022] In the technical solution of the present application, the guide collar is restricted relative to the valve needle, so that the coaxiality between the valve needle and the valve port can be improved; when the valve stem drives the valve needle to move, the guide collar guides the axial movement of the valve needle to ensure the stable movement of the valve needle. Thus, the valve needle can maintain a high coaxiality with the valve port in both the stationary and moving states, which is favorable for ensuring the accuracy of the opening control of the valve port, and thus the working reliability of the electronic expansion valve can be ensured. In addition, the guide collar prevents the valve needle from moving unnecessarily relative to the valve port, which can reduce the wear between the valve needle and the valve port, which is favorable for extending the service life of the valve needle, and further ensures the working reliability of the electronic expansion valve.

[0023] In order to more clearly describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application and the prior art, the following will briefly describe the drawings required for the description of the embodiments or the prior art. It is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some of the embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative work. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of an electronic expansion valve of the present application; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of a portion B in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of a portion C in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of a portion D in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of a portion E in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a partial structural schematic diagram of an electronic expansion valve according to another embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged view of a portion F in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of area G in FIG. 7. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a partial structural schematic diagram of an electronic expansion valve according to another embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] The realization of the object, the function features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0026] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application in combination with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. It is clear that the described embodiments are not all the embodiments of the present application, but only some of the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments that a person skilled in the art can obtain without performing creative work fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0027] In addition, when the embodiments of the present application include directional indications (e.g., up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are used only to explain the relative positional relationships, movement conditions, etc. between each part in a certain specific posture (see figure), and when the specific posture changes, the directional indications also change accordingly.

[0028] The terms "connected," "attached," "fixed," etc. should all be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connected" may mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or a connection as a whole, or may be directly interconnected, or indirectly interconnected through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application according to the specific situation.

[0029] In addition, when the description of "first", "second", etc. is concerned in the embodiments of the present application, the description of "first", "second", etc. is used for explanatory purposes only, and should not be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance thereof, or as implicitly specifying the number of technical features presented. Therefore, a feature limited to "first" or "second" may include at least one of the features, either explicitly or implicitly. In addition, "and / or" appearing in the whole sentence means including three parallel proposals. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes proposal A, or proposal B, or a proposal in which A and B are simultaneously satisfied. In addition, the technical proposals of each embodiment can be combined with each other as long as they can be realized by a person skilled in the art. If a combination of technical proposals causes a contradiction or cannot be realized, it should be understood that such a combination of technical proposals does not exist and is not within the scope of the protection sought by the present application.

[0030] This application proposes an electronic expansion valve.

[0031] 1, the electronic expansion valve includes a valve casing 100, a nut 200, a valve rod 300, a guide collar 400, and a valve needle 500. The valve casing 100 is provided with a valve chamber 103 and a valve port 104 communicating with the valve chamber 103. The nut 200 is installed in the valve chamber 103, and the valve rod 300 is installed in the inner space of the nut 200 and is screwed and connected with the nut 200. The guide collar 400 is installed in the valve chamber 103 and is located on one side of the nut 200 close to the valve port 104. The valve needle 500 penetrates the guide collar 400 and is inserted into the valve port 104. When the valve rod 300 is driven, the valve needle 500 is guided by the guide collar 400 to move axially relative to the valve port 104, thereby opening and closing the valve port 104.

[0032] In addition, the guide collar 400 and the valve port 104 are arranged coaxially. The guide collar 400 restrains the valve needle 500, thereby improving the coaxiality between the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104. Meanwhile, when the valve rod 300 drives the valve needle 500 to move, the guide collar 400 guides the axial movement of the valve needle 500, thereby ensuring the stable movement of the valve needle 500. Thus, the valve needle 500 can maintain a high coaxiality with the valve port 104 in both the stationary and moving states, which is favorable to ensure the accuracy of the opening control of the valve port 104, and thus ensure the operating reliability of the electronic expansion valve. In addition, the guide collar 400 prevents the valve needle 500 from moving unnecessarily relative to the valve port 104, which can reduce the wear between the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104, which is favorable to extend the service life of the valve needle 500, and further ensure the operating reliability of the electronic expansion valve.

[0033] 1 to 4, the valve needle 500 includes a needle body 510 and a connecting part 520 connected to each other, and the needle body 510 is inserted into the valve port 104 after penetrating the guide collar 400. The needle body 510 is fitted with the guide collar 400 and the needle body 510 is fitted with the valve port 104 by a clearance fit. The connecting part 520 has a part located in the inner space of the nut 200 and is fitted with a clearance fit on the inner wall surface of the nut 200. Here, the fitting gap between the connecting part 520 and the nut 200 is larger than the minimum fitting gap between the needle body 510 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104, and the fitting gap between the needle body 510 and the guide collar 400 is larger than the minimum fitting gap between the needle body 510 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104.

[0034] Specifically, the valve casing 100 includes a housing 101 and a valve seat 102 fixedly connected to the housing 101, and a valve chamber 103 is formed by being surrounded by the housing 101 and the valve seat 102. The electronic expansion valve further includes a magnetic rotor 900 disposed in the valve chamber 103, and the magnetic rotor 900 is rotatable relative to the valve casing 100. The nut 200 is fixedly connected to the valve seat 102, and the magnetic rotor 900 drives the movement of the valve rod 300 to move the valve needle 500, thereby controlling the magnitude of the flow rate of the electronic expansion valve.

[0035] The nut 200 is formed with a mounting hole 210 extending in its axial direction, the mounting hole 210 including a first guide hole 212, and a portion of the connecting part 520 located in the internal space of the nut 200 is clearance-fitted into the first guide hole 212. The fitting gap between the connecting part 520 and the nut 200 is the gap between the outer wall surface of the connecting part 520 and the inner wall surface of the first guide hole 212 (i.e., D3 in FIG. 4). The needle body 510 has a body segment 511 and a tip 512 arranged along the axial direction, and the guide collar 400 is provided with a second guide hole 401, and the body segment 511 penetrates the second guide hole 401 and clearance-fits into the second guide hole 401. The fitting gap between the needle body 510 and the guide collar 400 is the gap between the outer wall surface of the body segment 511 and the inner wall surface of the second guide hole (i.e., D2 in FIG. 3). The tip 512 is inserted into the valve port 104 and is clearance-fitted with the inner wall surface of the valve port 104. The minimum fitting gap between the needle body 510 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104 is the minimum fitting gap between the tip 512 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104 (i.e., D1 in FIG. 2). In addition, due to the presence of this minimum fitting gap, when the valve needle 500 closes the valve port 104, a certain gap is formed between the outer wall surface of the tip 512 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104, reducing the friction between the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104 and preventing the valve needle 500 from sticking. In particular, the depth of the second guide hole 401 is 1 mm or more so as to satisfy the maximum stroke of the axial movement of the needle body 510 and always guide the axial movement of the needle body 510.

[0036] In addition, the first guide hole 212 and the second guide hole 401 should be coaxial with the valve port 104, and the nut 200 functions to guide the axial movement of the connecting part 520 through the first guide hole 212, and the guide collar 400 functions to guide the body segment 511 of the needle body 510 through the second guide hole 401, thereby ensuring that the entire valve needle 500 can maintain high coaxiality with the valve port 104, reducing the friction between the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104, and ensuring the stability of the axial movement of the valve needle 500. In addition, in one embodiment, the needle body 510 and the connecting part 520 are integrally molded, thereby improving the production and processing efficiency of the valve needle 500. Alternatively, the needle body 510 and the connecting part 520 may be molded independently and then fixed and connected, thereby simplifying the structure of the mold and ensuring the product yield.

[0037] According to the electronic expansion valve of the present invention, when a foreign object is caught between the valve port 104 and the valve needle 500, even if the tip 512 of the needle body 510 is tilted, the fitting gap between the body segment 511 of the needle body 510 and the inner wall surface of the second guide hole 401 is larger than the minimum fitting gap between the tip 512 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104, so there is sufficient movement space between the body segment 511 and the inner wall surface of the second guide hole 401. Even if the body segment 511 is moved and tilted relative to the second guide hole 401, it will not stick to the second guide hole 401, and will maintain a certain gap with the inner wall surface of the second guide hole 401, so the up and down movement of the needle body 510 will not be affected. In addition, since the gap between the outer wall surface of the connecting part 520 and the inner wall surface of the nut 200 is larger than the minimum fitting gap between the tip 512 and the inner wall surface of the valve port 104, there is also sufficient movement space between the connecting part 520 and the first guide hole 212 of the nut 200. Similarly, even if the connecting part 520 is moved and tilted relative to the inner wall surface of the first guide hole 212, it will not stick to the first guide hole 212 and will maintain a certain gap with the inner wall surface of the first guide hole 212, so it will not affect the up and down movement of the entire valve needle 500. In short, when a foreign object is caught between the tip 512 of the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104, the main body segment 511 of the valve needle 500 in the internal space of the guide collar 400 and the connecting part 520 in the internal space of the nut 200 both have sufficient displacement movement space, so that the valve needle 500 can still move smoothly in the up and down direction, and the sticking of the valve needle 500 can be effectively avoided. It is also possible to avoid the influence of eccentricity due to deviation in the concentricity between the valve stem and the valve needle during assembly on the axial movement of the valve needle 500 .

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fitting gap between the connection portion 520 and the nut 200 is larger than the fitting gap between the needle body 510 and the guide collar 400, that is, the gap D3 between the outer wall surface of the connection portion 520 and the inner wall surface of the first guide hole 212 is larger than the gap D2 between the outer wall surface of the body segment 511 and the inner wall surface of the second guide hole 401. Therefore, when the valve port 104 is open, the tip 512 of the needle body 510 moves away from the valve port 104, and at this time, if a foreign object is caught in the gap between the body segment 511 and the second guide hole 401, even if the body segment 511 tilts relative to the second guide hole 401 and the connection part 520 is tilted relative to the first guide hole 212, the connection part 520 will not adhere to the first guide hole 212 and will maintain a certain gap with the inner wall surface of the first guide hole 212, so that the up and down movement of the entire valve needle 500 will not be affected.

[0039] 1, the mounting hole 210 further includes a threaded hole 211 located on one side of the first guide hole 212 away from the valve port 104, and the valve rod 300 is drivably connected to the connecting part 520 at one end and screwed into the threaded hole 211 at the other end. Thus, the coil drives the magnetic rotor 900 to rotate, and the magnetic rotor 900 rotates the valve rod 300, and the valve rod 300 can rotate circumferentially and move axially synchronously through engagement with the thread of the nut 200. The valve rod 300 further moves the valve needle 500 axially upward or downward, thereby controlling the flow rate of the electronic expansion valve. Meanwhile, since the screw segment of the valve stem 300 and the screw hole 211 are clearance-fitted, the valve stem 300 can have a certain radial movement deviation relative to the nut 200, so that the valve stem 300 and the nut 200 can further absorb the concentricity deviation and improve the overall concentricity.

[0040] In this embodiment, the fitting gap between the valve stem 300 and the threaded hole 211 is larger than the fitting gap (i.e., D3) between the connecting part 520 and the first guide hole 212. Therefore, when the valve stem 300 is fitted coaxially with the valve needle 500 and the connecting part 520 is tilted relative to the first guide hole 212, the minimum fitting gap between the valve stem 300 and the nut 200 is between the threaded segment of the valve stem 300 and the threaded hole 211, and this gap value is larger than the fitting gap between the connecting part 520 and the first guide hole 212. Thus, there is a sufficient movement space between the threaded segment of the valve stem 300 and the threaded hole 211, and even if the valve stem 300 is moved and tilted relative to the nut 200, the threaded segment of the valve stem 300 will not stick to the threaded hole 211 of the nut 200, and will not affect the up and down movement of the valve needle 500 of the electronic expansion valve.

[0041] 1, 7 and 10, in some embodiments, the needle body 510 has a first end 501 (i.e., the end where the tip 512 is located) away from the connecting part 520, and the first end 501 is inserted into the valve port 104. The connecting part 520 has a second end 502 away from the needle body 510. The electronic expansion valve further includes a bearing 600 and an elastic member 310. The bearing 600 is fixedly attached to the second end 502 by an outer ring, and the valve rod 300 is movably inserted into the bearing 600 and coaxially fitted with the valve needle 500. The elastic member 310 has one end connected to the valve rod 300 and the other end connected to the bearing 600. Specifically, the end of the elastic member is connected to the end face of the inner ring of the bearing 600, which is away from the first end 501, so that the valve rod 300 can drive the valve needle 500 to move in the axial direction through the elastic member 310. When the valve rod 300 rotates in the circumferential direction by fitting the valve rod 300 to the bearing 600, even if the inner ring of the bearing 600 rotates together with the valve rod 300, the outer ring of the bearing 600 fixedly connected to the valve needle 500 can remain stationary in the circumferential direction, so the valve needle 500 will not rotate in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the fitting of the valve rod 300 to the bearing 600 cancels out the circumferential movement transmitted from the valve rod 300 to the valve needle 500, and the valve rod 300 can transmit the axial movement to the valve needle 500 by fitting to the bearing 600 through the elastic member 310. This allows the valve needle 500 to only move axially relative to the valve port 104 without rotating, which is advantageous to reduce wear between the valve needle 500 and the valve port 104 and ensures the operational reliability of the electronic expansion valve.

[0042] In one embodiment, the end of the elastic member 310 and the end surface of the inner ring of the valve rod 300 and the bearing 600 are connected by abutment or fitting. It should be noted that the end of the elastic member 310 may directly abut the end surface of the inner ring of the valve rod 300 or the bearing 600, or may indirectly abut the end surface of the inner ring of the valve rod 300 or the bearing 600 via other parts. Without loss of generality, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 10, in this embodiment, the elastic member 310 is provided as a spring. A flange portion 320 is provided on the peripheral wall of the valve rod 300. The spring is fitted into the valve rod 300, and one end abuts the flange portion 320 and the other end abuts the end surface of the bearing 600, thereby respectively realizing the connection with the end surface of the valve rod 300 and the bearing 600. Of course, in other embodiments, the elastic member 310 may be provided as an elastic sheet, an elastic rubber sleeve, or an elastic silicone rubber sleeve.

[0043] 1, 7 and 10, the second end 502 of the connecting part 520 is recessed toward the first end to form a mounting groove 530, and the bearing 600 is fixedly mounted in the mounting groove 530 by an outer ring. In this way, the bearing 600 is not exposed, and the fitting structure between the bearing 600 and the mounting groove 530 is also accommodated in the mounting groove 530, so that it is less susceptible to impact, which is advantageous for ensuring a stable connection between the bearing 600 and the mounting groove 530. Of course, in other embodiments, the end face of the second end 502 may have a flat structure, and the bearing 600 may be fixedly mounted to the end face of the second end 502. In this case, by leaving a gap between the inner ring of the bearing 600 and the end face of the second end 502, it is possible to rotate the inner ring of the bearing 600 relative to the connecting part 520, and similarly, it is possible to prevent the valve needle 500 from rotating in the circumferential direction.

[0044] 7 and 10, the mounting groove 530 has an escape space 531 located on one side of the bearing 600 away from the second end 502, and the valve rod 300 is inserted into the bearing 600 with its end protruding into the escape space 531. In this way, the end of the valve rod 300 can move toward the escape space 531 to compress the spring, thereby providing a preload force to the valve needle 500. Of course, in other embodiments, the axial length of the bearing 600 can be increased to provide sufficient space for the axial movement of the valve rod 300, so as to ensure that the spring can be compressed to a predetermined position to provide sufficient preload force to the valve needle 500.

[0045] Furthermore, a first position limiting portion and a second position limiting portion are provided in the mounting groove 530 and are disposed on both ends of the bearing 600, and the first position limiting portion and the second position limiting portion are fixed to the mounting groove 530 and respectively abut against both end faces of the outer ring of the bearing 600. By limiting the position of the bearing 600 on both sides in the axial direction in this manner, the bearing 600 can be fixed and mounted in the mounting groove 530.

[0046] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, the mounting groove 530 has a first groove segment and a second groove segment arranged along the axial direction, the inner diameter of the first groove segment is larger than the inner diameter of the second groove segment, a position limiting step 532 is formed at the communication part between the first groove segment and the second groove segment, and the first position limiting portion is the position limiting step 532. Furthermore, the second position limiting portion is a position limiting collar 700 that abuts on an end face of the outer ring of the bearing 600 away from the first end 501, and the valve rod 300 is inserted into the bearing 600 after penetrating the position limiting collar 700. Without loss of generality, the position limiting collar 700 is fixedly connected to the groove wall of the mounting groove 530 by welding. Note that the position limiting step 532 and the position limiting collar 700 both abut only on the end face of the outer ring of the bearing 600, thereby simultaneously limiting the axial movement and circumferential rotation of the outer ring of the bearing 600. The axial movement of the inner ring of the bearing 600 is limited accordingly, but the circumferential rotation of the inner ring of the bearing 600 is not affected, thus ensuring that the inner ring of the bearing 600 can be moved by the valve stem 300 and functioning to counterbalance the circumferential rotation of the valve stem 300. In addition, the combination of the position limiting step 532 and the position limiting collar 700 can provide a large clamping force in the axial direction of the bearing 600, and can avoid friction between the outer surface of the bearing 600 and the groove wall of the mounting groove 530, thereby ensuring that the bearing 600 is stably mounted in the mounting groove 530.

[0047] 9, the position limiting collar 700 includes a first guide segment 710 and a first connecting segment 720 that are arranged along the axial direction and are interconnected, the first connecting segment 720 is connected to the groove wall of the first groove segment, and the outer diameter of the first guide segment 710 gradually decreases from the end connected to the first connecting segment 720 to the end remote from the first connecting segment 720. In this way, the force required to install the position limiting collar 700 in the mounting groove 530 can be reduced by being guided by the first guide segment 710. Of course, in other embodiments, a guide structure may be provided on the end face of the first groove segment remote from the second groove segment to guide the installation of the position limiting collar 700 in the mounting groove 530 and / or the installation of the bearing 600 in the mounting groove 530.

[0048] 9, one of the first guide segments 710 is connected to each of both ends of the first connecting segment 720. That is, since the two end faces of the position limiting collar 700 are each provided with a guide structure, it is not necessary to distinguish the direction when fitting the position limiting collar 700, and the position limiting collar 700 can be guided by the first guide segment 710 no matter which end of the position limiting collar 700 is attached to the mounting groove 530. In this way, by making the position limiting collar 700 a foolproof design, the production efficiency of the electronic expansion valve of the present application can be improved.

[0049] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10, the bearing 600 is fixed in the mounting groove 530 by a press crimping method. Specifically, the groove wall of the first groove segment includes a main body portion 533 and a press crimping portion 534 connected to the groove wall of the second groove segment via the main body portion 533. That is, when the press crimping portion 534 is an end of the groove wall of the first groove segment and the bearing 600 is mounted on the position limiting step 532, the outer ring of the bearing 600 abuts against the groove wall surface of the first groove segment, and the outer ring can be restrained in the circumferential direction of the bearing 600, so that the mounting stability of the bearing 600 is further improved. Then, if the press crimping portion 534 is bent to abut against the end surface of the outer ring of the bearing 600, the bearing 600 can be fixed in the mounting groove 530 by press crimping. Among these, the groove wall of the press crimping portion 534 is thinner than the groove wall of the main body portion 533, so that the force required to bend the press crimping portion 534 can be made smaller, and the press crimping process for the bearing 600 can be more easily and quickly achieved. In this embodiment, the bearing 600 is fixed to the mounting groove 530 by making the press crimping portion 534 and the position limiting step 532 into a first position limiting portion and a second position limiting portion, respectively.

[0050] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 7 and 10, the electronic expansion valve further includes a driving collar 800 fixedly fitted to the end of the valve needle 500, the driving collar 800 being located on one side of the bearing 600 close to the first end 501 and detachably abutting the end surface of the bearing 600. Thus, when the valve rod 300 moves axially upward, the position limiting collar 700 abuts the end surface of the bearing 600, so that the position limiting collar 700 is moved axially upward by the bearing 600, and the bearing 600 also moves upward under the pressing force, and the valve needle 500 fixedly connected to the bearing 600 also moves upward. Of course, in other embodiments, a driving protrusion may be provided on the periphery of the end of the valve rod 300, so that when the valve rod 300 moves axially upward, the driving protrusion presses the end surface of the bearing 600, so that the valve needle 500 can also move upward.

[0051] 8, the end of the valve needle 500 is provided with a positioning step 330, and the driving collar 800 abuts against the positioning step 330. In this way, in the process of mounting the driving collar 800 to the valve needle 500, the positioning step 330 can function as a positioning step, and the end face of the driving collar 800 abuts against the positioning step 330, which indicates that the driving collar 800 is mounted at a predetermined position. Of course, in other embodiments, the positioning step 330 may be provided on the inside of the driving collar 800, and the end of the valve stem 300 abuts against the positioning step 330, which indicates that the driving collar 800 is mounted at a predetermined position.

[0052] 8, the drive collar 800 includes a second guide segment 820 and a second connection segment 810 arranged along the axial direction. The valve stem 300 and the second connection segment 810 are tightly fitted. The second guide segment 820 is located on one side of the second connection segment 810 close to the bearing 600, and the inner diameter of the second guide segment 820 gradually increases from the end close to the second connection segment 810 to the end away from the second connection segment 810. Thus, the second guide segment 820 can function to guide the valve stem 300 and the drive collar 800 during the assembly process, so that the operation of inserting the valve stem 300 into the drive collar 800 can be more labor-saving and quick.

[0053] 8, the drive collar 800 further includes a transition segment 830 located on one side of the second connection segment 810 closer to the bearing 600. The drive collar 800 has two second guide segments 820, and the transition segment 830 is connected to the end face of the drive collar 800 through one of the second guide segments 820, and is connected to the connection segment through the other second guide segment 820. That is, the second guide segment 820, the transition segment 830, the second guide segment 820, and the second connection segment 810 are connected in this order between the end of the drive collar 800 closer to the bearing 600 and the end of the drive collar 800 farther from the bearing 600, and the transition segment 830 and the valve stem 300 are fitted with a clearance. When assembling the drive collar 800, the valve stem 300 should be inserted from the end of the drive collar 800 closer to the bearing 600. Thus, the end of the valve stem 300 first contacts the position where the inner diameter of the second guide segment 820 at that end of the drive collar 800 is the largest, which can facilitate the alignment and engagement of the end of the valve stem 300. Guided by the second guide segment 820, the end of the valve stem 300 can be inserted into the transition segment 830 with a relatively small force, and then through the transition segment 830 to the other second guide segment 820 used to guide the insertion of the valve stem 300 into the second connection segment 810. Because the second connection segment 810 and the valve stem 300 are tightly fitted, only after the end of the valve stem 300 enters the second connection segment 810 does the force need to be increased to continue inserting the valve stem 300 into the drive collar 800 until the drive collar 800 abuts against the positioning step 330. Thus, the assembly of the drive collar 800 and the valve stem 300 can be performed more labor-saving and quickly, which is favorable to improving the production efficiency of the electronic expansion valve.

[0054] 1, 5 and 6, in some embodiments, the guide collar 400 is further provided with a first relief hole 402 arranged along the axial direction and communicating with the second guide hole 401. An end of the connecting portion 520 connected to the needle body 510 protrudes from the internal space of the nut 200 and is received in the first relief hole 402. Further, a second relief hole 403 is further provided in the guide collar 400, and the second relief hole 403 communicates with an end of the first relief hole 402 remote from the second guide hole 401, and the nut 200 is partially received in the second relief hole 403. The second guide hole 401 of the guide collar 400 needs to be fitted to guide the valve needle 500, but since the position of the valve needle 500 is close to the valve port 104, if the guide collar 400 is connected to the valve casing 100 by the outer wall of the second guide hole 401, it is likely to affect the flow of the refrigerant near the valve port 104. In this embodiment, a first relief hole 402 for releasing the connection part 520 and a second relief hole 403 for releasing the nut 200 are provided in this order on one side of the second guide hole 401 away from the valve port 104. As a result, if the guide collar 400 is fixedly connected to the valve casing 100 by the outer wall of the first relief hole 402 or the outer wall of the second relief hole 403, it is possible to avoid the adverse effect of the connection structure between the guide collar 400 and the valve casing 100 on the flow of the refrigerant.

[0055] 5 and 6, in some embodiments, an installation step 410 is protruded on the outer wall of the guide collar 400, and a stepped space 110 is correspondingly formed on the inner wall of the valve casing 100, and the installation step 410 engages with the stepped space 110. Specifically, the installation step 410 is formed on the outer wall facing the first relief hole 402 and the second relief hole 403, and the installation step 410 and the stepped space 110 are engaged with each other to fix the guide collar 400 to the valve casing 100.

[0056] 5, the step space 110 is formed by both the first step surface 111 and the second step surface 112 which are interconnected, the mounting step 410 includes a third step surface 411 which abuts against the first step surface 111 and a fourth step surface 412 which abuts against the second step surface 112, and the first step surface 111 is provided in parallel with the axial direction of the guide collar 400. Among them, in order to guide the mounting step 410 to engage in the step space 110 when the guide collar 400 is fitted to the valve casing 100, at least one of the end of the first step surface 111 remote from the second step surface 112 and the end of the third step surface 411 close to the fourth step surface 412 is provided with a guide structure.

[0057] Specifically, in this embodiment, a first guide surface 113 is provided on one side of the first step surface 111 away from the second step surface 112, and the first guide surface 113 is provided so as to gradually move away from the third step surface 411 in a direction away from the first step surface 111. Furthermore, two second guide surfaces 413 are provided on one end of the third step surface 411 close to the fourth step surface 412, and the second guide surface 413 is provided so as to gradually move closer to the first step surface 111 in a direction away from the fourth step surface 412. A transition surface 414 is provided between the two second guide surfaces 413, which is parallel to the axial direction of the guide collar 400, and the transition surface 414 is connected to the third step surface 411 via one of the second guide surfaces 413, and is connected to the fourth step surface 412 via the other guide surface. Here, in order to obtain an optimum guiding effect, the first guiding surface 113 and the second guiding surface 413 can be arranged side-by-side, ie parallel or approximately parallel.

[0058] In the process of fitting the guide collar 400 to the valve casing 100, the second guide surface 413 closer to the fourth step surface 412 enters the inner space of the first guide surface 113 first, and then, as the mounting step 410 gradually engages in the step space 110, the transition surface 414, another guide surface, and the third step surface 411 enter the inner space of the first guide surface 113 in sequence. In this process, at least one of the first guide surface 113 and the second guide surface 413 can function to guide the fitting until the third step surface 411 contacts the first step surface 111. Thus, the stepped guide structure can make the process of fitting the guide collar 400 to the valve casing 100 more labor-saving and quick, which is favorable to improving the production efficiency of the electronic expansion valve.

[0059] In some embodiments, as shown in Fig. 6, the side wall of the valve casing 100 is formed with a refrigerant passage port 105, and the guide collar 400 is provided with a flow-guiding tapered surface 420 facing the refrigerant passage port 105. Thus, when the refrigerant flows between the refrigerant passage port 105 and the valve port 104, the flow-guiding tapered surface 420 can function to guide the flow of the refrigerant, so as to avoid disturbance of the flow of the refrigerant affecting the operation performance of the electronic expansion valve. In particular, in the heating state, after the refrigerant flows into the valve chamber 103 through the valve port 104, a flash evaporation phenomenon occurs in the valve chamber 103, and the high-speed refrigerant flows along the tip 512 of the valve needle 500 and the flow-guiding tapered surface 420 of the guide collar 400. Thus, the refrigerant can be smoothly guided to the refrigerant passage port 105, thereby reducing the vortex in the valve chamber 103 and reducing the noise of the fluid.

[0060] 1, the valve chamber 103 includes a first valve chamber 1031 and a second valve chamber 1032 respectively located on both axial sides of the guide collar 400, and the guide collar 400 or the valve casing 100 is provided with a balance passage used to communicate the first valve chamber 1031 and the second valve chamber 1032. Since the balance passage is provided, the air pressures of the first valve chamber 1031 and the second valve chamber 1032 can be balanced, which is beneficial to ensure the stability of the internal pressure of the electronic expansion valve, and can reduce the operating resistance of the valve needle 500, thereby ensuring the operating performance of the electronic expansion valve.

[0061] In one embodiment, a first ventilation groove is recessed in at least one of the first step surface 111 and the third step surface 411, and a second ventilation groove communicating with the first ventilation groove is recessed in at least one of the second step surface 112 and the fourth step surface 412, thereby forming the balance passage in the first ventilation groove and the second ventilation groove. Without loss of generality, in one embodiment, the first step surface 111, the second step surface 112, the third step surface 411, and the fourth step surface 412 are all provided in an annular shape, so that the mounting step 410 and the step space 110 are correspondingly annular. The first step surface 111 and the third step surface 411 have portions that abut against each other and have recessed portions in which the first ventilation groove is formed. Similarly, the second step surface 112 and the fourth step surface 412 have abutting portions and a recessed portion to form a second ventilation groove. In this way, it is possible to ensure that the mounting step 410 is stably engaged with the step space 110, and to form a balance passage that communicates between the first valve chamber 1031 and the second valve chamber 1032. In this embodiment, the first valve chamber 1031 is located on one side of the guide collar 400 away from the valve port 104, and both ends of the first ventilation groove communicate with the first valve chamber 1031 and one end of the second ventilation groove, respectively, and the other end of the second ventilation groove communicates with the second valve chamber 1032. In this way, the communication between the first valve chamber 1031 and the second valve chamber 1032 can be realized, which is favorable to ensure the stability of the internal pressure of the electronic expansion valve, and the operation stability of the electronic expansion valve can be ensured.

[0062] In one embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, the outer wall of the guide collar 400 is further provided with a connection surface 430, the mounting step 410 is connected to the flow guide tapered surface 420 through the connection surface 430, and the connection surface 430 is provided with a vent hole 440 penetrating the inner wall of the guide collar 400, so that the balance passage is formed in the vent hole 440. Specifically, there is a gap between the connection surface 430 and the inner wall surface of the valve casing 100, the connection surface 430 is provided opposite the first relief hole 402, and the vent hole 440 penetrates from the connection surface 430 to the inner wall surface of the first relief hole 402. Thus, the first valve chamber 1031 can communicate with the first relief hole 402 through the vent hole 440. In addition, the first relief hole 402 has a relatively large gap between it and the connecting part 520 to allow the connecting part 520 to escape, and the second relief hole 403 also has a relatively large gap between it and the nut 200 to allow the nut 200 to escape, so that both the space inside the first relief hole 402 and the space inside the second relief hole 403 belong to the space of the second valve chamber 1032. The first valve chamber 1031 communicates with the first relief hole 402, i.e., with the second valve chamber 1032, thereby ensuring the stability of the internal pressure of the electronic expansion valve and ensuring the operation stability of the electronic expansion valve.

[0063] This application also proposes a cooling device, which includes an electronic expansion valve, and the specific structure of the electronic expansion valve can be seen in the above embodiments. This cooling device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, and at least has all the technical effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, but the description is omitted here. The cooling device can be an air conditioner, a freezer, a refrigerator, a heat pump water heater, etc.

[0064] The above is merely a preferred embodiment of the present application, and does not limit the scope of the patent of the present application. Any equivalent structural transformation made by utilizing the contents of the specification and accompanying drawings of the present application under the concept of the present application, or direct / indirect application to other related technical fields, is also included in the scope of protection of the patent of the present application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 100 Valve casing 101 Housing 102 Valve seat 103 Valve chamber 1031 first valve chamber 1032 Second valve chamber 104 Valve Orifice 105 Refrigerant passage port 110 Step Space 111 First step surface 112 Second step surface 113 First guide surface 200 Nuts 210 Mounting hole 211 Screw hole 212 First guide hole 300 Valve stem 310 Elastic Members 320 Flange 330 Positioning step 400 Guide Color 401 Second guide hole 402 First relief hole 403 Second relief hole 410 Installation step 411 Third step surface 412 Fourth step surface 413 Second guide surface 414 Transition Surface 420 Flow guide tapered surface 430 Connection Surface 440 Vent 500 Valve Needle 501 first end 502 Second End 510 Needle body 511 Body Segment 512 Tip 520 Connection 530 Mounting groove 531 Relief space 532 Position restriction step 533 Main body 534 Press caulking part 600 Bearings 700 Position limit color 710 First Guidance Segment 720 First Connection Segment 800 Drive Color 810 Second Connection Segment 820 Second Guidance Segment 830 Transition Segment 900 Magnetic rotor

Claims

1. a valve casing having a valve chamber and a valve port communicating with the valve chamber; a nut mounted within the valve chamber; A valve stem attached to the inner space of the nut and threadedly connected to the nut; a guide collar mounted within the valve chamber and positioned on one side of the nut proximate to the valve orifice; a valve needle that penetrates the guide collar and is inserted into the valve port, and that is guided by the guide collar and moves axially relative to the valve port by driving the valve stem to open and close the valve port. Electronic expansion valve.

2. The valve chambers include a first valve chamber and a second valve chamber located on either axial side of the guide collar, and the guide collar or the valve casing is provided with a balance passage for communicating the first valve chamber with the second valve chamber.

2. The electronic expansion valve of claim 1.

3. An installation step is provided on the outer wall of the guide collar, and a step space is correspondingly formed on the inner wall of the valve casing, and the installation step is engaged with the step space.

3. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 2.

4. The step space is formed by a first step surface and a second step surface which are interconnected, the mounting step includes a third step surface which abuts against the first step surface and a fourth step surface which abuts against the second step surface, and the first step surface is provided parallel to the axial direction of the guide collar; a first ventilation groove is recessed in at least one of the first step surface and the third step surface, and a second ventilation groove communicating with the first ventilation groove is recessed in at least one of the second step surface and the fourth step surface, thereby forming the balance passage in the first ventilation groove and the second ventilation groove; and / or A first guide surface is provided on one side of the first step surface away from the second step surface, and the first guide surface is provided so as to gradually move away from the third step surface in a direction away from the first step surface, and / or A second guide surface is provided at one end of the third step surface close to the fourth step surface, and the second guide surface is provided so as to gradually approach the first step surface in a direction away from the fourth step surface.

4. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 3.

5. Two second guide surfaces are provided, and a transition surface is provided between the two second guide surfaces, the transition surface being parallel to the axial direction of the guide collar, and the transition surface is connected to the third step surface via one of the second guide surfaces, and is connected to the fourth step surface via the other of the second guide surfaces.

5. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 4.

6. A refrigerant passage port is formed in the side wall of the valve casing, and a flow guide tapered surface facing the refrigerant passage port is provided on the outer wall of the guide collar.

4. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 3.

7. The outer wall of the guide collar is further provided with a connection surface, and the mounting step is connected to the flow guide tapered surface via the connection surface, and a vent hole penetrating the inner wall of the guide collar is formed in the connection surface, so that the balance passage is formed within the vent hole.

7. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 6.

8. The valve needle includes an interconnected needle body and a connecting portion, the needle body being inserted into the valve port after penetrating the guide collar; and / or A first guide hole is provided at one end of the nut close to the valve port, and the connection portion is inserted into the first guide hole and moved in the axial direction while being guided by the first guide hole. The electronic expansion valve according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A first escape hole and a second guide hole that are arranged along the axial direction and communicate with each other are formed in the guide collar, the needle body is inserted into the second guide hole, and an end of the connection portion that is connected to the needle body protrudes from the internal space of the nut and is accommodated in the first escape hole.

9. The electronic expansion valve of claim 8.

10. The depth of the second guide hole is 1 mm or more, and / or A second relief hole is further provided in the guide collar, the second relief hole communicating with an end of the first relief hole remote from the guide hole, and the nut is partially received in the second relief hole.

10. The electronic expansion valve of claim 9.

11. The electronic expansion valve according to any one of claims 1 to 10 is included. cooling equipment.

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