Valve unit and valve device

Abstract

The present invention provides a valve unit and valve device that can suppress deformation of connecting members formed by press working. [Solution] The valve unit attached to the upper surface 10a of the main body 10 comprises a connecting member 20 and a valve body 40. The connecting member 20 has a peripheral wall portion 21, a bottom wall portion 22 connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 21, and a flange portion 23 connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21, and is formed by press working. The peripheral wall portion 21 is provided with a male screw 21t that is screwed into the female screw 11t of the mounting hole 11 of the main body 10. The bottom wall portion 22 is provided with an axial hole 24 in which the valve body 40 is arranged and a contact surface 25 that contacts the support surface 15 of the main body 10. The vertical length J from the contact surface 25 to the lower surface 23a of the flange portion 23 is greater than or equal to the vertical length K from the support surface 15 to the upper end of the wall portion 16 of the main body 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a valve unit and a valve device having the valve unit.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional valve device. The valve device includes a main body portion having a valve seat, a valve body facing the valve seat, a cylindrical guide attached to the main body portion, an annular connection plate attached to the guide, and a cylindrical can connected to the main body portion through the guide and the connection plate. The lower part of the guide is screwed into a mounting hole provided on the upper surface of the main body portion. The upper part of the guide protrudes from the upper surface of the main body portion. The upper part of the guide is joined to the inner peripheral edge of the connection plate. The lower end of the can is joined to the outer peripheral edge of the connection plate. The shaft portion of the valve body is disposed inside the guide. A drive mechanism for moving the valve body in the vertical direction is disposed inside the can.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The guide of Patent Document 1 is formed by cutting a metal workpiece. By forming a connection member having a portion that becomes a guide and a portion that becomes a connection plate integrally by pressing sheet metal, the manufacturing cost of the valve device can be reduced.

[0005] Figs. 4 and 5 show an example of a valve device having a connection member. The valve device 801 includes a main body portion 810, a connection member 820, a can 830, and a valve body 840.

[0006] The main body portion 810 has a mounting hole 811 that extends in the vertical direction. A female thread 811t is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 811. The main body portion 810 also has an annular wall portion 816. An annular sealing member 882 is positioned inside the wall portion 816. The wall portion 816 and the sealing member 882 surround the mounting hole 811.

[0007] The connecting member 820 integrally comprises a peripheral wall portion 821, a bottom wall portion 822, and a flange portion 823. The connecting member 820 is formed by press-forming sheet metal. The peripheral wall portion 821 has a cylindrical shape. The bottom wall portion 822 has a disc shape. The outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 822 is connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 821. The flange portion 823 has an annular plate shape. The inner peripheral edge of the flange portion 823 is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 821. A male screw 821t is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 821. The bottom wall portion 822 has an axial hole 824 through which the valve body 840 is inserted.

[0008] The connecting member 820 is attached to the main body 810 by tightening the male screw 821t into the female screw 811t until the flange portion 823 contacts the wall portion 816 (Figure 4). The wall portion 816 is a positioning portion for the connecting member 820. However, if excessive force is applied when tightening the male screw 821t into the female screw 811t, the peripheral wall portion 821 may move downward, pulling the inner peripheral edge of the flange portion 823, which may cause the connecting member 820 to deform (Figure 5). If the connecting member 820 deforms, the valve device 801 will not function properly.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a valve unit and valve device that can suppress deformation of connecting members formed by press working. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To achieve the above objective, a valve unit according to one aspect of the present invention is a valve unit attached to the outer surface of a flow path unit, wherein the flow path unit has a mounting hole extending in one direction from the outer surface, and an annular wall portion protruding from the outer surface and surrounding the mounting hole, the mounting hole is provided with a support surface directed toward the opening of the mounting hole and a female screw, the valve unit has a connecting member and a cylindrical valve body, the connecting member has a cylindrical circumferential wall portion, a bottom wall portion connected to one end of the circumferential wall portion, and a flange portion connected to the other end of the circumferential wall portion, and is formed by press working, the circumferential wall portion is provided with a male screw that is screwed into the female screw, the bottom wall portion is provided with a through hole in which the valve body is arranged and a contact surface that contacts the support surface, and the length in one direction from the contact surface to the surface of the flange portion facing the wall portion is greater than or equal to the length in one direction from the support surface to the tip of the wall portion.

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that there is a gap between the tip of the wall portion and the surface of the flange portion that faces the wall portion.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the support surface is an annular plane provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole, and the contact surface is an annular plane surrounding the through hole.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the support surface is an annular plane provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole, and the contact surface includes a plurality of surfaces arranged around the through hole.

[0014] In the present invention, it is preferable that the flow path unit has a valve body and a valve seat facing in one direction, and the through hole is an axial hole through which the valve body is inserted.

[0015] In the present invention, it is preferable that the through hole is a valve opening, the bottom wall surrounds the valve opening, and has a valve seat facing the valve body in one direction.

[0016] To achieve the above object, a valve device according to another aspect of the present invention includes the valve unit and the flow path unit.

Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, a mounting hole of the flow path unit is provided with a support surface and an internal thread. The connection member is formed by pressing, and the connection member is provided with a contact surface and an external thread. The external thread of the connection member is screwed into the internal thread of the flow path unit, the contact surface of the connection member contacts the support surface, and the flange portion of the connection member faces the wall portion of the flow path unit. And the length in one direction from the contact surface to the surface of the flange portion facing the wall portion is not less than the length in the one direction from the support surface to the tip of the wall portion. Since it is configured in this way, when the external thread and the internal thread are screwed together and the contact surface contacts the support surface, the downward movement of the connection member is restricted. (i) A gap G is formed between the flange portion and the wall portion, or (ii) when the contact surface contacts the support surface, the flange portion contacts the wall portion at the same time. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the inner peripheral edge of the flange portion from being pulled downward and suppress deformation of the connection member.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a cross-sectional view of a valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view of the flow path unit and the valve unit of the valve device. [Figure 3] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the connection member of the valve device and its vicinity. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view of a conventional valve device (before the connection member is deformed). [Figure 5] It is another cross-sectional view of a conventional valve device (after the connection member is deformed).

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, a valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0020] The figures show a valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The valve device 1 according to this embodiment is incorporated, for example, in a refrigeration cycle system and used as a flow control valve for controlling the flow rate of a refrigerant.

[0021] The valve device 1 has a flow path unit 5, a valve unit 7, and a stator unit 9.

[0022] The flow path unit 5 has a main body portion 10 and a valve seat 17.

[0023] The main body portion 10 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy. The main body portion 10 has a mounting hole 11, flow paths 13 and 14. The mounting hole 11 is a circular hole and extends downward from the upper surface 10a. The upper surface 10a is the outer surface of the main body portion 10. The opening 11o of the mounting hole 11 is arranged on the upper surface 10a. An internal thread 11t and a support surface 15 are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 11. The support surface 15 is an upward-facing annular plane. That is, the support surface 15 faces the opening 11o of the mounting hole 11. The support surface 15 is orthogonal to the vertical direction (axis L direction). The support surface 15 is arranged below the internal thread 11t. The portion of the mounting hole 11 below the support surface 15 is the valve chamber 12.

[0024] The main body portion 10 has a wall portion 16. The wall portion 16 has an annular shape. The wall portion 16 projects upward from the upper surface 10a. The wall portion 16 surrounds the mounting hole 11.

[0025] The valve seat 17 is made of, for example, stainless steel. The valve seat 17 has a cylindrical shape and is arranged at the lower part of the valve chamber 12. The valve seat 17 may be integrally formed with the main body portion 10. A valve port 18 is provided inside the valve seat 17. The flow path 13 communicates with the valve chamber 12 through the valve port 18. The flow path 14 extends horizontally from the valve chamber 12.

[0026] The valve unit 7 has a connection member 20, a can 30, a valve body 40, and a drive mechanism 50.

[0027] The connecting member 20 integrally comprises a peripheral wall portion 21, a bottom wall portion 22, and a flange portion 23.

[0028] The peripheral wall portion 21 has a cylindrical shape. A receiving surface 21c is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 21. The receiving surface 21c is an annular plane facing upward. A male thread 21t is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 21. The male thread 21t is screwed into the female thread 11t of the mounting hole 11 of the main body portion 10.

[0029] The bottom wall portion 22 has a disc shape. The outer edge of the bottom wall portion 22 is connected to the lower end (one end) of the peripheral wall portion 21. The bottom wall portion 22 has a shaft hole 24 which is a through hole. A contact surface 25 is provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 22. The contact surface 25 is an annular plane facing downward. The contact surface 25 surrounds the shaft hole 24. The contact surface 25 is perpendicular to the vertical direction. The contact surface 25 may include a plurality of planes arranged around the shaft hole 24. When the bottom wall portion 22 is viewed from the vertical direction, it is preferable that the contact surface 25 overlaps with the peripheral wall portion 21.

[0030] The flange portion 23 has an annular plate shape. The inner periphery of the flange portion 23 is connected to the upper end (other end) of the peripheral wall portion 21. The flange portion 23 is perpendicular to the peripheral wall portion 21. The outer diameter of the flange portion 23 is larger than the outer diameter of the wall portion 16.

[0031] In the manufacturing process of the connecting member 20, the peripheral wall portion 21, the bottom wall portion 22, and the flange portion 23 are integrally formed by press working of sheet metal, and the receiving surface 21c, the shaft hole 24, and the contact surface 25 are formed. Then, male threads 21t are formed on the peripheral wall portion 21 to complete the connecting member 20. The connecting member 20 is made of, for example, iron or stainless steel.

[0032] The connecting member 20 is positioned in the mounting hole 11 of the main body 10. Specifically, the peripheral wall portion 21 and the bottom wall portion 22 are inserted into the mounting hole 11, and the male thread 21t of the peripheral wall portion 21 is screwed into the female thread 11t of the main body 10. As the male thread 21t is screwed into the female thread 11t, the connecting member 20 moves downward. When the contact surface 25 comes into contact with the support surface 15, the downward movement of the connecting member 20 is restricted, and the male thread 21t and the female thread 11t are tightened. The support surface 15 is a positioning surface for the connecting member 20.

[0033] The vertical length J from the contact surface 25 to the lower surface 23a of the flange portion 23 is longer than the vertical length K from the support surface 15 to the upper end (tip) of the wall portion 16 (Figure 3). Therefore, when the contact surface 25 contacts the support surface 15 of the main body portion 10, the lower surface 23a of the flange portion 23 faces the wall portion 16 of the main body portion 10 with a gap G between them in the vertical direction. Note that length J may be the same as length K. In this case, when the contact surface 25 contacts the support surface 15, the lower surface 23a contacts the wall portion 16.

[0034] The can 30 is made of, for example, stainless steel. The can 30 has a cylindrical shape. The can 30 is open at the bottom and closed at the top. The bottom end of the can 30 is joined to the outer edge of the flange portion 23. The can 30 is a case.

[0035] The valve body 40 has a shaft portion 41 and a valve portion 45. The shaft portion 41 has a cylindrical shape. A spring receiving surface 46 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 41. The spring receiving surface 46 is an annular plane facing upward. The valve portion 45 has a frustoconical shape. The valve portion 45 is coaxially connected to the lower end of the shaft portion 41. The diameter of the lower part 41a of the shaft portion 41 is the same as the diameter of the axial hole 24 of the connecting member 20. The lower part 41a is inserted through the axial hole 24 of the connecting member 20. The connecting member 20 supports the shaft portion 41 so that it can move in the vertical direction. The valve portion 45 faces the valve seat 17 in the vertical direction. The tip of the valve portion 45 is positioned at the valve opening 18. When the valve portion 45 contacts the valve seat 17, the valve opening 18 closes. When the valve portion 45 moves away from the valve seat 17, the valve opening 18 opens. Figures 1 to 3 show the valve body 40 in a front view.

[0036] The drive mechanism 50 moves the valve body 40 in the vertical direction. The movement of the valve body 40 changes the opening degree of the valve port 18. The drive mechanism 50 includes a rotor 51, a valve stem holder 52, a guide bush 53, a connecting plate 55, a retaining member 56, and a valve closing spring 57.

[0037] The rotor 51 has a cylindrical shape. The rotor 51 is positioned inside the can 30. The rotor 51 has multiple magnetic poles. The multiple magnetic poles are arranged on the outer surface of the rotor 51. The rotor 51 is a magnetic rotor.

[0038] The valve stem holder 52 has a cylindrical shape. The lower end of the valve stem holder 52 is open. The valve stem holder 52 has an upper wall portion 52b. The valve stem holder 52 is fixed to the rotor 51 via an annular connecting plate 55. The valve stem holder 52 rotates together with the rotor 51. The upper part 41b of the shaft portion 41 of the valve body 40 is inserted through a hole provided in the upper wall portion 52b. A retaining member 56 is fixed to the upper part 41b. A valve closing spring 57 is positioned between the upper wall portion 52b and the spring receiving surface 46 of the valve body 40. The valve closing spring 57 is a coil spring that pushes the valve body 40 toward the valve seat 17. An internal thread 52t is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the valve stem holder 52.

[0039] The guide bush 53 has a base portion 53a and a support portion 53b. The base portion 53a and the support portion 53b have a cylindrical shape. The base portion 53a is press-fitted into the peripheral wall portion 21 of the connecting member 20, and the lower end surface of the base portion 53a abuts against the receiving surface 21c of the peripheral wall portion 21. The support portion 53b is connected to the upper end of the base portion 53a. A male thread 53t is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the support portion 53b. The male thread 53t is screwed into the female thread 52t of the valve stem holder 52. The shaft portion 41 of the valve body 40 is positioned inside the guide bush 53. The guide bush 53 supports the shaft portion 41 so that it can move in the vertical direction.

[0040] The stator unit 9 is attached to the valve unit 7. The stator unit 9 includes a stator 60 and a housing 70.

[0041] The stator 60 has a cylindrical shape. A can 30 is positioned inside the stator 60. The stator 60 has multiple coils and multiple pole teeth. The multiple pole teeth face the outer surface of the rotor 51 with the can 30 in between. By supplying drive current to the multiple coils, the multiple pole teeth are magnetized, and the rotor 51 rotates. The rotor 51 and stator 60 constitute a stepping motor 66. Note that the rotor 51 and stator 60 may constitute a motor of a different type than a stepping motor.

[0042] As the rotor 51 rotates, the rotor 51 and the valve stem holder 52 move vertically due to the feed screw action between the female thread 52t of the valve stem holder 52 and the male thread 53t of the guide bush 53. The valve body 40 moves vertically along with the valve stem holder 52.

[0043] The housing 70 is made of synthetic resin. The housing 70 houses the stator 60. The housing 70 integrally has a peripheral wall 71 and an upper wall 72. The peripheral wall 71 has a cylindrical shape. The upper wall 72 has a dome shape and is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall 71. The stator 60 is embedded in the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 71. The inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 71 and the inner circumferential surface of the stator 60 are connected. The inner circumferential surface of the stator 60, the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 71 and the inner surface of the upper wall 72 form a housing space 75. The can 30 is placed in the housing space 75, and the lower end of the peripheral wall 71 is in contact with the upper surface 10a of the main body 10.

[0044] The valve device 1 includes a first sealing member 81 and a second sealing member 82. The first sealing member 81 and the second sealing member 82 are made of an elastic material such as rubber. The first sealing member 81 and the second sealing member 82 have an annular shape. The first sealing member 81 surrounds the wall portion 16 of the main body portion 10. The first sealing member 81 is sandwiched between the wall portion 16 and the peripheral wall 71 of the housing 70 and is compressed in the radial direction. The second sealing member 82 is located inside the wall portion 16 and surrounds the mounting hole 11. The second sealing member 82 is sandwiched between the main body portion 10 and the flange portion 23 of the connecting member 20 and is compressed in the vertical direction.

[0045] In the valve device 1, the mounting hole 11, support surface 15, wall portion 16, valve seat 17, connecting member 20 (circumferential wall portion 21, bottom wall portion 22, flange portion 23, shaft hole 24, contact surface 25), can 30, valve body 40, rotor 51, valve shaft holder 52, guide bush 53, stator 60, and housing 70 (circumferential wall 71, upper wall 72, housing space 75) each have their central axes coincide with the axis L.

[0046] Next, the assembly method for valve device 1 will be explained.

[0047] An aluminum alloy workpiece is machined to form a main body 10 having mounting holes 11 and wall portions 16. A valve seat 17 is attached to the main body 10 to create a flow path unit 5.

[0048] The connecting member 20 is formed by press-forming sheet metal. The connecting member 20, can 30, valve body 40, and drive mechanism 50 are assembled to manufacture the valve unit 7.

[0049] Resin is injected into the cavity of the mold in which the stator 60 is installed to produce a stator unit 9 in which the stator 60 and the housing 70 are integrally molded.

[0050] A first sealing member 81 is installed on the outside of the wall portion 16 of the main body 10, and a second sealing member 82 is installed on the inside. The peripheral wall portion 21 and bottom wall portion 22 of the connecting member 20 are inserted into the mounting hole 11 of the main body 10, and the male thread 21t of the connecting member 20 is screwed into the female thread 11t of the main body 10. As the screwing of the male thread 21t and the female thread 11t progresses, when the contact surface 25 of the connecting member 20 comes into contact with the support surface 15 of the main body 10, the downward movement of the connecting member 20 is restricted, and the male thread 21t and the female thread 11t are tightened. As a result, the connecting member 20 is fixed to the main body 10. The valve body 40 faces the valve seat 17 in the vertical direction. At this time, the flange portion 23 of the connecting member 20 is positioned with a gap G between it and the wall portion 16 of the main body 10. Then, the can 30 is inserted into the housing space 75 of the stator unit 9, and the stator unit 9 is attached to the valve unit 7. In this way, valve device 1 is completed.

[0051] As described above, the valve device 1 comprises a flow path unit 5, a valve unit 7, and a stator unit 9. The flow path unit 5 has a mounting hole 11 extending vertically (in one direction) from the upper surface 10a of the main body 10, and an annular wall portion 16 protruding from the upper surface 10a and surrounding the mounting hole 11. The mounting hole 11 is provided with a support surface 15 facing the opening 11o and a female thread 11t. The valve unit 7 is attached to the upper surface 10a of the flow path unit 5. The valve unit 7 comprises a connecting member 20 and a cylindrical valve body 40. The connecting member 20 has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 21, a bottom wall portion 22 connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 21, and a flange portion 23 connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21. The connecting member 20 is formed by press working. The peripheral wall portion 21 is provided with a male thread 21t that is screwed into the female thread 11t. The bottom wall portion 22 is provided with a shaft hole 24 in which the shaft portion 41 of the valve body 40 is positioned, and a contact surface 25 that contacts the support surface 15. The vertical length J from the contact surface 25 to the lower surface 23a of the flange portion 23 is greater than or equal to the vertical length K from the support surface 15 to the upper end of the wall portion 16.

[0052] As a result, when the male thread 21t and female thread 11t are screwed together and the contact surface 25 comes into contact with the support surface 15, the downward movement of the connecting member 20 is restricted. A gap G is formed between the flange portion 23 and the wall portion 16. Alternatively, the flange portion 23 may come into contact with the wall portion 16 at the same time as the contact surface 25 comes into contact with the support surface 15. This prevents the inner periphery of the flange portion 23 from being pulled downward, thereby suppressing deformation of the connecting member 20.

[0053] Furthermore, there is a gap G between the upper end of the wall portion 16 and the lower surface 23a of the flange portion 23. This prevents the flange portion 23 from coming into contact with the wall portion 16, thereby further suppressing deformation of the connecting member 20.

[0054] Furthermore, the support surface 15 is an annular plane provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 11. The contact surface 25 is an annular plane surrounding the shaft hole 24. In this way, the force applied to the contact surface 25 can be made uniform in the circumferential direction. Therefore, deformation of the connecting member 20 can be further suppressed. Note that the contact surface 25 may also include, for example, multiple surfaces arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the shaft hole 24.

[0055] The valve device 1 described above had a flow path unit 5 having a valve seat 17 that faces the valve body 40 in the vertical direction, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the valve device 1 may have a bottom wall portion 22 of the connecting member 20 having a valve opening which is a through hole, and a valve seat that surrounds the valve opening and faces the valve body 40 in the vertical direction.

[0056] In this specification, terms indicating shapes such as "cylinder" and "column" are also used to refer to members or parts of members that substantially have the shape of those terms. For example, "cylindrical member" includes both cylindrical members and substantially cylindrical members. Furthermore, in this specification, the term "same" may include both strictly identical and substantially identical items.

[0057] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Additions, deletions, design modifications, and combinations of features of the embodiments, as appropriate by those skilled in the art, are also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as they do not contradict the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 1… Valve device 5...Flow channel unit, 10...Main body, 10a...Top surface, 11...Mounting hole, 11t...Female thread, 15...support surface, 16...wall, 17...valve seat, 7... Valve unit, 20... Connecting member, 21... Peripheral wall, 21t... Male screw, 22... Bottom wall, 23...Flange portion, 23a...Bottom surface, 24...Axle hole, 25...Contact surface, 30...Can 40... Valve body, 50... Drive mechanism, 51... Rotor 9... Stator unit, 60... Stator, 70... Housing L…Axis line

Claims

1. A valve unit attached to the outer surface of a flow path unit, The flow path unit has a mounting hole extending in one direction from the outer surface, and an annular wall portion protruding from the outer surface and surrounding the mounting hole, The mounting hole is provided with a support surface facing the opening of the mounting hole and a female thread. The valve unit comprises a connecting member and a cylindrical valve body. The connecting member has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion, a bottom wall portion connected to one end of the peripheral wall portion, and a flange portion connected to the other end of the peripheral wall portion, and is formed by press working. The peripheral wall portion is provided with a male thread that is screwed into the female thread, The bottom wall portion is provided with a through hole in which the valve body is arranged and a contact surface that contacts the support surface. A valve unit characterized in that the length in one direction from the contact surface to the surface of the flange portion facing the wall portion is greater than or equal to the length in one direction from the support surface to the tip of the wall portion.

2. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein there is a gap between the tip of the wall portion and the surface of the flange portion facing the wall portion.

3. The support surface is an annular plane provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein the contact surface is an annular plane surrounding the through hole.

4. The support surface is an annular plane provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein the contact surface includes a plurality of surfaces arranged around the through hole.

5. The flow path unit has the valve body and the valve seat facing in one direction, The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein the through hole is an axial hole through which the valve body is inserted.

6. The aforementioned through hole is a valve opening, The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein the bottom wall surrounds the valve opening and has a valve seat facing the valve body in the same direction.

7. A valve device having the valve unit described in claim 1 and the flow path unit.

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