Slide type switching valve

Abstract

To provide a slide-type switch valve capable of improving heat efficiency while reducing a weight as a whole.SOLUTION: As heat conductivity of a valve seat member 3 formed with a plurality of valve ports 3B-3D is lower than that of a valve body 2, heat exchange among fluids passing through each of the valve ports 3B-3D can be suppressed. As an adhesion portion 9 is provided as a heat conduction suppression portion between the valve body 2 and the valve seat member 3, heat conduction from the valve seat member 3 to the valve body 2 can be suppressed. As the fluids passing through the respective valve ports 3B-3D are prevented from exchanging heat via the valve body 2 having comparatively high heat conductivity, heat efficiency can be improved. Further, as the valve body 2 is composed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, a weight of a four-way switch valve 1 as a whole can be reduced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a slide type switching valve. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a four-way valve that switches the flow direction of a refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle has been proposed as a slide-type switching valve (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the four-way valve described in Patent Document 1, a piston valve is arranged in a piston valve chamber in a block body, and as the piston valve moves, a flow path switching main valve arranged in a main valve chamber moves to switch the flow path. At this time, a metal material with low thermal conductivity or wear resistance is provided on the inner wall of the piston valve chamber to accommodate high temperatures or high pressures of the refrigerant. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-92734 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a valve device that switches flow paths as described in Patent Document 1, multiple ports are formed, and fluids with different temperatures may pass through each port. In this case, heat exchange may occur between the fluids due to thermal conduction in the members that constitute the ports, and the thermal efficiency of the refrigeration cycle may decrease. When a metal material with low thermal conductivity is provided on the inner wall of the valve chamber as described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to withstand high temperatures, but it is difficult to suppress the above-mentioned heat exchange.

[0005] Furthermore, in order to meet the demand for weight reduction, the valve body (block body) of the valve device for switching the flow path has sometimes been made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Such aluminum valve bodies have high thermal conductivity and are prone to the above-mentioned heat exchange. On the other hand, if the valve body is made of a metal with low thermal conductivity, it is difficult to reduce the weight. As such, it has been difficult to achieve both weight reduction and improved thermal efficiency.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a slide type switching valve capable of improving thermal efficiency while reducing the overall weight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The slide type switching valve of the present invention is a slide type switching valve comprising: a valve body forming a valve chamber; a valve seat member having a valve seat surface on which a plurality of valve ports are formed and provided within the valve chamber; and a valve body for opening and closing the valve port relative to the valve chamber, wherein the valve body is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and has, on its outer surface, an accommodating recess for accommodating an end of a pipe communicating with each of the plurality of valve ports or a connector for connecting the pipe, and a fixed portion for fixing the pipe or the connector, the valve seat member is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body and is arranged so as to overlap an area of ​​the inner surface of the valve body where the accommodating recess is formed, and a heat transfer suppression portion having a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body and the valve seat member is provided between the valve body and the valve seat member.

[0008] According to the present invention as described above, the valve seat member in which the multiple valve ports are formed has a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body, so that heat exchange between the fluids passing through each valve port can be suppressed. Furthermore, the heat transfer suppressing portion is provided between the valve body and the valve seat member, so that heat transfer from the valve seat member to the valve body can be suppressed, and heat exchange between the fluids passing through each valve port via the valve body, which has a relatively high thermal conductivity, can be suppressed. This improves thermal efficiency. Furthermore, the valve body is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, so that the weight of the entire slide-type switching valve can be reduced.

[0009] In this case, in the slide type switching valve of the present invention, it is preferable that the valve seat member is made of stainless steel, which can improve durability against sliding with the valve body compared to a valve seat surface made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0010] In the sliding switch valve of the present invention, the heat transfer suppressing portion is preferably made of an adhesive. With such a configuration, the heat transfer suppressing portion is made of an adhesive mainly made of resin, which makes it easier to further reduce the thermal conductivity of the heat transfer suppressing portion with respect to the valve body, thereby further improving thermal efficiency.

[0011] In the sliding switching valve of the present invention, it is preferable that the inner diameter of the opening formed in the valve body is smaller than the inner diameter of the valve port at the boundary between the valve seat member and the region of the inner surface of the valve body where the accommodating recess is formed. With this configuration, since the inner diameter of the opening in the valve body is relatively small, it is possible to make it difficult for the adhesive to flow into the accommodating recess when the valve seat member is bonded to the valve body to form the heat transfer suppressing portion. This makes it possible to prevent the adhesive from reducing the sealing performance when the seal member comes into contact with the inner surface of the accommodating recess.

[0012] In the sliding type switching valve of the present invention, it is preferable that both end faces of the valve seat member in the sliding direction along the valve seat surface face the inner surface of the valve body with a gap therebetween. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress heat transfer to the valve body, which has a relatively high thermal conductivity.

[0013] In the slide type switching valve of the present invention, it is more preferable that the valve body has another valve port at a position opposite to one end face of the valve seat member. With this configuration, when the valve seat member is bonded to the valve body to form the heat transfer suppressing portion, it is possible to make it difficult for the adhesive to flow into the other valve port, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in sealing performance due to the adhesive when another pipe is directly or indirectly connected to the valve port.

[0014] In the slide type switching valve of the present invention, it is preferable that the valve seat member is made of stainless steel, and the heat transfer suppressing portion is made of a material that can be heat welded. With this configuration, the valve body and the valve seat member can be fixed by disposing a thin plate made of a heat weldable resin between the inner surface of the valve body and the valve seat member and heat welding them. This improves assembly compared to applying an adhesive or the like.

[0015] In the slide type switching valve of the present invention, the valve body preferably has an overlapping portion that overlaps the end face of the pipe or the connector, and the dimension of the valve seat member in a direction perpendicular to the valve seat surface is preferably larger than the thickness of the overlapping portion. When heat is transferred from a high-temperature fluid to a low-temperature fluid in adjacent valve ports, there is not only a path along the juxtaposition direction of the valve ports, but also a path along the direction perpendicular to the valve seat surface. That is, the valve seat member has a valve seat surface facing the valve chamber, and there may be a path in which heat is transferred from the fluid in the valve chamber to the valve seat surface, and after the heat is transferred in the perpendicular direction inside the valve seat member, the heat is transferred in the valve seat member in the juxtaposition direction toward the valve port on the low-temperature side (or the heat is transferred in the valve seat member and the overlapping portion in the perpendicular direction, and then the heat is transferred in the overlapping portion in the juxtaposition direction toward the valve port on the low-temperature side). In this case, if the valve seat member has a configuration in which the perpendicular dimension is relatively large, the thermal resistance of the above path can be ensured, and heat exchange can be suppressed.

[0016] In addition, the sliding type switching valve of the present invention further includes a drive unit that moves the valve body in a sliding direction along the valve seat surface, and the drive unit preferably has a stepping motor and a conversion mechanism that converts the rotation of the stepping motor into a linear motion along the sliding direction. With this configuration, a seal member can be omitted in the drive unit that moves the valve body, and internal leakage can be suppressed to suppress heat exchange, thereby improving thermal efficiency. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the slide type switching valve of the present invention, it is possible to improve thermal efficiency while reducing the overall weight. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a refrigeration cycle provided with a slide-type switching valve according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the slide type switching valve. [Diagram 3]4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which piping is connected to the slide type switching valve. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing the slide type switching valve. [Diagram 5] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a valve seat member of the slide type switching valve. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part of the slide type switching valve. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A four-way switching valve (slide type switching valve) 1 of this embodiment is provided in, for example, a refrigeration cycle 100, as shown in FIG. 1. The refrigeration cycle 100 is used in an air conditioner such as a car air conditioner, and includes a compressor 200 that compresses a refrigerant as a fluid, an outdoor heat exchanger 300 as a first heat exchanger that functions as a condenser in a cooling mode, an indoor heat exchanger 400 as a second heat exchanger that functions as an evaporator in a cooling mode, an expansion valve 500 as an expansion means that expands and reduces the pressure of the refrigerant between the outdoor heat exchanger 300 and the indoor heat exchanger 400, and a four-way switching valve 1, which are connected by a refrigerant pipe. The expansion means is not limited to the expansion valve 500, and may be a capillary. The refrigerant circulating as described above contains lubricating oil (refrigeration oil) for smoothing the operation of the compressor 200.

[0020] 1, the refrigeration cycle 100 constitutes a cooling cycle in which a refrigerant flows in the order of the compressor 200, the four-way switching valve 1, the outdoor heat exchanger 300, the expansion valve 500, the indoor heat exchanger 400, the four-way switching valve 1, and the compressor 200. On the other hand, in the heating mode (heating operation), the refrigeration cycle 100 constitutes a heating cycle in which a refrigerant flows in the order of the compressor 200, the four-way switching valve 1, the indoor heat exchanger 400, the expansion valve 500, the outdoor heat exchanger 300, the four-way switching valve 1, and the compressor 200. Switching between the heating cycle and the cooling cycle is performed by operating the drive unit 5 in the four-way switching valve 1.

[0021] As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the four-way switching valve 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a cylindrical valve body 2, a valve seat member 3 provided inside the valve body 2, a valve element 4 provided slidably relative to the valve seat member 3, and a drive unit 5 for moving the valve element 4. In the following description, the sliding direction of the valve element 4 is defined as the X direction, two directions perpendicular to the X direction and perpendicular to each other are defined as the Y direction and the Z direction, and the up and down in the Z direction are based on Figs. 2 and 3, and the left side in Fig. 2 is defined as one side in the X direction and the right side is defined as the other side. As described later, the four-way switching valve 1 is connected to a high-pressure side pipe 11 communicating with the discharge port of the compressor 200, a low-pressure side pipe 12 communicating with the suction port of the compressor 200, an indoor side pipe 13 communicating with the indoor heat exchanger 400, and an outdoor side pipe 14 communicating with the outdoor heat exchanger 300.

[0022] The cylindrical valve body 2 extends along the X direction, and a guide member 7 (described later) is provided at the other end 22, and the opening is blocked by the lid portion 20 and the case 6, so that the valve body 2 is entirely sealed to form a valve chamber R1. The valve body 2 is formed with a valve port (inlet port) 2A that opens at the end 21 on one side, and accommodating recesses 2B-2D that open at the side surface portion 23. That is, the valve port 2A is provided as an opening to which the high-pressure side pipe 11 is connected and through which the refrigerant flows into the inside of the valve body 2, and the accommodating recesses 2B-2D to which the pipes 12-14 are connected. The accommodating recess 2B is provided approximately in the center in the X direction, the accommodating recess 2C is provided adjacent to the accommodating recess 2B on one side in the X direction, and the accommodating recess 2D is provided on the other side in the X direction with respect to the accommodating recess 2B. That is, the three accommodating recesses 2B-2D are provided so as to be aligned linearly along the X direction.

[0023] The valve body 2 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Here, the aluminum alloy is an alloy whose main ingredient is aluminum, and is preferably one to which magnesium is added, or one to which silicon and magnesium are added, and may contain appropriate additives depending on the required strength, corrosion resistance, processability, etc.

[0024] The valve seat member 3 is made of stainless steel and is formed into a rectangular plate shape extending along the XY plane as a whole as shown in Fig. 5, and is provided in the valve chamber R1. The valve seat member 3 is overlaid on the region of the inner surface of the valve body 2 where the installation recesses 2B-2D are formed. The surface of the plate-shaped valve seat member 3 facing the inside of the valve chamber R1 becomes the valve seat surface 31, i.e., the guide surface that slides and guides the valve element 4.

[0025] Three valve ports 3B to 3D are formed in the valve seat surface 31 of the valve seat member 3, and the valve ports 3B to 3D penetrate the valve seat member 3 in the plate thickness direction (the direction perpendicular to the valve seat surface 31, that is, the Z direction). The three valve ports 3B to 3D are arranged so as to overlap with the three installation recesses 2B to 2D, respectively. That is, the three valve ports 3B to 3D are arranged so as to be aligned linearly along the X direction.

[0026] A low-pressure side pipe 12 is connected to the accommodating recess 2B, which is in communication with the valve port 3B, and an indoor side pipe 13 is connected to the accommodating recess 2C, which is in communication with the valve port (first port) 3C, so that the valve port 3C constitutes the indoor side port, and an outdoor side pipe 14 is connected to the accommodating recess 2D, which is in communication with the valve port (second port) 3D, so that the valve port 3D constitutes the outdoor side port.

[0027] The valve body 4 includes a bowl-shaped valve member 41, a leaf spring 42 that biases the valve member 41 toward the valve seat surface 31, and a connecting portion 43 that is connected to the drive portion 5.

[0028] The valve member 41 is a one-piece molded member made of synthetic resin, has a concave opening toward the valve seat member 3, and is formed in a dome shape having an elliptical shape in a plan view. A communication space R2 is formed inside the valve member 41 such that the valve port 3B communicates with the valve port 3C but the valve port 3D does not communicate, or the valve port 3B communicates with the valve port 3D but the valve port 3C does not communicate. The connecting portion 43 protrudes from the valve member 41 to the other side in the X direction, and has a hook-shaped portion capable of engaging a pin member.

[0029] The drive unit 5 moves the valve member 41 of the valve body 4 in the X direction, and includes a stepping motor 51 and a conversion mechanism 52.

[0030] The stepping motor 51 is composed of a magnet rotor 512 rotatably arranged inside the case 6, a stator coil 513 arranged opposite the magnet rotor 512 on the outer periphery of the case 6, and other components such as a yoke and exterior members not shown.

[0031] The conversion mechanism 52 has a male screw member 521, a female screw member 522, a bearing member 523, and two connecting arms 524. The male screw member 521 is a rotor shaft, and is attached to the center of the magnet rotor 512 via a bush, and a male screw portion 521a is formed on its outer periphery. The female screw member 522 is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a female screw portion 522a on its inner circumferential surface, and the male screw portion 521a and the female screw portion 522a are screwed together. The guide member 7 has an inner circumferential surface that extends in a cylindrical shape along the X direction and opens to the other side in the X direction. The female screw member 522 is disposed inside the guide member 7, and the female screw member 522 is guided along the X direction by the inner circumferential surface of the guide member 7. The male screw portion 521a of the male screw member 521 and the female screw portion 522a of the female screw member 522 constitute a screw feed mechanism, and the rotation around the central axis along the X direction generated by the stepping motor 51 is converted into linear motion along the X direction by the conversion mechanism 52.

[0032] The bearing member 523 is a member that rotatably supports the male screw member 521, which is the rotor shaft, at the end on the other side in the X direction. The connecting arm portion 524 is a member for connecting the female screw member 522 and the valve body 4, and extends from the female screw member 522 toward one side in the X direction, penetrates the bottom portion 72 of the guide member 7, and is connected to the connecting portion 43 of the valve body 4 by a connecting pin 525. By having the two connecting arms 524 penetrate the bottom portion 72, the female screw member 522 is restricted from rotating about an axis along the X direction, that is, the female screw member 522 does not rotate together with the male screw member 521, and the rotational motion can be converted into a linear motion.

[0033] The guide member 7 has an abutment portion 71 that abuts against the valve seat surface 31 of the valve seat member 3. That is, the valve seat member 3 is sandwiched from the Z direction on the other side in the X direction between the valve body 2 (and an adhesive portion 9 described later) and the guide member 7. The abutment portion 71 protrudes to one side in the X direction beyond a bottom 72 of the bottomed cylindrical guide member 7, and protrudes toward the valve seat member 3 in the Z direction beyond a cylindrical portion 73.

[0034] In the above-described four-way switching valve 1, when the magnet rotor 512 and the male screw member 521 are rotated by driving the stepping motor 51, the rod 43 moves along the X direction by the conversion mechanism 52, which is a screw feed mechanism. This causes the valve body 4 to slide along the X direction and move between the first position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and the second position shown in FIG.

[0035] When the valve disc 4 is in the second position, the valve member 41 communicates between the valve port 3B and the valve port 3D through its communication space R2. Moreover, because the valve member 41 is positioned on the other side in the X direction of the valve port 3C, the valve port 3C communicates with the valve port 2A via the interior of the valve body 2 (the valve chamber R1 which is a high-pressure chamber). That is, when the valve disc 4 is in the second position, the valve mode is a heating mode (heating operation) in which the valve port 2A communicates with the valve port 3C and the valve port 3B communicates with the valve port 3D.

[0036] In this heating mode, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 200 is introduced into the high-pressure chamber R1 via the high-pressure side piping 11 and the valve port 2A, and the high-pressure refrigerant that has passed through this high-pressure chamber R1 is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 400 via the valve port 3C and the indoor side piping 13. In addition, low-pressure refrigerant is introduced from the outdoor heat exchanger 300 via the outdoor side piping 14 and the valve port 3D into the communication space R2 of the valve member 41, and the low-pressure refrigerant that has passed through this communication space R2 is returned to the compressor 200 via the valve port 3B and the low-pressure side piping 12.

[0037] On the other hand, when the valve disc 4 is in the first position, the valve member 41 communicates between the valve port 3B and the valve port 3C through its communication space R2. Moreover, since the valve member 41 is positioned on one side in the X direction of the valve port 3D, the valve port 3D communicates with the valve port 2A via the interior (high pressure chamber R1) of the valve body 2. That is, when the valve disc 4 is in the first position, the system is in the cooling mode (cooling operation) in which the valve port 2A communicates with the valve port 3D and the valve port 3B communicates with the valve port 3C.

[0038] Here, we will explain the details of the connection structure of the pipes 11-14 to the four-way switching valve 1. The pipes 11-14 extend from, for example, other devices mounted on the vehicle, and are connected to the four-way switching valve 1 via a connector 8.

[0039] 4, the valve body 2 has female threaded portions 24 as fixed portions formed on the outer surface side of the side surface portion 23 at positions adjacent to each of the accommodating recesses 2B to 2D in the Y direction. In addition, the end portion 21 of the valve body 2 also has a female threaded portion 24 as a fixed portion formed at a position adjacent to the valve port 2A in the Z direction.

[0040] The connector 8 has a cylindrical portion 81, one end of which is inserted through the pipes 11-14 and the other end of which is inserted through the valve port 2A or the accommodation recesses 2B-2D, and a fixing portion 82 for fixing to the valve body 2. The fixing portion 82 has a through hole through which a screw member serving as a fixing member can be inserted, and is arranged so that this through hole overlaps with the female threaded portion 24. The screw member that has passed through the through hole is screwed into the female threaded portion 24, thereby fixing the connector 8 to the valve body 2. The pipes 11-14 may be fixed to the connector 8 by any suitable method. In this way, the pipes 11-14 are connected to the valve body 2 via the connector 8.

[0041] The cylindrical portion 81 of the connector 8 has a narrowed portion 83 where the inside diameter is partially reduced, and a seal member 8A such as an O-ring is disposed in this narrowed portion 83. The seal member 8A comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the valve port 2A or the accommodating recesses 2B-2D to form a seal between the connector 8 and the valve port 2A or the accommodating recesses 2B-2D.

[0042] Next, the detailed shape and positional relationship of each part will be described, particularly for the valve seat member 3 and its surrounding structure. First, an adhesive portion 9 is provided between the valve seat member 3 and the valve body 2. The adhesive portion 9 is made of an adhesive material such as an epoxy resin or a silicon resin. That is, after the adhesive material is applied between the valve body 2 and the valve seat member 3, heat is applied to thermally harden the adhesive material, and the valve seat member 3 is fixed to the valve body 2. The adhesive material constituting the adhesive portion 9 has a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body 2 and the valve seat member 3 in the hardened state, and the adhesive portion 9 functions as a heat transfer suppressing portion. The adhesive portion 9 is not formed at positions corresponding to the installation recesses 2B-2D and the valve ports 3B-3D, that is, the adhesive portion 9 has through holes at these positions.

[0043] The accommodating recesses 2B-2D each have a cylindrical main recess 2B1-2D1 in which the connector 8 is disposed, and an annular overlapping portion 2B2-2D2 overlapping an end face of the connector 8. The inner diameter D1 of the overlapping portion 2B2-2D2 is smaller than the inner diameter D2 of the valve ports 3B-3D of the valve seat member 3, and these openings are arranged concentrically. That is, at the boundary between the valve seat member 3 and the region of the inner surface of the valve body 2 in which the accommodating recesses 2B-2D are formed, the inner diameter D1 of the overlapping portion 2B2-2D2, which is an opening formed in the valve body 2, is smaller than the inner diameter D2 of the valve ports 3B-3D, and the valve seat member 3 is hidden by the overlapping portion 2B2-2D2 when viewed from the outside of the valve body 2. The provision of the overlapping portion 2B2-2D2 restricts excessive insertion of the connector 8, that is, the insertion depth of the connector 8 and the pipes 12-14 is controlled.

[0044] In the illustrated example, the inner diameters of the pipes 11-14 and the connector 8 are substantially equal to each other, and these inner diameters are substantially equal to the inner diameter D2 of the valve ports 3B-3D, that is, larger than the inner diameter D1 of the overlapping portions 2B2-2D2.

[0045] Further, the plate thickness T1 of the valve seat member 3 is larger than the thickness (Z-direction dimension) T2 of the overlapping portions 2B2 to 2D2.

[0046] The X-direction dimension of the valve seat member 3 is smaller than the accommodation dimension in the valve body 2 (the distance between the inner surfaces of the end portion 21 of the valve body 2 and the cover portion 20). As a result, a gap is formed between the valve seat member 3 and a surface of the cover portion 20 facing one side in the X-direction, and a gap is also formed between the valve seat member 3 and a surface 211 of one end portion 21 of the valve body 2 facing the other side, as shown in Fig. 6. That is, both end faces of the valve seat member 3 in the X-direction, which is the sliding direction, face the inner surface of the valve body 2 with a gap therebetween. In addition, the valve body 2 has a valve port 2A at a position facing one end face of the valve seat member 3.

[0047] The following describes in detail the heat transfer in the four-way switching valve 1. As described above, the flow path is switched depending on the position of the valve element 4, so that a temperature difference can occur between the fluid passing through valve port 3B and the fluid passing through either valve port 3C or valve port 3D. That is, in the first position, a temperature difference occurs between the fluid passing through valve port 3B and the fluid passing through valve port 3D, and in the second position, a temperature difference occurs between the fluid passing through valve port 3B and the fluid passing through valve port 3C.

[0048] When a temperature difference occurs between the fluids of adjacent valve ports in this way, heat tends to transfer from the high-temperature fluid to the low-temperature fluid through the members between the valve ports. In this case, the members between the valve ports are the valve seat member 3, the adhesive portion 9, and the valve body 2 (particularly the overlapping portions 2B2 to 2D2). In this case, the valve seat member 3 is made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body 2, and the adhesive portion 9 is made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body and the valve seat member, so that the total thermal resistance is larger than when the valve seat member and the valve body are made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0049] In addition to the above-mentioned heat transfer paths, there may be other paths through which heat moves from the fluid in the valve chamber R1 to the fluid in the communication space R2. That is, the following paths are possible: heat is transferred from the fluid in the valve chamber R1 to the valve seat surface 31, and then this heat is transferred in the Z direction inside the valve seat member 3, and then in the X direction inside the valve seat member 3 toward the valve port 3B on the low temperature side (or the heat is transferred in the Z direction inside the valve seat member 3 and the overlapping portion 2B2, and then in the X direction inside the overlapping portion 2B2 toward the valve port 3B on the low temperature side). At this time, the plate thickness T1 of the valve seat member 3 is larger than the thickness T2 of the overlapping portions 2B2-2D2, so that the thermal resistance of this path is ensured.

[0050] According to the present embodiment described above, the valve seat member 3 in which the multiple valve ports 3B-3D are formed has a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body 2, so that heat exchange between the fluids passing through each of the valve ports 3B-3D can be suppressed. Furthermore, the adhesive portion 9 is provided between the valve body 2 and the valve seat member 3 as a heat transfer suppressing portion, so that heat transfer from the valve seat member 3 to the valve body 2 can be suppressed, and heat exchange between the fluids passing through each of the valve ports 3B-3D via the valve body 2, which has a relatively high thermal conductivity, is suppressed. This improves thermal efficiency. Furthermore, the valve body 2 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, so that the weight of the four-way switching valve 1 as a whole can be reduced.

[0051] Furthermore, since the valve seat member 3 is made of stainless steel, durability against sliding with the valve body 4 can be improved compared to a case in which the valve seat surface 31 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0052] Furthermore, since the adhesive portion 9 made of an adhesive material functions as a heat transfer suppression portion, the heat transfer suppression portion is formed from an adhesive material whose main ingredient is resin, which makes it easier to further reduce the thermal conductivity of the heat transfer suppression portion relative to the valve body 2, thereby further improving thermal efficiency.

[0053] Furthermore, because the inner diameter D2 of the overlapping portions 2B2-2D2 of the valve body 2 is smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the valve ports 3B-3D, it is possible to make it difficult for the adhesive to flow into the accommodating recesses 2B-2D when the valve seat member 3 is adhered to the valve body 2 to form the adhesive portion 9. This makes it difficult for the adhesive to be disposed between the inner circumferential surfaces of the main recesses 2B1-2D1 and the seal member 8A in the accommodating recesses 2B-2D, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in sealing performance.

[0054] Furthermore, both end faces of the valve seat member 3 in the X direction face the inner surface of the valve body 2 with a gap therebetween, thereby making it possible to suppress heat transfer to the valve body, which has a relatively high thermal conductivity.

[0055] In this case, the valve body 2 has the valve port 2A at a position facing one end face of the valve seat member 3 on the X-direction side, and when the valve seat member 3 is bonded to the valve body 2 to form the bonding part 9, it is possible to make it difficult for the adhesive to flow into the valve port 2A. Therefore, when the pipe 11 is connected to the valve port 2A via the connector 8, it is possible to suppress a decrease in sealing performance due to the adhesive.

[0056] Furthermore, since the plate thickness T1 of the valve seat member 3 is greater than the thickness T2 of the overlapping portions 2B2 to 2D2, thermal resistance of the path along which heat is transmitted in the Z direction within the valve seat member 3 can be ensured, and heat exchange can be suppressed.

[0057] Furthermore, by providing a drive unit 5 having a stepping motor 51 and a conversion mechanism 52 to move the valve element 4, it is possible to omit a seal member in the drive unit 5, suppressing internal leakage and suppressing heat exchange, thereby improving thermal efficiency. That is, in a configuration in which the valve element is moved by the pressure difference between spaces formed on both sides in the sliding direction of the valve element, it is necessary to provide a seal member to seal these spaces from the valve chamber, and if leakage occurs in this seal member, there is a possibility that the fluids will mix and exchange heat. By moving the valve element 4 by the drive unit 5 as described above, such heat exchange is suppressed.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes other configurations that can achieve the object of the present invention, and the following modifications are also included in the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the valve seat member 3 is made of stainless steel, but the valve seat member may be made of another material that has a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the adhesive 9 is formed by thermally curing the applied adhesive. However, the method of curing the adhesive when bonding the valve seat member 3 and the valve body 2 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, curing by volatilization of a solvent or curing by ultraviolet irradiation. The adhesive may be formed as the heat transfer suppressing portion by using a thin plate made of a heat-weldable resin. That is, such a thin plate may be placed between the valve body 2 and the valve seat member 3 and heat-welded to form the adhesive. With this configuration, as compared with the case where the adhesive is formed by applying an adhesive, the ease of assembly can be improved. Note that "the heat transfer suppressing portion is made of a heat-weldable material" specifies the state after the heat transfer suppressing portion is formed, and does not specify the state before the formation. That is, it is sufficient that the formed heat transfer suppressing portion contains the resin in the state after the heat welding.

[0060] In addition, in the above embodiment, the adhesive portion 9 functions as a heat transfer suppressing portion, but the heat transfer suppressing portion may not have the function of fixing the valve seat member 3 and the valve body 2, and another configuration may be provided for fixing. For example, the valve seat member 3 and the valve body 2 may be fixed by screws, welding, or brazing, so that the heat transfer suppressing portion has only the heat transfer suppressing function.

[0061] In addition, in the above embodiment, the inner diameter D2 of the overlapping portions 2B2-2D2 of the valve body 2 is smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the valve ports 3B-3D. However, for example, if the viscosity of the adhesive is high and the adhesive does not easily flow into the accommodating recesses 2B-2D, or if no adhesive is used at all, the valve body may have a larger inner diameter of the opening than the valve member, or the inner diameters of these openings may be equal.

[0062] In addition, in the above embodiment, both end faces of the valve seat member 3 in the X direction face the inner surface of the valve body 2 with a gap therebetween, but at least one end face of the valve seat member may be abutted against the inner surface of the valve body. With such a configuration, it is easy to improve the accuracy of the relative position between the valve body and the valve seat member, and it is easy to appropriately open and close the valve port when the valve body is slidably moved.

[0063] In addition, in the above embodiment, the valve body 2 has the valve port 2A at a position facing one end face of the valve seat member 3 in the X direction, but the valve port that is not opened or closed by the valve body (other valve ports) may be provided at other positions. For example, the other valve ports may be formed at positions facing the accommodating recesses 2B to 2D in the radial direction (Z direction) of the valve body 2.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the thickness T1 of the valve seat member 3 is greater than the thickness T2 of the overlapping portions 2B2-2D2, but as long as the thickness of the valve seat member is sufficiently secured, this thickness may be equal to or smaller than the thickness of the overlapping portions. Also, the overlapping portions may be omitted by controlling the insertion depth of the connector or pipe by another method.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the valve seat member 3 is plate-shaped, but the valve seat member only needs to have a flat valve seat surface, and the opposite surface does not have to be flat. For example, the opposite surface may be curved so as to fit the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical valve body. With this configuration, it is easy to ensure the Z-direction dimension of the entire valve seat member, and it is easy to maintain the flat valve seat surface by suppressing warping of the valve seat member.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the driving unit 5 is provided having the stepping motor 51 and the conversion mechanism 52 to move the valve body 4, but the mechanism for moving the valve body may utilize the pressure difference between spaces formed on both sides of the valve body in the sliding direction, and any mechanism may be adopted depending on the application of the slide type switching valve. Also, the mechanism for moving the valve body does not have to be included in the slide type switching valve.

[0067] In addition, in the above embodiment, the pipes 11 to 14 are connected to the valve body 2 via the connector 8, but each pipe may be connected directly to the valve body, in which case it is sufficient that the pipe has a portion that can be fixed to the fixed portion of the valve body.

[0068] In the above embodiment, a slide type switching valve used as the four-way switching valve 1 in the refrigeration cycle 100 has been exemplified, but the use of the slide type switching valve of the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be used in any manner that generates a temperature difference in fluid passing through adjacent valve ports. Furthermore, the number of valve ports that are targets for opening and closing by the valve body is not limited to three, and it may be configured such that fluids of different temperatures pass through two adjacent valve ports.

[0069] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 100...refrigeration cycle, 200...compressor, 300...outdoor heat exchanger (first heat exchanger), 400...indoor heat exchanger (second heat exchanger), 500...expansion valve (expansion means), 1...four-way switching valve (slide type switching valve), 2...valve body, 2A...valve port, 2B to 2D...accommodating recess, 2B2 to 2D2...overlapping portion, 3...valve seat member, 31...valve seat surface, 3B to 3D...valve port, 4...valve body, 5...drive portion, 51...stepping motor, 52...conversion mechanism, 8...connector, 9...bonding portion (heat transfer suppression portion), 11 to 14...piping, R1...valve chamber

Claims

1. A slide-type switching valve comprising: a valve body defining a valve chamber; a valve seat member having a valve seat surface on which a plurality of valve ports are formed and disposed within the valve chamber; and a valve disc for opening and closing the valve port relative to the valve chamber, the valve body is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and has, on its outer surface, an accommodating recess for accommodating an end of a pipe communicating with each of the plurality of valve ports or a connector for connecting the pipe, and a fixed portion for fixing the pipe or the connector; the valve seat member is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body, and is disposed so as to overlap a region of the inner surface of the valve body in which the accommodating recess is formed, A slide-type switching valve, comprising: a heat transfer suppressing portion provided between the valve body and the valve seat member, the heat transfer suppressing portion having a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body and the valve seat member.

2. 2. The slide type switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve seat member is made of stainless steel.

3. 3. The slide type switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer suppressing portion is made of an adhesive.

4. 4. The slide type switching valve according to claim 3, wherein an inner diameter of an opening formed in the valve body is smaller than an inner diameter of the valve port at a boundary between the valve seat member and a region of the inner surface of the valve body in which the accommodating recess is formed.

5. 2. The slide type switching valve according to claim 1, wherein both end faces of the valve seat member in a sliding direction along the valve seat surface face the inner surface of the valve body with a gap therebetween.

6. 6. The slide type switching valve according to claim 5, wherein the valve body has another valve port at a position opposite to one end face of the valve seat member.

7. The valve seat member is made of stainless steel, 2. The slide type switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer suppressing portion is made of a material that can be heat welded.

8. The valve body has an overlapping portion that overlaps an end surface of the pipe or the connector, 8. The slide type switching valve according to claim 1, wherein a dimension of the valve seat member in a direction perpendicular to the valve seat surface is larger than a thickness of the overlapping portion.

9. A drive unit that moves the valve body in a sliding direction along the valve seat surface, 9. The slide type switching valve according to claim 8, wherein the drive unit includes a stepping motor and a conversion mechanism that converts rotation of the stepping motor into linear motion along the sliding direction.

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