Electric valve

Abstract

To make it possible to inspect the sealing performance of a substrate housing part of a motor-operated valve in which a control substrate is contained.SOLUTION: A motor-operated valve includes: a valve main body having a valve chamber communicating with a refrigerant inflow passage and a refrigerant outflow passage; a valve body that moves forward and backward in relation to a valve seat formed in the valve chamber, between a closed state of being seated on the valve seat and an open state of being separated from the valve seat, thereby changing the flow rate of the refrigerant; an electric motor 23 that drives the valve body; a control substrate on which electronic components for controlling the electric motor are mounted; a substrate-housing portion 43 capable of housing the control substrate in a sealed state; an external connection terminal 45 for establishing electrical connection with the exterior; and a connector portion 44 that supports the external connection terminal inside and has a sealed structure that is sealed by fitting with a mating connector. A communication passage 51 which communicates the substrate housing part with the connector part and is bent by 90° between one opening and the other opening is provided, and the substrate housing part is brought into a sealed state when the mating connector is fitted to the connector part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrically operated valve, and more particularly to an electrically operated valve having a board housing portion for housing a control board for the electrically operated valve and a connector for electrical connection with the outside. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric valves, which use an electric motor such as a stepping motor to control the valve opening, have traditionally been used in refrigeration cycle equipment equipped with a refrigerant circuit, such as air conditioners and refrigerators / freezers.

[0003] Furthermore, some motor-operated valves are equipped with a controller that supplies an excitation current to the coil to control the motor. The controller is mounted on a printed circuit board, and the board (referred to herein as the "control board" or simply the "board") is housed in a board housing.

[0004] The substrate housing consists of, for example, a box-shaped case body molded from resin and a lid body that closes the opening of the case body, and after the substrate is housed in the case body, the lid body is welded to the opening of the case body to seal the substrate housing part. This is to prevent moisture from entering and causing a short circuit, which can result in malfunction or damage to electronic components and circuits.

[0005] Furthermore, the following Patent Document 1 is a document that discloses such a motor-operated valve. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-110409 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the case of an electric valve equipped with the above-described substrate, there has conventionally been no method for inspecting the sealing of the substrate accommodating section after sealing it and before shipping the product to confirm that the substrate accommodating section is securely sealed.

[0008] On the other hand, if there is a sealing defect in the substrate accommodating section, moisture may enter the motor-operated valve, causing it to malfunction or break down. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a technology that can prevent this from happening.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to inspect the sealing property of the board accommodating portion of an electric valve with a control board. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the first electric valve of the present invention is an electric valve comprising: a valve body having a valve chamber communicating with an inlet passage for introducing a refrigerant and an outlet passage for discharging the refrigerant; a valve body that changes the flow rate of the refrigerant by moving back and forth relative to a valve seat formed in the valve chamber between a closed valve state in which it is seated on the valve seat and an open valve state in which it is separated from the valve seat; an electric motor that drives the valve body; a control board on which electronic components that control the electric motor are mounted; a board accommodating section that can accommodate the control board in a sealed state; and a connector section that has an external connection terminal for electrical connection with the outside and has a sealed structure that is sealed when mated with a mating connector, the electric valve comprising: a communication passage that communicates between the board accommodating section and the connector section; the board accommodating section having a case section that can accommodate the control board therein and has an opening that allows the control board to be installed inside, and a lid body that closes the opening; the communication passage bends 90° between one opening and the other opening; and the board accommodating section is sealed when the mating connector is mated with the connector section.

[0011] Furthermore, a second motor-operated valve according to the present invention comprises a valve body having a valve chamber communicating with an inlet passage for introducing a refrigerant and an outlet passage for discharging the refrigerant, a valve element that moves back and forth relative to a valve seat formed in the valve chamber between a closed valve state in which it is seated on the valve seat and an open valve state in which it is separated from the valve seat to change the flow rate of the refrigerant, an electric motor that drives the valve element, a control board on which electronic components that control the electric motor are mounted, a board accommodating section that can accommodate the control board in a sealed state, and an external connection terminal that makes an electrical connection with the outside and is fitted with a mating connector to seal the control board. and a connector part having a sealed structure, wherein the board accommodating part has a case part that can accommodate a control board therein and has an opening that allows the control board to be installed inside, and a lid body that closes the opening, and the connector part and the lid body are molded integrally as a lid body with a connector part, and the electric valve has a communication passage that connects the board accommodating part and the connector part, and the communication passage bends 90° between one opening and the other opening, and the board accommodating part becomes sealed when a mating connector is fitted into the connector part.

[0012] In the motor-operated valve of the present invention (the first and second motor-operated valves described above, the same applies hereinafter), both the connector section and the board accommodating section have a structure that becomes sealed (particularly a watertight and airtight state that prevents the intrusion of water or water vapor) when a mating connector is connected to the connector section, but a communication passage is provided that connects the connector section and the board accommodating section. Therefore, when a mating connector is not connected to the connector section, the board accommodating section is in a state of communication with the outside via the connector section.

[0013] On the other hand, when a mating connector is connected to the connector portion, the connector portion is sealed, and therefore the board accommodating portion is also sealed. The term "mating connector" refers to a connector of a specific shape that can be fitted and connected to the connector portion. In other words, the connector portion is generally manufactured to have a specific (predetermined, fixed shape that differs depending on the user) shape that is tailored to (compatible with) the user of the motor-operated valve, and the connector portion is sealed by fitting a mating connector of such a specific shape.

[0014] Therefore, in the motor-operated valve of the present invention, the above-mentioned connector portion and the newly provided communication passage can be used to inspect the sealing (airtightness). Specifically, a test gas (e.g., air or an inert gas) is injected from the connector portion through the communication passage into the board housing portion to maintain a constant pressurized state inside the board housing portion, and changes in this pressure can be monitored to inspect for sealing defects. In other words, if the pressure does not decrease, it can be determined that there is no sealing defect in the board housing portion (nor in the connector portion). On the other hand, if the pressure decreases, it can be determined that the injected gas is leaking and there is a sealing defect.

[0015] The motor-operated valve of the present invention may further include an outer shell molding portion that covers the stator of the electric motor, and the outer shell molding portion and the case portion may be molded integrally.

[0016] Furthermore, a coil coating molding portion that covers the coil included in the stator may be provided inside the outer shell molding portion. According to this embodiment, by undergoing a two-stage molding process (i.e., using a double coating structure), it is possible to prevent damage to the coil windings during molding and to avoid the occurrence of voids in the outer shell molding portion, which has a complex shape, causing a decrease in strength. In other words, by molding the coil coating molding portion, which covers the coil and is prone to deformation and damage such as poor insulation and breakage due to the pressure of the resin during molding, at low pressure, and then molding the outer shell molding portion that covers it at high pressure, it is possible to simultaneously prevent damage to the windings during molding and ensure the strength of the molding portion.

[0017] It is preferable to mold the outer shell molding portion by introducing resin through a single gate (inlet) to prevent the formation of weld lines that reduce strength. This is to prevent cracks in the weld lines due to temperature changes over time and other factors, which could allow moisture to penetrate. On the other hand, if the above-mentioned double-coating structure (a structure with a coil coating molding portion inside the outer shell molding portion) is adopted, the strength of the coil coating molding portion, which can be ensured by being covered by the outer shell molding portion, does not need to be a major consideration. Therefore, by introducing resin through multiple gates, it is possible to more reliably cover coils with complex shapes.

[0018] Furthermore, the connector portion requires strict dimensional accuracy because it must be fitted together to create a sealed state. However, even when the outer shell molding portion and the connector portion are molded integrally, if the above-described double coating structure is adopted, the connector portion can be molded at high pressure together with the outer shell molding portion, and the dimensional accuracy of the connector portion can also be improved.

[0019] In a typical aspect of the present invention, the outer shell molding portion, the case portion, and the connector portion are integrally molded. In this aspect, the motor-operated valve may include a terminal cover molding portion formed inside the connector portion and covering and supporting an intermediate portion of the external connection terminal, and the communication passage may be formed in the terminal cover molding portion.

[0020] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment including the terminal overcoat molding portion, it is preferable that one end of the terminal overcoat molding portion is exposed (e.g., protrudes) into the internal space of the connector portion, with one opening of the communicating passage formed at that end, and the other end of the terminal overcoat molding portion is exposed (e.g., protrudes) into the internal space of the case portion, with the other opening of the communicating passage formed at that end. This is to prevent the material (resin) forming the connector portion or the case portion from penetrating into and blocking the communicating passage when the connector portion or the case portion is molded.

[0021] In another typical aspect of the present invention, the connector and the lid are integrally molded to form a lid with a connector portion, the electric valve has a terminal cover molding portion formed inside the lid with connector portion that covers and supports the middle portion of the external connection terminal, and the communicating passage is formed in the terminal cover molding portion.

[0022] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for the same reason as in the typical embodiment described above (to prevent resin from penetrating into the communicating passage when forming the lid body with the connector portion), it is preferable that one end of the terminal covering molding portion is exposed (e.g., protrudes) into the internal space of the connector portion, and one opening of the communicating passage is formed at that one end, and that the other end of the terminal covering molding portion is exposed (e.g., protrudes) from the underside of the lid body so as to be exposed to the internal space of the case portion, and the other opening of the communicating passage is formed at that other end.

[0023] The stator according to the present invention has the same features as the motor-operated valve according to the present invention.

[0024] Specifically, the stator is a stator that can be mounted on an electric motor that drives a valve element of an electrically operated valve, and includes a control board on which electronic components that control the electric motor are mounted, a board accommodating section that can accommodate the control board in a sealed state, a connector section that has external connection terminals for electrical connection with the outside and has a sealed structure that is sealed when mated with a mating connector, and a communication passage that communicates between the board accommodating section and the connector section, and the board accommodating section is sealed when the mating connector is mated with the connector section. Also, in the stator, the communication passage may be bent at an angle of 90° between one opening and the other opening.

[0025] The stator according to the present invention can also employ the above-described aspects of the motor-operated valve according to the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] According to the present invention, it is possible to inspect the sealing property of the substrate accommodating portion of an electric valve with a control board, thereby preventing malfunctions in the electric valve caused by poor sealing of the substrate accommodating portion and further improving the reliability of the electric valve.

[0027] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, which is given with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and that various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. In addition, the same reference numerals in the various drawings indicate the same or equivalent parts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a motor-operated valve according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the motor-operated valve according to the first embodiment in an open state. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a front view showing a board accommodating portion and a connector portion of the motor-operated valve according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the board accommodating portion (without the lid body attached) and the connector portion of the motor-operated valve according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the substrate accommodating section (without the lid attached) and the connector section of the motor-operated valve according to the first embodiment, with a partial cutout (part B in FIG. 3) so that the communication passage can be seen. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view taken along the CC arrow in FIG. 3) showing a communication passage of the motor-operated valve according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a motor-operated valve according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the motor-operated valve according to the second embodiment in an open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] [First embodiment] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, a motor-operated valve 11 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a motor-operated valve suitable for use in adjusting the flow rate of a refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle device such as an air conditioner, and comprises a valve body 12 having a valve chamber 13 therein and an inlet passage 16 for introducing a refrigerant into the valve chamber 13 and an outlet passage 15 for discharging a refrigerant from the valve chamber 13, a valve seat 14 formed at the opening of the inlet passage 16 to the valve chamber 13, and a valve element 17 that moves back and forth (moves up and down) relative to the valve seat 14 between a closed state in which it abuts against the valve seat 14 (see FIG. 1) and an open state in which it is spaced from the valve seat 14 (see FIG. 2) to change the amount of refrigerant passing through (flow rate). the valve body 12 includes an electric motor 23 for driving the valve element 17, a connecting member 19 for connecting the electric motor 23 to the valve body 12, a printed circuit board (control board) 46 on which a controller (not shown) for controlling the electric motor 23 is mounted, a case (board accommodating section / case section) 43 for accommodating the circuit board 46, a lid 47 for closing the front opening of the case 43, a connector 44 having external connection terminals 45 for electrical connection to the outside, a communication hole 51 for communicating between the inside of the case 43 and the inside of the connector 44, and a can (sealed container) 22 for covering an upper opening 12a of the valve body 12 which communicates with the valve chamber 13 and which forms a sealed space together with the connecting member 19.

[0030] In addition, in each figure, mutually orthogonal two-dimensional or three-dimensional coordinates representing the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are appropriately shown, and the following explanation will be based on these directions. In addition, in this embodiment, the refrigerant flows in through the inlet passage 16 and flows out through the outlet passage 15, but the motor-operated valve 11 can of course also be used when the refrigerant flows in the opposite direction.

[0031] The electric motor 23 is a stepping motor equipped with a stator 25 arranged outside the can 22 and a magnet rotor (hereinafter simply referred to as "rotor") 24 arranged rotatably and vertically slidably inside the can 22. The stator 25 includes a yoke 26, a bobbin 27, and a coil 28.

[0032] The stator 25 and the can 22 are covered by an outer shell cover (outer shell molding portion) 42 made of synthetic resin. Inside the outer shell cover 42, there are provided a coil cover (coil covering molding portion) 41 made of synthetic resin that covers the coil 28, and a terminal cover (terminal covering molding portion) 55 that covers and supports the middle portion of the external connection terminal 45.

[0033] The external connection terminals 45 have a tip end 45a that protrudes into the internal space 44a of the connector 44 to enable electrical connection with the outside, and a base end 45b that is electrically connected to the board 46. An intermediate portion between the tip end 45a and the base end 45b is covered by a terminal cover 55. One end (the connector-side end) of the terminal cover 55 is exposed to the internal space 44a of the connector 44, and one (connector-side) opening 51a of the communication path 51 (see FIGS. 3 to 6) is formed at this end. Meanwhile, the other end (the case-side end) of the terminal cover 55 is exposed to the internal space 43a of the case 43, and the other (case-side) opening 51b of the communication path 51 is formed at this other end. The communication path 51 that connects the case interior 43a and the connector interior 44a is a through hole that has a connector-side opening 51a at one end and a case-side opening 51b at the other end.

[0034] The above covers (coil cover 41, terminal cover 55, and outer shell cover 42) are formed by injection molding, and the molding process is performed in the following order: first, coil cover 41 and terminal cover 55 (each of which has a fine dot pattern in Figures 1 and 2) are molded separately, and then these coil cover 41 and terminal cover 55 are placed in a mold for molding outer shell cover 42, and outer shell cover 42 (which has a coarse dot pattern in Figures 1 and 2) is molded to cover these covers 41, 55. When molding outer shell cover 42, box-shaped case 43 that houses board 46 and connector 44 are molded integrally with outer shell cover 42.

[0035] The resin materials constituting the coil cover 41, the terminal cover 55, the outer shell cover 42 (including the case 43 and the connector 44), and the lid body 47 described later can be different types of materials, but it is preferable to use the same material to improve the bonding between the resins.

[0036] Case 43 is provided on the side (front) of stator 25, and connector 44 is provided on the top surface of case 43. A circuit board 46 is housed in interior 43a of case 43 through the front opening of case 43, and coil 28 is electrically connected to external connection terminal 45 via circuit board 46. This is to enable power to be supplied to coil 28 from an external power source (not shown). A controller including a pulse generator and a motor drive circuit is also mounted on circuit board 46. Furthermore, if motor-operated valve 11 is equipped with a magnetic sensor that detects rotation of rotor 24, a calculation device that calculates the rotation angle of rotor 24 and the valve opening based on the output signal from the magnetic sensor may be mounted on circuit board 46.

[0037] Both the case 43 and the connector 44 have a sealable structure, and the two (the case 43 and the connector 44) are in communication with each other via the communication passage 51, as described above. That is, when a mating connector (not shown) is mated with the front end of the connector 44, the interior 44a of the connector 44 is sealed. The mating connector is a connector for making an electrical connection from the outside to the external connection terminal 45, and has a shape that fits in a sealed state with the connector 45 of the motor-operated valve 11. Note that the mating connector (and therefore the connector 44 of the motor-operated valve 11 that fits therewith) has various shapes that meet the specifications of the user of the motor-operated valve 11, as described above. Furthermore, the sealed state refers to a state in which moisture does not enter the interior 44a of the connector 44 during normal use of the motor-operated valve 11, and in this embodiment, the interior 44a of the connector 44 is isolated from the external space (the atmosphere side).

[0038] On the other hand, the case 43 is sealed off from the outside, except that it is in communication with the interior 44a of the connector 44 through the communication passage 51, by welding a resin cover 47 to the front opening to close the front opening.

[0039] The motor-operated valve 11 further includes a rod-shaped valve stem 18 that extends vertically along the central axis A from the inside of the rotor 24 to the valve chamber 13. The valve stem 18 has a cylindrical body 18a and an upper small-diameter section 18b with a small outer diameter that is formed coaxially at the upper end of the body 18a and continues from the body 18a. The valve stem 18 (body 18a) is also provided with a valve element 17 integrally at its lower end. The rotor 24 is disposed inside the can 22 so as to be rotatable and slidable in the vertical direction, and the valve is opened and closed by the vertical movement of the valve stem 18, which has the valve element 17 at its lower end, and the rotor 24.

[0040] A valve stem holder 31 is provided inside the rotor 24. The valve stem holder 31 has a cylindrical shape with a closed upper end, and a support ring 33 is fixed to the upper end of the valve stem holder 31 by crimping. The rotor 24 and valve stem holder 31 are joined together via the support ring 33. A female thread 31a is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the valve stem holder 31. This female thread 31a is threadedly engaged with a male thread 36c of a guide bush 36 (described later) to form a transmission mechanism (screw feed mechanism) that converts the rotation of the electric motor 23 into linear motion and transmits it to the valve stem 18.

[0041] The upper small-diameter portion 18b of the valve stem 18 passes through the valve stem holder 31, and a push nut 34 is attached to the upper end of the upper small-diameter portion 18b to prevent it from coming off. The valve stem 18 is urged downward by a compression coil spring 35 provided between the valve stem holder 31 and a step between the body portion 18a and the upper small-diameter portion 18b of the valve stem 18. Therefore, the push nut 34 and the compression coil spring 35 restrict the valve stem 18 from moving up and down relative to the valve stem holder 31, and the valve stem 18 moves up and down together with the valve stem holder 18.

[0042] The connecting member 19 is a cylindrical member having a large diameter hole 19a and a small diameter hole 19b that are through holes that communicate with each other. The large diameter hole 19a passes through the upper center of the connecting member 19 and has a large diameter so that a guide bush 36 (described later) can be inserted from above. The small diameter hole 19b passes through the lower center of the connecting member 19 and has a small diameter. A cylindrical can 22 with no bottom and a lid (an open bottom and a closed top) is joined to the outer circumferential surface of the upper end of the connecting member 19 via a ring-shaped base plate 21.

[0043] A guide bush 36 is fixed in the large-diameter hole 19a at the top of the connecting member 19. The guide bush 36 has a large-diameter cylindrical portion 36a with a large outer diameter and a small-diameter cylindrical portion 36b with a small outer diameter formed coaxially at the upper end of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 36a, continuing from the large-diameter cylindrical portion 36a. A male thread portion 36c that screws into the female thread portion 31a of the valve stem holder 31 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 36b. The guide bush 36 is coupled to the connecting member 19 by press-fitting the large-diameter cylindrical portion 36a into the inside of the connecting member 19. The body portion 18a of the valve stem 18 passes through the small-diameter hole 19b of the connecting member 19.

[0044] Furthermore, the stem holder 31 is provided with an upper stopper body 32, while the large-diameter cylindrical portion 36a of the guide bush 36 is provided with a lower stopper body 37. These stopper bodies 32, 37 determine the lower limit position of the stem holder 31. When the stem holder 31 rotates and descends to reach the lower limit position, the upper stopper body 32 abuts against the lower stopper body 37, restricting further rotation of the stem holder 31.

[0045] The mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the electric motor 23 to the valve element 17 may be of various types other than those described above, and is not limited to the above structure.

[0046] The operation of the motor-operated valve according to this embodiment will be described as follows.

[0047] 1, when current is supplied to the stator 25 (coil 28) so that the rotor 24 rotates in one direction, the stem holder 31 connected to the rotor 24 rotates together with the rotor 24. The inner peripheral surface of the stem holder 31 is formed with a female thread 31a that screws together with a male thread 36c formed on the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 36b of the guide bush 36. The interaction between the male thread 36c and the female thread 31a converts the rotation of the rotor 24 (stem holder 31) into linear motion in the vertical direction, causing the stem holder 31 to move upward. As a result, the rotor 24 connected to the stem holder 31 and the stem 18, whose relative movement between them is restricted, also move upward together with the stem holder 31. As the valve stem 18 moves upward, the valve element 17 attached to the lower end of the valve stem 18 moves away from the valve seat 14, and the refrigerant that has flowed in from the inlet passage 16 passes through the valve chamber 13 and flows out from the outlet passage 15 (see Figure 2). The amount of refrigerant passing through (refrigerant flow rate) can be adjusted by the amount of rotation of the rotor 24.

[0048] On the other hand, when current is supplied to the stator 25 (coil 28) so that the rotor 24 rotates in the opposite direction from the open valve state, the interaction between the female thread portion 31a and the male thread portion 36c converts the rotation of the rotor 24 (valve stem holder 31) into linear motion in the vertical direction, and the valve stem holder 31 moves downward together with the rotor 24 and valve stem 18. This causes the valve element 17 to descend toward the valve seat 14, and when the valve element 17 abuts against the valve seat 14, the flow path between the inlet path 16 and the outlet path 15 is blocked, resulting in a closed valve state (see Figure 1).

[0049] In the motor-operated valve 11 of this embodiment, since the communication passage 51 is provided between the connector 44 and the case 43, it is possible to perform an airtightness inspection of the case 43 in the completed state in which the substrate 46 is housed in the case 43 and the lid 47 that closes the front opening is welded. For example, the inspection can be performed by pressurizing the case interior 43a with gas (air, inert gas, etc.) at a constant pressure by injecting gas from the connector 44 through the communication passage 51 into the case interior 43a, and monitoring changes in the gas pressure. If the gas pressure drops, it indicates that gas is leaking and therefore there is a sealing defect. On the other hand, if the gas pressure remains constant, it indicates that the product is normal and has no sealing defect.

[0050] Second Embodiment A motor-operated valve according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. In the following description, the same components as those in the motor-operated valve 11 of the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted, with differences being mainly described.

[0051] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the electric valve 61 of this embodiment adjusts the flow rate of the refrigerant by moving the valve body 17 up and down using an electric motor (stepping motor) 23, similar to the electric valve 11 of the first embodiment, and is provided with a board 46 that controls the electric motor 23, but the board 46 is arranged so as to extend horizontally on the upper surface of the electric motor 23 (stator 25), and a case 43 that houses the board 46 is formed on the upper surface of the electric motor 23.

[0052] In this embodiment, similar to the electric valve 11 of the first embodiment, an outer shell cover 42 (having a coarse dot pattern in Figures 7 and 8) that covers the stator 25 and can 22 of the electric motor 23, and a coil cover 41 (having a fine dot pattern in Figures 7 and 8) that is arranged inside the outer shell cover 42 and covers the coil 28, are provided. However, unlike the electric valve 11 of the first embodiment, the connector 44 is not integrally molded with the outer shell cover 42, but is molded in a separate process as a connector-equipped lid 62 integrally with the lid 47 that closes the top opening of the case 43.

[0053] The connector-equipped lid 62 is produced through a two-stage molding process. First, in the first step, a resin terminal cover (terminal covering molding portion) 55 is molded to cover and support the middle portions of the external connection terminals 45, and then in the second step, the connector 44 and the lid 47 are molded integrally as the connector-equipped lid 62 so that the terminal cover 55 is covered and supported between the connector 44 and the lid 47, in other words, so that the terminal cover 55 penetrates the boundary between the connector 44 and the lid 47, or in further words, so that one end of the terminal cover 55 protrudes into the connector interior 44a and the other end of the terminal cover 55 protrudes downward from the underside of the lid 47.

[0054] In this embodiment, the first step of molding the terminal cover 55 forms the communication passage 51 in the terminal cover 55. As in the first embodiment, this communication passage 51 is a through hole that connects the connector interior 44a and the case interior 43a, and has a connector-side opening 51a at one end of the terminal cover 55 and a case-side opening 51b at the other end.

[0055] In the second step, the connector side end of the terminal cover 55 protrudes into the internal space 44a of the connector 44, so that the connector side opening 51a is located within the internal space 44a of the connector 44, and the lid side end protrudes from the underside of the lid 47, so that the case side opening 51b is located below the underside of the lid 47. Therefore, when the outer shell cover 42 is molded (in the second step), the resin forming the outer shell cover 42 can be prevented from penetrating into the communicating passage 51 from the connector side opening 51a or the case side opening 51b and blocking the communicating passage 51 (connector side opening 51a and case side opening 51b).

[0056] After the board 46 is placed inside the case 43a, the connector-equipped lid 62 is welded to the upper edge of the case 43 so as to close the top opening of the case 43. The external connection terminals 45 and the board 46 can be electrically connected by a press-fit connection. Specifically, the base ends (board-side ends) 45b of the external connection terminals 45 are press-fit pins, and when the connector-equipped lid 62 is placed over the top surface of the case 43, the press-fit pins are press-fit into the through holes of the board 46.

[0057] In this embodiment, the case interior 43a and the connector interior 44a are in communication with each other through a communication hole 51 that penetrates the terminal cover 55. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, a test gas is pressurized from the connector 44 through the communication passage 51 into the case interior 43a, and a change in the pressure is monitored to detect a sealing defect. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] A Center axis 11,61 Motor-operated valve 12 Valve body 12a Top opening 13 Valve chamber 14 Valve seat 15 Outflow channel 16 Inflow channel 17 Valve body 18 Valve stem 18a Torso 18b Upper small diameter section 19 Connecting members 19a Large diameter hole 19b Small diameter hole 21 Base Plate 22 Can 23 Stepping motor (electric motor) 24 magnet rotor 25 Stator 26 York 27 Bobbin 28 coils 31 Valve stem holder 31a Female thread section (screw feed mechanism) 32 Upper stopper body 33 Support ring 34 Push nut 35 Compression coil spring 36 Guide bush 36a Large diameter cylindrical part 36b Small diameter cylindrical section 36c Male thread (screw feed mechanism) 37 Lower stopper body 41 Coil cover 42 Outer shell cover 43 cases 43a Inside the case (internal space of the case) 44 connectors 44a Inside the connector (internal space of the connector) 45 External connection terminal 45a Tip of external connection terminal (end on the connector side) 45b Base end of external connection terminal (end on the board side) 46 PCB 47 Lid 51 Communication path 51a Connector side opening 51b Case side opening 55 Terminal cover 62 Cover with connector

Claims

1. a valve body having a valve chamber communicating with an inlet passage for introducing a refrigerant and an outlet passage for discharging the refrigerant; a valve element that moves toward and away from a valve seat formed in the valve chamber between a closed state in which the valve element is seated on the valve seat and an open state in which the valve element is spaced from the valve seat, thereby changing the flow rate of the refrigerant; an electric motor that drives the valve body; a control board on which electronic components for controlling the electric motor are mounted; a board accommodating section capable of accommodating the control board in a sealed state; a connector portion having an external connection terminal for electrical connection with the outside and a sealed structure that is sealed by fitting with a mating connector; An electrically operated valve comprising: a communication passage that connects the board accommodating portion and the connector portion; The substrate accommodating section is a case portion capable of accommodating the control board therein and having an opening through which the control board can be installed; a lid that closes the opening; and the communication passage bends at an angle of 90° between one opening and the other opening, The board accommodating portion is sealed when the mating connector is fitted to the connector portion. A motor-operated valve characterized by:

2. an outer shell molding portion that covers the stator of the electric motor; The outer shell molding portion and the case portion are integrally molded. The motor-operated valve according to claim 1.

3. A coil covering molding part for covering the coil included in the stator is provided inside the outer shell molding part. The motor-operated valve according to claim 2.

4. The outer shell molding portion, the case portion, and the connector portion are integrally molded. The motor-operated valve according to claim 2.

5. The outer shell molding portion, the case portion, and the connector portion are integrally molded. The motor-operated valve according to claim 3.

6. a valve body having a valve chamber communicating with an inlet passage for introducing a refrigerant and an outlet passage for discharging the refrigerant; a valve element that moves toward and away from a valve seat formed in the valve chamber between a closed state in which the valve element is seated on the valve seat and an open state in which the valve element is spaced from the valve seat, thereby changing the flow rate of the refrigerant; an electric motor that drives the valve body; a control board on which electronic components for controlling the electric motor are mounted; a board accommodating section capable of accommodating the control board in a sealed state; a connector portion having an external connection terminal for electrical connection with the outside and a sealed structure that is sealed by fitting with a mating connector; An electrically operated valve comprising: The substrate accommodating section is a case portion capable of accommodating the control board therein and having an opening through which the control board can be installed; a lid that closes the opening; and The connector and the lid are integrally molded to form a lid with a connector, the electrically operated valve includes a communication passage that connects the board accommodating portion and the connector portion, the communication passage bends at an angle of 90° between one opening and the other opening, The board accommodating portion is sealed when the mating connector is fitted to the connector portion. A motor-operated valve characterized by:

7. an outer shell molding portion that covers the stator of the electric motor; The outer shell molding portion and the case portion are integrally molded. The motor-operated valve according to claim 6.

8. A coil covering molding part for covering the coil included in the stator is provided inside the outer shell molding part. The motor-operated valve according to claim 7.

9. A stator that can be provided in an electric motor that drives a valve element of an electric valve, a control board on which electronic components for controlling the electric motor are mounted; a board accommodating section capable of accommodating the control board in a sealed state; a connector portion having an external connection terminal for electrical connection to the outside and a sealed structure that is sealed by fitting with a mating connector; a communication passage that connects the board accommodating portion and the connector portion; and the communication path is bent at 90° between one opening and the other opening, The board accommodating portion is sealed when the mating connector is fitted to the connector portion. A stator characterized by:

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