pressure regulating valve

Abstract

To provide a pressure regulating valve capable of suppressing the pressure loss of refrigerant moving to a secondary side flow path.SOLUTION: A pressure regulating valve 10 includes a valve body 11 having a primary side port 11A, a second side port 11B, and a valve seat part 11C, a valve element 12, a bellows 13, a valve spring 14, and a support member 23 for supporting the bellows 13 on the valve body 11, the support member 23 having a plurality of extension parts 234 extending from an annular part 233 to the radial outside, the extension part 234 being provided with straightening means for straightening the refrigerant flowing from the primary side to the secondary side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressure regulating valve. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a pressure regulating valve that is used in a refrigeration cycle and that adjusts the pressure on the primary side by variably controlling the opening degree is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The pressure regulating valve described in Patent Document 1 is an evaporation pressure regulating valve that is provided between an evaporator and a compressor in the refrigeration cycle of a vehicle air conditioner, and that prevents frost (formation of frost) in the evaporator by maintaining the evaporation pressure in the primary side evaporator at or above a predetermined value.

[0003] This pressure regulating valve includes a valve body having a refrigerant passage formed therein, a valve element that opens and closes the refrigerant passage, a bellows and valve spring that apply a load to the valve element in the valve closing direction, and a support member that supports the bellows to the valve body. The support member includes an annular portion and a plurality of extensions that extend radially from the annular portion, and the annular portion is fixed to the base end of the bellows with an adjustment screw and a nut, and the tips of the extensions are clamped between a step and a flange of the valve body to fix it to the valve body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-004395 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in conventional pressure regulating valves such as those described in Patent Document 1, refrigerant passing between the extensions of the support member flows into a secondary flow passage inside the flange. However, if the piping on the unit side to which the pressure regulating valve is connected has a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the valve body of the pressure regulating valve, the inner diameter of this secondary flow passage is reduced, resulting in pressure loss. Because such pressure regulating valves are used as evaporation pressure regulating valves in refrigeration cycle systems, they are normally in an open state, allowing fluid to pass through. Pressure loss reduces the flow rate of the circulating refrigerant, creating a problem. Therefore, there has been a need for a pressure regulating valve that is less susceptible to pressure loss and can ensure an appropriate flow rate of the circulating refrigerant.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a pressure regulating valve that can suppress pressure loss of refrigerant flowing toward a secondary side flow passage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The pressure regulating valve of the present invention is a pressure regulating valve that variably controls the opening degree in accordance with the pressure acting on a valve element, and includes a valve body having a primary side port, a secondary side port, and a valve seat portion; a valve element that seats on or releases from the valve seat portion from the secondary side; a bellows having one end connected to the secondary side of the valve element and the other end connected to the valve body; a valve spring that is provided inside the bellows and biases the valve element toward the valve seat portion; and a support member that supports the other end of the bellows on the valve body, the support member including an annular portion fixed to the other end of the bellows, and a support member that extends radially outward from the annular portion. and adjacent to each other at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the annular portion. A plurality of extensions; a through hole opening between adjacent extension portions; a retained portion that is retained by the valve body, the secondary side port being provided on the secondary side of the support member and having a secondary side flow path whose flow path area gradually decreases, and a minimum diameter portion of the secondary side flow path and a retained portion of the support member The aforementioned extension part and the through hole and are arranged so that parts of them overlap in the axial direction, and the extension part of the support member is provided with a rectifying means for rectifying the refrigerant flowing from the primary side to the secondary side.

[0008] According to the present invention, the plurality of extensions of the support member provided in the flow passage within the valve body are provided with rectifying means for rectifying the refrigerant. The rectified refrigerant flows into the secondary port, thereby reducing pressure loss in the secondary passage and ensuring an appropriate refrigerant flow rate, even when the flow passage area of ​​the secondary passage gradually decreases. Furthermore, the minimum diameter portion of the secondary passage, where the flow passage area gradually decreases, and the extensions of the support member provided with the rectifying means are partially overlapped in the axial direction, thereby reducing pressure loss even when the fluid flows into the secondary passage through the through holes formed between the plurality of extensions. Furthermore, by providing a tapered secondary passage with a gradually decreasing flow passage area as the secondary port, pressure loss can be reduced without increasing the outer diameter of the portion constituting the secondary port, thereby preventing the pressure regulating valve from becoming larger and heavier.

[0009] In this case, the rectifying means is preferably configured by either a tapered surface provided at a corner on the primary side of the extending portion having a rectangular cross section, or a cross section of the extending portion formed long in the axial direction. According to this configuration, by providing a tapered surface on the extending portion of the support member or by forming the cross section of the extending portion long in the axial direction, the rectifying means can be configured relatively simply and inexpensively.

[0010] Preferably, the valve body is composed of a first member that defines a secondary chamber that accommodates the primary port, the valve seat, and the bellows, and a second member that defines the secondary port, the support member being disposed at a position that separates the secondary chamber from the secondary port, a pressing member being provided between the second member and the support member, and the second member being fixed to the first member by being locked with a clasp member when the second member and the support member press the pressing member. According to this configuration, the second member is locked with the clasp member and fixed to the first member when the pressing member between the second member and the support member is pressed, so that the pressing force of the pressing member acts on the clasp member, making it difficult for it to come off, and the second member can be reliably fixed to the first member.

[0011] Furthermore, it is preferable that the second member constitutes a connector to be connected to the unit piping connector, and that the flow path in the unit piping connector and the extension portion of the support member are arranged so that a portion of each of them overlaps in the axial direction. By arranging the flow path in the unit piping connector and the extension portion of the support member so that they overlap in the axial direction, the effect of the rectifying means provided on the extension portion allows the rectified refrigerant to flow in the flow path in the unit piping connector, thereby suppressing pressure loss in the unit piping connector.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the secondary-side flow passage of the secondary-side port is tapered so that the flow passage area gradually decreases. By tapering the secondary-side flow passage, pressure loss in the secondary-side flow passage can be suppressed. Note that the secondary-side flow passage is not limited to being tapered, and may be formed in a stepped shape so that the flow passage area gradually decreases. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the pressure regulating valve of the present invention, the pressure loss of the refrigerant flowing toward the secondary flow path can be suppressed, and therefore the flow rate of the circulating refrigerant can be ensured appropriately. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a pressure regulating valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a front view showing a support member of the pressure regulating valve. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 4(A) to 4(D) are cross-sectional views showing the main part of the support member. [Figure 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pressure regulating valve shown in the circled portion A in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pressure regulating valve taken along line BB in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the pressure regulating valve. [Figure 8] 2 is a structural diagram showing a part of a refrigeration cycle including the pressure regulating valve. FIG. [Figure 9] 10(A) and 10(B) are a front view and a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the pressure regulating valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A pressure regulating valve according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 8. The pressure regulating valve 10 is used in a refrigeration cycle, a portion of which is shown in Fig. 8. This refrigeration cycle constitutes, for example, an air conditioner for use in a vehicle. The pressure regulating valve 10 is provided between an evaporator 100 on the primary side and a compressor 200 on the secondary side, and receives refrigerant (fluid) vaporized by the evaporator 100, and sends the refrigerant to the compressor 200 while maintaining the evaporation pressure of the refrigerant at a predetermined value or higher by the pressure regulating valve 10.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the pressure regulating valve 10 comprises a valve body 11 having an overall cylindrical shape centered on an axis L, a valve element 12 provided inside the valve body 11, a bellows 13 connected to the valve element 12, a valve spring 14 provided inside the bellows 13, a guide portion 15 for guiding the expansion and contraction of the bellows 13 and the valve spring 14, a connecting member 16 for connecting the bellows 13 to the valve body 11, a blade member 17 as an elastic member that imparts sliding resistance to the valve element 12, and a first flange 18 and a second flange 19 for bolting the pressure regulating valve 10 to a predetermined location on the air conditioner.

[0017] The valve body 11 has a first member 21 and a second member 22 each formed by cutting a cylindrical metal material as a whole, a metallic disk-shaped support member 23 provided between the first member 21 and the second member 22, and a stopper member 24 that locks the second member 22 to the first member 21. The valve body 11 has a primary side port 11A located on the primary side (lower side in FIG. 1) and connected to the evaporator 100, a secondary side port 11B located on the secondary side (upper side in FIG. 1) and connected to the compressor 200, and a valve seat portion 11C provided at a position separating the primary side port 11A and the secondary side port 11B.

[0018] The first member 21 is formed to have a first cylindrical portion 211 located on the primary side (the lower side in FIG. 1, on the evaporator 100 side), a stepped valve seat portion 11C on which the valve element 12 can be seated, a secondary chamber 212 located on the secondary side of the valve seat portion 11C, a holding portion 213 whose inner diameter is enlarged on the secondary side of the secondary chamber 212, and a first flange 18 to which a joint or the like on the evaporator 100 side is bolted. The internal space of the first cylindrical portion 211 forms a primary side port 11A. The first flange 18 is formed integrally with the first member 21.

[0019] The second member 22 is formed with a held portion 221 that is held by the holding portion 213 and communicates with the secondary chamber 212, a second cylindrical portion 222 that extends from the held portion 221 to the secondary side, and a male thread portion 223 that is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the tip of the second cylindrical portion 222 and screws into the second flange 19. The secondary side port 11B is formed by the internal space of the secondary chamber 212, the held portion 221, and the second cylindrical portion 222. A pressing member 224 that presses the support member 23 toward the first member 21 is provided at the lower end of the outer periphery of the held portion 221, and a seal member 225 that airtightly separates the inside of the pressure regulating valve 10 from the outside (atmosphere) by sealing between the held portion 221 and the holding portion 213. The pressing member 224 and the seal member 225 are each formed by a rubber O-ring. The second member 22 has a tapered secondary-side flow path 226 that is formed by the inner surface of the held portion 221 and has a flow path area that gradually decreases toward the secondary side. The inner diameter of the minimum diameter portion of this secondary-side flow path 226 is smaller than the inner diameter of the secondary chamber 212. Note that the secondary-side flow path 226 is not limited to being tapered, and may be formed in a stepped shape so that the flow path area gradually decreases toward the secondary side.

[0020] Support member 23 is sandwiched between step portion 214 at the upper end of secondary chamber 212 of first member 21 and the lower end of held portion 221 of second member 22 via pressing member 224, and is fixed by locking second member 22 into groove portion 216 of first member 21 with stopper member 24. Support member 23 is formed with a threaded hole 231 in the center into which bolt 161 of connecting member 16 is threaded, and a plurality of through holes 232 that penetrate support member 23 around the threaded hole 231. These multiple through holes 232 communicate secondary chamber 212 of first member 21 with the inside of held portion 221 and second cylindrical portion 222 of second member 22, allowing refrigerant to pass through.

[0021] The valve element 12 is made of a metal member having a generally circular disk shape and is capable of being seated on and released from the valve seat 11C from the secondary side. The valve element 12 is formed with a circular disk portion 31 having a larger diameter than the valve seat 11C, two locking claws 32 protruding upward (toward the secondary side) from the outer periphery of the circular disk portion 31, two semicircular upright wall portions 33 provided on the upper surface of the circular disk portion 31, a bleed hole 34 that penetrates the center of the circular disk portion 31 and serves as a communication passage that connects the primary-side port 11A with the secondary chamber 212 and allows slight movement of refrigerant even when the valve is closed, and locking portions 35 that protrude downward (toward the primary side) around the bleed hole 34 and lock the blade members 17. The valve element 12 is biased downward by the biasing forces of the bellows 13 and valve spring 14 to seat on the valve seat 11C. On the other hand, when the evaporation pressure of the refrigerant from the evaporator 100 flowing into the primary side port 11A increases, the valve element 12 separates from the valve seat portion 11C in response to the evaporation pressure.

[0022] The bellows 13 includes a formed bellows 131 formed by press-forming a thin metal plate such as stainless steel into a cylindrical, bellows-like shape with a bottom as a whole, a disk-shaped metal plate 132 welded to the surface of the primary end of the formed bellows 131 by, for example, spot welding, and a flange member 133 welded to the secondary end of the formed bellows 131. The bellows 13 is sealed by joining the formed bellows 131 and the flange member 133, and its interior is kept in a vacuum state or an extremely low pressure state. The metal plate 132 is inserted between the two locking claws 32 of the valve body 12 and abuts against the upright wall portions 33 at two locations, thereby assembling the valve body 12 and the bellows 13.

[0023] The guide portion 15 has a cylindrical cylinder member 151 provided on the primary side inside the bellows 13, a connecting member 152 abutted against a flange member 133 on the secondary side inside the bellows 13 by the biasing force of the valve spring 14, and a piston member 153 fixed to the connecting member 152 and supported so as to be able to move forward and backward by the cylinder member 151. The valve spring 14 is a compression spring, and is held in a pressed state between the cylinder member 151 and the connecting member 152. Therefore, the guide portion 15 receives a biasing force from the valve spring 14, and the bellows 13 is biased in the expansion direction along the axis L by the transmission of this biasing force.

[0024] The connecting member 16 has a bolt 161 fixed to the flange member 133 of the bellows 13, and a lock nut 162 threaded onto the bolt 161. The bolt 161 is threaded into a threaded hole 231 in the support member 23, and by rotating the bolt 161 to move it back and forth along the axis L, the bellows 13 and the valve spring 14 are expanded or contracted, thereby adjusting the biasing force on the valve element 12 and enabling the evaporation pressure controlled by the pressure regulating valve 10 to be adjusted to a predetermined pressure. Then, by adjusting the amount of threading of the bolt 161 to achieve an appropriate biasing force and then tightening the lock nut 162 onto the bolt 161 and the support member 23, the adjusted biasing force is maintained.

[0025] 2 and 3, the support member 23 has an annular portion 233 fixed to the other end of the bellows 13, a plurality of (three) extending portions 234 extending radially outward from the annular portion 233, and a held portion 235 formed into an annular shape by connecting the extending portions 234 and held by the valve body 11. The held portion 235 of the support member 23 is sandwiched between the upper end of the secondary chamber 212 of the first member 21 and the lower end of the held portion 221 of the second member 22 via a pressing member 224. The introducing hole 232 is formed by being surrounded by the annular portion 233, the extending portions 234, and the held portion 235.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows various types of rectifying means provided on the extending portion 234 of the support member 23. In FIG. 4(A), the rectifying means is configured by an arc-shaped tapered surface 234A provided by cutting out a corner on the primary side of the extending portion 234 having a rectangular cross section. In FIGS. 4(B) and 4(C), the rectifying means is configured by an inclined tapered surface 234B provided by cutting out a corner on the primary side of the extending portion 234 having a rectangular cross section. In FIG. 4(D), the rectifying means is the cross-sectional shape of the extending portion 234 formed to be elongated in the axial direction. In other words, the extending portion 234 is formed so that its height dimension (axial dimension) Y is greater than its width dimension X. By providing such rectifying means, the refrigerant passing around the extending portion 234 of the support member 23 is rectified, thereby reducing flow path resistance.

[0027] 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the support member 23 arranged on the stepped portion 214 of the first member 21 of the valve body 11. The radial width dimension of the held portion 235 of the support member 23 is smaller than the width dimension of the stepped portion 214 of the first member 21. The inner diameter D2 of the held portion 235 of the support member 23 is larger than the inner diameter D1 of the secondary chamber 212 of the first member 21 by an inner diameter difference C1. This makes it less likely that the held portion 235 of the support member 23 will impose resistance on the refrigerant passing through the secondary chamber 212.

[0028] 6 shows the state in which the first member 21 and the second member 22 are fixed to the valve body 11. The second member 22 is fixed by engaging a stopper member 24 with a groove 216 on the inner circumferential surface of a retaining portion 213 of the first member 21. The stopper member 24 is formed of a leaf spring that is C-shaped in a plan view. The stopper member 24 can be inserted into the retaining portion 213 by deforming its tip end 241 so that it approaches the first member 21. When the deformation is released, the stopper member 24 expands radially and is engaged with the groove 216. When the first member 21 and the second member 22 are fixed to each other by the stopper member 24 in this manner, an upward force acts on the second member 22 by pressing a pressing member 224 between the second member 22 and the support member 23. This upward force presses the stopper member 24 against the upper surface of the groove 216. In this way, the retaining member 24 expands radially outward by its own elastic force and engages with the groove portion 216, and is prevented from coming off the groove portion 216 by being pressed against the upper surface of the groove portion 216 by the pressing force of the pressing member 224.

[0029] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the unit piping connector 25 connected to the second member 22. The second member 22 and the second flange 19 form a pressure regulating valve connector, and the pressure regulating valve connector and the unit piping connector 25 are fastened together with bolts (not shown). A rubber O-ring seal member 251 is provided between the inner surface of the second cylindrical portion 222 of the second member 22 and the outer surface of the unit piping connector 25. The inner diameter of the inner circumferential surface 252 forming the flow path within the unit piping connector 25 is smaller than that of the inner circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion 222 of the second member 22. The inner diameter of the inner circumferential surface 252 within the unit piping connector 25 is larger than the outer diameter of the annular portion 233 of the support member 23 by a difference C2. Therefore, the flow path within the unit piping connector 25 and the extension portion 234 of the support member 23 partially overlap in the direction of the axis L.

[0030] According to the present embodiment, the extension portions 234 of the support member 23 provided in the flow path inside the valve body 11 are provided with rectifying means for rectifying the refrigerant, and the refrigerant rectified by the rectifying means flows into the secondary-side port 11B. This makes it possible to reduce pressure loss in the secondary-side flow path 226 and ensure an appropriate refrigerant flow rate, even if the flow path area of ​​the secondary-side flow path 226 gradually decreases. Furthermore, the minimum diameter portion of the tapered secondary-side flow path 226, whose flow path area gradually decreases, and the extension portions 234 of the support member 23 are partially overlapped in the direction of the axis L, so that pressure loss can be reduced even when the fluid flows into the secondary-side flow path 226 through the through holes 232 between the extension portions 234. Furthermore, since the second member 22 has a tapered secondary side flow path 226 as the secondary side port 11B, in which the flow path area gradually decreases, pressure loss can be suppressed without increasing the outer diameter of the second member 22, and the pressure regulating valve 10 can be prevented from becoming larger and becoming heavier.

[0031] Furthermore, by providing tapered surfaces 234A, 234B on the primary side of the extension portion 234 of the support member 23, or by forming the cross-sectional shape of the extension portion 234 to be long in the direction of the axis L, the straightening means can be constructed relatively simply and inexpensively.

[0032] Furthermore, when the pressing member 224 between the second member 22 and the support member 23 is pressed, the second member 22 is engaged by the stopper member 24 and fixed to the first member 21, so that the pressing force of the pressing member 224 acts on the stopper member 24, making it difficult for it to come off, and the second member 22 can be reliably fixed to the first member 21.

[0033] Furthermore, since the flow path within the unit piping side connector 25 and the extension portion 234 of the support member 23 are arranged to overlap in the axial direction L, the effect of the straightening means provided in the extension portion 234 allows straightened refrigerant to flow into the flow path within the unit piping side connector 25, thereby suppressing pressure loss in the unit piping side connector 25.

[0034] 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, the above-described embodiment illustrates a pressure regulating valve 10 that is connected between the primary-side evaporator 100 and the secondary-side compressor 200 to regulate the evaporation pressure to a predetermined value, but the pressure regulating valve of the present invention may be provided at other positions in the refrigeration cycle. Furthermore, the above-described embodiment illustrates a pressure regulating valve 10 used in an in-vehicle air conditioner, but the pressure regulating valve of the present invention may be used in air conditioners for homes and buildings, not just in vehicles, and may also be used in refrigerators and freezers other than air conditioners.

[0035] In the above embodiment, the stopper member 24 that secures the first member 21 and the second member 22 of the valve body 11 is formed of a leaf spring that is C-shaped in plan view. However, a stopper member 26 as shown in FIG. 9 may also be used. FIG. 9(A) is a plan view of the stopper member 26, and FIG. 9(B) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the first member 21 and the second member 22 are secured by the stopper member 26. The stopper member 26 is formed of a leaf spring that has an annular main body 261 and multiple (e.g., eight) protruding pieces 262 that protrude radially outward from the main body 261. The multiple protruding pieces 262 are inclined upward, and when the stopper member 26 is pressed into the retaining portion 213 of the first member 21, the protruding pieces 262 further deform upward and return to their natural inclination within the groove 216, thereby engaging with the groove 216. As described above, the tip of the protruding piece 262 of the stopper member 26 is pressed against the upper surface of the groove 216 by the upward force acting on the second member 22 from the pressing member 224 .

[0036] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, but the specific configurations are 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]

[0037] 10 Pressure Regulating Valve 11 Valve body 11A primary port 11B Secondary port 11C Valve seat part 12 Valve body 13 Bellows 14 Valve spring 21 First member 212 Secondary room 22 Second member 224 Pressing member 226 Secondary flow path 23 Support member 233 Circular Section 234 Extension 234A, 234B Tapered surface (flow rectification means) 235 Holding part 24, 26 Clamp member 25 Unit piping side connector

Claims

1. A pressure regulating valve that variably controls the opening degree according to the pressure acting on the valve body, a valve body having an inlet port, a outlet port, and a valve seat; a valve body that is seated on or released from the valve seat portion from the secondary side; a bellows having one end connected to the secondary side of the valve element and the other end connected to the valve body; a valve spring provided inside the bellows and biasing the valve body toward the valve seat; a support member that supports the other end of the bellows on the valve body, the support member has an annular portion fixed to the other end of the bellows, a plurality of extending portions extending radially outward from the annular portion and adjacent to each other at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the annular portion, introduction holes opening between the adjacent extending portions, and a held portion held by the valve body, the secondary side port is provided on the secondary side of the support member, and has a secondary side flow path whose flow path area gradually decreases, and a minimum diameter portion of the secondary side flow path, the extension portion of the support member, and the introducing hole are provided so as to overlap one another in the axial direction, A pressure regulating valve, characterized in that the extension portion of the support member is provided with a rectifying means for rectifying the refrigerant flowing from the primary side to the secondary side.

2. 2. The pressure regulating valve according to claim 1, wherein the flow straightening means is configured as either a tapered surface provided at a corner on the primary side of the extension portion having a rectangular cross section, or a cross-sectional shape of the extension portion formed long in the axial direction.

3. the valve body is composed of a first member that defines a secondary chamber that accommodates the primary side port, the valve seat portion, and the bellows, and a second member that defines the secondary side port, and the support member is disposed at a position that separates the secondary chamber from the secondary side port, 2. The pressure regulating valve according to claim 1, wherein a pressing member is provided between the second member and the support member, and the second member is fixed to the first member by being engaged with a stopper member while the second member and the support member press the pressing member.

4. The pressure regulating valve described in claim 3, characterized in that the second member constitutes a connector to be connected to a unit piping side connector, and the flow path within the unit piping side connector and the extension portion of the support member are arranged so that parts of each overlap in the axial direction.

5. 2. The pressure regulating valve according to claim 1, wherein the secondary side flow passage of the secondary side port is formed in a tapered shape so that the flow passage area gradually decreases.

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