Electric expansion valve and refrigeration cycle device

Abstract

This electric expansion valve comprises a driving part (10), an output shaft (44), a body part (60), a valve body (41), and a joint part (50). The driving part receives a supply of electricity, and generates a driving force. The output shaft rotates about the axis due to the driving force output from the driving part, and is translationally displaced along with the rotation. The body part has a first inflow / outflow port (64), a second inflow / outflow port (65), a valve chamber (62), and a valve seat (63). A refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle flows into and out of the first inflow / outflow port. The second inflow / outflow port is formed at a position different from the first inflow / outflow port. The valve chamber is disposed in the middle of a refrigerant passage (66) connecting the first inflow / outflow port and the second inflow-outflow port. The valve seat is disposed inside the valve chamber. The valve body is disposed inside the valve chamber so as to be able to open and close an opening of the valve seat. The joint part connects an end of the output shaft and the valve body so as to be integrally displaceable.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-165362 filed on October 14, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Technical Field]

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an electric expansion valve that reduces the pressure of a refrigerant flowing between a first inlet / outlet and a second inlet / outlet, and a refrigeration cycle device using the electric expansion valve. [Background technology]

[0003] Conventionally, a technique relating to an electric expansion valve used in a refrigeration cycle is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the electric expansion valve described in Patent Document 1, the rotational driving force generated by a motor is transmitted to a screw shaft via an output shaft formed on an output gear of a planetary gear reduction device.

[0004] The screw shaft is configured as the male screw of the screw mechanism, and by cooperating with the female screw formed in the bearing, converts the rotational driving force transmitted from the output shaft into power to move in the axial direction. Since the valve stem and valve disc are arranged at the end of the screw shaft via a ball, the valve stem and valve disc are configured to move toward or away from the valve seat according to the displacement of the screw shaft in the axial direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5022960 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Here, in the case of the electric expansion valve described in Patent Document 1, the refrigerant flows from an inlet located below the valve seat to an outlet located above the valve seat. Because the configuration of a refrigeration cycle using an electric expansion valve is becoming more complex, it is desirable to diversify the refrigerant flow between a first inlet / outlet corresponding to the inlet located below the valve seat and a second inlet / outlet corresponding to the outlet located above the valve seat. For example, it is desirable to allow the refrigerant to flow from the first inlet / outlet to the second inlet / outlet and from the second inlet / outlet to the first inlet / outlet while maintaining performance as an expansion valve.

[0007] Let us consider the electric expansion valve described in Patent Document 1. When the electric expansion valve described in Patent Document 1 is closed, the ball is pushed down by the displacement of the output shaft, and as a result, the valve stem and valve disc come into contact with the valve seat, closing the valve. In other words, when the valve is closed, the driving force generated by the motor is transmitted to the valve stem and valve disc via the threaded rod and ball, so that it is possible to realize the amount of displacement of the valve disc, etc., corresponding to the drive control of the motor.

[0008] However, when the electric expansion valve of Patent Document 1 is opened, the driving force generated by the motor displaces the threaded rod in a direction away from the valve seat. The ball, valve element, etc. are displaced by the corresponding amount due to the biasing force of the coil spring disposed on the valve element. The driving force of the motor acts directly on the threaded rod, but indirectly on the ball, valve element, etc. Therefore, when the valve is opened, the valve element is displaced by the biasing force of the coil spring, which may result in lower accuracy in controlling the displacement of the valve element, etc., relative to the drive control of the motor.

[0009] Next, consider the case where the electric expansion valve described in Patent Document 1 is arranged so that it faces from the outlet side located above the valve seat to the inlet side located below the valve seat. As described above, when the valve is opened, the driving force of the motor is not transmitted to the valve disc, and the biasing force of the coil spring acts in the valve opening direction. For this reason, if the electric expansion valve is arranged under the above conditions, the valve disc cannot displace in the direction away from the valve seat against the refrigerant pressure differential, and the electric expansion valve cannot open.

[0010] In view of the above, a first object of the present disclosure is to provide an electric expansion valve that can accommodate a plurality of modes regarding the refrigerant flow between a first inlet / outlet and a second inlet / outlet formed in a main body.A second object of the present disclosure is to provide a compact refrigeration cycle device by accommodating a plurality of modes regarding the refrigerant flow between the first inlet / outlet and the second inlet / outlet using an electric expansion valve.

[0011] An electric expansion valve according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a drive unit, an output shaft, a main body, a valve body, and a joint unit. an alignment mechanism; The drive unit receives a supply of electric power and generates a drive force. The output shaft rotates around its axis by the drive force output from the drive unit, and undergoes translational displacement as it rotates. The main body has a first inlet / outlet, a second inlet / outlet, a valve chest, and a valve seat. Refrigerant flows in and out of the refrigeration cycle through the first inlet / outlet. The second inlet / outlet is formed in a position different from the first inlet / outlet. The valve chest is located between the refrigerant passage connecting the first inlet / outlet and the second inlet / outlet. The valve seat is located inside the valve chest. The valve disc is located inside the valve chest so that it can open and close the opening of the valve seat. The coupling connects the end of the output shaft and the valve disc so that they can be displaced integrally. The aligning mechanism adjusts the axis of the output shaft to coincide with the axis of the valve disc. The joint has a cap member and a locking portion, and when the output shaft is displaced toward the valve seat, the end of the output shaft, while inserted through the insertion hole, presses the valve disc toward the valve seat, and when the output shaft is displaced away from the valve seat, the opening edge of the insertion hole comes into contact with the locking portion, moving the valve disc away from the valve seat. The cap member is attached integrally to the valve disc and has an insertion hole through which the output shaft is inserted. The locking portion has a portion at the end of the output shaft that is at least larger than the maximum diameter of the insertion hole. The aligning mechanism has a protrusion and a recess, and the protrusion fits into the recess, adjusting the axis of the output shaft to coincide with the axis of the valve disc. The convex portion is formed in a semispherical shape with the axial center portion of either the output shaft or the valve body projecting from either the end of the output shaft or the surface of the valve body facing the end of the output shaft, and the concave portion is formed in a conical shape with an apex at the axial center of either the output shaft or the valve body on the other of the end of the output shaft or the surface of the valve body facing the end of the output shaft, so as to be able to fit with the convex portion.

[0012] In the electric expansion valve, the end of the output shaft and the valve element are connected by the joint so that they can be displaced as a unit, and therefore the driving force output from the drive unit can be transmitted to the output shaft, the joint, and the valve element to displace them as a unit. This allows the electric expansion valve to adjust the amount of pressure reduction and the flow rate of the refrigerant in response to both the case where the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet to the second inlet / outlet and the case where the refrigerant flows from the second inlet / outlet to the first inlet / outlet.

[0013] A refrigeration cycle device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a radiator, an electric expansion valve, and an evaporator. The compressor compresses and discharges a refrigerant. The radiator radiates heat contained in the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor. The electric expansion valve reduces the pressure of the refrigerant flowing out from the radiator. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant reduced in pressure by the electric expansion valve.

[0014] The electric expansion valve includes a drive unit, an output shaft, a main body, a valve body, a joint unit, and an alignment mechanism; The drive unit receives a supply of electric power and generates a drive force. The output shaft rotates around its axis by the drive force output from the drive unit, and undergoes translational displacement as it rotates. The main body has a first inlet / outlet, a second inlet / outlet, a valve chest, and a valve seat. Refrigerant flows in and out of the refrigeration cycle through the first inlet / outlet. The second inlet / outlet is formed in a position different from the first inlet / outlet. The valve chest is located between the refrigerant passage connecting the first inlet / outlet and the second inlet / outlet. The valve seat is located inside the valve chest. The valve disc is located inside the valve chest so that it can open and close the opening of the valve seat. The coupling connects the end of the output shaft and the valve disc so that they can be displaced integrally. The aligning mechanism adjusts the axis of the output shaft to coincide with the axis of the valve disc. The joint has a cap member and a locking portion, and when the output shaft is displaced toward the valve seat, the end of the output shaft, while inserted through the insertion hole, presses the valve disc toward the valve seat, and when the output shaft is displaced away from the valve seat, the opening edge of the insertion hole comes into contact with the locking portion, moving the valve disc away from the valve seat. The cap member is attached integrally to the valve disc and has an insertion hole through which the output shaft is inserted. The locking portion has a portion at the end of the output shaft that is at least larger than the maximum diameter of the insertion hole. The aligning mechanism has a protrusion and a recess, and the protrusion fits into the recess, adjusting the axis of the output shaft to coincide with the axis of the valve disc. The convex portion is formed in a semispherical shape with the axial center portion of either the output shaft or the valve body projecting from either the end of the output shaft or the surface of the valve body facing the end of the output shaft, and the concave portion is formed in a conical shape with an apex at the axial center of either the output shaft or the valve body on the other of the end of the output shaft or the surface of the valve body facing the end of the output shaft, so as to be able to fit with the convex portion.

[0015] Furthermore, the refrigeration cycle device is configured to be switchable between a first operation mode and a second operation mode. The first operation mode is an operation mode in which the refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle flows in through the first inlet / outlet and flows out through the second inlet / outlet via the refrigerant passage and the valve chamber. The second operation mode is an operation mode in which the refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle flows in through the second inlet / outlet and flows out through the first inlet / outlet via the same refrigerant passage and valve chamber as in the first operation mode.

[0016] In the refrigeration cycle device, the end of the output shaft and the valve element are connected by the joint of the electric expansion valve so as to be displaceable together, and therefore the driving force output from the drive unit can be transmitted to the output shaft, the joint, and the valve element in the electric expansion valve to displace them together, thereby enabling the refrigeration cycle device to reliably achieve the first and second operation modes.

[0017] Furthermore, if the flow of refrigerant through the electric expansion valve in a refrigeration cycle device is limited to a flow from the first inlet / outlet to the second inlet / outlet, the configuration for guiding the refrigerant flowing out from the component on the second inlet / outlet side to the component on the first inlet / outlet side via the electric expansion valve becomes complicated. That is, under these conditions, the refrigeration cycle device needs a configuration for guiding the refrigerant flowing out from the component on the second inlet / outlet side to the first inlet / outlet of the electric expansion valve, and a configuration for guiding the refrigerant flowing out from the second inlet / outlet of the electric expansion valve to the component on the first inlet / outlet side.

[0018] In this regard, according to a refrigeration cycle device of one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electric expansion valve is configured to be compatible with the first operating mode and the second operating mode, thereby making it possible to achieve a more compact configuration than a refrigeration cycle device configured under the above-mentioned conditions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electric expansion valve according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a joint portion and an alignment mechanism portion in the electric expansion valve according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a refrigeration cycle device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an indoor air conditioning unit according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a cooling mode of the refrigeration cycle device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a heating mode of the refrigeration cycle device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of a cooling mode when a conventional expansion valve is applied to a refrigeration cycle device. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of a heating mode when a conventional expansion valve is applied to a refrigeration cycle device. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a joint portion in an electric expansion valve according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a joint portion in an electric expansion valve according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an adjusting mechanism in an electric expansion valve according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an adjusting mechanism in an electric expansion valve according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, several embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, parts corresponding to matters described in the preceding embodiment may be assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions may be omitted. In each embodiment, when only a part of the configuration is described, other previously described embodiments may be applied to the other parts of the configuration. In addition to combinations of parts that are specifically specified as being combinable in each embodiment, it is also possible to partially combine embodiments even if not specified, as long as there is no particular problem with the combination.

[0021] (First embodiment) A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. An electric expansion valve according to the present disclosure is applied to a refrigerant circuit that constitutes a refrigeration cycle of a vehicle air conditioner. The electric expansion valve 1 has a drive unit 10, a non-contact connection unit 20, a valve body unit 40, and a main body unit 60, and transmits driving force generated by electric power from a drive motor 11 as a drive source to move a valve body 41, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the refrigerant and reducing the pressure of the refrigerant.

[0022] The electric expansion valve 1 is disposed in a vehicle in a vertical orientation, meaning that the axial direction of the valve body 40 is substantially parallel to the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the drive unit 10 is disposed above the driven mechanism unit.

[0023] First, the configuration of an electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment has a drive unit 10 including a drive motor 11, which is a drive source. The drive unit 10 has the drive motor 11 and a motor case 15. The drive motor 11 is a motor that can be driven by speed feedback control, and has a stator 12, a rotor 13, and a shaft 14. The drive motor 11 is, for example, a three-phase brushless motor or a DC brush motor.

[0024] The shaft 14 is the output shaft of the drive motor 11 and rotates integrally with the rotor 13. The motor case 15 is made of thermoplastic resin (e.g., polyphenylene sulfide) and is attached to the main body 60 so as to cover the drive motor 11 and other components. The motor case 15 houses the drive motor 11 in an internal space formed by the upper surface of the main body 60. The stator 12 is fixed to the motor case 15. Although not shown, the stator 12 has a stator coil. In the first embodiment, the number of slots Ns of the stator 12 is six.

[0025] The rotor 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the stator 12 is disposed inside the rotor 13. The rotor 13 has a plurality of pairs of magnets, each consisting of an N pole and an S pole, arranged along the circumferential direction. In the first embodiment, there are four N poles and four S poles, and therefore the number of poles Pr of the rotor 13 is eight. The stator 12 and the rotor 13 output a driving force that rotates the shaft 14 by electromagnetic force.

[0026] The motor case 15 houses a drive circuit section 16. The drive circuit section 16 has a circuit board on which a plurality of electronic components for controlling the drive motor 11 are mounted. Although not shown, the motor case 15 is formed with an axis alignment section for axially aligning (centering) the shaft 14 of the drive section 10 with a rotating member 30 (described later). The axis alignment section is fitted into the main body section 60.

[0027] 1, the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment includes a non-contact connection part 20. The non-contact connection part 20 includes a magnetic gear and a partition wall 23. The magnetic gear includes a drive-side magnet 21, a pole piece 24, and a fixed magnet 25.

[0028] The drive-side magnet 21 is a magnet on the input shaft side that rotates integrally with the shaft 14 of the drive motor 11. The pole piece 24 is a magnetic modulation unit that modulates magnetic flux between the drive-side magnet 21 and a fixed magnet 25, and rotates integrally with the rotating member 30. The fixed magnet 25 is fixed to the main body 60 side of the electric expansion valve 1.

[0029] The drive-side magnet 21 is cylindrical and is joined to the outer peripheral surface of the rotor 13 of the drive motor 11 via a cylindrical intervening member 22. In other words, the drive motor 11 is disposed inside the drive-side magnet 21. The intervening member 22 is made of a magnetic material.

[0030] The driving-side magnet 21 has at least one pair of magnets, each consisting of an N pole and an S pole, arranged along the circumferential direction. In the first embodiment, there is one N pole and one S pole, so the number of poles Pin of the driving-side magnet 21 is two.

[0031] The number of poles Pin of the drive-side magnet 21 is equal to the number of poles Pr of the rotor 13 minus the number of slots Ns of the stator 12. In the first embodiment, the number of poles Pr of the rotor 13 is 8, and the number of slots Ns of the stator 12 is 6, so the number of poles Pin of the drive-side magnet 21 is 2.

[0032] The partition wall 23 is a sealing member that divides the internal space of the electric expansion valve 1 into a drive-side space located on the drive unit 10 side and a driven-side space located on the main body 60 side, and seals the driven-side space. The partition wall 23 prevents the refrigerant (high-pressure refrigerant) present on the main body 60 side from leaking into the drive-side space. In the first embodiment, the partition wall 23 is a member having a predetermined magnetic permeability. For example, the partition wall 23 is made of stainless steel that has been imparted with magnetism by transforming austenitic stainless steel such as SUS305 into martensite through work hardening.

[0033] The partition wall 23 is joined to the main body 60. The partition wall 23 and the main body 60 form a pressure vessel that is pressure-resistant. The partition wall 23 is disk-shaped with a central portion recessed downward, and has a sealing cylindrical portion 23a and a sealing bottom portion 23b. The sealing cylindrical portion 23a is cylindrical and is located on the outer diameter side of the drive-side magnet 21. The sealing bottom portion 23b is located below the drive-side magnet 21 and closes the sealing cylindrical portion 23a from the main body 60 side.

[0034] The sealing bottom portion 23b is formed in a disk shape with a central portion curved downward. To improve pressure resistance, the partition wall 23 is formed by integrally molding the sealing cylindrical portion 23a and the sealing bottom portion 23b. The corners forming the boundary between the sealing cylindrical portion 23a and the sealing bottom portion 23b are not right angles but are rounded with a predetermined radius of curvature, thereby improving the pressure resistance of the partition wall 23. As shown in FIG. 1 , the sealing bottom portion 23b is disposed in the gap between the shaft 14 and the rotating member 30 in the axial direction of the shaft 14 and the rotating member 30.

[0035] The pole piece 24 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is joined to the rotating member 30. The pole piece 24 has a plurality of magnetic material portions and a plurality of non-magnetic material portions. In the pole piece 24, the frustum-shaped magnetic material portions are arranged at approximately equal intervals along the circumferential direction, and the frustum-shaped non-magnetic material portions are arranged between the magnetic material portions. Therefore, the pole piece 24 has a cylindrical shape in which the magnetic material portions and the non-magnetic material portions are arranged alternately, and is located on the outer side of the sealed cylindrical portion 23a, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0036] Furthermore, a soft magnetic material (e.g., an iron-based metal) can be used as the magnetic material portion constituting the pole piece 24, and a non-magnetic material (e.g., stainless steel or resin) can be used as the non-magnetic material portion.

[0037] The fixed magnet 25 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is arranged on the outer diameter side of the pole piece 24, as shown in Fig. 1. The fixed magnet 25 is fitted into a cylindrical housing portion formed in the main body 60 via a cylindrical back yoke (not shown). The back yoke and the cylindrical housing portion are made of a magnetic material.

[0038] The fixed magnet 25 is a multi-pole magnet with a greater number of pairs of magnets, each consisting of an N pole and an S pole, arranged at approximately equal intervals along the circumferential direction. The number of poles Pf of the fixed magnet 25 is greater than the number of poles Pin of the drive-side magnet 21. In the first embodiment, the fixed magnet 25 is made up of 20 N poles and 20 S poles, so the number of poles Pf of the fixed magnet 25 is 40. The fixed magnet 25 is a multi-pole magnet with a greater number of poles than the drive-side magnet 21.

[0039] Here, in the first embodiment, the number of poles Pp of the pole piece 24 is the same as the sum of the number of poles Pin of the drive-side magnet 21 and the number of poles Pf of the fixed magnet 25. As described above, the number of poles Pin of the drive-side magnet 21 is 2, and the number of poles Pf of the fixed magnet 25 is 40, so the number of poles Pp of the pole piece 24 is 42. In other words, the pole piece 24 has 21 magnetic portions and 21 non-magnetic portions. In other words, the number of magnetic portions Npp in the pole piece 24 is equal to the sum of the number of poles Pin of the drive-side magnet 21 and the number of poles Pf of the fixed magnet 25 divided by 2.

[0040] Furthermore, the axial length of the pole piece 24 is shorter than the axial length of the fixed magnet 25. This reduces axial magnetic flux leakage at the pole piece 24, improving transmission torque.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 1, the electric expansion valve 1 has a rotating member 30 arranged to cover the lower and lateral sides of the partition wall 23. The rotating member 30 is an output member for outputting a driving force to the valve body portion 40. The rotating member 30 is rotated by the driving force transmitted from the drive motor 11 of the drive portion 10 via the non-contact coupling portion 20.

[0042] An output portion 30a is formed on the underside of the rotating member 30. The output portion 30a is formed in a rod shape extending downward from the rotation center of the rotating member 30, and is disposed coaxially with the shaft 14 of the drive motor 11. The output portion 30a is rotatably supported by a bearing member 31 fixed to an attachment portion 61 formed on the upper surface of the main body portion 60. Therefore, the rotating member 30 is rotatably supported below the partition wall 23 and above the attachment portion 61 on the main body portion 60.

[0043] The lower end of the output portion 30a is connected to the upper end of the output shaft 44 that constitutes the upper part of the valve body portion 40. Therefore, the driving force output from the output portion 30a of the rotating member 30 is transmitted to the output shaft 44 of the valve body portion 40.

[0044] 1, a shaft case 32 is attached to the upper surface of the main body 60. The shaft case 32 is attached to an attachment portion 61 formed above the main body 60 via a holding member 33, and has a communication hole 32a through which the valve body 40 is inserted.

[0045] The retaining member 33 is made of stainless steel and is attached to an attachment portion 61 formed on the main body 60 with the shaft case 32 held inside. The attachment portion 61 is open on the top surface of the main body 60 so as to communicate with the valve chamber 62. Therefore, the retaining member 33 holds the shaft case 32 so that the communication hole 32a is coaxial with the shaft 14 of the drive motor 11 and the output portion 30a of the rotating member 30. As a result, the movement direction of the valve body 40 is determined by the communication hole 32a so that it moves coaxially with the shaft 14 and the output portion 30a.

[0046] 1, the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment has a valve body portion 40 that is displaced by a driving force transmitted by an output portion 30a of a rotating member 30 via a drive portion 10 and a non-contact connecting portion 20. The valve body portion 40 is formed in a rod shape that integrally includes a valve body 41, a cap member 42, and an output shaft 44.

[0047] The output shaft 44 is a shaft-shaped member disposed inside the communication hole 32a formed in the shaft case 32, and has a contact protrusion 44a, a locking portion 45, and a male thread portion 46. As described above, the end of the output shaft 44 on the drive unit 10 side is joined to the output portion 30a of the rotating member 30. Therefore, the driving force generated in the drive unit 10 is transmitted to the output shaft 44 via the non-contact coupling portion 20 and the output portion 30a of the rotating member 30. As a result, the output shaft 44 rotates around its axis inside the communication hole 32a of the shaft case 32.

[0048] Here, the male thread portion 46 is configured by forming a male thread on the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 44, and is screwed into a female thread portion 32b formed in a part of the communication hole 32a of the shaft case 32. In other words, in the electric expansion valve 1, the male thread portion 46 of the output shaft 44 and the female thread portion 32b in the communication hole 32a form a screw mechanism portion.

[0049] The rotational movement of the output shaft 44 transmitted via the output section 30a is converted by the screw mechanism into an axial movement within the communicating hole 32a. That is, the output shaft 44 rotates about its axis due to the driving force output from the driving section, and undergoes translational displacement in conjunction with the rotation, via the male threaded section 46 of the output shaft 44 and the female threaded section 32b of the communicating hole 32a.

[0050] 1 and 2, an end of the output shaft 44 according to the first embodiment is formed with a contact protrusion 44a and a locking portion 45. The contact protrusion 44a and the locking portion 45 cooperate with the valve body 41 and the cap member 42 to form the joint portion 50 and the alignment mechanism portion 55.

[0051] The joint 50 is configured to connect the end of the output shaft 44 and the valve disc 41 so that they can be displaced as a unit, while ensuring translational displacement accompanying rotation of the output shaft 44 and displacement of the valve disc 41 within the valve chamber 62. The alignment mechanism 55 is configured to adjust the axis of the output shaft 44 so that it coincides with the axis of the valve disc 41 when the output shaft 44, the valve disc 41, and the cap member 42 are connected by the joint 50. The specific configurations of the joint 50 and the alignment mechanism 55 will be described in detail later.

[0052] As described above, the valve element 41 is attached to the end of the output shaft 44 by the joint 50, and is disposed inside the valve chamber 62 formed in the main body 60. The valve element 41 is disposed inside the valve chamber 62 so as to move toward or away from the valve seat 63 in accordance with the displacement of the output shaft 44 in the communication hole 32a of the shaft case 32, and is configured to be able to open and close the opening of the valve seat 63.

[0053] The cap member 42 is a cylindrical member that is attached integrally to the upper surface side (i.e., the output shaft 44 side) of the valve body 41. An insertion hole 42a is formed in the upper surface side of the cap member 42, and the end of the output shaft 44 is inserted into the insertion hole 42a. A predetermined internal space is formed between the upper surface of the cap member 42 and the upper surface of the valve body 41, and the abutting protrusion 44a and the locking portion 45 formed on the end of the output shaft 44 are housed inside the internal space.

[0054] A coil spring 47 is disposed between the lower end of the shaft case 32, which forms the upper surface of the valve chamber 62, and the valve body 41. The coil spring 47 is attached in a state in which the output shaft 44, the cap member 42, and the valve body 41 are inserted through the coil spring 47. The coil spring 47 biases the valve body portion 40 in a direction that brings the valve body 41 closer to the valve seat 63.

[0055] As a result, the biasing force of the coil spring 47 can cancel backlash in the output shaft 44 of the valve body portion 40 and the female thread portion 32b of the shaft case 32, thereby making the refrigerant flow rate characteristics in the electric expansion valve 1 uniform.

[0056] 1, the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment includes a main body 60 having a valve chamber 62 and the like. The main body 60 constitutes a part of the housing of the electric expansion valve 1. The main body 60 is formed from a cast material (e.g., AC4C) using an Al-Si-Mg aluminum alloy, and has a valve chamber 62, a valve seat 63, a first inlet / outlet 64, a second inlet / outlet 65, and the like.

[0057] In the main body 60, the valve chamber 62 is a portion through which the refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle flows, and at the same time, it forms a space in which the valve body 41 of the valve body portion 40 moves. In addition, on the top surface of the main body 60, a mounting portion 61 is formed which communicates with the upper portion of the valve chamber 62 and to which the shaft case 32 and the holding member 33 are attached.

[0058] 1 and 2, a valve seat 63 is formed inside the valve chamber 62. As described above, the shaft case 32 and the retaining member 33 are attached to the mounting portion 61 located above the valve chamber 62, so that the valve chamber 62 communicates with the drive motor 11 of the drive unit 10, the non-contact coupling portion 20, and the rotating member 30 via the communication hole 32a.

[0059] Furthermore, a first inlet / outlet 64 and a second inlet / outlet 65, which are part of a refrigerant passage 66 formed inside the main body 60, are connected to the valve chamber 62. The first inlet / outlet 64 is connected via a refrigerant piping to an inlet / outlet of one of the components of the refrigeration cycle (for example, the outdoor heat exchanger 103). Inside the main body 60, the first inlet / outlet 64 is connected via the refrigerant passage 66 to a position in the valve chamber 62 that is above the valve seat 63.

[0060] On the other hand, the second inlet / outlet 65 is connected to the inlet / outlet of other components in the refrigeration cycle (for example, the third connection part 116c, the evaporator 107) via a refrigerant pipe. Inside the main body 60, the second inlet / outlet 65 is connected via a refrigerant passage 66 to a position in the valve chamber 62 that is lower than the valve seat 63.

[0061] Therefore, in the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment, when the refrigerant flows in through the first inlet / outlet 64 and flows out through the second inlet / outlet 65, the refrigerant flows in the following order: first inlet / outlet 64, refrigerant passage 66, valve chamber 62 (valve seat 63), refrigerant passage 66, and second inlet / outlet 65. On the other hand, when the refrigerant flows in through the second inlet / outlet 65 and flows out through the first inlet / outlet 64, the refrigerant flows in the following order: second inlet / outlet 65, refrigerant passage 66, valve chamber 62 (valve seat 63), refrigerant passage 66, and first inlet / outlet 64. In other words, the refrigerant flows in the opposite direction along the path connecting the first inlet / outlet 64 and the second inlet / outlet 65 formed in the main body 60.

[0062] In the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment, when the valve body 41 moves away from the valve seat 63 within the valve chamber 62, the refrigerant flows between the first inlet / outlet 64 and the second inlet / outlet 65 and is decompressed and expanded.

[0063] Next, the specific configuration of the joint part 50 in the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The joint part 50 of the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment is composed of a cap member 42, and an abutment protrusion 44a and a locking part 45 formed on the lower end side of the output shaft 44 (i.e., the valve body 41 side).

[0064] As described above, the cap member 42 is a cylindrical member that is integrally attached to the upper surface side (i.e., the output shaft 44 side) of the valve body 41. The upper surface of the valve body 41 and the lower end surface of the output shaft 44 are opposing surfaces that face each other. As shown in Fig. 2, an insertion hole 42a is formed on the upper surface side of the cap member 42, and the end of the output shaft 44 is inserted into the insertion hole 42a.

[0065] A hemispherical contact protrusion 44a is formed at the lowest end of the output shaft 44 so that the axial center of the output shaft 44 is at the lowest point. The contact protrusion 44a is the part that comes into contact with the upper surface of the valve element 41 when the output shaft 44 is displaced downward to approach the valve seat 63.

[0066] A locking portion 45 is formed at the lower end of the output shaft 44. The locking portion 45 is disposed above the contact protrusion 44a of the output shaft 44, and is formed in a flange shape that widens in a direction intersecting the axis of the output shaft 44. The flange-shaped locking portion 45 widens more than the opening of the insertion hole 42a in the cap member 42, and has a portion that widens at least more than the maximum diameter of the insertion hole 42a.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 2, a predetermined internal space is formed between the upper surface of the cap member 42 and the upper surface of the valve body 41, and the abutment protrusion 44a and the locking portion 45 formed on the end of the output shaft 44 are housed inside the internal space.

[0068] Therefore, when the driving force from the drive motor 11 is transmitted and the output shaft 44 moves upward away from the valve seat 63, the locking portion 45 of the output shaft 44 abuts from below against the opening edge of the insertion hole 42a in the cap member 42. As described above, since the cap member 42 is attached integrally to the valve disc 41, the driving force of the drive motor 11 is transmitted to the valve disc 41 by contact between the locking portion 45 of the output shaft 44 and the cap member 42. As a result, in the electric expansion valve 1, the driving force of the drive motor 11 is transmitted to the valve disc 41 via the joint portion 50, and the valve disc 41 can be pulled upward away from the valve seat 63.

[0069] Furthermore, when the driving force from the drive motor 11 is transmitted and the output shaft 44 moves downward so as to approach the valve seat 63, the contact protrusion 44a of the output shaft 44 abuts against the upper surface of the valve disc 41 in the internal space between the upper surface of the cap member 42 and the upper surface of the valve disc 41. As a result, in the electric expansion valve 1, the driving force of the drive motor 11 can be transmitted to the valve disc 41, and the valve disc 41 can be pressed down against the valve seat 63 located below.

[0070] In other words, according to the electric expansion valve 1 of the first embodiment, the driving force generated in the drive unit 10 can be transmitted to the valve body 41 via the joint unit 50, and the amount of displacement of the valve body 41 relative to the valve seat 63 can be appropriately controlled.

[0071] Furthermore, when performing the valve opening operation of the electric expansion valve 1 to separate the valve element 41 from the valve seat 63, the driving force of the drive motor 11 can be transmitted to the valve element 41 to displace it, thereby suppressing the effects of refrigerant pressure difference and the like, thereby achieving the valve opening operation of the electric expansion valve 1. As a result, the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment can function as an expansion valve in both cases: when refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet 64 to the second inlet / outlet 65 via the valve chamber 62, and when refrigerant flows from the second inlet / outlet 65 to the first inlet / outlet 64 via the valve chamber 62.

[0072] Next, the specific configuration of the alignment mechanism 55 in the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The alignment mechanism 55 of the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment is composed of a contact protrusion 44a formed on the tip side (i.e., the valve element 41 side) of the output shaft 44 and a recess 41a formed on the upper surface of the valve element 41.

[0073] As described above, the contact protrusion 44a of the output shaft 44 according to the first embodiment is formed in a hemispherical shape that is curved at the lower end of the output shaft 44 so that the axial center portion of the output shaft 44 is at the lowest point.

[0074] Meanwhile, a recess 41a is formed on the upper surface of the valve body 41 according to the first embodiment, against which the contact protrusion 44a of the output shaft 44 comes into contact. The recess 41a is configured by recessing the upper surface of the valve body 41 downward, with the deepest portion located on the axis of the valve body 41. The inner peripheral surface of the recess 41a is configured as a tapered surface inclined at a predetermined angle. Therefore, the internal shape of the recess 41a is conical with its apex on the axis of the valve body 41, and is configured so that the contact protrusion 44a can fit into it.

[0075] In the alignment mechanism 55 configured in this manner, when the output shaft 44 presses the valve body 41 (i.e., when the valve is closing), the position of the output shaft 44 is adjusted so that the axis of the output shaft 44 coincides with the axis of the valve body 41.

[0076] More specifically, when the electric expansion valve 1 is closed, the output shaft 44 moves downward toward the valve element 41 due to the driving force of the drive motor 11, and the contact protrusion 44a comes into contact with the recess 41a formed on the upper surface of the valve element 41. A tapered surface is formed inside the recess 41a, and the recess 41a is configured so that the position corresponding to the axial center of the valve element 41 is the deepest.

[0077] Therefore, when the output shaft 44 moves downward with the contact protrusion 44a in contact with the tapered surface of the recess 41a, the position of the output shaft 44 is adjusted so that the lowest end of the hemispherical contact protrusion 44a is positioned at the deepest position of the conically recessed recess 41a.

[0078] As described above, the lowest end of the contact protrusion 44a is positioned on the axis of the output shaft 44, and the deepest position of the recess 41a is positioned on the axis of the valve body 41. Therefore, by cooperation of the contact protrusion 44a and the recess 41a that configure the alignment mechanism 55, the position of the output shaft 44 can be adjusted so that the axis of the output shaft 44 coincides with the axis of the valve body 41 during the valve closing operation of the electric expansion valve 1.

[0079] Furthermore, since the valve body 41 is pressed by the output shaft 44 with the axis of the valve body 41 and the axis of the output shaft 44 aligned, the driving force transmitted to the output shaft 44 can be properly transmitted to the valve body 41, ensuring that the pressure reducing function and flow rate adjusting function of the electric expansion valve 1 are performed reliably.

[0080] Next, the operation of the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the drawings. In the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment, when the rotor 13 is rotated by the drive motor 11 using electric power, the rotating member 30 rotates via the non-contact coupling part 20. The driving force is then transmitted to the output shaft 44 of the valve body part 40 via the output part 30a of the rotating member 30.

[0081] When the output shaft 44 of the valve body 40 rotates, the rotational movement of the output shaft 44 is converted into an axial movement of the valve body 40 by cooperation between the male thread portion 46 of the output shaft 44 and the female thread portion 32b of the shaft case 32. Therefore, by switching the rotational direction of the output shaft 44 through drive control of the drive motor 11, etc., the axial movement direction of the output shaft 44 can be changed.

[0082] For example, when the rotor 13 is rotated in a predetermined direction, the output shaft 44 can be moved closer to the valve seat 63. In this case, when the rotor 13 is rotated in the opposite direction to the predetermined direction, the output shaft 44 can be moved away from the valve seat 63.

[0083] When the output shaft 44 is moved closer to the valve seat 63, the contact protrusion 44a of the output shaft 44 comes into contact with the recess 41a of the valve element 41 and presses the valve element 41 closer to the valve seat 63. At this time, the hemispherical contact protrusion 44a and the conically recessed recess 41a work together to adjust the position of the output shaft 44 so that the axis of the output shaft 44 coincides with the axis of the valve element 41.

[0084] In this way, according to the electric expansion valve 1, when the output shaft 44 is moved closer to the valve seat 63, the driving force from the drive motor 11 can be appropriately applied to the valve body 41 via the output shaft 44, thereby performing the valve closing operation.

[0085] On the other hand, when the output shaft 44 is moved away from the valve seat 63, the positional relationship between the end of the output shaft 44 and the valve body 41 is maintained by the joint part 50. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower end of the output shaft 44 is inserted through the insertion hole 42a of the cap member 42 that is attached integrally to the valve body 41, and the locking part 45 that constitutes the joint part 50 is disposed in the internal space between the upper surface of the cap member 42 and the upper surface of the valve body 41.

[0086] Since the locking portion 45 is formed in a flange shape that expands larger than the maximum diameter of the insertion hole 42a, when the output shaft 44 is moved away from the valve seat 63, the locking portion 45 can abut against the opening edge of the insertion hole 42a in the cap member 42. Since the cap member 42 is attached integrally to the valve element 41, the driving force transmitted to the output shaft 44 acts on the valve element 41 via the joint portion 50, and can move the valve element 41 away from the valve seat 63.

[0087] In this way, with the electric expansion valve 1, when the output shaft 44 is moved away from the valve seat 63, the driving force from the drive motor 11 is appropriately applied to the valve body 41 via the joint part 50, thereby performing the valve opening operation.

[0088] Furthermore, with the electric expansion valve 1, the driving force generated by the drive motor 11 can be transmitted to the valve element 41 to move it, in both the valve closing operation of moving the valve element 41 closer to the valve seat 63 and the valve opening operation of displacing the valve element 41 away from the valve seat 63. As a result, the electric expansion valve 1 can realize displacement of the valve element 41 in accordance with the control of the drive motor 11, in both the case where the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet 64 to the second inlet / outlet 65 and the case where the refrigerant flows from the second inlet / outlet 65 to the first inlet / outlet 64, and is applicable to both modes.

[0089] As described above, the electric expansion valve 1 is configured to be able to handle both the case where the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet 64 to the second inlet / outlet 65 and the case where the refrigerant flows from the second inlet / outlet 65 to the first inlet / outlet 64.

[0090] Here, as one application example of the electric expansion valve 1 described above, a refrigeration cycle device 100 constituting a part of a vehicle air conditioner will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 5. The refrigeration cycle device 100 adjusts the temperature of the air blown into the vehicle cabin for air conditioning inside the vehicle cabin. The refrigeration cycle device 100 is configured to be able to switch a refrigerant circuit according to each operation mode described below for air conditioning inside the vehicle cabin.

[0091] The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 employs an HFO refrigerant (specifically, R1234yf) as a refrigerant. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 configures a subcritical refrigeration cycle in which the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 101 does not exceed the critical pressure of the refrigerant. Refrigeration oil for lubricating the compressor 101 is mixed into the refrigerant. The refrigeration oil is a PAG oil that is compatible with liquid-phase refrigerants. A portion of the refrigeration oil circulates through the cycle together with the refrigerant.

[0092] 3, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 includes a compressor 101, an indoor condenser 102, an outdoor heat exchanger 103, a first expansion valve 104, a second expansion valve 105, a third expansion valve 106, an evaporator 107, a chiller 108, and an accumulator 109. The compressor 101 draws in, compresses, and discharges a refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100. The rotation speed (i.e., refrigerant discharge capacity) of the compressor 101 is controlled by a control signal output from a control device (not shown).

[0093] The discharge port of the compressor 101 is connected to the refrigerant inlet side of an interior condenser 102. The interior condenser 102 is a condenser that exchanges heat between the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 101 and the air blown into the vehicle cabin. The interior condenser 102 is provided in an interior air conditioning unit 120 that is arranged inside the instrument panel at the front of the vehicle cabin.

[0094] The interior air conditioning unit 120 forms an air passage for supplying the blown air blown by the interior blower 122 into the vehicle interior. The interior condenser 102 heats the blown air by radiating heat from the discharged refrigerant to the blown air. Therefore, the interior condenser 102 is an example of a radiator that radiates heat from the discharged refrigerant discharged from the compressor 101.

[0095] The inlet side of the first connecting part 116a is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the indoor condenser 102. The first connecting part 116a is a three-way joint having three inlet and outlet ports that communicate with each other. Furthermore, as will be described later, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 has second connecting parts 116b to sixth connecting parts 116f. The second connecting parts 116b to sixth connecting parts 116f have the same basic configuration as the first connecting part 116a.

[0096] One of the outlets of the first connection part 116a is connected to one of the inlets of the second connection part 116b via a first solenoid valve 110. On the other hand, the other of the outlets of the first connection part 116a is connected to a first bypass flow path 113. The first solenoid valve 110 is a solenoid valve that opens and closes a refrigerant passage that connects one of the outlets of the first connection part 116a and one of the inlets of the second connection part 116b. The operation of the first solenoid valve 110 is controlled by a control voltage output from the above-mentioned control device.

[0097] As described above, one of the inlet and outlet ports of the second connection part 116b is connected to the outlet side of the first solenoid valve 110. The second connection part 116b is formed as a three-way joint, similar to the first connection part 116a. The outdoor heat exchanger 103 is connected to the other inlet and outlet port of the second connection part 116b. The second bypass flow path 114 is connected to the other inlet and outlet port of the second connection part 116b.

[0098] The outdoor heat exchanger 103 is an outdoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing out from the second connection portion 116b or the first expansion valve 104 and outside air blown by an outside air fan (not shown). The outdoor heat exchanger 103 is disposed on the front side of the drive unit compartment of the vehicle. Therefore, when the vehicle is traveling, the traveling air that flows into the drive unit compartment through the grill can be directed onto the outdoor heat exchanger 103.

[0099] The outdoor heat exchanger 103 functions as a radiator that radiates heat contained in the refrigerant to the outdoor air when the outdoor air temperature is higher than the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 103. On the other hand, when the outdoor air temperature is lower than the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 103, the outdoor heat exchanger 103 functions as an evaporator (heat absorber) that absorbs heat contained in the outdoor air into the refrigerant to evaporate the refrigerant.

[0100] The other inlet / outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 103 is connected to a first expansion valve 104. The above-described electric expansion valve 1 is used as the first expansion valve 104 of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100. As shown in Fig. 3 , the other inlet / outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 103 is connected to a first inlet / outlet 64 of the first expansion valve 104. The configuration of the first expansion valve 104 has already been described, so a repeated description will be omitted.

[0101] One of the inlet / outlet ports of the third connection part 116c is connected to the second inlet / outlet 65 side of the first expansion valve 104. The third connection part 116c is also configured as a three-way joint. One of the inlet / outlet ports of the evaporator 107 is connected to the other inlet / outlet port of the third connection part 116c. The third expansion valve 106 is connected to the other inlet / outlet port of the third connection part 116c.

[0102] The evaporator 107 is disposed in the interior air conditioning unit and is a cooling heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air blown into the vehicle cabin and the refrigerant that has flowed into the evaporator 107. The evaporator 107 cools the air blown by evaporating the low-pressure refrigerant and exerting a heat absorption effect. One of the inlet / outlet sides of the fourth connecting portion 116d is connected to the other inlet / outlet of the evaporator 107.

[0103] The fourth connection part 116d is formed as a three-way joint, similar to the above-described first connection part 116a, etc. The other inlet / outlet of the fourth connection part 116d is connected to the first bypass flow path 113. The other inlet / outlet of the fourth connection part 116d is connected to the third bypass flow path 115.

[0104] The first bypass flow path 113 is a refrigerant flow path that connects the first connection portion 116a and the fourth connection portion 116d. A second expansion valve 105 is disposed in the first bypass flow path 113. The second expansion valve 105 is a pressure reducing unit that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the first bypass flow path 113 and adjusts the flow rate (mass flow rate) of the refrigerant that flows downstream. The specific configuration of the second expansion valve 105 may be the same as that of the above-described electric expansion valve 1, but a conventionally known mechanical expansion valve or the like may also be used.

[0105] 3, the other inlet / outlet of the third connection part 116c is connected to a refrigerant inlet of the third expansion valve 106. The third expansion valve 106 is a pressure reducing part that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant flowing out from the other inlet / outlet of the third connection part 116c and adjusts the flow rate (mass flow rate) of the refrigerant flowing out downstream. The specific configuration of the third expansion valve 106 may be the same as that of the electric expansion valve 1 described above, but it is also possible to adopt a conventionally known mechanical expansion valve or the like.

[0106] A chiller 108 is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the third expansion valve 106. The chiller 108 is a component of the refrigerant circuit and also a component of the heat medium circuit (not shown). The chiller 108 is a water-refrigerant heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the low-pressure refrigerant decompressed by the third expansion valve 106 and the heat medium circulating in the heat medium circuit. The chiller 108 cools the heat medium by evaporating the low-pressure refrigerant and exerting a heat absorption effect.

[0107] The heat medium circuit is connected to a battery and on-board devices installed in the vehicle. Therefore, by circulating a temperature-adjusted heat medium in the heat medium circuit, the temperature of the battery and on-board devices can be adjusted. One of the inlet and outlet ports of the fifth connecting part 116e is connected to a refrigerant outlet of the chiller 108.

[0108] The fifth connecting portion 116e is formed as a three-way joint, similar to the first connecting portion 116a etc. The other inlet / outlet of the fifth connecting portion 116e is connected to the third bypass flow path 115. The other inlet / outlet of the fifth connecting portion 116e is connected to the other inlet / outlet of the sixth connecting portion 116f.

[0109] The third bypass flow path 115 is a refrigerant flow path that connects the fourth connection part 116d and the fifth connection part 116e. A third solenoid valve 112 is disposed in the third bypass flow path 115. The third solenoid valve 112 is a solenoid valve that opens and closes the third bypass flow path 115. The operation of the third solenoid valve 112 is controlled by a control voltage output from the above-mentioned control device.

[0110] The sixth connection part 116f is formed as a three-way joint, similar to the first connection part 116a etc. As described above, one of the inlet and outlet of the sixth connection part 116f is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the chiller 108. As shown in Fig. 3, the other of the inlet and outlet of the sixth connection part 116f is connected to the second bypass flow path 114.

[0111] The second bypass flow path 114 is a refrigerant flow path that connects the second connection part 116b and the sixth connection part 116f, and has a second solenoid valve 111. The second solenoid valve 111 is a solenoid valve that opens and closes the second bypass flow path 114. The operation of the second solenoid valve 111 is controlled by a control voltage output from the above-mentioned control device.

[0112] The other inlet / outlet of the sixth connecting portion 116f is connected to the inlet side of the accumulator 109. The accumulator 109 is a low-pressure gas-liquid separator that separates the refrigerant that flows into it into gas and liquid and stores excess liquid-phase refrigerant in the cycle. The gas-phase refrigerant outlet of the accumulator 109 is connected to the suction side of the compressor 101.

[0113] Next, the interior air conditioning unit 120, which constitutes part of the vehicle air conditioning system together with the refrigeration cycle device 100, will be described with reference to the drawings. The interior air conditioning unit 120 is an air distribution unit that integrates multiple components to blow out air adjusted to an appropriate temperature for air conditioning the vehicle cabin to appropriate locations within the vehicle cabin. The interior air conditioning unit 120 is located inside the instrument panel at the front of the vehicle cabin.

[0114] 4, the indoor air conditioning unit 120 is formed by accommodating an indoor fan 122, an evaporator 107, an indoor condenser 102, etc. in an air conditioning case 121 that forms an air passage for the blown air. The air conditioning case 121 is molded from a resin (for example, polypropylene) that has a certain degree of elasticity and excellent strength.

[0115] An inside / outside air switching device 123 is disposed on the most upstream side of the blown air flow of the air conditioning case 121. The inside / outside air switching device 123 switches between introducing inside air (i.e., air inside the vehicle cabin) and outside air (i.e., air outside the vehicle cabin) into the air conditioning case 121. The operation of the inside / outside air switching device 123 is controlled by a control signal output from the control device.

[0116] An interior blower 122 is disposed downstream of the inside / outside air switching device 123 in the flow of blown air. The interior blower 122 is an interior blower unit that blows air taken in through the inside / outside air switching device 123 toward the vehicle interior. The rotation speed (i.e., blowing capacity) of the interior blower 122 is controlled by a control voltage output from a control device.

[0117] The evaporator 107 and the indoor condenser 102 are arranged downstream in the flow of air blown by the indoor blower 122. The evaporator 107 is arranged upstream in the flow of air blown from the indoor condenser 102. A cool air bypass passage 125 is formed in the air conditioning case 121, which allows the blown air that has passed through the evaporator 107 to bypass the indoor condenser 102.

[0118] An air mix door 124 is disposed downstream of the evaporator 107 in the air conditioning case 121 in the direction of the blown air flow, and upstream of the interior condenser 102 and the cool air bypass passage 125 in the direction of the blown air flow.

[0119] The air mix door 124 is an air volume ratio adjusting unit that adjusts the ratio of the volume of the blown air that passes through the indoor condenser 102 side to the volume of the blown air that passes through the cool air bypass passage 125 after passing through the evaporator 107. The operation of the actuator for driving the air mix door 124 is controlled by a control signal output from the control device.

[0120] A mixing space is formed downstream of the blown air flow of the indoor condenser 102 and the cold air bypass passage 125 in the air conditioning case 121. The mixing space is a space where the blown air heated by the indoor condenser 102 and the blown air that has passed through the cold air bypass passage 125 and has not been heated are mixed.

[0121] Therefore, in the interior air conditioning unit 120, the air mix door 124 adjusts the air volume ratio, thereby adjusting the temperature of the blown air (that is, the conditioned air) that is mixed in the mixing space and blown into the vehicle interior.

[0122] Furthermore, openings for blowing the temperature-adjusted air mixed in the mixing space into the vehicle interior are arranged downstream of the airflow of the air conditioning case 121. The openings include a face opening, a foot opening, and a defroster opening (none of which are shown).

[0123] The face opening is an opening for blowing conditioned air toward the upper bodies of occupants in the vehicle cabin, the foot opening is an opening for blowing conditioned air toward the feet of occupants, and the defroster opening is an opening for blowing conditioned air toward the inside surface of the vehicle's front windshield.

[0124] Additionally, a face door, a foot door, and a defroster door (none of which are shown) are disposed upstream of the face opening, foot opening, and defroster opening, respectively. The face door adjusts the opening area of ​​the face opening. The foot door adjusts the opening area of ​​the foot opening. The defroster door adjusts the opening area of ​​the defroster opening.

[0125] The face door, foot door, and defroster door are air outlet mode switching units that switch the air outlet mode. These doors are connected to a common electric actuator for driving the air outlet mode doors via a link mechanism or the like, and are rotated in unison. The operation of the electric actuator for driving the air outlet mode doors is controlled by a control signal output from the control device.

[0126] Therefore, in the interior air conditioning unit 120, by switching the opening hole that the air outlet mode switching unit opens and closes to switch the air outlet mode, air conditioned air adjusted to an appropriate temperature can be blown out from the mixing space to an appropriate location in the vehicle cabin.

[0127] In a refrigeration cycle device 100 in which an electric expansion valve 1 is adopted as the first expansion valve 104, the air conditioning conditions in the vehicle cabin and the temperature adjustment conditions of the battery and on-board equipment can be changed in various ways by switching the configuration of the refrigerant circuit and changing the operating mode.

[0128] Specifically, the refrigeration cycle device 100 can be switched between various operating modes, including a cooling mode in which the blown air supplied to the vehicle cabin is cooled using a refrigeration cycle, and a heating mode in which the blown air supplied to the vehicle cabin is heated using a refrigeration cycle.

[0129] The operation of the cooling mode, which is one of the operation modes of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 in the cooling mode, the refrigerant discharge capacity of the compressor 101 and the air blowing capacity of the blower are controlled so as to exhibit their respective predetermined capacities.

[0130] Furthermore, the first expansion valve 104 is controlled to be in a throttled state that exerts a pressure reducing effect, and the second expansion valve 105 and the third expansion valve 106 are controlled to be in a fully closed state. The first solenoid valve 110 and the third solenoid valve 112 are controlled to be in an open state, and the second solenoid valve 111 is controlled to be in a closed state. Furthermore, the indoor air conditioning unit 120 is controlled so that the air mix door 124 closes the downstream side of the indoor condenser 102 and the blown air flows through the cool air bypass passage 125.

[0131] For this reason, in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 in the cooling mode, the refrigerant discharged from the discharge port of the compressor 101 flows in this order through the indoor condenser 102, the first connection part 116a, the first solenoid valve 110, the second connection part 116b, and the outdoor heat exchanger 103. In the cooling mode, the flow of blown air is bypassed around the indoor condenser 102 by control of the air mix door 124. Therefore, the heat of the refrigerant is not released in the indoor condenser 102, but is released to the outside air in the outdoor heat exchanger 103.

[0132] The refrigerant flowing out from the outdoor heat exchanger 103 flows from the first inlet / outlet 64 of the first expansion valve 104, which is composed of the electric expansion valve 1, to the valve chamber 62, and flows out from the second inlet / outlet 65 in a reduced pressure state.

[0133] The refrigerant flowing out from the second inlet / outlet 65 of the first expansion valve 104 flows in this order through the evaporator 107, the fourth connecting part 116d, the third solenoid valve 112, the fifth connecting part 116e, the accumulator 109, and the compressor 101, and circulates through the refrigerant circuit of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100. When flowing through the evaporator 107, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the blown air flowing through the indoor air-conditioning unit 120 and evaporates.

[0134] As a result, in the refrigeration cycle device 100 in the cooling mode, a vapor compression refrigeration cycle is configured in which the outdoor heat exchanger 103 functions as a radiator that radiates heat from the high-pressure refrigerant, and the evaporator 107 functions as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant decompressed by the first expansion valve 104. Then, in the refrigeration cycle device 100 in the cooling mode, the blown air cooled by the refrigeration cycle can be supplied into the vehicle interior, thereby realizing cooling of the vehicle interior.

[0135] As described above, in the cooling mode of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the refrigerant flows into the valve chamber 62 from the first inlet / outlet 64 of the first expansion valve 104, is depressurized in the valve chamber 62, and then flows out from the second inlet / outlet 65. In other words, the cooling mode corresponds to the first operation mode in the electric expansion valve 1 in which the refrigerant flows through the first inlet / outlet 64, the valve chamber 62, and the second inlet / outlet 65 in this order.

[0136] Next, the operation of the heating mode, which is another operation mode of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 in the heating mode, the refrigerant discharge capacity of the compressor 101 and the air blowing capacity of the blower are controlled so as to exhibit their respective predetermined capacities.

[0137] Furthermore, the first expansion valve 104 and the second expansion valve 105 are controlled to be in a throttled state that exerts a pressure reducing effect, and the third expansion valve 106 is controlled to be in a fully closed state. The second solenoid valve 111 is controlled to be in an open state, and the first solenoid valve 110 and the third solenoid valve 112 are controlled to be in a closed state. Furthermore, the indoor air conditioning unit 120 is controlled so that the air mix door 124 closes the cool air bypass passage 125 and blown air circulates through the indoor condenser 102.

[0138] Therefore, in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 in the cooling mode, the refrigerant discharged from the discharge port of the compressor 101 flows in the following order: the indoor condenser 102, the first connection part 116a, the second expansion valve 105, the fourth connection part 116d, the evaporator 107, and the third connection part 116c. In the heating mode, the air mix door 124 is controlled to allow the flow of blown air to pass through the indoor condenser 102. Therefore, in the indoor condenser 102, heat contained in the refrigerant is released, and the blown air is heated.

[0139] The refrigerant flowing out from the indoor condenser 102 is decompressed by the second expansion valve 105, and then flows through the evaporator 107. The refrigerant flowing out from the second expansion valve 105 absorbs heat from the blown air flowing through the indoor air conditioning unit 120 in the evaporator 107, and flows into the third connecting part 116c.

[0140] The refrigerant flowing out from the third connection part 116c flows from the second inlet / outlet 65 of the first expansion valve 104 constituted by the electric expansion valve 1 to the valve chamber 62, and flows out from the first inlet / outlet 64 in a decompressed state.

[0141] The refrigerant that has flowed out from the first inlet / outlet 64 of the first expansion valve 104 flows in this order through the outdoor heat exchanger 103, the second connecting portion 116b, the second solenoid valve 111, the sixth connecting portion 116f, the accumulator 109, and the compressor 101, and circulates through the refrigerant circuit of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100. When flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 103, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the outside air and evaporates.

[0142] As a result, in the refrigeration cycle device 100 in heating mode, the indoor condenser 102 functions as a radiator that radiates heat from the high-pressure refrigerant, and the outdoor heat exchanger 103 and the evaporator 107 function as evaporators that evaporate the depressurized refrigerant, thereby forming a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. In the refrigeration cycle device 100 in cooling mode, the blown air heated by the refrigeration cycle can be supplied into the vehicle interior, thereby realizing heating of the vehicle interior.

[0143] As described above, in the cooling mode of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the refrigerant flows into the valve chamber 62 from the second inlet / outlet 65 of the first expansion valve 104, is depressurized in the valve chamber 62, and then flows out from the first inlet / outlet 64. In other words, the heating mode corresponds to the second operation mode in which the refrigerant flows through the second inlet / outlet 65, the valve chamber 62, and the first inlet / outlet 64 in this order in the electric expansion valve 1.

[0144] By employing the electric expansion valve 1 as the first expansion valve 104, it is possible to accommodate the manner in which the refrigerant flows from the outdoor heat exchanger 103 to the third connecting portion 116c and the manner in which the refrigerant flows from the third connecting portion 116c to the outdoor heat exchanger 103 without adding complex refrigerant piping and configuration. The fact that the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 does not require the addition of complex refrigerant piping and configuration leads to a reduction in the space occupied by the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100. In other words, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 can contribute to the realization of a compact vehicle air conditioner that occupies a small space in the vehicle.

[0145] Here, a case where a conventionally known electric expansion valve (for example, the expansion valve described in Japanese Patent No. 5022960) is used as the first expansion valve 104 in the above-described refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 will be considered.

[0146] As described above, in the cooling mode of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, in addition to decompressing the refrigerant in the first expansion valve 104, it is necessary to cause the refrigerant to flow from the outdoor heat exchanger 103 to the third connecting part 116c via the first expansion valve 104. On the other hand, in the heating mode of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, in addition to decompressing the refrigerant in the first expansion valve 104, it is necessary to cause the refrigerant to flow from the third connecting part 116c to the outdoor heat exchanger 103 via the first expansion valve 104.

[0147] In conventionally known electric expansion valves (hereinafter referred to as conventional expansion valves), the refrigerant must be arranged so that it flows from the first inlet / outlet 64 through the valve chamber 62 to the second inlet / outlet 65. In conventional expansion valves, a ball is arranged between the valve disc and the output shaft, so that the driving force is not directly transmitted to the valve disc during the valve opening operation, and the valve is opened by the action of the biasing force of the coil spring. For this reason, in conventional expansion valves, if the refrigerant is arranged so that it flows from the second inlet / outlet 65 through the valve chamber 62 to the first inlet / outlet 64, the accuracy of the valve disc movement control becomes coarse, and the pressure reducing performance and flow rate adjusting performance of the first expansion valve 104 cannot be fully demonstrated.

[0148] When a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104 in the above-described refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 needs to direct the flow of refrigerant between the outdoor heat exchanger 103 and the third connection part 116c in a direction appropriate for the cooling mode or the heating mode. At the same time, in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, in order to demonstrate the pressure reducing performance of the first expansion valve 104 consisting of a conventional expansion valve, it is necessary to arrange the conventional expansion valve so that the refrigerant flows from the first inlet / outlet 64 to the second inlet / outlet 65 via the valve chamber 62.

[0149] When the configuration between the outdoor heat exchanger 103 and the third connection part 116c in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 is changed so as to satisfy the above conditions, the configuration becomes as shown in Figures 7 and 8. That is, as the configuration between the outdoor heat exchanger 103 and the third connection part 116c, it is necessary to add the first three-way valve 131 to the third three-way valve 133, the three-way joint 134, the first bypass passage 135, and the second bypass passage 136.

[0150] The configuration between the outdoor heat exchanger 103 and the third connection part 116c will be specifically described. One of the inlet and outlet ports of a three-way joint 134 is connected to an outlet and inlet port of the outdoor heat exchanger 103. The three-way joint 134 has a configuration similar to that of the first connection part 116a, for example. A second bypass passage 136 is connected to the other inlet and outlet port of the three-way joint 134. Furthermore, one of the inlet and outlet ports of the first three-way valve 131 is connected to the other inlet and outlet port of the three-way joint 134.

[0151] The first three-way valve 131 is a multi-way valve that has three inlet / outlets and can switch flow paths by selectively connecting at least two of the inlet / outlets. The operation of the first three-way valve 131 is controlled by a control signal output from a control device of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100. A first bypass passage 135 is connected to the other inlet / outlet of the first three-way valve 131. A first inlet / outlet 64 of the first expansion valve 104, which is a conventional expansion valve, is connected to the other inlet / outlet of the first three-way valve 131.

[0152] The first expansion valve 104, which is a conventional expansion valve, can have the same configuration as the above-mentioned electric expansion valve 1, except for the configuration of the valve body portion 40. The configuration of the valve body portion in the conventional expansion valve can be the configuration described in Japanese Patent No. 5022960, for example.

[0153] The second inlet / outlet 65 of the first expansion valve 104 is connected to one of the inlet / outlet ports of the second three-way valve 132. The second three-way valve 132 has a configuration similar to that of the first three-way valve 131. The other inlet / outlet port of the second three-way valve 132 is connected to a second bypass passage 136. The second bypass passage 136 is a passage between the three-way joint 134 and the second three-way valve 132, allowing the refrigerant to bypass the first three-way valve 131 and the first expansion valve 104.

[0154] The other inlet / outlet of the second three-way valve 132 is connected to one of the inlet / outlets of the third three-way valve 133. The third three-way valve 133 has a configuration similar to that of the first three-way valve 131 and the second three-way valve 132. The other inlet / outlet of the third three-way valve 133 is connected to a first bypass passage 135. The first bypass passage 135 is a passage between the first three-way valve 131 and the third three-way valve 133, for allowing the refrigerant to bypass the second three-way valve 132 and the first expansion valve 104. The other inlet / outlet of the third three-way valve 133 is connected to one of the inlet / outlets of the third connection part 116c.

[0155] Regarding the cooling mode of the refrigeration cycle device 100 when a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104, the flow of refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger 103 through the first expansion valve 104 to the third connection part 116c will be mainly explained.

[0156] As described above, in the cooling mode of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the refrigerant flows through the outdoor heat exchanger 103, the first expansion valve 104, and the third connection part 116c in this order. The flow of the refrigerant in other parts has already been described, so a repeated description will be omitted.

[0157] In the cooling mode of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 when a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104, in addition to the operation of each of the components described above, the operations of the first three-way valve 131 to the third three-way valve 133 are controlled. The first three-way valve 131 communicates the inlet / outlet on the three-way joint 134 side with the inlet / outlet on the first expansion valve 104 side, and closes the inlet / outlet on the first bypass passage 135 side.

[0158] The second three-way valve 132 communicates the inlet / outlet on the first expansion valve 104 side with the inlet / outlet on the third three-way valve 133 side, and closes the inlet / outlet on the second bypass passage 136 side. The third three-way valve 133 communicates the inlet / outlet on the second three-way valve 132 side with the inlet / outlet on the third connection portion 116c side, and closes the inlet / outlet on the first bypass passage 135 side.

[0159] 7, by controlling the operation of the first three-way valve 131 to the third three-way valve 133, in this cooling mode, the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 103 flows through the three-way joint 134 and the first three-way valve 131 in this order. The refrigerant flowing out of the first three-way valve 131 flows into the valve chest from the first inlet / outlet 64 of the conventional expansion valve, is decompressed in the valve chest, and then flows out from the second inlet / outlet 65. The refrigerant flowing out from the second inlet / outlet 65 passes through the second three-way valve 132 and the third three-way valve 133, and flows into the third connecting part 116c.

[0160] Even when a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104, by adding components such as the first three-way valve 131 and controlling their operation, the cooling mode in the refrigeration cycle device 100 can be realized in the same way as when an electric expansion valve 1 is used as the first expansion valve 104 described above.

[0161] Next, the heating mode of the refrigeration cycle device 100 when a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104 will be explained, focusing on the flow of refrigerant from the third connection part 116c through the first expansion valve 104 to the outdoor heat exchanger 103.

[0162] As described above, in the heating mode of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the refrigerant flows in the order of the third connection part 116c, the first expansion valve 104, and the outdoor heat exchanger 103. The flow of the refrigerant in other parts has already been described, and therefore will not be described again.

[0163] In the heating mode of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 when a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104, in addition to the operation of each of the components described above, the operations of the first three-way valve 131 to the third three-way valve 133 are controlled. The first three-way valve 131 communicates the inlet / outlet on the first bypass passage 135 side with the inlet / outlet on the first expansion valve 104 side, and closes the inlet / outlet on the three-way joint 134 side.

[0164] The second three-way valve 132 communicates the inlet / outlet on the first expansion valve 104 side with the inlet / outlet on the second bypass passage 136 side, and closes the inlet / outlet on the third three-way valve 133 side. The third three-way valve 133 communicates the inlet / outlet on the first bypass passage 135 side with the inlet / outlet on the third connection portion 116c side, and closes the inlet / outlet on the second three-way valve 132 side.

[0165] 8, by controlling the operation of the first three-way valve 131 to the third three-way valve 133, in this heating mode, the refrigerant flowing out from the third connection part 116c flows through the third three-way valve 133, the first bypass passage 135, and the first three-way valve 131 in this order. The refrigerant flowing out from the first three-way valve 131 flows into the valve chest from the first inlet / outlet 64 of the conventional expansion valve, is decompressed in the valve chest, and then flows out from the second inlet / outlet 65. The refrigerant flowing out from the second inlet / outlet 65 passes through the second three-way valve 132, the second bypass passage 136, and the three-way joint 134, and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 103.

[0166] Even when a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104, by adding components such as the first three-way valve 131 and controlling their operation, the heating mode can be realized in the refrigeration cycle device 100, just as in the case where an electric expansion valve 1 is used as the first expansion valve 104 described above.

[0167] In other words, when a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104, components such as the first three-way valve 131 must be added to the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 in order to achieve the same effect as when the electric expansion valve 1 is used as the first expansion valve 104. In other words, when the electric expansion valve 1 is used as the first expansion valve 104, the first three-way valve 131 and the like are not required, and the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 can be configured compactly.

[0168] Furthermore, when a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104, operational control of the first three-way valve 131 to the third three-way valve 133 is required to achieve the same effect as when the electric expansion valve 1 is used as the first expansion valve 104 in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100. In other words, when the electric expansion valve 1 is used as the first expansion valve 104, operational control of the first three-way valve 131 etc. is not required, and therefore the processing load on the control device for the operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 can be reduced.

[0169] As described above, in the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment, the end of the output shaft 44 and the valve element 41 are connected by the joint portion 50 so as to be displaceable as a unit, and therefore the driving force output from the drive motor 11 can be used to displace the valve element portion 40 as a unit. As a result, the electric expansion valve 1 can adjust the amount of pressure reduction and the flow rate of the refrigerant in response to either the case where the refrigerant flows through the first inlet / outlet 64, the valve chamber 62, and the second inlet / outlet 65 in that order, or the case where the refrigerant flows through the second inlet / outlet 65, the valve chamber 62, and the first inlet / outlet 64 in that order.

[0170] 2, the joint part 50 of the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment is integrally attached to the valve body 41 and includes a cap member 42 having an insertion hole 42a, and a locking part 45 formed on the end of the output shaft 44. The locking part 45 has a portion that is at least larger than the maximum diameter of the insertion hole 42a.

[0171] When the driving force from the drive motor 11 is transmitted and the output shaft 44 moves upward so as to move away from the valve seat 63, the locking portion 45 of the output shaft 44 abuts from below against the opening edge of the insertion hole 42a in the cap member 42. As a result, in the electric expansion valve 1, the driving force of the drive motor 11 is transmitted to the valve element 41 via the joint portion 50, and the valve element 41 can be pulled upward so as to move away from the valve seat 63.

[0172] Furthermore, when the driving force from the drive motor 11 is transmitted and the output shaft 44 moves downward so as to approach the valve seat 63, the contact protrusion 44a abuts against the upper surface of the valve disc 41 in the internal space between the upper surface of the cap member 42 and the upper surface of the valve disc 41. As a result, in the electric expansion valve 1, the driving force of the drive motor 11 can be transmitted to the valve disc 41, and the valve disc 41 can be pressed down against the valve seat 63 located below.

[0173] In other words, according to the electric expansion valve 1 of the first embodiment, the driving force generated in the drive unit 10 can be transmitted to the valve body 41 via the joint unit 50, and the amount of displacement of the valve body 41 relative to the valve seat 63 can be appropriately controlled.

[0174] The valve body 40 of the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment has an alignment mechanism 55 that adjusts the axis of the output shaft 44 so that it coincides with the axis of the valve body 41. As shown in FIG. 2, the alignment mechanism 55 of the electric expansion valve 1 according to the first embodiment is composed of a recess 41a formed on the upper surface of the valve body 41 and a contact protrusion 44a formed on the lower end of the output shaft 44.

[0175] Therefore, when the output shaft 44 moves downward to approach the valve seat 63 and presses the valve disc 41, the contact protrusion 44a that constitutes the alignment mechanism 55 fits into the recess 41a formed on the upper surface of the valve disc 41. This allows the output shaft 44 to press the valve disc 41 against the valve seat 63 with the axis of the output shaft 44 and the axis of the valve disc 41 aligned. As a result, the electric expansion valve 1 can appropriately transmit the driving force transmitted to the output shaft 44 to the valve disc 41, allowing the electric expansion valve 1 to reliably perform its pressure reducing function and flow rate adjusting function.

[0176] According to the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 of the first embodiment, the electric expansion valve 1 is employed as the first expansion valve 104, and the driving force of the drive motor 11 can be directly transmitted to the valve body portion 40 by the joint portion 50 to displace them integrally. Therefore, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 of the first embodiment can switch between a cooling mode as a first operation mode shown in Fig. 5 and a heating mode as a second operation mode shown in Fig. 6.

[0177] 7 and 8, when a conventional expansion valve is used as the first expansion valve 104, it is necessary to add components such as a first three-way valve 131 to a third three-way valve 133, a three-way joint 134, a first bypass passage 135, and a second bypass passage 136. Furthermore, in order to achieve the same effects as the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 using the electric expansion valve 1, it is necessary to further control the operation of the first three-way valve 131 to the third three-way valve 133. In this regard, according to the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 of the first embodiment, by using the electric expansion valve 1 as the first expansion valve 104, it is possible to make the configuration of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 compact and at the same time reduce the burden on the operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100.

[0178] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment different from the above-described embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. In the second embodiment, the configuration of the joint portion 50 in the valve body portion 40 of the electric expansion valve 1 is different from that of the first embodiment. Therefore, the configuration of the joint portion 50 according to the second embodiment will be described in detail. Since the other configurations of the electric expansion valve 1 and the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 are the same as those of the first embodiment, repeated description will be omitted.

[0179] As shown in Figure 9, the joint part 50 of the electric expansion valve 1 of the second embodiment is composed of a cap member 42 integrally attached to the valve body 41, a locking part 45 formed on the lower end of the output shaft 44, and a regulating member 43 attached to the cap member 42.

[0180] As in the first embodiment, the cap member 42 according to the second embodiment is a cylindrical member that is integrally attached to the upper surface side of the valve body 41. As shown in Fig. 9, an insertion hole 42a is formed on the upper surface side of the cap member 42, and an end of the output shaft 44 is inserted into the insertion hole 42a. Here, the opening area of ​​the insertion hole 42a according to the second embodiment is larger than the horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​a spherical locking portion 45 formed on the lower end of the output shaft 44.

[0181] Furthermore, a pair of mounting openings 42c are formed on the side surface of the cap member 42 so as to face each other in the horizontal direction. A restricting member 43 is attached to the pair of mounting openings 42c. One end of the restricting member 43 is fixed in one of the pair of mounting openings 42c, and the other end of the restricting member 43 is fixed in the other of the pair of mounting openings 42c. By attaching the restricting member 43 to the pair of mounting openings 42c, the opening area of ​​the insertion hole 42a of the cap member 42 is made smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the locking portion 45 of the output shaft 44 in the axial direction of the output shaft 44.

[0182] The locking portion 45 according to the second embodiment is the outer edge portion in the horizontal direction of a spherical portion formed at the lower end of the output shaft 44. The lower portion of the spherical portion of the output shaft 44 corresponds to the contact protrusion 44a in the second embodiment.

[0183] As a result, when the driving force from the drive motor 11 is transmitted and the output shaft 44 moves upward so as to move away from the valve seat 63, the locking portion 45 of the output shaft 44 abuts from below against the restricting member 43 attached to the attachment opening 42c of the cap member 42. As described above, the restricting member 43 is attached to the cap member 42, and the cap member 42 is attached integrally to the valve body 41. For this reason, the driving force of the drive motor 11 is transmitted to the valve body 41 by the contact between the locking portion 45 of the output shaft 44 and the restricting member 43.

[0184] As a result, in the electric expansion valve 1 of the second embodiment, the driving force of the drive motor 11 can be transmitted to the valve body 41 via the joint part 50, and the valve body 41 can be pulled upward so as to move away from the valve seat 63.

[0185] Furthermore, when the driving force is transmitted from the drive motor 11 and the output shaft 44 moves downward so as to approach the valve seat 63, this is the same as in the first embodiment described above, so a repeated explanation will be omitted.

[0186] As a result, the electric expansion valve 1 of the second embodiment can function as an expansion valve in both cases where air flows from the first inlet / outlet 64 through the valve chamber 62 to the second inlet / outlet 65, and where air flows from the second inlet / outlet 65 through the valve chamber 62 to the first inlet / outlet 64.

[0187] As described above, according to the electric expansion valve 1 of the second embodiment, even when it is configured with a spherical locking portion 45, a cap member 42, and a regulating member 43, it is possible to obtain the same functional effects as those of the above-mentioned embodiment due to the configuration and operation.

[0188] (Third embodiment) Next, a third embodiment, which differs from the above-described embodiments, will be described with reference to Fig. 10. The electric expansion valve 1 according to the third embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in the configuration of the joint portion 50 in the valve body portion 40 of the electric expansion valve 1. Therefore, the configuration of the joint portion 50 according to the third embodiment will be described in detail. The other configurations of the electric expansion valve 1 and the refrigeration cycle device 100 are the same as those of the above-described embodiments, so repeated description will be omitted.

[0189] As shown in Figure 10, the joint part 50 of the electric expansion valve 1 of the second embodiment is composed of a cap member 42 integrally attached to the valve body 41, a locking part 45 formed on the lower end of the output shaft 44, and a tubular member 43a attached to the cap member 42.

[0190] As in the above-described embodiments, the cap member 42 according to the third embodiment is a cylindrical member that is integrally attached to the upper surface side of the valve body 41. As shown in Fig. 10, the upper portion of the cap member 42 according to the third embodiment narrows so that the horizontal cross-sectional area decreases toward the top, and an insertion hole 42a and a notch 42b are formed in the upper surface of the cap member 42.

[0191] As in the above-described embodiment, the end of the output shaft 44 is inserted into the insertion hole 42a. The opening area of ​​the insertion hole 42a according to the third embodiment is larger than the horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​the spherical locking portion 45 formed at the lower end of the output shaft 44.

[0192] The notch 42b is formed by cutting out the opening edge of the insertion hole 42a in a direction extending radially outward on the upper surface of the cap member 42. In the third embodiment, the lower end portion of the output shaft 44 is disposed inside the cylindrical cap member 42 via the notch 42b, and the lower end of the output shaft 44 is inserted through the insertion hole 42a.

[0193] Similarly to the second embodiment, the locking portion 45 according to the third embodiment is configured by the outer edge portion in the horizontal direction of the spherical portion formed at the lower end of the output shaft 44. The lower portion of the spherical portion of the output shaft 44 corresponds to the contact protrusion 44a in the third embodiment.

[0194] The cylindrical member 43a according to the third embodiment is formed in a cylindrical shape and is attached to accommodate the cap member 42. The cylindrical member 43a closes the radially outer side of the cutout portion 42b of the cap member 42, and therefore restricts movement of the output shaft 44 so that the lower end of the output shaft 44 remains inserted through the insertion hole 42a.

[0195] As a result, when the driving force from the drive motor 11 is transmitted and the output shaft 44 moves upward so as to move away from the valve seat 63, the locking portion 45 of the output shaft 44 abuts from below against the periphery of the opening edge of the insertion hole 42a in the cap member 42. As described above, since the cap member 42 is attached integrally with the valve body 41, the driving force of the drive motor 11 is transmitted to the valve body 41 by the contact between the locking portion 45 of the output shaft 44 and the cap member 42.

[0196] As a result, in the electric expansion valve 1 of the third embodiment, the driving force of the drive motor 11 can be transmitted to the valve body 41 via the joint part 50, and the valve body 41 can be pulled upward so as to move away from the valve seat 63. Furthermore, when the driving force is transmitted from the drive motor 11 and the output shaft 44 moves downward so as to approach the valve seat 63, this is the same as in the above-described embodiment, and therefore a repeated explanation will be omitted.

[0197] As a result, the electric expansion valve 1 of the second embodiment can function as an expansion valve in both cases where air flows from the first inlet / outlet 64 through the valve chamber 62 to the second inlet / outlet 65, and where air flows from the second inlet / outlet 65 through the valve chamber 62 to the first inlet / outlet 64.

[0198] As described above, according to the electric expansion valve 1 of the third embodiment, even when it is configured with a cap member 42 having a spherical locking portion 45, an insertion hole 42a, and a notch portion 42b, and a cylindrical member 43a, it is possible to obtain the effects achieved by the configuration and operation common to the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0199] (Fourth embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment, which differs from the above-described embodiments, will be described with reference to Fig. 11. In the electric expansion valve 1 according to the fourth embodiment, the specific configuration of the alignment mechanism 55 differs from that of the above-described embodiments. The other configurations of the electric expansion valve 1 are the same as those of the above-described embodiments, so repeated description will be omitted.

[0200] The alignment mechanism 55 of the above-described embodiment is composed of a hemispherical contact protrusion 44a at the lower end of the output shaft 44, which is curved so that the axial center portion of the output shaft 44 is at the lowest point, and a recess 41a on the upper surface of the valve body 41, which has a conical internal shape with the axial center portion of the valve body 41 being the deepest.

[0201] In this regard, the alignment mechanism part 55 of the fourth embodiment is composed of a cylindrical abutment protrusion 44a formed to protrude downward at the lower end of the output shaft 44, and a recess 41a formed on the upper surface of the valve body 41.

[0202] As shown in Figure 11, the abutment protrusion 44a of the output shaft 44 in the fourth embodiment protrudes downward at the lower end of the output shaft 44 and is formed in a cylindrical shape centered on the axial center of the output shaft 44.

[0203] Meanwhile, a recess 41a into which the contact protrusion 44a of the output shaft 44 fits is formed on the upper surface of the valve body 41 according to the fourth embodiment. The recess 41a is configured by recessing the upper surface of the valve body 41 downward, and has a cylindrical internal space centered on the axis of the valve body 41. The internal space of the recess 41a is formed in a cylindrical shape that is slightly larger than the contact protrusion 44a of the output shaft 44.

[0204] In the alignment mechanism 55 according to the fourth embodiment configured as described above, when the output shaft 44 presses the valve disc 41 (i.e., when the valve is closed), the cylindrical contact protrusion 44a fits into the recess 41a, which has a cylindrical internal space. The contact protrusion 44a is formed in a cylindrical shape centered on the output shaft 44, and the recess 41a has a cylindrical internal space centered on the axis of the valve disc 41. Therefore, by fitting the contact protrusion 44a into the recess 41a, the position of the output shaft 44 can be adjusted so that the axis of the output shaft 44 coincides with the axis of the valve disc 41.

[0205] Furthermore, since the valve body 41 is pressed by the output shaft 44 with the axis of the valve body 41 and the axis of the output shaft 44 aligned, the driving force transmitted to the output shaft 44 can be properly transmitted to the valve body 41, ensuring that the pressure reducing function and flow rate adjusting function of the electric expansion valve 1 are performed reliably.

[0206] As described above, according to the electric expansion valve 1 of the fourth embodiment, even when the alignment mechanism part 55 is configured with a cylindrical abutment convex part 44a and a concave part 41a, it is possible to obtain the same functional effects as those of the above-mentioned embodiment due to the configuration and operation.

[0207] (Fifth embodiment) Next, a fifth embodiment, which differs from the above-described embodiments, will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 12. In the electric expansion valve 1 according to the fifth embodiment, the specific configuration of the alignment mechanism 55 differs from that of the above-described embodiments. The other configurations of the electric expansion valve 1 are the same as those of the above-described embodiments, so a repeated description will be omitted.

[0208] The alignment mechanism part 55 of the fifth embodiment is composed of a contact recess 44b formed on the lower surface of the output shaft 44 and a cylindrical protrusion 41b formed on the upper surface of the valve body 41 so as to protrude upward.

[0209] As shown in Figure 12, the abutment recess 44b of the output shaft 44 in the fifth embodiment is formed by recessing the lower surface of the output shaft 44 upward, and has a cylindrical internal space centered on the axial center portion of the output shaft 44.

[0210] On the other hand, a protrusion 41b that fits into a contact recess 44b of the output shaft 44 is formed on the upper surface of the valve body 41 according to the fourth embodiment. The protrusion 41b is configured by protruding upward from the upper surface of the valve body 41, and has a cylindrical shape centered on the axis of the valve body 41. The protrusion 41b is formed in a cylindrical shape that is slightly smaller than the internal space of the contact recess 44b of the output shaft 44.

[0211] In the alignment mechanism 55 according to the fifth embodiment configured as described above, when the output shaft 44 presses the valve element 41 (i.e., when the valve is closed), the cylindrically formed convex portion 41b fits into the contact recess 44b, which has a cylindrical internal space. The internal space of the contact recess 44b is formed into a cylindrical shape centered on the output shaft 44, and the convex portion 41b is formed into a cylindrical shape centered on the axial center of the valve element 41. Therefore, by fitting the convex portion 41b into the contact recess 44b, the position of the output shaft 44 can be adjusted so that the axial center of the output shaft 44 coincides with the axial center of the valve element 41.

[0212] Furthermore, since the valve body 41 is pressed by the output shaft 44 with the axis of the valve body 41 and the axis of the output shaft 44 aligned, the driving force transmitted to the output shaft 44 can be properly transmitted to the valve body 41, ensuring that the pressure reducing function and flow rate adjusting function of the electric expansion valve 1 are performed reliably.

[0213] As described above, according to the electric expansion valve 1 of the fifth embodiment, even when the alignment mechanism part 55 is configured with a contact recess 44b and a protrusion 41b having a cylindrical internal space, it is possible to obtain the same functional effects as those of the above-mentioned embodiments due to the configuration and operation.

[0214] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made as follows within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0215] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made as follows within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0216] In the above-described embodiment, the electric expansion valve 1 and the refrigeration cycle device 100 are applied to the refrigeration cycle of a vehicle air conditioner, but the present invention is not limited to this. The electric expansion valve 1 can be applied to any refrigeration cycle. For example, the electric expansion valve 1 may be applied to a refrigeration cycle for a residential facility.

[0217] Furthermore, the shape of the locking portion 45 of the output shaft 44 that constitutes the joint portion 50 is not limited to the shape of the locking portion 45 in the above-described embodiment. As the locking portion 45 in the present disclosure, various shapes can be adopted as long as it has a portion that is at least larger than the maximum diameter of the insertion hole 42a in the cap member 42.

[0218] For example, the locking portion 45 may be formed by a plurality of protrusions that protrude in a direction intersecting the axis of the output shaft 44 and are arranged to extend radially from the axis of the output shaft 44. In this case, the protrusion amount of the protrusions is set to be larger than the maximum diameter of the insertion hole 42a.

[0219] The alignment mechanism 55 in the present disclosure is configured by a recess formed on either the lower end of the output shaft 44 or the upper surface of the valve disc 41, and a protrusion formed on either the lower end of the output shaft 44 or the upper surface of the valve disc 41. The shapes of the recess and protrusion that configure the alignment mechanism 55 are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment. Various shapes can be adopted for the recess and protrusion in the alignment mechanism 55 as long as the engagement of the recess and protrusion allows the position of the output shaft 44 to be adjusted so that the axis of the output shaft 44 coincides with the axis of the valve disc 41.

[0220] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments or structures. The present disclosure also encompasses various modifications and equivalent modifications. In addition, various combinations and forms, including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. a drive unit (10) that receives a supply of electric power and generates a driving force; an output shaft (44) that rotates around its axis by the driving force output from the drive unit and undergoes translational displacement as the output shaft rotates; a main body (60) having a first inlet / outlet (64) through which a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle flows in and out, a second inlet / outlet (65) formed at a position different from the first inlet / outlet, a valve chamber (62) arranged between a refrigerant passage (66) connecting the first inlet / outlet and the second inlet / outlet, and a valve seat (63) arranged inside the valve chamber; a valve body (41) disposed inside the valve chamber so as to be able to open and close the opening of the valve seat; a joint portion (50) that connects the end portion of the output shaft and the valve body so as to be displaceable together; an alignment mechanism (55) that adjusts the axis of the output shaft so that it coincides with the axis of the valve body, The joint portion (50) is a cap member (42) that is integrally attached to the valve body (41) and has an insertion hole (42a) through which the output shaft is inserted; a locking portion (45) at an end of the output shaft (44) that has a portion that is at least larger than the maximum diameter of the insertion hole, When the output shaft is displaced to approach the valve seat, the end of the output shaft, while inserted through the insertion hole, presses the valve element to approach the valve seat, When the output shaft is displaced away from the valve seat, the valve body is moved away from the valve seat by contact between an opening edge of the insertion hole and the locking portion, The aligning mechanism includes: a hemispherical convex portion (41b, 44a) formed on either the end of the output shaft or the surface of the valve body facing the end of the output shaft, the hemispherical convex portion being formed by projecting an axial center portion of either the output shaft or the valve body; a recess (41 a, 44 b) formed in the other of the end of the output shaft and the surface of the valve body facing the end of the output shaft, the recess (41 a, 44 b) being recessed in a conical shape having an apex at the axis of the other of the output shaft and the valve body, and being capable of fitting with the protrusion, The electric expansion valve adjusts the axis of the output shaft to coincide with the axis of the valve body by fitting the convex portion into the concave portion.

2. A refrigeration cycle device including a refrigeration cycle including a compressor (101) that compresses and discharges a refrigerant, a radiator (102, 103) that radiates heat of the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor, an electric expansion valve (1, 104) that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant flowing out from the radiator, and an evaporator (103, 107) that evaporates the refrigerant reduced in pressure by the electric expansion valve, The electric expansion valve is a drive unit (10) that receives a supply of electric power and generates a driving force; an output shaft (44) that rotates around its axis by the driving force output from the drive unit and undergoes translational displacement as the output shaft rotates; a main body (60) having a first inlet / outlet (64) through which a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle flows in and out, a second inlet / outlet (65) formed at a position different from the first inlet / outlet, a valve chamber (62) arranged between a refrigerant passage (66) connecting the first inlet / outlet and the second inlet / outlet, and a valve seat (63) arranged inside the valve chamber; a valve body (41) disposed inside the valve chamber so as to be able to open and close the opening of the valve seat; a joint portion (50) that connects the end portion of the output shaft and the valve body so as to be displaceable together; an alignment mechanism (55) that adjusts the axis of the output shaft so that it coincides with the axis of the valve body, The joint portion (50) is a cap member (42) that is integrally attached to the valve body (41) and has an insertion hole (42a) through which the output shaft is inserted; a locking portion (45) at an end of the output shaft (44) that has a portion that is at least larger than the maximum diameter of the insertion hole, When the output shaft is displaced to approach the valve seat, the end of the output shaft, while inserted through the insertion hole, presses the valve element to approach the valve seat, When the output shaft is displaced away from the valve seat, the valve body is moved away from the valve seat by contact between an opening edge of the insertion hole and the locking portion, The aligning mechanism includes: a hemispherical convex portion (41b, 44a) formed on either the end of the output shaft or the surface of the valve body facing the end of the output shaft, the hemispherical convex portion being formed by projecting an axial center portion of either the output shaft or the valve body; a recess (41 a, 44 b) formed in the other of the end of the output shaft and the surface of the valve body facing the end of the output shaft, the recess (41 a, 44 b) being recessed in a conical shape having an apex at the axis of the other of the output shaft and the valve body, and being capable of fitting with the protrusion, The projection is fitted into the recess, and the axis of the output shaft is adjusted to coincide with the axis of the valve body, The refrigeration cycle device includes: a first operation mode in which a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle flows in through the first inlet / outlet and flows out through the second inlet / outlet via the refrigerant passage and the valve chest; a second operating mode in which refrigerant for a refrigeration cycle flows in through the second inlet / outlet and flows out through the first inlet / outlet via the same refrigerant passage and valve chest as in the first operating mode;

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