Electric valves and valve devices

Abstract

To provide a motor valve and a valve gear which can be arranged in a small space.SOLUTION: A motor valve 1 includes a valve body assembly 5, and a stator unit 8 fixed to the valve body assembly 5, the valve body assembly 5 having a valve body 10 having a valve chest 12 and a valve port 13, a cylindrical rotor case 30 mounted to the valve body 10, a cylindrical rotor 40 arranged inside the rotor case 30, and a valve element 20 to be moved with the rotation of the rotor 40, the stator unit 8 having a stator 90 arranged inside the rotor 40 to construct a stepping motor 98 together with the rotor 40, and a synthetic resin housing 80 having a cylindrical connector part 87.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , ,

[0005] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric valve and a valve device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional electric valve. The electric valve has a valve body, a case, a rotor, a stator, and a housing. The case has a cylindrical shape and is joined to the valve body. The rotor is disposed inside the case. The stator has a cylindrical shape and is coaxially disposed outside the case. The rotor and the stator constitute a motor. The housing houses the case. The housing has a connector portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] [[ID=]]The electric valve of Patent Document 1 is used, for example, in the valve device shown in FIG. 20. The valve device 803 has a plurality of electric valves 801 and a flow path block 950. The flow path block 950 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a mounting surface 951 on which the plurality of electric valves 801 are arranged. Since the stator of the electric valve 801 is disposed outside the case, the outer diameter of the electric valve 801 is large, and a large space for arranging the electric valve 801 is required. Therefore, in the flow path block 950, a relatively large mounting surface 951 is required. Further, the connector portion 887 of the electric valve 801 faces forward and backward. Therefore, in the system in which the valve device 803 is incorporated, a space for arranging cables connected to the connector portion 887 around the plurality of electric valves 801 is required.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an electric valve and valve device that can be installed in a small space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, an electric valve according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a cylindrical rotor case; a cylindrical magnet rotor disposed inside the rotor case; a valve body that moves in accordance with the rotation of the magnet rotor; and a stator disposed inside the magnet rotor and constituting a motor together with the magnet rotor.

[0007] In the present invention, it is preferable that the electric valve further comprises an inner case integrally having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion, a disc-shaped bottom wall portion connected to a first end of the peripheral wall portion, and an annular portion whose inner peripheral edge is connected to a second end of the peripheral wall portion, wherein the outer peripheral edge of the annular portion is joined to one end of the rotor case, the peripheral wall portion and the bottom wall portion are arranged inside the magnet rotor, and the stator is arranged inside the peripheral wall portion.

[0008] In the present invention, it is preferable that the electric valve further comprises a housing made of synthetic resin, the housing having a cylindrical support portion into which the stator is embedded, and the support portion being fitted into the inner case.

[0009] In the present invention, it is preferable that the housing further has a cylindrical connector portion, and that the connector portion extends in the axial direction of the magnet rotor.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the stator comprises a laminated core having a plurality of pole portions extending radially and arranged coaxially with the magnet rotor, and a plurality of coils arranged in the pole portions.

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that the electric valve further comprises a magnetic sensor for detecting the magnetism of the magnet rotor, and that the magnetic sensor is positioned between the pole portions in the support portion.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the electric valve further has a drive shaft that rotates together with the magnet rotor, the valve body has a female thread and the drive shaft has a male thread that is screwed into the female thread, or the drive shaft has a female thread and the valve body has a male thread that is screwed into the female thread, and the female thread and the male thread constitute a feed screw mechanism that moves the valve body.

[0013] To achieve the above objective, another aspect of the present invention provides a valve device comprising at least one electric valve and a flow path block having a mounting surface on which the electric valve is arranged, wherein the electric valve comprises a cylindrical rotor case, a cylindrical magnet rotor disposed inside the rotor case, a valve body that moves in accordance with the rotation of the magnet rotor, and a stator disposed inside the magnet rotor and constituting a motor together with the magnet rotor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, the magnet rotor has a cylindrical shape, and the stator, which together with the magnet rotor constitutes the motor, is positioned inside the magnet rotor. As a result, the outer diameter of the electric valve is smaller compared to a configuration in which the stator is positioned outside the magnet rotor. Therefore, the electric valve can be positioned in a relatively small space. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a front view of an electric valve according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the electric valve. [Figure 3] This is a bottom view of the electric valve. [Figure 4]It is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view of the valve body assembly of the electric valve. [Figure 7] It is a front view of the stator unit of the electric valve. [Figure 8] It is a rear view of the stator unit. [Figure 9] It is a bottom view of the stator unit. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG. 7. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI of FIG. 1 and FIG. 10. [Figure 12] It is a rear view of the stator of the stator unit. [Figure 13] It is a plan view of the stator. [Figure 14] It is a bottom view of the stator. [Figure 15] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV of FIG. 12. [Figure 16] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 15. [Figure 17] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVII-XVII of FIG. 15. [Figure 18] It is a cross-sectional view of the valve device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] It is a plan view of the valve device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. <​​​​​​​​​​​​Figures 1, 2, and 3 are the front, top, and bottom views of an electric valve according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line VV in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the valve body assembly of the electric valve. Figures 7, 8, and 9 are the front, rear, and bottom views of the stator unit of the electric valve. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the line XX in Figure 7. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view along the line XI-XI in Figure 10. Figures 12, 13, and 14 are the rear, top, and bottom views of the stator of the stator unit. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view along the line XV-XV in Figure 12. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view along the line XVI-XVI in Figure 15. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view along the line XVII-XVII in Figure 15. In each diagram, the X direction indicated by arrow X represents the left-right direction, the Y direction indicated by arrow Y represents the front-back direction, and the Z direction indicated by arrow Z represents the up-down direction (axis L direction). In arrow X, the side with the letter "X" is to the right; in arrow Y, the side with the letter "Y" is to the front; and in arrow Z, the side with the letter "Z" is to the up direction.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the electric valve 1 according to the first embodiment includes a valve body assembly 5 and a stator unit 8.

[0019] As shown in Figure 6, the valve body assembly 5 includes a valve body 10, a valve element 20, a rotor case 30, a bearing 35, a rotor 40, a drive shaft 50, and an inner case 60.

[0020] The valve body 10 comprises a main body member 11, a sleeve 18, and a valve body support plate 19.

[0021] The main body member 11 is made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy. The cross-sectional shape of the upper part 11a of the main body member 11 is hexagonal. The "cross-section" is a cross-section perpendicular to the axis L. The main body member 11 has a valve chamber 12, a valve port 13, a valve seat 14, a first connecting passage 15, a second connecting passage 16, and a mounting hole 17.

[0022] The valve opening 13 is connected to the valve chamber 12. The valve opening 13 is surrounded by the valve seat 14 in the valve chamber 12. The first connecting passage 15 has a cross shape and extends from the valve chamber 12 in the left-right and front-back directions. The second connecting passage 16 extends downward from the valve opening 13.

[0023] The mounting hole 17 is located on the upper surface 11c of the main body member 11. The mounting hole 17 is connected to the valve chamber 12. The main body member 11 has a retaining surface 17a which is an annular plane facing upward. The retaining surface 17a is located at the connection point between the mounting hole 17 and the valve chamber 12. The main body member 11 has a male thread 11s and a female thread 11t. The male thread 11s is located on the outer circumferential surface of the lower part 11b of the main body member 11. The female thread 11t is located on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 17. The main body member 11 also has annular grooves 11d and 11e. The annular groove 11d is located on the outer circumferential surface of the lower part 11b of the main body member 11 above the male thread 11s. The annular groove 11e is located on the outer circumferential surface of the lower part 11b of the main body member 11 below the first connection passage 15. O-rings are placed in the annular grooves 11d and 11e.

[0024] The sleeve 18 is made of synthetic resin or metal. The sleeve 18 has an overall cylindrical shape. The sleeve 18 integrally comprises a small diameter portion 18a, a large diameter portion 18b, and a flange portion 18c.

[0025] The small-diameter portion 18a and the large-diameter portion 18b have a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the large-diameter portion 18b is larger than the outer diameter of the small-diameter portion 18a. The lower end of the large-diameter portion 18b is coaxially connected to the upper end of the small-diameter portion 18a. The flange portion 18c has an annular plate shape. The inner periphery of the flange portion 18c is connected to the upper end of the large-diameter portion 18b. The small-diameter portion 18a and the large-diameter portion 18b are arranged in the valve chamber 12. The flange portion 18c is in contact with the retaining surface 17a of the main body member 11.

[0026] The valve support plate 19 is made of synthetic resin or metal. The valve support plate 19 has an annular plate shape. The outer edge of the valve support plate 19 is circular and the inner edge is square. The valve support plate 19 is positioned in the mounting hole 17, and the lower surface of the valve support plate 19 is in contact with the flange portion 18c of the sleeve 18.

[0027] The valve body 20 is made of synthetic resin or metal. The valve body 20 integrally comprises a shaft portion 21 and a valve portion 22.

[0028] The shaft portion 21 has an overall columnar shape. The upper part 21a of the shaft portion 21 has a rectangular prism shape. The outer shape of the cross-section of the upper part 21a is a square, the same as the inner circumference of the valve body support plate 19. The lower part 21b of the shaft portion 21 has a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the lower part 21b is the same as the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 18a of the sleeve 18. The shaft portion 21 has a screw hole 21c and an internal thread 21t. The screw hole 21c is located on the upper end surface of the shaft portion 21. The internal thread 21t is located on the inner circumference of the screw hole 21c.

[0029] The upper part 21a of the shaft portion 21 is positioned inside the valve body support plate 19. The lower part 21b of the shaft portion 21 is positioned inside the small diameter portion 18a of the sleeve 18. The valve body 20 is supported by the sleeve 18 and the valve body support plate 19 so as to be movable in the vertical direction (axis L direction). The rotation of the valve body 20 about axis L is restricted by the valve body support plate 19. The shape of the upper part 21a of the shaft portion 21 and the shape of the inner circumference of the valve body support plate 19 do not need to be such as to restrict the rotation of the valve body 20 about axis L.

[0030] The valve portion 22 has a frustoconical shape, with its diameter decreasing from top to bottom. The valve portion 22 is coaxially connected to the lower end of the shaft portion 21. The valve portion 22 is positioned in the valve chamber 12 and the valve port 13. The valve portion 22 faces the valve port 13 and the valve seat 14 in the vertical direction. When the valve portion 22 contacts the valve seat 14, the valve port 13 closes. When the valve portion 22 moves away from the valve seat 14, the valve port 13 opens, and a throttling passage is formed between the valve portion 22 and the valve port 13.

[0031] The rotor case 30 is made of a metal such as non-magnetic stainless steel. In this specification, "non-magnetic" means the property of not becoming magnetized even when placed in a magnetic field (including the property of not becoming substantially magnetized). The rotor case 30 may also be made of synthetic resin. The rotor case 30 has an overall cylindrical shape. The rotor case 30 integrally comprises a first part 31, a second part 32, and a connecting part 33.

[0032] The first part 31 has a cylindrical shape. The first part 31 has a male thread 31s. The male thread 31s is located at the lower part of the outer circumferential surface of the first part 31. The first part 31 is positioned in the mounting hole 17 of the main body member 11, and the male thread 31s of the first part 31 is screwed into the female thread 11t of the main body member 11. The first part 31 (i.e., the rotor case 30) is attached to the main body member 11 by a screw structure. In the mounting hole 17, the space between the main body member 11 and the first part 31 is sealed with an O-ring 39. The flange portion 18c of the sleeve 18 and the valve body support plate 19 are held between the lower end of the first part 31 and the holding surface 17a of the main body member 11. The first part 31 has a bearing mounting surface 31a, which is an annular plane facing upward. The bearing mounting surface 31a is located on the inner circumferential surface of the first part 31.

[0033] The second part 32 has a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the second part 32 is larger than the outer diameter of the first part 31. The connecting part 33 has an annular plate shape. The inner periphery of the connecting part 33 is connected to the upper end of the first part 31, and the outer periphery of the connecting part 33 is connected to the lower end of the second part 32.

[0034] The bearing 35 is, for example, a radial ball bearing. The bearing 35 is located inside the first portion 31. The lower end of the outer ring of the bearing 35 is in contact with the bearing mounting surface 31a. The bearing 35 may also be a thrust ball bearing.

[0035] The rotor 40 has an overall cylindrical shape. The rotor 40 is located inside the second portion 32 of the rotor case 30. The rotor 40 integrally comprises a cylindrical portion 41, a disc portion 42, and a connecting portion 43.

[0036] The cylindrical portion 41 has multiple north poles and multiple south poles. The multiple north poles and multiple south poles are arranged alternately at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 41. The multiple north poles and multiple south poles extend in the vertical direction. The cylindrical portion 41 has, for example, 5 north poles and 5 south poles. The disc portion 42 is connected to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 41. The connecting portion 43 has a cylindrical shape. The connecting portion 43 is arranged coaxially in the center of the disc portion 42. The rotor 40 is a magnetic rotor.

[0037] The drive shaft 50 is made of synthetic resin or metal. The drive shaft 50 has an overall cylindrical shape. The drive shaft 50 has a male screw 51s. The male screw 51s is located on the outer circumferential surface of the lower part of the drive shaft 50. The male screw 51s is screwed into the female screw 21t of the valve body 20. The drive shaft 50 may have a female screw and the valve body 20 may have a male screw. The female screw 21t and the male screw 51s form a feed screw mechanism that moves the valve body 20 in the vertical direction. The central part of the drive shaft 50 is rotatably supported by a bearing 35. The drive shaft 50 has a support surface 50a which is an annular plane facing downwards. The upper end of the inner ring of the bearing 35 is in contact with the support surface 50a. The upper part of the drive shaft 50 is fitted into a connecting part 43. The drive shaft 50 rotates together with the rotor 40.

[0038] The inner case 60 is made of a metal such as non-magnetic stainless steel, for example. The inner case 60 may also be made of synthetic resin. The inner case 60 integrally comprises a peripheral wall portion 61, a bottom wall portion 62, and an annular portion 63.

[0039] The peripheral wall portion 61 has a cylindrical shape. The peripheral wall portion 61 has a plurality of protrusions 61a. The plurality of protrusions 61a are located on the upper part of the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 61. The bottom wall portion 62 has a disc shape. The outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 62 is connected to the lower end (first end) of the peripheral wall portion 61. The annular portion 63 has an annular plate shape. The inner peripheral edge of the annular portion 63 is connected to the upper end (second end) of the peripheral wall portion 61. The outer peripheral edge of the annular portion 63 is joined to the upper end (one end) of the second portion 32 of the rotor case 30 around its entire circumference. The peripheral wall portion 61 and the bottom wall portion 62 are located inside the rotor 40. The second portion 32 of the rotor case 30 and the inner case 60 form a rotor space 65. The rotor 40 is located in the rotor space 65. The rotor space 65 is sealed from the outside of the electric valve 1. The rotor space 65 is connected to the valve chamber 12 through a gap. The refrigerant from the valve chamber 12 is introduced into the rotor space 65.

[0040] As shown in Figures 7 to 11, the stator unit 8 includes a housing 80, a stator 90, a control device 100, and a magnetic sensor 110.

[0041] The housing 80 is made of synthetic resin. The housing 80 has a housing body 81 and a lid 85.

[0042] The housing body 81 integrally comprises a peripheral wall portion 82, a bottom wall portion 83, and a support portion 84. The peripheral wall portion 82 has a cylindrical shape. The bottom wall portion 83 has a disc shape. The bottom wall portion 83 is connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 82. The support portion 84 has a cylindrical shape. The support portion 84 is coaxially connected to the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 83. The outer diameter of the support portion 84 is the same as the inner diameter of the peripheral wall portion 61 of the inner case 60. The support portion 84 has a plurality of recesses 84a. The plurality of recesses 84a are located on the upper part of the outer circumferential surface of the support portion 84. The support portion 84 is located in the inner case 60, and the plurality of protrusions 61a of the inner case 60 are fitted into the plurality of recesses 84a. The support portion 84 is fitted into the inner case 60. The space between the bottom wall portion 83 and the annular portion 63 of the inner case 60 is sealed with an O-ring 89.

[0043] The cover 85 integrally comprises a cover portion 86 and a connector portion 87. The cover portion 86 has a disc shape. The outer edge of the cover portion 86 is joined to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 82. The connector portion 87 has an elongated cylindrical shape. The connector portion 87 extends upward from the center of the upper surface of the cover portion 86. The peripheral wall portion 82, the bottom wall portion 83, and the cover portion 86 form a control device space 88.

[0044] As shown in Figures 12 to 17, the stator 90 has a laminated core 91, a bobbin 92, a plurality of coils 93, and a plurality of coil terminals 94.

[0045] The laminated core 91 integrally comprises a central portion 91a and a plurality of pole portions 91b. The central portion 91a has a cylindrical shape. The central portion 91a is arranged coaxially with the rotor 40. The plurality of pole portions 91b extend radially (in a direction perpendicular to the axis L) from the central portion 91a. The plurality of pole portions 91b are arranged at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer surface of the central portion 91a. The laminated core 91 has, for example, three pole portions 91b. The laminated core 91 is formed by stacking a plurality of thin electromagnetic steel sheets. An insulating film is formed on the surface of the electromagnetic steel sheets. The electromagnetic steel sheets are arranged along the extending direction of the plurality of pole portions 91b.

[0046] The bobbin 92 is made of synthetic resin. The bobbin 92 has multiple sleeve portions 92a that cover multiple pole portions 91b. The pole portions 91b are positioned inside the sleeve portions 92a. The pole portions 91b pass through the sleeve portions 92a. The multiple coils 93 are wires wound around the multiple sleeve portions 92a of the bobbin 92. The multiple coils 93 are positioned around the multiple pole portions 91b. The multiple coil terminals 94 extend upward from the bobbin 92. The multiple coil terminals 94 are electrically connected to the multiple coils 93.

[0047] The stator 90 is embedded in the support portion 84 of the housing 80. The stator 90, together with the support portion 84 of the housing 80, is positioned inside the peripheral wall portion 61 of the inner case 60. The rotor 40 is positioned outside the peripheral wall portion 61. The rotor 40 and the stator 90 constitute a stepping motor 98. Note that the electric valve 1 may have other types of motors, such as a brushless DC motor.

[0048] The control device 100 is located in the control device space 88. The control device 100 includes a circuit board 101, terminal components 102, and a computer (not shown). The circuit board 101 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components, including the computer, are mounted. Multiple coil terminals 94 of the stator 90 are connected to the circuit board 101. The terminal components 102 have multiple connector terminals 103. One end of each of the multiple connector terminals 103 is connected to the circuit board 101, and the other end is located inside the connector section 87. The computer controls the electric valve 1.

[0049] The magnetic sensor 110 is a sensor having a Hall element that outputs a signal (digital signal) corresponding to the direction of the magnetic field. The magnetic sensor 110 is located at the bottom of the support portion 84 of the housing 80. The magnetic sensor 110 is positioned between adjacent pole portions 91b on the support portion 84. The magnetic sensor 110 faces radially with the magnetic poles (N pole and S pole) of the rotor 40 via the peripheral wall portion 61 of the inner case 60. The magnetic sensor 110 detects the magnetism of the rotor 40. The magnetic sensor 110 is electrically connected to the substrate 101, and the computer detects the rotational position of the rotor 40 based on the signal from the magnetic sensor 110.

[0050] In the electric valve 1, the main body member 11 (valve chamber 12, valve port 13, valve seat 14, mounting hole 17), sleeve 18, valve body support plate 19, valve body 20, rotor case 30, bearing 35, rotor 40, drive shaft 50, inner case 60, housing body 81, cover 85 (cover portion 86, connector portion 87), and stator 90 each have their central axes coincide with the axis L.

[0051] Next, we will explain the operation of the electric valve 1.

[0052] In the electric valve 1, current is supplied to multiple coils 93 of the stator 90 to rotate the rotor 40 in a first direction. The drive shaft 50 rotates together with the rotor 40. Due to the feed screw action between the male thread 51s of the drive shaft 50 and the female thread 21t of the valve body 20, the valve body 20 moves downward, and the opening area of ​​the valve port 13 (throttling passage) decreases. When the valve body 20 comes into contact with the valve seat 14 and the valve port 13 closes, the electric valve 1 becomes fully closed.

[0053] In the electric valve 1, current is supplied to multiple coils 93 of the stator 90 to rotate the rotor 40 in a second direction. The drive shaft 50 rotates together with the rotor 40. Due to the feed screw action between the male thread 51s of the drive shaft 50 and the female thread 21t of the valve body 20, the valve body 20 moves upward, and the opening area of ​​the valve port 13 increases. When the valve body 20 is furthest away from the valve port 13, the electric valve 1 is fully open. When the electric valve 1 is fully open, the opening area of ​​the valve port 13 is at its maximum.

[0054] Next, we will explain the manufacturing method of the electric valve 1.

[0055] The sleeve 18 and valve support plate 19 are placed in the mounting holes 17 of the main body member 11. The rotor case 30 (first part 31) is rotated and inserted into the mounting holes 17 of the main body member 11, and the rotor case 30 is attached to the main body member 11. The sleeve 18 and valve support plate 19 are held by the main body member 11 and the rotor case 30. The valve body 20 is inserted into the valve support plate 19 and the sleeve 18. The bearing 35 is fitted into the first part 31 of the rotor case 30. The upper part of the drive shaft 50 is fitted into the connecting part 43 of the rotor 40. The drive shaft 50 is inserted into the bearing 35, and the male thread 51s of the drive shaft 50 is screwed into the female thread 21t of the valve body 20. The central part of the drive shaft 50 is fitted into the bearing 35. The peripheral wall portion 61 and bottom wall portion 62 of the inner case 60 are inserted into the rotor 40, and the annular portion 63 of the inner case 60 is welded to the upper end of the rotor case 30 (second portion 32). This completes the production of the valve body assembly 5.

[0056] A laminated core 91 is placed in a mold for the stator, and a bobbin 92 is injection molded integrally with the laminated core 91. Then, wire is wound around multiple sleeve portions 92a of the bobbin 92, forming multiple coils 93 on the pole portions 91b of the laminated core 91. This completes the production of the stator 90.

[0057] The stator 90 is placed in a mold for the housing body, and the housing body 81 is injection molded integrally with the stator 90. The magnetic sensor 110 is attached to the support portion 84 of the housing body 81. Wiring (not shown) that electrically connects the magnetic sensor 110 and the circuit board 101 is embedded in the housing body 81. The lid 85 is injection molded using a mold for the lid. The control device 100 is placed inside the peripheral wall portion 82 of the housing body 81, and the outer edge of the lid portion 86 of the lid 85 is ultrasonically welded (or infrared welded) to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 82. This completes the production of the stator unit 8.

[0058] The support portion 84 of the stator unit 8 is inserted into the inner case 60 of the valve body assembly 5, and the support portion 84 is fitted into the inner case 60. Multiple protrusions 61a of the inner case 60 fit into multiple recesses 84a of the support portion 84, and the stator unit 8 is fixed to the valve body assembly 5. This completes the electric valve 1.

[0059] As described above, the electric valve 1 comprises a cylindrical rotor case 30, a cylindrical rotor 40 positioned inside the rotor case 30, a valve body 20 that moves in accordance with the rotation of the rotor 40, and a stator 90 positioned inside the rotor 40 and constituting a stepping motor 98 together with the rotor 40. As a result of this configuration, the outer diameter of the electric valve 1 is smaller compared to a configuration in which the stator is positioned outside the rotor. Therefore, the electric valve 1 can be positioned in a relatively small space.

[0060] Furthermore, the electric valve 1 has an inner case 60. The inner case 60 integrally comprises a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 61, a disc-shaped bottom wall portion 62 connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 61, and an annular portion 63 whose inner peripheral edge is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 61. The outer peripheral edge of the annular portion 63 is joined to the upper end of the rotor case 30. The peripheral wall portion 61 and the bottom wall portion 62 are arranged inside the rotor 40. The stator 90 is arranged inside the peripheral wall portion 61. In this way, the rotor case 30 and the inner case 60 form a rotor space 65 in which the rotor 40 is arranged. A refrigerant is introduced into the rotor space 65. The rotor space 65 is sealed from the space inside the peripheral wall portion 61 in which the stator 90 is arranged. Therefore, the space in which the stator 90 is arranged can be separated from the rotor space 65.

[0061] Furthermore, the electric valve 1 has a housing 80 made of synthetic resin. The housing 80 has a cylindrical support portion 84 into which the stator 90 is embedded. The support portion 84 is fitted into the inner case 60. In this way, the stator 90 can be protected by the support portion 84. Also, by fitting the support portion 84 into the inner case 60, the stator 90 can be properly positioned inside the inner case 60.

[0062] Furthermore, the housing 80 has a long cylindrical connector portion 87. The connector portion 87 extends in the axial direction (axis L direction) of the rotor 40. This reduces the installation area of ​​the electric valve 1 (area when viewed from the axis L direction).

[0063] Furthermore, the stator 90 has a laminated core 91 arranged coaxially with the rotor 40 and having a plurality of pole portions 91b extending radially, and a plurality of coils 93 arranged on the plurality of pole portions 91b. The electromagnetic steel sheets of the laminated core 91 are arranged along the direction of extension of the plurality of pole portions 91b (a direction perpendicular to the axis L). In the laminated core 91, magnetic flux passes through in the direction of extension of the plurality of pole portions 91b, and the current flowing between the electromagnetic steel sheets is limited. Therefore, iron loss in the laminated core 91 can be reduced.

[0064] Furthermore, the electric valve 1 has a magnetic sensor 110 that detects the magnetism of the rotor 40. The magnetic sensor 110 is positioned between the pole portions 91b and 91b on the support portion 84 (Figure 7). In this way, the magnetic sensor 110 is positioned close to the rotor 40 and faces the rotor 40 in the radial direction.

[0065] Furthermore, the electric valve 1 has a drive shaft 50 that rotates together with the rotor 40. The valve body 20 has an internal thread 21t. The drive shaft 50 has a external thread 51s that is screwed into the internal thread 21t. The internal thread 21t and the external thread 51s constitute a feed screw mechanism that moves the valve body 20. In this way, the valve body 20 can be moved with a relatively simple configuration.

[0066] Next, a valve device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 18.

[0067] As shown in Figure 18, the valve device 2 according to the second embodiment includes the electric valve 1 according to the first embodiment and a flow path block 150.

[0068] The flow path block 150 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The flow path block 150 is made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy. The upper surface of the flow path block 150 is the mounting surface 151 on which the electric valve 1 is placed.

[0069] The flow path block 150 has a first passage 155, a second passage 156, and a mounting hole 157. The mounting hole 157 is located on the mounting surface 151. The first passage 155 extends forward from the mounting hole 157. The second passage 156 extends downward from the mounting hole 157.

[0070] The flow path block 150 has a female thread 150t. The female thread 150t is located on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 157. The lower part 11b of the main body member 11 of the electric valve 1 is positioned in the mounting hole 157, and the male thread 11s of the main body member 11 is screwed into the female thread 150t of the flow path block 150. The electric valve 1 is attached to the flow path block 150 by a screw structure when a jig is attached to the hexagonal upper part 11a of the main body member 11 and rotated around the axis L. In the mounting hole 157, the space between the main body member 11 and the flow path block 150 is sealed by O-rings 158 and 159 located in annular grooves 11d and 11e. The connector part 87 of the electric valve 1 faces upward. The first passage 155 is connected to the valve chamber 12 of the electric valve 1 via the mounting hole 157 and the first connecting passage 15. The second passage 156 is connected to the valve port 13 of the electric valve 1 via the second connecting passage 16.

[0071] The valve device 2 may also have a configuration in which the main body member 11 of the electric valve 1 is omitted and the rotor case 30 is directly attached to the flow path block 150. In this configuration, the flow path block 150 has the same (or substantially the same) valve chamber, valve port, valve seat, and mounting holes as those of the electric valve 1.

[0072] Next, a valve device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 19.

[0073] As shown in Figure 19, 3 The valve device 3 according to the embodiment includes a plurality of electric valves 1 according to the first embodiment and a flow path block 250.

[0074] The flow path block 250 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The flow path block 250 is made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy. The upper surface of the flow path block 250 is a mounting surface 251 on which multiple electric valves 1 are arranged.

[0075] The flow path block 250 has a plurality of mounting holes (not shown). The plurality of mounting holes are arranged on the mounting surface 251. Multiple female threads are arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the plurality of mounting holes. The lower part 11b of the main body member 11 of the plurality of electric valves 1 is placed in the plurality of mounting holes, and the male threads 11s of the main body member 11 are screwed into the female threads of the flow path block 250. The connector portion 87 of the plurality of electric valves 1 faces upward.

[0076] The valve devices 2 and 3 also produce the same effect as the electric valve 1.

[0077] Furthermore, in the valve device 3, since the installation area of ​​each of the multiple electric valves 1 is small, the flow path block 250 can be made smaller. Also, in the valve device 3, the connector portions 87 of each of the multiple electric valves 1 face in the same direction (upward). Therefore, in the system into which the valve device 3 is incorporated, space for arranging the cables connected to the connector portions 87 of the multiple electric valves 1 only needs to be provided above the valve device 3, allowing the valve device 3 to be placed in a relatively small space.

[0078] In this specification, terms indicating shapes such as "cylinder," "rod," and "cuboid" are also used to refer to members or parts of members that substantially have the shape of those terms. For example, "cylindrical member" includes both cylindrical members and substantially cylindrical members.

[0079] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments. Additions, deletions, design modifications, and combinations of features of the embodiments, as appropriate by those skilled in the art, are also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as they do not contradict the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 1...Electric valve, 2...Valve device, 3...Valve device, 5...Valve body assembly, 8...Stator unit, 10...Valve body, 11...Body member, 11a...Upper part, 11b...Lower part, 11c...Upper surface, 11d...Annular groove, 11e...Annular groove, 11s...Male thread, 11t...Female thread, 12...Valve chamber, 13...Valve port, 14...Valve seat, 15...First connection passage, 16...Second connection passage, 17...Mounting hole, 17a...Retaining surface, 18...Sleeve, 18a...Small diameter part, 18 b...Large diameter section, 18c...Flange section, 19...Valve body support plate, 20...Valve body, 21...Shaft section, 21a...Upper section, 21b...Lower section, 21c...Screw hole, 21t...Female thread, 22...Valve section, 30...Rotor case, 31...First section, 31a...Bearing mounting surface, 31s...Male thread, 32...Second section, 33...Connecting section, 35...Bearing, 39...O-ring, 40...Rotor, 41...Cylindrical section, 42...Disc section, 43...Connecting section, 50...Drive shaft, 50a...Support Holding surface, 51s...male screw, 60...inner case, 61...peripheral wall, 61a...protrusion, 62...bottom wall, 63...annular part, 65...rotor space, 80...housing, 81...housing body, 82...peripheral wall, 83...bottom wall, 84...support part, 84a...recess, 85...lid, 86...lid, 87...connector part, 88...control device space, 89...O-ring, 90...stator, 91...laminated core, 91a...central part, 91b...pole part, 92...bobi N, 92a... Sleeve part, 93... Coil, 94... Coil terminal, 98... Stepping motor, 100... Control device, 101... Circuit board, 102... Terminal component, 103... Connector terminal, 110... Magnetic sensor, 150... Flow path block, 150t... Female thread, 151... Mounting surface, 155... First passage, 156... Second passage, 157... Mounting hole, 158... O-ring, 159... O-ring, 250... Flow path block, 251... Mounting surface, L... Axis

Claims

1. An electric valve comprising a valve body assembly and a stator unit fixed to the valve body assembly, The valve body assembly, A cylindrical rotor case, A cylindrical magnet rotor is positioned inside the rotor case, It has a valve body that moves in accordance with the rotation of the magnet rotor, The stator unit is A stator is positioned inside the aforementioned magnet rotor and, together with the aforementioned magnet rotor, constitutes a motor. It has a housing made of synthetic resin having a cylindrical connector part, The aforementioned housing, A housing body integrally molded with the stator, An electric valve having the connector portion and a cover that is joined to the housing body.

2. An electric valve comprising a valve body assembly and a stator unit fixed to the valve body assembly, The valve body assembly, A cylindrical rotor case, A cylindrical magnet rotor is positioned inside the rotor case, It has a valve body that moves in accordance with the rotation of the magnet rotor, The stator unit is A stator is positioned inside the aforementioned magnet rotor and, together with the aforementioned magnet rotor, constitutes a motor. It has a housing made of synthetic resin having a cylindrical connector part, The valve body assembly further comprises an inner case integrally having a cylindrical circumferential wall portion, a disc-shaped bottom wall portion connected to the first end of the circumferential wall portion, and an annular portion whose inner circumferential edge is connected to the second end of the circumferential wall portion. The outer edge of the annular portion is joined to one end of the rotor case. The peripheral wall portion and the bottom wall portion are arranged inside the magnet rotor. An electric valve in which the stator is positioned inside the peripheral wall portion.

3. The housing has a cylindrical support portion into which the stator is embedded, The electric valve according to claim 2, wherein the support portion is fitted into the inner case.

4. The electric valve according to claim 3, wherein the stator comprises a laminated core having a plurality of radially extending pole portions arranged coaxially with the magnet rotor, and a plurality of coils arranged on the pole portions.

5. The electric valve further includes a magnetic sensor that detects the magnetism of the magnetic rotor, The electric valve according to claim 4, wherein the magnetic sensor is disposed at a location between the poles in the support portion.

6. The electric valve further has a drive shaft that rotates together with the magnetic rotor, The valve body has a female thread and the drive shaft has a male thread that is screwed into the female thread, or the drive shaft has a female thread and the valve body has a male thread that is screwed into the female thread. The electric valve according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the female screw and the male screw constitute a feed screw mechanism for moving the valve body.

7. The electric valve according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, when viewed from the axial direction of the magnet rotor, the contour of the stator unit is circular, and the connector portion is arranged inside the contour.

8. The electric valve according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the connector portion extends in the axial direction of the magnet rotor.

9. A valve device comprising at least one electric valve and a flow path block having a mounting surface on which the electric valve is arranged, The electric valve comprises a valve body assembly and a stator unit fixed to the valve body assembly. The valve body assembly, A cylindrical rotor case, A cylindrical magnet rotor is positioned inside the rotor case, It has a valve body that moves in accordance with the rotation of the magnet rotor, The stator unit is A stator is positioned inside the aforementioned magnet rotor and, together with the aforementioned magnet rotor, constitutes a motor. It has a housing made of synthetic resin having a cylindrical connector part, The aforementioned housing, A housing body integrally molded with the stator, A valve device having a connector portion and a cover that is joined to the housing body.

10. A valve device comprising at least one electric valve and a flow path block having a mounting surface on which the electric valve is arranged, The electric valve comprises a valve body assembly and a stator unit fixed to the valve body assembly. The valve body assembly, A cylindrical rotor case, A cylindrical magnet rotor is positioned inside the rotor case, It has a valve body that moves in accordance with the rotation of the magnet rotor, The stator unit is A stator is positioned inside the aforementioned magnet rotor and, together with the aforementioned magnet rotor, constitutes a motor. It has a housing made of synthetic resin having a cylindrical connector part, The valve body assembly further comprises an inner case integrally having a cylindrical circumferential wall portion, a disc-shaped bottom wall portion connected to the first end of the circumferential wall portion, and an annular portion whose inner circumferential edge is connected to the second end of the circumferential wall portion. The outer edge of the annular portion is joined to one end of the rotor case. The peripheral wall portion and the bottom wall portion are arranged inside the magnet rotor. A valve device in which the stator is positioned inside the peripheral wall portion.

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