Switching valves and air conditioning systems

Abstract

The main valve (10) includes a main valve (10), a pilot valve (20), a pipe joint (30), and a first capillary tube (21). The main valve (10) includes a valve body (11), a first connecting pipe (12), a second connecting pipe (13), and a third connecting pipe (14). An exhaust hole (111) is drilled in the side wall of the valve body (11). One end of the first capillary tube (21) is connected to an end of the pilot valve (20), and a part of the other end is inserted into the pipe joint (30). The present invention discloses a switching valve (100) that satisfies B≦0.5A, where A is the longest distance between the outer surface of the first connecting pipe (12) and the outer surface of the third connecting pipe (14) along the axial direction of the valve body (11), and B is the shortest distance between the central axis of the second connecting pipe (13) and the central axis of the exhaust hole (111), thereby simplifying the process and reducing costs. The present invention also discloses an air conditioning system that uses this switching valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Related Application) This application claims the priority of a Chinese patent application filed on February 1, 2023, with application number 202320186196.2 and title "Switching Valve and Air Conditioning System", the full text of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and particularly to a switching valve and an air conditioning system.

Background Art

[0003] In an air conditioning system, a switching valve is mainly used to control the communication or cutoff of pipelines to realize the flow of fluid while changing its direction.

[0004] The switching valve includes a main valve provided with an inlet D connection pipe through which high-pressure fluid flows inside, and a pilot valve. The switching valve further includes inlet capillaries respectively connected to the end of the pilot valve and around the inlet D connection pipe, allowing a part of the high-pressure fluid to flow into the pilot valve. However, in this connection method, the length of the inlet capillary becomes long and multiple bends are required to achieve the connection, resulting in a complex process and high cost.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to various embodiments of this application, a switching valve and an air conditioning system capable of reducing costs are provided.

[0006] The switching valve includes a valve body, a first connecting pipe, a second connecting pipe, and a third connecting pipe, the first, second, and third connecting pipes being arranged side by side on one side of the valve body and all connected to the valve body, with the second connecting pipe located between the first and third connecting pipes and having an exhaust port further drilled in the side wall of the valve body; a pilot valve connected to the main valve; a pipe fitting connected to the exhaust port; and a first capillary tube located between the main valve and the pilot valve, with one end connected to the end of the pilot valve and a portion of the other end entering into the pipe fitting and connected to the pipe fitting. If we define the furthest distance between the outer surface of the first connecting pipe and the outer surface of the third connecting pipe along the axial direction of the valve body as A, and the shortest distance between the central axis of the second connecting pipe and the central axis of the exhaust port as B, then B ≤ 0.5A is satisfied.

[0007] In one embodiment, the central axis of the exhaust port is perpendicular to the plane on which the first connecting pipe, the second connecting pipe, and the third connecting pipe are located.

[0008] In one embodiment, the first capillary is L-shaped.

[0009] In one embodiment, the pipe fitting and the first capillary tube are made of the same material, while the pipe fitting and the valve body are made of different materials.

[0010] In one embodiment, the valve body is made of stainless steel, and the pipe fitting and the first capillary tube are made of copper.

[0011] In one embodiment, the valve body has a valve chamber, and a flange is provided around the exhaust port that extends away from the valve chamber, with a portion of the pipe fitting entering the flange and connecting to the flange.

[0012] In one embodiment, if L is the shortest distance from the end face of the pipe fitting adjacent to the valve chamber to the inner wall of the valve body, and H is the height of the flange, then 0 ≤ L ≤ H is satisfied.

[0013] In one embodiment, the valve chamber includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, and the switching valve further includes a second capillary located between the pilot valve and the valve body, with one end connected to the pilot valve and the other end communicating with the first chamber, and a third capillary located between the pilot valve and the valve body, with one end connected to the pilot valve and the other end communicating with the third chamber, wherein the first capillary and the second chamber are in communication.

[0014] In one embodiment, the main valve further includes a first connecting pipe, a second connecting pipe, and a third connecting pipe, as well as a fourth connecting pipe provided opposite to both sides of the valve body and communicating with a second chamber.

[0015] This application further provides an air conditioning system including the above-mentioned switching valve.

[0016] Details of one or more embodiments of this application are described in the following drawings and description. Other features, purposes, and advantages of this application will become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] One or more drawings may be referenced to better describe and illustrate the embodiments and / or examples of the inventions disclosed herein. Any additional details or examples used to illustrate the drawings should not be considered to limit the scope of any of the disclosed inventions, the embodiments and / or examples described herein, or the best modes of these inventions as understood herein.

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the switching valve provided in this application. [Figure 2] This is a front view of the valve body provided in this application. [Figure 3] This is a bottom view of the valve body provided in this application. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of the valve body provided in this application. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of a switching valve provided in this application. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system provided in this application.

[0019] In the drawings, the meaning of each symbol is as follows: 100 Switching valve, 10 Main valve, 11 Valve body, 111 Exhaust port, 112 Valve chamber, 1121 First chamber, 1122 Second chamber, 1123 Third chamber, 113 Flange, 12 First connecting pipe, 13 Second connecting pipe, 14 Third connecting pipe, 15 Fourth connecting pipe, 20 Pilot valve, 21 First capillary, 22 Second capillary, 23 Third capillary, 24 Fourth capillary, 30 Pipe fittings, 200 Air conditioning system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application clearer and easier to understand, specific embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, various specific details will be explained in order to make this application easier to understand. However, this application can be carried out in many other forms different from those described herein, and a person skilled in the art can make similar improvements as long as they do not contradict the content of this application, so this application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0021] It should be noted that when an assembly is described as being "fixed" or "attached" to another assembly, it may be directly fixed to the other assembly, or there may be an intervening assembly. When an assembly is described as being "connected" to another assembly, it may be directly connected to the other assembly, or there may be an intervening assembly simultaneously. The terms “vertical,” “horizontal,” “up,” “down,” “left,” and “right” and similar expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes only and do not indicate that they represent only one embodiment.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the recited technical features. Thus, features limited by "first" and "second" may explicitly include at least one of such features or implicitly include the same. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless there is a specific and definite limitation.

[0023] In this application, unless there are specific regulations and limitations, the statement that the first feature is "above" or "below" the second feature may mean that the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact or that the first feature and the second feature are indirectly in contact through an intermediate medium. Further, the statement that the first feature is "above", "upper" or "upper side" of the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The statement that the first feature is "below", "lower" or "lower side" of the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in the specification of this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art of this application. The terms used in the specification of this application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" used in the specification of this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, this application provides a switching valve 100 including a main valve 10 and a pilot valve 20. The pilot valve 20 is connected to the main valve 10 and is used to control the working mode of the main valve 10.

[0026] The main valve 10 includes a valve body 11, a first connecting pipe 12, a second connecting pipe 13, a third connecting pipe 14, and a fourth connecting pipe 15. The first connecting pipe 12, the second connecting pipe 13, and the third connecting pipe 14 are arranged side by side on one side of the valve body 11 and are all connected to the valve body 11, with the second connecting pipe 13 located between the first connecting pipe 12 and the third connecting pipe 14. The fourth connecting pipe 15 is provided opposite the first connecting pipe 12, the second connecting pipe 13, and the third connecting pipe 14 on both sides of the valve body 11.

[0027] Specifically, the switching valve 100 is connected to the air conditioning pipeline by a first connecting pipe 12, a second connecting pipe 13, a third connecting pipe 14, and a fourth connecting pipe 15. Here, the switching valve 100 has a first state in which the first connecting pipe 12 and the fourth connecting pipe 15 are in communication and the second connecting pipe 13 and the third connecting pipe 14 are in communication, and a second state in which the third connecting pipe 14 and the fourth connecting pipe 15 are in communication and the second connecting pipe 13 and the first connecting pipe 12 are in communication. By switching between the first state and the second state, the switching valve 100 changes the operating mode of the entire air conditioning system 200.

[0028] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an exhaust port 111 is further drilled in the side wall of the valve body 11. The switching valve 100 further includes a pipe fitting 30 and a first capillary tube 21. The pipe fitting 30 is connected to the exhaust port 111, and the first capillary tube 21 is located between the main valve 10 and the pilot valve 20. One end of the first capillary tube 21 is connected to the end of the pilot valve 20, and a portion of the other end of the first capillary tube 21 enters the pipe fitting 30 and is connected to the pipe fitting 30.

[0029] This application allows the first capillary tube 21 to be connected to the valve body 11 by drilling an exhaust hole 111 in the valve body 11. In this way, compared to the method in related technologies in which the first capillary tube is directly connected to the fourth connecting pipe, the length of the first capillary tube 21 in this application is shorter and the number of bends is reduced, thus lowering the difficulty of the process and reducing costs. Furthermore, because the valve body 11 is connected by the first capillary tube 21, even if the fourth connecting pipe 15 is tilted or deformed by a large force such as a collision, the problem of the first capillary tube detaching due to a poor connection between the first capillary tube and the fourth connecting pipe in related technologies can be avoided, thereby reducing the risk of leakage and improving safety during use.

[0030] Furthermore, if we define A as the furthest distance between the outer surface of the first connecting pipe 12 and the outer surface of the third connecting pipe 14 along the axial direction of the valve body 11, and B as the shortest distance between the central axis of the second connecting pipe 13 and the central axis of the exhaust port 111, then B ≤ 0.5A is satisfied.

[0031] Since high-pressure fluid flows in the fourth connecting pipe 15, it can be understood that the chamber in the valve body 11 that is in communication with the fourth connecting pipe 15 is also filled with high-pressure fluid. Specifically, the valve body 11 is provided with a slider (not shown) and a piston assembly (not shown). The piston assembly is connected to the slider and can synchronize the sliding of the slider, thereby allowing the switching valve 100 to be switched from the first state to the second state, or from the second state to the first state. During the movement of the piston assembly and the slider, the region in the internal chamber of the valve body 11 through which the high-pressure fluid flows changes accordingly.

[0032] In this case, by setting B ≤ 0.5A, it is ensured that the exhaust port 111 can always communicate with the high-pressure fluid chamber, thereby allowing some of the high-pressure fluid to flow into the pilot valve 20 through the first capillary tube 21 connected to the exhaust port 111, and thus satisfying the operating requirements of the pilot valve 20. In other words, the movement of the slider, piston assembly, or other parts does not obstruct the exhaust port 111, and the operating performance of the switching valve 100 can be more appropriately satisfied.

[0033] The shortest distance between the central axis of the second connecting pipe 13 and the central axis of the exhaust port 111 can be set reasonably according to the actual needs. For example, the shortest distance between the central axis of the second connecting pipe 13 and the central axis of the exhaust port 111 may be set to 0.5A, 0.45A, 0.4A, or 0.3A, etc.

[0034] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the central axis of the exhaust port 111 is perpendicular to the plane on which the first connecting pipe 12, the second connecting pipe 13, and the third connecting pipe 14 are located. The exhaust port 111 is drilled on the side of the valve body 11 that is close to the pilot valve 20. This reduces the length of the first capillary tube 21, thereby reducing material costs. In addition, the connection of the first capillary tube 21 is made easier, and the first capillary tube 21 can be easily aligned with the mounting hole, enabling quick connection and improving installation efficiency.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the first capillary tube 21 is L-shaped. This allows the connection between the pilot valve 20 and the valve body 11 of the main valve 10 to be achieved with only one bend, making operation easier and reducing the risk of the first capillary tube 21 rupturing due to multiple bends.

[0036] Typically, the first capillary tube 21 and the valve body 11 are made of different materials. When welding, on the one hand, the welding strength requirements must be met, and on the other hand, there are significant differences in the welding properties of the different materials, and in some embodiments, some parts of the first capillary tube 21 cannot withstand high temperatures, making direct welding difficult. In this case, providing a pipe joint 30 makes it easy to connect the first capillary tube 21.

[0037] In one embodiment, the pipe fitting 30 and the first capillary tube 21 are made of the same material, while the pipe fitting 30 and the valve body 11 are made of different materials. During the assembly process of the switching valve 100, the pipe fitting 30 and the valve body 11 may first be welded together. The pipe fitting 30 has a simple structure and can better meet the welding needs. Next, the first capillary tube 21 is inserted into the pipe fitting 30 and welded. Since the first capillary tube 21 and the pipe fitting 30 are made of the same material, they can be welded directly, reducing the difficulty of welding and improving welding efficiency.

[0038] This application describes a method for inserting the first capillary tube 21 into the pipe fitting 30 and welding it, which not only ensures connection strength but also improves work performance. Specifically, because the diameter of the first capillary tube 21 is relatively small, directly fitting the first capillary tube 21 into the pipe fitting 30 reduces the fluid flow rate, affecting the overall work efficiency of the switching valve 100. For this reason, it is usually necessary to enlarge the diameter of the first capillary tube 21, but the difficulty of enlarging the diameter of the first capillary tube 21 is high, increasing processing costs. In this application, the pipe fitting 30 plays the role of diameter enlargement, increasing the overall flow rate. By inserting the first capillary tube 21 into the pipe fitting 30, it is only necessary to control the dimensions of the pipe fitting 30, which reduces the overall processing difficulty while meeting the fluid flow needs. Furthermore, because the first capillary tube 21 is inserted into the pipe fitting 30, the contact area is increased, ensuring connection reliability.

[0039] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the valve body 11 is made of stainless steel, while the pipe fitting 30 and the first capillary tube 21 are made of copper. Thus, the valve body 11 made of stainless steel has superior strength and corrosion resistance and is less expensive. The copper first capillary tube 21 also has good corrosion resistance and ductility, and is less likely to break when bent. Of course, the valve body 11, pipe fitting 30 and the first capillary tube 21 may be made of other materials such as aluminum, as long as they can provide the same benefits as being convenient for welding.

[0040] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the valve body 11 has a valve chamber 112, and a flange 113 is provided around the exhaust port 111 that extends away from the valve chamber 112, with a portion of the pipe joint 30 entering into the flange 113 and connecting to the flange 113.

[0041] For example, the flange 113 is annular and is provided surrounding the exhaust port 111. In related technologies, it is difficult to provide the flange 113 to the fourth connecting pipe 15 for connection, resulting in low connection strength between the first capillary tube 21 and the fourth connecting pipe 15. This makes connection failures more likely to occur when the fourth connecting pipe 15 is tilted or deformed, increasing the risk of leakage. This application provides the flange 113 to further increase the contact area between the pipe joint 30 and the valve body 11, ensuring connection reliability, improving the robustness of the connection of the first capillary tube 21, and reducing the risk of leakage.

[0042] In one embodiment, the flange 113 and the valve body 11 are molded integrally, which increases the connection strength and further ensures the stability of the connection of the pipe joint 30. Of course, the flange 113 and the valve body 11 may be provided separately, and the embodiment is not limited to this.

[0043] Referring to Figure 5, if L is the shortest distance from the end face of the pipe joint 30 adjacent to the valve chamber 112 to the inner wall of the valve body 11, and H is the height of the flange 113, then 0 ≤ L ≤ H is satisfied.

[0044] In this way, it is possible to prevent the pipe fitting 30 from penetrating too far into the flange 113 and entering the valve chamber 112, thereby preventing the pipe fitting 30 from interfering with other structures in the valve chamber 112 or affecting the normal flow of fluid in the valve chamber 112, and ensuring the normal operation of the switching valve 100.

[0045] Furthermore, the valve chamber 112 includes a first chamber 1121, a second chamber 1122, and a third chamber 1123. The first capillary tube 21 is connected to the second chamber 1122, and the fourth connecting pipe 15 is connected to the second chamber 1122. In this way, the high-pressure fluid in the fourth connecting pipe 15 enters the second chamber 1122 and flows into the pilot valve 20 via the first capillary tube 21, thereby achieving a smooth flow of the high-pressure fluid.

[0046] The switching valve 100 further includes a second capillary 22 and a third capillary 23. The second capillary 22 is located between the pilot valve 20 and the valve body 11, with one end of the second capillary 22 connected to the pilot valve 20 and the other end communicating with the first chamber 1121. The third capillary 23 is located between the pilot valve 20 and the valve body 11, with one end of the third capillary 23 connected to the pilot valve 20 and the other end communicating with the third chamber 1123.

[0047] The switching valve 100 further includes a fourth capillary tube 24, the ends of which are connected to a pilot valve 20 and a second connecting pipe 13, respectively, and are used to selectively discharge fluid from the first chamber 1121 or the third chamber 1123.

[0048] In this way, the high-pressure fluid flowing from the first capillary 21 to the pilot valve 20 is controlled and regulated by the pilot valve 20, and can flow into the first chamber 1121 via the second capillary 22 or into the third chamber 1123 via the third capillary 23, thereby controlling the pressure change at both ends of the piston assembly in the valve chamber 112. Specifically, the relatively high-pressure fluid in the second chamber 1122 is selectively directed to one end of the piston assembly, and the other end of the piston assembly becomes relatively low-pressure, creating a pressure difference at both ends of the piston assembly. This drives the piston to slide within the valve body, thereby switching the operating mode of the switching valve 100. The switching is simple and easy to operate.

[0049] When the pilot valve 20 connects the first capillary tube 21 and the second capillary tube 22, the switching valve 100 is in the first operating mode, and the high-pressure fluid in the fourth connecting pipe 15 enters the pilode valve 20 via the second chamber 1122, pipe fitting 30, and first capillary tube 21 in that order, and enters the first chamber 1121 from the second capillary tube 22. At this time, the fluid in the third chamber 1123 enters the pilot valve 20 via the third capillary tube 23 and is also guided into the second connecting pipe 13 by the fourth capillary tube 24 and discharged from the second connecting pipe 13. At this time, the pressure inside the first chamber 1121 is relatively high, and the pressure inside the third chamber 1123 is relatively low. The pressure drives the piston assembly to slide within the valve body 11, further pushing and moving the slider. Depending on the position of the slider, the second connecting pipe 13 and the third connecting pipe 14 can be connected, and the fourth connecting pipe 15 and the first connecting pipe 12 are connected by the second chamber 1122, so the switching valve 100 is in the first state.

[0050] When the pilot valve 20 connects the first capillary tube 21 and the third capillary tube 23, the switching valve 100 is in the second operating mode, and the high-pressure fluid in the fourth connecting pipe 15 enters the pilode valve 20 via the second chamber 1122, pipe fitting 30, and first capillary tube 21 in that order, and enters the third chamber 1123 from the third capillary tube 23. The fluid in the first chamber 1121 enters the pilot valve 20 via the second capillary tube 22, is discharged into the second connecting pipe 13 from the fourth capillary tube 24, and is also discharged from the second connecting pipe 13. At this time, the pressure inside the third chamber 1123 is relatively high, and the pressure inside the first chamber 1121 is relatively low. The pressure drives the piston assembly to slide within the valve body 11, further pushing and moving the slider. Depending on the position of the slider, the first connecting pipe 12 and the second connecting pipe 13 can be connected, and the fourth connecting pipe 15 and the third connecting pipe 14 are connected by the second chamber 1122, so the switching valve 100 is in the second state.

[0051] Referring to Figure 6, the present application further provides an air conditioning system 200 including the above-described switching valve 100. The switching valve 100 is connected to the air conditioning pipeline by a first connecting pipe 12, a second connecting pipe 13, a third connecting pipe 14, and a fourth connecting pipe 15, and the switching valve 100 is used to control the flow of fluid in the air conditioning pipeline, thereby enabling switching of the functional modes of the air conditioning system 200.

[0052] The technical features of the embodiments described above can be combined in any way, and for the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the embodiments described above have been explained. However, as long as these combinations of technical features are not contradictory, they should all be considered to be within the scope described herein.

[0053] The embodiments described above are merely examples of some embodiments of this application, and although their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be understood as limiting the scope of the claims of this application. Those skilled in the art may make several modifications and improvements, provided they do not depart from the spirit of this application, and it should be noted that all of these fall within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent of this application shall be in accordance with the attached claims.

Claims

1. A main valve comprising a valve body, a first connecting pipe, a second connecting pipe, and a third connecting pipe, wherein the first, second, and third connecting pipes are arranged side by side on one side of the valve body and are all connected to the valve body, and the second connecting pipe is located between the first and third connecting pipes, and an exhaust hole is further drilled in the side wall of the valve body, A pilot valve connected to the main valve, A pipe fitting connected to the exhaust port, A first capillary tube is located between the main valve and the pilot valve, with one end connected to the end of the pilot valve and a portion of the other end extending into the pipe fitting and connected to the pipe fitting, A switching valve that satisfies B ≤ 0.5A, where A is defined as the furthest distance between the outer surface of the first connecting pipe and the outer surface of the third connecting pipe along the axial direction of the valve body, and B is defined as the shortest distance between the central axis of the second connecting pipe and the central axis of the exhaust port.

2. The switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the central axis of the exhaust port is perpendicular to the plane on which the first connecting pipe, the second connecting pipe, and the third connecting pipe are located.

3. The switching valve according to claim 2, wherein the first capillary tube is L-shaped.

4. The switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the pipe fitting and the first capillary tube are made of the same material, and the pipe fitting and the valve body are made of different materials.

5. The switching valve according to claim 4, wherein the valve body is made of stainless steel, and the pipe fitting and the first capillary tube are made of copper.

6. The switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve body has a valve chamber, a flange extending away from the valve chamber is provided around the exhaust port, and a part of the pipe joint enters the flange and is connected to the flange.

7. The switching valve according to claim 6, wherein L is the shortest distance from the end face of the pipe joint adjacent to the valve chamber to the inner wall of the valve body, and H is the height of the flange, and 0 ≤ L ≤ H.

8. The valve chamber includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, and the switching valve is A second capillary tube is located between the pilot valve and the valve body, with one end connected to the pilot valve and the other end communicating with the first chamber, The present invention further includes a third capillary tube located between the pilot valve and the valve body, one end of which is connected to the pilot valve and the other end of which is connected to the third chamber, The switching valve according to claim 6, wherein the first capillary and the second chamber are in communication.

9. The main valve is, The switching valve according to claim 8, further comprising a first connecting pipe, a second connecting pipe, and a third connecting pipe, and a fourth connecting pipe provided opposite to both sides of the valve body and communicating with the second chamber.

10. An air conditioning system comprising a switching valve according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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