Rotary valve sealing material

Abstract

This sealing material for a rotary valve is disposed between a rotor and a housing accommodating the rotor. The sealing material for the rotary valve comprises: a body part extending along a circumferential direction of the rotor and an axial direction of the rotor; and a rib protruding from the body part in a radial direction of the rotor. The rib has a circumferential rib extending along the circumferential direction. The circumferential rib includes an inner circumferential rib protruding inward in the radial direction, and an outer circumferential rib protruding outward in the radial direction. The number of the inner circumferential ribs is less than the number of the outer circumferential ribs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sealing material for a rotary valve.

Background Art

[0002] A sealing member provided in a valve that controls a flow path through which a fluid flows has been disclosed (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). The valve disclosed in Patent Document 1 (a flow path switching valve in Patent Document 1) includes a valve body in which a valve chamber is formed, a sealing member housed in the valve chamber, a rotating portion having a valve body housed in the valve chamber and having a circular valve opening formed therein, and a valve driving portion of a driving source that rotates the rotating portion. The sealing member is disposed outside the valve body in the valve diameter direction and is formed so as to surround the valve body in an annular shape.

[0003] The valve disclosed in Patent Document 2 (a rotary slide valve in Patent Document 2) includes a housing, a rotary slide, and a sealing element disposed between the rotary slide and the housing, and the sealing element includes a first raised portion and a second raised portion that extend in a first radial direction, and a third raised portion that extends in a second radial direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The sealing member disclosed in Patent Document 1 has multiple annular sealing portions that surround the periphery of the valve opening, and there is a risk that the surface pressure on the sealing portions will increase when the valve body rotates, leading to increased sliding resistance. Also, in the sealing element disclosed in Patent Document 2, if the slope of the third raised portion extending in the second radial direction is steep, there is a risk that the surface pressure on the sealing element will increase when the rotating slide rotates, leading to increased sliding resistance.

[0006] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a sealing material for a rotary valve that can reduce sliding resistance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The sealing material for a rotary valve according to this disclosure is a sealing material for a rotary valve disposed between a rotor and a housing that houses the rotor, comprising: a main body portion extending along the circumferential direction and the axial direction of the rotor; and ribs projecting radially from the main body portion toward the rotor, wherein the ribs have circumferential ribs extending along the circumferential direction, and the circumferential ribs include inner circumferential ribs projecting radially inward and outer circumferential ribs projecting radially outward, the number of inner circumferential ribs is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs, and the inclination of the inner circumferential rib inclination portion between the base end and the apex of the inner circumferential rib is gentler than the inclination of the outer circumferential rib inclination portion between the base end and the apex of the outer circumferential rib.

[0008] With this configuration, the number of inner circumferential ribs that slide against the rotor is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs, thus reducing the sliding resistance of the rotor. Also, because there are fewer inner circumferential ribs sliding against the rotor than outer circumferential ribs sliding against the housing, the frictional resistance between the housing and the seal material increases, preventing problems such as the seal material shifting position as the rotor rotates. Furthermore, with this configuration, the inclination of the inner circumferential ribs is gentler than that of the outer circumferential ribs, which suppresses the tilting of the inner circumferential ribs due to the rotation of the rotor and increases the durability of the seal material. In addition, the inclination of the outer circumferential ribs is steeper than that of the inner circumferential ribs, which reduces the reaction force of the seal material on the rotor. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a rotary valve according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows the first position of the rotor according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing a rotor according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the rotor from a different angle than Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing a sealing material according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the sealing material from a different angle than Figure 5. [Figure 7] This figure shows the configuration of the circumferential ribs according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows the configuration of the axial ribs according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship of the vertices of the ribs according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows the second position of the rotor according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] This figure shows the third position of the rotor according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] This figure shows the fourth position of the rotor according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, a rotary valve equipped with a sealing material according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0011] [Basic configuration] Figure 1 shows a cross-section (longitudinal section) of the rotary valve 100 along its axis X. In this embodiment, the rotary valve 100 is a five-way valve used, for example, to control the flow of fluid to cooling equipment such as batteries and motors mounted on vehicles such as automobiles. The fluid is cooling water such as long-life coolant (LLC). The fluid may also be an insulating oil such as paraffin, or a refrigerant such as hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) or hydrofluoroolefin (HFO).

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the rotary valve 100 comprises a housing 1, a rotor 2 housed in the housing 1, a bush 3 that rotatably supports the rotor 2, a sealing material 4 positioned between the housing 1 and the rotor 2, and an actuator 5 connected to the rotor 2. The actuator 5 transmits rotational force to the rotor 2. The rotor 2 rotates about its axis X due to the rotational force from the actuator 5. The rotation of the rotor 2 controls the fluid flow.

[0013] In the following, the direction along the axis X of rotor 2 will be referred to as the "axial direction DX," the circumferential direction DC of rotor 2 will simply be referred to as the "circumferential direction DC," and the radial direction DR of rotor 2 will simply be referred to as the "radial direction DR." Furthermore, the direction from the outside to the inside of the radial direction DR will be referred to as the "in-radial direction DR1," and the opposite direction will be referred to as the "out-radial direction DR2."

[0014] 〔housing〕 FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the rotary valve 100. Note that FIG. 2 is a view of the rotary valve 100 seen from the actuator 5 side. As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 1 has a housing wall portion 11 that partitions a space for accommodating the rotor 2.

[0015] The housing wall portion 11 is circular in a view along the axial direction DX. A plurality of ports 12 are formed in the housing wall portion 11 along the circumferential direction DC. In the present embodiment, four ports 12 are formed in the housing wall portion 11 along the circumferential direction DC, and the four ports 12 penetrate the housing wall portion 11 along the radial direction DR. Hereinafter, the four ports 12 are referred to as "first port 121", "second port 122", "third port 123", and "fourth port 124", respectively.

[0016] In addition, a fifth port 125 is formed in the lower part (bottom wall) of the housing wall portion 11. Each of the first port 121, the second port 122, the third port 123, the fourth port 124, and the fifth port 125 is connected to a different external flow path. The external flow path is connected to, for example, a battery, a motor, or the like.

[0017] 〔Rotor〕 FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing the rotor 2. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotor 2 includes a shaft portion 20 coaxial with the axis X, and a cylindrical valve portion 21 that can rotate integrally with the shaft portion 20. The rotor 2 is made of a material such as resin, and the shaft portion 20 and the valve portion 21 are integrally formed.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first valve flow path L1 and a second valve flow path L2 through which fluid flows are formed in the valve portion 21 in a predetermined posture of the rotor 2. The first valve flow path L1 is formed in a substantially V shape that bends in the vicinity of the axis X in a view along the axial direction DX (see FIG. 2). The second valve flow path L2 is composed of a portion cut out in a fan shape (frustum of a cone shape in three dimensions) centered on the axis X (see FIG. 3).

[0019] 〔Sealing material〕 As shown in Figure 2, the sealing material 4 is positioned between the housing 1 and the rotor 2, extending almost the entire circumference of the rotor 2 in the circumferential direction DC. The sealing material 4 is made of an elastically deformable material and, when compressed by the housing 1 and the rotor 2, prevents fluid from flowing into other passages. The sealing material 4 is made of rubber such as nitrile rubber (NBR), fluororubber (FKM), or urethane rubber (U).

[0020] As shown in Figures 2, 5, and 6, the sealing material 4 has a cylindrical sealing body portion 41 (an example of the body portion). Note that in Figures 5 and 6, a portion of the circumferential DC of the sealing material 4 is cut off.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, when the sealing material 4 is positioned between the housing 1 and the rotor 2, the seal body portion 41 extends along the circumferential direction DC and the axial direction DX. The seal body portion 41 includes projections 411 (an example of a rotation prevention portion) that prevent the sealing material 4 from rotating relative to the housing 1. When the sealing material 4 is positioned between the housing 1 and the rotor 2, the projections 411 protrude outward in the radial direction DR from both ends of the seal body portion 41 in the circumferential direction DC and are housed in recesses 111 of the housing wall portion 11. As a result, the projections 411 and the housing wall portion 11 of the housing 1 face each other (contact) in the circumferential direction DC, preventing the sealing material 4 from rotating relative to the housing 1.

[0022] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the seal body portion 41 has a seal opening 41h (an example of an opening) that penetrates the seal body portion 41 and through which fluid passes. Specifically, the seal body portion 41 has four seal openings 41h formed along the circumferential direction DC, and the four seal openings 41h are formed at positions corresponding to the four ports 12 of the housing 1 described with reference to Figure 2. Hereinafter, the four seal openings 41h will be referred to as the "first seal opening h1", "second seal opening h2", "third seal opening h3", and "fourth seal opening h4", respectively.

[0023] In this embodiment, the dimensions of the first seal opening h1 and the fourth seal opening h4 in the circumferential direction DC are formed to be larger than the dimensions of the second seal opening h2 and the third seal opening h3 in the circumferential direction DC. This allows fluid flowing in from different ports 12 (e.g., the second port 122 and the third port 123) to flow out to the same port 12 (e.g., the first port 121) (see Figures 2 and 10). Alternatively, fluid flowing in from the same port 12 (e.g., the third port 123) can flow to a different port 12 (e.g., the first port 121 or the fourth port 124) (see Figures 10 and 12).

[0024] [Circumferential ribs] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the sealing material 4 includes ribs 42 that protrude radially DR from the seal body portion 41. As shown in Figure 6, the ribs 42 have circumferential ribs 43 that extend (are provided continuously) along the circumferential direction DC. The circumferential ribs 43 include inner circumferential ribs 44 provided in the radially inward direction DR1 of the seal body portion 41 and protruding radially inward DR1, and outer circumferential ribs 45 provided in the radially outward direction DR2 of the seal body portion 41 and protruding radially outward DR2. The number of inner circumferential ribs 44 is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs 45, and in this embodiment, two inner circumferential ribs 44 and four outer circumferential ribs 45 are provided on the seal body portion 41.

[0025] The circumferential ribs 43 consist of two rib groups 43g provided at both ends of the seal body portion 41 in the axial direction DX. The rib groups 43g are provided so as to sandwich the four seal openings 41h in the axial direction DX. In this embodiment, the rib group 43g includes two outer circumferential ribs 45 and one inner circumferential rib 44 provided between the two outer circumferential ribs 45. Hereinafter, of the two outer circumferential ribs 45 included in one rib group 43g, the outer circumferential rib 45 located on the end side of the seal body portion 41 in the axial direction DX will be referred to as the "first outer circumferential rib 45a", and the outer circumferential rib 45 located on the central side of the seal body portion 41 in the axial direction DX will be referred to as the "second outer circumferential rib 45b".

[0026] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the sealing material 4 cut along the axial direction DX. As shown in Figure 7, the inner circumferential rib 44 is provided with a sliding performance improving layer LY on its surface to improve sliding performance. The sliding performance improving layer LY is formed by applying a material having a coefficient of friction smaller than that of the outer circumferential rib 45 (the material of the rib 42). The sliding performance improving layer LY is made of materials such as polyacetal (POM), polyamide (PA), or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the inclination of the inner circumferential rib inclination portion 44k of the inner circumferential rib 44 is gentler than the inclination of the outer circumferential rib inclination portion 45k of the outer circumferential rib 45. In this embodiment, the vicinity of the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t and the vicinity of the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t have an arc shape in cross-sectional view, and the radius of curvature of the arc constituting the vicinity of the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t is larger than the radius of curvature of the arc constituting the vicinity of the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t. The inner circumferential rib inclination portion 44k is the portion between the inner circumferential rib base end 44p, which is the base end of the inner circumferential rib 44, and the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t, which is the vertex of the inner circumferential rib 44, and the outer circumferential rib inclination portion 45k is the portion between the outer circumferential rib base end 45p, which is the base end of the outer circumferential rib 45, and the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t, which is the vertex of the outer circumferential rib 45.

[0028] [Climax Rib] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the rib 42 further has axial ribs 46 that extend (are provided continuously) along the axial direction DX. The axial ribs 46 include an inner axial rib 47 provided in the radially inward direction DR1 of the seal body 41 and projecting in the radially inward direction DR1, and an outer axial rib 48 provided in the radially outward direction DR2 of the seal body 41 and projecting in the radially outward direction DR2. In the following, the inner circumferential rib 44 and the inner axial rib 47 may be collectively referred to as "inner ribs," and the outer circumferential rib 45 and the outer axial rib 48 may be collectively referred to as "outer ribs."

[0029] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the sealing material 4 cut along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction DX. As shown in Figure 8, similar to the inner circumferential rib 44 described with reference to Figure 7, the inner axial rib 47 also has a sliding performance improving layer LY on its surface. In other words, the inner rib has a sliding performance improving layer LY on its surface. The shape of the axial rib 46 is also substantially the same as the shape of the circumferential rib 43. More specifically, the inclination of the inner axial rib inclination portion 47k of the inner axial rib 47 is gentler than the inclination of the outer axial rib inclination portion 48k of the outer axial rib 48. The inner axial rib inclination portion 47k is the portion between the base end 47p of the inner axial rib 47 and the apex 47t of the inner axial rib 47, and the outer axial rib inclination portion 48k is the portion between the base end 48p of the outer axial rib 48 and the apex 48t of the outer axial rib 48.

[0030] As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the inner axial rib 47 and the outer axial rib 48 are provided so as to sandwich each of the four seal openings 41h in the circumferential direction DC. The rib 42 (circumferential rib 43 and axial rib 46) is provided so as to surround the seal opening 41h. Specifically, the end of the inner axial rib 47 in the axial direction DX is connected to the inner circumferential rib 44, and the end of the outer axial rib 48 in the axial direction DX is connected to the second outer circumferential rib 45b. In this embodiment, the first connection part C1 between the inner axial rib 47 and the inner circumferential rib 44 and the second connection part C2 between the outer axial rib 48 and the second outer circumferential rib 45b have a rounded R shape when viewed along the radial direction DR.

[0031] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship of the vertices of the ribs 42. As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the inner circumferential rib 44 and the outer circumferential rib 45 are provided such that, when viewed along the radial direction DR, the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t and the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t do not overlap. Specifically, the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t is provided between two (adjacent) outer circumferential rib vertices 45t in the axial direction DX. Similarly, the inner axial rib 47 and the outer axial rib 48 are provided such that, when viewed along the radial direction DR, the inner axial rib vertex 47t and the outer axial rib vertex 48t do not overlap. Specifically, in the circumferential direction DC, the inner axial rib vertex 47t is provided between the outer axial rib vertices 48t of two (adjacent) outer axial ribs 48.

[0032] [Fluid control] Next, fluid control by the rotary valve 100 will be explained with reference to Figures 2 and 10 to 12. In this embodiment, the rotary valve 100 controls two flow paths simultaneously. Figure 2 shows the rotary valve 100 with the rotor 2 set to the first position P1, Figure 10 shows the rotary valve 100 with the rotor set to the second position P2, Figure 11 shows the rotary valve 100 with the rotary valve 100 set to the third position P3, and Figure 12 shows the rotary valve 100 with the rotary valve 100 set to the fourth position P4.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, when the rotor 2 is set to the first position P1, the fluid supplied to the second port 122 flows through the first valve passage L1 to the first port 121, and the fluid supplied to the fifth port 125 flows through the second valve passage L2 to the fourth port 124.

[0034] Next, as shown in Figure 2, the rotor 2 rotates clockwise by a predetermined angle around the axis X from the first position P1 to the second position P2, and as shown in Figure 10, the fluid supplied to the third port 123 passes through the first valve passage L1 and is supplied to the first port 121. At the same time, the fluid supplied to the fifth port 125 passes through the second valve passage L2 and flows to the fourth port 124.

[0035] Next, the rotor 2 rotates clockwise by a predetermined angle around the axis X from the second position P2 shown in Figure 10, and when the rotor 2 is set to the third position P3 as shown in Figure 11, the fluid supplied to the second port 122 flows through the first valve passage L1 to the fourth port 124. At the same time, the fluid supplied to the fifth port 125 flows through the second valve passage L2 to the first port 121.

[0036] Next, from the third position P3 shown in Figure 11, the rotor 2 rotates further clockwise around the axis X by a predetermined angle, and when the rotor 2 is set to the fourth position P4 as shown in Figure 12, the fluid supplied to the third port 123 flows through the first valve passage L1 to the fourth port 124. At the same time, the fluid supplied to the fifth port 125 flows through the second valve passage L2 to the first port 121.

[0037] [Effects of the Embodiment] As described above, according to this embodiment, the number of inner circumferential ribs 44 that slide against the rotor 2 is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs 45, thus reducing sliding resistance. Furthermore, because the number of inner circumferential ribs 44 that slide against the rotor 2 is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs 45 that slide against the housing 1, the frictional resistance between the housing 1 and the sealing material 4 increases, preventing problems such as the sealing material 4 shifting position as the rotor 2 rotates.

[0038] Furthermore, since the circumferential rib 43 is composed of two rib groups 43g at both ends in the axial direction DX, the forces acting on the sealing material 4 can be balanced, and deformation (tilting) of the sealing material 4 can be suppressed. In addition, since the rib group 43g includes two outer circumferential ribs 45 and one inner circumferential rib 44 provided between the two outer circumferential ribs 45, when a force (force from the rotor 2) acts on the inner circumferential rib 44, the space between the two outer circumferential ribs 45 can bend. As a result, the reaction force of the sealing material 4 to the rotor 2 can be reduced, and sliding resistance can be reduced.

[0039] Furthermore, when viewed along the radial direction DR, the inner circumferential rib 44 and the outer circumferential rib 45 are arranged so that the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t of the inner circumferential rib 44 and the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t of the outer circumferential rib 45 do not overlap. Therefore, when a force (force from the rotor 2) acts on the inner circumferential rib 44, the sealing material 4 can bend outward, thereby reducing the reaction force of the sealing material 4 on the rotor 2.

[0040] Furthermore, because the inner circumferential rib inclination portion 44k has a gentler slope than the outer circumferential rib inclination portion 45k, the tilting of the inner circumferential rib 44 due to the rotation of the rotor 2 is suppressed, thereby increasing the durability of the sealing material 4. In addition, because the outer circumferential rib inclination portion 45k has a steeper slope than the inner circumferential rib inclination portion 44k, the reaction force of the sealing material 4 on the rotor 2 can be reduced.

[0041] Furthermore, the axial rib 46 extending along the axial direction DX is connected to the circumferential rib 43 extending along the circumferential direction DC, and the circumferential rib 43 and the axial rib 46 surround the seal opening 41h through which the fluid flows in and out, thereby further improving the sealing performance of the seal material 4.

[0042] Furthermore, because the connection portions (first connection portion C1 and second connection portion C2) between the axial rib 46 and the circumferential rib 43 are R-shaped, it is possible to avoid the overlap of the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t of the inner circumferential rib 44 and the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t of the outer circumferential rib 45 in the radial direction DR throughout the entire seal body portion 41. As a result, the area between the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t can be deflected throughout the entire seal body portion 41, and the reaction force of the seal material 4 on the rotor 2 can be reduced.

[0043] Furthermore, since the inner circumferential rib 44 is provided with a sliding performance improving layer LY on its surface, which is made of a material having a friction coefficient smaller than that of the outer circumferential rib 45, the sliding resistance of the rotor 2 can be further reduced.

[0044] Furthermore, since the seal body portion 41 includes a projection 411 that protrudes radially outward in the DR2 direction, and the projection 411 faces the housing wall portion 11 of the housing 1 in the circumferential direction DC, rotation of the seal material 4 relative to the housing 1 (rotation together with the rotor 2, displacement) can be prevented.

[0045] Furthermore, by providing outer circumferential ribs 45 that are located at a greater distance (radius) from the rotation center of the rotor 2 than inner circumferential ribs 44, the torque required to rotate the outer circumferential ribs 45 becomes greater than the torque required to rotate the inner circumferential ribs 44, thereby suppressing the rotation of the sealing material 4 relative to the housing 1.

[0046] [Another embodiment] This disclosure may be configured as follows, in addition to the embodiments described above (parts having the same functions as the embodiments are given the same numbers and reference numerals as the embodiments).

[0047] (1) In this embodiment, the case in which the rib group 43g is composed of one inner circumferential rib 44 and two outer circumferential ribs 45 has been described. However, the number of inner circumferential ribs 44 and outer circumferential ribs 45 constituting the rib group 43g is not limited to the above, as long as the number of inner circumferential ribs 44 is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs 45. For example, the rib group 43g may be composed of two inner circumferential ribs 44 and three outer circumferential ribs 45.

[0048] (2) In this embodiment, the case in which the vertices of the inner ribs (inner circumferential rib vertices 44t and inner axial rib vertices 47t) do not overlap with the vertices of the outer ribs (outer circumferential rib vertices 45t and outer axial rib vertices 48t) when viewed in the radial direction DR has been described. However, when viewed in the radial direction DR, at least some of the inner circumferential rib vertices 44t and at least some of the outer circumferential rib vertices 45t may overlap. Similarly, when viewed in the radial direction DR, at least some of the inner axial rib vertices 47t and at least some of the outer axial rib vertices 48t may overlap. In other words, when viewed along the radial direction DR, at least some of the vertices of the inner ribs may overlap with at least some of the vertices of the outer ribs.

[0049] (3) In this embodiment, the case in which the inclined portion of the inner rib (inner circumferential rib inclined portion 44k and inner axial rib inclined portion 47k) is less inclined than the inclined portion of the outer rib (outer circumferential rib inclined portion 45k and outer axial rib inclined portion 48k) has been described. However, the inner circumferential rib inclined portion 44k does not have to be less inclined than the outer circumferential rib inclined portion 45k. Similarly, the inner axial rib inclined portion 47k does not have to be less inclined than the outer axial rib inclined portion 48k. In other words, the inclination of the inner rib does not have to be less inclined than the inclination of the outer rib.

[0050] (4) In this embodiment, the case in which the first connecting portion C1 and the second connecting portion C2 are R-shaped has been described, but at least one of the first connecting portion C1 and the second connecting portion C2 does not have to be R-shaped.

[0051] (5) In this embodiment, the inner circumferential rib 44 and the inner axial rib 47 may be made omit from the sliding performance improving layer LY.

[0052] (6) In this embodiment, the seal body 41 includes a projection 411 that prevents the sealing material 4 from rotating relative to the housing 1. However, the seal body 41 may also prevent the sealing material 4 from rotating relative to the housing 1 by a configuration other than the projection 411 (for example, a projection that protrudes along the axial direction DX and engages with the housing 1).

[0053] (7) In this embodiment, a five-way rotary valve 100 was described as an example, but the rotary valve 100 may be a three-way valve, a four-way valve, or the like. In other words, the number of ports 12 formed in the housing 1 (housing wall portion 11) is not limited to five, but can be appropriately changed according to the number of fluid directions controlled by the rotary valve 100.

[0054] (8) The fluid inlet and outlet are not limited to those described in this embodiment and can be interchanged. In other words, the direction of fluid flow may be reversed.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the following configuration can be conceived.

[0056] (1) The sealing material 4 of the rotary valve 100 according to the present disclosure is a sealing material 4 of the rotary valve 100 disposed between a rotor 2 and a housing 1 that houses the rotor 2, comprising a sealing body portion 41 (body portion) extending along the circumferential direction DC and the axial direction DX of the rotor 2, and a rib 42 projecting from the sealing body portion 41 (body portion) in the radial direction DR of the rotor 2, wherein the rib 42 has a circumferential rib 43 extending along the circumferential direction DC, and the circumferential rib Rib 43 includes an inner circumferential rib 44 projecting inward in the radial direction DR and an outer circumferential rib 45 projecting outward in the radial direction DR, wherein the number of inner circumferential ribs 44 is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs 45, and the inclination of the inner circumferential rib inclination portion 44k between the base end 44p and the apex 44t of the inner circumferential rib 44 is gentler than the inclination of the outer circumferential rib inclination portion 45k between the base end 45p and the apex 45t of the outer circumferential rib 45.

[0057] With this configuration, the number of inner circumferential ribs 44 that slide against the rotor 2 is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs 45, thus reducing the sliding resistance of the rotor 2. Also, because the number of inner circumferential ribs 44 that slide against the rotor 2 is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs 45 that slide against the housing 1, the frictional resistance between the housing 1 and the seal material 4 increases, preventing the seal material 4 from shifting position as the rotor 2 rotates. Furthermore, with this configuration, the inner circumferential rib inclined portion 44k has a gentler slope than the outer circumferential rib inclined portion 45k, which suppresses the tilting of the inner circumferential ribs 44 due to the rotation of the rotor 2, thereby increasing the durability of the seal material 4. In addition, the outer circumferential rib inclined portion 45k has a steeper slope than the inner circumferential rib inclined portion 44k, which reduces the reaction force of the seal material 4 on the rotor 2.

[0058] (2) In the sealing material 4 of the rotary valve 100 described in (1), the circumferential rib 43 is composed of two rib groups 43g provided at both ends in the axial direction DX, and the rib group 43g may include two outer circumferential ribs 45 and one inner circumferential rib 44 between the two outer circumferential ribs 45.

[0059] In this configuration, since the circumferential rib 43 is composed of two rib groups 43g at both ends in the axial direction DX, the forces acting on the sealing material 4 can be balanced, and deformation (tilting) of the sealing material 4 can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the rib group 43g includes two outer circumferential ribs 45 and one inner circumferential rib 44 provided between the two outer circumferential ribs 45, when a force acts on the inner circumferential rib 44, the space between the two outer circumferential ribs 45 can flex. As a result, the reaction force of the sealing material 4 to the rotor 2 can be reduced, and sliding resistance can be reduced.

[0060] (3) In the sealing material 4 of the rotary valve 100 described in (1) or (2), the inner circumferential rib 44 and the outer circumferential rib 45 may be provided such that, when viewed along the radial direction DR, the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t of the inner circumferential rib 44 and the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t of the outer circumferential rib 45 do not overlap.

[0061] With this configuration, the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t and the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t do not overlap, so when a force is applied to the inner circumferential rib 44, the sealing material 4 can bend outward, thereby reducing the reaction force of the sealing material 4 to the rotor 2.

[0062] (4) In the sealing material 4 of the rotary valve 100 described in any one of (1) to (3), when viewed along the radial direction DR, the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t may be located between adjacent outer circumferential rib vertices 45t.

[0063] In this configuration, since the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t is located between the adjacent outer circumferential rib vertex 45t, when a force acts on the inner circumferential rib 44, the sealing material 4 can bend outward, thereby reducing the reaction force of the sealing material 4 on the rotor 2.

[0064] (5) In the sealing material 4 of the rotary valve 100 described in any one of (1) to (4), the rib 42 further has an axial rib 46 that extends along the axial direction DX and connects to the circumferential rib 43, and the circumferential rib 43 and the axial rib 46 may surround a seal opening 41h (opening) formed in the seal body portion 41 (body portion) through which fluid passes.

[0065] In this configuration, the axial rib 46 extending along the axial direction DX is connected to the circumferential rib 43 extending along the circumferential direction DC, and the circumferential rib 43 and the axial rib 46 surround the seal opening 41h (opening) through which fluid flows in and out, thereby improving the sealing performance.

[0066] In the sealing material 4 of the rotary valve 100 described in (6)(5), the first connection portion C1 and the second connection portion C2 (connection portion) between the axial rib 46 and the circumferential rib 43 may be R-shaped.

[0067] With this configuration, since the first connection part C1 and the second connection part C2 (connection part) between the axial rib 46 and the circumferential rib 43 are R-shaped, it is possible to avoid the overlap of the inner circumferential rib vertex 44t of the inner circumferential rib 44 and the outer circumferential rib vertex 45t of the outer circumferential rib 45 in the radial direction DR across the entire seal body part 41 (body part). This makes it possible to reduce the reaction force of the seal material 4 on the rotor 2.

[0068] (7) In the sealing material 4 of the rotary valve 100 described in any one of (1) to (6), the inner circumferential rib 44 may have a sliding performance improving layer LY on its surface, which is made of a material having a friction coefficient smaller than that of the outer circumferential rib 45.

[0069] According to this configuration, the inner circumferential rib 44 has a sliding performance improving layer LY on its surface, which is made of a material having a friction coefficient smaller than that of the outer circumferential rib 45. Therefore, the sliding resistance of the rotor 2 can be further reduced.

[0070] (8) In the sealing material 4 for the rotary valve 100 described in any one of (1) to (7), the sealing body portion 41 (body portion) may include a projection 411 (anti-rotation portion) that protrudes outward in the radial direction DR so as to face the housing wall portion 11 (wall portion) of the housing 1 in the circumferential direction DC.

[0071] In this configuration, the seal body portion 41 (body portion) includes a projection 411 (anti-rotation portion) that protrudes outward in the radial direction DR, and the projection 411 (anti-rotation portion) faces the housing wall portion 11 (wall portion) of the housing 1 in the circumferential direction DC, thereby preventing rotation (misalignment) of the seal material 4 relative to the housing 1. [Industrial applicability]

[0072] This disclosure can be used for sealing materials in rotary valves. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1: Housing, 2: Rotor, 11: Housing wall (wall), 4: Seal material, 41: Seal body (body), 41h: Seal opening (opening), 42: Rib, 43: Circumferential rib, 43g: Rib group, 44: Inner circumferential rib, 44k: Inner circumferential rib inclination, 44p: Inner circumferential rib base, 44t: Inner circumferential rib apex, 45: Outer circumferential rib, 45k: Outer circumferential rib inclination, 45p: Outer circumferential rib base, 45t: Outer circumferential rib apex, 46: Axial rib, 100: Rotary valve, 411: Projection (anti-rotation part), C1: First connection part (connection part), C2: Second connection part (connection part), DC: Circumferential direction, DR: Radial direction, DX: Axial direction, LY: Sliding performance improvement layer, X: Axial

Claims

1. A sealing material for a rotary valve, which is disposed between the rotor and the housing that houses the rotor, A main body portion extending along the circumferential direction and the axial direction of the rotor, The rotor comprises a rib that protrudes radially from the main body, The rib has circumferential ribs that extend along the circumferential direction, The circumferential rib includes an inner circumferential rib that protrudes radially inward, with the inner circumferential rib apex, which is the peak in this protruding direction, extending linearly in the circumferential direction, and an outer circumferential rib that protrudes radially outward, with the outer circumferential rib apex, which is the peak in this protruding direction, extending linearly in the circumferential direction. The number of inner circumferential ribs is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs. A sealing material for a rotary valve, wherein the inclination of the inner circumferential rib inclination portion between the base end of the inner circumferential rib and the apex of the inner circumferential rib of the inner circumferential rib is gentler than the inclination of the outer circumferential rib inclination portion between the base end of the outer circumferential rib and the apex of the outer circumferential rib of the outer circumferential rib.

2. A sealing material for a rotary valve, disposed between a rotor and a housing that accommodates the rotor, A main body portion extending along the circumferential direction and the axial direction of the rotor, The rotor comprises a rib that protrudes radially from the main body, The rib comprises a circumferential rib extending along the circumferential direction and an axial rib extending along the axial direction and connected to the circumferential rib. The circumferential rib includes an inner circumferential rib that protrudes radially inward and an outer circumferential rib that protrudes radially outward. The axial rib includes an inner axial rib that protrudes radially inward and an outer axial rib that protrudes radially outward. The number of inner circumferential ribs is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs, and the number of inner axial ribs is less than the number of outer axial ribs, A sealing material for a rotary valve, wherein the inclination of the inner circumferential rib inclination portion between the base end and the apex of the inner circumferential rib is gentler than the inclination of the outer circumferential rib inclination portion between the base end and the apex of the outer circumferential rib of the outer circumferential rib.

3. A sealing material for a rotary valve, disposed between a rotor and a housing that accommodates the rotor, A main body portion extending along the circumferential direction and the axial direction of the rotor, The rotor comprises a rib that protrudes radially from the main body, The rib has circumferential ribs that extend along the circumferential direction, The circumferential rib includes an inner circumferential rib that protrudes radially inward and an outer circumferential rib that protrudes radially outward. The number of inner circumferential ribs is less than the number of outer circumferential ribs. The inclination of the inner circumferential rib inclination portion between the base end and the apex of the inner circumferential rib is gentler than the inclination of the outer circumferential rib inclination portion between the base end and the apex of the outer circumferential rib. A sealing material for a rotary valve, wherein the main body portion has an opening through which fluid passes, the main body portion has an inner circumferential rib and an outer circumferential rib in the region surrounding the opening, and the portion rising from the main body portion at the base end of the inner circumferential rib and the portion rising from the main body portion at the base end of the outer circumferential rib are spaced apart from the opening.

4. The circumferential rib is composed of two groups of ribs provided at both ends in the axial direction. The sealing material for a rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rib group includes two outer circumferential ribs and one inner circumferential rib between the two outer circumferential ribs.

5. The sealing material for a rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inner circumferential rib and the outer circumferential rib are provided such that, when viewed along the radial direction, the apex of the inner circumferential rib and the apex of the outer circumferential rib do not overlap.

6. The sealing material for a rotary valve according to claim 5, wherein, when viewed along the radial direction, the inner circumferential rib vertices are located between adjacent outer circumferential rib vertices.

7. The rib further has axial ribs that extend along the axial direction and connect to the circumferential ribs, The circumferential ribs and the axial ribs surround an opening formed in the main body through which fluid passes, as a sealing material for a rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. The sealing material for a rotary valve according to claim 7, wherein the connection portion between the axial rib and the circumferential rib is R-shaped.

9. The sealing material for a rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inner circumferential rib has a sliding performance improving layer provided on its surface, which is made of a material having a friction coefficient smaller than that of the outer circumferential rib.

10. The sealing material for a rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the main body portion includes a rotation prevention portion that protrudes radially outward so as to face the wall portion of the housing in the circumferential direction.

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