Electric valve and electric valve device, and method for assembling the electric valve device.

Abstract

To provide a motor valve and a motor valve device which can be commonly used in various systems, and to provide a method of assembling the motor valve device.SOLUTION: A motor valve 3 includes a valve body assembly 5, a stator unit 6, and a nut member 7. The stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5. A male screw 11e is provided on an outer peripheral surface of a body member 10 of the valve body assembly 5. The male screw 11e is screwed with a female screw 7e provided on an inner peripheral surface of the nut member 7 and a female screw 201e provided on an inner peripheral surface of an attachment hole 201 of a flow passage block 2. The nut member 7 is fastened so that the body member 10 is fixed to the flow passage block 2 while leaving a gap between the body member 10 and the flow passage block 2 in an axial direction L in the attachment hole 201.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric valve, an electric valve device, and a method for assembling an electric valve device.

Background Art

[0002] An example of a conventional electric valve is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The electric valve is incorporated into a system having a flow path block. The electric valve constitutes an electric valve device together with the flow path block. The electric valve has a valve body assembly and a stator unit. The valve body assembly has a body member, a valve body, a case, and a magnet rotor. The body member has a valve chamber. The valve body is disposed in the valve chamber. The case has a cylindrical shape, and one end of the case is joined to the body member. The magnet rotor is disposed inside the case. The valve body assembly is attached to the flow path block. The stator unit has a stator and a housing. The stator is disposed outside the case. The magnet rotor and the stator constitute a stepping motor. The valve body moves by the rotation of the magnet rotor. The stator is housed in the housing. The housing has a connector for connecting an electric wire. Or, an electric wire is drawn out from a predetermined portion of the stator unit. The connector and the portion where the electric wire is drawn out in the stator unit are referred to as an "electric wire connection portion".

[0003] A male thread is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the body member. A mounting hole is provided on the upper surface of the flow path block, and a female thread is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole. The male thread of the body member is screwed into the female thread of the flow path block. The body member (valve body assembly) is attached to the flow path block by a screw structure. The flow path block has a holding groove extending in the axial direction of the screw. The housing has a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the screw. When the mounting plate is disposed in the holding groove, the mounting plate engages with the flow path block, and the stator unit is attached to the flow path block.

Prior Art Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-83453 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] In systems incorporating electric valves, for example, it may be necessary to change the orientation of the wire connection (the position of the screw around the axis of the stator unit) in order to lay the wires efficiently. Changing the orientation of the wire connection in an electric valve requires changing the position of the mounting plate in the housing. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare electric valves tailored to each of the multiple types of systems, making it difficult to use a single electric valve across multiple systems.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an electric valve and an electric valve device that can be used in common with multiple types of systems, as well as a method for assembling an electric valve device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, an electric valve according to one aspect of the present invention is an electric valve comprising a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member, wherein the valve body assembly comprises a body member, a cylindrical case attached to the body member, and a magnet rotor disposed inside the case, the stator unit comprises a stator disposed outside the case, the stator unit is attached to the valve body assembly, a male thread is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the body member, the male thread is screwed into a female thread provided on the inner circumferential surface of the nut member, and the axial length of the male thread is greater than the axial length of the female thread.

[0008] In the present invention, it is preferable that the male screw is screwed into the female screw of the nut member and the female screw provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole of the flow path block, and that the nut member is tightened so that the main body member is fixed to the flow path block.

[0009] In the present invention, it is preferable that the outer circumferential surface of the main body member is provided with a retaining groove extending in the axial direction of the male screw, the stator unit has a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the male screw, the retaining groove crosses at least a portion of the male screw, the mounting plate is positioned in the retaining groove, a projection is provided on one of the bottom surfaces of the retaining groove and the surface of the mounting plate facing the bottom surface, and a projection receiving portion, which is a recess or hole that engages with the projection, is provided on the other.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the mounting plate is positioned inside the nut member, and the depth of the retaining groove is less than the sum of the thickness of the mounting plate and the amount of protrusion of the projection.

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that the electric valve has information recorded on it relating to the opening position of the magnetic rotor.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the electric valve has a control device that controls the rotation of the magnet rotor, and that the information is stored in the control device.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the electric valve has a label affixed to the outer surface of the valve body assembly or the outer surface of the stator unit, and that the information is recorded on the label.

[0014] To achieve the above objective, an electric valve device according to another aspect of the present invention comprises the electric valve and the flow path block.

[0015] To achieve the above objective, another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for assembling an electric valve device having an electric valve and a flow path block, wherein the electric valve comprises a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member, the valve body assembly comprises a body member, a cylindrical case attached to the body member, and a magnet rotor disposed inside the case, the stator unit comprises a stator disposed outside the case, and the method is characterized by: (1) attaching the stator unit to the valve body assembly, (2) screwing a male thread provided on the outer circumferential surface of the body member into a female thread provided on the inner circumferential surface of the nut member, (3) screwing the male thread into a female thread provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole of the flow path block, and (4) tightening the nut member so that the body member is fixed to the flow path block. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The electric valve comprises a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member. The stator unit is attached to the valve body assembly. A male thread on the outer circumferential surface of the main body member of the valve body assembly is screwed into a female thread on the inner circumferential surface of the nut member. The axial length of the male thread is greater than the axial length of the female thread. In this way, a portion of the male thread of the main body member into which the female thread of the nut member is screwed can be screwed into a female thread provided in the flow path block. This allows the electric valve to be fixed to the flow path block by positioning the electric valve at any position around the axis of the male thread and tightening the nut member. Therefore, the electric valve can be used in common in multiple types of systems. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view of an electric valve device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the electric valve in the electric valve device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the valve body assembly of the electric valve. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view of the stator unit of the electric valve shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] It is a view showing the bracket of the stator unit shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] It is a view for explaining the assembling method of the electric valve device of FIG. 1 (step of attaching the stator unit to the valve body assembly). [Figure 9] It is a view for explaining the assembling method of the electric valve device of FIG. 1 (step of screwing the male thread of the main body member into the female thread of the nut member). [Figure 10] It is a view for explaining the assembling method of the electric valve device of FIG. 1 (step of screwing the male thread of the main body member into the female thread of the flow path block). [Figure 11] It is a view for explaining the assembling method of the electric valve device of FIG. 1 (step of tightening the nut member). [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a modified example of the electric valve device of FIG. 1.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, an electric valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. The electric valve device is incorporated, for example, in an air conditioning system mounted on a vehicle or an air conditioning system installed indoors.

[0019] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electric valve device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of the electric valve in the electric valve device of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the valve body assembly in the electric valve of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the stator unit in the electric valve of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the bracket in the stator unit of Figure 4. Figure 5A is a perspective view of the bracket. Figure 5B is another perspective view of the bracket. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI in Figure 1. Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of Figure 6 (the retaining groove of the valve body assembly and its vicinity). Figures 8 to 11 are diagrams illustrating the assembly method of the electric valve device of Figure 1. Figure 8 shows the process of attaching the stator unit to the valve body assembly. Figure 9 shows the process of screwing the male thread of the main body member of the valve body assembly into the female thread of the nut member. Figure 10 shows the process of screwing the male thread of the main body member into the female thread of the flow path block. Figure 11 shows the process of tightening the nut member. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified configuration of the electric valve device of Figure 1. In Figures 1, 3, and 8 to 12, the valve body is shown as viewed from the front.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the electric valve device 1 includes a flow path block 2 and an electric valve 3.

[0021] The flow channel block 2 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The flow channel block 2 has a circular mounting hole 201. The mounting hole 201 is located on the upper surface 2d of the flow channel block 2. The upper surface 2d is the outer surface of the flow channel block 2. The inner diameter of the mounting hole 201 decreases in stages from top to bottom. An internal thread 201e is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 201. In Figure 1, the flow channel block 2 has a first flow channel 205 extending to the left from the mounting hole 201 and a second flow channel 206 extending downward from the mounting hole 201.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electric valve 3 comprises a valve body assembly 5, a stator unit 6, and a nut member 7.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the valve body assembly 5 includes a main body member 10, a can 20, a drive mechanism 30, and a valve body 40.

[0024] The main body member 10 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy. The main body member 10 has a first part 11 and a second part 12.

[0025] The first part 11 has a cylindrical shape. The first part 11 integrally comprises an upper part 11a, a middle part 11b, and a lower part 11c. The outer diameter of the upper part 11a is larger than the outer diameter of the middle part 11b. The outer diameter of the middle part 11b is larger than the outer diameter of the lower part 11c.

[0026] The first part 11 has a male thread 11e. The male thread 11e is located on the outer circumferential surface of the upper part 11a. The male thread 11e is screwed into the female thread 201e of the flow channel block 2. The first part 11 is positioned in the mounting hole 201 of the flow channel block 2. The upper part 11a protrudes from the upper surface 2d of the flow channel block 2.

[0027] The first part 11 has a retaining groove 14. The retaining groove 14 extends in the vertical direction (axis L direction). The retaining groove 14 is located on the outer circumferential surface of the upper part 11a and crosses the male screw 11e in the vertical direction. The upper end of the retaining groove 14 opens upward, and the lower end of the retaining groove 14 opens downward. Alternatively, the retaining groove 14 may cross a portion of the male screw 11e. In this case, the upper end of the retaining groove 14 opens upward. The first part 11 has a recess 14c. The recess 14c is located on the bottom surface 14a of the retaining groove 14. The recess 14c is a projection receiving portion.

[0028] The first part 11 includes a valve chamber 15, a valve port 16, a valve seat 17, and a connecting passage 18. The valve chamber 15 is located inside the middle part 11b and the lower part 11c. The valve port 16 opens into the valve chamber 15. The valve seat 17 is an inwardly facing annular tapered surface. The valve seat 17 surrounds the valve port 16 in the valve chamber 15. The connecting passage 18 connects the valve chamber 15 to the mounting hole 201. The valve chamber 15 is connected to the first passage 205 via the connecting passage 18 and the mounting hole 201. The valve chamber 15 is connected to the second passage 206 via the valve port 16. Alternatively, the passage block 2 may have a valve chamber instead of the first part 11.

[0029] The second part 12 has a cylindrical shape. The lower part of the second part 12 is positioned inside the upper part 11a of the first part 11. The upper part of the second part 12 protrudes from the upper surface 11d of the first part 11. The second part 12 is attached to the first part 11 by a screw structure. The inner periphery of a ring-shaped connecting member 13 is joined to the upper end of the second part 12. In this embodiment, the first part 11 and the second part 12 are separate parts, but the main body member 10 may be a single part in which the first part 11 and the second part 12 are integrally formed.

[0030] The can 20 is made of, for example, stainless steel. The can 20 has a cylindrical shape with an open lower end and a closed upper end. The lower end of the can 20 is joined to the outer edge of the connecting member 13. The can 20 is attached to the main body member 10 via the connecting member 13. The can 20 may also be attached directly to the main body member 10. The can 20 is a case.

[0031] The drive mechanism 30 moves the valve body 40 in the vertical direction. The drive mechanism 30 includes a magnet rotor 31, a valve stem holder 32, and a guide bush 33.

[0032] The magnet rotor 31 has a cylindrical shape. The magnet rotor 31 is positioned inside the can 20. The outer diameter of the magnet rotor 31 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the can 20. Multiple north poles and multiple south poles are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the magnet rotor 31. Multiple north poles and multiple south poles extend in the vertical direction. Multiple north poles and multiple south poles are arranged alternately at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the magnet rotor 31 has 12 north poles and 12 south poles.

[0033] The valve stem holder 32 has a cylindrical shape with its upper end closed. A support ring 35 is fixed to the upper end of the valve stem holder 32. The magnet rotor 31 and the valve stem holder 32 are connected via the support ring 35. A female thread 32c is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the valve stem holder 32. A movable stopper 37 is attached to the valve stem holder 32.

[0034] The guide bush 33 integrally comprises a base 33a and a support portion 33b. The base 33a and support portion 33b have a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the support portion 33b is smaller than the outer diameter of the base 33a. The support portion 33b is coaxially connected to the upper end of the base 33a. A male thread 33c is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the support portion 33b. The male thread 33c is screwed into the female thread 32c of the valve stem holder 32. The base 33a is press-fitted into the upper part of the second portion 12 of the main body member 10. The guide bush 33 is coupled to the main body member 10. A fixing stopper 38 is attached to the base 33a.

[0035] The valve body 40 integrally comprises a first shaft portion 41, a second shaft portion 42, and a valve portion 43. The first shaft portion 41 and the second shaft portion 42 have a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the second shaft portion 42 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first shaft portion 41. The second shaft portion 42 is coaxially connected to the upper end of the first shaft portion 41. The second shaft portion 42 penetrates the upper wall portion 32a of the valve shaft holder 32. A push nut 45 for retaining the second shaft portion 42 is attached to the second shaft portion 42. The first shaft portion 41 is located inside the guide bush 33 and inside the second portion 12. The first shaft portion 41 is supported by the guide bush 33 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The lower end of the first shaft portion 41 is located in the valve chamber 15. The valve portion 43 has a shape in which a plurality of tapered portions, whose outer diameter decreases from top to bottom, are coaxially connected. The valve section 43 is coaxially connected to the lower end of the first shaft section 41. The valve section 43 is located in the valve chamber 15. The valve section 43 faces the valve port 16 (valve seat 17) in the vertical direction. A stepped section 44 is provided between the first shaft section 41 and the second shaft section 42. The stepped section 44 is an annular plane facing upward. A valve closing spring 36 is located between the upper wall section 32a of the valve shaft holder 32 and the stepped section 44. The valve closing spring 36 is a compression coil spring. The valve closing spring 36 pushes the valve body 40 downward. The valve body 40 is moved vertically by the drive mechanism 30. The valve port 16 is opened and closed by the movement of the valve body 40.

[0036] In the valve body assembly 5, when the magnet rotor 31 rotates in the valve closing direction, the magnet rotor 31 and the valve stem holder 32 move downward due to the screw-feed action between the female thread 32c of the valve stem holder 32 and the male thread 33c of the guide bush 33. The valve stem holder 32 pushes the valve body 40 downward via the valve closing spring 36. The valve body 40 moves downward and contacts the valve seat 17. At this time, the position of the magnet rotor 31 is the closed position Rc. If the magnet rotor 31 rotates further in the valve closing direction from this state, the valve closing spring 36 is compressed and the magnet rotor 31 and the valve stem holder 32 move further downward. The valve body 40 does not move downward. Then, when the movable stopper 37 contacts the fixed stopper 38, the rotation of the magnet rotor 31 in the valve closing direction is restricted. At this time, the position of the magnet rotor 31 is the reference position Rx.

[0037] In the valve body assembly 5, when the magnet rotor 31 rotates in the valve opening direction, the magnet rotor 31 and the valve shaft holder 32 move upward due to the screw-feed action between the female thread 32c of the valve shaft holder 32 and the male thread 33c of the guide bush 33. The valve shaft holder 32 pushes the push nut 45 upward. The valve body 40 moves upward and separates from the valve seat 17. The position of the magnet rotor 31 where the valve body 40 is separated from the valve seat 17 and the flow rate of refrigerant flowing through the valve port 16 is a predetermined set value is defined as the valve opening position Ro. Note that the valve opening position Ro may be the same as the valve closing position Rc. When the magnet rotor 31 rotates further in the valve opening direction, the magnet rotor 31 reaches the fully open position Rz. When the magnet rotor 31 is in the fully open position Rz, the valve body 40 is furthest from the valve port 16, and the valve port 16 is at its maximum opening.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the stator unit 6 includes a stator 60, a housing 70, a bracket 80, and a control device 85.

[0039] The stator 60 has a cylindrical shape. The stator 60 includes an A-phase stator 61, a B-phase stator 62, and a mold 63 made of synthetic resin.

[0040] The A-phase stator 61 has multiple claw-pole type pole teeth 61a and 61b on its inner circumference. The tips of the pole teeth 61a point downward, and the tips of the pole teeth 61b point upward. The pole teeth 61a and 61b are arranged alternately at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the A-phase stator 61 has 12 pole teeth 61a and 12 pole teeth 61b. The angle between adjacent pole teeth 61a and 61b is 15 degrees. When the coil 61c of the A-phase stator 61 is energized, the pole teeth 61a and 61b become opposite in polarity.

[0041] The B-phase stator 62 has multiple claw-pole type pole teeth 62a and 62b on its inner circumference. The tips of the pole teeth 62a point downward, and the tips of the pole teeth 62b point upward. The pole teeth 62a and 62b are arranged alternately at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the B-phase stator 62 has 12 pole teeth 62a and 12 pole teeth 62b. The angle between adjacent pole teeth 62a and 62b is 15 degrees. When the coil 62c of the B-phase stator 62 is energized, the pole teeth 62a and 62b become opposite in polarity.

[0042] The A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62 are arranged coaxially. The A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62 are in contact with each other. When viewed from the direction of axis L, the angle between the pole teeth 61a of the adjacent A-phase stator 61 and the pole teeth 62a of the adjacent B-phase stator 62 is 7.5 degrees.

[0043] The mold 63 is filled inside the A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62. The mold 63 also forms the inner circumferential surface 60a of the stator together with the pole teeth 61a, 61b and 62a, 62b. The diameter of the inner circumferential surface 60a of the stator is the same as (or substantially the same as) the diameter of the outer circumferential surface of the can 20. The mold 63 has terminal support portions 64.

[0044] The terminal support portion 64 extends laterally (in a direction perpendicular to the axis L) from the A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62. The terminal support portion 64 supports a plurality of terminals 65. The plurality of terminals 65 protrude laterally from the tip of the terminal support portion 64. The plurality of terminals 65 are connected to the coil 61c of the A-phase stator 61 and the coil 62c of the B-phase stator 62.

[0045] The stator 60 is positioned outside the can 20. The stator 60, together with the magnet rotor 31 positioned inside the can 20, constitutes the stepping motor 66.

[0046] The housing 70 is made of synthetic resin. The housing 70 houses the stator 60 and the control device 85. The housing 70 integrally includes a peripheral wall portion 71, an upper wall portion 72, and a connector 73.

[0047] The peripheral wall portion 71 has a cylindrical shape. The stator 60 is embedded in the peripheral wall portion 71. The diameter of the inner circumferential surface 71a of the peripheral wall portion 71 is the same as the diameter of the inner circumferential surface 60a of the stator. The inner circumferential surface 71a is continuous with the inner circumferential surface 60a of the stator without any steps. The upper wall portion 72 has a dome shape. The upper wall portion 72 is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 71. The connector 73 is located on the upper part of the housing 70. The connector 73 is oriented laterally. The inner circumferential surface 71a of the peripheral wall portion 71, the inner surface 72a of the upper wall portion 72, and the inner circumferential surface 60a of the stator form the inner space 74 of the stator unit 6. The can 20 is located in the inner space 74.

[0048] The housing 70 has a substrate space 75. The substrate space 75 is adjacent to the inner space 74. A partition wall 76 is positioned between the inner space 74 and the substrate space 75. The partition wall 76 separates the inner space 74 and the substrate space 75. The housing 70 has an opening 70a that leads to the substrate space 75, and the opening 70a is closed by a cover member 77.

[0049] The bracket 80 is made of metal. As shown in Figure 5, the bracket 80 integrally comprises a bracket body 81 and a mounting plate 82. The bracket body 81 has an annular plate shape. The bracket body 81 is fixed to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 71. The mounting plate 82 has a rectangular plate shape. The mounting plate 82 is connected to the inner peripheral edge of the bracket body 81 and extends downward. The mounting plate 82 extends toward the main body member 10. The bracket 80 is formed by press working to punch out the shapes of the bracket body 81 and the mounting plate 82 from a metal plate, and then bending the mounting plate 82 so that it aligns with the central axis (axis line L) of the bracket body 81. The bracket 80 may be welded to the stator 60.

[0050] The mounting plate 82 is positioned in the retaining groove 14. The width of the mounting plate 82 is the same as (or substantially the same as) the width of the retaining groove 14 of the main body member 10. The width of the mounting plate 82 may be smaller than the width of the retaining groove 14. It is preferable that the misalignment angle around the axis L between the main body member 10 and the housing 70, caused by the difference between the width of the mounting plate 82 and the width of the retaining groove 14, is smaller than the step angle of the stepping motor 66. The mounting plate 82 extends in the vertical direction. The mounting plate 82 passes through the opening at the upper end of the retaining groove 14 and is inserted into the retaining groove 14.

[0051] The mounting plate 82 has a protrusion 82c. The protrusion 82c is located on the inner surface 82a of the mounting plate 82 (the surface facing left in Figure 4). The inner surface 82a is the surface that faces the bottom surface 14a when the mounting plate 82 is placed in the retaining groove 14. The inner surface 82a is in contact with the bottom surface 14a. The protrusion 82c is a projection.

[0052] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the protrusion 82c is fitted into the recess 14c within the retaining groove 14. When the protrusion 82c is fitted into the recess 14c, the recess 14c and the protrusion 82c interlock (i.e., engage) with each other, restricting the vertical movement of the mounting plate 82 within the retaining groove 14. This fixes the housing 70 (stator unit 6) to the main body member 10.

[0053] The control device 85 is located in the substrate space 75 of the housing 70. The control device 85 includes a main board 90, a sub-board 100, a magnetic sensor 110, and a microcomputer 120.

[0054] The main board 90 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. The main board 90 is housed in the board space 75. The main board 90 is arranged parallel to each other in the vertical direction. A microcomputer 120 is mounted on the main board 90. Multiple terminals 65 of the stator 60 are connected to the main board 90.

[0055] The sub-board 100 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. The sub-board 100 is housed in the board space 75. The sub-board 100 is positioned perpendicular to the main board 90. The first end 100a of the sub-board 100 is located near the main board 90. The second end 100b of the sub-board 100 is located near the partition wall 76. The sub-board 100 is connected to the main board 90 via an inter-board connector.

[0056] The magnetic sensor 110 is, for example, a Hall IC. The magnetic sensor 110 is located at the second end 100b of the sub-board 100. The magnetic sensor 110 is aligned laterally with the magnet rotor 31 via the can 20 and partition wall 76. The magnetic sensor 110 outputs a signal corresponding to the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnet rotor 31.

[0057] The microcomputer 120 is an embedded device microcomputer that integrates, for example, a central processing unit, non-volatile memory, working memory, a communication module, a motor driver, etc., into a single package. The microcomputer 120 controls the motorized valve 3. Note that the non-volatile memory, working memory, communication module, and motor driver may be individual electronic components externally connected to the microcomputer 120.

[0058] The control device 85 is communicatively connected to the control unit of the air conditioning system (not shown) into which the electric valve device 1 is incorporated. The control device 85 controls the stepping motor 66 (i.e., the rotation of the magnet rotor 31) in response to commands transmitted from the control unit. The control device 85 (for example, the non-volatile memory of the microcomputer 120) stores valve opening point information J. The valve opening point information J is information indicating the number of pulses (valve opening point) input to the stepping motor 66 to rotate the magnet rotor 31 from the reference position Rx to the valve opening position Ro. The valve opening point is a parameter related to the operating characteristics of the electric valve 3 and may vary depending on the precision of the parts and assembly precision. The valve opening point is measured at the time of factory shipment of the electric valve 3 and is stored in the non-volatile memory as valve opening point information J. The valve opening point information J is information related to the valve opening position Ro of the magnet rotor 31. For example, in the initialization operation of the electric valve 3, the control device 85 uses the valve opening point information J to position the magnet rotor 31 at the valve opening position Ro. In addition, in the electric valve 3, the closed position Rc may be set to the open position Ro.

[0059] The nut member 7 is an annular member with a hexagonal outer shape. A female thread 7e is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the nut member 7. The male thread 11e of the main body member 10 is screwed into the female thread 7e. The nut member 7 and the retaining groove 14 of the main body member 10 form a space 25. The mounting plate 82 is positioned in the space 25. When the female thread 7e and the male thread 11e are screwed together, the nut member 7 is aligned laterally with the mounting plate 82. In other words, the mounting plate 82 is positioned inside the nut member 7. Note that the outer shape of the nut member 7 is not limited to a hexagon. The outer shape of the nut member 7 may be a polygon such as a square or octagon. Alternatively, the nut member 7 may have a shape that engages with a tool (for example, a groove or projection). The nut member 7 only needs to have a shape that allows it to be rotated by a tool.

[0060] In this embodiment, when the depth of the holding groove 14 is D, the thickness of the mounting plate 82 is T1, and the protruding amount of the convex portion 82c is T2, the depth D is smaller than the total value T of the thickness T1 and the protruding amount T2 (D < T, T = T1 + T2). The depth D is the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 11 (the bottom of the male thread 11e) and the bottom surface 14a of the holding groove 14. The protruding amount T2 is the distance between the inner surface 82a and the portion of the convex portion 82c that is farthest from the inner surface 82a. By doing so, when a pulling force is applied upward from the holding groove 14 to the mounting plate 82, the mounting plate 82 contacts the nut member 7 and the elastic deformation of the mounting plate 82 is restricted, suppressing the release of the engagement between the convex portion 82c and the concave portion 14c.

[0061] The length K1 of the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 in the axial direction (axis L direction) is larger than the length K2 of the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 in the axial direction (axis L direction) (Fig. 9). Specifically, the length K1 is larger than the length K2 by the number of threads (for example, 5 to 10) necessary for the main body member 10 to be fixed to the flow path block 2 when the male thread 11e is screwed into the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2 to tighten the nut member 7. In this embodiment, the length K1 is preferably 1.5 to 5 times the length K2, and more preferably 2 to 3 times. When the length K1 is large, the screwing amount between the male thread 11e and the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2 can be ensured, and when the length K1 is small, the flow path block 2 and the electric valve 3 can be miniaturized. In a configuration having a plurality of nut members 7, the length K2 is the total value of the lengths in the axial direction of the female threads 7e of each nut member 7.

[0062] In this embodiment, the electric valve 3 has one nut member 7, but as shown in Fig. 12, the electric valve 3 may have a plurality of nut members 7.

[0063] In the electric valve device 1, the mounting hole 201 (female thread 201e), the main body member 10 (the first portion 11, the male thread 11e, the second portion 12, the valve port 16, the valve seat 17), the cam 20, the magnet rotor 31, the valve shaft holder 32, the guide bush 33, the valve body 40, the stator 60 (the A-phase stator 61, the B-phase stator 62), and the nut member 7 (female thread 7e) have their respective central axes coinciding with the axis L.

[0064] Next, an example of how to assemble the electric valve device 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 8 to 11.

[0065] The valve body assembly 5 and the stator unit 6 are manufactured. The stator unit 6 is then attached to the valve body assembly 5. Specifically, the can 20 of the valve body assembly 5 is inserted into the inner space 74 of the stator unit 6, and the mounting plate 82 of the housing 70 is inserted into the retaining groove 14 of the main body member 10. As the insertion of the mounting plate 82 into the retaining groove 14 progresses, the protrusion 82c of the mounting plate 82 rides up onto the bottom surface 14a of the retaining groove 14, causing the mounting plate 82 to elastically deform and curve (Figure 8). Further insertion causes the mounting plate 82 to return to its original shape, and the protrusion 82c fits into the recess 14c in the retaining groove 14. As a result, the recess 14c and the protrusion 82c catch on to each other, restricting the vertical movement of the mounting plate 82 within the retaining groove 14. Also, since the width of the retaining groove 14 and the width of the mounting plate 82 are the same, the rotation of the mounting plate 82 around the axis L relative to the main body member 10 is restricted. This secures the stator unit 6 to the valve body assembly 5.

[0066] Next, the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 is screwed into the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 (Figures 9 and 10). Then, the main body member 10 is inserted into the mounting hole 201 of the flow path block 2, and the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 is screwed into the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2 (Figures 10 and 11). The position of the electric valve 3 around the axis L is adjusted so that the connector 73 of the stator unit 6 is oriented in the desired direction. The nut member 7 is rotated until it contacts the upper surface 2d of the flow path block 2. After the nut member 7 contacts the upper surface 2d, force is applied to the nut member 7 in the rotational direction to tighten it. This fixes the main body member 10 (electric valve 3) to the flow path block 2, and the electric valve device 1 is completed.

[0067] The electric valve device 1 of this embodiment includes a flow path block 2 and an electric valve 3. The electric valve 3 includes a valve body assembly 5, a stator unit 6, and a nut member 7. The valve body assembly 5 includes a body member 10, a can 20 attached to the body member 10, and a magnet rotor 31 positioned inside the can 20. The stator unit 6 includes a stator 60 positioned outside the can 20. The stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5. A male thread 11e is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the body member 10. The male thread 11e is screwed into the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 and the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2. The length K1 of the male thread 11e in the axial direction L is greater than the length K2 of the female thread 7e in the axial direction L. The nut member 7 is tightened so that the body member 10 is fixed to the flow path block 2.

[0068] As a result, a portion of the male thread 11e of the main body member 10, into which the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 is screwed, can be screwed into the female thread 201e provided on the flow path block 2. This allows the electric valve 3 to be fixed to the flow path block 2 by positioning it at any position around the axis L and tightening the nut member 7. Therefore, the electric valve 3 can be used in common in multiple types of systems.

[0069] Furthermore, since the stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5, the combination of the valve body assembly 5 and the stator unit 6 is determined at the time of factory shipment. Therefore, the operating characteristics (valve opening point) of the electric valve 3, which vary depending on the precision of the parts and assembly precision, can be measured at the time of factory shipment, and the electric valve 3 can be shipped with information related to these operating characteristics (valve opening point information J) recorded.

[0070] Furthermore, a retaining groove 14 extending in the axial direction L is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the main body member 10. The stator unit 6 has a mounting plate 82 extending in the axial direction L. The retaining groove 14 crosses the male screw 11e. The mounting plate 82 is positioned in the retaining groove 14. A protrusion 82c is provided on the inner surface 82a of the mounting plate 82. A recess 14c that engages with the protrusion 82c is provided on the bottom surface 14a of the retaining groove 14. In this way, the stator unit 6 can be attached to the valve body assembly 5 with a relatively simple structure. Note that a protrusion may be provided on the bottom surface 14a of the retaining groove 14, and a recess or hole that engages with the protrusion may be provided on the mounting plate 82.

[0071] Furthermore, the mounting plate 82 is positioned inside the nut member 7. The depth D of the retaining groove 14 is less than the sum of the thickness T1 of the mounting plate 82 and the protrusion amount T2 of the convex portion 82c. In this way, the mounting plate 82 is positioned in the space 25 formed by the retaining groove 14 and the nut member 7, restricting the elastic deformation of the mounting plate 82 and suppressing the disengagement of the convex portion 82c and the concave portion 14c. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the stator unit 6 from coming off the valve body assembly 5.

[0072] The electric valve 3 has a control device 85 that controls the rotation of the magnet rotor 31. The valve opening point information J is stored in the control device 85. In this way, the electric valve 3 can control the flow rate of the refrigerant with high precision.

[0073] The electric valve 3 may be directly controlled by the control unit of the air conditioning system, omitting the control device 85. In this case, it is preferable that the electric valve 3 has a label attached to the outer surface of the valve body assembly 5 or the outer surface of the stator unit 6, and that the valve opening point information J is recorded on the label. The valve opening point information J is recorded in a format that can be read by a reader, such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code. By using the valve opening point information J read by the reader in the control unit, the flow rate of the refrigerant can be controlled with high precision in the electric valve 3.

[0074] The above-described embodiment has a configuration in which the electric valve 3 is attached to the flow path block 2, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, the electric valve 3 may be attached to a structure other than the flow path block 2 (for example, the frame of the air conditioning system). In this case, the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 of the electric valve 3 is screwed into a female thread provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole of the structure, and the nut member 7 is tightened so that the main body member 10 is fixed to the structure.

[0075] In this specification, terms indicating shapes such as "cylinder" 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.

[0076] 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]

[0077] 1...Electric valve device, 2...Flow path block, 2d...Top surface, 201...Mounting hole, 201e...Female thread, 205...First flow path, 206...Second flow path, 3...Electric valve, 5...Valve body assembly, 10...Body member, 11...First part, 11a...Upper part, 11b...Middle part, 11c...Lower part, 11d...Top surface, 11e...Male thread, 12...Second part, 13...Connecting member, 14...Retaining groove, 14a...Bottom surface, 14c...Recess, 15...Valve chamber, 16...Valve opening, 17...Valve seat, 18...Connecting flow path, 20...Can 25...Space, 30...Drive mechanism, 31...Magnet rotor, 32...Valve stem holder, 32a...Upper wall, 32c...Female thread, 33...Guide bush, 33a...Base, 33b...Support part, 33c...Male thread, 35...Support ring, 36...Valve closing spring, 37...Movable stopper, 38...Fixed stopper, 40...Valve body, 41...First shaft part, 42...Second shaft part, 43...Valve part, 44...Step part, 45...Push nut, 6...Stator unit, 60...Stator, 60a...Stator - Inner surface, 61...A-phase stator, 61a...Pole teeth, 61b...Pole teeth, 61c...Coil, 62...B-phase stator, 62a...Pole teeth, 62b...Pole teeth, 62c...Coil, 63...Mold, 64...Terminal support part, 65...Terminal, 66...Stepping motor, 70...Housing, 70a...Opening, 71...Peripheral wall part, 71a...Inner surface, 72...Upper wall part, 72a...Inner surface, 73...Connector, 74...Inner space, 75...Substrate space, 76...Partition wall, 77...Lid member, 80...Bracket T, 81...Bracket body, 82...Mounting plate, 82a...Inner surface, 82c...Protrusion, 85...Control device, 90...Main board, 100...Sub board, 100a...First end, 100b...Second end, 110...Magnetic sensor, 120...Microcomputer, 7...Nut member, 7e...Female thread, J...Valve opening point information, K1...Length, K2...Length, L...Axis, Rc...Closed position, Ro...Open position, Rx...Reference position, Rz...Fully open position, T...Total value, T1...Thickness, T2...Protrusion amount

Claims

1. An electric valve comprising a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member, The valve body assembly comprises a main body member, a cylindrical case attached to the main body member, and a magnet rotor positioned inside the case. The stator unit has a stator located outside the case and is attached to the valve body assembly. The outer surface of the main body member is provided with male screws. The male thread is screwed into the female thread provided on the inner circumferential surface of the nut member and the female thread provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole of the flow channel block. The main body member is positioned in the mounting hole with a gap between it and the flow path block in the axial direction of the male screw, and is rotatable in any direction around the axis of the male screw. The electric valve is characterized in that the nut member is tightened so that the main body member is fixed to the flow path block and does not rotate around the axis of the male screw.

2. The outer circumferential surface of the main body member is provided with a retaining groove extending in the axial direction of the male screw. The stator unit has a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the male screw, The retaining groove crosses at least a portion of the male screw, The mounting plate is placed in the retaining groove, The electric valve according to claim 1, wherein a projection is provided on one of the bottom surface of the retaining groove and the surface of the mounting plate facing the bottom surface, and a projection receiving portion, which is a recess or hole that engages with the projection, is provided on the other surface.

3. The mounting plate is positioned inside the nut member, The electric valve according to claim 2, wherein the depth of the retaining groove is less than the sum of the thickness of the mounting plate and the amount of protrusion of the projection.

4. The electric valve according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the electric valve has information relating to the opening position of the magnetic rotor recorded in it.

5. The electric valve has a control device that controls the rotation of the magnet rotor, The electric valve according to claim 4, wherein the aforementioned information is stored in the control device.

6. The electric valve has a label that is affixed to the outer surface of the valve body assembly or the outer surface of the stator unit. The electric valve according to claim 4, wherein the aforementioned information is recorded on the label.

7. An electric valve device comprising the electric valve described in claim 1 and the flow path block.

8. A method for assembling an electric valve device having an electric valve and a flow path block, The electric valve comprises a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member. The valve body assembly comprises a main body member, a cylindrical case attached to the main body member, and a magnet rotor positioned inside the case. The stator unit has a stator positioned outside the case, (1) The stator unit is attached to the valve body assembly, (2) Screw the male thread provided on the outer circumferential surface of the main body member into the female thread provided on the inner circumferential surface of the nut member. (3) Screw the male thread into the female thread provided on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole of the flow path block, (4) The main body member is positioned in the mounting hole at a location where there is a gap between the flow path block and the male screw in the axial direction, and at a location where it can rotate in any direction around the axis of the male screw. (5) A method for assembling an electric valve device, characterized in that the main body member is fixed to the flow path block and the nut member is tightened so that it does not rotate around the axis of the male screw.

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