Electric valve and valve device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an electric valve and a valve device which can be disposed in a small space. [Solution] An electric valve 1 includes: a valve body 10 having a valve chamber 12 and a valve port 13; a cylindrical rotor case 30 attached to the valve body 10; a cylindrical rotor 40 disposed inside the rotor case 30; a valve body 20 moving according to rotation of the rotor 40; and a stator 90 disposed inside the rotor 40 and forming a stepper motor 98 together with the rotor 40.

Description

Motor-operated valves and valve gear

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor-operated valve and a valve device.

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

[0003] JP 2022-83453 A

[0004] The motor-operated valve of Patent Document 1 is used, for example, in a valve device shown in FIG. 20 . The valve device 803 includes multiple motor-operated valves 801 and a flow path block 950. The flow path block 950 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes a mounting surface 951 on which the multiple motor-operated valves 801 are arranged. Because the stator of the motor-operated valve 801 is arranged on the outside of the case, the motor-operated valve 801 has a large outer diameter, requiring a large space for arranging the motor-operated valve 801. Therefore, the flow path block 950 requires a relatively large mounting surface 951. Furthermore, the connector portion 887 of the motor-operated valve 801 faces forward and backward (left and right in FIG. 20 ). Therefore, in a system incorporating the valve device 803, space is required around the multiple motor-operated valves 801 to accommodate cables connected to the connector portion 887.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electrically operated valve and a valve device that can be placed in a small space.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides an electric valve having a cylindrical rotor case, a cylindrical magnet rotor arranged inside the rotor case, a valve body that moves in accordance with the rotation of the magnet rotor, and a stator that is arranged inside the magnet rotor and forms a motor together with the magnet rotor.

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

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

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

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

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that the motor-operated valve further includes a magnetic sensor that detects the magnetism of the magnet rotor, and that the magnetic sensor is disposed at a location between the pole portions on the support portion.

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

[0013] In order to achieve the above object, another aspect of the valve device of the present invention is a valve device having at least one electric valve and a flow path block having a mounting surface on which the electric valve is arranged, characterized in that the electric valve has a cylindrical rotor case, a cylindrical magnet rotor arranged inside the rotor case, a valve body that moves in accordance with the rotation of the magnet rotor, and a stator arranged inside the magnet rotor and that forms a motor together with the magnet rotor.

[0014] According to the present invention, the magnet rotor has a cylindrical shape, and the stator, which together with the magnet rotor constitutes a motor, is arranged inside the magnet rotor. This configuration allows the motor-operated valve to have a smaller outer diameter than a configuration in which the stator is arranged outside the magnet rotor. This allows the motor-operated valve to be arranged in a relatively small space.

[0015] 1. A front view of a motor-operated valve according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A plan view of the motor-operated valve. A bottom view of the motor-operated valve. A cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1. A cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 4. A cross-sectional view of a valve body assembly of the motor-operated valve. A front view of a stator unit of the motor-operated valve. A rear view of the stator unit. A bottom view of the stator unit. A cross-sectional view taken along line X-X in FIG. 7. A cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 10. A rear view of a stator of the stator unit. A plan view of the stator. A bottom view of the stator. A cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in FIG. 12. A cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI in FIG. 15. A cross-sectional view taken along line XVII-XVII in FIG. 15. A cross-sectional view of a valve device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. A plan view of a valve device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. A plan view of a conventional valve device.

[0016] A motor-operated valve according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 17. The motor-operated valve according to this embodiment is used, for example, to control the flow rate of refrigerant in an automotive air conditioner.

[0017] Figures 1, 2, and 3 are front, plan, and bottom views of a motor-operated valve according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a valve body assembly of the motor-operated valve. Figures 7, 8, and 9 are front, rear, and bottom views of a stator unit of the motor-operated valve. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X in Figure 7. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in Figure 10. Figures 12, 13, and 14 are back, plan, and bottom views of a stator of the stator unit. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in Figure 12. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI in Figure 15. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVII-XVII in Figure 15. In each drawing, the X direction indicated by the arrow X is the left-right direction, the Y direction indicated by the arrow Y is the front-rear direction, and the Z direction indicated by the arrow Z is the up-down direction (direction of the axis L). The arrow X with the letter "X" indicates the right direction, the arrow Y with the letter "Y" indicates the front direction, and the arrow Z with the letter "Z" indicates the up direction.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0028] The shaft portion 21 has an overall columnar shape. An upper portion 21a of the shaft portion 21 has a rectangular columnar shape. The outer shape of the cross section of the upper portion 21a is the same square as the inner peripheral edge of the valve body support plate 19. A lower portion 21b of the shaft portion 21 has a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the lower portion 21b is the same as the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 18a of the sleeve 18. The shaft portion 21 has a threaded hole 21c and a female thread 21t. The threaded hole 21c is located on the upper end surface of the shaft portion 21. The female thread 21t is located on the inner peripheral surface of the threaded hole 21c.

[0029] An upper portion 21a of the shaft portion 21 is disposed inside the valve element support plate 19. A lower portion 21b of the shaft portion 21 is disposed inside the small diameter portion 18a of the sleeve 18. The valve element 20 is supported by the sleeve 18 and the valve element support plate 19 so as to be movable in the vertical direction (direction of the axis L). Rotation of the valve element 20 about the axis L is restricted by the valve element support plate 19. The shape of the upper portion 21a of the shaft portion 21 and the shape of the inner peripheral edge of the valve element support plate 19 may be any shape as long as they restrict rotation of the valve element 20 about the axis L.

[0030] The valve portion 22 has a truncated cone shape with a diameter that decreases from top to bottom. The valve portion 22 is coaxially connected to the lower end of the shaft portion 21. The valve portion 22 is disposed in the valve chamber 12 and the valve port 13. The valve portion 22 faces the valve port 13 and the valve seat 14 in the vertical direction. When the valve portion 22 comes into contact with the valve seat 14, the valve port 13 closes. When the valve portion 22 moves away from the valve seat 14, the valve port 13 opens, and a throttled flow path is formed between the valve portion 22 and the valve port 13.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0037] The drive shaft 50 is made of synthetic resin or metal. The drive shaft 50 has an overall cylindrical shape. The drive shaft 50 has a male thread 51s. The male thread 51s is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the lower portion of the drive shaft 50. The male thread 51s is threadedly engaged with the female thread 21t of the valve element 20. Note that the drive shaft 50 may have a female thread and the valve element 20 may have a male thread. The female thread 21t and the male thread 51s form a feed screw mechanism that moves the valve element 20 in the vertical direction. The center of the drive shaft 50 is rotatably supported by the bearing 35. The drive shaft 50 has a support surface 50a, which is an annular flat surface facing downward. The upper end of the inner ring of the bearing 35 contacts the support surface 50a. The upper portion of the drive shaft 50 is fitted into the connecting portion 43. The drive shaft 50 rotates together with the rotor 40.

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

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

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

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

[0042] The housing main body 81 integrally includes a peripheral wall portion 82, a bottom wall portion 83, and a support portion 84. The peripheral wall portion 82 has a cylindrical shape. The bottom wall portion 83 has a disk shape. The bottom wall portion 83 is connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 82. The support portion 84 has a cylindrical shape. The support portion 84 is coaxially connected to the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 83. The outer diameter of the support portion 84 is the same as the inner diameter of the peripheral wall portion 61 of the inner case 60. The support portion 84 has multiple recesses 84a. The multiple recesses 84a are located on the upper part of the outer peripheral surface of the support portion 84. The support portion 84 is located in the inner case 60, and the multiple recesses 84a fit into the multiple protrusions 61a of the inner case 60. The support portion 84 is fitted into the inner case 60. An O-ring 89 seals the gap between the bottom wall portion 83 and the annular portion 63 of the inner case 60.

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

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

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

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

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

[0048] The control device 100 is disposed in the control device space 88. The control device 100 has a board 101, a terminal component 102, and a computer (not shown). The board 101 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components including a computer are mounted. A plurality of coil terminals 94 of the stator 90 are connected to the board 101. The terminal component 102 has a plurality of connector terminals 103. One end of each of the plurality of connector terminals 103 is connected to the board 101, and the other end is disposed inside the connector portion 87. The computer controls the motor-operated valve 1.

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

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

[0051] Next, the operation of the motor-operated valve 1 will be described.

[0052] In the motor-operated valve 1, current is supplied to the multiple coils 93 of the stator 90, causing the rotor 40 to rotate in a first direction. The drive shaft 50 rotates together with the rotor 40. Due to the feed screw action between the male thread 51s of the drive shaft 50 and the female thread 21t of the valve element 20, the valve element 20 moves downward, reducing the opening area of ​​the valve port 13 (throttled flow path). When the valve element 20 contacts the valve seat 14 and closes the valve port 13, the motor-operated valve 1 is in a fully closed state.

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

[0054] Next, a method for manufacturing the motor-operated valve 1 will be described.

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

[0056] A laminated core 91 is placed in a molding die for a stator, and a bobbin 92 is injection molded integrally with the laminated core 91. Then, wire is wound around multiple sleeve portions 92a of the bobbin 92, and multiple coils 93 are formed on the pole portions 91b of the laminated core 91. In this manner, a stator 90 is produced.

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

[0058] The support portion 84 of the stator unit 8 is inserted into the inner case 60 of the valve body assembly 5, and the support portion 84 is fitted into the inner case 60. The multiple protrusions 61a of the inner case 60 fit into the multiple recesses 84a of the support portion 84, and the stator unit 8 is fixed to the valve body assembly 5. In this way, the motor-operated valve 1 is completed.

[0059] As described above, the motor-operated valve 1 includes the cylindrical rotor case 30, the cylindrical rotor 40 disposed inside the rotor case 30, the valve element 20 that moves in response to the rotation of the rotor 40, and the stator 90 disposed inside the rotor 40 and constituting a stepping motor 98 together with the rotor 40. As a result, the outer diameter of the motor-operated valve 1 is smaller than in a configuration in which the stator is disposed outside the rotor. This allows the motor-operated valve 1 to be disposed in a relatively small space.

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

[0061] The motor-operated valve 1 also has a housing 80 made of synthetic resin. The housing 80 has a cylindrical support portion 84 in which the stator 90 is embedded. The support portion 84 is fitted into the inner case 60. In this manner, the stator 90 can be protected by the support portion 84. Furthermore, by fitting the support portion 84 into the inner case 60, the stator 90 can be appropriately positioned inside the inner case 60.

[0062] The housing 80 also has an elongated cylindrical connector portion 87. The connector portion 87 extends in the axial direction (axis L direction) of the rotor 40. This configuration allows the installation area of ​​the motor-operated valve 1 (area when viewed from the axis L direction) to be reduced.

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

[0064] The motor-operated valve 1 also has a magnetic sensor 110 that detects the magnetism of the rotor 40. The magnetic sensor 110 is disposed between the pole portions 91b on the support portion 84 (FIG. 7). In this manner, the magnetic sensor 110 is disposed near the rotor 40 and faces the rotor 40 in the radial direction.

[0065] The motor-operated valve 1 also has a drive shaft 50 that rotates together with the rotor 40. The valve element 20 has a female thread 21t. The drive shaft 50 has a male thread 51s that is threadedly engaged with the female thread 21t. The female thread 21t and the male thread 51s form a feed screw mechanism that moves the valve element 20. In this manner, the valve element 20 can be moved with a relatively simple configuration.

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

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

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

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

[0070] The flow path block 150 has a female thread 150t. The female thread 150t is disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 157. The lower portion 11b of the main body member 11 of the motor-operated valve 1 is disposed in the mounting hole 157, and the male thread 11s of the main body member 11 is threadedly engaged with the female thread 150t of the flow path block 150. The motor-operated valve 1 is attached to the flow path block 150 using a screw structure by attaching a jig to the hexagonal upper portion 11a of the main body member 11 and rotating it around the axis L. In the mounting hole 157, the gap between the main body member 11 and the flow path block 150 is sealed by O-rings 158 and 159 disposed in the annular grooves 11d and 11e. The connector portion 87 of the motor-operated valve 1 faces upward. The first passage 155 is connected to the valve chamber 12 of the motor-operated valve 1 via the mounting hole 157 and the first connecting passage 15. The second passage 156 is connected to the valve port 13 of the motor-operated valve 1 via the second connecting passage 16 .

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

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

[0073] As shown in FIG. 19, the valve device 3 according to the second embodiment includes a plurality of motor-operated valves 1 according to the first embodiment and a flow path block 250 .

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

[0075] The flow path block 250 has a plurality of mounting holes (not shown). The plurality of mounting holes are arranged on a mounting surface 251. A plurality of female threads are arranged on the inner circumferential surfaces of the plurality of mounting holes. The lower parts 11b of the main body members 11 of the plurality of motor-operated valves 1 are arranged in the plurality of mounting holes, and the male threads 11s of the main body member 11 are screwed into the female threads of the flow path block 250. The connector parts 87 of the plurality of motor-operated valves 1 face upward.

[0076] The valve devices 2 and 3 also have the same effects as the motor-operated valve 1.

[0077] Furthermore, in the valve device 3, the installation area for each of the multiple motor-operated valves 1 is small, so the flow path block 250 can be made smaller. Furthermore, in the valve device 3, the connector portions 87 of each of the multiple motor-operated valves 1 face the same direction (upward). Therefore, in a system incorporating the valve device 3, it is only necessary to provide space above the valve device 3 for arranging cables connected to the connector portions 87 of the multiple motor-operated valves 1, and the valve device 3 can be arranged in a relatively small space.

[0078] In this specification, terms indicating shapes such as "cylinder," "column," and "rectangular parallelepiped" are also used to refer to members or portions of members that substantially have the shape of the term. For example, a "cylindrical member" includes both cylindrical members and substantially cylindrical members.

[0079] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art may appropriately add, delete, or modify components of the above-described embodiments, or appropriately combine features of the embodiments, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the present invention.

[0080] 1...motor operated valve, 2...valve device, 3...valve device, 5...valve body assembly, 8...stator unit, 10...valve body, 11...body member, 11a...upper portion, 11b...lower portion, 11c...upper surface, 11d...annular groove, 11e...annular groove, 11s...male thread, 11t...female thread, 12...valve chamber, 13...valve port, 14...valve seat, 15...first connecting passage, 16...second connecting passage, 17...mounting hole, 17a...retaining surface, 18...sleeve, 18a...small diameter portion, 18 b...large diameter portion, 18c...flange portion, 19...valve body support plate, 20...valve body, 21...shaft portion, 21a...upper portion, 21b...lower portion, 21c...screw hole, 21t...female thread, 22...valve portion, 30...rotor case, 31...first portion, 31a...bearing installation surface, 31s...male thread, 32...second portion, 33...connecting portion, 35...bearing, 39...O-ring, 40...rotor, 41...cylindrical portion, 42...disc portion, 43...connecting portion, 50...drive shaft, 50a...support Support surface, 51s...male thread, 60...inner case, 61...peripheral wall portion, 61a...protruding portion, 62...bottom wall portion, 63...annular portion, 65...rotor space, 80...housing, 81...housing main body, 82...peripheral wall portion, 83...bottom wall portion, 84...support portion, 84a...recessed portion, 85...lid body, 86...lid portion, 87...connector portion, 88...controller space, 89...O-ring, 90...stator, 91...laminated core, 91a...center portion, 91b...polar portion, 92...bobbin 92a...sleeve portion, 93...coil, 94...coil terminal, 98...stepping motor, 100...control device, 101...board, 102...terminal part, 103...connector terminal, 110...magnetic sensor, 150...flow path block, 150t...female thread, 151...mounting surface, 155...first passage, 156...second passage, 157...mounting hole, 158...O-ring, 159...O-ring, 250...flow path block, 251...mounting surface, L...axis

Claims

1. An electric valve comprising: a cylindrical rotor case; a cylindrical magnet rotor arranged inside the rotor case; a valve body that moves in response to rotation of the magnet rotor; and a stator that is arranged inside the magnet rotor and that, together with the magnet rotor, constitutes a motor.

2. The motor-operated valve according to claim 1, further comprising an inner case integrally having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion, a disk-shaped bottom wall portion connected to a first end of the peripheral wall portion, and an annular portion whose inner peripheral edge is connected to a second end of the peripheral wall portion, the outer peripheral edge of the annular portion being joined to one end of the rotor case, the peripheral wall portion and the bottom wall portion being disposed inside the magnet rotor, and the stator being disposed inside the peripheral wall portion.

3. The motor-operated valve according to claim 2, further comprising a housing made of synthetic resin, said housing having a cylindrical support portion in which said stator is embedded, said support portion being fitted into said inner case.

4. The motor-operated valve according to claim 3, wherein the housing further has a cylindrical connector portion, the connector portion extending in the axial direction of the magnet rotor.

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

6. The motor-operated valve according to claim 5, further comprising a magnetic sensor for detecting the magnetism of the magnet rotor, the magnetic sensor being disposed at a position between the pole portions on the support portion.

7. The motor-operated valve according to claim 1, further comprising a drive shaft which rotates together with the magnet rotor, the valve element having a female thread and the drive shaft having a male thread which screws into the female thread, or the drive shaft having a female thread and the valve element having a male thread which screws into the female thread, and the female thread and the male thread form a feed screw mechanism which moves the valve element.

8. A valve device having at least one motor-operated valve and a flow path block having a mounting surface on which the motor-operated valve is disposed, characterized in that the motor-operated valve has: a cylindrical rotor case; a cylindrical magnet rotor disposed inside the rotor case; a valve body that moves in response to rotation of the magnet rotor; and a stator disposed inside the magnet rotor and constituting a motor together with the magnet rotor.

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