Flow path switching valve

Abstract

A valve body (200, 300) comprises: a seal part (141a, 241a) that forms a flow path between the seal part (141a, 241a) and an inner wall part 112; one end side wall part 1411 that extends from the seal part (141a, 241a) on one end side in a center axis A direction to form the flow path; another end side wall part 1412 that extends from the seal part (141a, 241a) on the other end side in the center axis A direction to form the flow path; a connection part 1414 that connects the one end side wall part 1411 and said another end side wall part 1412; an intermediate seal part 241k that abuts the inner wall part 112 and divides the flow path into a plurality of divided flow paths in at least one of the center axis A direction and a circumferential direction; and a first wall part 2413a and a second wall part 2413b that extend from both ends of the intermediate seal part 241k toward the center axis A so as to separate from each other, and constitute the respective divided flow paths. The connection part 1414 of the divided flow paths has a biasing member 170 that biases the connection part 1414 to press the valve body (200, 300) from the central axis A toward the inner wall part 112.

Description

Flow path switching valve

[0001] The present invention relates to a flow path switching valve that switches a flow path of a fluid.

[0002] JP2022-535565A discloses a flow path switching valve that includes a cylindrical valve body and a valve plug that is disposed within the valve body so as to rotate relative to the valve body around a rotation axis, and the valve plug is provided with a seal that abuts against a side wall within the valve body.

[0003] The flow path switching valve described in the above document has a structure in which the seal portion abuts against the wall portion of the valve body from the inside, and therefore, when the biasing force between the seal portion and the wall portion is increased to improve sealing performance, there is a problem in that a force is applied in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a flow path switching valve that can appropriately maintain sealing performance.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a flow path switching valve includes a main body having a cylindrical inner wall and a plurality of ports opening circumferentially, a housing having a first end covering one end of the main body in the central axis direction and a second end covering the other end of the main body in the central axis direction, and a valve element rotatably accommodated within the housing about a central axis and in sliding contact with the inner wall to switch the communication state of the plurality of ports. The valve element includes a seal portion in sliding contact with the inner wall portion to form a flow path between itself and the inner wall portion, a one-end wall portion extending from the seal portion at one end in the central axis direction to form the flow path, an other-end wall portion extending from the seal portion at the other end in the central axis direction to form the flow path, a connecting portion connecting the one-end wall portion and the other-end wall portion, an intermediate seal portion abutting the inner wall portion to divide the flow path into a plurality of divided flow paths in at least one of the central axis direction and the circumferential direction, and first and second wall portions extending from both ends of the intermediate seal portion toward the central axis so as to be spaced apart from each other and constituting each of the divided flow paths. The connecting portion of the divided flow paths has a biasing member that biases the connecting portion so as to press the valve body from the central axis toward the inner wall portion.

[0006] According to the above aspect, the wall structure separating the flow paths is composed of two structurally flexible first and second wall portions, so that when the valve body 20 is urged toward the inner wall portion by the urging member, the structurally flexible first and second wall portions deform relatively easily, and the intermediate seal portion can be made to adhere more closely to the inner wall portion, thereby maintaining appropriate sealing performance.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flow path switching valve according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along III-III in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the flow path switching valve, showing a state in which a cover portion is removed from a housing. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a state in which a valve body, a rotating shaft, and a biasing member are assembled. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 5. FIG. 7A is a plan view of a first valve body. FIG. 7B is a front view of the first valve body. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along VIII-VIII in FIG. 7B. FIG. 9A is a plan view of a second valve body. FIG. 9B is a front view of the second valve body. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a biasing portion of the first valve body. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a state in which a valve body and a rotating shaft according to a second embodiment are assembled. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is a side view of the rotating shaft. FIG. 14A is a perspective view of the first valve body. FIG. 14B is a perspective view of the second valve body. Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in Fig. 11. Fig. 16 is an explanatory diagram of the biasing portion of the first valve body. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the flow path switching valve of the second embodiment. Fig. 18 is a front view of the flow path switching valve. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the valve body. Fig. 20 is a plan view of the valve body. Fig. 21 is an explanatory diagram explaining switching of the flow path in the flow path switching valve.

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0009] First Embodiment A flow path switching valve 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. FIG.

[0010] First, the overall configuration of the flow path switching valve 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the flow path switching valve 10. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the flow path switching valve 10, showing a state in which the lid 120 has been removed from the main body 111 of the housing 110.

[0012] Hereinafter, the direction along the central axis A of the housing 110 (the central axis of rotation of the valve body 130) will be referred to as the "central axis direction (central axis A direction)", the direction from the central axis A of the housing 110 toward the outer diameter will be referred to as the "radial direction", and the direction in which the valve body 130 rotates within the housing 110 will be referred to as the "rotational direction".

[0013] As will be described later, the flow path switching valve 10 of this embodiment has five ports 113, and can switch the communication state (communication and closed) of the five ports 113 depending on the rotational position of the valve body 130. The flow path switching valve 10 is connected to a cooling circuit consisting of, for example, the power train, battery, radiator, and electric pump of an electric vehicle, and cools and warms these components with refrigerant by switching the flow path based on the state of the electric vehicle.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the flow path switching valve 10 includes a housing 110 , a valve element 130 , and an actuator 180 .

[0015] The housing 110 has a main body 111, a cover 120 as a first end, and a bottom 111a as a second end.

[0016] 3, the main body 111 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with a bottom. The main body 111 has an inner wall 112 and a plurality of ports 113. The lid 120 covers one end of the main body 111 in the direction of the central axis A, and the bottom 111a covers the other end of the main body 111 in the direction of the central axis A.

[0017] The inner wall portion 112 is an inner peripheral surface of a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom. The inner wall portion 112 is formed with a smoothly curved surface so that the valve body 130 can slide in contact with it. A plurality of ports 113 are formed in the inner wall portion 112.

[0018] 1 and 2 , the port 113 connects the inner periphery and outer periphery of the main body 111 and extends radially from the outer periphery of the main body 111. A plurality of ports 113 are provided lined up in the direction of the central axis A and the circumferential direction of the housing 110. The ports 113 include a first port 113a, a second port 113b, a third port 113c, a fourth port 113d, and a fifth port 113e.

[0019] The first port 113a, the second port 113b, and the third port 113c are arranged in sequence in the circumferential direction at the same position along the central axis A. The first port 113a, the second port 113b, and the third port 113c constitute a first layer L1 as a first stage (see FIG. 3). The first port 113a, the second port 113b, and the third port 113c are arranged radially in the circumferential direction at predetermined angular intervals.

[0020] The fourth port 113d and the fifth port 113e are arranged side by side in the circumferential direction at the same position along the central axis A. The fourth port 113d and the fifth port 113e are arranged in a position along the central axis A closer to the bottom 111a than the first layer L1. The fourth port 113d and the fifth port 113e form a second layer L2 as a second stage (see FIG. 3 ). That is, the multiple ports 113 are arranged side by side in two stages, the first layer L1 and the second layer L2, along the central axis A.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, in a plan view, the first port 113a, the second port 113b, the third port 113c, the fourth port 113d, and the fifth port 113e are arranged at equal intervals (here, 45° intervals) in the circumferential direction (clockwise direction).

[0022] 3 , the communication portion 115 communicates the spaces between first valve bodies 141 and second valve bodies 142 (described later) that are arranged side by side in the direction of the central axis A in the direction of the central axis A. The communication portion 115 guides the fluid that flows in from a port 113 that is not surrounded by the valve body 130 to another port 113 by passing through gaps between the rotating shaft 160, the coil spring 170, etc. inside the housing 110.

[0023] In this embodiment, the multiple ports 113 are arranged in two layers, a first layer L1 and a second layer L2, in the direction of the central axis A, but it may also be configured to arrange more layers (a third layer, a fourth layer, etc.) in the direction of the central axis A (in three or more layers).

[0024] 1 to 3 , the lid portion 120 closes the other end of the main body portion 111 in the direction of the central axis A. The lid portion 120 has an end plate portion 121 and a cylindrical portion 122.

[0025] The end plate portion 121 is formed in a flat plate shape and closes the other end of the main body portion 111 in the direction of the central axis A.

[0026] 2, the cylindrical portion 122 is formed in a cylindrical shape with one end fixed to the end plate portion 121. An annular O-ring 125 serving as a sealing member is provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 122. The cylindrical portion 122 seals the inside and outside of the housing 110 by sandwiching and fixing the O-ring 125 between the cylindrical portion 122 and the main body portion 111.

[0027] 3, an annular flow passage 123 is formed between the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion 122 and the side surface of the valve element 130. The annular flow passage 123 is provided on the outer periphery of a portion where a shaft seal 165 that seals the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 160 is provided. In other words, the space required to provide the shaft seal 165 is utilized, and therefore the provision of the annular flow passage 123 does not increase the size of the housing 110.

[0028] For example, when a fluid that has flowed into the communication portion 115 from a certain port 113 in the first layer L1 flows out from another port 113 in the second layer L2, the annular flow path 123 guides the fluid not only to the communication portion 115 located close to the port 113 into which the fluid has flowed, but also to the communication portion 115 located far from the port 113 into which the fluid has flowed. Thus, by providing the annular flow path 123, the fluid can be guided to areas where the fluid flow resistance is high due to the rotating shaft 160, the coil spring 170, etc., and where the fluid is difficult to guide. Therefore, the flow of the fluid can be dispersed so that the fluid can flow through all gaps within the housing 110. Therefore, the fluid flow resistance can be reduced.

[0029] 2 to 4, the valve body 130 is accommodated inside the housing 110 so as to be rotatable about a central axis A. The valve body 130 has a rotation shaft 160 and a plurality of coil springs 170 serving as biasing members.

[0030] The valve element 130 switches the communication state of the multiple ports 113. The valve element 130 is provided across the first layer L1 and the second layer L2. The valve element 130 has a first valve element 141 and a second valve element 142. The first valve element 141 and the second valve element 142 are movable radially relative to the central axis A of the housing 110 and are biased toward the inner circumferential surface of the housing 110 by a coil spring 170, which will be described later.

[0031] When observed from the direction of the central axis A, the first valve body 141 is formed in a sector shape centered on the central axis A. The first valve body 141 is formed large in the direction of the central axis A so as to straddle the first layer L1 and the second layer L2. The first valve body 141 is formed asymmetrically in at least one of the direction of the central axis A and the circumferential direction.

[0032] When observed from the direction of the central axis A, the second valve body 142 is formed in a fan shape centered on the central axis A. The second valve body 142 is provided opposite the first valve body 141 across the central axis A of the housing 110. The second valve body 142 is formed large in the direction of the central axis A so as to straddle the first layer L1 and the second layer L2. The second valve body 142 is formed asymmetrically in at least one of the direction of the central axis A and the circumferential direction.

[0033] As described above, the valve element 130 has a first valve element 141 and a second valve element 142 that are arranged at positions facing each other with respect to the rotation axis 160. At least one of the first valve element 141 and the second valve element 142 is provided so as to communicate with each of the multiple ports 113 that are arranged at different positions (different layers) in the direction of the central axis A. The valve element 130 is made of, for example, an elastic resin material so as to adhere closely to the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110. The resin material is selected appropriately depending on the type of fluid flowing through the port 113.

[0034] 2 and 3 , the rotary shaft 160 extends in the direction of the central axis A of the housing 110. The rotary shaft 160 connects the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 so that they can move in opposing directions. The rotary shaft 160 switches the rotational positions of the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 by rotating.

[0035] 2 and 4, the coil spring 170 is disposed between the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142. The coil spring 170 biases the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 toward the inner wall portion 112 in which the port 113 is formed.

[0036] The plurality of coil springs 170 provided between the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 are arranged at two locations spaced apart in the direction of the central axis A. The central axes of the plurality of coil springs 170 are arranged so that their positions in the direction of the central axis A coincide with the central axis of the port 113. With this configuration, the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 are biased against the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110, causing the seal portions of the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 to come into close contact with the inner wall portion 112.

[0037] The actuator 180 is operated in response to a command signal from a controller (not shown). The actuator 180 is connected to the rotary shaft 160 and drives the rotary shaft 160 to rotate.

[0038] Next, the specific configurations of the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 of the valve body 130 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9B.

[0039] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the valve body 130, the rotary shaft 160, and the coil spring 170 assembled together. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 5. Fig. 7A is a plan view of the first valve body 141. Fig. 7B is a front view of the first valve body 141. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7B. Fig. 9A is a plan view of the second valve body 142. Fig. 9B is a front view of the second valve body 142. Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the biasing portion 190.

[0040] As shown in Figure 8, the first valve body 141 has a first sealing portion 141a, a first flow path 141b, a first sealing portion 141c, a support portion 141d, multiple (here, four) convex portions 141e, a sliding portion 141g, and a protrusion portion 141h.

[0041] The first seal portion 141a abuts against the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110. The first seal portion 141a is formed as a curved surface having the same curvature as the inner wall portion 112.

[0042] 8 , of the edge of the first seal portion 141a that faces the inner wall portion 112 in which the port 113 is formed, only a portion of the inner circumferential side in the thickness direction abuts against the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110 to form a sealing surface. Specifically, the first seal portion 141a is formed so that its thickness is half or less of the thickness of the edge that faces the inner wall portion 112.

[0043] This reduces the contact area between the first seal portion 141a and the inner wall portion 112, thereby reducing sliding resistance, thereby reducing the drive torque of the actuator 180. Furthermore, when a fluid flows into the first flow path 141b and the pressure increases, the contact state between the first seal portion 141a and the inner wall portion 112 can be maintained even if the free end of the first seal portion 141a deforms toward the outer periphery.

[0044] 8 is also applied to the second valve body 142 of the valve body 130. This reduces the drive torque of the actuator 180, allowing the use of a small actuator 180. In this embodiment, the seal surface is formed integrally with the valve body 130, but it may also be formed from a separate material or member in a deformable manner.

[0045] As shown in Figures 5 to 7B, the first flow path 141b is surrounded by the first seal portion 141a, a one-end side wall portion 1411 formed in a fan shape on one end side of the first valve body 141, an other-end side wall portion 1412 formed in a fan shape on the other end side of the first valve body 141, an intermediate wall portion 1413 formed in a fan shape between the one-end side wall portion 1411 and the other-end side wall portion 1412, a connecting portion 1414 connecting the one-end side wall portion 1411, the other-end side wall portion 1412, and the intermediate wall portion 1413 in the direction of the central axis A, and the inner wall portion 112, thereby forming a first space through which a fluid flows.

[0046] The first flow path 141b is formed across the first layer L1 and the second layer L2. The first flow path 141b is formed in a substantially L-shape so as to enable communication between two ports 113 provided in the first layer L1 and one port 113 provided in the second layer L2.

[0047] The first sealing portion 141c stops the flow of fluid by being surrounded by the first seal portion 141a, the intermediate wall portion 1413, the other end side wall portion 1412, the connecting portion 1414, and the inner wall portion 112. The first sealing portion 141c can stop the flow of fluid through one of the ports 113 provided in the first layer L1, the port 113 adjacent to the port 113 communicated with by the first flow path 141b.

[0048] The rectangular portion 160a of the rotary shaft 160 is fitted into the support portion 141d. The support portion 141d has a first insertion hole 141f in the shape of a square hole into which the rectangular portion 160a of the rotary shaft 160 is inserted.

[0049] The support portion 141d is formed in a shape that allows it to be sandwiched between a U-shaped portion of a support portion 142d (described later) of the second valve body 142, so that the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 cannot move relative to each other in the vertical direction. When the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 are combined, the support portion 142d of the second valve body 142 is sandwiched between the support portion 141d of the first valve body 141, and the first insertion hole 141f of the first valve body 141 and the second insertion hole 142f of the second valve body 142 form a single insertion hole. The rectangular portion 160a of the rotation shaft 160 is inserted into this insertion hole.

[0050] The protrusion 141e faces, with a gap therebetween, the protrusion 142e of the second valve body 142. The protrusion 141e positions the center of the coil spring 170. The coil spring 170 is attached to the protrusion 141e.

[0051] The sliding portion 141g is provided outside the first flow path 141b so as to be aligned with a part of the first flow path 141b in the direction of the central axis A, and slides against the inner wall portion 112. The sliding portion 141g is a protrusion that extends in the circumferential direction and does not itself form a flow path. As a result, when the first valve body 141 is formed asymmetrically in at least one of the direction of the central axis A and the circumferential direction, the sliding portion 141g slides against the inner wall portion 112, thereby preventing the first valve body 141 from shifting or tilting.

[0052] The protrusion 141h is formed to stand along the first seal portion 141a on the upper surface of the first valve body 241. The protrusion 141h engages with a recess 124 formed in the lid portion 120 of the housing 110, thereby constituting a biasing portion 190 that biases the first seal portion 141a toward the inner wall portion 112.

[0053] As shown in Figures 5 and 6 and Figures 9A and 9B, the second valve body 142 has a second sealing portion 142a, a second flow path 142b, a second sealing portion 142c, a support portion 142d, multiple (here, four) convex portions 142e, and a sliding portion 142g.

[0054] The second seal portion 142a abuts against the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110. The second seal portion 142a is formed as a curved surface having the same curvature as the inner wall portion 112.

[0055] The second flow path 142b is surrounded by the second seal portion 142a and the inner wall portion 112 to form a second space through which a fluid flows. The second flow path 142b is formed in the first layer L1. The second flow path 142b is formed in a substantially straight line so that the three ports 113 provided in the first layer L1 can communicate with each other.

[0056] The second sealing portion 142c stops the flow of fluid by being surrounded by the second seal portion 142a and the inner wall portion 112. The second sealing portion 142c can stop the flow of fluid through the port 113 at one end of the multiple ports 113 connected by the second flow path 142b, among the ports 113 provided in the second layer L2, and the port 113 adjacent to the port 113 in the direction of the central axis A.

[0057] The rectangular portion 160a of the rotary shaft 160 is fitted into the support portion 142d. The support portion 142d has a second insertion hole 142f in the shape of a square hole into which the rectangular portion 160a of the rotary shaft 160 is inserted.

[0058] The rectangular portion 160a of the rotating shaft 160 and the insertion hole are configured so that there is a gap between the two outer walls of the rectangular portion 160a and the two inner walls of the insertion hole in the direction in which the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 face each other. This allows the support portion 141d of the first valve body 141 and the support portion 142d of the second valve body 142 to move relative to the rectangular portion 160a of the rotating shaft 160. Note that in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 face each other, the two inner walls of the insertion hole are configured to be parallel and flush with each other in the direction of the central axis A, and the two outer walls of the rectangular portion 160a and the two outer walls of the insertion hole abut against each other without any gaps.

[0059] The support portion 142d has a substantially U-shaped cross section in the axial direction, and second insertion holes 142f are formed in the upper and lower parts of the U-shape. The support portion 142d is configured so that the support portion 142d of the second valve body 142 is fitted to the open side of the U-shape.

[0060] The protrusion 142e faces, with a gap therebetween, the protrusion 141e of the first valve body 141. The protrusion 142e positions the center of the coil spring 170. The coil spring 170 is attached to the protrusion 142e.

[0061] A coil spring 170 is inserted between the protrusion 141 e of the first valve body 141 and the protrusion 142 e of the second valve body 142. The coil spring 170 biases the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 in a direction that presses them against the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110. This causes the first seal portion 141 a of the first valve body 141 and the second seal portion 142 a of the second valve body 142 to come into close contact with the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110.

[0062] As described above, the support portion 141d of the first valve body 141 and the support portion 142d of the second valve body 142 are configured to be able to move relative to the rectangular portion 160a of the rotating shaft 160, so that relative movement between the first valve body 141 and the second valve body 142 in the biasing direction is permitted while suppressing the load in the direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft 160, and the biasing force of the coil spring 170 causes the first seal portion 141a of the first valve body 141 and the second seal portion 142a of the second valve body 142 to adhere closely to the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110.

[0063] Of the multiple coil springs 170, a pair of coil springs 170 provided in a layer where a large fluid flow path is formed (here, the first layer L1) is set to have a larger biasing force than the coil springs 170 provided in a layer where a small fluid flow path is formed (here, the second layer L2). In other words, of the multiple coil springs 170, one of the multiple coil springs 170 provided at a position where the pressure-receiving area where the valve body 130 receives the fluid pressure is large has a larger biasing force than the other of the multiple coil springs 170 provided at a position where the pressure-receiving area is small.

[0064] That is, when fluid flows into second flow path 142b and second sealing portion 142c and the pressure rises, the biasing force of coil spring 170 on the side where the pressure is greater is greater, and the biasing force of coil spring 170 on the side where the pressure is less is smaller. This allows second sealing portion 142a to be stably pressed against inner wall portion 112 when fluid pressure acts, and there is no need to increase the pressing force more than necessary, thereby improving the durability of second sealing portion 142a.

[0065] The sliding portion 142g is provided outside the second flow path 142b so as to be aligned with a part of the second flow path 142b in the direction of the central axis A, and slides against the inner wall portion 112. The sliding portion 142g is a protrusion that extends in the circumferential direction and does not itself form a flow path. As a result, when the second valve body 142 is formed asymmetrically in at least one of the direction of the central axis A and the circumferential direction, the sliding portion 142g slides against the inner wall portion 112, thereby preventing the second valve body 142 from shifting or tilting.

[0066] Like the protrusion 141h of the first valve body, the protrusion 142h engages with a recess 124 formed in the lid portion 120 of the housing 110, thereby forming a biasing portion 190 that biases the second seal portion 142a toward the inner wall portion 112.

[0067] 10, a specific configuration of the biasing portion 190 formed by the protrusion 141h of the first valve body 141 will be described. Note that although the configuration of the protrusion 141h of the first valve body 141 will be described here as a representative, the protrusion 142h formed on the second valve body 142 also has a similar configuration.

[0068] A protrusion 141h that protrudes in the direction of the central axis A is formed along the curved surface of the first seal portion 141a near the first seal portion 141a of the first valve body 141. The protrusion 141h has a sliding contact portion 141i on its central axis A side that is formed so that its height in the direction of the central axis A increases toward the outer periphery.

[0069] The inside of the lid portion 120 is formed so that the depth in the direction of the central axis increases toward the outer periphery, and has an inclined portion 124i that comes into sliding contact with the sliding contact portion 141i of the first valve body 141, and a recess 124 that is formed in a concave shape in the direction of the central axis A. The recess 124 may be formed in an annular shape on the inner circumference of the lid portion 120, or may be formed in a circumferential shape (arc shape) on a part of the inner circumference of the lid portion 120 at a position where the valve body 130 abuts.

[0070] The inclined portion 124i of the recess 124 and the sliding contact portion 141i of the protrusion 141h of the first valve body 141 are configured to be in sliding contact with each other. When the valve body 130 rotates in the circumferential direction, the sliding contact portion 141i rotates in the circumferential direction while sliding on the recess 124.

[0071] When a fluid flows into the first flow path 141b and the pressure in the first flow path 141b increases, the first valve body 141 is deformed in an expanding direction by the pressure, and the upper surface of the first valve body 141 expands upward.

[0072] At this time, the recess 124 of the cover 120 fixed to the housing 110 does not move, so the sliding contact portion 141i of the protrusion 141h of the first valve body 141 slides against the inclined portion 124i of the recess 124, and the protrusion 141h moves radially outward. As a result, the first seal portion 141a of the first valve body 141 is urged toward the inner wall portion 112.

[0073] In this way, the protrusion 141h moves radially outward due to the pressure of the fluid, thereby forming a biasing portion 190 that biases the first seal portion 141a against the inner wall portion 112.

[0074] This biasing portion 190 allows the first sealing portion 141a to be biased against the inner wall portion 112 when fluid flows into the first flow path 141b and the pressure increases, thereby allowing the sealing performance of the first sealing portion 141a to be properly maintained.

[0075] The inclination angle (angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the central axis A) between the recess 124 and the sliding contact portion 141i is set to an appropriate acute angle taking into consideration the pressure of the fluid in the flow path and the biasing force of the first seal portion 141a.

[0076] Furthermore, the protrusions 141h are formed on the upper surface of the first valve body 141 so as to stand along the first seal portion 141a, and thus also function as reinforcing ribs on the upper surface of the first valve body 141. By providing such protrusions 241h on the upper surface of the first valve body 141, the first valve body 141 is prevented from deforming more than necessary, and there is no need to provide a separate structure such as a reinforcing rib.

[0077] 10 has been described with reference to the biasing portion 190 of the first valve body 141, but the protrusion 142h formed on the upper part of the second valve body 142 has a similar configuration. Similar configurations may also be provided between the first valve body 141 and the bottom 111a and between the second valve body 142 and the bottom 111a. This allows the sliding portions 141g, 142g and the second sealing portion 142c to be biased against the inner wall portion 112, similarly maintaining sealing performance. In this case, too, a configuration corresponding to the recess 124 may be formed in an annular shape on the inner circumference of the bottom 111a, or may be formed in a circumferential (arc-shaped) shape on part of the inner circumference of the bottom 111a at a position where the valve body 130 abuts.

[0078] Second Embodiment Next, a flow path switching valve 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 16. In the second embodiment, the shape of the housing 110 is substantially the same as in the first embodiment described above, but the configuration of the valve body 200 is different from the configuration of the valve body 130 in the first embodiment. Note that the same components as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0079] The flow path switching valve 20 of the second embodiment has five ports 113, similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the first embodiment, and is configured so that the communication state (communication and closed) of the five ports 113 can be switched depending on the rotational position of a valve body 200 (see Figure 11) arranged in a housing 110.

[0080] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the valve body 200 and the rotating shaft 260 assembled together. Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 11. Figure 13 is a side view of the rotating shaft 260. Figure 14A is a plan view of the first valve body 241. Figure 14B is a front view of the second valve body 242. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in Figure 11. Figure 16 is an explanatory view of the vicinity of the intermediate seal portion 241k in the second embodiment.

[0081] 11 to 14A, first valve body 241 has, on its surface (the side facing inner wall 112), first seal portion 241a, first flow path 241b, first sealing portion 241c, second flow path 241d, protrusion 241h, and intermediate seal portion 241k. First valve body 241 has, on its back surface (the side facing rotation shaft 260), multiple (four in this example) protrusions 241e and a set of protrusions 241j.

[0082] The first seal portion 241a abuts against the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110. The first seal portion 241a is formed as a curved surface having the same curvature as the inner wall portion 112. Although the first seal portion 241a is formed integrally with the first valve body 241, it may be formed from a different material or member so as to be freely deformable.

[0083] As shown in Figures 12 and 15, the first valve body 241 has a one-end side wall portion 2411 extending from the first seal portion 241a and formed in an arc shape on one end side of the first valve body 241, an other-end side wall portion 2412 extending from the first seal portion 241a and formed in an arc shape on the other end side of the first valve body 241, intermediate wall portions 2413a, 2413b formed in a fan shape between the one-end side wall portion 2411 and the other-end side wall portion 2412, and connecting portions 2414a and 2414b connecting the one-end side wall portion 2411, the other-end side wall portion 2412, and the intermediate wall portion 2413, respectively, in the direction of the central axis A. As shown in FIG. 12, the connecting portions 2414a and 2414b are formed in an arc shape (so as to have a convex shape from the central axis A toward the inner wall portion 112) so as to follow the inner peripheral shape of the inner wall portion 112 in a plan view.

[0084] That is, the first valve body 241 is configured to integrally have, in the direction of the central axis A, a one-end side wall portion 2411, a connecting portion 2414a, an intermediate wall portion 2413a, an intermediate wall portion 2413b, and an other-end side wall portion 2412. The intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b abut against the inner wall portion 112 at the intermediate seal portion 241k, and divide the flow path formed by the one-end side wall portion 2411 and the other-end side wall portion 2412 into a plurality of divided flow paths in the direction of the central axis A.

[0085] As shown in Figure 14A, the first valve body 241 is provided with a first seal portion 241a at the location where the one end side wall portion 2411 and the other end side wall portion 2412 contact the inner wall portion 112, and is provided with an intermediate seal portion 241k at the location where the intermediate wall portion 2413a and the intermediate wall portion 2413b contact the inner wall portion 112.

[0086] In the first valve body 241, the first flow path 241b is formed by a space surrounded by the first seal portion 241a, the one end side wall portion 2411, the intermediate wall portion 2413a, the other end side wall portion 2412, the connecting portion 2424a, and the intermediate seal portion 241k.

[0087] The first flow path 241b is formed across the first layer L1 and the second layer L2. The first flow path 241b has a substantially L-shaped cross section so as to connect two ports 113 provided in the first layer L1 with one port 113 provided in the second layer L2.

[0088] The first sealing portion 241c is formed by a space surrounded by the first seal portion 241a, the one end side wall portion 2411, the intermediate wall portion 2413a, the connecting portion 2424a, and the inner wall portion 112. The first sealing portion 241c can stop the flow of fluid through one of the ports 113 provided in the first layer L1, the port 113 being adjacent to the port 113 communicated by the first flow path 241b.

[0089] The second flow path 241d is formed by a space surrounded by the first seal portion 241a, the intermediate wall portion 2413b, the other end side wall portion 2412, and the connecting portion 2424a. The second flow path 241d is formed to communicate with two ports 113 provided in the second layer L2.

[0090] The second flow path 241d further includes a communication passage 2415 that communicates between the front side and the back side of the first valve body 241. When the second flow path 241d is disposed in the port 113, the communication passage 2415 guides the fluid to the back side of the first valve body 241, passes through the back side of the first valve body 241 and around the rotation shaft 260, and guides the fluid to another communication passage (a communication passage 2425 formed in the second flow path 242d of the second valve body 242; see FIG. 14B ).

[0091] The first valve body 241 has a protrusion 241h on its upper portion. The protrusion 241h comes into sliding contact with the recess 124 formed in the lid portion 120 of the housing 110, and biases the first seal portion 241a toward the inner wall portion 112, in the same manner as described in FIG. 10 in the first embodiment.

[0092] 12, the back side (center axis A side) of the flow path of the first valve body 241 is provided with four protrusions 241e and a set (two) of protrusions 241j. Furthermore, the rotating shaft 260 is formed with four protrusions 260b and two protrusions 260c at positions where the four protrusions 241e and the two protrusions 241j face each other with a gap between them. Coil springs 170 are attached to the protrusions 241e and 260b. Coil springs 171 are attached to the protrusions 241j and 260c.

[0093] Similarly, the second valve body 242 also has four protrusions 242e and two protrusions 242j on the back side of the flow path (the side facing the central axis A). Furthermore, the rotating shaft 260 has four protrusions 260b and two protrusions 260c formed at positions where the four protrusions 242e and the two protrusions 242j face each other with a gap between them. Coil springs 170 are attached to the protrusions 242e and 260b. Coil springs 171 are attached to the protrusions 242j and 260c.

[0094] Coil springs 170 attached to protrusions 241 e and 260 b, and coil springs 170 attached to protrusions 242 e and 260 b, are arranged so that their center lines are the same. Coil springs 171 attached to protrusions 241 j and 260 c, and coil springs 171 attached to protrusions 242 j and 260 c are also arranged so that their center lines are the same. Coil springs 170 are arranged with their center lines on either side of central axis A, and coil springs 171 are arranged with their center lines on either side of central axis A (so that they are perpendicular to central axis A).

[0095] As described above, the first valve body 241 and the second valve body 242 constituting the valve body 200 include first biasing portions that bias each other toward the inner wall portion 112 by the coil spring 170 as a first biasing member on both sides of the central axis A, and second biasing portions that bias each other toward the inner wall portion 112 by the coil spring 171 as a second biasing member on either side of the central axis A. As described above, the first valve body 241 and the second valve body 242 are biased toward the inner wall portion 112 from a plurality of positions, so that the seal portions of the first valve body 241 and the second valve body 242 come into close contact with the inner wall portion 112. Note that the valve body 200 may include at least one of the first biasing member and the second biasing member.

[0096] Next, the configuration of the intermediate seal portion 241k will be described with reference to Fig. 16. Note that, although the configuration of the intermediate seal portion 241k of the first valve body 241 will be described here as a representative, the second valve body 242 also has a similar configuration.

[0097] 15 , the rotary shaft 260 includes flat protrusions 261 and 262 extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis A. The protrusion 261 extends to the rear surface side of the one end side wall portion 2411 and the other end side wall portion 2412 of the first valve body 241. The protrusion 262 extends to the rear surface side between the intermediate wall portions 2413 a and 2413 b of the first valve body 241 (the rear surface side of the intermediate seal portion 241 k).

[0098] The protrusions 261 and 262 abut against the rear surfaces of the one end side wall 2411, the other end side wall 2412, the intermediate wall 2413a and the intermediate wall 2413b, and regulate the amount of displacement so that they do not displace more than necessary.

[0099] 16 , the intermediate wall portion 2413a (first wall portion) and the intermediate wall portion 2413b (second wall portion) are formed to extend from the intermediate seal portion 241k in the direction of the central axis A while being spaced apart at a predetermined angle from each other. The tip of the protruding portion 262 of the rotating shaft 260 extends to the back surface of the intermediate seal portion 241k where the intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b are in contact. The tip of the protruding portion 262 has inclined surfaces 262a, 262b that are inclined in the same direction as the inclination direction of the back surfaces of the intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b and abut against the back surface of at least one of the intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b.

[0100] The intermediate wall portion 2413a and the intermediate wall portion 2413b are formed so as to be spaced apart from each other from both ends of the intermediate seal portion 241k toward the central axis A. In this way, the wall structure separating the first flow path 241b and the second flow path 241d is composed of the two intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b. These intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b are configured to be thinner in the plate thickness direction than those configured with a single wall structure as in the first embodiment described above, and can be structurally flexible.

[0101] As a result, the intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b, which are structurally flexible, are forced toward the inner wall portion 112 by the coil springs 170 and 171 from the rotating shaft 260, and are therefore relatively easily deformed.This allows the intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b to more closely adhere the intermediate seal portion 241k to the inner wall portion 112, and the amount of deformation can be regulated by the protrusion portion 262.

[0102] In this way, the intermediate wall portion 2413a and the intermediate wall portion 2413b allow the intermediate seal portion 241k to be more appropriately brought into close contact with the inner wall portion 112, thereby making it possible to appropriately maintain sealing performance.

[0103] 15 and 16 have described the intermediate seal portion 241k that divides the first flow path 241b and the second flow path 241d in a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis A, but the same configuration can also be used for the intermediate seal portion that divides the flow path in the direction of the central axis A and the two intermediate wall portions connected thereto. For example, in FIG. 14A , the intermediate seal portion 241l and its wall portions that divide the first flow path 241b and the first sealing portion 241c in the direction of the central axis A may also be configured in a similar manner. With this configuration, the intermediate seal portion 241l can also appropriately maintain sealing performance with respect to the inner wall portion 112.

[0104] 17 to 21, a flow path switching valve 30 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same components as those in the first or second embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0105] Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the flow path switching valve 30. Fig. 18 is a front view of the flow path switching valve 30. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the valve body 300. Fig. 20 is a plan view of the valve body 300, showing a state in which the lid portion 120 has been removed from the main body portion 111 of the housing 110. Fig. 21 is an explanatory diagram illustrating switching of the flow paths in the flow path switching valve 30.

[0106] The third embodiment is configured such that the housing 110 includes a collection port 313 having nine ports 113 .

[0107] More specifically, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the aggregate port 313 is configured with five layers (first layer L1 to fifth layer L5) from the first stage to the fifth stage, and two ports are arranged in each layer (only the second layer L2 has one port).

[0108] As shown in Figure 18, the first layer L1 has the first port 113L1a and the second port 113L1b, the second layer L2 has the third port 113L2c, the third layer L3 has the fourth port 113L3d and the fifth port 113L3e, the fourth layer L4 has the sixth port 113L4f and the seventh port 113L4g, and the fifth layer L5 has the eighth port 113L5h and the ninth port 113L5i.

[0109] The communication states (communication and closed) of these nine ports 113 can be switched depending on the rotational position of a valve body 300 disposed within the housing 110. The valve body 300 is provided across the first layer L1 to the fifth layer L5.

[0110] As shown in Figure 19, the valve body 300 is composed of a pair of opposing first and second valve bodies 341, 342, and a third and fourth valve body 343, 344 respectively arranged between the first and second valve bodies 341, 342 at positions perpendicular to the first and second valve bodies 341, 342.

[0111] The valve element 300 is disposed so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 360. The rotation shaft 360 is rotated by the actuator 180.

[0112] 20 , the first valve body 341 and the second valve body 342, which face each other across the rotary shaft 360, are biased toward the inner wall portion 112 by the coil springs 170, as in the second embodiment described above. The third valve body 343 and the fourth valve body 344, which face each other across the rotary shaft 360, are biased toward the inner wall portion 112 by a pair of coil springs 170.

[0113] The first valve body 341, the second valve body 342, the third valve body 343 and the fourth valve body 344 each have a protrusion and a sliding contact portion at one end and the other end in the axial direction, similar to the first embodiment described above, and the biasing portion is formed by the inclined portions formed on the lid portion and the bottom portion.

[0114] Also, as shown in Figure 19, in the flow path formed in each valve body (for example, as shown in Figure 19, between the first flow path 342a and the second flow path 342b of the second valve body 342), a protrusion protruding from the rotation axis 360 in a direction perpendicular to the central axis A and the back surface of the second valve body 342 are abutted, as in the second embodiment.

[0115] Next, the switching of the flow path of the flow path switching valve 30 configured as above will be described with reference to FIG.

[0116] 21 , the first state shows a state in which the first valve body 341 is positioned at the collecting port 313. In this state, the first port 113L1a and the second port 113L1b communicate with each other, the fourth port 113L3d and the fifth port 113L3e communicate with each other, the sixth port 113L4f and the seventh port 113L4g communicate with each other, and the eighth port 113L5h and the ninth port 113L5i communicate with each other. The third port 113L2c does not communicate with the other ports and is closed.

[0117] The second state indicates a state in which the first valve body 341 is positioned in the collecting port 313 at a position different from that in the first state. In this state, the second port 113L1b and the fifth port 113L3e are in communication, the sixth port 113L4f and the seventh port 113L4g are in communication, and the eighth port 113L5h and the ninth port 113L5i are in communication. The first port 113L1a, the third port 113L2c, and the fourth port 113L3d are not in communication with the other ports and are closed.

[0118] The third state indicates a state in which the second valve body 342 is positioned at the collecting port 313. In this state, the first port 113L1a and the second port 113L1b communicate with each other, the fourth port 113L3d and the sixth port 113L4f communicate with each other, the fifth port 113L3e and the seventh port 113L4g communicate with each other, and the eighth port 113L5h and the ninth port 113L5i communicate with each other. The third port 113L2c does not communicate with the other ports and is closed.

[0119] The fourth state shows a state in which the second valve body 342 is positioned at the collecting port 313 at a different position from that in the third state. In this state, the first port 113L1a and the second port 113L1b are in communication, the third port 113L2c and the fourth port 113L3d are in communication, the fifth port 113L3e and the seventh port 113L4g are in communication, and the eighth port 113L5h and the ninth port 113L5i are in communication. The sixth port 113L4f does not communicate with the other ports and is closed.

[0120] The fifth state indicates a state in which the third valve body 343 is positioned at the collecting port 313. In this state, the second port 113L1b and the fifth port 113L3e are in communication, the third port 113L2c and the fourth port 113L3d are in communication, and the seventh port 113L4g and the ninth port 113L5i are in communication. The first port 113L1a, the sixth port 113L4f, and the eighth port 113L5h are not in communication with the other ports and are closed.

[0121] The fifth state indicates a state in which the fourth valve body 344 is positioned at the collecting port 313. In this state, the second port 113L1b and the third port 113L2c are in communication with each other, the fourth port 113L3d and the fifth port 113L3e are in communication with each other, and the eighth port 113L5h and the ninth port 113L5i are in communication with each other. The first port 113L1a, the sixth port 113L4f, and the seventh port 113L4g are not in communication with the other ports and are closed.

[0122] In the flow path switching valve 30, the communication state of each port 113 can be appropriately switched depending on the configuration of each valve element and the position relative to the port 113 in this way.

[0123] According to the embodiment described above, the following effects are achieved.

[0124] The fluid switching valve (20, 30) comprises a housing 110 having a main body 111 with a cylindrical inner wall 112 and a plurality of ports 113 opening circumferentially, a first end (lid) 120 covering one end of the main body 111 in the direction of the central axis, and a second end (bottom) 111a covering the other end of the main body 111 in the direction of the central axis A, and a valve body (200, 300) accommodated inside the housing 110 so as to be rotatable around the central axis A and which slides against the inner wall 112 to switch the communication state of the plurality of ports 113. The valve body (200, 300) includes a seal portion (141a, 241a) that is in sliding contact with the inner wall portion 112 and forms a flow path between the seal portion (141a, 241a) and the inner wall portion 112; a one-end side wall portion 1411 that extends from the seal portion (141a, 241a) at one end side in the direction of the central axis A and forms the flow path; an other-end side wall portion 1412 that extends from the seal portion (141a, 241a) at the other end side in the direction of the central axis A and forms the flow path; and the one-end side wall portion 1411. The valve element (200, 300) includes a connecting portion (1414) connecting the other end side wall portion (1412) to the other end side wall portion (1412), an intermediate seal portion (241k) abutting against the inner wall portion (112) to divide the flow path into a plurality of divided flow paths in at least one of the direction of the central axis A and the circumferential direction, and a first wall portion (intermediate wall portion (2413a)) and a second wall portion (intermediate wall portion (2413b)) extending from both ends of the intermediate seal portion (241k) toward the central axis A so as to be spaced apart from each other and constituting each divided flow path. The connecting portion (1414) of the divided flow paths includes a biasing member (170) that biases the connecting portion (1414) so ​​as to press the valve element (200, 300) from the central axis A toward the inner wall portion (112).

[0125] In this configuration, the wall structure separating the flow paths is composed of two structurally flexible intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b, and when the valve body 20 is urged toward the inner wall portion 112 by the urging member 170, the structurally flexible intermediate wall portions 2413a and 2413b deform relatively easily, allowing the intermediate seal portion 241k to be more closely attached to the inner wall portion 112, thereby maintaining appropriate sealing performance.

[0126] The fluid switching valve (10, 20, 30) includes a housing 110 having a main body 111 with a cylindrical inner wall 112 and a plurality of ports 113 opening in the circumferential direction, a first end (lid) 120 covering one end of the main body 111 in the central axis direction, and a second end (bottom) 111a covering the other end of the main body 111 in the central axis A direction, and a valve element (130, 200, 300) accommodated inside the housing 110 so as to be rotatable about the central axis A and in sliding contact with the inner wall 112 to switch the communication state of the plurality of ports 113. The valve element (130, 200, 300) has a seal portion (141a, 241a) that slidingly contacts the inner wall 112 to form a flow path between the valve element (130, 200, 300) and the inner wall 112. At least a portion of the first end 120 and the second end 111a has a circumferential recess 124 including an inclined portion 124i formed to increase in depth toward the outer periphery and with which the sliding contact portion (141i, 241i) slides. At a position corresponding to the recess 124 of the seal portion (141a, 241a), there is a protrusion (141h, 241h) protruding in the direction of the central axis A and including the sliding contact portion (141i, 241i) whose height increases toward the outer periphery. When the valve body (130, 200, 300) expands in the direction of the central axis A due to the pressure of the fluid in the flow path, the sliding contact portion (141i, 241i) slides against the inclined portion 124i, and the protrusion (141h, 241h) moves radially outward, thereby being pressed against the inner wall portion 112.

[0127] In this configuration, when the valve body (130, 200, 300) expands in the direction of the central axis A due to the pressure of the fluid, the sliding contact portions (141i, 241i) slide against the inclined portions 124i, and the protrusions (141h, 241h) move radially outward, thereby urging the seal portions (141a, 241a) against the inner wall portion 112. This makes it possible to appropriately maintain the sealing performance between the valve body (130, 200, 300) and the inner wall portion 112 of the housing 110 due to the pressure of the fluid flowing through the flow path.

[0128] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments merely illustrate some of the application examples of the present invention, and it is not intended that the technical scope of the present invention be limited to the specific configurations of the above embodiments.

[0129] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-125560, filed with the Japan Patent Office on August 1, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A flow path switching valve comprising: a housing having a main body having a cylindrical inner wall portion and a plurality of ports opening in the circumferential direction, a first end portion covering one end of the main body portion in the central axis direction, and a second end portion covering the other end of the main body portion in the central axis direction; and a valve body housed inside the housing so as to be rotatable around the central axis and in sliding contact with the inner wall portion to switch the communication state of the plurality of ports, wherein the valve body comprises: a seal portion that slides against the inner wall portion to form a flow path between the inner wall portion and the valve body; a one-end side wall portion that extends from the seal portion at one end side in the central axis direction and forms the flow path; an other-end side wall portion that extends from the seal portion at the other end side in the central axis direction and forms the flow path; a connecting portion that connects the one-end side wall portion and the other-end side wall portion; and an intermediate seal portion that abuts against the inner wall portion to divide the flow path into a plurality of divided flow paths in at least one of the central axis direction and the circumferential direction. a first wall portion and a second wall portion extending from both ends of the intermediate seal portion toward the central axis so as to be spaced apart from each other and constituting each of the divided flow paths; and a biasing member at the connecting portion of the divided flow paths biasing the connecting portion so as to press the valve body from the central axis toward the inner wall portion.

2. A flow path switching valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotating shaft extending in the direction of the central axis and switching the rotational position of the valve body by rotating the rotating shaft, and the biasing member is disposed between the connecting portion and the rotating shaft.

3. A flow path switching valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least two valve bodies are provided in the rotational direction of the rotary shaft, and the biasing member biases the two valve bodies toward each other towards the inner wall portion.

4. A flow path switching valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein in each of the valve bodies, the first wall portion and the second wall portion extend from both ends of the intermediate seal portion towards the central axis so as to be spaced apart from each other.

5. A flow path switching valve comprising: a housing having a main body having a cylindrical inner wall portion and a plurality of ports opening in the circumferential direction, a first end portion covering one end of the main body portion in the central axis direction, and a second end portion covering the other end of the main body portion in the central axis direction; and a valve body that is contained within the housing so as to be rotatable around the central axis and comes into sliding contact with the inner wall portion to switch the communication state of the plurality of ports, wherein the valve body has a seal portion that comes into sliding contact with the inner wall portion to form a flow path between the valve body and the inner wall portion, and at least a portion of the first end and the second end portion has a circumferential recess that is formed to become deeper toward the outer periphery and includes an inclined portion against which the valve body slides, and a protrusion that protrudes in the central axis direction including a sliding portion that increases in height toward the outer periphery is provided at a position corresponding to the recess of the seal portion, and wherein when the valve body expands in the central axis direction due to the pressure of fluid in the flow path, the sliding portion slides against the inclined portion and the protrusion moves radially outward, thereby being pressed against the inner wall portion.

6. A flow path switching valve as claimed in claim 5, wherein the valve body has: a one end side wall portion extending from the seal portion at one end side in the central axis direction to form the flow path; an other end side wall portion extending from the seal portion at the other end side in the central axis direction to form the flow path; and a connecting portion connecting the one end side wall portion and the other end side wall portion.

7. A flow path switching valve as claimed in claim 6, wherein the connecting portion is formed in an arc shape so as to fit the inner peripheral shape of the inner wall portion.

8. A flow path switching valve as set forth in claim 6, wherein the one end side wall portion and the other end side wall portion extend from both ends of the seal portion toward the central axis so as to approach each other.

9. A flow path switching valve as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the valve body further comprises an intermediate seal portion that abuts against the inner wall portion and divides the flow path into a plurality of divided flow paths in at least one of the central axial direction and the circumferential direction, and a first wall portion and a second wall portion that extend from both ends of the intermediate seal portion towards the central axis so as to be spaced apart from each other and that constitute each of the divided flow paths.

10. A flow path switching valve as described in claim 9, further comprising a rotating shaft extending in the direction of the central axis and switching the rotational position of the valve body by rotating the rotating shaft, the rotating shaft having a protrusion that protrudes toward the back surface of the seal portion between the first wall portion and the second wall portion and regulates the amount of deformation of the valve body.

11. A flow path switching valve as described in claim 10, wherein the protrusion has an inclined surface that is inclined in the same direction as the inclination direction of the first wall portion and the second wall portion and abuts against the back surface of at least one of the first wall portion and the second wall portion.

12. A flow path switching valve as described in claim 8, further comprising at least one of a first biasing member that biases the connecting portion so as to press the valve body toward the inner wall portion, and a second biasing member that biases the connecting portion circumferentially outward.

13. A flow path switching valve as described in claim 11, further comprising at least one of a first biasing member that biases the connecting portion so as to press the valve body toward the inner wall portion, and a second biasing member that biases the connecting portion circumferentially outward.

Images