Valve device and manufacturing method therefor

By setting up installation grooves and welding parts between the valve seat and the casing, and adopting induction brazing technology, the problem of low welding quality of the valve device in the prior art is solved, and high-quality welding connections and cost reduction are achieved.

WO2025092869A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-05-08ZHEJIANG SANHUA AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/CN2024/128723
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2024-03-04
Filing Date
2024-10-31
Publication Date
2025-05-08

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing valve devices have problems with low quality during welding, especially in welding between different materials such as stainless steel and aluminum alloy, and it is difficult to ensure the strength and reliability of the welding.

Method used

By setting up a mounting groove and a welding part between the valve seat and the casing, welding is performed using induction brazing technology to ensure the quality and strength of the welding part. At the same time, a combination of different materials, such as stainless steel casing and aluminum alloy valve seat, reduces the material cost.

Benefits of technology

The welding quality and connection strength of the valve device are improved, production costs are reduced, and the manufacturing process is simplified.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

A valve device, wherein the valve device comprises a valve seat and a sleeve, the valve seat and the sleeve are welded and fixed, the valve seat comprises a mounting portion, the mounting portion is provided with a mounting groove, and at least part of the sleeve is located in the mounting groove. The valve device further comprises a welding portion, at least part of the welding portion is located between the sleeve and the mounting portion, and the material of the mounting portion is different from that of the corresponding sleeve. Thus, the material cost can be reduced to a certain extent.
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Description

Valve device and method for manufacturing valve device

[0001] This application claims priority to the following six Chinese patent applications, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference:

[0002] 1. Submitted to the China Patent Office on October 31, 2023, application number 202311428867.2, invention title: “A method for manufacturing a throttle valve”;

[0003] 2. Submitted to the China Patent Office on October 31, 2023, application number 202311429756.3, invention name “A Throttle Valve”;

[0004] 3. Submitted to the China Patent Office on October 31, 2023, application number 202311442423.4, invention name “A valve device”;

[0005] 4. Submitted to the China Patent Office on October 31, 2023, application number 202311443620.8, invention name “A valve device”;

[0006] 5. Submitted to the China Patent Office on November 10, 2023, application number 202311499443.5, invention name “A method for manufacturing a solenoid valve”;

[0007] 6. Submitted to the China Patent Office on March 4, 2024, application number 202410245593.1, invention name is “A method for manufacturing a valve device”. Technical Field

[0008] The present application relates to the field of fluid control technology, and in particular to a valve device and a method for manufacturing the valve device. Background Art

[0009] In the related art, the valve device includes a sleeve and a valve seat, and the sleeve and the valve seat are made of stainless steel, and the manufacturing cost is relatively high.

[0010] Summary of the Invention

[0011] The purpose of this application is to provide a valve device that is conducive to improving the welding quality of the main pipe and the valve seat.

[0012] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application adopts the following technical solution: the valve device includes a valve seat and a sleeve, the valve seat and the sleeve are welded and fixed, the valve seat includes a mounting portion, the mounting portion has a mounting groove, at least part of the sleeve is located in the mounting groove, the valve device also includes a welding portion, at least part of the welding portion is located between the sleeve and the mounting portion, and the mounting portion and the corresponding sleeve are made of different materials.

[0013] In a technical solution provided in the present application, the valve device includes a valve seat, a welding part and a sleeve. The valve seat and the sleeve are welded and fixedly connected. The valve seat includes a mounting part. The mounting part has a mounting groove. At least part of the sleeve is located in the mounting groove, and part of the welding part is located between the sleeve and the mounting part. The mounting part and the corresponding sleeve are made of different materials, that is, to a certain extent, the material cost can be reduced. For example, the mounting part is made of stainless steel and the sleeve is made of aluminum.

[0014] The technology of the present application provides a method for manufacturing a valve device, the valve device comprising a sleeve and a valve seat, the sleeve and the valve seat being made of different materials, the valve seat having a mounting groove, and the manufacturing method of the valve device comprising the following steps:

[0015] inserting the sleeve into the mounting groove of the valve seat;

[0016] placing solder between the sleeve and the valve seat;

[0017] The solder is heated under preset welding parameters until it melts and fills the gap between the sleeve and the valve seat, and is cooled and solidified to form a welded portion, thereby forming at least a portion of the first component.

[0018] The manufacturing method of the valve device provided in the present application inserts the sleeve into the installation groove of the valve seat to limit and fix it, without the need for external clamping tools, and the structure is relatively simple; the welding part is heated under preset welding parameters to adjust and control the welding parameters, thereby ensuring the welding quality between the stainless steel sleeve and the aluminum alloy valve seat. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG1 is a schematic perspective view of the structure of a valve device according to a first embodiment;

[0020] FIG2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a valve device;

[0021] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a valve component of a valve device;

[0022] FIG4 is an exploded view of a partial structure of a valve component of a valve device;

[0023] FIG5 is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the nut assembly, the fixing member, and the valve seat of the valve device;

[0024] FIG6 is a partial enlarged view of A in FIG5 ;

[0025] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a valve seat of a valve device;

[0026] FIG8 is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the valve seat and the main pipe of the valve device;

[0027] FIG9 is a partial enlarged view of A in FIG8 ;

[0028] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the welded portion of the main pipe and the valve seat in FIG8 after welding;

[0029] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of a second embodiment of a valve device;

[0030] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the welding portion of the sleeve and the valve seat after welding in FIG11;

[0031] FIG13 is another schematic structural diagram of the valve seat of the valve device;

[0032] FIG14 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the valve device and the induction coil;

[0033] FIG15 is a schematic perspective view of the structure of a valve device according to a third embodiment;

[0034] FIG16 is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship between the connecting pipe and the valve seat in FIG15;

[0035] FIG17 is a schematic structural diagram of a solenoid valve in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG18 is a cross-sectional view of the solenoid valve along line AA in FIG17 ;

[0037] FIG19 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the sleeve and the valve seat;

[0038] FIG20 is an enlarged view of the connection position between the sleeve and the valve seat;

[0039] FIG21 is a schematic diagram of another method of assembling the valve seat and the lower end of the sleeve in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG22 is an enlarged view of portion B in FIG21 ;

[0041] FIG23 is an enlarged view of the position of the annular gap between the valve seat and the sleeve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals. It should be noted that the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower" used in the following description refer to directions in the accompanying drawings, and the terms "bottom," "top," "inner," and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a particular component, respectively.

[0043] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc. may be used in this application to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these descriptions. These terms are used only to distinguish information of the same type from one another. "Multiple" means two or more. Unless there is a conflict, the technical features of the various embodiments of this application may complement or replace each other.

[0044] The valve device can be applied to a vehicle thermal management system or an air-conditioning system. In the vehicle thermal management system, the valve device is often used as a throttling element or a switching element.

[0045] Example 1

[0046] In conjunction with Figures 1-13, an embodiment of a valve device is shown, comprising a valve component 200 and a stator component 10. The stator component 10 is located on the periphery of at least a portion of the valve component 200. The stator component 10 is fixedly or positionally connected to the valve component 200. Furthermore, a seal may be provided between the stator component 10 and the valve component 200 to prevent moisture or other impurities in the external environment from entering through the assembly gap between the stator component 10 and the valve component 200, thereby preventing corrosion or failure within the stator component 10. The stator component 10 comprises a coil assembly 11 and an injection molding portion 12. The injection molding portion 12 covers at least a portion of the coil assembly 11, i.e., the stator component 10 is injection molded with at least the coil assembly 11 as an insert. The valve device is electrically and / or signal-connected to the outside world via the stator component 10.

[0047] The valve component 200 includes a valve seat 20, a nut assembly 30, a sleeve 60, a rotor assembly 26 and a valve core assembly 40. The stator component 10 is located on the outside of the sleeve 60, and the rotor assembly 26 is located on the inside of the sleeve 60. The valve core assembly 40 is connected to the rotor assembly 26. When a predetermined current is passed through the stator component 10, an excitation magnetic field can be generated to drive the rotor assembly 26 to rotate. The rotor assembly 26 drives the valve core assembly 40 to rotate. The valve core assembly 40 is threadedly engaged with the nut assembly 30 to convert the rotation of the rotor assembly 26 into axial movement of the valve core assembly 40 relative to the valve seat 20. In this embodiment, the valve core assembly 40 includes a screw portion 41 and a valve core portion 42. The screw portion 41 and the valve core portion 42 are separate structures and are connected. It can be understood that the connection method includes a fixed connection, a limited connection or a transmission connection. The screw portion 41 is formed with an external thread, and the nut assembly 30 is formed with an internal thread that matches it. The screw portion 41 and the nut assembly 30 are threadedly matched to convert the rotation of the rotor assembly 26 into an axial movement of the screw portion 41 relative to the nut assembly 30. Of course, in other embodiments, the screw portion 41 and the valve core portion 42 can also be an integral structure or integrally formed. The valve component 200 also includes a valve seat 27, which has a valve port 271. The valve core assembly 40 can move axially relative to the valve port 271. The valve core portion 42 of the valve core assembly 40 cooperates with the valve port 271 to adjust the flow area of ​​the valve port 271 or the opening of the valve port 271, thereby achieving flow regulation of the refrigerant. For the convenience of description, the upper and lower directions are defined as the upper and lower directions in the figure 2 of the specification. The upper and lower directions only represent relative positions and do not represent the status of the product when it is actually used.

[0048] In conjunction with Figures 3 to 13, the valve device includes a rotor assembly 26, a nut assembly 30 and a valve core assembly 40. The rotor assembly 26 is fixedly or positionally connected to the valve core assembly 40, and the valve core assembly 40 is transmission-connected to the nut assembly 30; the valve device includes a valve seat 20, a welding portion 14 and a sleeve 60. At least part of the rotor assembly 26 and at least part of the nut assembly 30 are located in the inner cavity of the sleeve 60. The valve seat 20 and the sleeve 60 are welded and fixedly connected. The welding and fixing methods include laser welding, induction welding, furnace brazing, etc. The valve seat 20 includes a mounting portion 201, and the mounting portion 201 has a mounting groove 21. At least part of the sleeve 60 is located in the mounting groove 21. Part 201 includes a first wall portion 2511 and a second wall portion 242. Along the axial direction of the sleeve 60, the first wall portion 2511 is away from the port of the sleeve 60 relative to the second wall portion 242. Along the radial direction of the sleeve 60, the first wall portion 2511 is away from the axis of the valve seat 20 relative to the second wall portion 242. Part of the welding portion 14 is located between the sleeve 60 and the second wall portion 242. The welding portion 14 welds and fixes the second wall portion 242. The welding portion 14 welds and fixes the sleeve 60, and the second wall portion 242 and the corresponding sleeve 60 are made of different materials. Along the radial direction of the valve seat 20, the size of the welding portion 14 is less than or equal to the distance between the second wall portion 242 and the sleeve 60.

[0049] In the present application, the valve seat 20 and the sleeve 60 are fixedly connected by induction brazing. Induction brazing provides uniform and rapid heating, which can reduce welding deformation. The valve seat 20 includes a mounting portion 201 having a mounting groove 21. At least a portion of the sleeve 60 is located in the mounting groove 21. After the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20 are fixedly connected by induction brazing, a portion of the weld portion 14 is located between the sleeve 60 and the second wall portion 242. Along the radial direction of the valve seat 20, the size of the weld portion 14 is less than or equal to the distance between the second wall portion 242 and the sleeve 60. Before the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20 are welded, the sleeve 60 and the second wall portion 242 are gap-fitted. The solder 13 fills the gap between the sleeve 60 and the second wall portion 242 to form the weld portion 14. Setting a reasonable gap value can reduce the occurrence of welding defects such as incomplete penetration, thereby increasing the area of ​​the weld portion 14 between the valve seat 20 and the sleeve 60, thereby improving the quality of the weld.

[0050] With reference to Figures 2-10, the valve assembly includes a nut assembly 30, a sleeve 60, a fixing member 50, and a valve seat 20. At least a portion of the fixing member 50 is located inside the sleeve 60. Along the axial direction of the valve assembly, at least a portion of the nut assembly 30 is located on one side of the fixing member 50, and at least a portion of the valve seat 20 is located on the other side of the fixing member 50. The fixing member 50 includes a mounting cavity, in which at least a portion of the nut assembly 30 is located, and the nut assembly 30 is fixedly or positionally connected to the fixing member 50. The valve seat 20 includes a mounting groove 21, in which at least a portion of the fixing member 50 is located, and the fixing member 50 is fixedly or positionally connected to the valve seat 20. In this application, the nut assembly 30 and the fixing member 50 are fixedly connected without welding. It is understood that non-welding fixation can include interference fit, threaded connection, adhesive fixation, or interference fit combined with adhesive fixation or threaded connection combined with adhesive fixation. Non-welding fixation of the nut assembly 30 and the fixing member 50 can, to a certain extent, reduce the adverse effects of heat conduction during welding on internal components of the sleeve, such as the valve core assembly and the rotor assembly. The valve seat 20 is made of aluminum, and the fixing member 50 is made of plastic. The fixing member 50 and the valve seat 20 are interference fit, threaded, or glued together. At least a portion of the nut assembly 30 is made of plastic. The fixing member 50 and the nut assembly 30 are interference fit, threaded, or glued together. Specifically, the nut assembly 30 includes a main body 31 and a connecting portion 32. The connecting portion 32 is fixedly connected to the main body 31 by injection molding, interference fit, gluing, or a combination of interference fit and gluing. At least a portion of the connecting portion 32 is located on the periphery of the main body 31, that is, at least a portion of the connecting portion 32 protrudes from the periphery of the main body 31. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 32 and the main body 31 are an integral structure, and the connecting portion 32 and the main body 31 are both made of plastic, which can be a special engineering plastic or composite material with a certain strength, such as mechanically reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or modified polyetheretherketone (PEEK), or mechanically reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) or modified polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). The connecting portion 32 and the main body 31 are both made of plastic, which can reduce the weight of the valve device and relatively reduce the cost of the valve device. On the other hand, the connecting portion 32 and the main body 31 are both made of plastic, which is relatively simple to manufacture. That is, the connecting portion 32 and the main body 31 are injection molded into an integral structure. The main body 31 includes a mounting hole 311. The mounting hole 311 passes through the upper and lower ends of the main body 31 along the axial direction of the valve device. At least part of the screw portion 41 of the valve core assembly 40 is located in the mounting hole 311, that is, one end of the screw portion 41 passes through the mounting hole 311 of the main body 31 and is fixedly connected to the rotor assembly 26. The screw portion 41 is threadedly connected to the nut assembly 30. Specifically, the screw portion 41 is formed with an external thread, and the nut assembly 30 is formed with an internal thread that matches it. That is, the internal thread is formed on the inner side wall of the main body 31. The screw portion 41 and the main body 31 are threadedly matched, converting the rotation of the rotor assembly 26 into axial movement of the screw portion 41 relative to the nut assembly 30.

[0051] Of course, in some other embodiments, the material of the connecting portion 32 is a metal material, such as stainless steel, and the main body 31 can specifically be a special engineering plastic or composite material with a certain strength, such as a mechanically reinforced polyetheretherketone material (PEEK) or a modified polyetheretherketone material (PEEK), or a mechanically reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) or a modified polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) material. The connecting portion 32 is an injection-molded insert and is formed into the nut assembly 30 by injection molding. The main body 31 covers a portion of the connecting portion 32. For example, in this embodiment, the main body 31 covers the inner side of the connecting portion 32. In order to further strengthen the connection strength between the connecting portion 32 and the fixing member 50, in some embodiments, the fixing member 50 is made of metal, and the fixing member 50 is interference-fitted, threaded, or adhesively fixed to the valve seat 20. At least a portion of the nut assembly 30 is made of plastic, and the fixing member 50 is interference-fitted, threaded, or adhesively fixed to the nut assembly 30. The fixing member 50 and the connecting portion 32 can be fixedly connected by pressure riveting.

[0052] In the present application, the rotational motion of the rotor assembly 26 is converted into axial motion of the screw portion 41 relative to the nut assembly 30, and the nut assembly 30 is fixed relative to the valve seat 20. The fixing member 50 is generally a hollow cylindrical structure, and the fixing member 50 includes a mounting cavity 52. ​​At least a portion of the nut assembly 30 is located in the mounting cavity 52. ​​The connecting portion 32 of the nut assembly 30 is interference-fitted with the inner wall portion of the fixing member 50, and the fixing member 50 is fixedly connected to the valve seat 20.

[0053] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG13 , the valve seat 20 includes a lap portion 203 located on the inner side of the sleeve 60 . The connection portion 32 is welded to the lap portion 203 along the axial direction of the valve device. Specifically, in this embodiment, the lap portion 203 and the valve seat 20 are integrally formed. The valve seat 20 is machined from a profile, or formed by forging, extrusion, or other processes. The nut assembly 30 is fixedly connected to the lap portion 203 of the valve seat 20 , replacing the fixing member, resulting in a relatively simple structure. As shown in FIG7 , the valve seat 20 is generally hollow and cylindrical, and is made of aluminum alloy. The valve seat 20 includes a mounting groove 21 , with at least a portion of the fixing member 50 located in the mounting groove 21 . The valve seat 20 includes a first step 23 , i.e., the first step 23 is located on the wall forming the mounting groove 21 . At least a portion of the lower end of the fixing member 50 abuts against the first step 23 , resulting in an interference fit between the fixing member 50 and the valve seat 20 . Specifically, the first step portion 23 includes a first bottom wall portion 231 and a first side wall portion 232. The first bottom wall portion 231 abuts against the lower end of the fixing member 50, thereby limiting the movement of the fixing member 50 relative to the valve seat 20 in the axial direction of the valve device toward the valve port 271. As shown in FIG6 , the first side wall portion 232 includes a guide portion 2321, a transition portion 2322, and a mating portion 2323. Along the axial direction of the valve device, the transition portion 2322 is located between the guide portion 2321 and the mating portion 2323. The inner diameter of the transition portion 2322 is larger than the inner diameter of the mating portion 2323. The transition portion 2322 has a clearance fit with the fixing member 50, while the mating portion 2323 has an interference fit with the fixing member 50. Specifically, the guide portion 2321 and the transition portion 2322 form a certain angle, which is controlled to be between 30 and 60 degrees. Conversely, the lower end of the fixing member 50 has a guide structure. The guide portion 2321 of the valve seat 20 cooperates with the guide structure of the fixing member 50, facilitating assembly. Along the axial direction of the valve device, one end of the fixing member 50 is interference fit with the nut assembly 30, and the other end of the fixing member 50 is interference fit with the valve seat 20. Relatively speaking, the nut assembly 30 is fixed relative to the valve seat 20. Compared with the known technology, the connecting part is made of stainless steel, the valve seat is made of stainless steel, and the connecting part and the valve seat are fixed by welding. However, this solution omits the welding step, and the connecting part 32 is made of plastic, and the valve seat 20 is made of aluminum alloy, which relatively reduces the weight of the valve device and reduces the cost.

[0054] In this embodiment, in combination with Figures 7 to 10, the sleeve 60 is fixedly connected to the valve seat 20 by induction brazing. Specifically, the valve seat includes a mounting portion 201, and the mounting groove 21 is located on the mounting portion 201. Along the axial direction of the valve seat 20, the mounting groove 21 passes through the upper and lower ends of the valve seat 20, and at least part of the sleeve 60 is located in the mounting groove 21. The mounting portion 201 includes a first wall portion 2511 and a second wall portion 242. Along the axial direction of the sleeve 60, the second wall portion 242 is close to the end of the sleeve 60 relative to the first wall portion 2511. It can be understood that the valve seat 20 includes a second step portion 24. Along the axial direction of the valve device, the second step portion 24 is close to the opening away from the sleeve 60 relative to the first step portion 23. The second step portion 24 includes a second bottom wall portion 241 and a second wall portion 242. The distance between the second wall portion 242 and the axis of the valve device is L1, and the distance between the first side wall portion 232 and the axis of the valve device is L2. Then L1 is greater than L2. The lower end portion of the sleeve 60 is against the second bottom wall portion 241 of the second step portion 24, and at least part of the outer wall portion of the sleeve 60 is against the second wall portion 242. In the present application, the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20 are fixed by induction brazing. Specifically, the solder 13 is arranged on the outer wall of the sleeve 60 and is located at the upper end of the valve seat 20. The upper end of the valve seat 20 supports the solder 13. The second wall portion 242 of the second step portion 24 includes a first sub-wall portion 2421 and a second sub-wall portion 2422. Along the axial direction of the valve device, the first sub-wall portion 2421 is away from the port of the sleeve 60 relative to the second sub-wall portion 2422, wherein the first sub-wall portion 2421 has a clearance fit with the sleeve 60, and the second sub-wall portion 2422 has an interference fit with the sleeve 60. Before the sleeve 60 is welded to the valve seat, the distance from the first sub-wall portion 2421 of the second wall portion 242 to the sleeve 60 is defined as K, then 0<K≤0.3mm. According to the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of different materials, the gap value K is adjusted appropriately according to demand. Define the length of the first sub-wall portion 2421 along the axial direction of the valve assembly as L, and define the thickness of the sleeve 60 as T, then L = 2T - 6T. During assembly, the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20 are interference-fixed and then welded. The solder 13 is located at the upper end of the valve seat 20 and is sleeved onto the sleeve 60. During welding, the solder melts due to induction heating and fills the gap between the first sub-wall portion 2421 and the sleeve 60, forming a weld 14. Specifically, a portion of the weld 14 is located between the sleeve 60 and the first sub-wall portion 2421. This portion is welded to the second wall portion 242, and the weld 14 is welded to the sleeve 60.The sleeve 60 and the first sub-wall portion 2421 of the valve seat 20 are fitted with a small gap, and the gap is controlled at 0-0.3mm. Due to capillary action and the gravity of the welding liquid, the welding liquid flows into the gap between the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20 to fill the gap, and then cools and solidifies. That is, the length of the first sub-wall portion 2421 is the length of the weld. The length of the first sub-wall portion 2421 is controlled to be 2 to 6 times the thickness of the sleeve 60. When the weld is too short, the connection strength between the valve seat 20 and the sleeve 60 is insufficient. If the weld is too long, there is a risk of failing to fill the gap due to the fluidity of the welding liquid, resulting in a poor weld. A reasonable weld length is controlled to achieve better welding results.

[0055] In some embodiments, to achieve a better welding effect, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the valve seat 20 includes a stepped portion 251. The stepped portion 251 is located at the end of the valve seat 20. The sidewall of the stepped portion 251 forms a first wall portion 2511. A portion of the welding portion 14 secures the first wall portion 2511 and the sleeve 60. Specifically, the valve device includes a receiving groove 25, which is used to receive the solder 13 and restrict its movement. Specifically, the valve seat 20 includes the stepped portion 251. The stepped portion 251 is located near the opening of the valve seat 20 relative to the second stepped portion 24. The stepped portion 251 includes a first wall portion 2511 and a third bottom wall portion 2512. The first wall portion 2511 is disposed opposite the sleeve 60, and the third bottom wall portion 2512 is disposed opposite the opening of the valve seat 20. The walls forming the receiving groove 25 include the wall forming the stepped portion 251 and at least a portion of the outer wall of the sleeve 60. As shown in Figure 10, after the sleeve 60 and valve seat 20 are induction brazed, a portion of the weld 14 is located between the first wall 2511 and the sleeve 60. Specifically, the weld 14 secures the first wall 2511, third bottom wall 2512, and sleeve 60 to the valve seat. The width of the receiving groove 25 is defined as W, which is the radial distance between the first wall 2511 of the stepped portion 251 and the outer wall of the sleeve 60. The depth of the receiving groove 25 is defined as H, which is the axial distance between the opening of the receiving groove 25 and the third bottom wall 2512 of the stepped portion 251. The diameter of the solder 13 is D. Therefore, W>D and H<D, ensuring that the solder 13 can fully fill the receiving groove 25. Of course, in other embodiments, the cross-section of the solder 13 is not limited to circular; it can also be square, elongated, polygonal, or other structures. In other embodiments, a wire feeder can also be used to fill the receiving groove 25 with solder. In the present application, the solder 13 is used for brazing, which can be used for mass production and improve the production rhythm.

[0056] During the production and assembly process of the valve device, after the rotor assembly 26, the nut assembly 30, and the valve core assembly 40 are assembled, the sleeve 60 is welded and fixed to the valve seat 20. Heat is generated during the fixing process of the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20. The heat is transferred through the sleeve 60 to the nut assembly 30 and the rotor assembly 26 inside the sleeve 60. The performance of the nut assembly 30 and the rotor assembly 26 will be affected by the heat. In order to solve the above problem, a gap is set between the sleeve 60 and the fixing part 50. The setting of the gap can reduce the transfer of heat. Specifically, the distance between the second wall portion 242 of the second step portion 24 and the axis of the valve device is L1, and the distance between the first side wall portion 232 of the first step portion 23 and the axis of the valve device is L2. The second wall portion 242 abuts against the outer wall of the sleeve 60, and the first side wall portion 232 abuts against the outer wall portion of the fixing member 50. That is, by adjusting the radial distance between the first side wall portion 232 and the second wall portion 242, the gap setting between the sleeve 60 and the fixing member 50 can be ensured. In this embodiment, in order to reduce the impact of heat on the nut assembly 30 and the rotor assembly 26, L1=L2+(2~4)T.

[0057] The valve assembly also includes a valve seat 27, which is generally hollow and cylindrical. At least a portion of a valve core assembly 40 is located within the inner cavity of the valve seat 27. The valve seat 27 has a valve opening 271. The valve core assembly 40 is capable of axial movement relative to the valve opening 271. The valve core portion 42 of the valve core assembly 40 cooperates with the valve opening 271 to adjust the flow area of ​​the valve opening 271, thereby regulating the flow of the refrigerant. One end of the valve seat 27 is fixedly or positionally connected to the valve seat 20, and the other end of the valve seat 27 is positionally or fixedly connected to the nut assembly 30. Specifically, the upper end of the valve seat 27 is positioned within the mounting hole 311 of the main body 31. The outer wall of the upper end of the valve seat 27 abuts against the wall forming the mounting hole 311, forming an interference fit. The other end of the valve seat 27 passes through the mounting groove 21 of the valve seat 20 and protrudes beyond the lower end of the valve seat 20. The outer wall of the valve seat 27 forms an interference fit with the wall forming the mounting groove 21, thereby securing the valve seat 27. The valve seat 27 has a side hole 272 that extends through the inner and outer walls of the valve seat 27. Along the axial direction of the valve assembly, the side hole 272 is located between the valve port 271 and the lower end of the valve seat 20.

[0058] The valve assembly further includes a first seal 70, a second seal 71, and a third seal. The first seal 70 is located within a groove at the lower end of the stator component 10. The left and right ends of the first seal 70 respectively abut against the inner wall of the groove and the outer wall of the sleeve 60. The lower end of the first seal 70 abuts against the weld between the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20. The primary function of the first seal 70 is to prevent water, dust, and the like from entering the coil assembly 11 and affecting its performance. Along the axial direction of the valve assembly, the second seal 71 and the third seal 72 are located on either side of the side hole 272. The second seal 71 is pressed between the valve seat 20 and the valve body, or restricts leakage of the working medium from between the valve seat 20 and the valve body to the outside of the valve assembly. The third seal 72 is pressed between the valve seat 27 and the valve body, restricting leakage of the working medium from between the valve seat 27 and the valve body to the outside of the valve assembly. The various embodiments of this application, if combined by deduction, are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0059] The manufacturing method of the valve device of this embodiment is shown in FIG14:

[0060] Pretreatment before welding;

[0061] The sleeve 60 and valve seat 20 are immersed in an organic solvent to remove impurities, and the valve seat 20 is immersed in 10% NaOH and 15% HNO3 solutions to remove the oxide film. The above-mentioned organic solvents include ethanol, acetone, CCl4, etc., and oil impurities are removed by ultrasonic cleaning.

[0062] Insert the sleeve 60 into the mounting groove 21 of the valve seat 20 and fix it in a limited position to form at least part of the first component;

[0063] Place solder 13 between sleeve 60 and valve seat 20;

[0064] Place the first component on the tooling platform and place the induction coil 070 on the periphery of the first component.

[0065] Adjust the position of the first component on the tooling platform so that the induction coil 070 is coaxial or approximately coaxial with the first component. As shown in Figure 14, the upper surface of the valve seat 20 is defined as the reference plane, the upper side of the reference plane is positive, the lower side of the reference plane is negative, the height of the induction line 070 is h, and the distance between the upper surface of the induction coil 070 and the reference plane is L, then -2mm≤L≤(5+h)mm. Adjust the relative position of the first component and the induction coil 070 so that L falls within the above range. In this embodiment, the induction coil 070 adopts a copper tube with a diameter of 4mm, that is, the height of the induction coil 070 is h=4mm, the wall thickness of the copper tube is 1.2mm, and the number of turns of the induction coil 070 is 2 turns. Adjust the relative position of the first component and the induction coil 070 so that the induction coil 070 is coaxial or approximately coaxial with the first component, and make the distance L between the upper surface of the induction coil 070 and the reference plane 7mm;

[0066] After adjusting the relative position of the first component and the induction coil 070, place the first component in a sealed protective cover and introduce a shielding gas. The shielding gas can be helium, and argon can also be introduced to save costs. Of course, in other embodiments, the first component can also be placed in a sealed protective cover first, and then the position of the first component and the induction coil 070 can be adjusted. First, evacuate the air in the protective cover to make the first component in a vacuum or near-vacuum state, and introduce helium. During the welding process, the circulation rate of the shielding gas helium is 5-10L / min. The introduction of shielding gas can prevent or reduce the oxidation of the stainless steel sleeve 60 during welding, reduce the production of oxides during the welding of aluminum alloy and stainless steel, and cause poor welds.

[0067] The first component is induction welded by adjusting welding parameters, the solder is heated until it melts and fills the gap between the sleeve and the valve seat, and is cooled and solidified to form a welded portion.

[0068] This application uses high-frequency induction welding with a frequency of 30-50 kHz, a welding power of 4-20 kW, and a welding time of 15-80 seconds. After welding, the weld is air-cooled to room temperature. It should be noted that the above welding time includes the welding heating time and the holding time.

[0069] The manufacturing method of the valve device in this embodiment further includes:

[0070] Assemble the nut assembly 30 and the valve core assembly 40, insert the valve core assembly 40 into the installation cavity formed by the nut assembly 30, and thread the valve core assembly 40 and the nut assembly 30 to form at least part of the second assembly;

[0071] Assembling the valve seat 20, the rotor assembly 26, and the second assembly, at least part of the third assembly;

[0072] Assemble the sleeve 60 and the third component, and fix the sleeve 60 and the third component using the above-mentioned induction welding method of the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20.

[0073] Example 2

[0074] The difference from Example 1 is that, as shown in Figures 11-12, the mounting portion 201 includes a first wall portion 2511 and a second wall portion 242. Along the axial direction of the sleeve 60, the second wall portion 242 is closer to the end of the sleeve 60 relative to the first wall portion 2511. Along the radial direction of the sleeve 60, the first wall portion 2511 is farther away from the axis of the valve seat 20 relative to the second wall portion 242. The first wall portion 2511 and the second wall portion 242 are arranged at an angle α, which is 30° to 70°. The partial weld 14 fixes the first wall portion 2511 and the sleeve 60. Specifically, the second wall portion 242 includes a first sub-wall portion 2421 and a second sub-wall portion 2422. Along the axial direction of the valve device, the first sub-wall portion 2421 is closer to the end of the sleeve 60 relative to the second sub-wall portion 2422, and the second sub-wall portion 2422 has an interference fit with the sleeve 60. During welding, the induction heating solder melts and fills the gap between the first sub-wall portion 2421 and the sleeve 60 to form a welding portion 14, that is, after the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20 are fixedly connected by induction brazing, part of the welding portion 14 is located between the first wall portion 2511 and the sleeve 60, and part of the welding portion 14 is located between the second wall portion 242 and the sleeve 60. Part of the welding portion 14 fixes the first wall portion 2511 and the sleeve 60, and the size of the welding portion 14 is less than or equal to the distance between the first wall portion 2511 and the sleeve 60; part of the welding portion 14 fixes the second wall portion 242 and the sleeve 60, and the size of the welding portion is less than the distance between the second wall portion 242 and the sleeve 60.

[0075] Before welding the sleeve 60 to the valve seat 20, the distance between the first sub-wall portion 2421 of the second wall portion 242 and the sleeve 60 is defined as K, where 0 < K ≤ 0.3 mm. Based on the differences in thermal expansion coefficients of different materials, the gap value K can be adjusted as needed. The length of the first sub-wall portion 2421 along the axial direction of the valve assembly is defined as L, and the thickness of the sleeve 60 is defined as T, where L = 2T - 6T. During assembly, the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20 are interference-fixed before welding. The solder 13 is located at the upper end of the valve seat 20 and is sleeved onto the sleeve 60. During welding, the solder melts due to induction heating and fills the gap between the first sub-wall portion and the sleeve 60, forming a weld. Specifically, a portion of the weld is located between the sleeve 60 and the first sub-wall portion, and a portion of the weld is welded to the second wall portion. This weld secures the sleeve 60. The sleeve 60 and the first sub-wall portion 2421 of the valve seat 20 are fitted with a small gap, and the gap is controlled at 0-0.3mm. Due to capillary action and the gravity of the welding liquid, the welding liquid flows into the gap between the sleeve 60 and the valve seat 20 to fill the gap, and then cools and solidifies. That is, the length of the first sub-wall portion 2421 is the length of the weld. The length of the first sub-wall portion 2421 is controlled to be 2 to 6 times the thickness of the sleeve 60. When the weld is too short, the connection strength between the valve seat 20 and the sleeve 60 is insufficient. If the weld is too long, there is a risk of failing to fill the gap due to the fluidity of the welding liquid, resulting in a poor weld. A reasonable weld length is controlled to achieve better welding results.

[0076] Example 3

[0077] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the difference between Example 3 and Example 1 is that the sleeve 60 includes a main tube 60A, a connecting tube 60B, a rotor assembly 26 and a valve core assembly 40, the stator component 10 is located on the outside of the main tube 60A, the rotor assembly 26 is located in the inner cavity of the main tube 60A, the valve core assembly 40 is fixedly or limit-connected to the rotor assembly 26, and the valve core assembly 40 is transmission-connected to the nut assembly 30. A predetermined current is passed through the stator component 10 to generate an excitation magnetic field, driving the rotor assembly 26 to rotate, and the rotor assembly 26 drives the valve core assembly 40 to rotate. The valve core assembly 40 is threadedly matched with the nut assembly 30 to convert the rotation of the rotor assembly 26 into an axial movement of the valve core assembly 40 relative to the valve seat 20. In this embodiment, the valve core assembly 40 includes a screw 41 and a valve core portion 42. The screw 41 and the valve core portion 42 are separate structures and are connected. It can be understood that the connection method includes a fixed connection, a limited connection or a transmission connection. The screw 41 is formed with an external thread, and the nut assembly 30 is formed with an internal thread that matches it. The screw 41 and the nut assembly 30 are threadedly matched to convert the rotation of the rotor assembly 26 into an axial movement of the screw 41 relative to the nut assembly 30. Of course, in other embodiments, the screw 41 and the valve core portion 42 can also be an integral structure or integrally formed. The valve component 200 also includes a valve seat 27, which has a valve port 271. The valve core assembly 40 can move axially relative to the valve port 271. The valve core portion 42 of the valve core assembly 40 cooperates with the valve port 271 to adjust the flow area of ​​the valve port 271 or the opening of the valve port 271, thereby achieving flow regulation of the refrigerant.

[0078] The valve device includes a rotor assembly 26, a nut assembly 30, and a valve core assembly 40. The rotor assembly 26 is fixedly or positionally connected to the valve core assembly 40, and the valve core assembly 40 is transmission-connected to the nut assembly 30. The valve device includes a main tube 60A, a connecting tube 60B, and a valve seat 20. The rotor assembly 26 is located in the inner cavity of the main tube 60A, and the rotor assembly 26 is located on the outer periphery of the nut assembly 30. Along the axial direction of the valve device, the connecting tube 60B is closer to the valve seat 20 relative to the main tube 60A. The connecting tube 60B and the valve seat 20 are both made of metal materials but of different materials. One end of the connecting tube 60B is fixedly connected to the valve seat 20 using a first welding method, and the other end of the connecting tube 60B is fixedly connected to the main tube 60A using a second welding method. The connecting tube 60B and the valve seat 20 are made of different materials. For example, the connecting tube 60B is made of stainless steel and the valve seat 20 is made of aluminum alloy. In the related art, the connecting tube and the valve seat are both stainless steel. In this application, the valve seat 20 is changed to aluminum alloy, which relatively reduces costs while meeting performance requirements. Different welding methods are used to connect the connecting pipe 60B to the valve seat 20 and the connecting pipe 60B to the main pipe 60A. The appropriate welding method can be selected according to different needs. For example, in the related art, the sleeve is made of stainless steel and the valve seat is made of aluminum alloy. After the rotor assembly, valve core assembly and other parts are assembled, the sleeve is set on the outer periphery of the rotor assembly. The sleeve and the valve seat are fixedly connected by induction brazing. Induction brazing heats evenly and quickly, and the selection of appropriate solder can improve the welding strength of aluminum and steel. However, the heat source of induction brazing heating is not concentrated, that is, when the current in the electromagnetic field changes, the sleeve will heat up, and the heat will be transferred to the rotor assembly, valve core assembly and other components inside the sleeve, affecting them. The present application adopts a segmented welding method, that is, the valve device is provided with a connecting pipe 60B, and the connecting pipe 60B is also made of stainless steel. The connecting pipe 60B is connected to the valve seat 20 by a first welding method, such as brazing. Selecting a suitable solder is conducive to the welding of aluminum and stainless steel. Induction brazing can be selected, and of course vacuum furnace brazing or tunnel brazing can also be selected; then the rotor assembly, valve core assembly, etc. are assembled, and the main body pipe 60A is sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotor assembly 26. The main body pipe 60A and the connecting pipe 60B are fixedly connected by a second welding method. Since the main body pipe 60A and the connecting pipe 60B are both made of stainless steel, the second welding method can be laser welding, argon arc welding, etc. The present application adopts laser welding, the heat source is concentrated and the heating speed is fast, and no solder is required, which can reduce the thermal impact of welding on the rotor assembly and the valve core assembly.

[0079] The valve seat 20 and the connecting tube 60B are dissimilarly connected. Due to the significant difference in the physical properties of aluminum alloy and stainless steel, connecting the two is difficult, and the performance of the two after connection is relatively poor. To address the above problems, the valve seat 20 of the present application is roughly hollow and cylindrical, and the valve seat 20 has a mounting groove 21. The portion of the connecting tube 60B located within the mounting groove 21 is defined as the first connecting section 601. Part of the outer wall of the first connecting section 601 has an interference fit with the wall forming the mounting groove 21. The connecting tube 60B and the valve seat 20 are fixed by induction brazing. In this solution, the solder 13 is directly provided on the outer periphery of the connecting tube 60B, and a portion of the solder 13 abuts against the end of the valve seat 20. The solder 13 is melted by induction heating, and the connecting tube 60B and the valve seat 20 can be welded and fixed. The connecting tube 60B includes a second connecting section 602. Along the axial direction of the connecting tube 60B, the second connecting section 602 is located closer to the main tube 60A of the sleeve 60, relative to the first connecting section 601. The second connecting section 602 is fixedly connected to the main tube 60A. Specifically, the upper end of the second connecting section 602 is laser welded to the lower end of the main tube 60A. Compared to other welding methods, laser welding provides a concentrated heat source and a faster heating rate, minimizing thermal impact on sleeve internal components such as the rotor assembly and valve core assembly.

[0080] The connecting pipe 60B is connected to the valve seat 20 in a limited position, that is, before the connecting pipe 60B is welded to the valve seat 20, the connecting pipe 60B and the valve seat 20 are relatively fixed. While limiting the relative position, the coaxiality of the connecting pipe 60B and the valve seat 20 is ensured. In this embodiment, the connecting pipe 60B and the valve seat 20 are press-fitted, that is, they are fixed in a limited position by interference fit, ensuring that the fit between the connecting pipe 60B and the valve seat 20 is not loose, ensuring the relative position of the two, and ensuring that the welding gap between the two is relatively uniform.

[0081] In this embodiment, the valve seat 20 is made of aluminum alloy, while the connecting tube 60B is made of stainless steel. Due to the different materials, high-frequency induction welding is used. High-frequency induction welding heats quickly, evenly, and efficiently, resulting in uniform heating of the solder, a relatively small heat-affected zone (HAZ) at the weld, and minimal deformation of the components. After the connecting tube 60B is fixedly connected to the valve seat 20, the valve seat 27, rotor assembly 26, valve core assembly 40, and nut assembly 30 are assembled. After these components are assembled, the main tube 60A is assembled. The main tube 60A is a hollow tubular structure with one end open and the other closed. The lower end of the main tube 60A abuts the upper end of the connecting tube 60B, and the main tube 60A and the connecting tube 60B are welded together. In this embodiment, both the main tube 60A and the connecting tube 60B are made of stainless steel, and the two are welded together using laser welding. Laser welding provides a stable light source and a relatively concentrated heat source, eliminating the need for solder during the welding process. This embodiment is different from the known technology in that the valve seat 20 of this solution is made of aluminum alloy, which reduces weight and cost at the same time. Since welding of dissimilar materials is difficult, high-frequency induction welding is adopted. When adopting high-frequency induction welding, in the relevant technical solutions, after the rotor assembly, valve core assembly, etc. are assembled, the sleeve and the valve seat are welded. Due to the characteristics of high-frequency induction welding, under the action of a changing magnetic field, induced current heating is generated, that is, the heated parts are relatively dispersed, that is, all the components in the magnetic field are heated, and the sleeve is oxidized and discolored after being heated. Therefore, this solution adopts a segmented welding structure, that is, the connecting pipe 60B is first fixedly connected to the valve seat 20 by induction welding. After the internal parts are assembled, the main pipe 60A is fixed to the connecting pipe 60B by laser welding, which can reduce the oxidation of the stainless steel main pipe 60A.

[0082] The present application also provides a method for manufacturing a valve device, the valve device including a rotor assembly 26, a nut assembly 30, and a valve core assembly 40. The valve device includes a main tube 60A, a connecting tube 60B, and a valve seat 20. Along the axial direction of the valve device, the connecting tube 60B is closer to the valve seat 20 relative to the main tube 60A. The connecting tube 60B is made of stainless steel, and the valve seat 20 is made of aluminum alloy. The manufacturing method includes the following steps:

[0083] S1. Assembling the valve seat 20 and the connecting pipe 60B: The valve seat 20 and the connecting pipe 60B are fixedly connected by a first welding method to form at least a portion of the first assembly;

[0084] S2. Assembling the rotor assembly 26, the spool assembly 40, and the nut assembly 30 to form at least a portion of the second assembly;

[0085] S3. Assembling the first component and the second component to form at least a portion of the third component;

[0086] S4. Assemble the third component and the main pipe 60A: The main pipe 60A and the connecting pipe 60B are fixedly connected by a second welding method.

[0087] The present application adopts a segmented welding method, that is, the valve device is provided with a connecting pipe 60B, and the connecting pipe 60B is also made of stainless steel. The connecting pipe 60B is connected to the valve seat 20 by a first welding method, such as brazing. Selecting a suitable solder is conducive to the welding of aluminum and stainless steel. Induction brazing can be selected, of course, vacuum furnace brazing, or tunnel brazing can also be selected; then the rotor assembly, valve core assembly, etc. are assembled, and the main body pipe 60A is arranged on the outer periphery of the rotor assembly. The main body pipe 60A and the connecting pipe are fixedly connected by a second welding method. The second welding method can be laser welding, argon arc welding, etc. The present application adopts laser welding, the heat source is concentrated, the heating speed is fast, and no solder is required, which can reduce the thermal impact of welding on the rotor assembly and the valve core assembly.

[0088] Example 4

[0089] As shown in Figures 17-23, valve device 01 includes a sleeve 12 and a valve seat 4. The lower end surface of sleeve 12 axially abuts against valve seat 4. A static iron core 14 and a movable iron core 6 are axially arranged relative to each other within sleeve 12 and valve seat 4, with static iron core 14 positioned above movable iron core 6. The vertical direction is defined by this axial reference. A coil assembly 2 is sleeved around the outer periphery of sleeve 12. Coil assembly 2 can be secured to static iron core 14 via a screw assembly 1. Valve device 01 also includes a valve body 3, which is connected to valve seat 4. In Figure 2, valve body 3 and valve seat 4 are threadedly connected. A valve core 5 is provided within valve body 3. A sealing gasket 10 is provided at the lower end of valve core 5. Sealing gasket 10 is configured to engage with the valve port provided in valve body 3 to close or open the valve port. A limit washer 8 is also provided on valve core 5 to limit the position of sealing gasket 10. A sealing ring 9 is provided between valve core 5 and valve seat 4 to achieve a sliding seal between valve core 5 and valve seat 4. A first spring 11 is provided between the static iron core 14 and the movable iron core 6 , and a second spring 13 is provided between the valve core 5 and the valve body 3 .

[0090] Specifically, during operation, the static iron core 14 is made of a soft magnetic material and can be press-fitted with the sleeve 12. When the coil assembly 2 is energized, the static iron core 14 generates a magnetic force, which attracts the movable iron core 6 upward. The restoring force of the second spring 13 and the attraction force act together on the movable iron core 6, causing it to overcome the elastic force of the first spring 11 and move upward to approach the static iron core 14, and the valve core 5 moves away from the valve port. When the coil assembly 2 is de-energized, the static iron core 14 loses its magnetic force. Under the action of the restoring force of the first spring 11, the movable iron core 6 is driven downward. The movable iron core 6 simultaneously presses down on the valve core 5, overcoming the second spring 13 and approaching the valve port to adjust the valve opening or close the valve port. The valve core 5 and the movable iron core 6 are in contact through the sealing block 7.

[0091] In this embodiment, the valve seat 4 and sleeve 12 are made of different materials. The sleeve 12 is made of stainless steel, and the valve seat 4 is made of aluminum alloy. Other corrosion-resistant, lightweight, and low-cost materials are also acceptable. The valve seat 4 and sleeve 12 need to be fixed. To achieve this, laser welding is used in this embodiment.

[0092] The valve seat 4 has a mounting portion with a mounting groove 4b extending axially. The valve seat 4 has an axially extending inner hole, the upper portion of which forms the mounting groove 4b. The sleeve 12 is inserted into the mounting groove 4b. The wall of the mounting groove 4b is provided with a stepped surface 41, and the lower end surface of the sleeve 12 abuts the stepped surface 41 along the axial direction.

[0093] It is noteworthy that in this embodiment, an annular groove 4a is defined where the upper end surface of the valve seat 4 and the wall of the mounting groove 4b meet. Specifically, the upper end surface of the valve seat 4 and the wall of the mounting groove 4b meet via a sloped surface. The axial cross-section of the sloped surface can be a slanted line, as shown in FIG20 , or an arc. When the sleeve 12 is inserted into the valve seat 4, the annular groove 4a and the outer wall of the sleeve 12 enclose an annular accommodating cavity. This cavity serves as a storage location for solder. During laser welding of the valve seat 4 and sleeve 12, the melted solder from the welding wire 02 can reside within the annular groove 4a, securing the sleeve 12 to the valve seat 4.

[0094] The following describes a method for manufacturing the valve device 01 by laser welding provided in this embodiment. The manufacturing method specifically includes the following steps:

[0095] Step A, assembling the valve seat 4 and the sleeve 12; the valve seat 4 and the sleeve 12 are assembled in any manner, and can be assembled by interference fit or by clamping and positioning using a tool, that is, the valve seat 4 and the sleeve 12 can be in a non-fixed position relationship before welding;

[0096] Step B: Using laser welding equipment, feed welding wire 02 to the position of annular groove 4a. Welding wire 02 can be located inside annular groove 4a, or above or obliquely above annular groove 4a, i.e., close to annular groove 4a. In this way, a laser beam can be emitted toward the position of annular groove 4a. The laser beam heats welding wire 02, causing it to melt, and the molten solder falls into annular groove 4a. The welding wire 02 and the laser beam are fed and run along the circumference of annular groove 4a. After one revolution, welding is completed.

[0097] Step C: Assemble the other components of the valve device 01 with the laser-welded components to form the valve device 01.

[0098] In step C, the other components of the valve device 01, that is, the components except the sleeve 12 and the valve seat 4, are fixed together after laser welding. Specifically, the static iron core 14, the moving iron core 6, the first spring 11, the sealing block 7 can be assembled with the sleeve 12 and the valve seat 4; then the sealing ring 9 and the piston are assembled together and installed in the valve seat 4, and then the second spring 13 is installed, and then the valve body 3 and the valve seat 4 are connected, and finally the coil assembly 2 is assembled to the outer periphery of the sleeve 12 and fixed by the screw assembly 1. It can be seen that the assembly order of other components in this step is not limited to this. As long as they do not interfere with each other, the assembly order can be adjusted. For example, the assembly of the valve body 3 and the valve seat 4 needs to be carried out after the piston is installed in the valve seat 4.

[0099] In this embodiment, an annular groove 4a is provided on the valve seat 4, facilitating the melting of the welding wire 02 under the action of the laser beam and its filling within the annular groove 4a. The melted solder from the welding wire 02 can effectively contact the sleeve 12 and the valve seat 4, thereby reliably welding the valve seat 4 and sleeve 12, which are made of different materials, together. Furthermore, the sleeve 12 and the valve seat 4 can be interference-fitted, i.e., pre-pressed and positioned. This ensures a relatively stable position of the sleeve 12 and the valve seat 4 during laser welding, facilitating stable and uniform welding.

[0100] Thus, during laser welding, the weld wire 02 melts and resides within the annular groove 4a. It can then flow through the annular groove 4a into the annular gap 01a, increasing the welding area between the valve seat 4 and the sleeve 12. The tilted configuration of the annular groove 4a further facilitates the flow of molten solder into the annular gap 01a. As shown in FIG23 , the wall portion corresponding to the mounting groove 4b includes a side wall portion 42 and a bottom wall portion 41. The side wall portion 42 includes a first sub-wall portion 421 and a second sub-wall portion 422. After laser welding, the second sub-wall portion 422 of the valve seat 4 and the sleeve 12 form an interference fit, while the first sub-wall portion 421 and the sleeve 12 are welded together. The outer wall of the sleeve 12 and the valve seat 4 are connected through both the interference fit and laser welding, providing a more reliable assembly and fixation.

[0101] Specifically, the width d of the annular gap 01a between the first sub-wall portion 421 of the valve seat 4 and the sleeve 12 can be set to 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm. The laser welding process is characterized by a small and concentrated laser heating area, a short welding time at each location, such as only a few seconds, and a rapid cooling rate for the liquid solder. To ensure that the solder can flow into the annular gap 01a as quickly as possible before cooling, the width d of the annular gap 01a can be set relatively large, such as within the aforementioned range of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm.

[0102] In addition, in this embodiment, the wall thickness of the sleeve 12 is defined as t, the axial height of the first sub-wall portion 421 is Ha, and the axial height of the second sub-wall portion 422 is Hb. The height Ha of the first sub-wall portion 421 can satisfy the following equation: Ha = (1-3)t. It can be seen that the height Ha of the first sub-wall portion 421 is related to the contact area between the sleeve 12 and the valve seat 4 during welding. Setting it to (1-3)t, which matches the wall thickness, can achieve a good welding effect. Furthermore, the wall thickness t of the sleeve 12 is also related to its ability to withstand an interference fit. The height Hb of the second sub-wall portion 422 is related to the length of the interference fit segment, and accordingly, it also limits the axial height of the annular gap 01a. Here, setting Ha = (1-3)t, a relatively short height, is beneficial for ensuring the reliability of the interference fit while ensuring welding reliability.

[0103] Specifically, when performing the laser welding operation in step SB, the laser welding process parameters can be set as follows:

[0104] The initial position is selected at any circumferential location along the annular groove 4a. The welding wire 02 is fed and the laser beam is emitted toward this location. The laser beam can be incident at an angle of 10° to 45° with respect to the vertical plane, i.e., the incident angle γ is 10° to 45°, the defocus is -5mm to -30mm, and the spot size is larger than the radial dimension of the welding wire 02. The laser power can be set between 1500W and 4000W, and the welding speed can be between 4mm and 10mm / s (the welding speed is the speed of the laser beam traveling along the circumference of the annular groove 4a). Furthermore, the wire feed angle θ of the welding wire 02 can be between 30° and 60°. The angle θ is the angle between the welding wire 02 and the vertical direction. To ensure that the melted welding wire 02 properly falls into the annular groove 4a, the slope angle α of the annular groove 4a can be between 45° and 60°. The slope angle α is the angle between the slope surface and the vertical direction. The selection of the above process parameters is conducive to the feeding of the welding wire 02 and ensures the welding effect. Of course, the above laser welding process parameters can also be adjusted according to actual conditions.

[0105] Before laser welding, the sleeve 12 and valve seat 4 can be cleaned with an organic solvent. Specifically, the sleeve 12 and valve seat 4 can be cleaned before assembly, or both can be cleaned simultaneously after assembly. Organic solvents such as ethanol, acetone, and CCl₄ can be used. Ultrasonic cleaning can be used to remove oil and impurities. After cleaning, the sleeve 12 and valve seat 4 are immersed in a 10% NaOH / 15% HNO₃ solution to remove the oxide film. The sleeve 12 and valve seat 4 are then rinsed with anhydrous ethanol and dried before laser welding.

[0106] In this embodiment, the sleeve 12 and valve seat 4 of valve device 01 are made of different materials. For example, the valve seat 4 is made of a relatively low-cost, lightweight material such as aluminum alloy. This reduces the cost and weight of the assembled valve device 01. To facilitate the connection and fixation of these dissimilar components, an annular groove 4a is provided for laser welding, ensuring reliable welding. Furthermore, laser welding offers advantages such as rapid heating, high efficiency, concentrated energy, minimal thermal impact, minimal component deformation, clean joints, and ease of automation.

[0107] In addition to the above-mentioned laser welding method, vacuum furnace brazing or tunnel furnace brazing can also be used. Of course, induction brazing in Example 1 and Example 3 can also be used.

[0108] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present application and are not intended to limit the technical solutions described in the present application. Although this specification has described the present invention in detail with reference to the above embodiments, ordinary technicians in this field should understand that technicians in the relevant technical field can still modify or make equivalent substitutions to the present application, and all technical solutions and improvements that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be included in the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A valve device, characterized in that: The valve device comprises a valve seat (20, 4) and a sleeve (60, 12), wherein the valve seat (20, 4) and the sleeve (60, 12) are welded and fixed, wherein the valve seat (20, 4) comprises a mounting portion (201), wherein the mounting portion (201) has a mounting groove (21, 4b), wherein at least a portion of the sleeve (60, 12) is located in the mounting groove (21, 4b), and wherein the valve device further comprises a welding portion (14), wherein at least a portion of the welding portion (14) is located between the sleeve (60, 12) and the mounting portion (201), and wherein the mounting portion (201) and the portion of the sleeve (60, 12) located in the mounting groove (21, 4b) are made of different materials.

2. The valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that The welding and fixing methods include laser welding, induction welding, and furnace brazing; the mounting portion (201) includes a first wall portion (2511) and a second wall portion (242); along the axial direction of the valve seat (20), the second wall portion (242) is closer to the port of the sleeve (60) relative to the first wall portion (2511); along the radial direction of the valve seat (20), the first wall portion (2511) is farther away from the axis of the valve seat (20) relative to the second wall portion (242); at least part of the welding portion (14) is located between the sleeve (60) and the second wall portion (242).

3. The valve device according to claim 2, characterized in that The second wall portion (242) comprises a first sub-wall portion (2421, 421) and a second sub-wall portion (2422, 422); along the axial direction of the valve device, the first sub-wall portion (2421, 421) is relatively far away from the port of the sleeve (60) from the second sub-wall portion (2422, 422); the second sub-wall portion (2422, 422) is interference fit with the sleeve (60); part of the welding portion (14) is located between the sleeve (60) and the first sub-wall portion (2421, 421), and part of the welding portion (14) is located between the first wall portion (2511) and the sleeve (60).

4. The valve device according to claim 3, characterized in that Along the radial direction of the valve seat (20), the thickness of the welding portion (14) between the second wall portion (242) and the sleeve (60) is K, then 0<K≤0.3mm; the length of the first sub-wall portion (2421) along the axial direction of the valve device is defined as L, and the thickness of the sleeve (60) is defined as T, then L=2T~6T.

5. The valve device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The material of the mounting portion (201) includes aluminum alloy, and the material of the portion where the sleeve (60) and the mounting portion (201) are welded includes stainless steel; the sleeve (60) is an integral structure.

6. The valve device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The material of the mounting portion (201) includes aluminum alloy, and the material of the portion of the sleeve (60) welded to the mounting portion (201) includes stainless steel; the sleeve (60) includes a main tube (60A) and a connecting tube (60B), the connecting tube (60B) being closer to the valve seat (20) relative to the main tube (60A), one end of the connecting tube (60B) being fixedly connected to the second wall portion (242) by a first welding method, and the other end of the connecting tube (60B) being fixedly connected to the main tube (60A) by a second welding method, and the first welding method and the second welding method are different.

7. The valve device according to claim 6, characterized in that The connecting pipe (60B) comprises a first connecting section (601) and a second connecting section (602), the first connecting section (601) being located in the mounting groove (21), a portion of an outer wall portion of the first connecting section (601) being interference fit with a wall portion forming the mounting groove (21), the first connecting section (601) and the second wall portion (242) being fixed by induction brazing; the lower end portion of the main body pipe (60A) is fixed to the second connecting section (602) by laser welding, and the material of the main body pipe (60A) comprises stainless steel.

8. The valve device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The valve device comprises a rotor assembly (26), a nut assembly (30), a valve core assembly (40) and a fixing member (50); the rotor assembly (26) is fixedly or positionally connected to the valve core assembly (40); the valve core assembly (40) is transmission-connected to the nut assembly (30); at least part of the rotor assembly (26) and at least part of the nut assembly (30) are located in the inner cavity of the sleeve (60); part of the nut assembly (30) is located on one side of the fixing member (50); and part of the valve seat (20) is located on the other side opposite to the fixing member (50); the fixing member (50) and the nut assembly (30) are fixed without welding.

9. The valve device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The valve device comprises a static iron core (14) and a moving iron core (6), wherein the static iron core (14) and the moving iron core (6) are arranged opposite to each other in the axial direction, and at least a portion of the static iron core (14) and at least a portion of the moving iron core (6) are located in the sleeve (12).

10. A method for manufacturing a valve device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a sleeve (60, 12) and a valve seat (20, 4), wherein the sleeve (60, 12) is made of a material different from that of the valve seat (20, 4), and the valve seat (20, 4) has a mounting groove (21, 4b). The manufacturing method of the valve device comprises the following steps: Inserting the sleeve (60, 12) into the mounting groove (21, 4b) of the valve seat (20, 4); placing solder (13) between the sleeve (60, 12) and the valve seat; The solder (13) is heated under preset welding parameters until it melts and fills the gap between the sleeve (60, 12) and the valve seat (20, 4), and is cooled and solidified to form a welding portion, thereby forming at least part of the first component.

11. The method for manufacturing a valve device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The induction coil (070) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first component, and the induction coil (070) is coaxial or substantially coaxial with the first component; the preset parameters include: the relative position of the first component and the induction coil (070), the upper surface of the valve seat (20) is defined as the reference plane, the upper side of the reference plane is positive, and the lower side of the reference plane is negative, the height T of the induction coil (070), the distance between the upper surface of the induction coil (070) and the reference plane is L, then -2mm≤L≤(5+T)mm; the welding parameters include: welding power of 4 to 24kW, welding frequency of 30 to 50kHz, and welding time of 15 to 80s.

12. The method for manufacturing a valve device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: The sleeve (60) comprises a main body tube (60A) and a connecting tube (60B), wherein the connecting tube (60B) is closer to the valve seat (20) than the main body tube (60A), the valve seat (20) is made of aluminum alloy, and the connecting tube (60B) is made of stainless steel; Inserting the connecting pipe (60B) into the installation groove (21), placing the solder (13) between the connecting pipe (60B) and the valve seat, and performing induction heating to melt the solder (13) to fill the gap to form a welding portion (13), thereby forming at least part of the first component; Assembling the in-tube assembly to form at least a portion of a second assembly, and assembling the first assembly and the second assembly to form at least a portion of a third assembly; The sleeve (60A) is placed on the outer periphery of the second component, and the sleeve (60A) is fixed to the connecting pipe (60B) by laser welding.

13. The method for manufacturing a valve device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The inner part of the sleeve comprises a valve core component (40) and a nut component (30). The valve core component (40) is inserted into the nut component (30) so that the valve core component (40) and the nut component (30) are threadedly matched.

14. The method for manufacturing a valve device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The inner part of the sleeve comprises a moving iron core (14) and a stationary iron core (6). The stationary iron core (6), the moving iron core (14), and a first spring (11) located between the moving iron core (14) and the stationary iron core (6) are assembled with the first component.

Citation Information

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