Fluid control valve

Abstract

The present invention includes: first to fourth ports 13-16 provided in a housing body 7; a fifth port 17 provided at one end of the housing body in the axial direction; a first flow passage 24 which is provided in a rotary valve 4, is in constant communication with the fifth port, and communicates with one of the first to fourth ports; a second flow passage 25 which communicates two other ports among the first to fourth ports; and a third flow passage 26 which communicates with one other port among the first to fourth ports in the first flow passage, and selectively communicates the two other ports when the communication of the two other ports by the second flow passage is blocked.　Providing three flow passages in a rotary valve for switching a plurality of ports makes it possible to obtain a wide variety of switching patterns.

Description

Fluid Control Valve

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid control valve.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A known conventional fluid control valve is, for example, that described in Patent Document 1 below.

[0003] This fluid control valve switches and controls the flow paths that supply and discharge fluid to and from vehicle equipment, and the cylindrical valve housing has five ports formed radially from the axis of a central cylindrical valve chamber, and a rotary valve is rotatably provided within the valve chamber. This rotary valve has two first and second flow paths that switch the flow paths of the ports that are connected by selecting a preset one depending on the rotation position.

[0004] That is, as shown in FIG. 8 of Patent Document 1, the rotary valve is rotated based on the mode in which fluid flows from port A to port C, making it possible to switch the flow of fluid from port B to port C.

[0005] Patent No. 6588646

[0006] However, as described above, the conventional fluid control valve described in Patent Document 1 switches the connections of five ports in the valve housing using two independent first and second flow paths in the rotary valve, but because there are only two flow paths, the first and second, the ports that can be connected are limited. In other words, because each port is switched using two flow paths depending on the rotational position of the rotary valve, the switchable patterns are naturally restricted to only four patterns.

[0007] As a result, in particular in recent electric vehicles, for example, there are many devices that need to be cooled, and it becomes difficult to accommodate these many devices.

[0008] The present invention was devised in view of the technical problems of the prior art, and one of its objects is to provide a fluid control valve that can obtain a wide variety of switching patterns by providing three flow paths in a rotary valve that switches between multiple ports.

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a valve housing having a rotary valve rotatably accommodated in a valve accommodating chamber thereof, an actuator for rotationally driving the rotary valve via a rotary shaft, four ports (first, second, third, and fourth) provided at a radially outer portion of the valve housing with respect to the rotary shaft of the rotary valve at equal or approximately equal intervals in the rotation direction of the rotary valve, the four ports being connected to one of the plurality of flow passages, a fifth port provided on one side of the valve housing in the axial direction of the rotary shaft and capable of communicating with one of the four ports depending on the rotational angle position of the rotary valve, a first flow passage provided in the rotary valve, always communicating with the fifth port and communicating with one of the four ports at all rotational angle positions of the rotary valve, and a second flow path provided in the rotary valve, which selectively connects two other ports out of the four ports when the first flow path is connected to one of the four ports in accordance with a rotational angle position of the rotary valve; and a third flow path provided in the rotary valve, which selectively connects two other ports out of the four ports when the first flow path is connected to another one of the four ports and the communication between the other two ports is blocked by the second flow path in accordance with a further different rotational angle position of the rotary valve.

[0010] According to an aspect of the present invention, by providing three flow paths in a rotary valve of one fluid control valve, it becomes possible to obtain a wide variety of switching patterns.

[0011] 1 is a bird's-eye view of a fluid control valve according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is an exploded perspective view of the fluid control valve according to the embodiment; 3 is a front view of the fluid control valve; 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 3; 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 3; 6 is a perspective view of a rotary valve used in the fluid control valve according to the embodiment; 7 is a schematic diagram showing a plurality of switching modes of the fluid control valve according to the embodiment, in which (a) to (h) are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of switching the fluid circuit by sequentially rotating the rotational position of the rotary valve by 45° from 0°; 8 is a schematic diagram showing a first usage mode when two fluid control valves are combined; 9 is a schematic diagram showing a second usage mode when two fluid control valves are combined; 10 is a schematic diagram showing a third usage mode when two fluid control valves are combined; and 11 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth usage mode when two fluid control valves are combined.

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a fluid control valve according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the fluid control valve will be described as an example in which it is applied to a circulation system of cooling water that supplies components of an automobile.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a bird's-eye view of a fluid control valve according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the fluid control valve of this embodiment, FIG. 3 is a front view of the fluid control valve, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 shows a rotary valve used in the fluid control valve of this embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the fluid control valve 1 of this embodiment has a valve housing 2, a cylindrical valve accommodating chamber 3 formed inside the valve housing 2, a rotary valve 4 rotatably accommodated and supported inside the valve accommodating chamber 3, and an electric motor 6 and a gear mechanism (not shown) that are provided at the upper end of the valve housing 2 and serve as an actuator that rotationally drives the rotary valve 4 via a rotary shaft 5 at the upper end of the rotary valve 4.

[0014] The valve housing 2 is formed as a single unit from a synthetic resin material, and as shown in Figure 2, comprises a covered cylindrical housing main body 7 and a cover member 8 attached to one axial end (the lower end in Figure 3) of the housing main body 7, which closes the opening 3a of the valve accommodating chamber 3. A substantially rectangular frame 9 is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the opening 3a. This frame 9 has four bosses 9a at the four corners of the outer periphery, each with four threaded holes 9b, and a non-circular annular seal groove 9c formed on the outer surface facing the cover member 8. A non-circular gasket 10 is housed and held in this seal groove 9c, providing a seal between the opening 3a of the valve accommodating chamber 3 and the cover member 8. As shown in FIG. 4, the housing body 7 has an insertion hole 7b formed in the vertical direction at the center of the upper wall 7a on the axially opposite side of the cover member 8, through which the rotating shaft 5 of the rotary valve 4 is inserted, and a bearing seal 11 for the rotating shaft 5 is attached to the inner peripheral wall of the insertion hole 7b.

[0015] The housing body 7 also has four seal retaining grooves 7c formed in the same rectangular shape at positions corresponding to the respective one-end openings 13a to 16a of the four ports 13 to 16, which will be described later, on the inner circumferential surface of the valve accommodating chamber 3. Four port seals 12 that provide a seal between the outer circumferential surface 4a of the rotary valve 4 and the respective one-end openings 13a to 16a are housed and retained in each seal retaining groove 7c. Each port seal 12 is formed in the same rectangular frame shape, has a through-hole 12a formed in its center, and has an arc-shaped inner surface 12b that slidably abuts against the outer circumferential surface 4a of the rotary valve 4.

[0016] Furthermore, four portions of the inner circumferential surface of the valve accommodating chamber 3, excluding the seal retaining grooves 7c, serve as bearing surfaces 3b that support the outer circumferential surface of the rotary valve 4. As shown in Fig. 5, these four bearing surfaces 3b are formed at approximately 90° positions in the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the valve accommodating chamber 3, and the circumferential width W of each of the four bearing surfaces 3b located between the first to fourth ports 13 to 16 is set to be equal to or greater than the combined opening width of two opening ends 25a (25b) and 26a (26b) of a second flow path 25 and a third flow path 26, which will be described later. In other words, as shown in Fig. 4, the two bearing surfaces 3b can simultaneously close, for example, both open ends 25a and 25b of the second flow path 25 or both open ends 26a and 26b of the third flow path 26.

[0017] The housing body 7 is integrally provided with four ports, a first port 13, a second port 14, a third port 15 and a fourth port 16, at equidistant positions in the circumferential direction on the inner circumferential surface of the valve accommodating chamber 3, radially outward from the rotary shaft 5 of the rotary valve 4. In addition, a fifth port 17, one end of which opens into the interior of the valve accommodating chamber 3, is provided in the center of the cover member 8.

[0018] 1 and 5, the first to fourth ports 13 to 16 are formed by four nipple-tube-shaped first to fourth pipes 18 to 21 that are integrally joined to the outer peripheral wall of the housing body 7. One-end openings 13 a to 16 a of each port face the seal retaining grooves 7 c of the valve accommodating chamber 3, and other-end openings 13 b to 16 b are connected to devices that require cooling via circulation circuits such as pipes (not shown). The four pipes 18 to 21 that constitute the four ports 13 to 16 are formed in a cross shape in a plan view and are equally spaced circumferentially around the housing body 7. In other words, the first pipe 18 of the first port 13, the fourth pipe 21 of the fourth port 16, the second pipe 19 of the second port 14, and the third pipe 20 of the third port 15 are arranged in radially symmetrical positions around the axis of the housing body 7. 4, the fifth port 17 is formed by a single nipple-shaped pipe 22 integrally joined to the outer surface of the central portion of the cover member 8, with one end opening 17a facing the valve accommodating chamber 3. This one end opening 17a is formed in a substantially funnel shape with its largest area facing the valve accommodating chamber 3, and is disposed opposite the underside of the bottom wall 4b of the rotary valve 4, which will be described later. Meanwhile, the other end opening 17b of the fifth port 17 is connected via a circulation circuit to other devices that require cooling. Furthermore, the fifth port 17 can be connected to any one of the first to fourth ports 13 to 16, depending on the rotational angle position of the rotary valve 4.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the housing body 7 has an upper wall 7a integrally provided with three support columns 7d to which screws for fastening an actuator such as the electric motor 6 are threaded.

[0020] 2, the cover member 8 is formed of a synthetic resin material in the shape of a rectangular plate, and has four bolt insertion holes 8a formed at the four corners of its periphery. The shanks of four bolts 23 that are threaded into the four female threaded holes 9b of the frame 9 are inserted into the bolt insertion holes 8a, and the cover member 8 is fixed to the lower end of the housing main body 7 by the bolts 23.

[0021] 2 and 4 to 6, the rotary valve 4 is formed in a solid cylindrical shape with the rotary shaft 5 integrally provided at the axial center of the upper end, and the rotary shaft 5 is formed on its outer periphery with serration grooves 5a for connection with the motor shaft of the electric motor 6. The outer periphery 4a of the rotary valve 4 is rotatably supported by the bearing surfaces 3b of the valve housing chamber 3. The rotary valve 4 is rotationally driven to a predetermined rotational position via the electric motor 6 and a gear mechanism (not shown).

[0022] The rotary valve 4 has an arc-shaped groove 4c formed at its upper end where the rotary shaft 5 is provided, and an annular protrusion 4d formed integrally with the outer periphery of the disk-shaped bottom wall 4b at its lower end. This annular protrusion 4d fits into an annular groove 8b formed on the outer periphery of the inner surface of the cover member 8, thereby ensuring free rotation while restricting excessive radial movement.

[0023] Furthermore, three flow paths are formed inside the rotary valve 4: a first flow path 24, a second flow path 25, and a third flow path 26. The first flow path 24 to the third flow path 26 are formed at the same height as the first port 13 to the fourth port 16, and the four port seals 12 seal between the first port 13 to the fourth port 16 and the openings 13 a to 16 a at the respective one ends of the ports 13 to 16.

[0024] 5 and 6, the first flow passage 24 is formed in a sector-like cross section with its central portion located on the axial side of the rotary valve 4, i.e., on the rotary shaft 5 side, and is constantly in communication with one end opening 17a of the fifth port 17 via a circular hole 4e formed through the bottom wall 4b. The opening area of ​​the outer peripheral opening end 24a of the first flow passage 24, which is a rectangular shape elongated in the horizontal direction on the outer peripheral surface 4a side of the rotary valve 4, is set to be approximately twice the inner diameter D of the one end openings 13a to 16a of each of the ports 13 to 16.

[0025] 5, the second flow passage 25 is disposed on one circumferential side of the first flow passage 24, has a substantially V-shaped cross section, and is formed with a uniform passage cross-sectional area overall. In addition, the inner diameter D1 of the open ends 25a at both ends of the second flow passage 25 is set to be substantially the same as the inner diameter D of each of the one-end openings 13a to 16a of the ports 13 to 16.

[0026] 5, the third flow passage 26 is disposed on the other circumferential side of the first flow passage 24 at a position substantially symmetrical to the second flow passage 25 with the first flow passage 24 in between, and is formed with a substantially V-shaped cross section. The third flow passage 26 has the same cross-sectional area as the second flow passage 25 and is uniform overall, and the inner diameter D1 of the open ends 26a at both ends is set to be substantially the same size as the inner diameter D of each of the one-end openings 13a to 16a of the ports 13 to 16.

[0027] Furthermore, the opening end 24 a of the first flow path 24 facing the inner circumferential surface of the valve accommodating chamber 3 has an opening range equal to or greater than the sum of the opening ranges of the opening ends 25 a, 26 a of the second flow path 25 and the third flow path 26 facing the inner circumferential surface of the valve accommodating chamber 3, and is located radially opposite the second and third flow paths 25, 26.

[0028] The electric motor 6 is controlled to rotate in both forward and reverse directions by an electronic control circuit (not shown), and controls the rotary valve 4 to a predetermined rotation angle position according to the cooling water required by each device. In other words, the electric motor 6 controls the rotary valve 4 to rotate in both forward and reverse directions by an electronic control circuit, and controls the rotation to a predetermined rotation angle according to the required switching mode, thereby relatively connecting or disconnecting the first to fourth ports 13 to 16 and the first to third flow paths 24 to 26.

[0029] A pump (not shown) is provided to discharge fluid to one of the ports of the housing body 7, and the discharge hole of this pump is formed on the center line of a pair of opposing ports. [Action and Effect of the Fluid Control Valve of This Embodiment] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a plurality of switching modes of the fluid control valve of this embodiment, and (a) to (h) are explanatory diagrams for switching the fluid circuit by rotating the rotational position of the rotary valve sequentially by 45 degrees from 0°.

[0030] 7(a), when the rotary valve 4 is in the initial position where its rotational position is 0°, the fourth port 16 and the fifth port 17 are connected to each other via the circular hole 4e through the first flow path 24, and the first port 13 and the second port 14 are connected to each other via the third flow path 26. At this time, one end opening 15a of the third port 15 is blocked by the outer circumferential surface 4a of the rotary valve 4. Furthermore, both open ends 25a, 25b of the second flow path 25 are closed by the two bearing surfaces 3b, 3b.

[0031] In the second mode shown in Figure 7(b), the rotary valve 4 is rotated 45° to the right in the figure from the position shown in Figure 7(a) by the electric motor 6. As a result, the fourth port 16 and the fifth port 17 remain in communication, and the third port 15 and the first port 13 are in communication via the second flow path 25. At this time, one end opening 14a of the second port 14 is blocked by the outer circumferential surface 4a of the rotary valve 4. Furthermore, both open ends 26a, 26b of the third flow path 26 are closed by the two bearing surfaces 3b, 3b.

[0032] In the third mode shown in Figure 7(c), the rotary valve 4 rotates approximately 45° to the right in the figure from the rotational position shown in (b) (90° from position (a)). This connects the third port 15 to the fifth port 17 via the first flow path 24, and the second port 14 to the fourth port 16 via the third flow path 26. At this time, the first port 13 has one end opening 13a blocked by the outer peripheral surface 4a of the rotary valve 4. Furthermore, both open ends 25a, 25b of the second flow path 25 are closed by the two bearing surfaces 3b, 3b.

[0033] In the fourth mode shown in Figure 7(d), the rotary valve 4 rotates approximately 45° further to the right in the figure from the rotational position shown in (c) (135° from position (a)). As a result, the third port 15 and the fifth port 17 remain in communication with each other through the first flow path 24, and the first port 13 and the second port 14 are in communication with each other through the second flow path 25. At this time, the opening 16a at one end of the fourth port 16 is blocked by the outer peripheral surface 4a of the rotary valve 4. The third flow path 26 is also closed by the two bearing surfaces 3b, 3b.

[0034] In the fifth mode shown in Figure 7(e), the rotary valve 4 rotates approximately 45° further to the right in the figure from the rotational position shown in (d) (180° from position (a)). This connects the first port 13 to the fifth port 17 via the first flow path 24, and connects the third port 15 to the fourth port 16 via the third flow path 26. At this time, the first end opening 14a of the second port 14 is blocked by the outer peripheral surface 4a of the rotary valve 4. The second flow path 25 is also closed by the two bearing surfaces 3b, 3b.

[0035] In the sixth mode shown in Figure 7(f), the rotary valve 4 rotates approximately 45° further to the right in the figure from the rotational position shown in (e) (225° from position a). As a result, the first port 13 and the fifth port 17 remain in communication with each other via the first flow path 24, and the second port 14 and the fourth port 16 are in communication with each other via the second flow path 25. At this time, the opening 15a at one end of the third port 15 is blocked by the outer peripheral surface 4a of the rotary valve 4. The third flow path 26 is also closed by the two bearing surfaces 3b, 3b.

[0036] In the seventh mode shown in Figure 7(g), the rotary valve 4 rotates approximately 45° further to the right in the figure from the rotational position shown in (f) (270° from position a). As a result, the second port 14 and the fifth port 17 are connected by the first flow path 24, and the first port 13 and the third port 15 are connected by the third flow path 26. At this time, the one-end opening 16a of the fourth port 16 is blocked by the outer peripheral surface 4a of the rotary valve 4. In addition, the second flow path 25 is closed by the two bearing surfaces 3b, 3b.

[0037] In the eighth mode shown in Figure 7(h), the rotary valve 4 rotates approximately 45° further to the right in the figure from the rotational position shown in (g) (315° from position a). As a result, the second port 14 and the fifth port 17 remain in communication with each other through the first flow path 24, and the third port 15 and the fourth port 16 are in communication with each other through the second flow path 25. At this time, the first port 13 has its one-end opening 13a blocked by the outer peripheral surface 4a of the rotary valve 4. Furthermore, the third flow path 26 is closed by the two bearing surfaces 3b, 3b.

[0038] When the rotary valve 4 is rotated further to the right in the drawing by about 45° from this rotation angle position, it is switched to the initial mode of FIG. 7(a) and the fluid circuit described above is established.

[0039] As described above, in this embodiment, by providing three flow paths, namely, the first flow path 24, the second flow path 25, and the third flow path 26, the flow paths can be switched by selectively connecting or disconnecting the first to fifth ports 13 to 16 by controlling the rotational angle position of the rotary valve 4. Therefore, a wide variety of switching patterns, up to eight in number, can be obtained with one fluid control valve 1, which increases versatility for use in, for example, electric vehicles.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the first flow path 24 is formed to have a fan-shaped cross section, when the rotary valve 4 is resin-molded using a mold, the slide core that forms the first flow path 24 can be easily released radially outward from the mold, and the structure and layout of the slide core can be simplified, thereby reducing molding costs.

[0041] Furthermore, because the first pipe 18 and the fourth pipe 21, and the second pipe 19 and the third pipe 20 are each provided at symmetrical positions around the axis of the housing main body 7, when the two slide cores that form the respective pipes of the mold are butted together during resin molding of the valve housing 2, the butting load can be offset by the opposing slide cores. Therefore, no unbalanced load acts between the opposing slide cores, ensuring the strength of the mold.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first to fourth ports 13 to 16 are arranged in a cross shape relative to the housing body 7, so that it is possible to set a variety of flow passage variations without changing the design of the valve housing 2, simply by replacing the rotary valve 4 with one that differs in the formation positions of the first to third flow passages 24 to 26 formed in the rotary valve 4.

[0043] Furthermore, the inner diameters D of the one end openings 13a to 16a of the ports 13 to 16 are set to be the same or almost the same, so that the port seal 12 that seals these one end openings 13a to 16a can be shared.

[0044] The inner peripheral surface of the valve accommodating chamber 3 of the housing body 7 is formed as the bearing surface 3b of the rotary valve 4. Therefore, the bearing load of the rotary valve 4 is borne by the entire inner peripheral surface of the valve accommodating chamber 3 excluding the one-end openings 13a to 16a of each of the ports 13 to 16. This suppresses the occurrence of unbalanced loads and eliminates the need for coaxial precision between the bearings.

[0045] Furthermore, since the opening range of the opening end 24a of the first flow path 24 is formed to be equal to or greater than the combined opening ends 25a, 26a of the second and third flow paths 25, 26, it becomes possible, for example, to connect two ports in the second flow path 25 or the third flow path 26, while maintaining a connection to one of the remaining two ports.

[0046] The four bearing surfaces 3b of the housing body 7 each have a circumferential width W that is equal to or greater than the combined opening width of the two opening ends 25a, 26a of the second flow path 25 and the third flow path 26. As a result, as the rotary valve 4 rotates, the two bearing surfaces 3b, 3b can close either the open end 25a at both ends of the second flow path 25 or the open ends 26a, 26b at both ends of the third flow path 26.

[0047] In addition, the above-mentioned pump has discharge holes formed on the center line of a pair of opposing ports, and this unique arrangement of the fluid control valve 1 and the pump (discharge holes) allows the fluid control valve 1 and the pump to be connected directly and over the shortest distance, thereby suppressing the occurrence of flow resistance and pressure loss of the cooling water. [Usage Modes When Two Fluid Control Valves of the Present Invention are Combined] Figures 8 to 11 show multiple usage modes when two fluid control valves of this embodiment are combined.

[0048] FIG. 8 shows a first mode of use, in which the fifth ports 17, 17 of the first and second fluid control valves 1, 1' are connected by another bypass passage 27.

[0049] For example, cooling water discharged from a pump (not shown) into the fourth port 16 of the first fluid control valve 1 is supplied from the fifth port 17 to the fifth port 17 of the second fluid control valve 1' via the first flow path 24 and the circular hole 4e. The flow path circuit is switched depending on the rotational angle position of the rotary valve 4 from the first flow path 24, which is in communication with the fifth port 17 of the second fluid control valve 1', so that cooling water is supplied to the selected ports 13 to 16 of the first fluid control valve 1 as well as to the appropriate devices from the ports 13 to 16 of the second fluid control valve 1'.

[0050] FIG. 9 shows a second mode of use, in which the first port 13 and the fourth port 16 of each of the two fluid control valves 1 and 1' are connected by another bypass passage 28.

[0051] For example, cooling water discharged from a pump (not shown) to the fifth port 17 of the first fluid control valve 1 is supplied from the fifth port 17 to the fourth port 16 and the like via the first flow path 24 and the like, and is also supplied from the first port 13 of the first fluid control valve 1 to the fourth port 16 of the second fluid control valve 1' via the bypass passage 28 in accordance with the rotational angle position of the rotary valve 4. Thereafter, the flow path circuit is switched in accordance with the rotational angle position of the rotary valve 4, and cooling water is supplied to the selected ports 13 to 16 of the first fluid control valve 1 as well as to the appropriate devices from the ports 13 to 16 of the second fluid control valve 1'.

[0052] FIG. 10 shows a third mode of use, in which the fifth port 17 of the first fluid control valve 1 and the fourth port 16 of the second fluid control valve 1' are connected by another bypass passage 29.

[0053] For example, cooling water discharged from a pump (not shown) to the fifth port 17 of the second fluid control valve 1' is supplied via the first flow path 24, etc., the fourth port 16, and the bypass passage 29 to the fifth port 17 of the first fluid control valve 1. Therefore, the flow path circuits of the first fluid control valve 1 and the second fluid control valve 1' are switched according to the rotational angle position of the rotary valve 4, and cooling water is supplied to the various devices as appropriate from the ports 13 to 16 of the selected first fluid control valve 1 as well as from the ports 13 to 16 of the second fluid control valve 1'.

[0054] 11 shows a fourth mode of use, in which the third ports 15, 15 of the first and second fluid control valves 1, 1' are connected by a first connecting passage 30, and a separate passage 31 is connected to the first connecting passage 30 to use as a 2-in-1 type port. Also, the first port 13 of the first fluid control valve 1 and the fourth port 16 of the second fluid control valve 1' are connected by a second connecting passage 32, and a separate passage 33 is connected to the second connecting passage 32 to use as a 2-in-1 type port.

[0055] As described above, by combining the two fluid control valves 1, 1' shown in Figs. 8 to 11, the fluid control valve can be expanded to multiple types and modes.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and for example, many other modes of use other than the connection of the ports of the fluid control valves 1, 1' shown in Figs. 8 to 11 are conceivable.

[0057] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the fluid control valve is used to switch the flow path of cooling water in a vehicle, but this is not limited to this, and it can also be applied to, for example, ships and other equipment, and it can also be applied to oil and other liquids in addition to cooling water as fluids.

[0058] 1, 1'...fluid control valve, 2...valve housing, 3...valve accommodating chamber, 4...rotary valve, 4a...outer peripheral surface, 4e...circular hole, 5...rotating shaft, 6...electric motor (actuator), 7...housing main body (valve housing), 8...cover member (valve housing), 12...port seal, 13...first port, 13a...one end opening, 14...second port, 14a...one end opening, 15...third port, 15a...one end opening, 16...fourth port, 16a...one end opening, 17...fifth port, 17a...one end opening, 18-22...first pipe to fifth pipe, 24...first flow path, 25...second flow path, 26...third flow path, 27-29...bypass passages.

Claims

1. A fluid control valve that switches the flow path of a fluid among a plurality of flow passages, comprising: a valve housing having an internal valve accommodation chamber; a rotary valve rotatably accommodated in the valve accommodation chamber of the valve housing; an actuator that rotationally drives the rotary valve via a rotary shaft; four ports (first, second, third, and fourth) provided at a radially outer portion of the valve housing relative to the rotary shaft of the rotary valve at equal or nearly equal intervals in the rotation direction of the rotary valve, and each connected to one of the plurality of flow passages; a fifth port provided on one side of the valve housing in the axial direction of the rotary shaft, and capable of communicating with any one of the four ports depending on the rotational angle position of the rotary valve; and a first flow passage provided in the rotary valve, which is always in communication with the fifth port and is in communication with any one of the four ports at any rotational angle position of the rotary valve. a second flow path provided in the rotary valve, which selectively connects two other ports out of the four ports when the first flow path is connected to one of the four ports in accordance with a rotational angle position of the rotary valve; and a third flow path provided in the rotary valve, which selectively connects two other ports when the first flow path is connected to another one of the four ports and the second flow path blocks communication between the other two ports in accordance with a still different rotational angle position of the rotary valve, wherein when one of the second flow path and the third flow path connects two of the four ports in accordance with a rotational angle position of the rotary valve, the other blocks communication between the other two ports.

2. A fluid control valve as described in claim 1, wherein the first flow path is disposed between the second flow path and the third flow path in the circumferential direction, and is formed in the shape of a sector in cross section with its pivot point at the center of the rotation axis of the rotary valve.

3. A fluid control valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the first port and the fourth port of the valve housing are arranged in symmetrical positions with respect to the axis of the rotary valve.

4. A fluid control valve according to claim 3, characterized in that the four pipes constituting the first port, second port, third port and fourth port are formed in a cross shape in plan view at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the valve housing.

5. A fluid control valve as set forth in claim 4, wherein the opening diameters of the first, second, third and fourth ports relative to the valve accommodating chamber in the circumferential direction are the same or nearly the same.

6. A fluid control valve according to claim 4, wherein the inner peripheral surface of the valve accommodating chamber of the valve housing is formed as a bearing surface for the rotary valve.

7. A fluid control valve as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of valve housings are provided, and three flow paths formed in each of the plurality of rotary valves are connected to a plurality of valve accommodating chambers formed in each of the valve housings by any of the paired ports.

8. A fluid control valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that the circumferential opening of the first flow path facing the inner peripheral surface of the valve accommodating chamber has an opening range equal to or greater than the sum of the opening ranges of the second and third flow path openings facing the inner peripheral surface of the valve accommodating chamber, and is located radially opposite the second and third flow paths.

9. A fluid control valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that the circumferential width of one location located between the ports on the bearing surface on the inner peripheral surface of the valve accommodating chamber is set to be equal to or greater than the opening width of the opening ends of the second flow path and the third flow path.

10. A fluid control valve as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a pump is provided to discharge fluid to one of the ports of the valve housing, and the discharge hole of the pump is formed on the center line of the pair of opposing ports.

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