Valve device

Abstract

This valve device is provided with: a housing (10) that forms a fluid passage (F) through which a fluid flows; a fixed disk (20) which is disposed inside the housing and in which at least one flow path hole (20b, 20c) through which the fluid flows is formed; a drive unit (40) that outputs rotational force; a shaft (50) that rotates about a shaft axis (CL) due to the rotational force outputted by the drive unit; a drive disk (30) that increases or decreases the opening degree of the flow path hole as the shaft rotates, and that has a sliding surface (31) that slides on the fixed disk on one side in the direction in which the shaft axis extends; and a flow velocity reduction unit (252) that prevents the flow of the fluid flowing through the fluid passage. The housing includes a peripheral passage forming part (160) that faces the sliding surface and, together with the sliding surface, forms a circumferential passage (F3) that extends in the circumferential direction and channels the fluid in the circumferential direction. The flow velocity reduction part is disposed in the circumferential passage, and reduces the flow velocity of the fluid flowing in the circumferential passage.

Description

Valve equipment CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-49903, filed on March 26, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a valve device.

[0003] A conventional valve device includes a housing that defines a fluid passage, a fixed disk that defines a passage hole through which the fluid passes, a drive disk that adjusts the opening of the passage hole, and a drive unit that outputs a torque to rotate the drive disk (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this valve device, the housing is formed with one inlet that guides the fluid into the fluid passage, and two outlets that communicate with the passage hole and allow the fluid to flow out of the fluid passage. The passage hole in the fixed disk is opened or closed depending on the rotational position of the drive disk, which is positioned by the torque of the drive unit, thereby switching the outlet that communicates with the inlet.

[0004] International Publication No. 2022 / 224743

[0005] When a fluid flows through a fluid passage in a housing along the surface of a drive disk in the direction of rotation of the drive disk, the fluid flow generates shear stress on the surface of the drive disk in the direction of rotation. Therefore, the fluid flow in the direction of rotation of the drive disk can cause the drive disk to shift in its rotational position, resulting in reduced positional accuracy of the drive disk. Therefore, when a fluid flows in the housing in the direction of rotation of the drive disk, it is necessary to suppress the shift in the drive disk's rotational position.

[0006] One method for suppressing deviation of the rotational position of the drive disk is to have the drive unit output a reaction force against the shear stress generated on the surface of the drive disk. However, this method of outputting a reaction force against the shear stress from the drive unit increases the rotational force output by the drive unit. This increase in rotational force increases the size of the drive unit and the valve device. This was discovered through extensive research by the inventors.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a valve device that can suppress deviation of the rotational position of a drive disk without increasing the rotational force of a drive unit.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a valve device comprises: a housing forming a fluid passage therein for circulating a fluid; a fixed disk arranged inside the housing and having at least one flow passage hole formed therein through which the fluid flows; a drive unit that outputs a rotational force; a shaft that rotates about the shaft axis by the rotational force output by the drive unit; a drive disk that increases or decreases the opening of the flow passage hole as the shaft rotates and has a sliding surface that slides against the fixed disk on one side in the direction in which the shaft axis extends; and a flow velocity reducer that obstructs the flow of fluid flowing through the fluid passage, wherein when the direction in which the drive disk rotates is the circumferential direction, the housing includes a circumferential passage forming portion that faces the sliding surface and forms, together with the sliding surface, a circumferential passage that extends circumferentially and allows the fluid to flow circumferentially, and the flow velocity reducer is arranged in the circumferential passage and reduces the flow velocity of the fluid flowing through the circumferential passage.

[0009] According to this, the flow velocity reduction portion can hinder the flow of fluid along the sliding surface when the fluid flows circumferentially through the circumferential passage. Therefore, the shear stress generated on the sliding surface of the drive disk can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the flow velocity reduction portion is not provided in the circumferential passage. Therefore, it is possible to suppress deviation of the rotational position of the drive disk due to the circumferential flow of fluid in the circumferential passage without increasing the rotational force of the drive unit.

[0010] 1. An external perspective view of the valve device according to the first embodiment. 2. A cross-sectional view of the valve device according to the first embodiment. 3. A cross-sectional view taken along III-III in FIG. 2. 4. A cross-sectional view taken along IV-IV in FIG. 2. 5. A schematic view of the cross section indicated by V-V in FIG. 3. 6. A cross-sectional view taken along VI-VI in FIG. 2. 7. A view of the drive disk according to the first embodiment as viewed from the sliding surface side. 8. A view of the drive disk according to the first embodiment as viewed from the opposite side to the sliding surface side. 9. A view showing the flow of fluid flowing through a third fluid passage. 10. A view for explaining shear stress generated on the sliding surface when non-opposing ribs are not provided. 11. A view for explaining shear stress generated on the sliding surface when non-opposing ribs are provided. 12. A view corresponding to FIG. 3 of a fixed disk according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. 13. A cross-sectional view taken along XIII-XIII in FIG. 12. 14. A view corresponding to FIG. 3 of a fixed disk according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. 15. A cross-sectional view taken along XV-XV in FIG. 14. 16. A view corresponding to FIG. 3 of a fixed disk according to a third modified example of the first embodiment. 17. A view corresponding to FIG. 3 of a fixed disk according to a second modified example. 18. A view corresponding to FIG. 4 of a bottom wall portion according to the second embodiment. 19. A cross-sectional view taken along XIX-XIX in FIG. 18. 20 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 of a bottom wall portion according to a modified example of the second embodiment; FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXI-XXI of FIG. 20; FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4 of a bottom wall portion according to a modified example of the second embodiment; and FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXIII-XXIII of FIG.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, parts that are the same as or equivalent to those described in the preceding embodiments will be given the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. Furthermore, in the embodiments, when only some of the components are described, the components described in the preceding embodiments can be applied to the remaining components. The following embodiments can be partially combined with each other, even if not specifically stated, as long as there is no particular problem with the combination.

[0012] First Embodiment This embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11 . A valve device 1 according to this embodiment is applied to a fluid circulation system in which a fluid (in this example, coolant) circulates to regulate the temperature of the cabin and battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle, for example. The fluid circulation system circulates coolant through a power source for driving the vehicle, a radiator, a heater core for cabin air conditioning, and a battery. For example, LLC (Long Life Coolant) containing ethylene glycol is used as the coolant. The valve device 1 switches the flow path or adjusts the flow rate of the coolant flowing through the fluid circulation system. In this embodiment, the valve device 1 is configured as a five-way valve.

[0013] 1 and 2 , the valve device 1 has a housing 10 that forms a fluid passage F through which a fluid flows. The housing 10 has two inlet ports that allow the fluid to flow into the fluid passage F from the outside of the valve device 1, and three outlet ports that allow the fluid that has flowed into the fluid passage F to flow out to the outside of the valve device 1. Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 1 and other figures, the two fluid ports that allow the fluid to flow into the fluid passage F will be referred to as a first inlet portion 11 and a second inlet portion 12, and the three outlet ports that allow the fluid to flow out of the fluid passage F will be referred to as a first outlet portion 13, a second outlet portion 14, and a third outlet portion 15.

[0014] First, the configuration of the valve device 1 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the valve device 1 of this embodiment includes a fixed disc 20, a drive disc 30, a drive unit 40, a shaft 50, a lever 60, a torsion spring 70, a compression spring 80, and the like. The valve device 1 accommodates the fixed disc 20, the drive disc 30, the shaft 50, the lever 60, the torsion spring 70, and the compression spring 80 within a housing 10. The valve device 1 also includes a drive unit 40 disposed outside the housing 10. The valve device 1 of this embodiment is configured as a disc valve in which the drive unit 40 rotates the drive disc 30 integrally with the shaft 50 to switch the flow path of cooling water flowing through a fluid circulation system.

[0015] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2 and other figures, the direction along the shaft axis CL of the shaft 50 is referred to as the axial direction DRa, the direction to one side of the axial direction DRa is referred to as the downward direction DRa1, and the direction opposite the downward direction DRa1 is referred to as the upward direction DRa2. Furthermore, various configurations will be described using the circumferential direction DRc as the direction around the shaft axis CL and the radial direction DRr as the direction perpendicular to the axial direction DRa and extending radially from the shaft axis CL. The circumferential direction DRc is the direction of rotation of the shaft 50 and the drive disk 30, which are rotated by the rotational force supplied from the drive unit 40. Note that the directions shown in Figure 2 and other figures are merely examples and do not limit the installation state of the valve device 1 of the present disclosure.

[0016] The housing 10 is a non-rotating member. The housing 10 is formed, for example, from a resin material. Specifically, the housing 10 has a main body 16 having a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and a main body cover 17 that closes the open side of the main body 16. In this embodiment, the main body 16 and the main body cover 17 are molded, for example, by injection molding, in which a resin material is poured into a mold and hardened into a desired shape.

[0017] The main body 16 has a bottom wall 160 that forms the bottom surface and a cylindrical side wall 161 that surrounds the shaft axis CL in the circumferential direction DRc. The bottom wall 160 and the side wall 161, together with the main body cover 17, form a fluid passage F. The bottom wall 160 and the side wall 161 are configured as an integrally molded product.

[0018] The main body 16 has a first inlet 11 connected to the outer peripheral surface of the side wall 161. The main body 16 also has a first outlet 13, a second outlet 14, and a third outlet 15 connected to the outer peripheral surface of the bottom wall 160. The main body 16 has a second inlet 12 connected to the lower surface of the bottom wall 160 in the downward direction DRa1.

[0019] The first inlet portion 11 and the first outlet portion 13 are arranged side by side in the axial direction DRa. The first inlet portion 11 is connected to the side wall portion 161 on the upper DRa2 side of the position where the drive disk 30 is housed. On the other hand, the first outlet portion 13 is connected to the bottom wall portion 160 on the lower DRa1 side of the side wall portion 161 that houses the drive disk 30.

[0020] The first outlet portion 13, the second outlet portion 14, and the third outlet portion 15 are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval along the circumferential direction DRc. In this embodiment, the first outlet portion 13, the second outlet portion 14, and the third outlet portion 15 are arranged side by side in this order at intervals of approximately 90°. The second inlet portion 12 is provided in the center of the bottom wall portion 160.

[0021] The first inlet portion 11, the second inlet portion 12, the first outlet portion 13, the second outlet portion 14, and the third outlet portion 15 are configured as tubular members formed so that a fluid can flow through the inside thereof. The first inlet portion 11, the first outlet portion 13, the second outlet portion 14, and the third outlet portion 15 are formed to protrude from the housing 10 along the radial direction DRr. The second inlet portion 12 is formed to protrude from the housing 10 along the axial direction DRa.

[0022] The side wall portion 161 has a cylindrical shape that surrounds, in the circumferential direction DRc, the upper fluid passage Fu on the upper direction DRa2 side of the fixed disk 20 in the fluid passage F, and extends along the axial direction DRa. The side wall portion 161 is formed so that its axis is coaxial with the shaft axis CL.

[0023] 2, the side wall portion 161 has an inner peripheral side surface portion 1611 on its inner periphery that surrounds the outer periphery of the fixed disk 20 and the outer periphery of the drive disk 30. The inner peripheral side surface portion 1611 forms the upper fluid passage Fu. As shown in FIG. 3, the inner peripheral side surface portion 1611 is formed with a single fitting groove 1612 that is recessed away from the shaft axis CL. The opening side of the side wall portion 161 is closed by the main body cover portion 17.

[0024] The body cover 17 is a lid that closes the opening side of the body 16. The body cover 17 is attached to the body 16 by fitting it inside the body 16 from the opening side of the body 16. That is, the upper fluid passage Fu formed by the inner circumferential side surface 1611 of the side wall 161 is closed by the body cover 17. The body cover 17 is attached to the body 16 together with the drive unit 40 by, for example, tapping screws S.

[0025] An O-ring 162 that closes the gap between the main body 16 and the main body cover 17 is disposed between the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 161 and the outer peripheral surface of the main body cover 17. The O-ring 162 is made of, for example, urethane rubber, which is an annular elastic body, and is configured to be compressed and elastically deformable when sandwiched between the main body 16 and the main body cover 17.

[0026] The bottom wall portion 160 is a portion on which the fixed disk 20 is installed and which supports the downward direction DRa1 side of the axial center portion 51 (described later) of the shaft 50. The bottom wall portion 160 also forms a fluid passage F that guides the fluid that has flowed in from the first inlet portion 11 and the second inlet portion 12 to the first outlet portion 13, the second outlet portion 14, and the third outlet portion 15.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2 , the bottom wall portion 160 has a mounting surface 1601 on the upward DRa2 side for placing the fixed disk 20. The bottom wall portion 160 also has a bearing hole 1602 that supports the axial center portion 51, and a lower fluid passage Fd that is located on the downward DRa1 side of the fixed disk 20 in the fluid passage F. The downward DRa1 side of the axial center portion 51 is fitted into the bearing hole 1602. The bearing hole 1602 rotatably supports the axial center portion 51. The mounting surface 1601 of the lower fluid passage Fd is recessed, and at least a portion of the lower fluid passage Fd is covered by a sliding surface 31 (described below) of the drive disk 30.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3 , the bottom wall portion 160 has a double-wall structure in which the lower fluid passage Fd is divided into an inner passage Fin and an outer passage Fout located radially outward of the inner passage Fin in the radial direction DRr. This allows the bottom wall portion 160 to allow fluid to flow through both the inner passage Fin and the outer passage Fout. As shown in FIG. 4 , the bottom wall portion 160 has a cylindrical partition portion 1603 that separates the inner passage Fin from the outer passage Fout. Furthermore, the bottom wall portion 160 has three inner partition portions 1604 that separate the inner passage Fin into three sections in the circumferential direction DRc, and three outer partition portions 1605 that separate the outer passage Fout into three sections in the circumferential direction DRc. The cylindrical partition portion 1603 is cylindrical and is formed so that its axis is coaxial with the shaft axis CL.

[0029] The three inner partitions 1604 and the three outer partitions 1605 are each formed along the radial direction DRr and have a constant thickness throughout the radial direction DRr. The three inner partitions 1604 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction DRc, specifically at intervals of approximately 120°. The inner partitions 1604 are arranged so that the three inner passages Fin divided by the three inner partitions 1604 are all equal in size. When viewed from the axial direction DRa, each of the three inner passages Fin divided by the three inner partitions 1604 has an arc shape extending in the circumferential direction DRc. The inner passages Fin are formed to penetrate the bottom wall portion 160 in the axial direction DRa and communicate with the second inlet portion 12.

[0030] The three outer partitions 1605 are disposed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction DRc, specifically at intervals of approximately 90°. The outer partitions 1605 are disposed so that the size of one of the three outer passages Fout divided into three by the three outer partitions 1605 is not equal to the size of the other two.

[0031] Each of the three outer passages Fout separated by the three outer partitions 1605 has an arc shape extending in the circumferential direction DRc when viewed from the direction along the axial direction DRa. One of the three outer passages Fout separated by the three outer partitions 1605 has a size in the circumferential direction DRc that is approximately twice as large as the other two outer passages Fout. Specifically, of the three outer passages Fout, one outer passage Fout is formed within a range of approximately 180° around the shaft axis CL, and the remaining two outer passages Fout are each formed within a range of approximately 90° around the shaft axis CL.

[0032] Each of the three outer passages Fout communicates with one of the first outlet portion 13, the second outlet portion 14, and the third outlet portion 15, and guides the fluid that has flowed into the valve device 1 to one of the outlet portions. Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 4 , of the three outer passages Fout, two outer passages Fout that are formed within a range of approximately 90° around the shaft axis CL will also be referred to as a first fluid passage F1 and a second fluid passage F2. Furthermore, of the three outer passages Fout, one outer passage Fout that is formed within a range of approximately 180° around the shaft axis CL will also be referred to as a third fluid passage F3.

[0033] The first fluid passage F1 is an outer passage Fout that communicates with the first outlet portion 13 and guides the fluid to the first outlet portion 13. The first fluid passage F1 is formed to extend approximately 90° around the shaft axis CL, and the first outlet portion 13 is connected to a substantially central portion in the circumferential direction DRc of the first fluid passage F1. In other words, the substantially central portion in the circumferential direction DRc of the first fluid passage F1 overlaps with the first outlet portion 13 that is formed to protrude from the housing 10 in the radial direction DRr, and communicates with the first outlet portion 13.

[0034] The second fluid passage F2 is an outer passage Fout that communicates with the second outlet portion 14 and guides the fluid to the second outlet portion 14, and is formed with a size in the circumferential direction DRc that is approximately equal to that of the first fluid passage F1. The second fluid passage F2 is formed to extend approximately 90° around the shaft axis CL, and the second outlet portion 14 is connected to a substantially central portion in the circumferential direction DRc. In other words, the substantially central portion in the circumferential direction DRc of the second fluid passage F2 overlaps with the second outlet portion 14, which is formed to protrude in the radial direction DRr from the housing 10, and is connected to the second outlet portion 14.

[0035] The third fluid passage F3 is an outer passage Fout that communicates with the third outlet portion 15 and guides the fluid to the third outlet portion 15, and is formed to have a size in the circumferential direction DRc that is larger than the first fluid passage F1 and the second fluid passage F2. The third fluid passage F3 is formed to extend approximately 180° around the shaft axis CL, and the third outlet portion 15 is connected to one side in the circumferential direction DRc. That is, one side in the circumferential direction DRc of the third fluid passage F3 overlaps in the radial direction DRr with the third outlet portion 15 that is formed to protrude from the housing 10 in the radial direction DRr, and is in communication with the third outlet portion 15. In contrast, the other side in the circumferential direction DRc of the third fluid passage F3 does not overlap with the third outlet portion 15 in the radial direction DRr.

[0036] As described above, the third fluid passage F3 extends twice as far in the circumferential direction DRc as the first fluid passage F1 and the second fluid passage F2. The third fluid passage F3 thus formed allows fluid that has flowed into the other end of the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc to flow approximately 180 degrees in the circumferential direction DRc toward the one end of the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc. The third fluid passage F3 corresponds to a circumferential passage. The portion of the bottom wall portion 160 that surrounds the third fluid passage F3 corresponds to a circumferential passage-forming portion.

[0037] The mounting surface 1601 is formed to extend in a flat plane along the radial direction DRr and the circumferential direction DRc. A gasket groove 1606 is formed in the mounting surface 1601 to accommodate a gasket 163 that seals the gap between the fixed disk 20 and the mounting surface 1601.

[0038] The gasket 163 is made of, for example, an elastically deformable rubber member and is formed into a shape corresponding to the inner passage Fin and the outer passage Fout. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the gasket 163 has three annular portions 1631 with different inner diameters and a connecting portion 1632 that connects the three annular members.

[0039] The three annular portions 1631 are fitted into gasket grooves 1606 formed between the bearing hole 1602 and the inner passage Fin, between the inner passage Fin and the outer passage Fout, and radially outward of the outer passage Fout in the DRr direction. The connecting portion 1632 is fitted into gasket grooves 1606 formed in the three inner partitions 1604 and the three outer partitions 1605. The gasket 163 thus provided has holes corresponding to the inner passage Fin, the first fluid passage F1, the second fluid passage F2, and the third fluid passage F3. The gasket 163 is disposed between the fixed disk 20 and the mounting surface 1601 and functions as a sealing member that seals the gap between the fixed disk 20 and the mounting surface 1601.

[0040] Fixed disk 20 is a sealing member that seals the gap between bottom wall portion 160 and drive disk 30. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, fixed disk 20 is composed of a substantially disk-shaped member with its thickness direction aligned with axial direction DRa, and its outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of side wall portion 161. Fixed disk 20 is formed by connecting three circular ring members each with a different inner diameter, and the centers of the circular ring members are arranged coaxially with shaft axis CL.

[0041] The fixed disk 20 has a hole forming portion 21, an inner forming portion 22 having an inner diameter larger than that of the hole forming portion 21 and formed outside the hole forming portion 21 in the radial direction DRr, and an outer forming portion 23 having an inner diameter larger than that of the inner forming portion 22 and formed outside the inner forming portion 22 in the radial direction DRr. The fixed disk 20 also has three inner ribs 24 connecting the hole forming portion 21 and the inner forming portion 22, and four outer ribs 25 connecting the inner forming portion 22 and the outer forming portion 23. The fixed disk 20 also has a seal surface 26 that abuts against the drive disk 30, and a support surface 27 that abuts against the installation surface 1601. The fixed disk 20 is configured as an integrally molded product in which the hole forming portion 21, the inner forming portion 22, the outer forming portion 23, the three inner ribs 24, and the four outer ribs 25 are molded integrally.

[0042] The fixed disk 20 is made of a material that has a smaller coefficient of linear expansion, superior wear resistance, and a smaller coefficient of friction than the constituent material of the housing 10. For example, the fixed disk 20 is made of a high-hardness material that is harder than the housing 10 and the drive disk 30. The fixed disk 20 is made of a metal (for example, SUS, i.e., Steel Use Stainless) that is harder than resin.

[0043] The hole forming portion 21 is a portion where a fixed disk hole 20a is formed in the fixed disk 20, through which the axial center portion 51 of the shaft 50 is inserted, and is formed in an annular shape. The inner forming portion 22 is a portion which surrounds an inner flow path hole 20b formed outward in the radial direction DRr from the fixed disk hole 20a, and is also formed in an annular shape. The inner flow path hole 20b is divided into three in the circumferential direction DRc by inner ribs 24.

[0044] The outer forming portion 23 is formed in an annular shape and surrounds the outer flow passage hole 20c, which is formed radially outward of the inner flow passage hole 20b in the circumferential direction DRr. The outer flow passage hole 20c is divided into four sections in the circumferential direction DRc by outer ribs 25. The outer forming portion 23 also has an outer peripheral side surface portion 231 that forms the outer periphery of the fixed disk 20, and a fitting protrusion 232 provided on the outer peripheral side surface portion 231. The fitting protrusion 232 is formed to protrude outward in the radial direction DRr from the outer peripheral side surface portion 231.

[0045] When the fixed disk 20 is accommodated inside the main body 16, the outer peripheral side surface 231 is disposed to face the inner peripheral side surface 1611 of the side wall 161. Furthermore, the engagement protrusion 232 of the fixed disk 20 is fitted into the engagement groove 1612 formed in the inner peripheral side surface 1611, thereby restricting rotation of the fixed disk 20 in the circumferential direction DRc accompanying rotation of the shaft 50.

[0046] The seal surface 26 and the support surface 27 are formed to extend in a planar shape along the radial direction DRr and the circumferential direction DRc. The seal surface 26 and the support surface 27 are perpendicular to the axial direction DRa and parallel to each other in the radial direction DRr. The seal surface 26 corresponds to a sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30, which will be described later.

[0047] The three inner ribs 24 and the four outer ribs 25 are each formed along the radial direction DRr, protruding from the inside to the outside in the radial direction DRr, and increasing in size in the circumferential direction DRc as they move outward.

[0048] The three inner ribs 24 are formed along the radial direction DRr from the outer peripheral surface of the hole forming portion 21 to the inner peripheral surface of the inner forming portion 22. The three inner ribs 24 are formed in positions that face the inner partitions 1604 when the fixed disk 20 is placed on the installation surface 1601. Specifically, the three inner ribs 24 are arranged at intervals of approximately 120° in the circumferential direction DRc, similar to the three inner partitions 1604. The three inner ribs 24 divide the inner flow path hole 20b into three sections.

[0049] The three inner flow passage holes 20b have a shape corresponding to the inner passages Fin when viewed in the axial direction DRa, and are formed in an arc shape extending in the circumferential direction DRc. Each of the three inner flow passage holes 20b penetrates the fixed disk 20 in the axial direction DRa and communicates with one of the three inner passages Fin.

[0050] The four outer ribs 25 are formed along the radial direction DRr from the outer peripheral surface of the inner forming portion 22 to the inner peripheral surface of the outer forming portion 23. The four outer ribs 25 are formed in positions where three of the outer ribs 25 face the three outer partitions 1605 when the fixed disk 20 is placed on the installation surface 1601. The remaining one of the four outer ribs 25 does not face the outer partition 1605 but faces the third fluid passage F3. Specifically, the three outer ribs 25 facing the outer partitions 1605 are arranged at approximately 90° intervals in the circumferential direction DRc, similar to the three outer partitions 1605. The outer ribs 25 that do not face the outer partitions 1605 are arranged at approximately 90° intervals in the circumferential direction DRc. The outer ribs 25 that do not face the outer partitions 1605 are arranged at approximately 90° intervals from the adjacent outer ribs 25 on one side and the other side of the circumferential direction DRc. That is, the four outer ribs 25 are arranged at approximately 90° intervals in the circumferential direction DRc. The four outer ribs 25 divide the outer flow passage hole 20c into four sections.

[0051] Hereinafter, three of the four outer ribs 25 that are formed in positions facing the outer partition portion 1605 will also be referred to as facing ribs 251, and one of the four outer ribs 25 that is formed in a position not facing the outer partition portion 1605 will also be referred to as a non-facing rib 252. The facing ribs 251 and the non-facing rib 252 have the same shape. As shown in FIG. 5 , the non-facing rib 252 is formed in a position facing the third fluid passage F3 in the fixed disk 20 and is disposed within the third fluid passage F3 formed by the bottom wall portion 160 and the drive disk 30. In FIG. 5 , the boundary portions of the hole forming portion 21, inner forming portion 22, outer forming portion 23, inner rib 24, and outer rib 25 that constitute the fixed disk 20 are indicated by dashed lines for ease of understanding.

[0052] Of the four outer flow passage holes 20c, the two outer flow passage holes 20c surrounded by the three opposing ribs 251 have shapes corresponding to the first fluid passage F1 and the second fluid passage F2 when viewed from the direction along the axial direction DRa, and are formed in arc shapes extending in the circumferential direction DRc. Specifically, the two outer flow passage holes 20c surrounded by the three opposing ribs 251 are formed within a range of approximately 90° around the shaft axis CL.

[0053] The remaining two of the four outer flow passage holes 20c are also formed in an arc shape extending in the circumferential direction DRc and within a range of approximately 90° around the shaft axis CL. Each of the four outer flow passage holes 20c penetrates the fixed disk 20 in the axial direction DRa, allowing fluid to pass through. Of the four outer flow passage holes 20c, one communicates with the first fluid passage F1, one communicates with the second fluid passage F2, and the remaining two communicate with the third fluid passage F3.

[0054] Hereinafter, of the four outer flow path holes 20c, the outer flow path hole 20c communicating with the first fluid passage F1 will also be referred to as the first flow path hole 20c1, and the outer flow path hole 20c communicating with the second fluid passage F2 will also be referred to as the second flow path hole 20c2. Furthermore, of the four outer flow path holes 20c, one outer flow path hole 20c communicating with the third fluid passage F3 will also be referred to as the third flow path hole 20c3, and the other outer flow path hole 20c communicating with the third fluid passage F3 will also be referred to as the fourth flow path hole 20c4.

[0055] The first flow path hole 20c1 overlaps with the first fluid passage F1 in the axial direction DRa. The second flow path hole 20c2 overlaps with the second fluid passage F2 in the axial direction DRa. The third flow path hole 20c3 and the fourth flow path hole 20c4 overlap with the third fluid passage F3 in the axial direction DRa. Specifically, the third flow path hole 20c3 overlaps with one side of the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc in the axial direction DRa. And the fourth flow path hole 20c4 overlaps with the other side of the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc in the axial direction DRa.

[0056] That is, the third flow path hole 20c3 overlaps in the axial direction DRa with a portion of the third fluid passage F3 that is closer to the first outlet 13 than the fourth flow path hole 20c4. In contrast, the fourth flow path hole 20c4 overlaps in the axial direction DRa with a portion of the third fluid passage F3 that is farther from the first outlet 13 than the third flow path hole 20c3.

[0057] The third flow passage hole 20c3 and the fourth flow passage hole 20c4, which communicate with the third fluid passage F3, correspond to the third fluid passage F3 and correspond to the circumferential flow passage hole which communicates with the third fluid passage F3. The two opposing ribs 251, one non-opposing rib 252, the inner forming portion 22, and the outer forming portion 23 that form the third flow passage hole 20c3 and the fourth flow passage hole 20c4 correspond to the circumferential hole forming portion. The reason why the non-opposing rib 252 is provided in the third fluid passage F3 in this embodiment will be described later.

[0058] The drive disk 30 is a valve element that increases or decreases the opening degree of the outer flow passage hole 20c by rotating about the shaft axis CL in accordance with the rotation of the shaft 50. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the drive disk 30 is configured as a substantially disk-shaped member with its thickness direction aligned with the axis direction DRa, and its outer diameter is formed to be smaller than the inner diameter of the side wall portion 161. The drive disk 30 is arranged so that its rotation axis is coaxial with the shaft axis CL.

[0059] 2 and 5, the drive disk 30 has a sliding surface 31 that slides against the seal surface 26 of the fixed disk 20. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the drive disk 30 has a drive disk hole 32 formed in the approximate center thereof, through which the shaft 50 is inserted, and two press-fit grooves 33 into which the lever 60 described below is press-fit. Furthermore, the drive disk 30 has one flow path hole 34 that penetrates the drive disk 30 in the axial direction DRa, and one flow path groove 35 that does not penetrate the drive disk 30.

[0060] The drive disk 30 is made of a material that has a smaller coefficient of linear expansion, superior wear resistance, and a smaller coefficient of friction than the material constituting the housing 10. For example, the drive disk 30 is made of a high-hardness resin that is harder than the housing 10.

[0061] The sliding surface 31 is a surface on the downward direction DRa1 side of the fixed disk 20 and faces the seal surface 26. The sliding surface 31 slides against the seal surface 26 of the fixed disk 20 when the drive disk 30 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the shaft 50. The sliding surface 31 is formed to extend in a planar shape along the radial direction DRr and the circumferential direction DRc. That is, the sliding surface 31 is perpendicular to the axial direction DRa and parallel to the radial direction DRr. The sliding surface 31 is formed to be able to cover the outer passage Fout and the outer flow path hole 20c.

[0062] The flow path holes 34 are formed through the drive disk 30 at positions corresponding to the four outer flow path holes 20c, respectively, to allow fluid to pass through. The flow path holes 34 are formed to a size that allows them to overlap with any one of the four outer flow path holes 20c in the axial direction DRa. When viewed from the axial direction DRa, the flow path hole 34 has a shape that is slightly smaller than each of the four outer flow path holes 20c and is formed in an arc shape extending in the circumferential direction DRc. Specifically, the flow path hole 34 is formed within a range of approximately 80° around the shaft axis CL. The flow path hole 34 is formed so that the entire opening range of the flow path hole 34 can be covered by any one of the first flow path hole 20c1, second flow path hole 20c2, third flow path hole 20c3, and fourth flow path hole 20c4 depending on the rotational position of the drive disk 30.

[0063] The flow path hole 34 configured in this manner can communicate with any one of the first flow path hole 20c1, the second flow path hole 20c2, the third flow path hole 20c3, and the fourth flow path hole 20c4 depending on the rotational position of the drive disk 30. In other words, the flow path hole 34 connects the upper fluid passage Fu to any one of the first fluid passage F1, the second fluid passage F2, and the third fluid passage F3 depending on the rotational position of the drive disk 30.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 5, the flow path groove 35 is formed by recessing the sliding surface 31 at positions corresponding to the inner flow path holes 20b and the outer flow path holes 20c. As shown in Fig. 5 and 7, the flow path groove 35 has an inner groove 351 formed at a position capable of overlapping with three inner flow path holes 20b in the axial direction DRa. The flow path groove 35 further has an outer groove 352 formed at a position capable of overlapping with four outer flow path holes 20c, and a communication groove 353 that connects the inner groove 351 and the outer groove 352.

[0065] The inner groove 351 has a shape corresponding to the three inner flow passage holes 20b when viewed from the axial direction DRa, and is formed in an annular shape extending in the circumferential direction DRc. The inner groove 351 is formed around the drive disk hole 32 in a range of 360° around the shaft axis CL.

[0066] The outer grooves 352 have arc shapes extending in the circumferential direction DRc, each of which corresponds to one of the four outer flow passage holes 20c when viewed along the axial direction DRa. Specifically, the outer grooves 352 are formed in a range of approximately 90° around the shaft axis CL.

[0067] The communication groove 353 is formed along the radial direction DRr from the inner groove 351 to the outer groove 352 , and connects the inner groove 351 and the outer groove 352 .

[0068] The flow path grooves 35 thus formed connect the three inner flow path holes 20b to one of the first flow path holes 20c1, the second flow path holes 20c2, the third flow path holes 20c3, and the fourth flow path holes 20c4 depending on the rotational position of the drive disk 30. In other words, the flow path grooves 35 connect the inner passage Fin to one of the first fluid path F1, the second fluid path F2, and the third fluid path F3 depending on the rotational position of the drive disk 30.

[0069] Returning to FIG. 2 , the drive unit 40 is provided on the upper side DRa2 of the main body cover 17. The drive unit 40 is a device for outputting a rotational force for rotating the shaft 50. The drive unit 40 has the shaft 50, a motor (not shown) as a drive source for rotating the shaft 50, and a gear unit (not shown) that transmits the output of the motor to the shaft 50. The motor may be, for example, a servo motor, a stepping motor, or a brushless motor. The gear unit may be, for example, a gear mechanism including a helical gear or a spur gear.

[0070] The shaft 50 is a rotating shaft that rotates about the shaft axis CL by the rotational force output by the drive unit 40. The shaft 50 is rotatably supported on both sides in the axial direction DRa by the housing 10. As a specific example, the downward DRa1 side of the shaft 50 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) provided in the bearing hole 1602, and the upward DRa2 side of the shaft 50 is rotatably supported by the bearing unit 41 provided in the main body cover unit 17. These bearings may be plain bearings, ball bearings, or the like.

[0071] The shaft 50 includes a metal axial center portion 51 and a resin holder portion 52 connected to the axial center portion 51. The axial center portion 51 and the holder portion 52 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable together. The axial center portion 51 and the holder portion 52 are insert-molded products molded integrally by insert molding.

[0072] The axial center portion 51 includes the shaft axis CL of the shaft 50 and extends along the axial direction DRa. The axial center portion 51 is made of a metal rod member to ensure straightness. The axial center portion 51 is connected to the holder portion 52 on the upward direction DRa2 side. The axial center portion 51 penetrates the fixed disk 20 and the drive disk 30.

[0073] The holder portion 52 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom that opens downward in the direction DRa1. The axial center portion 51 of the holder portion 52 is connected to the inside of the tip portion on the upward direction DRa2 side. The tip portion of the holder portion 52 that protrudes outside the main body cover portion 17 is connected to the drive unit 40. This allows the rotational force output by the drive unit 40 to be transmitted to the shaft 50. The rotational force output by the drive unit 40 is transmitted to the drive disk 30 via the shaft 50, the lever 60, and the torsion spring 70. The shaft 50 is connected to the drive disk 30 via the lever 60 and the torsion spring 70.

[0074] The lever 60 is a connecting member that connects the drive disk 30 to the shaft 50. The lever 60 is fixed to the drive disk 30, and connects the drive disk 30 and the shaft 50 so that they can rotate together while the drive disk 30 is displaceable in the axial direction DRa of the shaft 50. The lever 60 is press-fitted into the press-fit groove 33 of the drive disk 30 and is fixed to the drive disk 30.

[0075] The torsion spring 70 is a spring that biases the shaft 50 in the circumferential direction DRc relative to the housing 10. For example, a torsion coil spring that is elastically deformable in the circumferential direction DRc can be used as the torsion spring 70. The torsion spring 70 is disposed between the housing 10 and the shaft 50. The torsion spring 70 is used in a state in which it is twisted and elastically deformed in the circumferential direction DRc. The torsion spring 70 is disposed between the housing 10 and the shaft 50 in a state in which it is compressed in the circumferential direction DRc, with one end of the torsion spring 70 in contact with the lever 60 and the other end of the torsion spring 70 in contact with the holder portion 52 of the shaft 50.

[0076] As a result, the torsion spring 70 generates a biasing force that biases the drive disk 30 to one side in the circumferential direction DRc due to its own elastic deformation. When the rotational force generated by the drive unit 40 is transmitted to the shaft 50, the rotational force is transmitted to the drive disk 30 via the torsion spring 70 and the lever 60. Then, as the shaft 50 rotates, the drive disk 30 rotates integrally with the shaft 50 about the shaft axis CL.

[0077] The compression spring 80 is a biasing member that biases the drive disk 30 toward the fixed disk 20. The compression spring 80 may be, for example, a compression coil spring that is elastically deformable in the axial direction DRa of the shaft 50. The compression spring 80 is disposed inside the housing 10 in a compressed state in the axial direction DRa, with its end on the downward direction DRa1 side contacting the lever 60 and its end on the upward direction DRa2 side contacting the holder portion 52 of the shaft 50. The compression spring 80 is not fixed to at least one of the drive disk 30 and the shaft 50 so that it does not function as a torsion spring 70.

[0078] The compression spring 80 presses the drive disk 30 against the fixed disk 20, thereby maintaining contact between the seal surface 26 of the fixed disk 20 and the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30. This contact state is a state in which the seal surface 26 of the fixed disk 20 and the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30 are in surface contact. In other words, the valve device 1 can maintain the drive disk 30 in contact with the fixed disk 20.

[0079] The compression spring 80 is disposed so as to surround the shaft axis CL of the shaft 50. In other words, the shaft 50 is disposed inside the compression spring 80. This prevents the load of the compression spring 80 on the drive disk 30 from being biased in the circumferential direction DRc of the shaft 50, making it easier to maintain contact between the seal surface 26 and the sliding surface 31.

[0080] Next, the operation of the valve device 1 of this embodiment will be described. Fluid flows into the fluid passage F of the valve device 1 from the first inlet portion 11 and the second inlet portion 12. Specifically, in the valve device 1, fluid flows into the upper fluid passage Fu from the first inlet portion 11. Furthermore, in the valve device 1, fluid flows into the lower fluid passage Fd from the second inlet portion 12.

[0081] The fluid that has flowed into the upper fluid passage Fu flows out from one of the first outlet portion 13, the second outlet portion 14, and the third outlet portion 15 depending on the rotational position of the drive disk 30. For example, when the flow passage hole 34 of the drive disk 30 is positioned at a rotational position where it communicates with the first flow passage hole 20c1 of the fixed disk 20, the fluid that has flowed into the upper fluid passage Fu flows out from the first outlet portion 13 via the flow passage hole 34, the first flow passage hole 20c1, and the first fluid passage F1. When the flow passage hole 34 of the drive disk 30 is positioned at a rotational position where it communicates with the second flow passage hole 20c2 of the fixed disk 20, the fluid that has flowed into the upper fluid passage Fu flows out from the second outlet portion 14 via the flow passage hole 34, the second flow passage hole 20c2, and the second fluid passage F2.

[0082] When the flow path hole 34 is positioned at a rotational position where it communicates with the third flow path hole 20c3 or the fourth flow path hole 20c4 of the fixed disk 20, the fluid that has flowed into the upper fluid passage Fu passes through the third flow path hole 20c3 or the fourth flow path hole 20c4 via the flow path hole 34. The fluid that has passed through the third flow path hole 20c3 or the fourth flow path hole 20c4 flows through the third fluid passage F3 and flows out from the third outlet portion 15.

[0083] Furthermore, the fluid that has flowed into the lower fluid passage Fd flows out from one of the first outlet portion 13, the second outlet portion 14, and the third outlet portion 15 depending on the rotational position of the drive disk 30. For example, when the flow path groove 35 of the drive disk 30 is positioned in a rotational position where it communicates with the first flow path hole 20c1 of the fixed disk 20, the fluid that has flowed into the inner passage Fin flows out from the first outlet portion 13 via the flow path groove 35, the first flow path hole 20c1, and the first fluid passage F1. When the flow path groove 35 of the drive disk 30 is positioned in a rotational position where it communicates with the second flow path hole 20c2 of the fixed disk 20, the fluid that has flowed into the inner passage Fin flows out from the second outlet portion 14 via the flow path groove 35, the second flow path hole 20c2, and the second fluid passage F2.

[0084] When the flow passage groove 35 of the drive disk 30 is positioned at a rotational position where it communicates with the third flow passage hole 20c3 or the fourth flow passage hole 20c4 of the fixed disk 20, the fluid that has flowed into the inner passage Fin passes through the third flow passage hole 20c3 or the fourth flow passage hole 20c4 via the flow passage groove 35. The fluid that has passed through the third flow passage hole 20c3 or the fourth flow passage hole 20c4 flows through the third fluid passage F3 and flows out from the third outlet portion 15.

[0085] Next, the reason why the non-opposing ribs 252 of the fixed disk 20 of this embodiment are provided in the third fluid passage F3 will be explained with reference to FIGS.

[0086] The fluid that flows into the first fluid passage F1 through the first flow path hole 20c1 flows out from the first outlet portion 13. As described above, the first fluid passage F1 is connected to the first outlet portion 13 at a substantially central portion in the circumferential direction DRc. Therefore, the fluid that flows into the first fluid passage F1 from the first flow path hole 20c1 flows out from the first outlet portion 13 without flowing in the circumferential direction DRc.

[0087] Furthermore, the fluid that flows into the second fluid passage F2 through the second flow passage hole 20c2 flows out from the second outlet portion 14. As described above, the second fluid passage F2 is connected to the second outlet portion 14 at a substantially central portion in the circumferential direction DRc. Therefore, the fluid that flows into the second fluid passage F2 from the second flow passage hole 20c2 flows out from the second outlet portion 14 without flowing in the circumferential direction DRc.

[0088] The fluid that flows into the third fluid passage F3 through the third flow path hole 20c3 flows out from the third outlet 15. As described above, one side of the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc is connected to the third outlet 15. The third flow path hole 20c3 overlaps with one side of the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc in the axial direction DRa. Therefore, the fluid that flows into the third fluid passage F3 from the third flow path hole 20c3 flows out from the third outlet 15 without flowing substantially in the circumferential direction DRc.

[0089] In contrast, the fourth flow passage hole 20c4 overlaps with the other side of the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc in the axial direction DRa. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 9, the fluid that flows into the third fluid passage F3 from the flow passage hole 34 and the fourth flow passage hole 20c4 flows approximately 180° in the circumferential direction DRc from the other side to the one side in the circumferential direction DRc and flows out from the third outlet portion 15. Note that Fig. 9 is a diagram that makes it easy to understand the communication state between the flow passage hole 34, the fourth flow passage hole 20c4, and the third fluid passage F3, and the portions covered by the drive disk 30 are indicated by hatching.

[0090] Here, when the fluid flows in the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc, the fluid flows along the portion of the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30 that covers the third fluid passage F3. Therefore, shear stress caused by the flow of the fluid is generated in the portion of the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30 that covers the third fluid passage F3.

[0091] Therefore, the flow of fluid in the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc causes a deviation in the rotational position of the drive disk 30, resulting in a decrease in the positional accuracy of the drive disk 30. Therefore, when fluid flows in the circumferential direction DRc in the third fluid passage F3, it is necessary to suppress deviation in the rotational position of the drive disk 30.

[0092] One method for suppressing deviation of the rotational position of the drive disk 30 due to the flow of fluid is to have the drive unit 40 generate a reaction force to the drive disk 30 against the shear stress generated on the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30. However, the method of having the drive unit 40 generate a reaction force to the shear stress generated on the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30 increases the rotational force output by the drive unit 40. The increase in the rotational force of the drive unit 40 is undesirable because it increases the size of the drive unit 40 and the valve device 1.

[0093] 10 shows the flow of fluid through the third fluid passage F3 and the shear stress generated on the sliding surface 31 when the fixed disk 20 is not provided with the non-opposing rib 252 and the third fluid passage F3 is not provided with the non-opposing rib 252. In FIG. 10, the fluid flow is indicated by black arrows, and the shear stress generated on the sliding surface 31 is indicated by white arrows. As shown in FIG. 10, if the non-opposing rib 252 were not provided on the third fluid passage F3, shear stress due to the fluid flow would be generated in the entire portion of the sliding surface 31 that covers the third fluid passage F3. Therefore, the shear stress generated in the portion of the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30 that covers the third fluid passage F3 would be likely to be large.

[0094] In contrast, in the valve device 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11 , the fixed disk 20 is provided with a non-opposing rib 252, so that the non-opposing rib 252 is provided in the third fluid passage F3. In other words, the non-opposing rib 252 is present in a part of the sliding surface 31 that covers the third fluid passage F3. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11 , when the fluid flows in the circumferential direction DRc in the third fluid passage F3, the flow of the fluid flowing along the sliding surface 31 is obstructed, and the flow velocity is reduced. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the non-opposing rib 252 is not provided, the shear stress generated in the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30 can be reduced.

[0095] Therefore, it is possible to suppress deviation of the rotational position of the drive disk 30 caused by the flow of fluid in the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc, without increasing the rotational force of the drive portion 40. The non-opposing ribs 252 that obstruct the flow of fluid in the third fluid passage F3 function as flow velocity reduction portions.

[0096] As described above, the valve device 1 of this embodiment includes a housing 10 that defines a fluid passage F therein, through which a fluid flows, and a fixed disk 20 that is disposed inside the housing 10 and defines an inner passage hole 20b and an outer passage hole 20c through which the fluid flows. The valve device 1 also includes a drive unit 40 that outputs a rotational force, and a shaft 50 that rotates about a shaft axis CL by the rotational force output by the drive unit 40. The valve device 1 also includes a drive disk 30 that increases or decreases the opening degree of the outer passage hole 20c as the shaft 50 rotates, and that has a sliding surface 31 that slides against the fixed disk 20 on the downward direction DRa1 side, and a non-opposing rib 252 that obstructs the flow of fluid through the fluid passage F. The housing 10 includes a bottom wall portion 160 that faces the sliding surface 31 and extends in the circumferential direction DRc to define, together with the sliding surface 31, a third fluid passage F3 through which the fluid flows in the circumferential direction DRc. The non-opposing rib 252 is disposed in the third fluid passage F3 formed by the bottom wall portion 160 and the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30, and reduces the flow velocity of the fluid flowing through the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc.

[0097] With this, the non-opposing ribs 252 can prevent the fluid from flowing along the sliding surface 31 when the fluid flows in the circumferential direction DRc in the third fluid passage F3. Therefore, the shear stress generated on the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30 can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the non-opposing ribs 252 are not provided on the fixed disk 20. Therefore, it is possible to suppress deviation of the rotational position of the drive disk 30 caused by the flow of fluid in the circumferential direction DRc in the third fluid passage F3 without increasing the rotational force of the drive unit 40.

[0098] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0099] (1) In the above embodiment, the fixed disk 20 is provided between the sliding surface 31 and the bottom wall portion 160. The fixed disk 20 has two opposing ribs 251, one non-opposing rib 252, an inner forming portion 22, and an outer forming portion 23, which form the third flow path hole 20c3 and the fourth flow path hole 20c4 that communicate with the third fluid passage F3. The non-opposing rib 252 is formed from the outer peripheral surface of the inner forming portion 22 toward the third flow path hole 20c3 and the fourth flow path hole 20c4. The non-opposing rib 252 is formed to protrude from the inner peripheral surface of the outer forming portion 23 toward the third flow path hole 20c3 and the fourth flow path hole 20c4.

[0100] With this, when the fluid flows in the circumferential direction DRc within the third fluid passage F3, the fixed disc 20 can obstruct the flow of the fluid along the sliding surface 31. Therefore, the configuration of the valve device 1 can be simplified compared to a configuration in which a dedicated member is separately provided for obstructing the flow of the fluid along the sliding surface 31.

[0101] (2) In the above embodiment, the non-opposing ribs 252 are formed along the radial direction DRr from the outer peripheral surface of the inner forming portion 22 to the inner peripheral surface of the outer forming portion 23 .

[0102] This allows the radial size DRr of the non-opposing ribs 252 to be increased compared to when the non-opposing ribs 252 are not formed in this manner, and the range over which the non-opposing ribs 252 obstruct the flow of fluid flowing along the sliding surface 31 can be increased.

[0103] (3) In the above embodiment, the fixed disk 20 has three opposing ribs 251 and one non-opposing rib 252 that separate the outer flow passage holes 20c, including the third flow passage holes 20c3 and the fourth flow passage holes 20c4, in the circumferential direction DRc. Of the three opposing ribs 251 and one non-opposing rib 252, the non-opposing rib 252 that separates the third flow passage hole 20c3 and the fourth flow passage hole 20c4 obstructs the flow of fluid that flows along the sliding surface 31.

[0104] According to this, by providing members for obstructing the flow of fluid flowing along sliding surface 31 as non-opposing ribs 252, it is possible to increase the number of ribs provided on fixed disk 20. As a result, when fixed disk 20 is molded, fixed disk 20 is less likely to warp, and it is easier to increase the flatness of each of sealing surface 26 and support surface 27.

[0105] (4) In the above embodiment, the housing 10 has an inner circumferential side surface portion 1611 that forms the fluid passage F and surrounds the outer circumferential side surface portion 231 of the fixed disk 20, and a fitting groove 1612 is formed in the inner circumferential side surface portion 1611. The fixed disk 20 has a fitting protrusion 232 formed on the outer circumferential side surface portion 231, and the fitting protrusion 232 is fitted into the fitting groove 1612, thereby restricting rotation in the circumferential direction DRc.

[0106] This configuration can prevent the fixed disk 20 from rotating in the circumferential direction DRc due to the flow of fluid through the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc, thereby preventing misalignment between the outer flow passage holes 20c of the fixed disk 20 and the flow passage holes 34 of the drive disk 30 caused by the flow of fluid through the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc.

[0107] (First variant of the first embodiment) In the above-described first embodiment, an example was described in which the non-opposing ribs 252 are formed along the radial direction DRr from the outer peripheral surface of the inner forming portion 22 to the inner peripheral surface of the outer forming portion 23, but this is not limited to this.

[0108] For example, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the non-opposing rib 252 is formed to protrude along the radial direction DRr from the outer peripheral surface of the inner forming portion 22 toward the inner peripheral surface of the outer forming portion 23, but may be configured not to reach the inner peripheral surface of the outer forming portion 23.

[0109] Alternatively, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, the non-opposing rib 252 may be formed to protrude along the radial direction DRr from the inner surface of the outer forming portion 23 toward the outer surface of the inner forming portion 22, but may not reach the outer surface of the inner forming portion 22.

[0110] Second Modification of First Embodiment In the above-described first embodiment, the opposing ribs 251 and the non-opposing ribs 252 have the same shape, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0111] For example, the non-opposing rib 252 may be formed so that its size in the circumferential direction DRc is larger than the size in the circumferential direction DRc of the opposing rib 251. Alternatively, the non-opposing rib 252 may be formed so that its size in the axial direction DRa is larger than the size in the circumferential direction DRc of the opposing rib 251. In this case, the non-opposing rib 252 may be formed so as to protrude toward the third fluid passage F3 side compared to the opposing rib 251.

[0112] (Third Modification of First Embodiment) In the above-described first embodiment, an example has been described in which the fitting groove 1612 is formed in the inner peripheral side surface portion 1611 of the housing 10, and the fitting protrusion 232 is formed in the outer peripheral side surface portion 231 of the fixed disk 20. The example has been described in which the fitting protrusion 232 is fitted into the fitting groove 1612, thereby restricting rotation of the fixed disk 20 in the circumferential direction DRc, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0113] 17 , a configuration may be adopted in which a fitting protrusion 1613 is formed on an inner peripheral side surface portion 1611 of the housing 10, and a fitting groove 233 is formed on an outer peripheral side surface portion 231 of the fixed disk 20. Then, a configuration may be adopted in which the fitting protrusion 1613 is fitted into the fitting groove 233, thereby restricting rotation of the fixed disk 20 in the circumferential direction DRc.

[0114] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 17 to 19. In this embodiment, the shapes of the fixed disk 20 and the housing 10 are different from those of the first embodiment. Other than this, the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and descriptions of similar parts to the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0115] 17 , the fixed disk 20 of this embodiment does not have non-opposing ribs 252. That is, in the fixed disk 20 of this embodiment, the outer flow passage hole 20c is divided into three in the circumferential direction DRc by three opposing ribs 251. In other words, the outer flow passage hole 20c of this embodiment is connected to the third flow passage hole 20c3 and the fourth flow passage hole 20c4 described in the first embodiment, and is formed in a range of approximately 180° around the shaft axis CL.

[0116] 18 and 19 , the bottom wall portion 160 of this embodiment is provided with a fluid suppression portion 1607 that is provided in the third fluid passage F3 and suppresses the flow of fluid through the third fluid passage F3. The fluid suppression portion 1607 is formed in a substantially central portion of the third fluid passage F3, which extends approximately 180° around the shaft axis CL. The fluid suppression portion 1607 is formed along the radial direction DRr from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical partition portion 1603 to the inner peripheral surface of the bottom wall portion 160. The fluid suppression portion 1607 is formed at the end of the third fluid passage F3 on the upward direction DRa2 side so as to cover a portion of the third fluid passage F3 through which fluid flows in the circumferential direction DRc.

[0117] For this reason, the third fluid passage F3 of this embodiment includes a fluid suppression portion 1607. As a result, when the fluid flows in the circumferential direction DRc through the third fluid passage F3, the flow is obstructed, and the flow velocity is reduced. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the fluid suppression portion 1607 is not provided, the shear stress generated on the sliding surface 31 of the drive disk 30 can be reduced.

[0118] Therefore, it is possible to suppress deviation of the rotational position of the drive disk 30 caused by the flow of fluid in the third fluid passage F3 in the circumferential direction DRc without increasing the rotational force of the drive portion 40. In this embodiment, the fluid suppression portion 1607 functions as a flow velocity reduction portion that inhibits the flow of fluid in the third fluid passage F3.

[0119] Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. The valve device 1 of this embodiment can obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment, which are achieved by a configuration that is the same as or equivalent to that of the first embodiment.

[0120] (Variant example of the second embodiment) In the above-described first embodiment, an example was described in which the fluid suppression portion 1607 is formed along the radial direction DRr from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical partition portion 1603 to the inner peripheral surface of the bottom wall portion 160, but this is not limited to this.

[0121] For example, as shown in Figures 20 and 21, the fluid suppression portion 1607 is formed to protrude along the radial direction DRr from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical partition portion 1603 toward the inner peripheral surface of the bottom wall portion 160, but may be configured not to reach the inner peripheral surface of the bottom wall portion 160.

[0122] Alternatively, as shown in Figures 22 and 23, the fluid suppression portion 1607 is formed to protrude along the radial direction DRr from the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 160 toward the outer surface of the cylindrical partition portion 1603, but may be configured not to reach the outer surface of the cylindrical partition portion 1603.

[0123] Other Embodiments Although typical embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways, for example, as follows.

[0124] In the above-described embodiment, the valve device 1 has been described as being used in a fluid circulation system mounted on, for example, an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, but is not limited thereto. For example, the valve device 1 may be used in a fluid circulation system mounted on a vehicle other than an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. Furthermore, the valve device 1 may be used for purposes other than vehicles.

[0125] In the above embodiment, the fluid flowing through the fluid passage F in the housing 10 of the valve device 1 is described as coolant, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the fluid may be a liquid or gas other than coolant.

[0126] In the above-described embodiments, it goes without saying that the elements constituting the embodiments are not necessarily essential unless they are specifically stated as essential or are clearly considered essential in principle.

[0127] In the above-described embodiments, when numerical values ​​such as the number, values, amounts, ranges, etc. of components of the embodiments are mentioned, they are not limited to the specific numbers unless they are specifically stated as essential or are clearly limited to a specific number in principle.

[0128] In the above-described embodiments, when referring to the shapes, positional relationships, etc. of components, etc., the shapes, positional relationships, etc. are not limited to those unless otherwise specified or when they are fundamentally limited to specific shapes, positional relationships, etc.

Claims

1. A valve device comprising: a housing (10) forming a fluid passage (F) therein for circulating a fluid; a fixed disk (20) arranged inside the housing and having at least one flow passage hole (20b, 20c) formed therein through which the fluid flows; a drive unit (40) for outputting a rotational force; a shaft (50) that rotates about a shaft axis (CL) by the rotational force output by the drive unit; a drive disk (30) that increases or decreases the opening of the flow passage hole as the shaft rotates and has a sliding surface (31) that slides against the fixed disk on one side in the direction in which the shaft axis extends; and a flow velocity reduction unit (252) that impedes the flow of the fluid flowing through the fluid passage; and the housing includes a circumferential passage forming part (160) that, when the direction in which the drive disk rotates is defined as the circumferential direction, faces the sliding surface and forms, together with the sliding surface, a circumferential passage (F3) that extends in the circumferential direction and causes the fluid to flow in the circumferential direction. The flow velocity reduction portion is disposed in the circumferential passage and reduces the flow velocity of the fluid flowing through the circumferential passage.

2. The valve device described in claim 1, wherein the fixed disk is provided between the sliding surface and the circumferential passage forming portion, and includes a circumferential hole forming portion (22, 23, 251, 252) that forms a circumferential passage hole (20c3, 20c4) that corresponds to the circumferential passage and communicates with the circumferential passage, and the flow velocity reduction portion is formed to protrude from the circumferential hole forming portion toward the circumferential passage hole.

3. A valve device as described in claim 2, wherein the flow velocity reduction portion is formed from one side of the circumferential hole forming portion to the other side in the radial direction, when the direction extending radially from the shaft axis as the center is defined as the radial direction.

4. A valve device as described in claim 3, wherein the fixed disk has a plurality of ribs (251, 252) that separate the plurality of flow passage holes, including the circumferential flow passage hole, in the circumferential direction, and the flow velocity reduction portion is constituted by the rib that separates the circumferential flow passage hole among the plurality of ribs.

5. The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the flow velocity reduction portion is formed to protrude from the circumferential passage forming portion toward the circumferential passage.

6. A valve device as described in claim 5, wherein the flow velocity reduction section is formed from one side to the other side of the circumferential passage forming section in the radial direction, when the direction extending radially from the shaft axis as the center is defined as the radial direction.

7. A valve device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the housing has an inner peripheral side surface portion (1611) that forms the fluid passage and surrounds the outer periphery of the fixed disk, and the fixed disk includes an outer peripheral side surface portion (231) that faces the inner peripheral side surface portion, and wherein rotation in the circumferential direction is restricted by a fitting protrusion (232) formed on one of the inner peripheral side surface portion and a fitting groove (1612) formed on the other side surface that receives the fitting protrusion.

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