Flow path switching valve

Abstract

A flow path switching valve (1) comprises a housing (10) that has a cylindrical inner wall part (12) and a plurality of ports (13), at least one valve element (30) that is accommodated inside the housing (10) so as to be capable of rotating around a center axis (C) and slides along the inner wall part (12) to switch the communication states of the plurality of ports (13), a rotary shaft (60) that extends in the center axis (C) direction and rotates to switch the rotary position of the valve element (30), and an urging member (70) that is provided between the rotary shaft (60) and the valve element (30) and urges the valve element (30) toward the inner wall part (12). The same urging force that acts on the valve element (30) from the urging member (70) includes urging force that acts in different directions depending on the position in the circumferential direction.

Description

Flow path switching valve

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

[0002] WO2022 / 218406A1 discloses a control valve (flow path switching valve) that includes a cylindrical main body (housing) having a valve cavity, a valve core (valve element) that is disposed within the valve cavity and driven to rotate, and a sealing member that is formed in an arc shape along the radial direction of the valve core and is disposed between the valve core and the valve cavity.

[0003] However, in the control valve described in WO 2022 / 218406 A1, the seal member has two through holes along the circumferential direction and is provided on a portion of the circumference so as to seal only the periphery of the through holes. As a result, sliding of the valve core can cause the seal member to deteriorate, and the required sealing performance may no longer be ensured.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to ensure sealing between a valve body and a housing in a flow path switching valve.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a flow path switching valve includes a housing having a cylindrical inner wall portion and a plurality of ports opening therein; at least one valve element that is rotatably accommodated within the housing around a central axis and that slides against the inner wall portion to switch the communication state of the plurality of ports; a rotary shaft that extends in the direction of the central axis and that switches the rotational position of the valve element by rotating the rotary shaft; and a biasing member that is provided between the rotary shaft and the valve element and biases the valve element toward the inner wall portion, and the biasing force acting on the same valve element from the biasing member includes a biasing force that acts in different directions depending on the circumferential position.

[0006] According to the above aspect, a biasing member that biases the valve element toward the inner wall portion is provided between the rotary shaft and the valve element, and the biasing force acting on the valve element from the biasing member includes a biasing force that acts in different directions depending on the circumferential position. Therefore, the biasing member can bias the valve element in a direction pressing it against the inner wall portion, so that even if the state of the seal surface changes due to sliding between the valve element and the inner wall portion, a force pressing the valve element against the inner wall portion always acts. Therefore, it is possible to ensure sealing between the valve element and the housing in the flow path switching valve.

[0007] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a flow path switching valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a valve body and a rotating shaft. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a lid. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a valve body. FIG. 6 is a plan view of FIG. 1 with the lid removed. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a rotating shaft and a biasing member. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a plan view of a valve body and a rotating shaft in a flow path switching valve according to a modified embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a rotating shaft and a biasing member according to the modified embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a shaft portion of a rotating shaft according to the modified embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an annular support member of a rotating shaft according to the modified embodiment. FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating a modified biasing member. FIG. 14 is a plan view illustrating another modified biasing member.

[0008] Hereinafter, a flow path switching valve 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, in some cases, when multiple identical components are used, only some of them will be designated by reference numerals, and the reference numerals will be omitted for the remaining components.

[0009] First, the overall configuration of the flow path switching valve 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of the flow path switching valve 1. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the valve body 30 and the rotary shaft 60. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cover member 20 serving as the cover portion. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the valve body 30. Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 1, showing a state in which the cover member 20 has been removed.

[0011] 1 to 3, the flow path switching valve 1 includes a housing 10, a valve element 30, a rotary shaft 60, a plurality of coil springs 70 as biasing members (springs), and an actuator (not shown). The flow path switching valve 1 switches the path through which cooling water flows as a fluid by rotating the valve element 30 within the housing 10. Note that the fluid flowing through the flow path switching valve 1 may be other liquids instead of cooling water.

[0012] Hereinafter, the direction along the central axis C of the housing 10 (the central axis of rotation of the valve body 30 and the rotating shaft 60) will be referred to as the "axial direction," the direction from the central axis C of the housing 10 toward the outer diameter will be referred to as the "radial direction," and the direction in which the valve body 30 rotates within the housing 10 will be referred to as the "rotational direction" or "circumferential direction."

[0013] 1, the housing 10 includes a main body 11 and a cover member 20. The housing 10 is molded from a resin material or the like using a mold.

[0014] 2, the main body 11 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with a bottom. The main body 11 has an inner wall 12, a plurality of ports 13, a bottom surface 14 as a bottom, and a connection portion 15.

[0015] The inner wall portion 12 is a cylindrical inner peripheral surface of the main body portion 11. The inner wall portion 12 is formed with a smoothly curved surface so that the valve body 30 can slide in contact with it. A plurality of ports 13 are opened in the inner wall portion 12 and are unevenly distributed in one part of the circumferential direction.

[0016] The ports 13 communicate between the inner periphery and the outer periphery of the main body 11. The ports 13 are arranged so that their communication state is switched when the valve element 30 rotates a predetermined angle around the central axis C. A plurality of ports 13 are provided in two rows in the circumferential direction of the housing 10. The ports 13 include a first port 13a, a second port 13b, a third port 13c, a fourth port 13d, a fifth port 13e, a sixth port 13f, a seventh port 13g, and an eighth port 13h.

[0017] The first port 13a and the second port 13b are arranged in a line in the circumferential direction to form a first layer L1 as the first stage. The third port 13c and the fourth port 13d are arranged in a line in the circumferential direction to form a second layer L2 as the second stage. The fifth port 13e and the sixth port 13f are arranged in a line in the circumferential direction to form a third layer L3 as the third stage. The seventh port 13g and the eighth port 13h are arranged in a line in the circumferential direction to form a fourth layer L4 as the fourth stage. That is, the multiple ports 13 are arranged in four stages in the axial direction: the first layer L1, the second layer L2, the third layer L3, and the fourth layer L4. In addition, a fifth layer (not shown), a sixth layer (not shown), etc. may be arranged in a line.

[0018] The first port 13a, the third port 13c, the fifth port 13e, and the seventh port 13g are arranged in a row in the axial direction. The second port 13b, the fourth port 13d, the sixth port 13f, and the eighth port 13h are arranged in a row in the axial direction. That is, the multiple ports 13 are arranged in a lattice pattern of 4 columns and 2 rows.

[0019] The bottom surface portion 14 covers one axial end (here, the bottom) of the main body portion 11. The bottom surface portion 14 rotatably supports the end of the shaft portion 61 of the rotating shaft 60. The bottom surface portion 14 is provided integrally with the main body portion 11, but may also be attached to the main body portion 11 as a separate member.

[0020] The connection portions 15 connect each port 13 to external piping. The connection portions 15 are provided to divide the cooling water flow path into a 4-row x 2-column lattice pattern. The end surfaces of the connection portions 15 are formed flat. A connection box (not shown) that aggregates external piping is connected to the connection portions 15 via a 4-row x 2-column lattice-shaped sealing member (not shown).

[0021] 1 and 2, the cover member 20 closes the opening of the main body 11. As shown in Fig. 4, the cover member 20 has an end plate portion 21, a cylindrical portion 22, an arc portion 23, and a shaft support portion 24.

[0022] The end plate portion 21 is formed in a flat plate shape and covers the other axial end portion of the main body portion 11. The end plate portion 21 closes the other end portion of the main body portion 11 and, together with the inner wall portion 12 and the bottom surface portion 14, defines a space in which the valve body 30 is housed.

[0023] The cylindrical portion 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape with one end fixed to the end plate portion 21. A circular seal member 25 (see FIG. 2 ) serving as a sealing member is provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 22. The cylindrical portion 22 seals the inside and outside of the housing 10 by sandwiching and fixing the seal member 25 between the cylindrical portion 22 and the main body portion 11. The cylindrical portion 22 has an arc portion 23 formed in an arc shape along the inner wall portion 12 and protruding toward the inside of the main body portion 11.

[0024] The arcuate portion 23 protrudes in a part of the axial direction of the main body 11. The arcuate portion 23 comes into sliding contact with a part of sealing surfaces 31d, 32d, 33d, and 34d of the valve body 30, which will be described later.

[0025] The shaft support portion 24 extends in the axial direction from the inner surface, where the cylindrical portion 22 is formed, to the outer surface of the end plate portion 21. The shaft support portion 24 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The shaft portion 61 of the rotating shaft 60 is inserted into the shaft support portion 24. The shaft support portion 24 supports the shaft portion 61 so that it can rotate freely.

[0026] 2 and 3 , the valve element 30 is accommodated inside the housing 10 so as to be rotatable about the central axis C. The valve element 30 has a first valve element 31, a second valve element 32, a third valve element 33, and a fourth valve element 34. The valve element 30 switches the communication state of the multiple ports 13. Here, four valve elements 30 are provided, but it is sufficient to provide at least one.

[0027] The first valve body 31, the second valve body 32, the third valve body 33, and the fourth valve body 34 are movable in the radial direction relative to the central axis C of the housing 10, and are biased by a coil spring 70 toward the inner wall portion 12, which is the inner circumferential surface of the housing 10. The first valve body 31, the second valve body 32, the third valve body 33, and the fourth valve body 34 are rotatable such that their stopping positions in the rotational direction are different from one another.

[0028] The first valve body 31 is formed in a generally arc shape with a central angle of approximately 110°. The first valve body 31 is provided across the first layer L1 to the fourth layer L4. The first valve body 31 has at least one first communication portion 31a that connects the multiple ports 13 in the axial direction across two or more layers L1 to L4, one second communication portion 31b that connects the multiple ports 13 in the circumferential direction, and one blocking portion 31c that blocks one port 13 from communicating with the other ports 13.

[0029] The first valve body 31 has lower rigidity than the main body 11 of the housing 10 and also lower rigidity than the rotary shaft 60. The first valve body 31 has a seal surface 31d that comes into sliding contact with the inner wall 12. The seal surface 31d is pressed against the inner wall 12 by the biasing force of the coil spring 70, thereby sealing the gap between the first valve body 31 and the inner wall 12.

[0030] The second valve body 32 is provided at a position facing the first valve body 31 with the rotation axis 60 (center axis C) as the center. The second valve body 32 is formed in a generally arc shape with a central angle of approximately 110°. The second valve body 32 is provided across the first layer L1 to the fourth layer L4. The second valve body 32 has at least one first communication portion 32a that connects the multiple ports 13 in the axial direction across two or more layers L1 to L4, one second communication portion 32b that connects the multiple ports 13 in the circumferential direction, and one blocking portion 32c that blocks communication between the ports 13 and other ports 13.

[0031] The second valve body 32 has lower rigidity than the main body 11 of the housing 10 and also lower rigidity than the rotary shaft 60. The second valve body 32 has a seal surface 32d that comes into sliding contact with the inner wall 12. The seal surface 32d is pressed against the inner wall 12 by the biasing force of the coil spring 70, thereby sealing the gap between the second valve body 32 and the inner wall 12.

[0032] The circumferential size of the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32 is formed to be large enough to allow three ports 13 to be arranged in the circumferential direction. Specifically, the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32 have a first row D1, a second row D2, and a third row D3. The first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32 can switch their communication states between a first communication state in which the first row D1 and the second row D2 are communicated with the ports 13, and a second communication state in which the second row D2 and the third row D3 are communicated with the ports 13. This allows switching between two communication states with a single valve body 30, so the number of valve bodies 30 can be reduced relative to the number of communication states to be switched.

[0033] The third valve body 33 is provided between the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32 in the circumferential direction. The third valve body 33 is formed in a generally arc shape with a central angle of approximately 70°. The third valve body 33 is provided across the first layer L1 to the fourth layer L4. The third valve body 33 has at least one first communication portion 33a that connects the multiple ports 13 in the axial direction across two or more layers L1 to L4, one second communication portion 33b that connects the multiple ports 13 in the circumferential direction, and one blocking portion 33c that blocks one port 13 from communicating with another port 13.

[0034] The third valve body 33 has lower rigidity than the main body 11 of the housing 10 and also lower rigidity than the rotary shaft 60. The third valve body 33 has a seal surface 33d that comes into sliding contact with the inner wall 12. The seal surface 33d is pressed against the inner wall 12 by the biasing force of the coil spring 70, thereby sealing the gap between the third valve body 33 and the inner wall 12.

[0035] The fourth valve body 34 is provided between the second valve body 32 and the first valve body 31 in the circumferential direction. The fourth valve body 34 is provided at a position facing the third valve body 33 with the rotation axis 60 (center axis C) as the center. The fourth valve body 34 is formed in a generally arc shape with a central angle of approximately 70°. The fourth valve body 34 is provided across the first layer L1 to the fourth layer L4. The fourth valve body 34 has at least one first communication portion 34a that connects the multiple ports 13 in the axial direction across two or more layers L1 to L4, one second communication portion 34b that connects the multiple ports 13 in the circumferential direction, and one blocking portion 34c that blocks communication between one port 13 and another port 13.

[0036] The fourth valve body 34 has lower rigidity than the main body 11 of the housing 10 and also lower rigidity than the rotary shaft 60. The fourth valve body 34 has a seal surface 34d that comes into sliding contact with the inner wall portion 12. The seal surface 34d is pressed against the inner wall portion 12 by the biasing force of the coil spring 70, thereby sealing the gap between the fourth valve body 34 and the inner wall portion 12.

[0037] The third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34 are circumferentially sized to accommodate two ports 13 arranged in the circumferential direction. Specifically, the third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34 have a first row D1 and a second row D2. The third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34 can be switched to a communication state in which the first row D1 and the second row D2 communicate with the port 13.

[0038] The direction in which the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32 face each other is perpendicular to the direction in which the third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34 face each other. That is, the first valve body 31, the third valve body 33, the second valve body 32, and the fourth valve body 34 are provided sequentially with a phase difference of 90° in the rotational direction. In this way, at least one pair of valve bodies 30 is provided on either side of the central axis C.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 5, the valve body 30 (here, the second valve body 32) has a plurality of first receiving portions 35, a plurality of second receiving portions 36, a plurality of seating surfaces 37 that receive the biasing force of the coil spring 70, and a plurality of protrusions 38.

[0040] The first receiving portion 35 receives the biasing force of the coil spring 70 at the circumferential center. A plurality of first receiving portions 35 (three in this example) are provided at the same circumferential position and spaced apart in the axial direction. The first receiving portion 35 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The first receiving portion 35 supports the coil spring 70 from the inner circumference over the entire circumference.

[0041] The second receiving portions 36 are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction so as to sandwich the first receiving portion 35. The second receiving portions 36 are formed in a generally U-shape excluding the inner periphery in the circumferential direction, and surround part of the outer periphery of the seat surface 37. The second receiving portions 36 support the coil spring 70 from the outer periphery. The second receiving portions 36 have a guide wall 36a.

[0042] The guide walls 36a are formed only on the outer side of the coil spring 70 in the circumferential direction of the valve body 30. The guide walls 36a guide the coil spring 70 at both circumferential ends when the valve body 30 is attached to the rotary shaft 60. The guide walls 36a are erected along the attachment direction of the valve body 30 to the rotary shaft 60.

[0043] In this way, the second receiving portion 36 has the guide wall 36a formed only on the outer side of the coil spring 70 in the circumferential direction, and the guide wall 36a is erected along the attachment direction of the valve body 30 to the rotary shaft 60. As a result, when multiple coil springs 70 are arranged substantially radially from the rotary shaft 60, the coil springs 70 can be assembled to the second receiving portion 36 along the inner circumferential surface of the guide wall 36a.

[0044] The seating surface 37 is a surface that is provided approximately parallel to the surface of the rotating shaft 60 that supports the coil spring 70. An end of the coil spring 70 abuts against the seating surface 37. The seating surfaces 37 include those that have different compression amounts of the coil spring 70 depending on the distance from the rotating shaft 60.

[0045] For example, the first seating surface 37a of the multiple seating surfaces 37 is farther from the rotation shaft 60 than the second seating surface 37b. That is, the amount of compression of the coil spring 70 abutting on the second seating surface 37b is greater than that of the coil spring 70 abutting on the first seating surface 37a. Therefore, the coil spring 70 abutting on the second seating surface 37b is set to have a greater biasing force than the coil spring 70 abutting on the first seating surface 37a.

[0046] In this way, by increasing the compression amount of the coil spring 70 at positions where high sealing performance is required on the sealing surfaces 31d, 32d, 33d, and 34d of the valve body 30, it is possible to improve sealing performance.

[0047] The protrusions 38 protrude radially inward. The protrusions 38 are formed so as to taper from the base end to the tip end. The protrusions 38 are inserted into insertion holes 64, 65 (described later) of the rotary shaft 60 to determine their relative axial and circumferential positions with respect to the rotary shaft 60. A plurality of protrusions 38 (three in this example) are provided at the same circumferential position and spaced apart in the axial direction. The shape of the protrusions 38 differs for each of the plurality of valve bodies 30.

[0048] While the configuration of the valve body 30 has been described above using the second valve body 32 as an example, the first valve body 31 also has a first receiving portion 35 that receives the biasing force of the coil spring 70 at the circumferential center, second receiving portions 36 that are provided at two circumferential locations on either side of the first receiving portion 35, a seat surface 37 that receives the biasing force of the coil spring 70, and protrusions 38 that determine the relative axial and circumferential positions of the first valve body 31 and the fourth valve body 34. The third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34 are similarly configured except that they do not have the first receiving portion 35. Therefore, detailed descriptions of the first valve body 31, the third valve body 33, and the fourth valve body 34 will be omitted here.

[0049] 2 and 3 , the rotary shaft 60 extends in the axial direction of the housing 10. The rotary shaft 60 connects the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32 so that they can move in opposing directions, and connects the third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34 so that they can move in opposing directions. The rotary shaft 60 switches the rotational positions of the first valve body 31, the second valve body 32, the third valve body 33, and the fourth valve body 34 by rotating.

[0050] 6 , a plurality of coil springs 70 are arranged between the first valve body 31 and the rotary shaft 60, between the second valve body 32 and the rotary shaft 60, between the third valve body 33 and the rotary shaft 60, and between the fourth valve body 34 and the rotary shaft 60. The coil springs 70 bias the first valve body 31, the second valve body 32, the third valve body 33, and the fourth valve body 34 toward the inner wall portion 12 in which the port 13 is formed. The coil springs 70 are arranged at a plurality of positions spaced apart in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the coil springs 70 are arranged at a plurality of positions spaced apart in the axial direction.

[0051] The biasing force acting from the coil spring 70 to the same valve element 30 includes a biasing force acting in different directions depending on the circumferential position. Therefore, the coil spring 70 can bias the valve element 30 in a direction pressing it against the inner wall portion 12, so that even if the state of the seal surfaces 31d, 32d, 33d, and 34d changes due to sliding between the valve element 30 and the inner wall portion 12, a force pressing the valve element 30 against the inner wall portion 12 always acts. Therefore, sealing performance between the valve element 30 and the housing 10 in the flow path switching valve 1 can be ensured. The specific configurations of the rotating shaft 60 and the coil spring 70 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0052] The actuator operates in response to a command signal from a controller (not shown). The actuator is connected to a rotary shaft 60 and drives the rotary shaft 60 to rotate. This allows the actuator to set the rotational positions of the first valve body 31, the second valve body 32, the third valve body 33, and the fourth valve body 34.

[0053] The flow path switching valve 1 is desirably arranged so that the position where the port 13 communicates is located at the top of the housing 10. This allows air mixed in the cooling water flowing inside to be guided to the outside of the flow path switching valve 1 via the port 13. The flow path switching valve 1 may also be arranged so that the cover member 20 is located at the top of the housing 10. In this case as well, air mixed in the cooling water flowing inside can be guided to the outside of the flow path switching valve 1 via the first port 13a and the second port 13b.

[0054] Next, the detailed configuration of the rotating shaft 60 and the coil spring 70 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG.

[0055] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the rotating shaft 60 and the coil springs 70. Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 7. Note that in Figs. 7 and 8, reference numerals are assigned to only some of the coil springs 70, not all of the coil springs 70.

[0056] A plurality of coil springs 70 are arranged on the rotating shaft 60 in a generally radial pattern from the rotating shaft 60. When attempting to resin-mold a rotating shaft 60 having such a shape, the protrusions 66 (see FIG. 8 ) that support the coil springs 70 become undercut, and therefore a large number of split molds (here, 10) that are divided circumferentially for each direction in which the protrusions 66 are provided are required. Therefore, in order to improve the productivity of the rotating shaft 60, the rotating shaft 60 is configured as follows.

[0057] As shown in Figure 7, the rotating shaft 60 has a shaft portion 61 that extends in the direction of the central axis C and rotates around the central axis C, and a support body 62 that supports a plurality of coil springs 70 arranged circumferentially on the shaft portion 61.

[0058] One end of the shaft portion 61 is rotatably supported by the shaft support portion 24 of the cover member 20. A pair of sealing members 69 are provided around the shaft portion 61. The gap between the shaft portion 61 and the cover member 20 is sealed by the sealing members 69. The other end of the shaft portion 61 is rotatably supported by the bottom surface portion 14 of the housing 10.

[0059] 8, the shaft portion 61 has a plurality of recesses 61a, a plurality of insertion holes 61b, and a pair of grooves 61c. The shaft portion 61 is molded using a mold and a resin material or the like.

[0060] The recesses 61a are provided at positions facing the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32, respectively. The recesses 61a form concave spaces in which the protrusions 38 of the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32 inserted into the insertion holes 64 are positioned. The recesses 61a are provided at axial positions that correspond to the positions of the protrusions 38. A plurality of recesses 61a (three in this example) are provided at the same circumferential positions, spaced apart in the axial direction.

[0061] The insertion holes 61b are provided at positions facing the third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34, respectively. The insertion holes 61b form cylindrical spaces in which the protrusions 38 of the third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34 inserted into the insertion holes 65 are located. The insertion holes 61b are provided at axial positions that correspond to the positions of the protrusions 38. A plurality of insertion holes 61b (three in this example) are provided at the same circumferential positions, spaced apart in the axial direction. The insertion holes 61b constitute part of the groove portion 61c.

[0062] The grooves 61c are provided at two circumferential locations spaced 180° apart. The grooves 61c are provided to connect the insertion holes 61b spaced apart in the axial direction. The grooves 61c guide the flanges 63d of the plate-shaped support members 63 described below when the flanges 63d are inserted in the direction of the central axis C. The grooves 61c open to the outer periphery of the shaft portion 61. The grooves 61c extend in the direction of the central axis C. The flanges 63d engage with the grooves 61c in the circumferential direction. Specifically, the flanges 63d of one plate-shaped support member 63 and the flanges 63d of the other plate-shaped support member 63 engage with the grooves 61c. The grooves 61c are formed to a size that allows the pair of flanges 63d to enter, i.e., a size that corresponds to the thickness of the pair of plate-shaped support members 63.

[0063] The support body 62 is provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the shaft portion 61. The support body 62 has a plurality of (here, a pair of) plate-shaped support members 63 arranged side by side in the circumferential direction.

[0064] The plate-shaped support members 63 are formed with a central angle of approximately 180°. The pair of plate-shaped support members 63 are arranged facing each other and surrounding the outer periphery of the shaft portion 61. The plate-shaped support members 63 are formed from metal plates. Each of the plate-shaped support members 63 has a first flat plate portion 63a, a pair of second flat plate portions 63b, a pair of third flat plate portions 63c, and a pair of flange portions 63d.

[0065] In one of the plate-shaped support members 63, the first flat plate portion 63a is provided opposite the first valve body 31 and supports the first valve body 31 via a plurality of coil springs 70. The first flat plate portion 63a has a plurality of (here, three) insertion holes 64.

[0066] The insertion holes 64 are formed in a substantially circular shape. The insertion holes 64 are arranged in a row at intervals in the direction of the central axis C. The protrusions 38 of the valve bodies 30 are inserted into the insertion holes 64. The insertion holes 64 are each formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusions 38 provided on each valve body 30 (the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32).

[0067] The second flat plate portion 63b is bent at a predetermined angle (approximately 30° in this example) relative to the first flat plate portion 63a and is circumferentially connected to the first flat plate portion 63a. A pair of second flat plate portions 63b are provided so as to be continuous with both circumferential ends of the first flat plate portion 63a. The second flat plate portions 63b are provided opposite the first valve body 31 and support the first valve body 31 via a plurality of coil springs 70.

[0068] The third flat plate portion 63c is bent at a predetermined angle (here, approximately 45°) relative to the second flat plate portion 63b and is circumferentially connected to the second flat plate portion 63b. A pair of third flat plate portions 63c are provided so as to be continuous with each of the pair of second flat plate portions 63b in the circumferential direction. One of the third flat plate portions 63c is provided opposite the third valve body 33 and supports the third valve body 33 via a plurality of coil springs 70. The other third flat plate portion 63c is provided opposite the fourth valve body 34 and supports the fourth valve body 34 via a plurality of coil springs 70. The third flat plate portion 63c has a plurality of insertion holes 65 (here, three).

[0069] The insertion holes 65 are formed by cutting out a substantially semicircular shape in the circumferential direction from the circumferential end of the plate-shaped support member 63. The insertion holes 65 are arranged side by side at intervals in the direction of the central axis C. The insertion holes 65 form circular insertion holes opposite to the insertion holes 65 formed in the opposing other plate-shaped support members 63. The insertion holes 65 are each formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusions 38 provided on each valve body 30 (the third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34).

[0070] In this way, the shape of the protrusion 38 differs for each of the multiple valve bodies 30, and the insertion holes 64, 65 are each formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusion 38 provided on each valve body 30. Therefore, the protrusion 38, which determines the relative position with respect to the rotation shaft 60, can only be attached to the correct insertion holes 64, 65. This makes it possible to prevent the valve body 30 from being assembled in an incorrect position.

[0071] The flange 63d protrudes toward the inner periphery and extends along the axial direction. When assembling the rotating shaft 60, the flange 63d is inserted into the groove 61c of the shaft portion 61 from the axial end and moved relative to the shaft portion 61 in the axial direction to an appropriate position.

[0072] The first flat plate portion 63 a, the second flat plate portion 63 b, and the third flat plate portion 63 c each have a plurality of protrusions 66 that support the coil spring 70.

[0073] The protrusion 66 protrudes radially outward. The protrusion 66 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The protrusion 66 is formed by performing a burring process when drilling a through-hole. The coil spring 70 is attached by crimping to the outer periphery of the protrusion 66. That is, the coil spring 70 is crimped to the protrusion 66 and fixed to the rotating shaft 60. The protrusion 66 supports the coil spring 70 from the inner periphery.

[0074] In the other plate-shaped support member 63 , the first flat plate portion 63 a is provided opposite the second valve body 32 and supports the second valve body 32 via a plurality of coil springs 70 .

[0075] The second flat plate portion 63b is bent at a predetermined angle (approximately 30° in this example) relative to the first flat plate portion 63a and is circumferentially connected to the first flat plate portion 63a. A pair of second flat plate portions 63b are provided so as to be continuous with both circumferential ends of the first flat plate portion 63a. The second flat plate portions 63b are provided opposite the second valve body 32 and support the second valve body 32 via a plurality of coil springs 70.

[0076] The third flat plate portion 63c is bent at a predetermined angle (here, approximately 45°) relative to the second flat plate portion 63b and is circumferentially connected to the second flat plate portion 63b. A pair of third flat plate portions 63c are provided so as to be continuous with each of the pair of second flat plate portions 63b in the circumferential direction. One of the third flat plate portions 63c is provided opposite the fourth valve body 34 and supports the fourth valve body 34 via a plurality of coil springs 70. The other third flat plate portion 63c is provided opposite the third valve body 33 and supports the third valve body 33 via a plurality of coil springs 70.

[0077] The flange 63d protrudes toward the inner periphery and extends along the axial direction. When assembling the rotating shaft 60, the flange 63d is inserted into the groove 61c of the shaft portion 61 from the axial end and moved relative to the shaft portion 61 in the axial direction to an appropriate position.

[0078] In this way, the shaft portion 61 and the support body 62 constitute the rotating shaft 60, so that the rotating shaft 60 can be manufactured by simply assembling the support body 62 to the shaft portion 61 in a state in which the coil spring 70 is pre-assembled to the support body 62. Therefore, the productivity of the rotating shaft 60 can be improved.

[0079] The coil springs 70 are attached to the first flat plate portion 63 a, the second flat plate portion 63 b, and the third flat plate portion 63 c, respectively. The biasing member is composed of a plurality of coil springs 70 arranged in a circumferential direction and acting in different directions depending on the circumferential position.

[0080] The biasing force acting from the coil spring 70 to the same valve element 30 includes a biasing force acting in different directions depending on the circumferential position. Desirably, the biasing force acting from the coil spring 70 to the valve element 30 acts in a direction that spreads radially from the inside of the housing 10 toward the inner wall portion 12. More desirably, the biasing force acting from the coil spring 70 to the valve element 30 spreads radially from the rotation axis 60 toward the outer periphery and acts in the normal direction of the inner wall portion 12.

[0081] In this way, the biasing force acting on the valve element 30 from the coil spring 70 acts in the normal direction (radial direction) at the position where the valve element 30 abuts against the inner wall portion 12, so even if the valve element 30 slides against the inner wall portion 12, the biasing force from the coil spring 70 always acts, and the sealing surfaces 31d, 32d, 33d, 34d can be pressed against the inner wall portion 12. Therefore, the sealing performance between the valve element 30 and the housing 10 in the flow path switching valve 1 can be improved.

[0082] Here, when multiple coil springs 70 are arranged approximately radially from the rotating shaft 60, when attempting to resin mold the rotating shaft 60, the protrusions 66 supporting the coil springs 70 will be undercut, and therefore multiple split molds divided circumferentially are required.

[0083] In contrast, in the rotating shaft 60, the shaft portion 61 and the support body 62 are provided separately, so that, for example, the shaft portion 61 can be molded from resin and the support body 62 can be formed from a metal plate. This allows the mold used when molding the shaft portion 61 from resin to be simplified, and the productivity of the rotating shaft 60 can be improved.

[0084] Next, a flow path switching valve 1 according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0085] Fig. 9 is a plan view of the valve element 30 and the rotating shaft 60 in the flow path switching valve 1 according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the rotating shaft 60 and a coil spring 70 according to the modified example. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the shaft portion 61 of the rotating shaft 60 according to the modified example. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the annular support member 163 of the rotating shaft 60 according to the modified example.

[0086] One end of the shaft portion 61 is rotatably supported by the shaft support portion 24 of the cover member 20. A pair of sealing members 69 are provided around the shaft portion 61. The gap between the shaft portion 61 and the cover member 20 is sealed by the sealing members 69. The other end of the shaft portion 61 is rotatably supported by the bottom surface portion 14 of the housing 10.

[0087] 11 , the shaft portion 61 has a plurality of recesses 61 a, a pair of first ridges 61 d, and a pair of second ridges 61 e. The shaft portion 61 is molded using a mold and a resin material or the like.

[0088] The recesses 61a are provided at positions facing the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32, respectively. The recesses 61a form concave spaces in which the protrusions 38 of the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32 inserted into the insertion holes 64 are positioned. The recesses 61a are provided at axial positions that correspond to the positions of the protrusions 38. A plurality of recesses 61a (three in this example) are provided at the same circumferential positions, spaced apart in the axial direction.

[0089] The first ridges 61d are provided at positions facing the third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34, respectively. The first ridges 61d extend in the axial direction. The first ridges 61d circumferentially engage with first recesses 67 (described later) of the annular support member 163 to determine the relative circumferential positions of the shaft portion 61 and the annular support member 163. The first ridges 61d are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction, spaced 180° apart.

[0090] The second ridges 61e are provided at positions facing the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32, respectively. The second ridges 61e extend in the axial direction. Recesses 61a are provided in the second ridges 61e and spaced apart in the axial direction. The second ridges 61e circumferentially engage with second recesses 68 (described below) of the annular support member 163 to determine the relative circumferential positions of the shaft portion 61 and the annular support member 163. The second ridges 61e are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction, spaced 180° apart.

[0091] 10, the support body 62 has a plurality of annular support members 163 arranged side by side in the central axis direction. The plurality of annular support members 163 (four in this example) are arranged side by side in the axial direction.

[0092] 12 , the annular support member 163 is molded using a mold and made of a resin material or the like. The annular support member 163 has an insertion hole 64, an insertion hole 65, a protrusion 66, a first recess 67, and a second recess 68.

[0093] The insertion holes 64 are formed by cutting out a substantially semicircular shape in the axial direction from the axial end of the annular support member 163. The insertion holes 64 are disposed at both axial ends of the annular support member 163. The insertion holes 64 are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction at 180° intervals. The insertion holes 64 form a substantially oval insertion hole facing the insertion holes 64 formed in the other axially adjacent annular support member 163. The insertion holes 64 are each formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusion 38 provided on each valve body 30 (first valve body 31 and second valve body 32).

[0094] The insertion hole 65 is formed by cutting out a substantially semicircular shape in the axial direction from the axial end of the annular support member 163. The insertion holes 64 are arranged only at one of both axial ends of the annular support member 163. The insertion holes 64 are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction, spaced 180° apart. The insertion holes 64 are each formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusion 38 provided on each valve body 30 (the third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34).

[0095] The protrusion 66 protrudes radially outward. The protrusion 66 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The protrusion 66 is formed using a split mold when the annular support member 163 is resin-molded. The coil spring 70 is attached by crimping to the outer periphery of the protrusion 66. That is, the coil spring 70 is crimped to the protrusion 66 and fixed to the rotating shaft 60. The protrusion 66 supports the coil spring 70 from the inner periphery.

[0096] The first recesses 67 are provided at positions facing the third valve body 33 and the fourth valve body 34, respectively. The first recesses 67 are formed with an inner diameter that is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the first ridge 61d. The first recesses 67 are linear grooves that extend in the axial direction. The first recesses 67 engage with the first ridge 61d in the circumferential direction to determine the relative circumferential positions of the shaft portion 61 and the annular support member 163. The first ridge 61d is provided at two locations in the circumferential direction, spaced 180° apart.

[0097] The second recesses 68 are provided at positions facing the first valve body 31 and the second valve body 32, respectively. The second recesses 68 extend in the axial direction. The second recesses 68 are arranged at circumferential positions where the insertion holes 64 are formed. The second recesses 68 engage with the second ridges 61 e of the shaft portion 61 in the circumferential direction, and determine the relative circumferential positions of the shaft portion 61 and the annular support member 163. The second recesses 68 are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction, 180° apart.

[0098] Similarly to the plate-shaped support member 63, the annular support member 163 has a first flat plate portion 63a, a pair of second flat plate portions 63b, and a pair of third flat plate portions 63c. That is, the outer shape of the surface of the annular support member 163 that supports the coil spring 70 is the same as that of the plate-shaped support member 63.

[0099] As described above, this modified example also achieves the same effects as when the rotating shaft 60 has the plate-like support member 63. Furthermore, the annular support member 163 can be formed by resin molding using a pair of split molds in the axial direction. Therefore, since both the shaft portion 61 and the annular support member 163 can be formed by resin molding, the productivity of the rotating shaft 60 can be improved.

[0100] Next, modifications of the biasing member will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0101] Fig. 13 is a plan view illustrating a modified example of the biasing member, and Fig. 14 is a plan view illustrating another modified example of the biasing member.

[0102] The urging member is a plate-like member 170 having elasticity such as elastomer or rubber, which has a plurality of divided urging members 171 that are divided into multiple parts in the circumferential direction and act in different directions, and connecting portions 172 that connect the divided urging members 171 in the circumferential direction.

[0103] 13 , the connecting portion 172 connects the plurality of divided biasing members 171 in the circumferential direction at a position where the connecting portion 172 abuts against the rotary shaft 60. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 14 , the connecting portion 172 may connect the plurality of divided biasing members 171 in the circumferential direction at a position where the connecting portion 172 abuts against the valve body 30.

[0104] In this way, even when the plate-like member 170 is used instead of the coil spring 70, the valve element 30 can be biased in a direction pressing it against the inner wall portion 12. Therefore, even if the state of the seal surfaces 31d, 32d, 33d, and 34d changes due to sliding between the valve element 30 and the inner wall portion 12, a force pressing the valve element 30 against the inner wall portion 12 always acts. Therefore, the sealing performance between the valve element 30 and the housing 10 in the flow path switching valve 1 can be ensured.

[0105] According to the above embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

[0106] The flow path switching valve 1 comprises a housing 10 having a cylindrical inner wall portion 12 and openings into a plurality of ports 13; at least one valve element 30 that is rotatably accommodated inside the housing 10 around a central axis C and that slides against the inner wall portion 12 to switch the communication state of the plurality of ports 13; a rotating shaft 60 that extends in the direction of the central axis C and switches the rotational position of the valve element 30 by rotating the rotating shaft 60; and a biasing member (coil spring 70, plate-shaped member 170) that is provided between the rotating shaft 60 and the valve element 30 and biases the valve element 30 toward the inner wall portion 12, and the biasing force acting on the same valve element 30 from the biasing member (coil spring 70, plate-shaped member 170) includes a biasing force that acts in different directions depending on the circumferential position.

[0107] According to this configuration, a biasing member (coil spring 70, plate-shaped member 170) that biases the valve element 30 toward the inner wall portion 12 is provided between the rotary shaft 60 and the valve element 30, and the biasing force acting on the valve element 30 from the biasing member (coil spring 70, plate-shaped member 170) includes a biasing force that acts in different directions depending on the circumferential position. Therefore, the biasing member (coil spring 70, plate-shaped member 170) can bias the valve element 30 in a direction pressing it against the inner wall portion 12. Therefore, even if the state of the seal surfaces 31d, 32d, 33d, and 34d changes due to sliding between the valve element 30 and the inner wall portion 12, a force pressing the valve element 30 against the inner wall portion 12 always acts. Therefore, sealing performance between the valve element 30 and the housing 10 in the flow path switching valve 1 can be ensured.

[0108] The biasing force acting on the valve element 30 from the biasing members (coil spring 70, plate-like member 170) acts in a direction that spreads radially from the inside of the housing 10 toward the inner wall portion 12. Desirably, the biasing force acting on the valve element 30 from the biasing members (coil spring 70, plate-like member 170) spreads radially from the rotation axis 60 toward the outer periphery and acts in the normal direction of the inner wall portion 12.

[0109] According to this configuration, the biasing force acting on the valve element 30 from the biasing members (coil spring 70, plate-like member 170) acts in the normal direction (radial direction) at the position where the valve element 30 abuts against the inner wall portion 12, so even if the valve element 30 slides against the inner wall portion 12, the biasing force from the biasing members (coil spring 70, plate-like member 170) always acts, and the sealing surfaces 31d, 32d, 33d, 34d can be pressed against the inner wall portion 12. Therefore, the sealing performance between the valve element 30 and the housing 10 in the flow path switching valve 1 can be improved.

[0110] The biasing member has a plurality of coil springs 70 arranged in a circumferential direction and acting in different directions depending on the circumferential position, and the rotating shaft 60 has a shaft portion 61 extending in the direction of the central axis C and rotating around the central axis C, and a support body 62 supporting the plurality of coil springs 70 arranged in a circumferential direction on the shaft portion 61.

[0111] According to this configuration, the shaft portion 61 and the support body 62 constitute the rotating shaft 60, so that the rotating shaft 60 can be manufactured by simply assembling the support body 62 to the shaft portion 61 in a state in which the biasing members (coil spring 70, plate-like member 170) are pre-assembled to the support body 62. Therefore, the productivity of the rotating shaft 60 can be improved.

[0112] Furthermore, when multiple coil springs 70 are arranged substantially radially from the rotating shaft 60, resin molding of the rotating shaft 60 requires a large number of split molds divided in the circumferential direction because the protrusions 66 supporting the coil springs 70 are undercut. In contrast, the rotating shaft 60 has the shaft portion 61 and the support body 62 provided separately, so that the shaft portion 61 can be resin-molded and the support body 62 can be formed from a metal plate, for example. This simplifies the mold used when resin-molding the shaft portion 61, thereby improving the productivity of the rotating shaft 60.

[0113] The support body 62 is provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the shaft portion 61. The support body 62 also has a plurality of (here, a pair of) plate-shaped support members 63 arranged side by side in the circumferential direction.

[0114] According to this configuration, the rotary shaft 60 can be formed simply by assembling a plurality of plate-like support members 63 to the shaft portion 61, and therefore the productivity of the rotary shaft 60 can be improved.

[0115] The plate-shaped support member 63 has a flange portion 63d that protrudes toward the inner circumference and extends along the direction of the central axis C, and the shaft portion 61 has a groove portion 61c that guides the flange portion 63d when the flange portion 63d is inserted in the direction of the central axis C and with which the flange portion 63d engages circumferentially.

[0116] According to this configuration, since the groove 61c is provided, the plate-shaped support member 63 can be assembled to the shaft 61 simply by inserting the flange 63d so that it slides within the groove 61c. This improves the productivity of the rotating shaft 60.

[0117] The support body 62 has a plurality of annular support members 163 arranged side by side in the central axis direction.

[0118] According to this configuration, the rotary shaft 60 can be formed simply by assembling a plurality of annular support members 163 to the shaft portion 61, and therefore the productivity of the rotary shaft 60 can be improved.

[0119] The plate-like member 170 has a plurality of divided urging members 171 that are divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction and act in different directions, and connecting portions 172 that connect the divided urging members 171 in the circumferential direction. The connecting portions 172 also connect the plurality of divided urging members 171 in the circumferential direction at positions where they abut against the rotating shaft 60.

[0120] According to this configuration, even when the plate-like member 170 is used instead of the coil spring 70, the valve element 30 can be biased in a direction pressing it against the inner wall portion 12, so that a force pressing the valve element 30 against the inner wall portion 12 always acts even if the state of the sealing surfaces 31d, 32d, 33d, 34d changes due to sliding between the valve element 30 and the inner wall portion 12. Therefore, the sealing performance between the valve element 30 and the housing 10 in the flow path switching valve 1 can be ensured.

[0121] The valve body 30 has a first receiving portion 35 that receives the biasing force of the coil spring 70 at the circumferential center, and second receiving portions 36 that are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction so as to sandwich the first receiving portion 35. The second receiving portions 36 have a guide wall 36a that is formed only on the outer side of the coil spring 70 in the circumferential direction. The guide wall 36a is provided upright along the attachment direction of the valve body 30 to the rotation shaft 60.

[0122] In this configuration, the second receiving portion 36 has a guide wall 36a formed only on the outer side of the coil spring 70 in the circumferential direction, and the guide wall 36a is erected along the attachment direction of the valve body 30 to the rotary shaft 60. As a result, when multiple coil springs 70 are arranged substantially radially from the rotary shaft 60, the coil springs 70 can be assembled to the second receiving portion 36 along the inner circumferential surface of the guide wall 36a.

[0123] A plurality of valve bodies 30 are provided, each having a protrusion 38 that determines its relative position with respect to the rotation axis 60, and the support body 62 has insertion holes 64, 65 into which the protrusions 38 are inserted, the protrusions 38 having different shapes for each of the plurality of valve bodies 30, and the insertion holes 64, 65 are each formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusions 38 provided on each valve body 30.

[0124] According to this configuration, the protrusion 38, which determines the relative position with respect to the rotary shaft 60, can only be attached to the correct insertion holes 64, 65, so that the valve body 30 can be prevented from being assembled in an incorrect position.

[0125] The valve body 30 has a seat 37 that receives the biasing force of the biasing member (coil spring 70, plate-like member 170), and the seat 37 includes seats that have different compression amounts of the biasing member (coil spring 70, plate-like member 170) depending on the distance from the rotation axis 60.

[0126] According to this configuration, the compression amount of the biasing member (coil spring 70, plate-shaped member 170) can be increased at positions where high sealing performance is required on the sealing surfaces 31d, 32d, 33d, and 34d of the valve body 30, thereby improving sealing performance.

[0127] Furthermore, when a coil spring 70 is applied as the biasing member, there is no need to use multiple types of coil springs 70 with different biasing forces, which improves productivity when assembling the coil spring 70 to the support body 62.

[0128] The flow path switching valve 1 includes a housing 10 having a cylindrical inner wall portion 12 and openings into a plurality of ports 13; at least one valve body 30 that is accommodated inside the housing 10 so as to be rotatable about a central axis C and that slides against the inner wall portion 12 to switch the communication state of the plurality of ports 13; a rotating shaft 60 that extends in the direction of the central axis C and switches the rotational position of the valve body 30 by rotating thereof; and a biasing member (coil spring 70) that is provided between the rotating shaft 60 and the valve body 30 and biases the valve body 30 toward the inner wall portion 12, and the rotating shaft 60 has a shaft portion 61 that extends in the direction of the central axis C and rotates about the central axis C, and a support body 62 that connects an end of the biasing member (coil spring 70) to the rotating shaft 60.

[0129] According to this configuration, the rotating shaft 60 can be manufactured by simply assembling the support body 62 to the shaft portion 61 in a state in which the biasing members (coil spring 70, plate-like member 170) are pre-assembled to the support body 62. Therefore, the productivity of the rotating shaft 60 can be improved.

[0130] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments merely illustrate some of the application examples of the present invention, and it is not intended that the technical scope of the present invention be limited to the specific configurations of the above embodiments.

[0131] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-071629, filed with the Japan Patent Office on April 25, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A flow path switching valve comprising: a housing having a cylindrical inner wall portion and a plurality of ports opening therein; at least one valve element rotatably accommodated within said housing about a central axis and in sliding contact with said inner wall portion to switch the communication state of said plurality of ports; a rotary shaft extending in the direction of said central axis and rotating about said shaft to switch the rotational position of said valve element; and a biasing member provided between said rotary shaft and said valve element and biasing said valve element towards said inner wall portion, wherein the biasing force acting on the same valve element from said biasing member includes a biasing force acting in a different direction depending on the circumferential position.

2. A flow path switching valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the biasing force acting on the valve element from the biasing member acts in a direction that spreads radially from the inside of the housing towards the inner wall portion.

3. A flow path switching valve as set forth in claim 2, wherein the biasing force acting on the valve element from the biasing member spreads radially from the rotation axis toward the outer periphery and acts in the normal direction of the inner wall portion.

4. A flow path switching valve as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the biasing member has a plurality of springs arranged in a circumferential direction and acting in different directions depending on the circumferential position, and the rotating shaft has: a shaft portion that extends in the direction of the central axis and rotates around the central axis, and a support body that supports the plurality of springs arranged in the circumferential direction on the shaft portion.

5. A flow path switching valve according to claim 4, wherein the support body is provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the shaft portion.

6. A flow path switching valve according to claim 5, wherein the support body has a plurality of plate-like support members arranged in a row in the circumferential direction.

7. A flow path switching valve as set forth in claim 6, wherein the plate-shaped support member has a flange that protrudes toward the inner periphery and extends along the central axis direction, and the shaft has a groove that guides the flange when it is inserted in the central axis direction and with which the flange engages in the circumferential direction.

8. A flow path switching valve according to claim 4, wherein the support body has a plurality of annular support members arranged in line in the direction of the central axis.

9. A flow path switching valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the biasing member has a plurality of divided biasing members which are divided in the circumferential direction and act in different directions, and a connecting portion which connects the divided biasing members in the circumferential direction.

10. A flow path switching valve according to claim 9, wherein the connecting portion connects the plurality of divided biasing members in the circumferential direction at a position where the connecting portion abuts against the rotary shaft.

11. A flow path switching valve as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the valve body has a first receiving portion that receives the biasing force of the biasing member at the circumferential center, and second receiving portions that are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction so as to sandwich the first receiving portion, and the second receiving portions have guide walls that are formed only on the outside of the biasing member in the circumferential direction.

12. A flow path switching valve according to claim 11, wherein the guide wall is erected along the mounting direction of the valve element relative to the rotary shaft.

13. A flow path switching valve as claimed in claim 4, wherein a plurality of the valve bodies are provided, each having a protrusion that determines its relative position with respect to the rotation shaft, the support body has an insertion hole into which the protrusion is inserted, the protrusion has a different shape for each of the plurality of valve bodies, and the insertion hole is formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusion provided on each of the valve bodies.

14. A flow path switching valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one pair of valve bodies are provided on either side of the central axis, and have lower rigidity than the housing.

15. A flow path switching valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the valve body has a seat surface that receives the biasing force of the biasing member, and the seat surface includes a seat surface that varies in distance from the rotation axis, thereby varying the amount of compression of the biasing member.

16. A flow path switching valve comprising: a housing having a cylindrical inner wall portion and a plurality of ports opening therein; at least one valve element accommodated within said housing so as to be rotatable about a central axis and in sliding contact with said inner wall portion to switch the communication state of said plurality of ports; a rotating shaft extending in the direction of said central axis and rotating therethrough to switch the rotational position of said valve element; and a biasing member provided between said rotating shaft and said valve element and biasing said valve element toward said inner wall portion, wherein said rotating shaft has a shaft portion extending in the direction of said central axis and rotating around said central axis; and a support body connecting an end of said biasing member to said rotating shaft.

17. A flow path switching valve according to claim 16, wherein the support body is provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the shaft portion.

18. A flow path switching valve as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein the support body has a plurality of plate-like support members arranged in a circumferential direction, the plate-like support members have flanges that protrude towards the inner circumference and extend along the axial direction, and the shaft portion has a groove that guides the flanges when they are inserted in the central axial direction and with which the flanges engage in a circumferential direction.

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