Valve body assembly and electric valve
A compact motor-operated valve assembly with a coaxial valve body and magnet rotor design addresses the challenge of miniaturization, enabling installation in linear pipelines with improved sealing and reduced refrigerant turbulence.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/JP2025/003142
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-06-28
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing motor-operated valves are difficult to miniaturize due to their cylindrical valve elements and coil springs, making them unsuitable for installation in compact linear pipelines.
A valve body assembly with a cylindrical magnet rotor and a valve element disposed inside, featuring a coaxial design with a connecting flow path, valve seat, and a leaf spring for compact installation, along with a stator unit that accommodates the assembly in a linear conduit.
The design allows for a compact motor-operated valve assembly that can be installed in series in a linear pipeline, enhancing sealing performance and reducing turbulence in refrigerant flow.
Smart Images

Figure JP2025003142_02012026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Valve body assembly and motor-operated valve
[0001] The present invention relates to a valve body assembly and a motor-operated valve having the valve body assembly.
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional motor-operated valve. This motor-operated valve is incorporated into, for example, an air conditioner and used to control the flow rate of refrigerant. The motor-operated valve has a valve body assembly and a stator unit. The valve body assembly has a refrigerant inlet section, a flow rate control section, and a refrigerant outlet section that form a linear flow path, and a magnet rotor arranged inside the flow rate control section. The stator unit has a stator arranged outside the flow rate control section. The magnet rotor and stator form a stepping motor. The motor-operated valve is incorporated in series into the linear piping of the air conditioner.
[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-127256
[0004] The motor-operated valve of Patent Document 1 has a cylindrical valve element and a coil spring wound around the valve element. The valve element passes through a magnet rotor. This makes the valve element relatively long, making it difficult to reduce the size of the motor-operated valve.
[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a compact valve body assembly and motor-operated valve that can be installed in series in a linear pipeline.
[0006] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides a valve body assembly comprising: a cylindrical valve body having a valve chamber; a cylindrical magnet rotor disposed in the valve chamber; and a valve element disposed inside the magnet rotor; a first conduit connected to a first end of the valve body; and a second conduit connected to a second end of the valve body; the valve body having a connecting flow path connecting the valve chamber and the first conduit, a valve port connecting the valve chamber and the second conduit, and a valve seat surrounding the valve port and disposed inside the magnet rotor; the valve element approaches the valve seat when the magnet rotor rotates in a first direction, and moves away from the valve seat when the magnet rotor rotates in a second direction; and the connecting flow path, the valve seat, and the valve port are disposed coaxially with the magnet rotor.
[0007] In the present invention, it is preferable that the valve body assembly further includes a leaf spring attached to the valve body and elastically deformed when the magnet rotor further rotates in the first direction after the valve body contacts the valve seat.
[0008] In the present invention, it is preferable that the leaf spring has an outer portion fixed to the magnet rotor, an inner portion fixed to the valve body, and a connecting portion connecting the outer portion and the inner portion.
[0009] In the present invention, it is preferable that the outer portion and the inner portion have an annular flat plate shape, the outer diameter of the inner portion is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer portion, the connecting portion connects the inner peripheral edge of the outer portion to the outer peripheral edge of the inner portion, and a flow path is formed between the outer portion and the inner portion.
[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the valve body has a cylindrical case, a lid member, and a valve seat member, the lid member is attached to a first end of the case, the valve seat member has a blocking portion attached to a second end of the case, and a cylindrical support portion extending from the blocking portion toward the lid member, the valve port passes through the blocking portion and the support portion, and the valve seat is located at the tip of the support portion.
[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that an internal thread be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the magnet rotor, and an external thread be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the support portion to be screwed into the internal thread.
[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that when the valve body is farthest from the valve seat, the tip of the support portion is closer to the lid member than the female screw.
[0013] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, another aspect of the present invention provides an electric valve having the valve body assembly and a stator unit having a stator that forms a motor together with the magnet rotor, wherein the stator unit has an inner space extending from a first end face to a second end face of the stator unit, and an opening provided on the outer surface of the stator unit, extending from the first end face to the second end face, and communicating with the inner space, and the valve body assembly is disposed in the inner space.
[0014] According to the present invention, the valve body has a cylindrical shape, and a magnet rotor is disposed in a valve chamber of the valve body. A first conduit is connected to a first end of the valve body, and a second conduit is connected to a second end of the valve body. The valve body has a connecting flow path connecting the valve chamber and the first conduit, a valve port connecting the valve chamber and the second conduit, and a valve seat surrounding the valve port and disposed inside the magnet rotor. The connecting flow path, valve seat, and valve port are disposed coaxially with the magnet rotor. This allows the valve body assembly to be installed in series in a linear conduit. Furthermore, the valve disc and valve seat are disposed inside the magnet rotor. This allows the valve body assembly to be made compact.
[0015] 13. A perspective view of a motor-operated valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. A perspective view of a valve body assembly included in the motor-operated valve. A perspective view of a cross section along the axis of the valve body assembly. A cross section along the axis of the valve body assembly in a closed state. A cross section along the axis of the valve body assembly in a fully open state. A perspective view of a valve disc unit included in the valve body assembly. A front view of the valve disc unit. A rear view of the valve disc unit. A side view of the valve disc unit. A cross section along the axis of the valve disc unit. A front view of a spring member included in the valve disc unit. A perspective view of a stator unit included in the motor-operated valve. A cross section along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12. A cross section along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13. A diagram for explaining a method of assembling the motor-operated valve.
[0016] A motor-operated valve according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motor-operated valve according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a valve body assembly included in the motor-operated valve. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cross section taken along the axis of the valve body assembly. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a valve disc unit included in the valve body assembly. FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along the axis of the valve body assembly in a closed state. FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along the axis of the valve body assembly in a fully open state. FIGS. 4 and 5 show side views of the valve disc unit. FIGS. 6 to 9 are perspective, front, rear, and side views of the valve disc unit. FIG. 10 is a cross section taken along the axis of the valve disc unit. FIG. 11 is a front view of a spring member included in the valve disc unit. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a stator unit included in the motor-operated valve. FIG. 13 is a cross section taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a cross section taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a method for assembling the motor-operated valve.
[0018] The motor-operated valve 1 according to this embodiment is, for example, incorporated in series into a straight pipe of an air conditioner and is used to control the flow rate of a refrigerant.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1 , the motor-operated valve 1 includes a valve body assembly 5 and a stator unit 6 .
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the valve body assembly 5 includes a valve body 10, a rotor 30, and a valve body unit 40.
[0021] The valve body 10 has a case 11, a cover member 12, and a valve seat member 13. The case 11, the cover member 12, and the valve seat member 13 are made of metal such as stainless steel or an aluminum alloy.
[0022] The case 11 has a cylindrical shape. The case 11 is disposed along an axis L. The cover member 12 has a disk shape. The cover member 12 is coaxially joined to a first end 11 a of the case 11 and closes the first end 11 a. The cover member 12 is the first end of the valve body 10.
[0023] The valve seat member 13 integrally includes a blocking portion 14 and a support portion 15 .
[0024] The closing portion 14 has a disk shape and is coaxially joined to the second end 11b of the case 11 to close the second end 11b.
[0025] The support portion 15 has a cylindrical shape. The support portion 15 extends from the closing portion 14 toward the cover member 12 and is disposed inside the case 11. The support portion 15 has a male thread 15t. The male thread 15t is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the support portion 15.
[0026] The valve seat member 13 has a valve port 16 and a valve seat 17. The valve port 16 penetrates the closing portion 14 and the support portion 15. The valve seat 17 is provided at the tip 15a of the support portion 15 and surrounds the valve port 16. The closing portion 14, the support portion 15, the valve port 16, and the valve seat 17 are arranged coaxially. The closing portion 14 of the valve seat member 13 is the second end of the valve body 10.
[0027] The case 11, the cover member 12, and the valve seat member 13 form a valve chamber 18. A first pipe line 8 is joined to an outer surface 12c of the cover member 12. The first pipe line 8 is connected to the valve chamber 18 through a connecting flow path 12p of the cover member 12. The connecting flow path 12p connects the valve chamber 18 and the first pipe line 8. A second pipe line 9 is joined to an outer surface 14c of the blocking portion 14. The second pipe line 9 is connected to the valve chamber 18 through a valve port 16. The valve port 16 connects the valve chamber 18 and the second pipe line 9. The first pipe line 8 and the second pipe line 9 are pipes for the air conditioner.
[0028] The rotor 30 is a magnet rotor. The rotor 30 has a cylindrical shape and is disposed in the valve chamber 18 along the axis L. The rotor 30 is rotatable relative to the valve body 10. The rotor 30 has a first portion 31, a second portion 32, and a third portion 33.
[0029] The first portion 31 has a cylindrical shape. The first portion 31 is made of, for example, ferrite. The first portion 31 has multiple magnetic poles (multiple north poles and multiple south poles). The multiple north poles and multiple south poles are alternately arranged at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction. The multiple north poles and multiple south poles extend in the direction of the axis L. The first portion 31 has, for example, 12 north poles and 12 south poles. The angle between two adjacent magnetic poles around the axis L is 15 degrees.
[0030] The second portion 32 has a cylindrical shape and is disposed coaxially inside the first portion 31. The second portion 32 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin and is integrally molded with the first portion 31. The second portion 32 has a holding surface 32a. The holding surface 32a is an annular flat surface facing the valve seat member 13 and is disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the second portion 32.
[0031] The third portion 33 has a cylindrical shape and is disposed coaxially inside the second portion 32. The third portion 33 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin. The outer diameter of the third portion 33 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the holding surface 32a (the inner diameter of the second portion 32), and the third portion 33 is press-fitted into the second portion 32. The third portion 33 may be joined to the second portion 32. The third portion 33 has a female thread 33t. The female thread 33t is disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the third portion 33. The male thread 15t of the valve seat member 13 is threadedly engaged with the female thread 33t.
[0032] The inner space 35 of the rotor 30 is part of the valve chamber 18, and is a flow path that communicates with the valve port 16 and the connecting flow path 12p of the lid member 12. The tip 15a (valve seat 17) of the support part 15 is disposed in the inner space 35.
[0033] The valve body unit 40 is disposed in the inner space 35 of the rotor 30 along the axis L. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the valve body unit 40 includes a valve body 41 and a spring member 51.
[0034] The valve element 41 is made of metal such as stainless steel or brass. The valve element 41 integrally includes a base 42, a valve portion 43, and a shaft portion 44. The base 42 has a disk shape. The valve portion 43 has a generally cylindrical shape. The valve portion 43 extends from the base 42 toward the valve seat member 13. The tip of the valve portion 43 has a tapered shape and faces the valve port 16 and the valve seat 17. The shaft portion 44 has a cylindrical shape. The shaft portion 44 extends from the base 42 toward the lid member 12.
[0035] The valve body 41 also has a sleeve 45. The sleeve 45 has a cylindrical shape. The shaft portion 44 is press-fitted into the sleeve 45. The shaft portion 44 may be joined to the sleeve 45. The base portion 42, the valve portion 43, the shaft portion 44, and the sleeve 45 are arranged coaxially. The valve body 41 is arranged inside the rotor 30. It is sufficient that the valve body 41 is arranged substantially inside the rotor 30.
[0036] The spring member 51 is a leaf spring. The spring member 51 is made by pressing a metal plate. As shown in Fig. 11, the spring member 51 has an outer portion 52, an inner portion 53, and a plurality of connecting portions 54.
[0037] The outer portion 52 and the inner portion 53 have an annular flat plate shape. The inner diameter of the outer portion 52 is larger than the outer diameter of the valve body 41 (base portion 42). The outer diameter of the inner portion 53 is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer portion 52. The inner portion 53 is disposed coaxially with the outer portion 52. The position of the inner portion 53 in the axial direction L is closer to the valve seat member 13 than the position of the outer portion 52 in the axial direction L. The position of the inner portion 53 in the axial direction L may be the same as the position of the outer portion 52 in the axial direction L. The outer portion 52 may have a shape having a notch in part of the annular shape, such as a C-shape.
[0038] The plurality of connecting portions 54 have a rectangular flat plate shape. The plurality of connecting portions 54 connect the inner peripheral edge of the outer portion 52 and the outer peripheral edge of the inner portion 53. The plurality of connecting portions 54 are arranged at equal intervals around the axis L, and a flow path is formed between the outer portion 52 and the inner portion 53. The plurality of connecting portions 54 are elastically deformable.
[0039] The shaft portion 44 of the valve body 41 is inserted into the inner portion 53, and the inner portion 53 is sandwiched between the base portion 42 of the valve body 41 and the sleeve 45. As a result, the spring member 51 is coaxially fixed to the valve body 41, and the spring member 51 and the valve body 41 constitute the valve body unit 40. Note that the sleeve 45 may be omitted from the valve body 41, and the shaft portion 44 may be press-fitted into the inner portion 53. Alternatively, the inner portion 53 may be crimped or welded to the valve body 41. The outer portion 52 is sandwiched between the second portion 32 (retaining surface 32 a) and the third portion 33 of the rotor 30. As a result, the valve body unit 40 is fixed to the rotor 30.
[0040] The spring member 51 is not limited to the above-described configuration. The spring member 51 may have any shape as long as it has an inner portion fixed to the valve body 41, an outer portion fixed to the rotor 30, and a connecting portion connecting the inner portion and the outer portion and elastically deforming so that the inner portion moves in the axial direction L relative to the outer portion, and a flow path is formed between the inner portion and the outer portion. For example, the spring member may be a strip-shaped or cross-shaped leaf spring. Such a spring member has a central portion (inner portion) fixed to the valve body 41, an end portion (outer portion) of the spring member fixed to the rotor 30, and a portion (connecting portion) between the central portion and the end portion elastically deforms.
[0041] The stator unit 6 is disposed along the axis L. The stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5. As shown in FIGS. 12 to 14 , the stator unit 6 has a stator 60 and a cover 100.
[0042] The stator 60 and the rotor 30 form a stepping motor. The rotor 30 and the stator 60 may form a motor other than a stepping motor. The stator 60 has a stator core 70 and a plurality of coils 88.
[0043] The stator core 70 is formed by stacking, for example, a plurality of thin electromagnetic steel plates. The stator core 70 has a back yoke 71, a plurality of main poles 81, and a plurality of auxiliary poles 85.
[0044] The back yoke 71 has a substantially cylindrical shape and has a C-shape (arc shape) when viewed from the direction of the axis L. The multiple main poles 81 and the multiple auxiliary poles 85 protrude from the inner surface of the back yoke 71 toward the axis L. The multiple coils 88 are wound around the multiple main poles 81.
[0045] The cover 100 has a shape that follows the outer shape of the stator 60 and covers the stator 60. The cover 100 has a C-shape (arc shape) when viewed from the direction of the axis L. The cover 100 is made of synthetic resin and is molded integrally with the stator 60. The inner surface of the cover 100, together with the tips of the main poles 81 and the auxiliary poles, forms the inner surface 6d of the stator unit 6. The cover 100 may be omitted from the stator unit 6.
[0046] The stator unit 6 has an inner space 6s and an opening 6e. The inner space 6s extends from the first end face 6a to the second end face 6b of the stator unit 6. The opening 6e is provided on the outer surface 6c of the stator unit 6, extends from the first end face 6a to the second end face 6b, and communicates with the inner space 6s. The inner space 6s is defined by the inner surface 6d of the stator unit 6. The diameter of the inner space 6s is the same as the diameter of the valve body assembly 5. The valve body assembly 5 is disposed in the inner space 6s. The width of the opening 6e is greater than the outer diameters of the first pipe line 8 and the second pipe line 9.
[0047] In this embodiment, the central axes of the valve body assembly 5 (valve body 10, rotor 30, and valve body unit 40), the stator unit 6 (inner space 6s, stator 60, and cover 100), the first pipe line 8, and the second pipe line 9 coincide with the axis L. The axis L coincides with the rotation axis of the rotor 30.
[0048] Next, a method for attaching the stator unit 6 to the valve body assembly 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 15A to 15C.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 15A, a first pipeline 8 and a second pipeline 9 are joined to the valve body assembly 5, and the opening 6e of the stator unit 6 is aligned with the first pipeline 8, and the stator unit 6 is moved toward the first pipeline 8.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 15B, the first pipe 8 is inserted into the inner space 6s through the opening 6e of the stator unit 6, and the first pipe 8 is disposed coaxially in the inner space 6s of the stator unit 6.
[0051] 15C, the stator unit 6 is moved in the direction of the axis L, and the valve body assembly 5 is inserted into the inner space 6s of the stator unit 6. Then, the stator unit 6 is fixed to the valve body assembly 5 by a fixing mechanism (not shown), and the motor-operated valve 1 is completed.
[0052] Next, the operation of the motor-operated valve 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0053] Current is supplied to the coil 88 of the stator unit 6 to rotate the rotor 30 in the first direction. When the rotor 30 rotates in the first direction, the rotor 30 and valve element unit 40 approach the valve seat element 13 due to the feed screw action between the male thread 15t of the valve seat member 13 and the female thread 33t of the rotor 30, and the valve portion 43 of the valve element 41 contacts the valve seat 17, closing the valve port 16. At this time, the motor-operated valve 1 is in a closed state ( FIG. 4 ). Then, when the rotor 30 rotates further in the first direction, the spring member 51 elastically deforms, pressing the valve portion 43 against the valve seat 17. This improves the sealing performance of the valve element 41 against the valve seat 17.
[0054] Current is supplied to the coil 88 of the stator unit 6 to rotate the rotor 30 in the second direction. As the rotor 30 rotates in the second direction, the feed screw action between the male thread 15t of the valve seat member 13 and the female thread 33t of the rotor 30 moves the rotor 30 and valve body unit 40 closer to the cover member 12, causing the valve portion 43 of the valve body 41 to move away from the valve seat 17 and open the valve port 16. When the rotor 30 continues to rotate in the second direction and the valve portion 43 reaches the farthest position from the valve seat 17, the motor-operated valve 1 is fully open ( FIG. 5 ). The refrigerant entering the valve port 16 from the second pipe 9 flows through the valve chamber 18 (including the inner space 35 of the rotor 30) and the connecting flow path 12p of the cover member 12 to the first pipe 8. In the inner space 35, the refrigerant passes through a flow path formed between the outer portion 52 and inner portion 53 of the spring member 51.
[0055] When the motor-operated valve 1 is in a fully open state, the tip 15a of the support portion 15 is closer to the cover member 12 than the female thread 33t of the rotor 30. The inner space 35 is defined by the inner circumferential surface of the rotor 30, and the portion of the inner circumferential surface closer to the cover member 12 than the female thread 33t has relatively few irregularities. Therefore, the female thread 33t can suppress turbulence in the refrigerant flowing through the inner space 35.
[0056] As described above, the motor-operated valve 1 includes a valve body assembly 5 and a stator unit 6. The valve body assembly 5 includes a valve body 10 having a valve chamber 18, a cylindrical rotor 30 disposed in the valve chamber 18, and a valve element 41 disposed inside the rotor 30. A first conduit 8 is connected to the cover member 12, and a second conduit 9 is connected to the valve seat member 13. The valve body 10 includes a connecting flow path 12p connecting the valve chamber 18 and the first conduit 8, a valve port 16 connecting the valve chamber 18 and the second conduit 9, and a valve seat 17 surrounding the valve port 16 and disposed inside the rotor 30. The valve element 41 approaches the valve seat 17 when the rotor 30 rotates in a first direction, and moves away from the valve seat 17 when the rotor 30 rotates in a second direction. The connecting flow path 12p, the valve seat 17, and the valve port 16 are disposed coaxially with the rotor 30. This allows the valve body assembly 5 to be installed in series in a straight pipeline. In addition, since the valve element 41 and the valve seat 17 are disposed inside the rotor 30, the valve body assembly 5 can be made compact.
[0057] Furthermore, the valve body assembly 5 has a spring member 51 attached to the valve element 41, which elastically deforms when the rotor 30 further rotates in the first direction after the valve element 41 contacts the valve seat 17. In this way, the valve element 41 is pressed against the valve seat 17 by the spring member 51, which can be arranged in a relatively small space, so that the valve body assembly 5 can be made compact and the valve element 41 can be pressed against the valve seat 17 effectively.
[0058] Furthermore, the spring member 51 has an outer portion 52 in the shape of a circular flat plate that is fixed to the rotor 30, an inner portion 53 in the shape of a circular flat plate that is fixed to the valve body 41, and a plurality of connecting portions 54 that connect the outer portion 52 and the inner portion 53. A flow path through which the refrigerant flows is formed between the outer portion 52 and the inner portion 53 of the spring member 51. In this manner, the valve body 41, which is arranged inside the rotor 30, can be attached to the rotor 30 with a relatively simple configuration. Furthermore, the spring member 51 can be prevented from interfering with the flow of the refrigerant.
[0059] The valve body 10 includes a cylindrical case 11, a cover member 12, and a valve seat member 13. The cover member 12 is attached to a first end 11a of the case 11. The valve seat member 13 includes a closing portion 14 attached to a second end 11b of the case 11, and a cylindrical support portion 15 extending from the closing portion 14 toward the cover member 12. A valve port 16 passes through the closing portion 14 and the support portion 15. A valve seat 17 is located at a tip 15a of the support portion 15. This allows the valve seat 17 to be located inside the rotor 30. This allows the valve body assembly 5 to be made more compact.
[0060] Furthermore, a female thread 33t is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the rotor 30. A male thread 15t that is threadedly engaged with the female thread 33t is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the support portion 15. In this manner, with a relatively simple configuration, the valve element 41 can be made to approach the valve seat 17 when the rotor 30 rotates in the first direction, and move away from the valve seat 17 when the rotor 30 rotates in the second direction.
[0061] Furthermore, when the valve element 41 is farthest from the valve seat 17 (fully open state), the tip 15a of the support portion 15 is closer to the cover member 12 than the female thread 33t. This makes it possible to prevent turbulence in the refrigerant flowing through the inner space 35.
[0062] The stator unit 6 also has an inner space 6s extending from the first end face 6a to the second end face 6b, and an opening 6e provided on the outer surface 6c of the stator unit 6, extending from the first end face 6a to the second end face 6b, and communicating with the inner space 6s. The valve body assembly 5 is disposed in the inner space 6s. In this manner, the stator unit 6 can be attached to the valve body assembly 5 after the valve body assembly 5 has been installed in a pipeline.
[0063] In this specification, terms indicating a shape, such as "cylinder" or "column," are also used to refer to members or portions of members that substantially have the shape of the term. For example, a "cylindrical member" includes both a cylindrical member and a substantially cylindrical member. In addition, in this specification, the term "same" can include both the exact same and the substantially same.
[0064] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Any modifications, additions, deletions, or design changes of components made by a person skilled in the art to the above embodiments, or any combinations of features of the embodiments, are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the present invention.
[0065] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...motor operated valve, 8...first pipe line, 9...second pipe line, 5...valve body assembly, 10...valve body, 11...case, 12...cover member, 13...valve seat member, 14...obstruction portion, 15...support portion, 15a...tip, 15t...male thread, 16...valve port, 17...valve seat, 18...valve chamber, 30...rotor, 33t...female thread, 40...valve body unit, 41...valve body, 51...spring member, 52...outer portion, 53...inner portion, 54...connection portion, 6...stator unit, 60...stator, 100...cover, L...axis
Claims
1. A valve body assembly comprising: a cylindrical valve body having a valve chamber; a cylindrical magnet rotor disposed in the valve chamber; and a valve disc disposed inside the magnet rotor; a first conduit connected to a first end of the valve body and a second conduit connected to a second end of the valve body; the valve body having a connecting flow path connecting the valve chamber and the first conduit, a valve port connecting the valve chamber and the second conduit, and a valve seat surrounding the valve port and disposed inside the magnet rotor; the valve disc approaches the valve seat when the magnet rotor rotates in a first direction and moves away from the valve seat when the magnet rotor rotates in a second direction; and the connecting flow path, valve seat, and valve port are disposed coaxially with the magnet rotor.
2. The valve body assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a leaf spring attached to the valve body and elastically deforming when the magnet rotor further rotates in the first direction after the valve body contacts the valve seat.
3. A valve body assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the leaf spring has an outer portion fixed to the magnet rotor, an inner portion fixed to the valve body, and a connecting portion connecting the outer portion and the inner portion.
4. A valve body assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein the outer portion and the inner portion have an annular flat plate shape, the outer diameter of the inner portion is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer portion, the connecting portion connects the inner peripheral edge of the outer portion to the outer peripheral edge of the inner portion, and a flow path is formed between the outer portion and the inner portion.
5. A valve body assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve body comprises a cylindrical case, a cover member, and a valve seat member, the cover member being attached to a first end of the case, the valve seat member having a closing portion attached to a second end of the case, and a cylindrical support portion extending from the closing portion toward the cover member, the valve port passing through the closing portion and the support portion, and the valve seat being located at the tip of the support portion.
6. A valve body assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein the inner peripheral surface of the magnet rotor is provided with a female thread, and the outer peripheral surface of the support part is provided with a male thread that screws into the female thread.
7. A valve body assembly according to claim 6, wherein when said valve body is farthest from said valve seat, the tip of said support portion is closer to said cover member than said female thread.
8. An electrically operated valve comprising the valve body assembly of claim 1 and a stator unit having a stator which constitutes a motor together with the magnet rotor, wherein the stator unit has an inner space extending from the first end face to the second end face of the stator unit, and an opening provided on the outer surface of the stator unit, extending from the first end face to the second end face and communicating with the inner space, and wherein the valve body assembly is disposed in the inner space.
Citation Information
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