Flow path switching valve, and indoor unit and outdoor unit of air conditioning device provided with same

Abstract

Provided is a flow path switching valve which is provided with flow paths in multiple directions and in which a valve element does not separate from a seal member. This flow path switching valve comprises a valve body (40), a valve element (50), and a sealing member (70). The valve body (40) has a valve chamber (30) formed therein, and at least three ports serving as inlets and outlets for a fluid are provided in a wall surface that forms the valve chamber (30). The valve element (50) is disposed in the valve chamber (30) and has a first passage (51) through which the fluid flows. The sealing member (70) seals the space between the valve element (50) and one or more of the ports. The sealing member (70) also has a base part (80) and an expansion part (90). The base part (80) is provided on the port side. The expansion part (90) expands so as to open from the base part (80) side toward the valve element (50), and urges and contacts the valve element (50) in a communicating state.

Claims

1. A valve body (40) having a valve chamber (30) formed inside and at least three ports (Pi1 to Pi3) which serve as inlets and outlets for fluid provided on the wall surface forming the valve chamber (30); a valve element (50) disposed in the valve chamber (30) and having a first passage (51) through which fluid flows; a drive unit (60) that drives the valve element (50) to a state of communication where the first passage (51) and the ports (Pi1 to Pi3) are in communication; and a sealing member (70) that seals the space between the valve element (50) and one or more of the ports (Pi1 to Pi3), wherein the sealing member (70) has a base (80) provided on the port side, and an expanded portion (90) that expands to open toward the valve element (50) from the base (80) side and biases to contact the valve element (50) in the state of communication. Flow path switching valve (100).

2. The flow path switching valve (100) according to claim 1, wherein a space (S) is provided to allow the expansion portion (90) to tilt.

3. The flow path switching valve (100) according to claim 2, wherein the space (S) is located between the base (80) and the expansion portion (90), and the expansion portion (90) tilts relative to the base (80).

4. The flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the opening angle (θ), which is the maximum opposing angle between the inner surfaces of the expanded portion (90), is greater when it is in contact with the valve body (50) than when it is not in contact with the valve body (50).

5. When no fluid flows through the first passage (51) of the valve body (50) in an unloaded state, the valve body (50) is in contact with the center and tip of the expansion portion (90), as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The base portion (80) has an annular connecting portion (81) that is in contact with the ports (Pi1 to Pi3), and a cylindrical shaft portion (83) that connects the connecting portion (81) and the expansion portion (90), wherein the thickness of the shaft portion (83) is greater than the thickness of the tip portion of the expansion portion (90), the flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The valve body (40) has a first port (Pi1), a second port (Pi2), and a third port (Pi3) as ports, and the drive unit (60) drives the valve body (50) to switch the communication state to either a first state in which the first passage (51) connects the first port (Pi1) and the second port (Pi2), or a second state in which the first passage (51) connects the first port (Pi1) and the third port (Pi3), the flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The flow path switching valve (100) according to claim 7, wherein the drive unit (60) rotates the valve body (50) to switch between the first state and the second state.

9. The flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the sealing member (70) is made of synthetic resin.

10. The flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the opening angle (θ) of the expansion portion (90) when it is not in contact with the valve body (50) is within the range of 60° to 120°.

11. The flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the sealing member (70) and the ports (Pi2, Pi3) are integrally molded.

12. The flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the sealing member (70) and the port (Pi1) are molded as separate parts.

13. The flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the first passage (51) is a tunnel-shaped passage that penetrates the valve body (50) or a groove-shaped passage provided on the circumferential surface of the valve body (50).

14. A flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the fluid pressure inside the valve body (50) is higher than the pressure around the valve body (50).

15. A flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the fluid pressure inside the valve body (50) is lower than the pressure around the valve body (50).

16. An indoor unit of an air conditioning system equipped with a flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

17. An outdoor unit of an air conditioning system equipped with a flow path switching valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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